Petra

Petra was definitely the highlight of this vacation. We spent two days in the town of Wadi Musa where Petra is and were lucky enough to have booked a hotel that was only a 5 minute walk from Petra. On the first day we left really early and at the entrance were convinced to take a horseback ride through the "Indiana Jones" trail, as the Jordanian men called it, and am very happy we did. The trail took us away from the Sik and up the mountains were we could see a panorama view of Petra. At one point we got off and did some VERY but well worth hike that took us to a spot where we could see the Monastery from above. The view was beyond spectacular! After the 2-3 hour horseback ride we walked through some of the site but by then there were too crowded, not too mention that we were very tired.

The next day we left very early again, 6:30 am. This time we walked in to the treasury and were able to get amazing pictures without tourists in the background to kill our shots. Since the day before we saw everything except the Monastery we decided to take a donkey ride up the 800 stairs that leads to the Monastery. The entire ride up was hilarious. Not only did my donkey keep on racing Jose's donkey up the stairs it also farted sooo loud it scared me! I'm not kidding! When we arrived to the Monastery we were the second ones to arrive and again got to take AMAZING pictures without anyone in them :). After the Monastery we decided to walk down the 800 steps and by the end we were so tired we called it a day and left.

About to start the "Indiana Jones" trail

Jose and me taking a break from horseback riding.

Very scary hike to see the Treasury

This made the hike worth it!

2nd day entering Petra through the Sik. I was Freezing!

This view got me sooo excited!

The Treasury

Me and my gassy doneky. Haha!

Monastery

Awesome way to end our 2 day stay in Wadi Musa.

Wadi Rum

For our third night we camped out in Wadi Rum. Wadi rum is a beautiful desert with huge mountains that have been eroded by the wind into what looks like different faces and animals. We arrived a couple of hours before sunset so that didn't give us much time to explore. Instead we admired the sunset and had dinner with our Bedouin guide at the camp site. Our camp site that only had the basics. We didn't have electricity and the water was extremely cold. I thought I was going to freeze! Luckily we were provided with plenty of blankets so I didn't suffer at night.

The following morning to took a four hour safari into the dessert where we got to see different things, hike and climb. At the end of we rode camels for an hour back to the camp. Seeing my mom get on a camel was hilarious. First of all she couldn't get on and she kept on making these faces and sounds because she was so scared! After the camel ride we got a ride back into town and we left to Wadi Musa for Petra.

Amman

For our school break we decided to go to Jordan for one whole week :). At the airport we got a taxi and headed to our hotel to wait for my mom to arrive. Our taxi driver was a very nice talkative man. He talked to Jose the entire way to our hotel. Here's the part of the conversation:

Taxi driver: "Who is she?" (asking about me)
Jose: "My wife"
Taxi driver: "Your cousin?"
Jose: "NO, my wife!" "She's not my cousin"
Taxi driver: "Oh, not your cousin?"
Jose: "NO, you don't marry your cousin"
Taxi driver: "We can marry our cousin"
Jose: "That's weird"
Me: "NO IT'S NOT, its just different"
Taxi driver: "In our country we can marry our cousin." "Not in your country?"
Jose: "No in our country we don't marry our cousins"

I thought that Jose's and the taxi driver's reaction to each others statements was funny since they were both equally surprised/shocked. As for me, since I started teaching here I learned that it's common for the locals (Arabs) to marry their cousins. That's why I wasn't surprised, if anything I was a bit worried that Jose had insulted the taxi driver by saying that it was "weird."

That first day we only drove around the city and ate out. We found that Jordanians make their own lanes while driving, honk all the time, and are very nice and friendly. 

We spent our second day checking out the ruins in Jerash and driving to Ajloun to check out an amazing castle.

Ruins in Jerash

My mom and me

Jose

Castle in Ajloun

View from the castle

Below are pictures that may be considered disturbing to some people.  Continue reading if you wish to see them. 

On our third day in Amman Jose woke up early and went out for a drive. Since our vacation happened to be during Eid al Adha "Festival of Sacrifice" he saw a family preparing to slaughter sheep. He got off to take a peek and was invited to have tea and watch the sheep be slaughtered. They slaughtered a total of 5 sheep and explained that they would be keeping 1 of the sheep and giving the rest to the poor "because the poor don't have the luxury to taste meat everyday." They told Jose that the way they kill the sheep is in a very peaceful manner and that after they slit the throat of the animal they allow it to bleed out for five minutes to allow the soul to leave the body.

Man is blowing air into dead sheep to make it easier to skin.

Skinning dead sheep

Jose with owners of the sheep.

Hajj and Eid al Adha

The week of October 30 our school had Hajj activities for the students. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and is the fifth pillar of Islam. Every Muslim who can afford it must do the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. During the week of Hajj hundreds of thousands of Muslims perform rituals in Mecca. Some of the  rituals are: dressing in traditional all white clothing, walking around the Kabaa seven times and going to Mount Arafat to throw stones as a symbol of "the stoning of satan." Following Hajj every Muslim celebrates Eid al Adha "Festival of Sacrifice" by sacrificing a sheep, lamb, goat, etc. in honor of Allah and gathering with family... Kinda like Thanksgiving :D.

Like most of the activities that happen in our school we, the LT's, didn't find out about them until last minute and I also had no clue of what was happening. I usually found out that we were going to do something minutes before. No complains I was really excited to be a part of this and learn more about the culture.

Unfortunately I didn't take a camera when our students dressed up and walked around a made-up Kabaa. But here is a link to some really awesome professional pictures of Hajj and Eid al Adha. I did take a camera on the day that a sheep was brought to school for the children to see. The poor animal was scared out of it's mind, was practically dragged into the assembly area by the Arabic teachers, and made a complete mess by pooping all over the floor. The Arabic teachers put on some really loud music and encouraged the kids to make sheep sounds. To end the day every student, LT, and Arabic teacher received a 5 dirham bill by the principal. Not a bad way to begin our first school break! 

Didn't want to go inside the assembly room.

Yup! That's poop on the floor.

Principal handing out dirhams to the kids.

My 5 dirhams

Jordan Here We Come!

Eid Al Adha, a Muslim holiday, is approaching and therefore we are getting a break from school. To celebrate my first break Jose and I are going to meet my mom in Jordan!! I can't wait! Not only will I see my mom for the first time since moving to Abu Dhabi but I will also get to travel to another country in the Middle East. Everything is booked and we are ready to go. In Jordan we will spend some time in Amman, camp in Wadi Rum, see Petra, and swim in the Dead Sea.

Petra