The End is Near

We're wrapping up classes and finals start this week and end at the beginning of next week. I'll miss the friends I've met in Amman, but I'm excited to go home and for the stress of learning Arabic intensively to subside. I'm excited to be with my family and be doing Christmas things and relax.

In Suq Abdali, Jarom and I found this little piece of home ;) Suq Abdali is a massive outdoor market that opens a couple days a week and carries all the DI/Goodwill/Ross type clothes. 

This was Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving. Jarom and I went to Hashem's Restaurant for hummas, beans, and pita. I didn't realize it was Thanksgiving till after we left. I ate a Thanksgiving meal with the Lees (missionary couple we work with up in northern Jordan) after church the next day and also on Sunday when we had a day off for the Islamic New Year (which, oddly, none of my friends here knew about).

Saturday we went to Ajlun, a northern town with a Muslim castle built during Crusader times, but we went for the nature walks. 

This is the river where Jacob saw Jacob's Ladder and wrestled with the Angel and got the same promise Abraham received. I don't remember, but I think it's called Jerash River.

We passed by families in the middle of olive harvest. Some of them were from as far away as Aqaba but they came home to help out and visit. The way they harvest olives is to spread a big tarp under the trees and then hit the branches until olives fall. The taste soooooo bitter. You have to soak them for several days till they're edible.

This is Mar Elias, the site believed to be the birthplace of Elijah. There's a church ruin  with mosaic floors from the 6th century 

This is Esther. She and I teach Shahid each Friday after church. She goes to a salon to speak, and her friends there heard she was going to a Thanksgiving party and decided to buy her the cutest outfit they could find and do her hair and make up for her. It reminded me of a 60's powersuit. They were disappointed to see her wear the white undershirt. :)