Before I Go

Wow!

I'm sitting here at my home computer getting this blog ready so that I can easily update it and send it out to all of you, when I realize that in less than 48 hours I am going to be sitting with all the other people from our group getting ready to go to Jordan. I am excited and nervous at the same time!

I love the Middle East, well, what I know of it from my two summers in Israel. The culture, the environment, the history are all fascinating to me. Some people ask me, “Why Jordan? You’ve already gone to Israel.” To that question I must state that Yes, I love Israel, and the time I have spent there is unforgettable. I hope to return sometime soon. Yet, I want to see things there from a different perspective. When this amazing opportunity arose, I couldn’t say, “No.” Not only will I be able to travel and explore historical and modern day places and cultures, but I will be learning about it with the guidance of experts and professionals. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.

Is it safe? Should you be going now? Aren’t you scared?

Thank you, thank you to all my friends who have expressed concern for my safety. I am very touched.

Is any place safe? I live in an area with a lot of gang violence. The other day, a friend of my boyfriend’s family was killed in a car accident. Things happen. As far as Middle Eastern countries go, Jordan is one of the safest. That doesn’t mean some crazy person won’t do something horrible, but sadly, staying at home doesn’t assure that I am safe from such people. Besides, I think about a character from Edward Abbey’s book Desert Solitaire. Throughout the book he continuously tells Abby, “You’re crazy! I would never do that! I could die!” At the end of the book he has a heart attack and dies while screwing in a light bulb.

Besides, just as Islam, Muslims, and the Middle East have gotten a lot of bad press in the US, American has gotten the same around the world. Sorry to all my friends and family who support this war, but I hate the idea that we are seen as self centered, ignorant, arrogant, money hungry, gas guzzling, war mongers. I’m only one person, but I am going to do my best to show people that stereotypes are never universal.

Until my next entry,
Salaam