Sooq

Today was the happiest day of my entire time in Jordan so far.

I woke up happy. A few months ago, the noise in the morning really used to bother me. My arabic family yells a lot. I didn't understand what they were saying before, and mostly, I didn't understand the tone of things.

This morning, their noise was actually calming. One of my favorite things about home in the states is waking up on a Saturday morning to the sound of clinking dishes downstairs. Familiar delicious smells creeping in, like bacon and eggs, and pancakes...this morning, it was a similar experience. Familiar smells, familiar noises - calming. I understood what they were saying, it didn't make me want to cry and curl up - the opposite! Amazing.

Then, I went to the sooq with Mona, my arab mom, and Mahmoud. It was the most fun shopping experience I have ever had in my life. This place, it is so beautiful. Imagine lots of people in the streets, open stores, people yelling things like, "bazalla bazalla bazalla lira wa noos lira wa noos!" - "beans beans beans, two bucks, two bucks!" Oranges in their bags hanging down from the roofs of stores, piles of dishes, and shoes - storefronts, people walking, people selling.

In order to buy or sell or eat or LIVE here, you have to speak Arabic. I can't pretend to speak fluently, but I definitely understand. I don't even think I can say I understand fluently - Arabic is so large and vast and huge. But of Irbidean Ammiya Arabic, I understand about 75% of the words, and 95% of what's going on.

I was so happy today. I can't exactly explain why. Just knowing that I am a daughter of God, and knowing that I am going to use my Arabic. I think God has been helping me recently, giving me extra measures of patience and wisdom. When bad thoughts come to my head, and I feel discouraged, I chase them out with hymns. It's not worth focusing on the bad.

I bought presents for my family today. Heaven knows how I will bring back all of this stuff in one suitcase, with the 65 kilo limit. Allah ya'alim!

I love Jordan. Jordan first.