This place is definitely crazy and it's not just culture shock!

Every day I do something completely stupid and somebody in my arab family gets mad, or laughs. I usually resort to laughing, unless I'm really stressed out.

I am recovering from a 3 day stomach sickness. It was probably food poisoning, because it happened all-of-a-sudden, and involved two places of exit.

Malek was amazing. He got me the complete third season of 24 on DVD and delivered it to my house, so I wouldn't be completely bored out of my skull inbetween trips to the bucket and the bathroom.

However, the rental place was a little bit like car test-driving; he had to leave his ID there. Because of the riot that happened on Thursday, he would need to have his ID today, Sunday, the first day of school in the week. So he had to come back and pick up the DVD's to be able to return them. (Don't worry, I illegally copied them onto my computer with ease, they being illegal copies anyway. And mom, I will erase them when I am done watching them.)

Everybody was in the living room talking when he called to tell me he was outside. So instead of interrupting the conversation, I just walked outside and handed them to him. I was outside for literally 2 minutes when my Arab mom came running out, greeted him, he left, and she turned to me and said the equivalent of, "Why the crap didn't you tell me he arrived!??!?!"

"Sorry, I thought you were busy...it's not a big deal!"

She didn't say anything. I think the fact that I went outside by myself at night scared her. Yes, this place is definitely crazy.

The other supporting reason for my thesis "Jordan is INSANE" is the medicine they gave me at the pharmacy. I went with my Arab mom. We both explained I needed medecine for istifrigh and ishaal, vomiting and diarrhea - it was very clear to the pharmicist what I needed. When I got home and read the information that came with the equivalent of two dollar medicine, my level of nausia increased. "There's nothing WRONG with my vagina. Why the crap did she give me medicine for Vaginitis????!?!?!"

The crazy part was when we called the number on the pharmacy bag, and my Arab mom spoke with her, she defended her case, that it contained the same active ingredient as immonium, and was suitable for my problem. Moonasib. Yeah freaking right.

The craziest part was that I took it.

Vomit and Riots

I woke up this morning, put on my fake leather boots, and was on my way to catch a taxi to the University, when I suddenly turned, knelt on the ground, and vomited in the grass.

I stayed home from school.

I think it's pretty remarkable that I've been in a strange climate, eating food my stomach is not used to for almost three months, and this is the first time I've dealt with diarrhea/stomach virus. It was pretty nasty, but I feel better now.

It turns out that today there was a huge riot at Yarmouk. Ahmed said that 200 people against 200 other people, that there were more students killed at Yarmouk today than were killed at Virginia Tech two days ago (32? Arabs really like to exaggerate...seems unlikely to me), that there was blood and violence and the police came. Hibba said she thinks it was because of a girl.

I'm trying to find information about it online, but so far there isn't. I think it's still going on. I'm home, wrapped up in my soft blankets, listening to arabic music on my ipod. Later on, Malek is gonna come drop off the 3rd Season of 24, one of my favorite TV shows, with my Arabic mom.

Riots on University Campuses in the Middle East are not the ideal place for Americans to find themselves.