28 August - So much more to tell...

Hello friends:
Well the final days in Jordan were so full of stuff - packing and streamlining, official duties, goodbye dinners, and the 'bless & release' of the amazing experience.
Well maybe not!

I decided to continue blogging for a few more weeks so I can record the many stories I want to keep in detail in my heart - my time in these last 3 weeks in Jordan included a myriad of 'moments' that i was unable to record. So although I returned home 24.08 I will still write - you are welcome along the journey to check in also if you wish or 'bless and release.'

I also have time now to add photos to old postings.
In addition, I am preparing various PowerPoint presentations for varied settings with varied audiences. Photos to tell stories, bring some of my purchases and hopefully expand people's knowledge of the area via a personal account. I already have a request from a community group after a friend heard this next story.

Thanks for your company along the way - knowing you were 'Somewhere out there
Beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me' was comforting to me.

Here is a LONG story of a school visit...


22.08.07 - Today was totally UNBELIEVABLE – words can barely paint the picture of my experience but I am soitenly gonna try!
We awoke at 6:oo a.m. and (men) did have hot water although I was still a mosquito buffet all night and no key for the room – ugh??
No matter, life’s memorable moments awaited me.
We drove about 100 minutes to Irbid to visit the directorate offices (Jordan has 17 directorates which are regional educational divisions.) We met with the directorate leader in his air-conditioned office (1st one, I think.) Very graciously received and welcomed – again the ceremony of reception is one I hope to implement in some scale – It generally consists of a man with a tray (often silver)- today it was a Pokémon tray – charming - with pre-poured glasses of water. This is followed by a sweet treat and then Arabic coffee is served (most of the time by a young man in a crisp white shirt, no tie.) The coffee is served from an insulated pitcher / urn and the same 2-3 small cups are used by everyone in attendance. The coffee is poured and the guest swirls it around 2-5 times and then sips it. The hand is extended and held if you are finished or tipped sideways several times if you want more. After the circle has been served then the server asks if you want tea. Tea is Lipton black, very sweetened (which tastes OK to me now) and has fresh mint leaves often in it. YUMMMMY.
Tea is served so hot (the last 3 days I could barely hold it to get it to the table in front of me) and it is casually sipped. During this time there are welcome comments, greetings and introductions. This has typically lasted about 1 hour.

Then we are escorted out of the office (lots of smiles , “Welcome to Jordan,” warm faces)
Today we were driven to a small ALL GIRLS school that had a warm feeling, truly, from the moment the van arrived.
We exited the bus and the students were in varying stages of school-ness: in class, walking to class, playing outside, watching our arrival.
OK, I figured it out – in this setting. I am exotic. So I did wear my killer suit (which now had Bitter lemon spilled on it from last night – not by me!)

The folks on the delegation are mostly dark-haired (except for one woman) and then ME!!!!
There were suddenly lots of faces out of the windows.
We were warmly greeted in the principal’s office with the formal welcome / reception ceremony.

We were given a tour and then my camera died (our lack of wall outlet power in the dorm meant the laptop, video camera, digital camera had zero power – ugh)
So we went to hallways that had student art projects on display, past some classrooms and then I ran back to plug in my equipment in an outlet in the principal’s office.

These details all add up to set the story…
I was late and missed the class that sang to us in English - wahh - but then I arrived at the next (cooking) class (as the group began to exit.) Ouch, but I was able to score a piece of warm cake made for us and I was invited back into the room and thanked the students. I was gentle and used gestures to express my appreciation.
When I was in the walkway I was offered a second slice – yum - so I took it and then went back to say thanks again – much smiles and giggling.
THEN THE BIG MAGIC BEGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all crowded into an English class with about 20 students and they were (4th day of school) talking very simply – “ I see yellow and blue”, “ Hello”…) Two poor girls bravely were selected (yikes) to demonstrate their skills for us and were the center of attention.
I worked the room by quietly leaving the pack and tried to talk to two girls; they did not have enough secure English or too shy to really answer my simple questions so re-tried and exited but bowed using the 'nameste' gesture and said 'Shukran' (thanks) with my right hand at my heart . (the gesture to indicate a woman will not shake hands with a man or the man indicates he understands.) They sweetly said 'you are welcome.'
OK so I was hooked…

We were told then we each had 10 minutes to go to any class and see the students work.
So I don’t know where anyone went but I walked right back into the same English class. I thought I was observing instruction. So I humbly entered and walked quietly walked across the room (trying to be inconspicuous!) and then realized there was no adult in the room!
I said, “Where is the teacher?” and then smiled. ALRIGHT they’re mine!
'May I stay?'
'OH, YES PLEASE'…
'Shall I ask a question or shall you?'
'YOU YOU YOU'
'OK, what do you know about USA?' (they didn’t respond so I used 'America')
Ah
Then they began.
(The old way students respond (which is VERY exuberantly) is to half sit and half stand and say “Miss, Miss, Miss” to their teacher.
Hands are raised by palms facing inwardly toward the student.)

“House White”
“New York”
“Statue of Liberty”
“Florida – My aunt is in Florida”

(p.s. YOU GOTTA hear this story live – this written account does NOT do it justice…)

Quickly the tables turned
They wanted to ask questions.
(right now some people came to the room – which had a plus and minus)
'What is your name?' (although I still have my Kevin name tag (I brought it with me from Seattle – GREAT idea - which is written in English and in Arabic.) So immediately people know my name and pronounce it Kevin Keevun or Kayvin
“Kevin”
“Where you live?”
“Do you have you children?”
“Who is you family?”
I showed pictures of Joe (15) and Sam (13) and then it was “ahhhh,” “beautiful,” “nice”

(OMIGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
“How old are they”
I write 15, 13
“How old you?”
Hmmmm
I erased the 1 in 15 and wrote it after the 5 - they literally screamed and squealed.
I was laughin out loud when the delegation school host came and said “People have said that you are 51 but I did not believe them till now."
The flood gates were open.
We all laughed and were throwing words around quickly – they had become more willing and comfortable.
I was told to leave for lunch. I said 'you know my stomach does not not need feeding but my heart and soul do. Can I stay?'
'Yes'
So I stayed and chatted a bit
“What do you think about Jordan?”
“Why are you here?”

I was told to come to lunch (hosted by the staff in the small library)
Now I forgot I borrowed Tina’s camera and this was all in my brain with no photos – OUCH!
So I said / gestured them into my head , into my heart, hold my heart.
They smiled and I said 'I must hold your faces in my heart - may I look at you in the eyes to help hold you - May I do that?'
'YES YES YES'
So I walked up to each set of two seated beside each other and said ‘Shukran’ and looked each one directly into the eyes and they said varying things
“Afwan” (you’re welcome)
'Welcome'
“Yes”
“You are welcome”
I said good bye and then walked right outside the door and checked in my bag – ahhh, yes I do have enough pencils - So I walked back in – by now they were running to the door to watch me and I said I had a very small gift. “May I?”
“Yes, please.”
I walked to each one and held out the collection and each selected one (and said ‘Thank you,’ ‘Thank’ ‘Shukran’)
They were soul mates.
I went to rock star status. I was escorted to lunch by an adult to get me out of there
Now the word was out & school was a bit buzzy. Girls started hanging out by doors and windows, some casually waited, walked past, smiled.
I was brought to lunch - ‘Kevin now where were you?’
“I was making friends”
Then I had similarly warm time with our hosts. I did not sit with anyone from the delegation which left me open to be surrounded by staff who engaged with me verbally and non-verbally and spoke, touched, shook my hand and said kind things – ‘You ARE a teacher’ , ‘students like you,' ’students love you’
'May I make a picture with you?'
'Can I get you a drink'
'This is manganeesh (our lunch)' (now there is a 5-page story!!!! Ahmed – wow)

Great small food and because I remain engaged and separate I get instant access to lots of magical mini-moments with all of these people.

Then we were brought to the art project table and then encouraged to 'enjoy them.' Brought to the computer lab and saw some PowerPoint projects from our colleague and her former students.
I was invited to leave the room by Ahmed (more story – WOW.)
After the demo the principal said we could each take one project from the art table. WOW
Except we each deliberated so much over which ONE that we were told – ‘oh, take 2’
(WHAT?????)


MORE LATER!!!!!!!