Qasid Institute

This is Qasid Institute. I'll be taking my Arabic classes on the 4th floor here and its about a 5 minute walk down the hill from my apartment. I walked around it a bit and its filled with tiny classrooms since most classes are about 4-8 students and not much else. its pretty basic, but nice. I start class on Sep. 5th and will have 3 hour classes/5 days a week. Classes will be from Sunday -Thursday because Jordan's weekend's are Friday and Saturday. Something to get used to. I've been so confused on what day it is partially from jetlag but also because the weekends are foreign to me.

Today I explored Abdoon Circle in Amman with Lily and then later went out with a bunch of people at Qasid (some new, some have been here for awhile) at a beautiful rooftop restaurant that showed some of the city. Everyone was great and so nice that I met. They all have interesting backgrounds and most have worked in the Middle East already and have great stories and advice. There were a few Boren Fellows there as well that I was able to discuss all of that with them.

Slowly adjusting and meeting people...same old story of how it goes when you move abroad. Something I will say I was surprised about were the kittens. I never knew. Botswana had donkeys every 3 steps, walking through the streets and stopping traffic or hanging out everywhere from the school yards to supermarkets...Amman has kittens. Its both adorable and sad. Cute/dirty little kittens flood the streets, trash cans, porches, sidewalks, etc. I guess if poverty has to take shape in tangle form, it sadly is a pretty cute form to take. I want to take all of them home and wash them though...I fear I may become a real crazy cat lady while I'm in Jordan.