More Differences

Children are given painkillers by suppository instead of liquid suspension. (This was unsuccessful when I tried it with Ethan!)

Plastic bags are used aplenty, with no "green" thoughts at all.

Powdered drink mixes come in flavors like mango, orange and peach, instead of grape and cherry. Same with juices, for that matter!

Prices are listed with thousandths instead of hundredths (i.e. 1.200 JD)

Men never wear shorts -- it's considered to be like wearing one's underwear in public.

Taxis are the norm instead of buses, and bikes are non-existent.

Tea is usually served with mint (and hot, no milk).

Pita is cheap to buy fresh from the bakery -- YUM!!

No floor is carpeted, though area rugs will be used in the winter.

Fruit and veg need to be sterilized.

Children are seen as a blessing, and are treated as such, even by strangers.

Rubbish is collected everyday. We put our bags out on the sidewalk, where a donkey & boy/man come get it within a day.

Our Amman House

1) Our living room looking towards the sunroom.
2) Our living/dining room looking from the sunroom
3) Our sunroom
4) Naomi's room, which is next to the sunroom at the front of the house
5) Master bedroom, with a shower bathroom in the far corner
6) Naomi inside our building, by our inner door. We're on the ground floor, which is actually a few steps up from the outside ground.
7) Our building from down the street. Notice the trees in the middle of the pavement!
8) The kids by our sunroom gate.
9) Ethan by our main front gate
10) Our street sign

Dead Sea

On Saturday 16 October, we hired a car and made a quick visit to the Dead Sea. I'd heard how you can float without any effort, but to actually watch my own feet bob up was just amazing! The kids didn't like it very much, so they were glad there were also pools by the sea. They had a great time swimming, splashing and floating!

One Month Update

We've been here for 5 weeks, and I've hardly blogged a word! Upon getting a letter from my sweet mom and being reminded that she "reads every word" I write, I feel I should add something tonight, though it be short and cryptic.
If I had to sum up our first month in a few words it would be...
Naomi and Josiah are finally reading novels. The pick of choice is Enid Blyton's Famous Five mysteries, though Little House on the Prairie comes a close second for Naomi.
Ethan is talking up a storm!! It's hard to believe that two months ago, he was still just barely putting two words together. Now he puts sentences together and asks in-depth questions. Still incomprehensible to most folks, but precious communication for us!
Steve is busy and happy learning Arabic. He feels adequately challenged by the material, and enjoys getting to know a few fellow classmates especially over study and lunch breaks.
I spend more time than ever schooling the kids, but I love this year's curriculum focus of world geography. I'm learning right along with Naomi and Josiah, re-memorizing geography that I first learned 20 years ago. We're just finishing up North America, and will do the Middle East next.
We're still uncertain how long we'll be living here.
We love getting to know our neighbors, both Jordanian and American. The 3 kids who live above us (also from Virginia!) are such good friends to our kids, and we truly treasure their friendship.