After a week of last favorite things in Jordan and long nights of studying, we took our final tests on Thursday and left Aphamia hotel for the last time. It was sad to say goodbye to some of our favorite teachers, (Ahlam we love you!), but finals went very well, and we were mostly glad to be out of Irbid. Within an hour of our luncheon/graduation ceremony we were on the bus to Amman. There, we checked into the Dove Hotel, the adorable place we found the weekend before, and called the friends we met there. They took us to Dubliner’s for dinner, an Irish pub/restaurant, for fish and chips. I don’t think anything has ever tasted so good! We hadn’t had fish since before leaving the U.S. Zaid, Ramsey, Khaled and Mohaned, our new friends, had made reservations at one of the nicest clubs in Amman, so we dressed up and got ready to actually go out for the first time since Dubai. It was SO much fun! It was just like clubs at home. Loud music, lots of dancing, bottle service, and packed with people. Hours of dancing, dozens of pictures and three lost friends later, we finally found a cab and made our way back to the hotel. Friday we showed Derek, (Cassidy’s boyfriend who had arrived from the states the night before), around downtown Amman and ate at Hashim’s. This restaurant has the best hummus in Jordan we ate there every chance we could–I’m going to miss it! The day wasn’t too eventful after that. We went to Dubliner’s again with our other friend Hala, (thank you again for everything Hala we already miss you!), for dinner, to a cute garden bar for the Ghana/Uruguay game, (which was crazy), and then to the airport to pick up our friend Andy who is traveling with us. Saturday we went back to the citadel and amphitheater we went to on our first week in Jordan, but Andy and Derek wanted to see them, ate at Hashim’s again, and finally we were on our way to Egypt! It was sad saying goodbye to Cassidy and Mike after becoming such good friends, but we’ll see them very soon and for the rest of the summer in Madison. I really enjoyed the six weeks in Jordan. We learned much more than I thought we would, and living there taught me more than studying at home ever would. Things I'll miss the most: Hummus, falafel sandwiches, hareesa, the friendly people, the cheap prices, the english words put into Arabic, (this is hilarious), the warm weather, the history, the odd cultural things, (see "lessons" post), the simplicity. Also, living in Jordan made us realize how lucky we are at home! Brianna and I were joking yesterday that even the dirty areas of any place at home are going to seem shockingly clean. And we're going to bring water bottles places, then realize we can drink out of the taps. We're going to be amazed by clean bathrooms, and appliances that work. Everything in the U.S. is just ten times nicer, there's no other way to say it, and it's not a bad thing, it's just how it is. I love Jordan, and will really miss it, but there's a reason most of the people there want to move to the "freedom dream land," (as one elderly man told us), and now I understand it. In Jordan, we were extremely wealthy. At home, we're poor struggling students. It's a very strange culture difference. There are things about Jordan, and the people, that I think are better than America, but for a permanent residence, I'm glad to be living in Wisconsin, (and hopefully soon New York!).
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