Sensory Overload

Welcome friends!

Well, I'm taking my first stab at writing a blog entry.  In roughly four months time, I will be relocating to Amman, Jordan from Seattle, Washington.  7000 miles, give or take.  That's 10 time zones.  The move has been in the long-term plans for 3 years now, but the actual date is creeping up so fast that I am starting to feel a whole range of emotions as the reality sinks in.  I was born and raised in Washington State.  Most of my immediate family live within a 10 minute drive.  My beloved husband, however, lives in Amman!  Thus, the big move, and much anticipation as I look forward to our life together there.  I'll be putting down some new roots, and sinking my feet in the sand there, so to speak.

This blog is intended to help me stay connected to my family and friends once I am so far away.  Many of my family and friends have shown an interest in my travels to Jordan over the past three years.  With any luck, I will keep them informed and perhaps even mildly entertained as I blather on about my new life there.  

Here are a few photos, from here and there, that capture some of the sights that are meaningful to me. These are some of the things I will miss about home, and some that I will look forward to seeing and experiencing in my new surroundings. 

Memorial Day observance in Portland, Oregon

We hear the call to prayer from the King Hussein Mosque near our home in Amman

Our camp at Lake Mayfield in Washington State

Amman police officer keeping order during a typical peaceful Friday protest

Sunset view from the park in Amman where I will soon be taking my walks

A doorway in the town of Madaba, Jordan

My dog, Ellie, cooling off in a spring-fed creek in my hometown

My husband and me at The Citadel in Amman, Jordan 

Moss covered trees, cedar boughs and freshly fallen leaves in Washington

Spectacular Mt. Rainier in Washington State

Downtown Seattle, Washington

Sunset at The Dead Sea in Jordan

Rain drops on maple leaves in my hometown

Two men walking through The Siq at Petra in Jordan

As the time here in Washington grows short, I am starting to look at everything with a fresh eye.  I'm taking in the color of the grass and of the flowers, and viewing beautiful Mt. Rainier with even more awe than before, watching power walkers strut down the boulevard near my home with vigor.  I am listening to the frogs and birds with a keener ear.  I am smelling the dirt and damp leaves and grasses as my dog runs beside me off leash.  When I drive by the river that runs through my town, I no longer take it for granted, for I know I will miss it, and the delicious salmon that I have tasted from its waters.  Preparing to sell all of the camping gear that I will no longer need brings many pleasant memories of summer camping trips with my daughters, rich with sensory delights. As of late, when I stop by to see my parents, and walk into my childhood home with all its familiarity, I realize that I will miss these impromptu visits to see my parents who live just a few miles away.  Opening Mom's refrigerator and cupboards, searching for...what?  I'm usually not even hungry, but it's become a habit.  These are some of the sensory experiences that I will miss from my hometown.  Oh, Seattle skyline, how you will be missed!  Courteous drivers, you will be missed even more.

Jordan has its own sights, sounds, and smells to experience.  Amman at sunset is a sight I've grown to love.  Most of the structures there are made with locally manufactured stone, and are very light in color.  Various shades of white and cream homes and buildings make up the overall color palette of the city.  When the sun sets, the buildings take on a pinkish hue and it is just spectacular.  I'll never forget my first trip there, and how I told my husband that the middle of the night "call to prayer" woke me, and how I found it enchanting.  Like a grandfather clock, I've since learned to sleep through it, but every now and then, it still wakes me and I find a certain comfort in its (sometimes) melodious sound.  The first time I thought I heard the "Ice-cream Man," I was sadly informed that it was actually the "Gas Man" driving through residential neighborhoods selling propane to the homeowners.  What a buzz kill that was.  I was ready to go grab some change and get myself a Nutty Buddy.  I would be remiss if I left out the auditory thrill of the occasional crack of a shotgun aimed at the night sky, in celebration of a wedding, a graduation or the like.  Downtown Amman, or "Balad" is still a novelty to me.  I enjoy walking around Balad to people watch and to see what the vendors are selling.  My favorite smells are the fresh spices sold in bulk.  My nostrils are tantalized by the scent of cardamom, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and Arabic coffee.  Oh, and shawerma!  That might need to be a whole blog entry of its own.  Yes, I think so.

Goodnight, Seattle.  Good morning, Amman.

~M.