In the Right Place at The Right Time

I took a Boston Harbor cruise and enjoyed the cityscape from the water. 

My daughter walking along a street of Brownstones.

Three weeks ago, I left my new home in Amman for what was to be a short, one-week trip to Boston to tour some universities with my daughter.  We had a wonderful time.  Boston was beautiful in all its autumn glory.  The first order of business was to attend university tours and explore some campuses. We even squeezed in some visits with family who live in the area, a bonus we had not expected.   My daughter loved the Boston area and anxiously awaits responses from several of the universities she applied to in the area.   Quickly learning how to navigate in the city, we took full advantage of the excellent public transportation available in Boston.  It is an extremely walking friendly city as well, which we really enjoyed.  I toured the North End and the South End on foot.  On blistered feet, actually.  I partook of the fabulous Italian food in the North End and ducked into several of the many boutiques there, and then enjoyed an amazing lamb meal in a jazz club in the South End the next day, after exploring the cozy neighborhoods of brownstones. Of course, my daughter and I knew no trip to Boston would be complete without having some lobster, so we indulged on the last night in town, and weren't disappointed. After a busy but relaxing and fun week, I was ready to head back home to my husband.

We spent an afternoon exploring Plymouth, MA.

Instead of returning to Amman as planned, however, we had a sudden change of plans and needed to be on the west coast to see family there.  On about 12 hours’ notice, we flew out to Los Angeles where we rented a car and took a road trip, stopping to see family in California.  We had lunch with my eldest brother and his wife and daughter in LA, then drove down to the Palm Springs area to be with my other daughter, then to Portland, Oregon, and finally to our hometown near Seattle, Washington.  So, our one week trip unexpectedly turned into three long, but enjoyable, weeks.

Once back in my hometown, I got to spend time with my immediate family and some good friends.   My days were full and not particularly stressful, but I found myself completely exhausted nonetheless.  Even while I was still in Boston, I had a feeling of homesickness, and realized that for the first time, the “home” I was yearning for was my new home in Amman, Jordan!  That was a bit of a breakthrough moment for me, since before I left there, I still felt like I was settling in and getting adjusted to all the changes.  

During this entire trip, I stayed at three different hotels, one guesthouse, and even in one motel, when I was travel weary and just needed a place to rest my head for a few hours.  Once in Washington, I stayed alternately in my good friend’s home, and my parents’ home.  That’s a lot of bouncing around, and living out of a suitcase.  I realized though, that I am pretty flexible when it comes to just going with the flow.  And one thing I have learned is that if I try to remain rooted in the present, enjoying where I am at any particular moment, I usually realize that I am in the right place at the right time. This certainly proved to be true on this trip.

There is a peculiar thing that some Arab people do when the plane they are on touches ground in a successful landing.  They clap their hands and cheer, saying words of thanks and appreciation.  A few years ago when I first experienced this, I thought it very odd.  This time, as our plane made its descent over the Jordan Valley, and the white clouds gave way to the endless brown hills, the snaking highways and sparse communities below, I smiled.  I didn’t join in the clapping when we landed, but I appreciated the sentiment behind it, for sure.   When I saw my husband waiting for me in the Queen Alia airport terminal, I knew just how good it was to be safe at home. 

Good afternoon, Amman, and good morning, Seattle!
~M.