The Lost Photos: Jordan

From Umm Qais you could look down from the hills and see The Sea of Galilee, Syria, and Israel.

Touring our very first wastewater treatment plant, just a couple minutes from the Jordan University for Science and Technology.

Hey Ryan.

Always living on the edge, this one.

TEAM RBC!!! (rotating biological contactor)

Shade is a rare. Use it while you can!

hahahaha

See what I mean about using shade?

Later on in the day this amphitheater was the site of a children's dance concert. The stands filled with people from around the area watching, clapping, and singing along. As I watched this celebration I couldn't help but get chills. It's just short of incredible that this space, built roughly 2300 years ago, is still being used for the same purpose that it was intended for. Will anything our generation build last for 2300 years, and if so, will it be used for its original purpose? It's crazy!

There are still tiles here. HOW. WOW.

The door to the mausoleum was locked...

But the hole next to it wasn't! We found a dead dog...

Day 3 - Introductions

 I tried going to sleep after we got to the university but by that time it was already light out.

 Tim, our program advisor, prints course materials next to images ofKing Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein and his father Hussein bin Talal. They're pictures are everywhere on campus.

Olivesssss

Days 1 and 2 - Getting There (cont.)

Getting picked up from Amman airport, on our way to Irbid.

We arrived around 5AM in Irbid, and was advised to get some sleep before breakfast at 9. I tried going to sleep, but when I realized it was already light outside, I stepped out on the porch to see if I could catch the sunrise. 

Perfect timing. Perfect welcome to Jordan.

Days 1 and 2 - Getting There

 From Seattle

 to Chicago (with dinosaur)

 to Frankfurt (with a failed attempt to buy train tickets)

but then we ran into the rest of the group in the Frankfurt airport
(we had a lot of time to kill, can you tell?)

and finally, after more than 27 hours of traveling, to Irbid.

In case you haven't figured this out from the photos, I am in Jordan! Yes, it's safe. Don't worry, I will be just fine. For the next month, I am spending my time (mostly) in Irbid, more specifically at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, studying water engineering through a civil engineering class offered at the University of Washington. The class will focus on engineering challenges that come with managing and treating water in arid landscapes. And there are many challenges, but you should ask me that in a month because I can already tell there's going to be a huge learning curve. For starters, I'm not an engineering student. The literature we read has a lot of unfamiliar jargon and concepts, but I knew this going into the program. Probably one of the most exciting aspects of this program is that we are studying and living side-by-side seven Jordanian students. Two are undergrad, five are grad, and all are civil engineering students with their own special areas of focus. This was something that was missing from my Peru study abroad program, so I am looking forward to getting to know Jordan not only from the course material, but also from the people who know it best. 

9. Tide-y Whities

To the beach! Pacific Northwest style.

He was a feisty one.

Flip a rock over. Find something cool. Call everyone over to see. Repeat.

She found a smiling rock.

Reflective Joe.

Saturday morning was a mini Perunion (Peru reunion) of sorts with additional friends! We can all obsess over tide pool finds and marine ecology without getting weird looks from people. On the contrary, this love for the natural world gets amplified. And that's just how I like it.