First, answers to some questions:
When the call to prayer happens there is a definite drop in the noise level, and much loud music suddenly gets turned off. The whole country doesn't go silent, but I wish it did--what a wonderful relaxing moment that would be. It is probably most noticeable 3 times/day--the midday prayer, the mid-afternoon prayer and the sundown prayer. The other two are before sunrise and after sundown, when most people are already home.
Weather: Hot? not really. Perfect really--warm during the day, cold at night. It is actually warmer outside than in for the most part.
I have been mostly taking it slowly while I have been here partly because of my back and partly just because if feels good to do so. This meant I also needed to scale back what I thought I could do, and that has been fine too.
Yesterday I came into Irbid with Nazrene (a girl) and stayed overnight with dar Abu Ra'ed. It was almost a relief to get there because it felt like the most comfortable place yet since I have been there. This family is one of my favorites and the one who provided the most support and love while I was here. There were three families who I was very close to, but this one did the best job of accepting me as I was, without expecting me to change or adjust for them. They were also the only one to openly welcome Jesse when he came to visit. Their oldest son was one of my closest friends while I was here. He's in Germany now, and will be gone at least 7 more years because of a situation with the military. There's nine kids altogether ranging from ages 37 to 15. 3 boys, 6 girls. They have a nice apartment in Irbid. They used to live in Malka pretty close to me. When 3 of their kids started university, they moved to town to cut down on commuter time.
Buildings and houses are mostly concrete block, no insulation. There are windows in every room, usually. Floors are tiled with rugs laid over them. By no means are the floors warm, even with rugs on them. Central heat is very rare--the usual heat source is a "soba" which is a propane fired heater that is relatively ineffective and quite smelly. The concrete holds the cold so that it is usually colder inside than out, and it also holds heat in the summer, although it is better in the summer than winter. Usually there is one room which is formally furnished with couches and chairs and it is used mostly for guests, but not always. Then whatever rooms are leftover get fersche--floor cushions, which also serve as beds. Sheets are rarely used--you sleep on a blanket with more blankets on top. People sleep anywhere they like, and are used to sleeping with a lot of noise, and light.
This morning Om Ra'ed woke up before the sunrise call to prayer and read Koran in concert with the mullah at the mosque close by. Then there was prayers, and then she stayed up singing Koran for quite awhile after that. I think they have become more religious in the last few years, although their kids appear to be leaning the other direction, interestingly. Their youngest son has just decided not to pray for some reason, which is upsetting them quite a bit. My guess is that it is one of the few rebellion options open to him and that he'll go back to it later. He has a similiar serious bent like his older brother.
Two nights ago I went with A-K to Abu Schwarib's house (Father of Mustache). He is called that because of a very large, long bushy mustache that he sports. He's a very funny guy, and his wife is lovely. However, between him, A-K and another man, they were smoking so much I thought I was going to suffocate for lack of air! They must've smoked about 10 each in 1.5 hours. Finally I went outside to fill my lungs with real air and then I really couldn't stand it when I went back in. They do not like to open windows in the evening either because it makes the house cold (of course). Something I do not understand is this: the women all know that smoking is bad for them and their kids, as well as for the men, and they will say so, but they do NOTHING to stop it. I don't know if they feel they can't say no, or what. The men are more interested in their addiction than in the health of their families, selfish bunch.
Earlier that day I spent the afternoon with dar Abu Thayyer. This was an interesting experience. Their two girls, who used to be sweet and friendly, have gotten so religious that they aren't really willing to be friendly. It is very odd. The oldest is engaged now, and her father gave her a lecture on being immodest with her fiance while I was there--immodest in this case, for a girl who covers her face, means sitting next to him and talking to him. Basically he's saying it is inappropriate to use the engagement time to get to know the guy and she should wait until she is married. I had to bite my tongue because I wasn't going to argue with him but I really wanted to hit him over the head. His wife just had another baby and it is obvious that she is not healing quickly--9 kids, pretty much only 1-2 years between then, takes a toll on one's body. The boys in the family are more free, but hampered by a dislike of school which means that they won't go to university and probably won't go far. The oldest, Thayyer, was kind enough to walk me up to Om Mazen's house which I appreciated because I don't really like the area where they live.
It is olive season right now, and many people are out picking olives, and taking them to get pressed for oil. The women are putting up bottles of olives for family use. This isn't the best year for olives as it hasn't rained enough the last two years.
My back is better, but not healed. It is very stiff. The stretches help, when I can do them (it is not really appropriate because there is little privacy, and it is immodest to do many of the particular stretches which help the section where the pain is coming from). The medication continues to take the edge off and not much more. If I could sit less it would help, but there is this thing against people standing here. Obviously one can't be comfortable unless one is sitting, or something. It is mostly an issue when bending, or getting up or down.
My brain's gone to sleep, so I think I am going to go outside and walk for awhile. It just happened again--call to prayer, music went off abruptly. *smile*
