Nearly a year ago I embarked on a grand adventure to the beautiful country of Jordan. A small country located north of Saudi Arabia, south of Syria and sandwiched between Israel and Iraq. With extremely limited knowledge about Jordan and its culture I decided to make a 2 year commitment to live and work there as a Peace Corps volunteer in about the same amount of time it takes me to pick out a brand of shampoo. Why did I decide to move to Jordan? I still have not found a definite answer to that question. Since I have moved here I have been challenged in more ways than I can even begin to describe to myself. I have also just begun to realize the profound changes this experience has ignited in me.
I intended to blog about my life in Jordan from the moment I arrived, but nearly a year later and I am now posting my very first blog entry. I think I refrained from this because until recently my life could be described as a whirlwind of inconsistent happiness, loneliness, excitement, and several other competing emotions that made me constantly ask myself, "what am I doing here?" The past 3 months of my service have been truly extraordinary and all the pieces seem to finally be falling into place. I am now more than ready and eager to share my stories and experiences with my loved ones and anyone else who dares to explore the unknown world and may learn something from my words.
I can easily say that the idea of joining the Peace Corps took root in me when I traveled to Thailand at the age of 19. A short volunteer project, which involved planting trees (lots and lots of them) and working with rescued elephants gave my life more meaning than I had ever experienced before. For the first time I actually believed that I could make a positive difference in the world, as small as it may be. Other changes also took root in me on that trip to Thailand; I went from nearly crying when I saw a tiny spider to shooing away a spider the size of my head (or killing one if it came to that), I went from fearing heights to being the first to sign up for bungy jumping in the middle of the Thai jungle. I learned so much about a culture I once knew nothing about and I wanted to know more about the world, I wanted to experience more; it became a craving that never went away. I began to challenge my own belief that a happy life was supposed to go: college, job, marriage, kids. Leaving Thailand and returning to my far too systematic and sometimes materialistic life was extremely hard for me. But I made the most important decision I could; I decided to stop fearing the world and be in it.
The title of my blog is inspired by the quote, "The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page" by Augustine of Hippo or St. Augustine. I read these words a long time ago and thought what a perfect analogy this is and how completely true. My entire life I had lived in a little bubble so utterly unaware of all that the world possesses until I began to travel. Just before I returned to Jordan from a visit back home in Oregon a very close friend of mine gave me a journal. Throughout this journal she wrote quotes about traveling and quotes that reminded her of me on the tops of the pages. I flipped to one page and found this very quote once again. The words resonated with me and I began to visualize this book. I mentally filled in the pages with my most cherished memories and most moving experiences from my travels and then I began to fill more pages with images of India and Egypt, of Hungary and Cambodia, of places I long to see. Joyously, I thought to myself, I intend to read as many pages of this World as I can.
I intended to blog about my life in Jordan from the moment I arrived, but nearly a year later and I am now posting my very first blog entry. I think I refrained from this because until recently my life could be described as a whirlwind of inconsistent happiness, loneliness, excitement, and several other competing emotions that made me constantly ask myself, "what am I doing here?" The past 3 months of my service have been truly extraordinary and all the pieces seem to finally be falling into place. I am now more than ready and eager to share my stories and experiences with my loved ones and anyone else who dares to explore the unknown world and may learn something from my words.
I can easily say that the idea of joining the Peace Corps took root in me when I traveled to Thailand at the age of 19. A short volunteer project, which involved planting trees (lots and lots of them) and working with rescued elephants gave my life more meaning than I had ever experienced before. For the first time I actually believed that I could make a positive difference in the world, as small as it may be. Other changes also took root in me on that trip to Thailand; I went from nearly crying when I saw a tiny spider to shooing away a spider the size of my head (or killing one if it came to that), I went from fearing heights to being the first to sign up for bungy jumping in the middle of the Thai jungle. I learned so much about a culture I once knew nothing about and I wanted to know more about the world, I wanted to experience more; it became a craving that never went away. I began to challenge my own belief that a happy life was supposed to go: college, job, marriage, kids. Leaving Thailand and returning to my far too systematic and sometimes materialistic life was extremely hard for me. But I made the most important decision I could; I decided to stop fearing the world and be in it.
The title of my blog is inspired by the quote, "The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page" by Augustine of Hippo or St. Augustine. I read these words a long time ago and thought what a perfect analogy this is and how completely true. My entire life I had lived in a little bubble so utterly unaware of all that the world possesses until I began to travel. Just before I returned to Jordan from a visit back home in Oregon a very close friend of mine gave me a journal. Throughout this journal she wrote quotes about traveling and quotes that reminded her of me on the tops of the pages. I flipped to one page and found this very quote once again. The words resonated with me and I began to visualize this book. I mentally filled in the pages with my most cherished memories and most moving experiences from my travels and then I began to fill more pages with images of India and Egypt, of Hungary and Cambodia, of places I long to see. Joyously, I thought to myself, I intend to read as many pages of this World as I can.
How can you write so eloquently and yet not realize "you know what" was so badly written... Hahah I love you with all my heart and I'm going to have to think of a new way to express how proud I am of you. Can't wait to read your post, KEEP EM COMING : )
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