A Little Update

To all my faithful readers, I apologize for the delay since my last post, life has gotten in the way.  It's certainly different when you are are living somewhere as opposed to visiting it as a tourist.  You may view things in similar lenses, like sharing emotions of awe and wonder at experiencing something for the first time.  However; tourists and short-term trips predominately display the location in a positive light.  When you are a resident, you begin to experience the positives along with the negatives.   Shanna and I were talking about culture shock a few nights ago.  Here is a chart explaining the progressions of culture shock.  Most people think it happens immediately when you step off the plane, but that is usually the time when everything is so new that it is exciting and awesome.  You start getting into the everyday life, and you begin to experience each of these symptoms, consciously or subconsciously.  I think we fall somewhere between 3 and 4.  Isn't it crazy that you have culture shock as you head back to your home country as well?  I experienced that after moving home from Hungary as well.  It's like everything that used to be "normal" and "accepted" is no longer "normal" or "accepted" in your mind anymore.

So you may be wondering what Shanna and I have been up to since Norway.  We've been on a few excursions in Jordan, but mainly just hanging out with new friends and doing the day to day stuff that we have to do in the States as well.  Some are simple here, some are a little more difficult.  Sometimes a bit frustrating, like seeing fresh blueberries in the store, but realizing they are $10 for a small package. 

Anyways, one of our day trips was to a place called Jerash.  Jerash is famous for it's Greco-Roman ruins from around 100 AD to 600 AD.  Many say that these ruins are some of the best outside of Rome itself.  They are certainly considered some of the best preserved in the entire world.  Here are some pics of our adventure.

I do realize it is after Christmas and I am posting from before Thanksgiving.  I will share more soon about our adventures in Israel over Christmas break!