Missing Jordan

I miss Jordan for very different reasons. I miss the people there, the teachers and friends I have come to know, a family that has adopted me as an uncle, and a friend that brought me there in the first place. Jordan was one of the few places I could be myself, really just act and react naturally everywhere I went. I loved walking in Amman, strolling in Aqabah, hiking in Wadis. I have been to more restaurants in Amman than I have been in any other city on earth. And I met the best group of teachers in my thirty years as an educator in refugee camps scattered around Amman. Jordan has been very good to me.
I don't know if and when I will get to go back - my hopes to make the Academy a yearly thing have been put on hold, and truthfully, the folks in the inaugural group could do a fine job on their own continuing it. I am very glad they are planning a graduation ceremony for the first 21 teachers to complete; they did a lot of work and are great examples for their peers. I can honestly say that I would have loved to have my two girls in any of their classrooms - honored as a matter of fact.
I have met so many wonderful professionals in Jordan, people who work hard for next to nothing, living and caring for others as good Muslims. Shorouq and her talented sisters, Muath the intrepid reporter (promoted from cub reporter recently), a street cleaner who remembers me each time I visit, teachers at several of the public and private schools I did trainings for, Samia who went off to Florida on a Fulbright Scholarship, Imani, Sara, and Yazan, three kids who let me act foolishly when I visit, and so many others.
I miss my friend who introduced me to all this, that friend has long since moved on to other adventures, other worlds. My friend drew me to Jordan and was the main reason I visited for a long time, but left me with the rest of it eventually, and I am forever grateful for that. I don't know if I will make it back to Jordan anytime soon, but in so many ways, my heart is still there. And since this is my blog, I will end this post with an acknowledgement to a great group of people: The first graduating cohort of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Academy sponsored by UNRWA and New River Community and Technical College. Twenty-one of the original thirty-four made it all the way through, and arduous feat. Here they are:

Graduates
Ahmed
Anwar
Enas
Ibrahim
Mohammad

Graduates (with distinction)
Abeer
Basem
Bassam
Hanandi
Sabreen
Salam
Tahani D.
Zeinab

Graduates (with honors)
Alaa
Amira
Fatima
Khadijeh
Khawla
Nihaya
Sara
Tahani M.

The Academy Leadership Team
Alaa
Ahmad
Bassam
Fatima
Salam
Sultan
Zeinab
Basem (honorary FB page leader)