Assignment over assignment.

Friday - Sunday, November 22-24

7:30 am. It doesn't occur to me that it's Friday until I jog along the almost deserted main street. Friday mornings are really my favorite mornings. As I turn my round around the Second Circle, I see a family having their Friday breakfast in the middle of the circle with a picnic blanket. Fridays are usually family day here in Jordan, and the weekly Friday breakfast is a must in many families. The huge Second Circle, from which a total of 6 streets lead away, may be a rather unusual place for this family tradition at first glance. But the numerous benches placed on the roundabout are always occupied during rush hour on weekdays. The people here in Amman are just very social, no matter where.

After a hearty breakfast (there is still some coconut cake left that I baked last Saturday), I get a small chocolate cake to take a birthday photo of Emmi on our rooftop terrace, and then spend the rest of the day in Manara. The temperature differences between sunrise and sunset are really a bit crazy right now. While I can still enjoy the radiant noon sun in my top on the Manara terrace during the day, later on my way home I freeze so much that I have to thaw my hands and feet at home with a hot water bottle and tea. The only way to cope with these temperatures all day long is layering.

7:30 am. A quick run through the day today: jogging, breakfast, working in Manara, submission of the first assignment, continuing to work, still in Manara. When I force myself to concentrate after a beautiful sunset in the evening, a young man suddenly stands in front of me, whose gestures I can't quite interpret at first. I take out my headphones to ask him what's wrong, when he hands me a small booklet. He has drawn me. I prefer not to know how long he has been watching me from the other corner of the room to make the drawing. In great detail, with a laptop and scarf, which I have wrapped around my shoulders for warmth.

The young man's name is Hamza, he studies engineering, and has already made many other great drawings and portraits in his sketchbook. He draws to relax, which he does from time to time of random people and objects. Being able to draw well is really something great. As long as you have a sketchbook and a pen, you never get bored.

7:30 am. Today, gather strength again to submit the next assignment due and give the presentation for it. Again with the Clara-Rudaina-Sophia-Eva group - the chaos group, but our absolute favorite group. We meet twice, before Arabic and before the lecture, and manage to finalize everything in the last few minutes. In the end, we are surprised ourselves how well everything works. I think the unique team spirit we have is the biggest secret. We are really glad to have survived this long and exhausting weekend - tomorrow our sound project at Tarabot, then we can take a little breather.

We stay in the room after the lecture for a while to discuss the last details for tomorrow's project, and then we are the last ones leaving the building. I find the remote control for the heating in the room, which is always kept by the security staff, so I want to return it. "Say: 'Tfadal, Amo!'", Rudaina recommends. I know that "Amo" means "Uncle" and I refuse to say that to a strange security man. "No no no. This is how we say it! It's a matter of respect!" I know that too. Older people in Jordanian society have a really high value, and I have been told once that it is polite to address older (strange) people as "Uncle" or "Aunt". However, it doesn't come over my lips, so Sophia takes over and she gets a compliment for her Arabic from the security guard. Maybe next time I can overcome my reluctance.