The violence in this country is escalating. Last night, north in Irbid, there was a bunch of protesters that attacked a police station. One protester was killed, and then there were injuries on both sides of that confrontation. In another are, they tore down a picture of the king and set it on fire. This is a big deal because all buildings in Jordan have a picture of the king. The official reason is so that people see him as a father figure in all of the country. Really, though, the people view it as how they are reminded who is in charge. Therefore, it makes sense that they are tearing down his picture.
A poli sci professor here at UJ says this is the start of the Jordanian spring, which frustrates me. Even if it isn't the beginning of that, public statements like that just encourage others to join the mob because...everyone else is doing it.
I can appreciate people that are unhappy with their regime I can understand wanting change. I can't help but be a little selfish here, though, and be so depressed that things are going this direction. For two years we planned and budgeted and saved. I have spent hours and hours studying. Going home after only one semester was always sad for me, but what if I go home sooner than that? Will there be class on Sunday? Will they change our credits? Will they give me credit at all? Will I be able to graduate next semester? Grad school starts in the summer...I have to! So I'm really worried about so many things, and there's not a damn thing I can do but sit here and wait.
I feel really isolated out here. I heard from my brother, so that's something. And I have a friend in my apartment this weekend so we can worry together.
Sigh.
There's other stuff going on that I really can't get into, but my J family laughs at me being worried. THAT is frustrating. They are really, really out of touch with the average person here. My friend's host family knows everything is not fine. Other people here know it's not ok. But my J family's answer is it will be ok because some other country will bail us out. Except they may or may not. I'm frustrated that they won't take me seriously. When I decided to walk home today, they tried to convince me I could stay after dark because it was perfectly safe, except I know that it's not from personal experience. I don't see how they could be so out of touch, but still, they seems to be that way.
A poli sci professor here at UJ says this is the start of the Jordanian spring, which frustrates me. Even if it isn't the beginning of that, public statements like that just encourage others to join the mob because...everyone else is doing it.
I can appreciate people that are unhappy with their regime I can understand wanting change. I can't help but be a little selfish here, though, and be so depressed that things are going this direction. For two years we planned and budgeted and saved. I have spent hours and hours studying. Going home after only one semester was always sad for me, but what if I go home sooner than that? Will there be class on Sunday? Will they change our credits? Will they give me credit at all? Will I be able to graduate next semester? Grad school starts in the summer...I have to! So I'm really worried about so many things, and there's not a damn thing I can do but sit here and wait.
I feel really isolated out here. I heard from my brother, so that's something. And I have a friend in my apartment this weekend so we can worry together.
There's other stuff going on that I really can't get into, but my J family laughs at me being worried. THAT is frustrating. They are really, really out of touch with the average person here. My friend's host family knows everything is not fine. Other people here know it's not ok. But my J family's answer is it will be ok because some other country will bail us out. Except they may or may not. I'm frustrated that they won't take me seriously. When I decided to walk home today, they tried to convince me I could stay after dark because it was perfectly safe, except I know that it's not from personal experience. I don't see how they could be so out of touch, but still, they seems to be that way.
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