108

Fruit memory game. The fruit of my labors. Buh dum chhhh.

107

Who says that just because the plug isn't the right size for the outlet means it's the 'wrong' plug? There is nothing that enough duct tape can't fix. No more annoying sparks! Also note the duct tape to hold the curtain away from the masterpiece, we don't want to create any fire hazards obviously. Safety first!

106

Also, I went in to work today to help out (read:take pictures of) free hearing tests day at the deaf center. We had some doctors and nurses in from Irbid to give hearing tests to the community so that they could go get hearing aids if they so desired. It was great because I got to meet the parents and family of most of my kids, and everyone was super excited about getting tested.

105

Kohl. It makes you 10x prettier. I recieved one tenth of the makeover my teachers plan to give me today. I bargained them down to a practice run of just the kohl. "Just a little" I said, "just a light bit because I will look crazy." "Ok, ok, we swear it will be just a little bit." And this is what I got. So next week we are going to do the full Jordanian makeup one day because I looked SO MUCH PRETTIER this way. Prepare yourselves for the full, blue eyeshadow, twice as much kohl, white makeup, and bright red lipstick that is to come.

104

Neil was sitting in the window, and the curtains sort of blew shut behind him. He tried for a minute to find the edge, I heard him scrabbling around, then all the sudden I hear a loud rip. I turn around and see this. Obviously I took a picture instead of helping him. I thought that he would back down when he couldn't fit through the little hole that he had made. I underestimated him.

Freeeeeee!!!!

103

Preschool graduation photos. Hammudeh is smirking.

102

I have opened a can of worms with the camera. That is now all that I am valued for, and all the kids ask me about all day. That and my hair (braiding demonstrations) and my contact lenses (poking my own eye demonstrations).

101

Car in the shop? Motor vehicles too fast for you, but waiting in line too slow? Hit the Starbucks drive-thru on your donkey!

100!!!!!!!!!

Whooo!! 100 Posts Whoooo!!!! Who would have thought I would make it to 100? (Not me)
Here to help me celebrate is Team Shebob from my new school. I can't get over how perfectly this sums up all of their personalities. This is just one picture from an extended photoshoot (which I will probably scatter throughout the next few weeks and pass as pictures that I actually took that day, ha in yo face you gullible fools) that filled up most of the afternoon. Two of our teachers are at a training this week so we find ourselves with just a bit of free time on our hands.

Also, I would like to put forward the humble suggestion that from this point on all you wonderful people hit me with some comments or something occasionally. For one, so that I know this is not just for my own benefit (which it totally is), and also so I know what kind of pictures ya'll are enjoying. I know that the facebook has trained you all on the art of the pithy comment, and if it pleases you you could just write "like" on the pictures that strike your fancy. It's all up to you. This world is your oyster. Thankssss.

99

What it looked like at noon today. Oh joy, summer has come at last, and with it, the dust storms.

98

What is left of the spring. Worth writing a poem about?

97

Our extensive playground. Hopefully I have a grant coming through to build a real one soon.

96

The kids at work.

95

Continuing in the oh so well received trend of posting anything and everything that is in my house: this is my water heater. How does it work? It does not. Work. It does absolutely nothing. At one point what happened was, when you turned the 'hot' knob of a sink it would activate the magical AUTOMATIC water heater, there would be a series of sparks and then you would see a flame about the size of 3 lit matches appear in the little grate there in the front, this flame would then 'heat' the container of water that fills the rest of the space in that white cabinet. But how could such a little flame heat all that water?! I hear you asking. And if you are asking that, you are entirely correct in your incredulity. It cannot. So I have no hot water. What it can do, is create a whole bunch of black stuff all over the ceiling. That is perhaps its only purpose and I have been mistaken all along. However, it is currently failing in even that small goal, as the little flame no longer lights. The cause of this failure is unknown, and has remained so for about the last 8 months.

94

These are Askardineya. I don't really know how to describe them. they have like a nectarine skin kind of thing, and there are 3 big seeds in the middle, and are sort of the texture of a smooshy strawberry, but they taste like...askardineya. I don't what they are called in English, or if they even exist in the states. If you see something that looks kind of like a kumquat, but isn't, pick 'em up, they might just be these little babies. They are delicious. (Side note:their name basically means 'the most delicious thing' in Arabic, so yeah, they're yummy)

93

The Bathroom!!! How exciting! I was all "I have nothing to post" and people were all "just post random things from your house, yay!" So here's what you get for encouraging such posts. This is my bathroom, it is just slightly larger than a typical bathroom stall. So nice, no?

92

Date recipe #1: chocolate stuffed dates. Pairs well with: episodes of Little House and not moving for hours on end. An afternoon well spent.

91

Dates. So many dates. So delicious. And only around 2.5 dinar (3 dollars-ish) a box. This is pretty much all I will be eating all day every day for the next few weeks.

90

The CatScarf. As Seen on TV! This is how we spend our afternoons: me laying on my bed with my little bitty laptop approximately 10 inches from my face, and Sir Neil either draped across the back of my neck like this, or slowly inching his way under my neck by burrowing his face under my chin. This way is preferable.

89

This oh so visually arresting photo is to draw your attention to my night light. I was just lying here, past my bedtime, not sleeping, and not in the dark (due to the night light), when I realized I hadn't put up a photo yet. You're welcome.
Anyway, perhaps you are wondering, 'Stephanie, why is there a grape-sized orange-colored night light up there?' Or at least you should be wondering that. The answer is something of a debate. I (along with other volunteers) have been told that these little colored lights that are in all the bedrooms are to turn on when you are having sex. Sort of like the recording light outside a studio? So no one comes over to visit? Anyway, I was told by a few villagers not to leave that light on at night because people may assume I am having gentleman callers.
From there you may ask "Stephanie, why is your little orange sexy times light on? Do you have a gentleman caller?' I do NOT! How dare you. In fact I watched a scary movie earlier today (in daylight hours, hoping to forestall just such a situation) and now I'm too scared to sleep in the dark. Because I am still 5 years old and haven't learned that scary movies don't do me any good. A few months ago I watched Paranormal Activity and gave the neighbors something to question my honor over for over a week.

88

Ibraheim. (My favorite, don't tell) I mean look at him. Pure sweetness.

87

Yousef. The definition of earnest. Just. Look. At. Him. While others rushed the camera, went for the cool kid hand-under-chin move, or gathered friends for group shots, he just sat patiently waiting for me to notice him, did this salute, nodded, and went back to work.

86

Auodeh. A pimp. Good looking kid. Oldest of the bunch; designated peace keeper, trouble maker, and flirt. Except for the time that one of the teachers tried to sit on the seat next to him and his face turned a shade of red I have never seen before (I myself NEVER blush); I thought he was going to jump out of his skin from discomfort. He's a good boy.

85

Ok sooooo I don't know these girls' names. Don't hate. I know their name signs I just don't know what their names are in spoken Arabic. I don't work with them at all really, except on drawing, because they are basically way too smart for me to begin to understand (let alone teach) what they are learning in Arabic (and definitely not in sign). They are cute though, no?

84

Haven't taken any pictures in a few days, so I thought I'd fill in the gap a bit with a few bossy solos from some of the kids at my new center.
This is Shahem. He has the biggest most beautiful eyes, and he can work 'em. He also loves to wear makeup and frequently shows up with his fingernails polished. Abe? Perhaps, but he seems to take the criticism in stride. He knows he looks good. Except for that scratch between the eyes, ya haram habibi.