Mark has been talking about going back overseas. He knows I've been content here in Virginia, but he was getting ready for a change; something more challenging. The traveling has been getting to him....he is getting older. In July of this year he literally travelled around the world! I had promised myself when we got married that I would follow this man wherever he wanted to go, within reason. I promised myself I would not get resentful as it has no place in my married life nor in my emotional life. We talked at length as to where would be a good place to live...depending on what projects were out there. I had expressed my concern for our moms and their age and their health. I wanted to be able to get home as quickly as possible and preferred to be within a few hours time difference. This led us to the conclusion that we would head to Central or South America.
October of last year there was chatter in the development community that Jordan was going to be putting together a project on government finacial systems and ecoonomic policy. It would be a large project - a real challenge. Mark would be perfect for the Chief of Party (COP) on this project. He had told DAI (the company he works for) that we had agreed that Central or South America was the prefered location and so he would have to convince me to go to Jordan. When I found out about this possible location I was concerned about the distance and the fact that it was the Middle East. Mark was going to do some preliminary work in Jordan in January of this year and I suggested I go with Mark to see if it was acceptable to me (could I live there? was is safe? would I have to wear a burka?) And so off to Jordan we went! It was WONDERFUL!!
Mark had to work but I got the opportunity to travel around. The DAI representative there set me up with a wonderful young Jordanian woman named Aida who happens to be a student at George Washington University. She was planning to take me to all the local tourist sights, but I wanted to see what it would be like to live there. I said, "take me to the grocery store". It was a beautiful, well stocked store with lots of vegetables, meats and spices. No pork! Oh, well. The mall was great - good shopping. She drove me around a very nice neighborhood where many ex-patriots live. It is a very white area...meaning the buildings are white, the sand is white, the streets are white....there are some trees there. It reminded me of the type of housing you might find in California. The Jordanians are warm and wonderful people. Many speak English. (Arabic looks and sounds like a very difficult language to learn!) As far as clothing goes, most women wear western clothing. It was only in the old town area that there were more women wearing burkas.
After having seen the way people live, Aida took me to "Bethany and Beyond" - the place where Jesus was baptized. That was soooooo coooool!! You could see Jerico from where we were. Then off to the Dead Sea where the mud truely does make your skin feel wonderful! On our last day there, Mark and I went to Petra. Simply a remarkable place. Attached is a link to see what Jordan is like.
http://na2.visitjordan.com/visitjordan-na/Movies/tabid/755/Default.aspx
We had agreed that we would go if he won the project. So we waited...and waited....and waited for the request for the proposal to come out. We thought it might come out April or May. It didn't come out til July! Meanwhile, Mark was writing the proposal. While he was away on a trip, the request for proposal came out. DAI finished writing the proposal and it went in at the end of August. Then we waited...and waited.... and waited til October 8th (Mark's birthday) and we found out that DAI was in the competative range, meaning there were
things that needed to be changed in the cost of the proposal. However, the other 2 companies that were also in the running were told that they lost the project.....which leaves just DAI. At this moment DAI is writing the changes that US Agency for International Development are requesting and we expect the contract to be signed soon.
Needless to say, Mark was very excited. He called me while I was working on the van. I was in the process of telling a lady that she probably has cancer and Mark is telling me that we are going to Jordan. What a mixed bag of emotions inside of me! I was very happy to hear the word had finally come. My anxiety as to our future was driving me crazy. Knowing what lies ahead gave me some peace.
Mark was given the daunting task of telling our mothers that we would be moving. Frankly, I was too scared to say anything to either of them. I hate the idea of hurting them and I know that neither of them want us to leave. They both took it pretty hard. My mom particularly. I'd do anything to prevent her from hurting, but I have no control over that. I'm sorry to do that to you, mom.
My daughters are happy. They see it as a new place to go. The holidays will be an issue, especially since Megan is currently living in China. We will do our best to keep the family together. We even talked about going to Italy for Christmas next year.....but that's next year.
What lies ahead?
Mark will go to Jordan the beginning of November with a few people to do some of the logistical set up - find an office, find a home, hire secretaries etc. He'll come home for Thanksgiving and will leave to assume his role as the Chief of this project right after Thanksgiving. I will follow him in January 2010. Melissa is currently living in a nice little Condo in Mclean, VA and working in an elementary school. Megan is teaching English in Hefei, China and is very content. Cara is waitressing and living here in Burke. I will be quiting my job of 3 years on the Family Health Connection. This has been the best job I've ever had and I will miss my co-workers and patients.
I don't know what I will do while I'm in Amman. I will try and make new friends, explore new worlds and "boldly go where no one has gone before!" LOL Well, maybe not!
great blog!!
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