Finally here! عمان

Just to confirm, I'm here in Amman safe and sound. After a nice, sleep-filled plane ride and some great salmon ravioli (I highly recommend Air France, great food), I arrived early at the Amman airport. It was so strange flying into the desert: the sand was all golden, with the bright orange sunset making it shimmer. Of course, being classy and on top of their game, Air France cues the romantic "You're in a whole new world"-ish music as we land. After being mildly confused in customs, I was picked up by the family I'm staying with for the first night.

Today was the first day of Ramadan, so everyone here has been fasting from sun up until sundown. My arrival at sunset was perfect timing for the evening festivities, largely revolving around food. The Attieh family was incredibly kind and welcoming, offering me all kinds of foods. I'm not entirely sure everything I had, but it was all great. Egg drop-like onion soup, a cucumber-tomato salad, some kind of beef dish and another rice and lamb dish... Then, later, a great cream filled pancake dessert. (I almost spelled that desert... I really am in the Middle East).

Tomorrow, I'll be arriving at the hotel Al-Manar, where orientation is held. It's almost 1:15, and the household is still up: people stay up late during Ramadan. But I'm a little tired from my travel day, as well as staying up late packing last night. I'm more than ready to turn in and get ready for tomorrow.