Goodbye Dinner

Although only mentioned every few posts, Ghazwan is a very integral and crucial part of CRP and all of its functions. Not only a translator but a fellow Iraqi, Ghazwan is able to communicate with other Iraqis on a much deeper and more personal level than would just any Arabic speaker.

The last nigh I stayed at CRP, after returning form visiting Sameh's school, Lucy, another friend Farhana, Sasha, and I all went to Ghazwan's family's house for dinner. His four-year-old daughter Safah and her twin Abdullah greeted us at the door. Ghazwan's wife then lead us to the kitchen where we sat down to what would be the most amazing feast of our lives.

The dinner was as shown above: tabbouleh, a creamy potato dish with spices, two fish (one with spices the other without), soup, Biryani (rice with meat, spices, and vegetables), and soda to wash it all down. After dinner, given adequate time to recuperate and re-energize, it was time for tea and dessert. My favorite Jordanian dessert I tasted during my entire stay in Amman is something called Kanafa. Although it may sound a bit strange at first, once you try it you won't ever want anything else. The base of the dessert is a warm mixture of melted cheese and milk, covered all the way around with shredded wheat. It's amazing! I wouldn't have ate so much Kanafa if I had known there was going to be watermelon. Fresh watermelon from Amman is better than any fruit I have ever had in the U.S.

Anyways, now that you have practically ate the meal with me as I have described it in such great detail, I will continue on with the rest of the evening. As Ghazwan said to me the next day right before getting in a taxi to go to the airport, "I hate, hate, hate this moment!", and I couldn't agree more. During my time working at CRP, Ghazwan quickly became like family. I could call him if I was lost in a taxi and he would give the driver directions, he would teach me little Iraqi phrases and help me with all of my mispronunciations, and was there for me during my time in Amman no matter what it was I may have needed. He looked out for me like I was his niece, and I looked up to him like he was my uncle. His family treated me like part of their family and welcomed me with open arms the day I arrived. It is people like Ghazwan and his family that I will remember forever. It is people like Ghazwan and his family that make me want to travel the world.

Thank you Ghazwan, Huda, Safa, Abdullah, and Heba for inviting me into your home and making my travels to Amman enjoyable beyond words.