Tag: middle east
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Quitting Syria
After Seven Years, My Job Is No Longer Syria Conflict-Related Arlington, MA-February 2023 On Tuesday, I left all my Syria WhatsApp groups and unsubscribed from Syria update emails and live trackers. Afterwards I felt a huge sense of relief. I have more to say about it – about what changed in my life these past…
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My Ongoing, One-Sided Battle With the Atlantic Ocean
I don’t think the Atlantic knows that she and I are in a fight. We fly to Amman tonight, and our two giant pink suitcases are nearly packed. By that I mean they are sitting in the middle of the living room floor surrounded by a huge mess of clothes, shoes, and gifts – chocolate…
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I Can’t Remember A Time When I Wasn’t Tired
And why I lied to my colleagues about the cause of my exhaustion. This is part 2 of 3 in my series on burning out from humanitarian work a few years ago. Read Part 1 here: When I Finally Got Overwhelmed By My Humanitarian Job A week or so after I got back to Amman,…
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Me Vs. The Bureaucrats of Amman, Jordan
Or, The Part No One Tells You About Living Abroad Jordanian bureaucrats are quirky, funny creatures. They all have mustaches, gelled hair, and a cigarette lodged between their lips while they process (and drop ashes onto) your paperwork. The main requirement for extending a tourist visa[1] at one of the local police stations is that…
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A Tale of Two Homes
And the endless journey back and forth Amman, Jordan – January 2022 Good morning my dear ones. The sun is shining and it’s frigid in our apartment. Our fake-wood floor feels icy through sock feet. It is strange being back in Amman after almost two months away in the US. I’m drinking my favorite coffee:…
Curious Georgie 
–مرحبا سلام Thank you so much, what a lovely comment to receive! I think you’re right; we can’t always be…