Friday, July 17, 2009

Keri, the Dead Sea, and good ole Mohammad Naser

Dead Sea Panorama, Jordan
From Keri Goes Biking

This afternoon, my roommate from last summer, Keri, joined Tareef for a Panorama Sunset Ride from Madaba towards the Dead Sea. She's a much better cyclist than I, especially since I had the flu this week, but I was pretty pleased with how well I did. This was my second time on this route since my month in Budapest, and the last time I did this route was disastrous. I even had to resort to the bus! But this time I walked less than on any of my half dozen trips down this road.

It was also wonderful to watch the sun set and chat with Keri, about what we're both doing with our lives, reminiscing about Peace Corps, and dreaming about the future. Not to mention catching up on the life of one Mohammad Naser. One day last summer, it occurred to me that I knew someone other than Keri at the University of Arizona - Tucson. My Peace Corps TEFL trainer, Mohammad Naser, had gotten a Fulbright to study there mid-way through my time in Peace Corps. I mentioned him to Keri, but she didn't know him. Since then, however, she's taken 3ammiyya classes with him, and it was interesting to hear what he's been doing. He's married with a very small child, still working on his PhD, and was recently given an award by the university for his workshops on non-violence. I think that's the kind of role that would really suit him. I dredged up some of my most memorable stories of Mohammad, and it was fascinating to think back to how lost and timid I was then, compared to being Kitty's "Jordan guru" now!

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