Welcome to Jordan!

My first thought in Jordan was not very profound. "I'm hungry." It was 2:30 in the afternoon and we hadn't eaten since 7:30 in the morning, when we left our hotel in Damascus. The crossing into Jordan was long but mostly uneventful.

My second thought in Jordan was a little bit more deep. "It's green!" The view from the plateau-top where we stopped for lunch featured Israel, the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights, and Syria to the north. All set in the context of green rolling hills and deep valleys--one of which is part of the Jordan Valley. This valley actually runs all the way down through Africa, and is the lowest point of the world.

After lunch we headed to an Ecopark in the Jordan Valley to stay the night. The winding drive down the mountain showed me how we've really entered the heart of the Middle East--Jordanians of all ages and gender stared and pointed at us as we drove by in the bus. It was strange to feel like a monkey in the zoo.

Finally we arrived at our destination, the Ecopark in the Jordan Valley. It's a tri-lateral organization set up with cooperation from Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian leadership. The organization works to restore the natural ecosystem and resources (especially water) which have been depleted in the region. Jordan is the fourth poorest country in the world in terms of water. The environmental degradation occurred from over-grazing and poor water management and have resulted in severe water issues in all the area (not only Jordan). The agriculture business is also to blame--using most of the region's water up and exporting crops (so doing nothing to sustain the community). The "Friends of the Earth - Middle East" works with local youth on issues of water and responsible environmental decisions. The water issue is one example of the many different shapes the local conflict takes in Jordan.

So we're getting this talk from the organization leader, sitting in a geological dome and watching the sun set over the green hills and yellow flowers. We hear cats and goats and coyotes in the distance. Suddenly a rustling in the bushes surprises me. Out pops a stooped old Bedouin man carrying a large silver tray of tea cups and a black kettle. He's a neighbor of the Ecopark and hard us talking, so he came over to bring us all some tea. I sip the delicious sugary goodness and think how nice the hospitality is here. Far from feeling unsafe or nervous here in the Middle East, I'm feeling more comfortable than some big US cities. People are certainly more friendly than they were in Europe!

Golan Heights (and Paul) in the background

Ecopark in Jordan