The Unbreakable Leo

It has been a little over one month since I started my fundraising campaign for my Fellowship to Jordan and I've been more than overwhelmed by the kindness of new and old friends. I've received donations from people I've known for years and some from people I've never met face to face. I've spoke to lots of people who've given me tons of great ideas on ways to fundraise and now I'm just a little ways off from the half way point of my goal. Being so close to this milestone I felt it's only right to tell you a little more about where I'll be stationed during my trip to the Middle East.

September 15 is exactly 120 days away from my departure window, I know this because because I'm be keep tracking on the calendar next to my bed. Everyday I switch on my computer to learn something new about the city I'll be calling home for 4 months. Thank goodness for wikipedia and other travel sites for all the information that they've given me. So far it seems that Irbid isn't the most boring place in Jordan, but rather a bustling metropolis in the north of the country since 1991.

Known as the "Bride of the North" it's also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The biblical name for Irbid was Arabella and changed during the advent of Islam in the entire region. Depending on which source you find, Irbid is the second or third largest city in Jordan behind the capital Amman which sits 120 miles to the south. Located in the northwest portion of the country near the Syrian and Israeli border not far from the occupied Golan Heights, the cities was made famous by the extremely fertile soil that surrounds the land. Unfortunately since the development boom in 1991 most of the precious soil used by farmers for generations has been covers by concrete for office buildings and parking lots. Now instead of being the agricultural capital of Jordan - Irbid has become one of the educational capitals. Instead of planting and cultivating corn and wheat, the city cultivates knowledge to thousands of Jordanians and some Palestinian refugees.

The most interesting fact about Irbid has to be that it holds the World Record for the most internet cafes per square mile, boasting well over a 100 in a relatively close proximity. University Street is home to the majority of these cafes which means lots of choices and cheaper prices while I'm there. The city is also home to a few of Jordan's most prestigious universities, namely Yarmouk University and the Jordan University of Science and Technology. I'm sure that the majority of students I'll be meeting and working with will come from these two schools.

I haven't lived in a college town since my undergraduate days in the Midwest, but living in a Middle Eastern college town should put an interesting spin on things. I'm counting down the days until I start packing my bags, but until then I'll keep you posted on where I'm going and what I'm doing.

On a final note I'd like to thank the following people for their contribution toward my Fellowship thus far. Most people have written checks instead of used my chipin widget, but all of it goes toward the same cause. Thanks for your help everyone!

Shams Kazi & Shazia Bhombal
Nadia Aftab
Sophia Rahman
Kareem Ali
Jihad Turk
Mouna Mana
Fizzah Raza
Sarah Peters
Malik Aziz
Mona Sharif
Mia Cramer
Almaas Shaikh
Ozma Khan
Larvell & April Hood
Laila El-Hajoui

Also I'd like to thank a few generous donors who wish to remain anonymous. I hope I didn't forget anyone.