Calm before the Storm

In NY, before a huge snowstorm, or even an occasional hurricane, the stores are packed, the shelves are empty and the parking lots are crazy enough for even the most patient of drivers to go insane. I just got back from the grocery store, had to go buy some craft supplies for the kids craft tomorrow. Why is it they never have what I need the day I need it, but always have it on the other days? Anyways, I digress.....

My local grocery store is a little place called Haboob (yes Jenny-laugh away)...and it serves my purposes well. It was around 11am and usually the grocery store is deserted until after noon prayers, but today it was a bustling little place. I could barely move in the fruit and vegetable section, lines were long, and people seemed rushed. Most people are going about their day, like today is like any other day. Most people are giving little attention to the happenings that are expected to take place today, but you can still feel the tension. But if the busyness of the the grocery store is any indication, people are a little more nervous today than usual.

More demonstrations are scheduled to take place today. Truck loads of pro-gov't supporters have been flooding into the city to demonstrate against the anti-gov't protests. Cars flying the Jordanian flag supporting their country, while others fighting to change it.

Tension: it's the very definition of my life here.

Today tensions are high. As they are every Friday in this section of the world. Friday-after noon prayers....what demonstrations will occur? how violent will it get? will the leader of said country finally do something? Syria was a mess last week, Libya is a whole other monster. We had to discuss the political situation in my Arabic class the other day-it's hard enough to do in English. I heard some interesting viewpoints, but mostly I am sad for this country. It's a stable country, mostly non-violent, and I feel in some ways is way better off than many countries in this region. The violence that occurred last Friday I feel doesn't accurately describe this country, but instead feeds into the stereotype that I know exists in the minds of people who don't live here. That darn stereotype. And there in lies a question I battle everyday. How to accurately portray my life here without added and feeding into that stereotype?

I live next to the Al-Jazeera broadcasting station...handfuls of camera guys are always hanging out on my street-not so great most of the time. But this last week police cars and riot police have been staked out in front of the building. Whether it's security for the station or whether the gov't is watching them, I'm not sure...but I walk by these police multiple times a day. I either live in the safest, most watched neighborhood or vice-versa.

The call to prayer just went off....guess we'll see.