Yesterday, after the girls got on the bus, I was brave enough to take my first walk. I'm very frustrated without a car. I can't drive to a gym, and there isn't one close enough to walk to. My SP has been running several times and has been okay. But let's face it, this is the Middle East, and I am a blue-eyed blonde woman with no headscarf. This made walking a little tense for me. Not to mention the traffic! But I did it! I was only out about 20 minutes and the whole time I had my cell phone at the ready. I'm thinking the tension was good for burning calories.
What is so, so odd about this place is how a beautiful home/apartment building is often surrounded by empty lots. And the amount of trash with feral cats picking through it in these lots is, well, gross. That is, when there aren't sheep and goats grazing them. But here is the odd thing. It smells fabulous! So many houses have planted jasmine in their gardens or on their balconies. So as you walk by trash, you smell jasmine. And it's really quite pleasant.
I'm not sure when I'll walk again. If I could find someone to walk with, I'd feel better about it. There is a park across the street that is about a block long and wide. Every morning, there is a man who runs around it for a good 30 minutes. I guess it's not unlike a track. But going around in circles for a half an hour isn't nearly as appealing as looking at buildings and discovering the neighborhood.
9 comments:
Good for you for getting out... I know how horribly difficult it is when you don't have a car. I hate the feeling of being stranded!
I also walk with my cellphone - my finger is ready to direct dial my husband at a moments notice!
You could always tie a scarf around your head hip hop style :) Interesting you feel unsafe in Amman I felt very safe ( I'm white with blue eyes and light brown hair) but then we had already lived in Samoa (mostly safe) the Solomon Islands (not so safe) and at the time Singapore (too safe. Now we live in Phnom Penh and there are many expats especially women who wouldnt walk or bike or even tuk tuk anywhere and I certainly wouldnt walk in some parts of town after dark but I wouldnt have bought my son here if Id thought it wasn't safe. Getting bit by mosquitoes is probably the worst daily danger we all face here and thats not so funny when it turns into malaria or dengue!!! I remind myself that there are places in NZ I wouldnt walk after dark or during the day alone for that matter and it makes it all relative.awesome you took the first step it will get easier and by the end it will feel normal....kind of!!!
As for the traffic Im still trying to imagine driving myself here there are no road rules cars, humvees, trucks, bikes, tuk tuks, motos and people all over the roads!!!
Wish I was there to go exploring with you!
I'm glad you got out. It sounds a bit intimidating. At least it smells good....
It gets easier... once you know your way around you will get a little swagger in your step... doing great so far!!
Good for you. I would be nervous, for sure. I'm sure as you get more comfortable with your surroundings it will be much easier. Things won't seem so strange or creepy.
I think you are correct in being leery until you get to know the area a little better. Have you made any friends who can help you?
- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife
Glad that you are getting out and about :-) You will feel like less of a stand out, once you realize that there's nothing you can do BUT stand out (with or without scarf) and it doesn't matter! I love the Jasmine too - and like how it masks the trash smell. There are guys on the streets who sell tuberose blossoms strung on thread to hang on your rearview mirror here in Cairo... that is also a heavenly smell!
I'm no expert, and it's not a substitute for real exercise, but doing some stretches for 5, 10 minutes can help a lot. Or just 30 seconds is better than nothing.
Frustrating not to be able to get around, though.
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