Strangest thing this morning....woke up thinking I was back at ACOR (American Center for Oriental Research) in Amman. It was so disorienting. The air "smelled" like Jordan. It was sunny outside, dry, and slightly chilly- typical Jordanian morning. The house was pretty quiet; it usually is at 7am. *sigh* i miss it so much sometimes. I smoked my narguila/hookah yesterday w/Ali and Alexey, maybe that's what provoked the memory. Or maybe it was waking up without the usual aching shoulders (thanks to an overtly nice house member). Dusk and dawn in the middle east were my favorite times. Mornings with a fresh cup of coffee sitting out in the balcony with my journal. Or evenings with my bottle of wine, some music, and my narguila. So I began my test relaxed and filled with nostalgia.

Well, it's off to another place full of pleasant memories- Toronto. Can't wait to eat some great chinese food!! ¶ 10:53