By nlgyon
In the absence of any great adventures, I'd like to describe a useful “skill” I'm acquiring that I think will continue to make my life easier when I return. As a student, you're forced to have decent time management skills. Ensuring that I finish my homework, internalize class material, go to work, maintain my social life and organizational responsibilities, and remember to feed myself takes a bit of foresight. But I slumped into a routine of having a plan in my head of exactly how my day will go. And it usually went that way; when it didn't, I was bothered.
But since I've been in Amman I've learned to let that go a little bit. There are so many more variables here I don't have control over. For example, there are some times on some days you can't count on getting a cab to certain parts of the city. Living outside of a well-organized grid with everything labeled on Google Maps turns finding simple goods and services into adventures, filled with attempts to communicate my needs to locals, and struggling to understand their directions. Without Whole Foods and a billion other restaurants right around the corner to cater to any cuisine my palette desires at mealtime, meals have become less like social events, and generally don't take up much time. It's such an effort to take a taxi to the store for weekly groceries and load up as much as my arms can carry, or walk a mile to the nearest restaurant, I'm happy just to still have something edible in the refrigerator. Even in the realm of leisure, I realize I slid into a routine. Here I have been busy exploring everything this country has to offer. These are just a few examples.
I think practicing this on-the-fly style of time management will be healthy for me when I get back. It has forced me to keep my eyes open and my mind on what opportunities are open to me considering my circumstances.