Well, I've been in Jordan for exactly one year now.  One year of living the lilo-life and I think it's time to reflect on the past year.

I arrived in Jordan on the 10^th February 2012 to bitter cold, rainy weather which was only to get worse.  Two weeks here and Andre left me alone for a week to go back to SA for his brother's 60^th birthday.  Almost as soon as he left, temperatures dropped dramatically and officially became the coldest winter I have ever experienced.  It felt a bit like Survivor Jordan for a while, with me trying to come to terms not only with new, strange household appliances; the limitations of not having a car of my own, thus having to rely on taxi drivers;  trying to cope with the cold weather; the constant fear that the diesel will run out and I'll be left in the cold, literally; being afraid the gas will run out and I'll be left without a means to cook food on a stove that already scared me, me not being used to gas stoves; but also the constant rain and subsequent leaks in big portions of the apartment.  Survivor Jordan ended on a  high note, though, with a snow storm the morning of Andre's return. My first snow! Yeah!

 

During the past year we've travelled the entire length of Jordan, from Aqaba in the south, right up to Umm Qays on the Syrian border, seen all the sights in-between, some of them warranted a second and third visit and loved every minute.  The Dead Sea is a firm favourite for weekend get-aways and we visit often and with great enthusiasm. 

 

 

I've also discovered a couple of things about myself that I never knew, for example I never knew I had such a competitive streak in me.  I never knew I could enjoy exercise and I never knew I could be that entertaining when put in new, unfamiliar situations.  The wallflower has finally come into her own, it seems!

I also learnt, sadly, that friendships can be fleeting; that not everyone you meet will become your new BFF; that often times people are self-centred, mean, liars and fakes.  I've also learnt that people are flawed, me too, and that I should accept them for who they are, and if I can't, that it is allowed to cut them out of my life with a thank you and a wave goodbye.  I've actually learnt a lot about friendship this past year.  People I thought were my friends, turned out to be, well... not, and a surprising number of people I thought were bit-part-players blossomed into fast, firm friends.

 
I've been back to South Africa three times during the past year and discovered that I've mentally let go of my much loved country, something I thought would never, ever be possible. 

 

 

My mom visited us twice last year and that taught me that just sitting quietly together is sometimes worth so much more than idle chit-chat. 

  And that travel insurance is a must for anyone travelling outside the confines of their own countries!  

 

During the past year André had to say goodbye to his beloved mother, who in June finally succumbed to the big sleep and joined her good friend Anesta for a big jol and probably a couple of glasses of wine (bottles, more likely) and a cigarette or two.  Sadly, in October my favourite old auntie, Aunty Viv, joined the party and the three old biddies were reunited.  We miss you all deeply. Enough said.

I've also learnt that I cannot be bothered to keeping plants in pots alive.  If they can make self-basting turkeys, why can't they make self-watering plants?  I mean well, honestly I do, but I simply do not remember to water the lovelies and they are succumbing to the dreaded balcony drought at an alarming rate.  Maybe I'll try again in the Spring.  Maybe.  My suggestion to André that we lay in some Astroturf on the balcony with a couple of plastic conifers have fallen on deaf ears, not that he bothers to water the plants, mind you, so I think I'll give the garden thing one last try.  Any suggestions as to Liese-resistant plants, preferably low(no) maintenance, will be most welcome!

 So, there you have most of it – life on the lilo is still treating me well, although I admit to infrequent bouts of boredom.  Having visitors from home will help, so... Save up, book your flights and, to paraphrase Garlic in the Spud novels: "Come see Lake Malawi!"