Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about returning. I got back from Jordan about seven months ago, but I’m finding now that the return process isn’t something with a clear beginning and end. So while I’m currently on a different off-campus study program, in this post I would like to talk about the return process …
Author Archives: AnnaLeah Lacoss
Apple Season
“That’s not what I’m talking about!” he said, “I’m talking about a fig straight from the earth— gift of Allah!—on a branch so heavy it touches the ground. I’m talking about picking the largest fattest sweetest fig in the world and putting it in my mouth.” (Here he’d stop and close his eyes.) Nye, Naomi …
The Gift Economy & Finding Community
For every atom belonging to me as goodBelongs to you. Remember? Howe, Marian. “Singularity.” Poets.org, 2019. We just started our segment on “What is community?” here at the OE, and it’s come at an opportune time. This is the point in the semester at which living in community stops being a fun little experiment and we …
Why go?
Hello again! I’m back from Jordan and embarking on another off-campus study adventure, this time (a little) closer to home. I’ve been in Oregon for three weeks now, and so far it’s been really great. In a few pictures, here’s what’s been going on: Cabin Life I live in Cabin 10! I have two awesome …
Ma’a Salama
I was walking down a slope and thinking to myself: How do the narrators disagree over what light said about a stone? Is it from a dimly lit stone that wars flare up? Darwish, Mahmoud. “In Jerusalem.” Translated by Fady Joudah, The Butterfly’s Burden, Copper Canyon Press, 2008. Ma’a salama is a way of saying goodbye …
A Homebody’s Guide to Studying Abroad: Tips for Introverts
1. Expect to sometimes experience discomfort Studying abroad will, without a doubt, push you outside of your comfort zone. I’ve felt awkward or out of place so many times this semester: in the extended family gatherings at my homestay, when conversations in Arabic pile on top of each other and I can’t understand any of …
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Thoughts on Failure
You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps. Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping. Even those who limp go not backward. Gibran, Khalil. “On Good and Evil” from The Prophet. Albatross Publishers, 2015. Time in Jordan seems to be speeding up as I enter the …
Cats, Hummus, and One Month Left
I have just about a month left in Jordan, and return has been on my mind a lot lately. I’m looking forward to going home, seeing my family, and catching up with my friends. But I’m also already missing so many aspects of Jordan that I won’t get to experience in the states. Here’s a …
Safety in Jordan
Right after I arrived in Jordan, my host dad told me a story about some travelling he had done while visiting a friend in an unsafe area. “My friend had five locks on his door,” he said. “Five locks! He was afraid to be outside after dark. We could hear gunshots outside. He was afraid …
Ramadan
I walk from one epoch to another without a memory to guide me. The prophets over there are sharing the history of the holy … ascending to heaven and returning less discouraged and melancholy, because love and peace are holy and are coming to town. Darwish, Mahmoud. “In Jerusalem.” Translated by Fady Joudah, The Butterfly’s Burden, …
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