NOTT News

Another Bed

2012-01-11T00:10:00.000-08:00

We've started teaching English at the Anglican Training Centre and we are now in the process of moving to a flat which is very near to where we are teaching. We are moving from the Anglican Guest House which is in the centre of Cairo. We hope to stay in our flat for a while because we have once again found ourselves changing beds on a regular basis: since Christmas we've moved from Devon to Yatton and then to a hotel at Heathrow; from the Anglican Guest House to a flat above the Guest House because the guest house was full; and finally to our new flat later today - we just need to buy some bed linen and we will have ourselves a new home. P

Packed

2012-01-03T03:35:00.000-08:00

We've finished packing our one suitcase each and we're heading to a windy Heathrow. This time we are not taking so many books with us as we are now the proud owners of a 'kindle'. This e-book can store about 400 books. We have downloaded about 25 books over the Christmas period. Many are free because they are out of copyright, such as
Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle and Victor Hugo.
We have enjoyed our 'home-leave' but we are looking forward to putting into practise what we learnt on our TESOL course, and we are excited about experiencing another new culture in the Middle East - Egypt. P

Exciting News - New Jumper

2011-11-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

One of the problems of being on the road is packing and trying to travel as light as possible. I have managed to reduce my 'wardrobe' to just the bare necessities, but I recently lost my one and only jumper. Without a reserve jumper I reluctantly had to visit our local shopping centre where I bought the item on the right. I'm not sure if the jumper looks like that on me!

As I right this blog I am packing my new jumper along with the rest of my wardrobe . We are travelling to Bournemouth once again for our second intensive 2-week TEFL course. In between the courses we have been studying at home and teaching Turkish and Hungarian women.

I hope I don't get any jumpers, socks or scarfs as Christmas presents this year as my suitcase is now full with essentials.

I do hope we will have more interesting news to share with you after our course. P

'All boxed up'

2011-10-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, it was 4 years last week that we shrink wrapped all our remaining pocessions into this 7ft by 7ft by 5ft wooden packing case before flying off to Bethlehem in the West Bank. It was all quite traumatic at the time, storing everything that felt so precious and so important to us. Now all these years later, I am not really sure what is actually in there; perhaps some Ikea furniture, a guitar , a camera.

2 months ago we did the same but in reverse. We flew home from Israel/Palestine with 2 suitcases, a rucksack and computer bag each. In 4 years I have learnt to live with less; admittedly we have left some non -valuable stuff in Nazareth but I am aware that we are shrinking as we go.

As we are travelling around the UK visiting our Churches and supporters we take a tiny 'snail shell' of belongings; mainly 'techy' stuff - computers, cell phone a few clothes. I have definitely learnt to be content with less. Jane

The Shires

2011-09-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

We really feel that we are home after spending time walking 'England's mountains green' - and yes we also saw the 'Last Night of the Proms'.

This last week we have visited friends and supporters in the north of the country: the Lake District in Cumbria, the Vale of York, and the Derbyshire Peak District where we walked 'Lose Hill' (see picture). We are now returning to Somerset for a visit to the Georgian city of Bath before going on a retreat on Exmoor in Devonshire - the best of all the locations (I am Devonian so I am slightly biased).

What a great selection of places to visit - hard to beat anywhere in the world.

So far we have had sunshine every day - in between the showers of blessings. P

Habeebee

2011-08-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

We have started our British tour with a couple of gigs near to our home - this means there is less work for our roadies.

Our first visit was a church in Bedminster, Bristol. It was good to hear the familiar Bristol (pronounced Bristle) accent. A non-romantic Bristolian term of endearment that is used for friends, or sometimes even strangers, is 'my lover'. An Arabic translation of this is 'habeebee', which is also used in the same context.

Our second visit was in a small hamlet in Somerset, where the church tower dates back to the 13th century. The church (in the picture) is surrounded by green fields and rolling hills and confirmed that we were truly back in England. P

Optical Illusion

2011-07-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

We are just preparing for our final holiday camp for children. One of the fun things we are doing in the camps is learning about vision and how that sometimes all that we see isn't what it seems. We show the children some simple tricks, that they can learn, and we use some old trusted optical illusions that play tricks on the eyes by using different perspectives, colours and shapes. But there are also some new optical illusions that are better when seen on the computer screen - the flower petals are not actually moving!

More Cakes

2011-06-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Would you like some cloud-cake? This was the question we were asked after the Ascension Day service. We have learnt that to decline the offer of food is considered offensive in the Arab culture, so we smiled and accepted. To our surprise cloud-cake was one of the nicer cakes we have sampled, it wasn't too sweet, but nice and fluffy - like all cloud-cakes should be. We associate Christmas with certain foods, and Easter is synonymous with eggs; so why not have special foods at other festivals (see 19 April's blog for Easter cakes). We are going to Jerusalem tomorrow for a special Pentecost service at the cathedral, not sure what will be served at the after service refreshments. P

Just another day!

2011-05-20T02:02:00.000-07:00

This week we had 'English Day' at school. Years 1 to 6 were treated to the delights of 'word bingo', 'boggle', 'word aerobics' spelling games and songs- including the perennial '10 green bottles'. The absolute favourite was 'Bingo'. Peter held the children in spellbound suspense at one stage with four of the groups hanging on with one last picture to go! It was a good day, with the the learning heavily disguised as a fun package. However during the breaktime there was a small fracas in the playgound resulting in a smashed window and a few minor casualites. As well as the delights of teaching English Jane had to use her nursing skills and administered first aid to two children and a staff member. All part of the rich tapestary of life here in Nazareth! J.

Keys

2011-05-17T22:31:00.001-07:00

When we left the UK 4 years ago I still remember the strange feeling of not owning anything substantial. This was confirmed by not having any keys. No keys to a house, or a car; no church keys, and no keys for work or the social club.

Since living here for 2 years I have managed to accumulate a significant number of keys. The handing over ceremonies will start this week when I hand back the key to the Bible College after we finish teaching our English class. Gradually our keys will reduce and then when we eventually leave it will be back to 'no-keys' Pete. P

Jesus is up!

2011-04-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

We caused a few chuckles at church when we tried to reply in Arabic to 'Christ is risen': 'al masiih qamm' - 'haqqan qaam'.

But on our walk home from church on Easter morning we were also able to have a chuckle when a passing motorist shouted at us, 'Jesus is up!' I'm not sure what the response should be, but before we could reply he had disappeared into the distance.

Our Easter has been busy, we've taken part in services in the hospital and church, and we've been able to visit other churches that celebrate Easter in completly different ways.

Now we're leaving to help at a youth camp, which will round off a hectic but interesting and enjoyable Easter. P

'Cakay Basjway'

2011-04-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful Arab tradition during the period of 'eid il fesah' (Easter time). There is a gathering of women - mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, distant Aunts and neighbours. The gathering is about cooking, reminiscing, meeting old friends and relations and creating kilos and kilos of these scrumptious cakes, known as 'Cakay Basjway'. They are made from figs and sweet lattice pastry. There are three different shapes - the crown, the spear and the sponge, all symbols from the crucifixion of Jesus. Despite the sadness they represent they are delicous. One of the delightful things about Arab culture, here in Israel, is the traditions that remain. Despite living in a first world country in the twenty first century, the women will always gather and create together. J

Guitar-man

2011-03-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

My guitar music folder is expanding by the day. The songs from my guitar teacher in the UK consisted mostly of 60's & 70's songs, these are being pushed to the back of my folder by a diverse collection of music. I am playing my guitar in a variety of places and so I have to make sure I take the correct music with me. A couple of weeks ago at the 'Woman's day of prayer' I was playing 'Amazing Grace' with 2 chords, because the accompanying piano was so out of tune the pianist had to avoid certain notes. Life is a little easier in the hospital chapel where most of the time I play solo, but there is a huge diverstiy of songs at the different services: at one service we use Tabernacle Hymns from the 1960's with hymns such as 'Count your blessings'; at another service we use an Arabic chorus book with songs like 'uhibbuka rabbi yasuu'; and on Sunday evenings more modern hymns and songs, including 'How great is our God'. In our adult English lesson 'Summertime' has been used to add variety to a lesson; and at school good old favourites like 'The wheels on the bus'. At the end of the week I appreicate the chance to sit down and play 'Here comes the sun', 'Blackbird' and 'Yesterday' - you still can't beat those classic Beatles songs. P

Web-links to a long weekend of meetings

2011-03-02T01:48:00.000-08:00

After travelling down to Jerusalem on Friday we found out that our meeting at the cathedral had been cancelled. In the evening we went to the Church of the Nazarene for dinner, a communion service and a tour of their roof. As with most buildings in this part of the world the roof is flat, which allows it to be used for an aquaponics experiment: http://www.aquaponics.org.uk/information/

On Saturday we met with a couple from the UK who serve with the Chemin Neuf Community at the Ecco Homo guest house. We first met them in Nazareth where they may be helping to run a new initiave called the Mary Centre, which also has a newly grown roof garden:

http://www.eccehomoconvent.org/en/content/chemin-neuf-community

On Sunday we visited the East Jerusalem Baptist Church where the sermon was given by a Chinese pastor, he gave an interesting talk with updates from China.

On Monday we visited the Hope School, where we met Dick and Janet from one of our supporting churches in the UK, it also gave Jane the opportunity to show off her great knowledge of Arabic - shame the student didn't understand her, must be the Nazareth accent: http://www.hopeschoolbeitjala.com/

And later we visited a permaculture farm:

http://www.bustanqaraaqa.org/al3/web/page/display/id/1.html

Before returning to Nazareth on Tuesday we had another non-meeting at the Cathedral. Apart from our meetings at the beginning and end of our long-weekend we had some very productive meetings and met some great people who gave us food for thought, I hope you find some of the links interesting. P

Logic

2011-02-16T01:55:00.000-08:00

We are still getting used to living in a different culture. There's not only the weather and language, but there's also a different worldview. When we have appointments and meetings we try to plan alternative arrangements, and pack a book and MP3 player, just in case the meeting is late or cancelled, which is quite often. But one reliable part of life here are the buses that leave the bus stations exactly on time, but after leaving the bus station the Middle Eastern logic takes over. There's a sentence on the timetable that the times at all the subsequent bus-stops depend on traffic conditions, and that buses may pass earlier than scheduled. At least buses at home normally wait until the planned time if they are early. I cannot see the need for a detailed timetable if the bus does not wait if it is running early. We are fortunate that we normally travel between bus stations and so we rarely have to spend hours and hours waiting at bus stops. P

A Right Turkey!

2011-01-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

Living in the Middle East, we never know who or what we are going to find in our back garden. On this occasion we had just arrived back home after a torrential rain storm and came across a turkey, a guinea fowl, not really sure what. Peter put Jane on guard while he rushed inside to get a camera. The bird started getting a little aggressive so Jane is holding the umbrella up as tentative protection. Needless to say we didn't eat our new friend for lunch.
Time is ticking away now for us now, we've just 6 months left; we are trying to make the most of every day and every relationship we encounter, friendly or hostile! We have just started teaching English at the Bible College and have a delightful group of 10 students of mixed faiths and backgrounds. Our work with children and young adults is also increasing and we are grateful that two years of relationship building is now coming to fruition. ' Nouska Allah !' Thanks to God (as they say in these parts) J

Forever Friends

2011-01-05T05:11:00.000-08:00

One of our regular visitors to the flat is this 'little fellow'. He is one of our more docile and less active visitors (previous friends include a rat and outside scorpion) but he does have personality and staying power. He did not want to get out of the sink at this stage in the proceedings, and insisted on helping me wash up the cups.
We do like to be welcoming to all - as the Arabs say 'ahlan wa salan' but this was one step to far for me. He fitted quite snuggley into a plant pot and I bravely removed him to colder climes. Somehow I think he will return! J

Merry Christmas Everybody

2010-12-19T04:41:00.000-08:00

'Does he ride a red-nose reindeer,

Does a ton-up on his sleigh,

Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?

So here it is, merry Christmas...

Now I realise what I miss about Christmas in the UK - the continuous wall to wall sounds of glam rock songs from the 70's. As a teenager of the 70's I enjoyed the songs then, but how many times over the years have I heard songs from those glam pop years, the 'highlight' being 1973 with Christmas songs from Slade, Wizard and Elton John.

We are obviously missing everything about Christmas in the UK, but we are not left in any doubt that it is Christmas, our diary is full of choir performances, church, school & hospital services, carolling evenings and concerts - including Handel's Messiah on Christms Day. P

baaba noweel

2010-11-30T03:37:00.000-08:00

Birthdays are over and we are now getting into the Christmas spirit. We had a busy time during our birthdays (16th & 28th) with trips to Bethlehem, helping at a youth conference and our day to day routines. But our routine was interupted last night by a call from the Childrens Ward, 'Can you come and help decorate the ward, because the Pope is visiting us tomorrow?' We helped with the Christmas decorations and this morning waited for a 'messenger' from the Pope who turned out to be heavily disguised as Father Christmas from Germany, who had been delayed by snow a Frankfurt airport! He had a bishop's mitre and crook, and a pet pig to give out the chocolates (culturally sensitive!). He was surrounded by the local press and all the hospital mangement so we didn't manage to get a papal chocolate. P

Let them eat cake!

2010-11-12T04:10:00.000-08:00

Our Arabic may be basic and people often laugh at our attempts - "Would you like to drink some cake?" - but it is also amusing when locals use their English with us. People always ask us where we are from, and then why we are here - which is always a good opening. England seems to revolve around Manchester United: "Where are you from?" "England." "Which England, London or Manchester United?" I have also started to help with English Administration at the Bible College, part of this has been amending translations from Arabic into English. A translated student profile read: 'I want a teaching postion, if I did I would be in love with it.' P

Drought Plants

2010-10-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

I've been given a project to improve the chapel garden at the hospital. The hospital grounds have previously had a good irrigation system, but Israel has had 5 years of drought over the last 6 years. The level of Galilee has dropped to a dangerous level and the cost of water has gone up. So with my limited gardening experience I have been taking cutting and seedlings from all the plants that survive the waterless summers: rosemary, lavender, palm trees, olive trees, cactus and many more unknown plants - my plant knowledge is poor. More than 50% are surviving. I planted them in the spring and I was told that if you get them through their first summer then they should survive, so hopefully they will grow. Now is the time for the olive harvest, we have one tree, but our neighbour has a few more and she is more skilled in picking the olives. P

Three Seas

2010-09-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

Last week we enjoyed having our niece and nephew with us for a few days. It was a whistle-stop holiday because there is so much to see in Israel and they were only here for a week, but we were able to see all the important holy sights and visit the three seas - Dead, Galilee and the Med.
We were also able to visit friends in Jerusalem and Nazareth, Julie & Phil enjoyed having time to listen to people's stories and experiences - something that package tours miss out on.
Life is now getting back to normal following the end of Ramadan, the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur celebrations. P

Our most productive day!

2010-09-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

We have had a frustrating few weeks trying to arrange meetings with some of our partners, but making appointments is not how it is done here, but yesterday turned out to be very productive.
Our previous visa appointments have never had a positive conclusion, we have always had to leave and return a few days later with additional documents, not this time. At our early meeting at the Ministry of the Interior we discovered that one of our documents didn't have the official church stamp, our early appointment gave us time to race over to our vicar's home, he had just returned home from a meeting, and so he was able to stamp the letter in time for us to drop it back to the visa lady - we now have visas for another year.
On the way home we called into the school (without an appointment) to see the head-teacher and found that for once she was not busy. She was also able to introduce us to the new English teacher and music teacher. We start the new term in a few days.
And then out of the blue came a call from the new administrator of the Bible College, he was arriving in 10 minutes so could we meet - over the next couple of weeks we will be helping with their relocation to offices in the hospital.
In the afternoon we had the pleasure to meet with Hector and Lydia (CMS) ,they have recently arrived in Israel. And then to round off the day we went to a BBQ for ex-pats returning from a cool summer in USA and UK.
Our most productive day! P

Man in Black

2010-08-31T02:36:00.000-07:00

During the summer, with temperatures 100F+, I have decided not to wear my cassock (black robe) at church and only wear my surplice (short white linen vestment normally worn over a cassock).
But without the cassock I have had to invest in an all-black outfit to wear under my surplice. Walking to church now feels much hotter in my black clothes, so I have started to use an umbrella to provide some shade. I get some strange looks, so I wear my sunglasses as a disguise. P

Oh for water games

2010-08-20T23:11:00.001-07:00

The 'Summer Camps / Holiday Clubs' have ended, but the temperatures have remained high. Our current heatwave started a few weeks ago and yesterday climbed to 114F (44C). The favoutite activity was water games. It was quite amusing to see relay races and team games where the prize for winning was having water ballons broken over your head; and pass the parcel (pass the water balloon) where the prize for holding the water balloon when the music stopped was bursting it over yourself.

One advantage of not having air-conditioning and a car is that you become more accustomed to the heat. Last night we were driven back to our home in a nice air-conditioned car and when I got out my glasses misted over because of the heat and night-time humidity - something that normally happens when you enter a steamy kitchen or bathroom. P

Supermarket Dash

2010-07-31T22:51:00.001-07:00

We are now into the season of children's holiday clubs, with a choice of various workshops. A couple of days ago I was asked to run a 'Little Scientists' workshop for next week's camp, so with the weekend drawing closer and closer I had to go on a supermarket dash. When I got to the till I wondered what was going through the cashier's mind. After a packet of balloons, napkins, wrapping paper, straws and plastic cups she probably thought that I was organising a birthday party - but then confusion was written over her face as she scanned vinegar, cooking oil, food colouring, rope, glycerin, pipettes and Alka-Seltzer (to make a home made lava-lamp, together with the cooking oil and food colouring). P

Razor Teeth

2010-07-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

One night last week as Jane made a nocturnal visit to the fridge (just for a cold drink!) a slight rustling was heard in pile of recycling materials; it was all neatly folded and she assumed that it was a crunchy poly bag; she returned to her night time rest.
Five minutes later she hears a yell in the darkness of the night. Peter shrieked in fear and trembling. Awakened from his deep slumber he felt sharp claws and something large and fluffy on his arm. His shrieks frightened the poor beast and as he rushed to the assitance of the electic light; the illuminated room, revealed a rather large rat. Ratty is rather terrified and runs up a plastic window roller blind. Quick thinking Peter slams down the blind forming a sealed unit of glass and plastic blind.
The rat stressed from his misdemenour falls asleep and the worried humans have an animated discussion about how to deal with their new 'friend'. The next day as they asrise from a disturbed night the decision has already been made; King rat has climbed over the security mesh and then chewed his way right though the wire insect screen escaping to certain freedom. J

IKEA

2010-07-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

The IKEA angels recently bought us a Poang chair. For those who haven't been tempted into an IKEA corner-shop the Poang chair a simple but very comfortable chair, especially when combined with a Poang footstool (we had two in the UK). We are grateful for all the furniture that we have in our appartment, but we have been waiting for a comfy chair for a while. The chair and footstool boxes also resolved our shoe storage problem. P
PS The absence of blogs in June were partly caused by Mr Lloyd Mastercard not sending our monthly direct debit to Mr Israel Orange, and thus causing our internet to be disconnected for a couple of weeks.

Condolences

2010-05-30T03:47:00.000-07:00

One of the problems of being away from home is not being able to share in grieving for those who have died. Over the last few weeks Peter has lost an uncle and Jane a person who had a great influence in her life.
Uncle Derrick was Peter's father's youngest brother and like most of his father's family he lived in Devon all his life - why would anyone choose to live anywhere else?
Joan had a zest and enthusiasm for life which was infectious. She always had time for everyone and was a real people's person.
Bereavement is quite different over here. The funeral is the day after the death (Uncle Derrick's funeral was 2 weeks after he died). This is followed by 3 days of condolences when a hall is hired as a place where people can visit the family of the deceased to express their sadness.

Mint

2010-05-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

It has taken a year to start adding a few luxuries to our lives. We now have mint growing on our kitchen window sill - apart from Arabic coffee, black tea with mint is the favourite hot drink. The weather is set fine (no rain is expected until October) so we now have our own bar-b-que, which will get regular use, and we are planning to buy a micro-wave, which will transform our cooking.

Jane's parents are half way through their holiday with us and are currently enjoying 100+F temperatures at Masada, so look out for some shrivelled 'Burgoynes' when they return to the UK in a couple of weeks. P

All in a days work

2010-04-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

We have a variety of roles, which means that no two days are alike. Yesterday it was teaching English in the school and a barbecue with stranded Brits who couldn't fly home to the UK; today it was helping to lead a prayer meeting and general maintenance in and around the chapel, which was later the venue for a funeral. The deceased was Nijme (Arabic for star), a lady who was adopted by the hospital 79 years ago after being abandoned by her parents aged 8. She was 'adopted' by various doctors and nurses, and later worked in the hospital as the head chef. She had no family, but the chapel was full of her hospital family. She was an Anglican and was buried in the church cemetery, which is in the hospital grounds, hence the Reader outfit. P

Home

2010-04-10T03:33:00.000-07:00

Over the last two and a half years home has been wherever we open our suitcase, but since we have settled in Nazareth it is where my pillow is. We had a nice Easter at home in the UK with our families, but I have been looking forward to my pillow and bed in Nazareth.
We have recovered from our overnight flight and today we will be linking up with a group from CMS who are staying in Nazareth for a few days.
It is hard to choose between spring in the UK or here - the perfect mix would be the weather of Israel with the flowers and blossoms of the UK. In the UK we had rain on most days, but we had some sunshine when we visited St Mawes in Cornwall - the perfect setting to try out my new camera on some lovely spring daffodils. P

80th

2010-03-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

We managed to avoid the British Airways strike and we are flying back to the UK today. It promises to be a busy time. The main reason for our trip is my father's 80th birthday. We are also going to be godparents to children of some good friends who are moving abroad to work. There are the obligatory visits to the doctor, dentist, optician, bank etc. When we return to Nazareth we will hit the road running because there will be CMS tour in town for a few nights, which will be hosted by our regional manager. Part of our responsibilities will be giving a presentation about our various roles and experiences. P

Welcome

2010-03-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

This must be one of the most photographed warning signs in Israel: No dogs; No shorts; No talking; No food or drinks; No guns; No smoking. It is the 'welcoming' sign of the Church of the Beatitudes, near the Sea of Galilee. I wonder if there were similar restrictions when Jesus taught on these hills.
Perhaps you should consider adopting a similar sign at your church/club as it pulls in thousands of punters every week. P

New curtains

2010-02-19T00:42:00.000-08:00

We have been busy with our little home and as you can see in the background of the photograph we have some new burgundy curtains in our living room, and we now have a lamp-shade. But my DIY has been slightly hindered by an accident I had with a hack-saw, as well as cutting the bolt I managed to also cut my finger. Having never had an injury like this before I thought the pain and discomfort was normal, until I had the dressing changed today only to find a bad infection - that would explain the throbbing pain last night.
Having the stitches out this morning produced more than one ouch. P

Inflation

2010-02-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

We have just successfully renewed our visas, so we are here for another 6 months. We survived one sizzling summer, so I'm sure we can manage another. The clerk in the Ministry of the Interior made an interesting comment to our solicitor when he asked her about the process of renewing our visas again in 6 months time. She told him that we probably wouldn't want to stay for another 6 months, but if we did then there would be extra forms to complete. Perhaps she thought that we didn't want to go through the frustrating, lengthy and irritating visa application process again, that we didn't like living in Nazareth, or perhaps it was the cost of renewing a visa. In August last year we paid 80 shekels each (£14), today we paid 165 shekels each (£28), by my reckoning if the Ministry of the Interior inflation continues it will be 340 shekels in August, the price of rubber stamps and ink must be going up. P

Green Pastures

2010-01-29T05:43:00.000-08:00

Nazareth is a friendly place whose appearance had been compared to a wasps nest attached to a Galilean hill side. The many honey coloured concrete homes and crooked streets, cling to the steep sides of this Arab town.

But sometimes I just long for green hills, to go and run into and amble up. There are no gardens or parks in Nazareth, however just a ten minutes walk away from the hospital we have discovered a verdant oasis. It is a small green wooded area, which at the top has amazing views of Haifa and the West Bank. There are amazing wild flowers, such as red anemones and lilac cyclamen. The surrounding grass is rich and lush. The only blot on the landscape is the fly-tipping, with litter scattered around, but somehow I have learnt to block this out, to see the natural beauty without the dross. J

Lingo

2010-01-20T00:37:00.000-08:00

Overcoming the language barrier has prompted me to do what I enjoy most, problem solving. Our church service is totally in Arabic and so visitors find it difficult to fully participate. There are English equivalents to the Arabic Book of Common Prayer, Arabic hymn book, and Arabic service book. We use the Arabic prayer book for the collect and readings - problem simply solved by ordering English prayer books. The hymn book is more problematic. We have been given some 'New English Hymnal' hymn books, and so I am matching the tunes found in both books and producing a list of hymns that can be sung together in English and Arabic. And finally, although we have English service book for visitors, they like to join in certain parts of the service in Arabic (Lord's prayer, sharing the peace etc). To solve this last problem I am producing the Arabic service book in simple phonetics. But I'll still need to use all the books, so it's a good job I sit at an old choir stall instead of the small prayer desk. P

It's the thought that counts

2010-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

We are just coming to the end of the Christmas season - we had our church Christmas party last night. Christmas decorations are still on display for those celebrating the Orthodox Christmas.

I do hope you had Christmas presents that were given after much thought and consideration - I certainly did. We spent Christmas Day with Phil & Angela. Angela had just returned from the UK and brought back some traditional Christmas food, which was appreciated by one and all. She also took advantage of her time at home to get some presents that are difficult to buy in Israel. After our delicious Christmas dinner Angela handed her present to me - imagine my surprise to have a pot of 'SUDOCREM', for the treatment of nappy rash, incontinence dermatitis and eczema. I would have preferred to have had some 'SUDAFED' tablets for my sinus problems! The mistake caused tears of laughter and I'm sure her new granddaughter will appreciate my returned gift. P

Christmas Tree

2010-01-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Our previous vicar often reminded us that this time of year is still the season of Christmas - so Happy Christmas. In the Holy Land Christmas continues for a couple more weeks, the Orthodox Christmas is next week and the Armenian Christmas in 2 weeks. It's possible to get 'traditional' Christmas trees in Nazareth, but we have improvised with a cactus that was given to us a few weeks ago. A generous lady at church told us that she had a cactus she wanted to give to us. She lives a few miles from us so Jane caught a taxi to collect it. The taxi driver was given a well deserved tip for getting both Jane and the 7' cactus home in one piece. P

On the radio

2009-12-26T10:43:00.001-08:00

We've just been listening to the latest episode of 'From Our Own Correspondent' on the BBC world service (the programme is also broadcast on Radio 4). The first item is about the hospital in which we are working part-time in Nazareth. Here are the links for 'i player' and podcasts, where you can either download or listen online. I had to type the links so I hope they are accurate:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005gqc2/From_Our_Own_Correspondent_26_12_2009/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/fooc

Busy

2009-12-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

An ordained friend recently commented about the number of services he had over the Christmas period, we also have a full diary of events. This time of year is a great time to meet many new people. A few months ago we joined a Christmas choir at a local Baptist church, after many practices and extra tutorials with our Arabic teacher, we have 2 performances (one on live TV); this evening we have a carol service at the hospital , and next week we are singing carols to captive audiences on the wards, at local convents and other hospitals; we also get invitations to visit carol concerts in other churches (this started 2 weeks ago); at school we have been rehearsing English carols with the kindergarten, 1st & 2nd grade classes, the school concert is on Wednesday; and of course there are the normal Christmas services at church.

The traditional Christmas tree can be found in many homes. But instead of having piles of presents under the tree there is a nativity scene in a cave (made from rock coloured paper).

We hope you have a peaceful Christmas. P

Foreigners

2009-12-13T05:23:00.000-08:00

Not many internationals learn Arabic and it is presumed that we don't understand the locals when they start talking about the 'ajaaneb' (the foreigners). By recognizing some key words we can now join in their conversations. As well as getting to know the locals we have the benefit of working and mixing with a rich mixture of other foreigners from Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, France, Italy, Vietnam, Switzerland, Finland and many, many others. We are very grateful that English is the common international language. We have also benefited from the building skills of Dirk (van Wendel de Joode), from Holland, and his willing assistant Bruno (Costa), from Brazil, who have helped with some of our home improvements. P

Hiking with Hinke

2009-12-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

Our Arabic is probably progressing quicker than our North Americanese. Jane recently asked Hinke, a Canadian friend living in Nazareth, if she would be able to show us one the walks that she knows. Jane was thinking along the lines of the beginning of the Jesus trail, which starts in Nazareth (http://www.jesustrail.com/) and finishes at Galilee, but was unaware that 'walk' in North Americanese means a stroll around the town. Hinke could see the disappointment in Jane's face when she suggested a walk to the market. Eventually we were able to communicate what we actually wanted to do. This was our first taste of walking in countryside around Nazareth - we have been waiting for the weather to cool down before hiking/walking the Jesus Trail, and Hinke has kindly guided us on the first few miles. We may walk/hike the next section tomorrow - weather permitting. P

Marmite, Times, BBC & Book of Common Prayer

2009-11-24T10:56:00.000-08:00

Last week we were really disappointed that our friends from Nailsea, John & Sally, had to cancel their holiday in Israel, but we still managed to spend some time with other Brits. We had a tour of Galilee and the Jordan Valley with John & Janet (friends from the UK), before finally ending up in Bethlehem where we had arranged to meet some people from churches near Bristol. The group included Tilly and Maria who had kindly bought us gifts from the UK. Our church here in Nazareth follows the Book of Common Prayer (in Arabic) so copies of English version will come in very useful. We will now be able to enjoy our breakfast toast because we have a 500g jar of Marmite, and what could be more British than watching the classic BBC comedy 'Yes Minister' and reading a copy of the Times. Another reason for our trip south was to say farewell to our friends, Jason & Sarah, who welcomed us into their circle of friends when we first arrived here, over 2 years ago; and to Ruth who is also leaving. P

Nights In (& odd one out)

2009-11-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

Summer has come to a dramatic end. We have had a weekend of thunder storms and 6" of rain. This has meant that evenings at home, none this week (meetings and services) are spent indoors with shutters closed rather that doors and windows wide open. No TV has meant that we had found new hobbies. Jane has become an indoor plant fanatic, with cuttings spread through our home. I am developing my artistic skills, which are basic to say the least. With my mathematical mind I am using a ruler, set square and compass. My pictures are very much appreciated and are displayed in prominent positions in the bathroom and toilet. P

PS The answer to the puzzle published a couple of weeks ago is 'D'. 'A' is an odd one out because it is a 'y'; 'B' is an odd one out because it is a square; 'C' is an odd one out because it is yellow; so 'D' is the odd one out because it isn't an odd one out.

Grow, go and Recycle

2009-10-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Nazareth I have developed a real interest in plant propagation, our home environment is slowly beginning to bloom and grow with exotic plants. My new interest is a great relaxant and is also teaching me patience. I think it is also bring out my English eccentricities. I can regularly be found in the Hospital chapel with a can of leaf shine or a water sprayer, trying to create the right conditions for my newest cacti or palm tree, or new leaf cuttings that I am nurturing.
Another great thing about plants is that they are ‘presents for free’. Newly grown and divided plants can then able be passed on to friends. When I have run out of pots then I can recycle food containers, a prune box makes an excellent plant holder for a newly grown palm. Our environments are crucial places for our ministries. Plants can make a room seem calm and tranquil and can relax those who inhabit and come to our dwelling places.
Somebody at church has just offered me a 2 metre cactus, I wonder how I can get that home on the bus? J

Juggling

2009-10-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

The number of balls we that are juggling has hopefully reached its peak. The variety of our work means that we are entering into both the Christian and wider community faster than most newcomers. We are getting to know people at the Anglican church, mid-week bible study (many attendees don’t go to church), school (English and music classes), Galilee Bible College, Nazareth hospital (children’s ward, 3 x chapel services, working in the grounds, helping the chaplain) Baptist Christmas choir, after-school children’s club, Taize service at local convent, English language Bible study, we are also attending a course, ‘Living in a Pluralistic Society’, at the Nazareth Seminary; and of course, how could we forget our Arabic lessons and more importantly, running a fantasy football team (currently top in the Devon & Nazareth Premier League). We are also regularly visiting other churches (Brethren, Orthodox, Baptist, Catholic etc) often at the invitation of friends and colleagues, this is one of the advantages of belonging to a middle of the road, Protestant-Episcopalian church (not sure what that means, but it sounds good). And all of this during a prolonged summer - 97⁰F today. P

The odd one out

2009-10-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today we had our first day in school – with parents weeping at the school gate (not ours!). We are helping the students with their English lessons. It is a small school with one class for each year, and the ages range from 4 to 16. The school is located in the centre of the old town of Nazareth and is squeezed into the densely populated market (souq) area. The children obviously see many tourists in Nazareth, but it is very rare for them to interact with foreigners. The younger children found it very strange to have people with blue eyes, pale skin and fair hair sitting in their classes; at the start of each class we had 30 pairs of brown eyes continually staring at us. It is quite uncomfortable being the ‘odd one out’, but after we had started helping them with their work 'Mr Peter' and 'Mrs Jane' didn’t seem so strange. In the picture, which is the odd one? P

208

2009-09-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

We are very grateful that we now don’t have to go out and search for a wireless internet connection, because we have a dongle (mobile phone internet connection) at home. The only problem with the dongle is that it is not very consistent and is often slow, very slow or just cuts off entirely. We don’t have a TV, so listening to the radio is our main means of entertainment and keeping up to date with news. Because the internet is not reliable we continue to listen to the BBC world service on the radio. Our signal comes from Cyprus and in the late afternoon the signal begins to weaken and distort until it is unrecognisable in the evening. But years of listening to Radio Luxembourg 208 on my portable radio under the bed-sheets has prepared me for the fading signal that occurs every few minutes. Jane obviously didn’t listen to 208, she easily gets irritated by the distorted signal, but when you’re listening to the 2nd half football commentary from Old Trafford you just blank off the deteriorating signal and imagine Steven Gerrard scoring a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes against Manchester United. P

New Fruit

2009-09-19T01:09:00.000-07:00

It is now two years since we first left the wild west coast of England and started living a very different life.
Everything has changed for us, the food we eat, the language we speak, the work we do, the community we live in, the way we wash and dry our clothes. The vine in our garden, not only provides us with luscious grapes and beautiful cool shade but makes an excellent drying area for shirts, which dry quickly and are protected from the harsh rays of the sun. No ironing needed.
In two years it feels like we have travelled a long way, our recent arrival in Nazareth also requires a new way of thinking, a new way to live, lots of adaptations to make - living in an Arab culture in an Israeli context. Better go and make some more falafel! J

Licence to Kneel

2009-09-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

As you may have read in our Link Newsletter (available on request, electronically or paperererly) one of our roles is helping at the Anglican Church in Nazareth. We are slowly getting involved in different areas of work. The Bishop of Jerusalem - I had to name drop because it’s such an impressive title - has granted me a free ‘Reader’ transfer from the Bath & Wells Diocese to the Jerusalem Diocese. The Jerusalem Diocese covers a large area that includes Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon – an interesting assortment of locations. I have started assisting Father Zahi, carrying the cross and serving communion, reading the prayer book in Arabic is taking time because it is in classical and not colloquial Arabic – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Peter

Walls

2009-08-31T01:16:00.000-07:00

Israel is very much the ‘land of walls’, but we found an alternative in Safed, a small town in the Galilean hills. Because of the complicated history in this part of the world, the town of Safed, like many places in Israel, has alternative names: Zefat, Tsfat, Zfat, Safad, Safes, Safet, Tzfat, etc. During the British mandate there was conflict between the Jewish and Arab communities. Safed is built on the side of a steep hill and so the British built steps to keep the communities apart. The steps are about 5 metres wide and were presumably policed – not as depressing and disruptive as a wall. Unfortunately peace was never established between the two communities. After the 1948 war Safed became completely Jewish, with the steps acting as a reminder of its previous neighbours. P

Questions

2009-08-20T04:51:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we watched ‘The Power of One’, a thought provoking film about life in South Africa at the beginning of the last century. One of the main characters, ‘Doc’, explained to his pupil that the answers to many questions could be found in nature. Like us, one of Doc’s hobbies was growing cacti, the climate in South Africa is obviously similar to that in Israel. Whilst thinking about Doc’s advice I remembered the most common question we are asked: Why have you left the UK to live in Nazareth? The question is asked because it is more common for people in our community to migrate in the opposite direction. I later noticed that one of our cacti was flowering, and because of this rare event (the flowers only last for a day or two) I took a photograph. When I saw the result of the photograph it gave the appearance of light coming from the inside of the flower, it was not, it was reflecting the sun. P

Visa

2009-08-12T03:50:00.000-07:00

We have recently been living week to week as we waited for our visa paperwork to be processed. We have finally been granted a 6 month visa until February 2010, this is only renewable once and then its back to reapplying! We have to submit an application if we want to leave the country, so we will be holidaying in Is - not that we're complaining - we haven't seen much of the country because it's been too hot and there is plenty of variety and winter sun.

We're now thankfully in a position where we can plan ahead, start some projects, and strengthen the relationships we have already started. We can also justify a few 'luxuries' at home, such as a set of dishes. P

40 steps

2009-07-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

Our journey to church through the streets of Nazareth is a time of reflection on the history of this sprawling town of 100,000 people. Christ Church was built upon the initiative of English sailors and was completed in 1871. A few years before the foundation of the church, CMS established Christ School, which is the church school. We have been helping in the church during the summer and hope to start helping in the school next term.

After our journey of reflection we enter the church in desperate need of one of the electric fans - not because of our meandering journey through the maze of narrow Nazareth streets, but because of the 40 steps (3 flights) that lead to the church (a very scriptural architect). The Church Council is considering a lift to help people gain access to the church, because the steps prevent a lot of people from attending - but not us hardy fell walkers! We've learnt that we need to save some rations for the last push up to the entrance of the church otherwise we miss the first hymn. P

Artery Forceps

2009-07-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Most of my work is administration, church meetings & services. But an important part is helping with maintenance and gardening in the hospital. This week I have been gardening - I am learning about pruning palm trees and I have planted my first cactus in an area that was covered in weeds until the 'Devon Demolisher' arrived - weeds quiver and die rather than come face to face with the terminator. My gardening skills were also tested when I had to clear the weeds from the potted cactus plants that surround our home, but with all those spikes how do you get close enough to remove the weeds. I searched the drawers in our home, that are overflowing with random things left behind by years of volunteers, and found some rather big tweezers, which I have since been informed are artery forceps. In skillful hands they make great gardening tools for intricate cactus operations. P

Pizzas

2009-07-14T05:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we devoured 8 pizzas – with the help of some guests. After trawling all the local shops we finally found a shop that sold frozen pizzas, the shopkeeper was bemused by our spending habits, I don’t think he sells that many frozen pizzas in a year – if it hasn’t got rice, humus or gherkins then it is not considered a meal over here. We are starting to utilise our patio for hospitality, its big advantage is the natural shade of a huge tree just outside our front door. We had 11 guests from the UK for lunch , some of them are helping at summer camps for children and another team are working with the woman’s group at our church. Later in the afternoon we welcomed three medical students who have just arrived from Scotland. They are here for their doctors elective (what does that mean?); they had been travelling for a few hours and were ready to demolish the leftover pizzas. P

Speaking in other tongues!

2009-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

This week it was a delight to lead the women’s bible study, ostensibly in English with ever increasing smatterings of Arabic. The study was with women from our local Anglican congregation. The passage was from Luke 18 - the persistent widow and the miserable judge. The judge having had his ear ‘bent’ by the widow so many times he relented and gave her justice. The parable is of course pointing us towards a caring benevolent God who never gets bored with our prayer repetitions and encourages us to be relentless in prayer. The ladies were as ever, patient and gracious with my deficiencies. With relative success, I tried to enable them to discuss and ponder, rather than assume that the British Lady had all the answers! J

A new crockery set

2009-06-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

In need of a new crockery set - apparently not.

Our recent experience of living in 'volunteers' apartments is that nothing ever matches, sheets/pillowcases, chairs or crockery. I am sure that over the years generous people donate to the volunteers rather than throw things out, and then volunteers feel that they shouldn't be seen to throw things out because they have been so generously donated. We're definitely not going to throw out our trendy collection of dishes. We have a 'set' of 9 different dishes, which I have been reliably informed by some friends in the UK, is the 'in' thing at the moment, namely non-matching crockery. Is this the truth or were they just trying to make us feel better about our non-matching crockery, towels, random wall-pictures and our one and a half bedroom curtain/s. P

What's your albedo rating?

2009-06-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

From the style of the last blog you have probably guessed that it was written by J. I am quite looking forward to moving into her new home because in my home there is a need for a few improvements. The location, space and basic furniture are more than we expected BUT:

The hospital toilet paper seems to have been accidentally switched with the carpenter's sandpaper.

There is plenty of hot water from the solar panels, but the pool of water that springs from the shower tray and covers the floor causes problems when trying to dry your feet .

Oh and Jane forgot to mention that we live in an oven. We expected to find the temperature in the summer to be very hot (currently 90 F) but our home continued to get hotter even during the night. I inspected our flat roof to find that it was covered in black asphalt, an albedo rating of 0.1 (solar reflectance for the unscientific). It absorbed the heat from the sun during the day and then gently baked us throughout the night. I acquired some white 'plastic' paint and set to work to increase our albedo rating to 0.7 - although I'm not sure what colour to paint it in the winter. P

Our House!

2009-06-06T01:26:00.000-07:00

Our new house is slowly becoming a home, it's a cross between a 1960’s Butlins holiday chalet and an Argentinean hacienda! We live in the extension to the original house which was build at the time of the Ottoman Empire. The garden is mainly paved with its own cactus garden. There are many cypress and olive trees which offer welcome shade. The bird life is incredible! When we sit out on a cool evening sipping mint tea (shay na na ) we watch kites ducking and diving, catching food for their chicks across the way. A blue humming bird hovers around the honeysuckle, and is accompanied by a green wood pecker and numerous blue jays. It is a indeed a tranquil and peaceful place, away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets of Naz. A little sanctuary, for which we are grateful. J

Concrete weights

2009-05-29T03:42:00.000-07:00

One the advantages of moving into a volunteers home is that you find the remains of many, many years of 'stuff' left behind. As people move on they invariably leave things behind that they can't fit into their suitcases. Most of the things are useful, but there are also many strange things that you find in the back of cupboards, such as home-made dumb-bell weights (the Arnold Schwarzenegger kind). There must have been a keep-fit fanatic living in our new home who was a resourceful DIY enthusiast - each the weight is made out of two pieces of an 8" black plastic drainage pipe that have been filled with concrete and a metal bar put between them. Jane is finding that they are a bit too light for her exercise regime - she was so excited to find them, but then disappointed that they were not heavier, although Peter is getting good use out of them! Only a few more cupboards and sheds to explore - who knows what may appear next? P

The Crossing

2009-05-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

After a 7 hour journey we crossed the river J and arrived in Naz, Is. We haven't got jet-lag, just heat exhaustion (43C at the border control). We have settled into our new apartment - for our British readers it is a semi-detached bungalow, which probably creates the wrong impression. It is far better than we imagined, but still in need of some modernising, which we will start once our long-term visas are confirmed. The modernising may include a TV and more importantly the internet. We have become very reliant on emails, skype and blogs so in the mean time we will devise ways to make contact with you all. The big bonus is that although our new home is in hospital grounds it is secluded with garden/paved areas on the side, back and front - most of the plants are cacti and vines. P

Desert Island Discs

2009-05-14T01:24:00.000-07:00

It's a bit like Desert Island Discs - which book to take on an 8 hour bus ride (the discs are no problem thanks to my computer and MP3). I have passed on my airport books bought at Heathrow 4 months ago, including 'The Economic Naturalist'. It is an interesting book that answers questions like - 'Why is milk sold in rectangular containers while soft drinks are sold in cylindrical ones?'. We don't have any space in our suitcases and rucksacks so books are a luxury item, especially when they cost twice the price as in the UK. We are getting used to packing our cases, as this is the ninth time in 18 months, but crossing borders does present certain challenges.

There may be a delay in our next blog, but we will update it as soon as possible after we arrive. P

Cousins

2009-05-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

Learning Arabic continues to be interesting and challenging. One problem is that spoken Arabic is different to written Arabic, the written Arabic is 'classical' - this is also used on TV/radio programmes. Another interesting topic is the various words used for family members - life would be so much simpler if I was a single child born to parents who were also single children. Not wishing to bore you, but the words for cousins are a good example. In English a child of your parent's sibling is simply called a cousin - not so simple in Arabic. Firstly the words for your father's siblings (uncle, auntie) are different to your mother's siblings; then the children of you uncle/auntie are identified by their parent and their sex. Sooooo the word for my mother's sister's daughter is different from my mother's sister's son or my father's sister's daughter. For the mathematicians there are eight words for the equivalent English word 'cousin'.

We are starting to say our good-byes, sorting out our apartment and packing our suitcases. There will hopefully be another blog before we travel to Is/Pal. Thanks for reading. P

Not right or wrong - just different

2009-04-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

The primary reason for spending the last few weeks in Jordan has been to start learning Arabic, but there is another motive. To be effective in our new work a clear understanding of culture and customs are needed. This can be anything from how to greet people - especially those of the opposite sex - to learning to do things in a Middle Eastern way and not in a 'Western' way.
I recently had to post a book so I took my package to the Post Office (2 miles away) only to be told that the package has to be unsealed so that they can check the contents. The next day I returned with my new package (with some tape on a corner which had started to rip) only to be told that no tape is allowed on a package. The following day I learnt that you had to write the return address on the package (I'm having enough trouble learning Arabic without bothering about Post Codes). The next day I was satisfied that everything was fine - you guessed it - if I wanted my package to go by ordinary post ($5) it had to be fastened by a folding metal clip, a sealed package could only be sent by registered post ($20). OK so where can I get a metal clip? Apparently the only stationers that sells them is 'Downtown', I know because I checked all the local ones; have you ever tried to buy something in a foreign language when you don't know what its called in English? Today I successfully posted my book. You may ask why the postal procedures were not explained on my first visit, well that is only relevant if you've got something better to do, queueing is a way of life here. P

Azraq

2009-04-22T02:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we got up at 4.00am to go to Mount Nebo (where Moses looked across to the 'Promised Land') for a sun-rise Easter service (all the churches in Jordan use date of the Orthodox Easter). This was the start of a few days break from our Arabic studies.

We wanted to escape from our fellow 2 million Ammanians and decided to venture east into the desert. We took the road to Iraq and Saudi Arabia but decided to stop at Azraq a few miles before the border. Azraq is Arabic for blue, and it got its name because of the oasis that is there - unfortunately many of the springs have been drained to supply water for Amman, which has had a huge effect on the wildlife. It was an important place for migrating birds from Africa, Asia and Europe. The RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) has adopted the area as one of its projects in Jordan and is attempting to replenish the oasis and reintroduce the birds and animals. We stayed in a lodge owned by the RSCN - it is a former British Field Hospital in the middle of the Jordanian desert. I've decided that desert life is not for me, it was dusty, hot and dry - every 2 hours during the night I woke because I had to drink some water. But it was an unique place to celebrate our wedding anniversary - no family or friends just a cactus. P

Arabic/English

2009-04-16T00:28:00.000-07:00

Arabic lessons continue to cause amusement to our teacher and others that we meet. Our reply to the question, "Are you a Christian?" was, "No I am not from Egypt, I am from Britain" (the word for Christian and Egyptian are similar). But we are not alone with problems with language - we found a few mistakes with a set of English alphabet cards for children: 'Kamel' & 'Appel'.
We are just approaching Easter (all churches in Jordan celebrate the Orthodox Easter) and we will be going to an Easter sun-rise service on Mount Nebo.
After Easter we have a short break from Arabic lessons so we are visiting Azraq - an unique wetland nature reserve in the middle of the desert, but where over recent years the unquenchable thirst of urbanization has drained the once fabled watering stop for travellers (the wonders of 'cut & paste'). So the next blog will probably have an environmental message. Happy late Easter! P

Fame

2009-04-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to search your name on Google? It's a test to see how famous you really are - a search for 'Peter Nott' results in 1,310,000 hits. But try my new occupation of 'pavementologist' and you get only 10 hits - 4 of which relates to me. The wonders of the Internet has meant that we can read newspapers thousands of miles away from the UK. It has also allowed us to search Google for our friend, Bex Morton, who has just had her first article printed in a national newspaper. Sorry Bex, but a search for 'Bex Morton Observer' produces 2,000 hits, a long way from true fame as a 'pavementologist'.
I have recently become aware just how quickly one can become part of the community. There are over 16,000 taxis in Amman. Yesterday I was struggling to get taxi, when I noticed one that was travelling in the opposite direction turn around and come back to pick me up - he recognised me (I must have given him a generous tip the last time I rode with him) he even remembered where I lived. This is one advantage of standing out in the crowd - was it because he knew that I am one of only a few 'pavementologists' in the world OR perhaps because I am the only person in Amman with ginger (red) hair, beard and glasses? P

Pavementologist

2009-03-31T00:08:00.000-07:00

You may have wondered why Jane is not keen to go jogging - well there is the cultural problem of running the streets in shorts and a crop-top, there are no parks or open spaces and the pavements (side-walks) are not conducive to running - even walking on them is not an easy option. I have just completed an in-depth study of the pedestrian situation for my qualification as a pavementologist and my conclusion is that Jordanians do not like sloping pavements and have many different tastes in paving surfaces. Each property owner is responsible for the pavement outside their property which means that the surfaces vary, unless neighbours have clubbed together for a new pavement. Property owners, especially shop-keepers, like to have a level pavement outside their homes/shops, which means that every few yards there are step/s. And finally when a premise is derelict or there is an empty plot the pavement is neglected. I have completed many folders of photographs throughout my studies which I will gladly share with you, here is a taster. Please feel free to copy them if you would like to add them to your own collection of pavement photographs or you can use one as a screen-saver. P

Skipping on the Roof!

2009-03-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

Whilst we are living in foreign climes we try to do regular exercise! This takes the form of spiritual but also the physical aerobic type. Peter takes the easy way out and attends a local Gym. Jane has decided to be more creative and do this from home. Living in a m culture we are trying to be sensitive to those around us. Some people from the West take to jogging in the streets. This is regarded as very strange and alien by the locals, so needs to be avoided if one wants to integrate. Jane has found 2 helpful options 1: is running up and down the six flights of stairs. This is exhausting but as everyone else uses the lift, no one actually sees her bright red face. 2: Skipping on the roof has become another aerobic high. Although the roofs are flat and open here, they are enshrouded in satellite disks and washing lines. So Jane has found a secret space to happily skip away! There is no photographic evidence of this ( and there won't be).
Any other hot tips for spiritual or physical exercise are all very much appreciated. J

'ello 'ello

2009-03-10T01:21:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the comedy programme 'ello 'ello, and in particular the undercover British spy who played a French policeman (Officer Crabtree) see this clip if you're not familiar with the programme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DrAp5gzdqc&feature=related - or search 'ello ello officer Crabtree' on youtube. Our Arabic continues to improve (slowly) and we are beginning to engage with shopkeepers and taxi drivers, but our conversation often ends up with the other person giggling - it's amazing how one litter can change the meating of a sentence. Just as in the programme, we probably sound even funnier because we are not aware of our mistakes. The important thing is that we can laugh along with the people with whom we are speaking; especially when they then try out their English with us, like the person who asked us if we liked the vegetable sponge - what he actually meant was spinach. P

Tricky Signs and Sounds!

2009-03-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

To date we have been learning Arabic for almost six weeks. It is beautiful language with many greetings that must be learnt before engaging in social chit chat. It is language that really values people and relationships. One of the most difficult sounds is the 'ayn' sound, which is non existent in the English. To make this sound you have to constrict and relax the throat muscles. It has been described as the noise of someone being strangled!

Sometimes we feel like children learning our basic ABC; even reading the road signs can take a long time! We are grateful for the people who help and support us. We are also glad that we can provide amusement for the local population. Jane is now used to taxi drivers breaking into peals of laughter when she gives them directions in Arabic. Anyway the good thing is its coming 'slow but sure' as we say in the UK. J

Roman Theatre

2009-02-21T02:53:00.000-08:00

Amman has two main attractions: the Citadel (Roman, Byzantine and Islamic remains) and the Roman Theatre. The theatre is great value for money - £1, which includes two museums. As we approached the site we had to get across a busy dual-carriageway that has no crossing facility, everybody apparently arrives by coach. We thought that the obvious place to start was the Tourist Information kiosk, only to find that they had just one small leaflet/map for the whole of Amman - be grateful for small things. The theatre was striking as it is in downtown Amman; it has 33 rows, and as you can see the terracing is very steep because it is built into the hill; it can accommodate 6,000 people and it is still used today for concerts - amazing what information you can pack into one small leaflet. We were considering visiting the Citadel this weekend but winter has arrived, thunder storms, hail-stones and snow is forcast. Keep warm wherever you are. P (another panoramic photo - three photos merged into one, Jane is in the top left corner - click on it to enlarge)

A room with a view

2009-02-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

We have settled into our flat (apartment), it is very comfortable and has everything that you would expect in a home that has been lived in for 6 years. It is in a great part of town with good cafes, book shops and of course the language school. Having lived in a similar location last year we knew what to expect, but Amman is even more crowded and compact. There is virtually no open spaces in our area of town.
I have recently noticed that I have a 'panoramic' software package on the computer and so I have been playing with it - it merges photos to make a panoramic photograph - which you would expect. This is a photo from at the rear of our apartment. We have a little balcony, no room to even put a chair - it is designed to be a drying area for washing - if you look closely you can see the washing lines and how the picture has not quite merged them, you can also see both ends of the balcony on the sides. More scenic photos to follow! P

On guard!

2009-02-05T00:56:00.000-08:00

We recently visited Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, although it was on this side of the Jordan for us - see John 1:28 - it was where John the Baptist was baptizing. We were invited to go to the annual diocese service at Bethany, which was attended by about 500 adults, teenagers and children. I didn't understand a word of the service but just being there was enough. We sat in simple wood terraced seats, which meant that everybody had a clear view of the Bishop and Priests as they led the communion service. They had their backs to the River Jordan (the brown background in the photo), which was just a yard behind them. The communion was distributed with Jordanian soldiers guarding the River Jordan, which is the Israel/Jordan border. I don't know what the soldier thought about the priests dipping olive branches in the river and flicking the water at everybody - is there a theological term for this apart from getting 'soaked'? P

Where do you live?

2009-01-25T01:42:00.001-08:00

Where do you live? That is a difficult question when you live in the Mid East. The authorities are giving names to the streets and in some cases there are numbers, but not everybody is familiar with them, because it is not the way you describe where you live. Even the taxi drivers are not always aware of the street names. When you eventually describe where you live the next problem is getting access to the apartments - the 'buzzer' system works, but which button? We're the third up on the right, and being very western we have now put our name next to the buzzer, and by our door bell - we are now awaiting our visitors! P

Keeping on our fleeces

2009-01-18T02:30:00.000-08:00

We have arrived safely in JD and we are settling into our apartment. It is very comfortable, but will be even better in the spring because it is currently freezing. The homes are built for the long summer and not the cold months of January and February. The floors are tiled, there is no heating, apart from a gaz-bottle fire which is wheeled around, and just to add to the suffering we are north facing, great in the summer but no warmth from the sun in the winter - we go outside to warm up!
We have mains water for one day a week during which our storage tank refills, this is then our water for the rest of the week, the only problem is that there is no way to see how much water is left. We are getting tips on water conservation such as collecting the water from the shower before it warms up and using dish-washing water to flush the loo.
We are using a computer in the local library because we do not have an internet connection at home so communication will not be on a daily basis and definately not on Fridays and Saturdays when it is closed. But we do have a telephone in our apartment, if you would like the number please contact us, there is a company in the UK that connects you for 1p a minute. P

Temporary lapse in blogs

2009-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been exceptionally busy, visiting family, friends and churches - we have visited five churches over Christmas and New Year including Bath Abbey, which had the prize for the largest screen. We're off on our travels again on Tuesday, flying to A in JD, where we will be learning Arabic for 4 months, it could be a long spring! As soon as we get connected to the internet we will post a blog. P

That warm cosy feeling!

2009-01-02T09:03:00.001-08:00

Blazing wood burners, large hot steaming mugs of coffee, German neujahrskuchen ( new year cake), friends and family; all good ingredients to propel us to a the new year.

At this time of year we are grateful for all our friends and family who love us and support us. As we are very nearly coming up to the time for leaving the country again, these relationships become all the more precious. Time with each person is like a gift to be grasped and appreciated in the moment and then remembered with affection and fondness over time. We are grateful to God for each one of you. J

Beefeater

2008-12-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

During our time in Beth. we got to know Jason and Sarah, and Hiba their 8 month old daughter. J & S are from the USA and decided to drop into London on their trip home for Christmas to see some friends in Watford, it also gave us the opprtunity to see them again and take them to see the Tower of London and Tower Bridge (2 for 1 thanks to British Rail). We asked a Beefeater about the ravens only to find out that he had visited J & S's home state (Arkansas) and even visited their hometown. We were next for the 'Where are you from?' and you guessed it, he knew Yatton in Somerset because that is where he gets the ravens for the tower! Our international readers may be wondering who are the Beefeaters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeomen_Warders
PS the Beefeater is on the left!

Paul

2008-12-08T03:06:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we had a rare day out and travelled to Pip 'n' Jay in Bristol for a service to celebrate the life of Paul. The church was full with friends from university, school, and church. What a roller-coaster of emotions, from laughter to tears, from mourning to celebration:
'So let my heart be full, and let my heart sing!
For I know that you'll be spending this Christmas with your King!
It breaks our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you, the day God took you home.'
Paul had so much potential, but the service highlighted the fact that he achieved so much and influenced so many lives in his 19 years - challenging to those of us who are more than double his age. P

Advent

2008-12-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

Just in case you didn’t recognise me in the poster that was put up in the college dining room – I shaved my beard so that I could dress up as someone from the 70’s, big sideburns and greased back hair. Two weeks of festivities, mostly birthday related, culminated in a brilliant jazz evening in the entrance hall of Easneye House at All Nations College. It was also a chance to use up some of the ‘leftovers’ from previous parties. Unknown to us at this time our close friends in Bristol were with their son as he died from a brain tumour. Even though Paul has been struggling against the cancer for a while, it was still very distressing and upsetting to hear the news. During the advent service at our local church we sang a song with the following verse, the last two lines made me think about Paul, an exceptional and much-loved young man. P

You deserve my every breath

For You've paid the great cost;

Giving up Your life to death,

Even death on a cross

You took all my shame away,

There defeated my sin

Opened up the gates of heaven

And have beckoned me in.

Party, Party, Party...

2008-11-26T09:38:00.000-08:00

There has been a delay in our weekly blog because we have been celebrating our 50th birthdays. 10 days ago there was Jane's birthday, followed by our tutor-group party on Saturday, our course party last night - oh and my birthday on Friday. Jane is wondering when the next party is going to be, whereas I have suddenly become allergic to chocolate cake, I now consider candles to be un-green, and I have discovered that the 'Happy Birthday' tune causes severe migraines. The Saturday party was a smart affair and I 'styled' my facial so that I had sideburns similar to Elvis in the 70's and for the first time I bought some hair gel, I couldn't find any Brylecream in the shops - have they stopped making it? The theme of last night's party was P & J, there was a judge, penguin, joker, painter etc. With Jane in the photo are Princess Jenny and 'J' cloth Deborah. P

Now a grown-up?

2008-11-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

I realise it has taken me a very long time to actually feel that I have grown up. Today I am 50; people tell me it is the new 40, but I am not really bothered. I am just enjoying every moment of life so why should one put a tag on it?

The party started on Fri with our tutor group celebration with cake and candles and the celebration still seem to be carrying on. I still enjoy birthdays and think they are deserve a mark on the calendar. My parents are here for the weekend and have been plying me with sloe gin and weak tea to calm my excitement. In another two weeks Pete will join me and we will make a century of living. Until then he is enjoying the toyboy thing (being the younger man!) For anyone in Herts. the next 2 parties are on the 22nd and the 27th. See you there! J

Fudge Duck

2008-11-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

During a recent visit from Adrian & Lucy we went on a walk to the local nature reserve. A time to relax and catch up with news, only to be interrupted by a loud Shhhhh! The twitchers were trying to spot a rare visitor to the UK - the Ferruginous Duck, colloquially known as a Fudge Duck. I would have told you about it earlier, but by the time we returned from the walk all that I could remember about the duck was that it began with 'F'.

My forgetfulness is probably down to all the words that are floating around in my head such as Antinomianism, Pneumatology, Tetragrammaton, Adebayor, Defoe and Rooney (an obvious sign of too much theology and 'Match of the Day') P

Day Release

2008-11-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

After five weeks we have had our first 'day release' for good behaviour. Our friend Ian visited us to escort us and to make sure we didn't get phased by the big wide world that is beyond the college and our local village, Stanstead Abbotts. We visited Cambridge, a first for us all. Jane thought the speed of the punts was a bit tame and only wanted to go on one if there was an outboard motor - James Bond style. Cambridge is indeed a special place but you need a long weekend to see everything.
Our course is now picking up a pace, with the calender filling up with extra tasks, presentations and lessons. P

Lee Valley

2008-10-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

We have walked a few miles in the Lee Valley Park over the last few weeks. It stretches 26 miles along the leafy banks of the River Lee, from Ware in Hertfordshire, through Essex, to the River Thames. Throughout the valley there are many nature reserves that attract many birdwatchers, I must admit that a pair of binoculars would improve our enjoyment of the birds. There are cormorants on the small island in the foreground so a zoom lens for the camera would also be beneficial.
Today and tomorrow (morning, afternoon & evening) are full of lessons covering many interesting subjects including 'living in community'', conflict management', 'listening skills' and 'emotional health'. P

Chores

2008-10-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Another week at All Nations has flown by, lectures have included learning about culture, understanding our own perspectives and working in cross-cultural teams. All the students have daily and weekly chores. At the moment we are on a kitchen team that either serves or washes-up at breakfast, lunch or tea. Our weekly chores include laundry or general maintenance. These chores not only keep our fees down but provide experience of working in teams, practicing humility and preparing us for working abroad. P

The walk home from the shops

2008-10-11T08:47:00.001-07:00

Today in the South East of England it has been more like summer than autumn. This has meant that we have been able to enjoy the Hertfordshire country side, including a wonderful nature reserve about a mile away, which is in a beautiful area called the Lee Valley. The college is surrounded by a large wood with footpaths in all directions including Ware and Stanstead Abbotts (both about a couple miles away), which means a scenic walk home from the Saturday morning shop - one of the perks of not having a car. The trees are beginning to turn to their autumn colours so expect some further countryside pictures. There's something special about the English countryside and its one of the things I miss most when abroad. Something not to be taken for granted. P

Hanging up my boots

2008-10-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

Since being at college I decided to join in as many activities as possible including the sports. But to my astonishment there was no bowls, croquet or golf, just football. Having played quite a bit in my younger years I thought that a gentle practice game with my fellow students would be OK, I wasn't interested in playing in the competitive games - I know my limits, or at least I thought I did. The only problem was that my head was telling me to stretch, jump & occasionally run, but my little legs didn't want to comply. During a casual game of football with our youth group a few years ago I strained my hamstring (incredibly painful) so this time I stretched every leg muscle, but still managed to strain my inner thigh last week and my quadriceps this week. One reason for my injuries could be that my footballing colleagues are less than half my age, which is now quite a difference. Time to hang up my boots, put on a pair of slippers, find a comfy chair, and watch 'Match of the Day'. P

Back to School!

2008-09-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Have arrived at ANCC a beautiful 18th Century manor house and done 'freshers week'. Pete enthusiastically joined in with a football game and pulled a muscle (he had been warned by Jane). We have an comfy student room with an Emperor sized bed (well 2 singles pushed together do the job). The luxury for us is being in one location for 13 weeks, and just having the time (or not) , to spend that time looking at our relationship with God, our world, the people we meet. I am relishing the opportunity because I don't know when it will come around again. There are no major responsibilities and no academic expectations. The pressure is off! My biggest stress is can I get up in time for my cooked breakfast at 7.50. I think somehow I will! J

20 times in 7 weeks

2008-09-23T01:13:00.000-07:00

As we pack our suitcases and rucksacks in preparation of our move to college, we reflect that this is the 20th move in 7 weeks - no wonder Jane wakes up wondering where she is. We are looking forward to living in one place for 3 months. P

Birmingham

2008-09-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

We have just had an enjoyable weekend in Birmingham. We stayed with P & L (also celebrated L's 50th) and used them as a base for our visits to churches that are going to support us. The financial support that people give to us is very humbling. It is also incredibly encouraging to know that there are people all over the UK who are praying and supporting us. Our training over the next few months will take a lot of our funding, but CMS spread the cost over 3 years which makes the budget easier to balance. Off to college next week - we'll update you as soon as we get a connection -http://www.allnations.ac.uk/ - we're going to an 'ac.uk'. P

Book Review

2008-09-12T14:39:00.001-07:00

'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' is a brilliant little book. Although it was originally written for children it is thought provoking for all ages. The theme is relevant for us as we prepare to return to Is, but I also found that it raised questions about how we perceive others in light of our own circumstances. I was also struck about the barrier/fence that separates the two innocent boys, and the similarities to the situation in the Holy Land at the moment. I usually like to read the book before seeing the film, which has just been released in the UK. If you want to read it before you see it then there is still time because it is a very, very short read. P

Long Novels

2008-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Why do good novels have to be so long? They don't. I'm reading 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' by John Boyne which is a 'small wonder of a book' (review in the Guardian). It was recommended by a friend we were visiting in Glastonbury. Whilst we were there we checked out the charity shops, which is becoming a bit of a custom as we stock up with things to go to college & the ME. J bought some clothes - no comment (actually I suppose 'no comment' is a comment) and I bought another small novel: 'The five people you meet in heaven'. We're off to Dawlish for a short break, we choose anywhere on the train network for our holidays! Book reviews to follow. P

Greenbelt

2008-08-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Between 22nd and 26th August we went to Greenbelt, a Christian Arts Festival http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/ It has taken a while to recover from the late nights, mud and portable toilets. We had a great time - look at the website to see what you missed. My highlights were Beth Rowley on main-stage, the late night Gregorian Chant service, and Simon Mayo interviewing Douglas Alexander MP (Secretary of State for International Development). The festival has a huge variety of worship, music, theatre, comedy and seminars. We were able to spend time with Ken and Lois who have recently moved from Nailsea to Cornwall - they couldn't really avoid us as we were sleeping in their caravan awning! There were more people than in previous years (25,000) which meant that you had to queue to guarantee getting into events that were indoors or under canvas. Jane and Lois were obviously determined to see a seminar on 'How to be a mature, sensible and serious Christian'. Click on the picture to get a close-up of Jane and Lois as they compose themselves for an intense seminar. P

Possessions

2008-08-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

We have quickly adjusted to the British way of life and the weather - it has rained every day! But the one thing that I am not getting used to, is living out of a suitcase again. I assure you that my side of the bed is the tidiest! I'm constantly losing things because nothing has a 'home' - any organising tips gratefully received. No matter how many things I seem to get rid there is still no more room in my suitcase, so no birthday or Christmas presents this year! P

England's green and pleasant land

2008-08-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

We have arrived safely at home in England and are getting used the different climate. I have learnt not to moan too much about the weather (rain interspersed with showers and occasional heavy storms), because in our home in the WB people would gladly trade a day of sunshine for a few English showers. The thing that always strikes me on returning home are the lush gardens and vegetation - the result of sunshine & showers - and Jane's parent's garden is no exception. P