And the beard grows on....

Hong Kong - 7+ weeks into the beard...thoughts? No longer itchy but very very white! (And I still need a haircut.)

Jordan

After a welcome few days at home, I found myself speeding toward The Middle East – words which elicit such strong thoughts and emotions – some of mystery, some of fear – most rooted in deep misunderstanding and often in misinformation as well. We have visions of deserts and veiled women - which do exist - but we often fail to see the rolling groves of olive trees and stair-stepped hillsides covered with the famous white limestone buildings of Amman.

For the second time this year I would be visiting and working in The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – the stable, docile Switzerland of the region – an Islamic kingdom which has for decades been at the center of negotiations to bring peace to all the peoples of the Arab world. With few natural resources, limited access to international waters, and a less than desirable position between Israel, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria it has long been in Jordan’s interest to cultivate positive relations between all of it’s neighbors. And the rest of the world has embraced them for their efforts and rewarded them with aid in many forms.

Like many of the projects I work on, this one is funded by USAID. (The United States Agency for International Development) USAID projects cover many different programs and have many different goals – all of them with an overarching purpose of improving US relations and hopefully, increasing stability. Most often the focus of these programs is covering basic needs – food clothing and shelter. (I understand now why Maslow and his hierarchy can be found in almost every curriculum of higher education!) These needs are most often meet through intricate feeding programs and the development of Agribusiness models so communities have the capacity to feed themselves. Programs that deal with small business development and income generation such as those I work on in Handcraft are often peripheral.

The program in Jordan though is slightly different. As agricultural development requires one primary resource to work – water – and this resource is in extremely limited supply, USAID is focusing their development in Jordan on the development of the tourist industry – and therefore – on developing products tourist want to buy – enter me.

While many of us have heard of Petra – The Lost City, The Hidden City, The Rose City – or have at least seen it in movies – “Indiana Jones The Last Crusade” among them. Jordan has many amazing sights to behold. It is a land with a rich history spanning millennia.

This land was an integral part in the development of human society and is inseparable from our collective history. The ancient Nabateans – who carved the famous Treasury of Petra – predate Christ by a centuries years. They developed a thriving and vibrant society in a most inhospitable land by carving an elaborate system of channels and cisterns directly into the sandstone mountains to collect that most precious resource of survival – water. These channels and cisterns can still be seen throughout the region and some of them still collect water during the cold rainy winter months. (It took Roman troops three attempts to conquer the hidden city- and was only accomplished by blocking the water channels and waiting for the stores to run empty.)


The Romans, and Ottomans after them, left their mark as well. Sand-worn remnants of ancient Romanesque colonnades can be found in many cities – absorbed into the landscape of modern life – a constant reminder of history marked with centuries of graffiti and no doubt political propaganda (For some reason graffiti rendered in a calligraphic alphabet seems not so offensive.) A perfectly tuned elliptical coliseum was carved into stone during the heyday of the Roman occupation and, of course the classically “recarved” tombs which have made Petra famous.

The Nabateans though – as have their modern ancestors the Bedouins – made sure their influence was known even after the height of their civilization. In lieu of the flora found on most Corinthian capitals, the Nabatean stonemasons used the head of an elephant to bear the weight of their temple roofs. When the Romans re-surfaced the simple geometric patterns of the tombs of their forebears, the Nabatean craftsmen made sure to include subtle references to their cultural design. (Above the classically proportioned facades, there are almost always the geometric staircase designs of the conquered tribe.)


Bedouin encampments can still be found throughout Jordan. Though modern amenities and obstacles have made nomadic life less attractive, these families – or tribes – are legendary for their hospitality. Perhaps it is because of their history of movement, that they are always welcoming of strangers. (The Jordanians in general are a hospitable people.) You are offered tea at every turn – almost always flavored with local spices – cardamom, cinnamon, sage, or mint – it is a sweet wonderful introduction. And be careful with your open admiration of material goods, as it is not uncommon for people to offer you as a gift something you have admired casually, and refusal to accept would be rude. The nomads life cannot be bound to material possessions and hospitality toward a stranger – or a friend – is always a priority.


The religious importance of the region can also be seen in so many places – from the Jordan Valley to the castle fortress of Saladin in the olive draped hills of Ajloun. Places and people from our mornings in Sunday School remind us how this area has influenced, and continues to influence, the fate of the world. The baptism of Christ took place in Bethany on Jordan within sight of Mt Nebo and a short distance across the river from the fabled walls of Jericho. A salt column stands within a few kilometers of this same sight and is rumored to be Lot’s unfortunate wife. At night you can see the lights of Jerusalem across the Dead Sea and beyond the hills of the West Bank. Wandering feels right in this environment. You can imagine the tribes of Israel, the Bedouin caravans, and the Muslim pilgrims making their way across the open plains.


Herod bathed in the waters of the Dead Sea -though modern resorts have replaced the legendary Sodom and Gomorra. The river no longer runs wide or deep (It is so narrow in places you can almost reach across and touch trees rooted in Israel.) but instead runs through a carefully monitored and vigilantly patrolled demilitarized zone. But when you visit you will be struck by how very small this piece of land is. In combination with such limited resources for survival it becomes much more understandable why the peoples of the region have spent so many generations fighting for control. While religion is the visible center of the argument, water rights are certainly a close second. It is also clear why Jordan's role as a peacekeeper has become all the more important.

While visiting the Land of Lawrence may not be at the top of your list, I have to say it holds many wonders – some well known, some still to be unearthed. I definitely encourage you to discover it for yourself - you will not be disappointed.

Around the World and Back Again...

My time in Haiti ended without incident and allowed me to get home a few days early. Overall the program came off wonderfully. The students were very happy and the trainers I was supervising and critiquing did a wonderful job.

As I ended my time in Cap Haitien and started my journey back to LA, I found many small sights to enjoy - a fisherman manning his boat on turbulent seas, the patchwork of rich greens - and perhaps a few to ponder as well.

As I flew across the farms of the Central Plateau and the mountains surrounding them, I could not help but notice the luxurious blanket of vibrant green grasses cut through by angry brown streams steadily eroding the island. These streams turn into brown rivers as they travel down the mountains to the lowland plains; and the muddy rivers cross field after field of cane and banana plantations until their earth laden waters empty into the pristine blue Caribbean. The effluent from these channels can be seen stretching for miles into the vibrant tropical water. From the air you can literally see the island washing away before you.

Haiti has been almost completely deforested through it's many years of struggle. As you cross over the country by air, the international border with the Dominican Republic is clearly identifiable as the lush rain-forests which should cover the whole of Hispanola are noticeably absent in Haiti. Beyond erosion, this has only exacerbated the other problems Haiti faces - poverty, disease, famine - as the once rich supply of natural resources has dwindle perilously low.

When I first came to Haiti, several years ago, I asked a close friend what I should expect. His response was to tell me "It is both the most wonderful and most horrific place you may ever go." I have to say this has held true. For I have found in Haiti some of the most amazing dedicated and resilient and beautiful souls I have ever met, but I have also seen the most devastating poverty and the most overwhelming difficulties of any place I have visited.

Each time I travel there, I can only aspire to leave behind some small thing or some small knowledge which might help alleviate the pain of a struggling land in however minute a way. I know I will return to Haiti and I look forward to it with a great sense of hope.

Sightseeing - La Citadelle

The Western Hemisphere's largest fort - La Citadelle. This massive and highly impressive fortress was built in the early 1800's by Henri Christophe - one of the leaders of the Haitian slave revolt which gave Haiti it's independence from France. The fortress is impressive and still boasts a munitions bank unrivaled in the region. Of-course the cannon and cannonballs found here would be of little use in modern warfare - and I'm sure the two centuries of neglect have not kept them in particularly good working order.

La Citadelle is situated at the top of the mountain above the city of Milot and has strategic views of Cap Haitien harbor and Cuba only 90 miles to the West. This vantage point places it in the perfect position to observe the primary navigation route around the new republic. (These straights were at one time frequented by pirates on their way to La Ile Tortug - their home when they needed a rest from pillaging and plundering.)

The fortress was built to ward off any threat of French troops returning to the region. It was designed to hold 5000 troops and has an intricate system of water collection using cisterns and runoff from the structure's many roofs. Cannon are still lined up throughout the halls and cannon balls can be found at every turn. (The building has been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO and is currently being studied as an opportunity for tourist growth in the region.)

Given the French did not return, the fortress was never used in battle and is in great condition with very little wear and tear from anything other than the occasional earthquake, and with walls as mch as two meters thick even the earthquakes have had difficultly damaging the massive structure.

To reach the fortress, you must first pass the ruins of San Souci Palace - Henri Christophe's residence.More delicate than the fortress San Souci has been ruined by earthquakes, it once was a grand building with gardens rumored to rival Versailles. The ruins are impressive, I can only imagine how it must have been when it was intact.

Henri Christophe was one of the three leaders of the slave revolt. Along with Petion and Desalines, the three men orchestrated the second revolution overthrowing colonial power in the Americas - the first being the United States. A fact which still gives great pride to the small nation.

Not long after the fortress was built, Christophe died at his own hand. After suffering a stroke he felt vulnerable and unable to govern his provinces. In an effort to protect his body from desecration, it is rumored his wife had him covered in quicklime and buried in the fortress above their home. To this day the location of his grave is still unknown.

After passing the ruined castle, it is a steep climb either on foot or horseback to the summit of La Citadelle. There is still an air of mystery as the road climbs higher and higher through verdant fields and the remains of tropical forests. The first glimpse of the castle hearkens to another world as the sheer walls of the facade rise up out of the mountain above you. It brings to mind medieval knights and European monsters. A time capsule reminding us of another age - an age of colonialism, and age of pirates, an age not so long gone, but so difficult for us to truly imagine.

The project I was working on in Haiti is focused on tourism development. I can already picture the tram navigating the stone path to the top with its payload of cruise ship tourists Or perhaps a funicular or even a sky tram with vibrant painted gondolas will eventually grace the hillside connecting the palace grounds to the fortress courtyard. I can't help but think some of the magic will be gone then. Hopefully though, even as development encroaches - the walls of the fortress will keep the secret of the final resting place of Henri.