Week 2: Indian Epics Topics Brainstorm

1. Possible Topic-Heroes and Heroines: Every good story has a hero or heroine. In some cases, there are many of them. Almost everyone loves rooting for the good guys. Doing a project over the protagonists of the Ramayana would be interesting! There are so many possibilities to make the telling of these great characters into a spectacular project. If I chose this specific type of topic, I would most likely do it over Rama. Not only is he a fascinating character, there is also a lot of content I can use from the Ramayana. With so much information, I have more flexibility in what I want to tell my story about and what kind of project I would want to work on.

Research so far: From past storybooks, the project over The Oscars, starring characters from the epic, was so fascinating! It was not only extremely entertaining, it also provided the reader with information about each character's personality and attributes. If I chose this project, I would need to do some in-depth research about the characters. I could use Wikipedia pages discussing Hanuman, Lakshmana, Rama, or Sita. Rama or Sita's marriage, their banishment, and the event that unfold after that could be told through a unique project. The Ramayana PDE would be another great source of extra research if I want to make sure not to stray too far from the main storyline.

2. Possible Topic-Women Characters: I am all about Women's Power! This is another topic that piques my interest. While reading through the Ramayana, Sita's character especially interested me. The circumstances of her meeting and marrying Rama, as well as the struggles later in life with her husband's exile were so great to read. I was also interested in doing a project over Dasharatha's many wives (a scenario with just one wife or all three). Rama and Bharata's mothers would be the characters that I would most likely focus on because there is great potential for various tense scenarios and what their actions would be as a result.

Research so far: I believe a few past projects have covered some stories about Dasharatha's wives. Most of the stories I looked at, however, obviously focused on Sita. I know there are Wikipedia pages to give me a brief overview of the women characters if I choose this topic. I could look up information about Sita, Manthara, Kaikeyi, and Kausalya. I was brainstorming about doing a project involving a modern reality show. I could do a project based on the TLC show Sister Wives (following the lives Dasharatha's wives) or something like the Bachelor (Dasharatha gives four roses away at the finale and marries 3 wives!!). I also know that the Ramayana PDE can be a great resource as well, with many links for further information. 

3. Possible Topic-Brothers and Sisters, Mothers and Fathers: This is also a very interesting topic I could use for my Storybook project. Throughout the readings for the Ramayana, I have loved the parts that talk about Rama and Bharata's interactions, as well as Rama and his father's interactions. Although the situations discussed may be brief, I feel there is so much potential if I decide to expand it somehow and make a creative project out of those brief events (Bharata replacing Rama as king, Dasharatha having to exile his son, etc.) Although it was covered for maybe one or two sentences, I loved the fact that Rama and his brothers all married wives from Janaka's family. I think that would be an awesome topic to do a project on. 

Research so far: As I was going through past storybooks, I found one of my favorites. It was called the "Brahmazing Race" and is probably one of the most creative titles and projects I've seen. It does give me a few ideas of adapting a modern reality show to the stories throughout the epic. I could do shows like Survivor (Rama and Sita!!), The Bachelor (the brothers match up and give the final rose to their wives at the finale), Big Brother (interactions between both families in one house), or Real Housewives of Ayodhya (having all the brothers and sisters be in Ayodhya and follow their adventures). I even had an idea of doing a Keeping up with the Kardashians spinoff--Keeping up with the Dasharthians. I can info about Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna from Wikipedia as well as from the Ramayana PDE.

4. Possible Topic-Love Stories: This is one of my favorite topics that could be used for my storybook project. As I've said before; I'm a sucker for love. I would be very interested in doing a project over the couples in the Ramayana. As I've stated in the possible topic choices above, I am really looking at perhaps doing my project over a couple (or two or three) and using a modern reality show as the template for the storyline. I have listed ideas like The Bachelor, Survivor: Ayodhya, Real Housewives of Ayodhya, or even Sister Wives. Instead of doing my project over just love stories, I would not mind including the other topics (brothers and sisters/mothers and fathers or women characters) while the focus would still be on love! 

Research so far: The most helpful resources and research has been from past storybook projects. I've seen many of them revolving around diary entries or something of that sort. I really do like that idea but I do want to be a bit more original while doing my own project. Projects like When Love Confesses, Tales of Two Couples, Tales of Love, Real Housewives of Ramayana, and others were great resources to use when brainstorming. I love that although they kept the focus on love and the couples, they told the story in a very creative way. The Ramayana PDE has various links I could use if I chose this topic for my project. Wikipedia has links to information on the various characters as well.

Rama, his brothers, and all their wives (Wikimedia Commons).

Storytelling for Week 2: Ramayana [PDE]

Author's Note. For Week 2 Storytelling, I decided to choose a creative writing style: Facebook! I chose it as a means of retelling the story in a modern, fun way that would be understandable, yet equally entertaining to all who read it. My main goals for this story were to portray what each character was going through and what their true feelings were in certain situations. I did not alter anything significant in the storyline. I simply retold it in the form of posts and comments [I did create one character, Ranaki, a nurse, that was not in the original story]. In this storytelling assignment, I wanted to retell the part of the Ramayana where King Dasharatha was going to name his next heir. There are those in the Kingdom who are overjoyed by who he plans to appoint as his successor (Rama!). Not everyone is pleased with this, though. Bharata's (Dasharatha's other son) old nurse, Manthara, once offended by Rama long ago, has held a grudge ever since and is wholeheartedly against his becoming king. She relays this information and warns Bharata's mother, Kaikeyi, that she needs to act swiftly and tell Dasharatha to name Bharata as king instead, while imploring that Rama be exiled from Ayodhya as well. As Dasharatha owes Kaikeyi a favor, he has no choice but to comply with her demands, though he does not want to exile his son. Although everyone in the Kingdom is sad that their beloved Rama has to leave, he understands the situation and, being the every-dutiful son, follows the command to go into exile. My post will end with the immediate effects of the entire situation, Dasharatha's dejection, the countrymen's reactions, and the strain that this all puts on Dasharatha's and Kaikeyi's marriage. I hope you all enjoy!

King Dasharatha decides to appoint his heir (Facebook Source).

 Manthara's reaction (Facebook Source).

Kaikeyi must act fast (Facebook Source).

Prince Rama is dutiful as always (Facebook Source).

It was bound to happen (Facebook Source).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relationship Status: It's complicated. (Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography. 

"Ramayana" Public Domain Edition by various authors. Web Source: Ramayana PDE

"Indian Myth and Legend" by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). Web Source: Ramayana PDE
"Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists" by Sister Nivedita (1914). Web Source: Ramayana PDE

Week 2 Reading Diary, continued: Ramayana [PDE]

Ramayana online: by various authors

Today, I got to read the next 20 sections of the Ramayana. The first few sections talked about the return of Bharata. I really loved how loyal he was to his brother. As soon as he heard what his mom had done, he was wholeheartedly against it. He refused to take the throne and instead went to find his brother in the forest. I really loved how strong their brotherhood was and how Bharata, having the chance of being ruler at his fingertips, refuses it and knows Rama is the leader they need. I was even more impressed by Rama keeping his promise to be exiled for 14 years. Even though his father had passed, and even though his brother wanted him to take the throne, he was going to fulfill the order of being exiled no matter what. One of my favorite quotes I've read so far has to be when Rama speaks of the importance of truth, stating that "Truth is our ancient path. Truth endures when all else passes away."

The part where Shurpanakha tries to get Rama for herself was actually a pretty funny part, having Rama jokingly suggest that his brother was single. I really did appreciated Rama's loyalty to his wife, saying he would never leave her.

One of my favorite parts has to be the heroic Rama winning over the evil Khara and protecting his beloved (and brother) as well.

Rama defeats Khara (Wikimedia Commons).

Another part, later on into the story, had me amazed by its description. The description of the deer (actually Maricha) was so rich with detail. The excerpt is seen below.

"Maricha, obedient to Ravana, assumed the form of a golden deer and ranged about the wood near Rama's hut: its horns were like twin jewels, its face was piebald, its ears like two blue lotus-flowers, its sleek sides soft as the petals of a flower, its hoofs as black as jet, its haunches slender, its lifted tail of every color of the rainbow-- a deer-form such as this he took! His back was starred with gold and silver, and he ranged about the forest lawns seeking to be seen by Sita"

To close out this diary, I want to end it with Sita and her fiery response to Ravana, saying "What madness hath prompted thee to woo the wife of so mighty a warrior? I follow Rama as a lioness follows a lion. Canst thou, a prowling jackal, hope to obtain a lioness?"

Go Sita! You go girl.

Week 2 Reading Diary: Ramayana [PDE]

Ramayana Online: by various authors


Today, I started the first 50 pages of the Ramayana (public domain edition). It was such a fascinating read. One of the most important thing that I noticed was the detailed imagery that was painted with the complex descriptions. It helped me visualize the scene in my head very easily. The use of similes was especially great. There were a few sentences in the first section that I read that described King Dasharatha's palace, stating it was "guarded by a thousand warriors fierce as flames of consuming fire and ever watchful like to mountain lions which protect their dens." One of my favorite things when reading, is having a story with plentiful detail that paint a picture. I love how there is already the introduction of an antagonist in the first few sections because it really creates a nice storyline already for the rest of the story. It makes me excited to read more. When Vishvamitra and the two sons, Rama and Lakshmana, made the journey for Vishvamitra's sacrificial rites, it describes it so beautifully. It says that they "followed Vishvamitra like glorious flames, making him bright with the reflection of their own radiance." I really loved this description so much because, again, you can picture the scene in your head so clearly.

My favorite part so far has to been Rama and Sita's meeting! My absolute favorite part was Rama saying, "I know of a surety that there comes hither a lady who I shall love beyond all things else in the world." Rama wins Sita['s heart] and his brothers find love too from Sita's family! The more I read about Rama the more amazing he's shown to be. Every after he was told he would be exiled for 14 years, he respectfully accepted his fate. What a loyal son he is to his father. I also loved how Lakshmana also followed his dear brother to the forest as well. I am a sucker for love and Rama and Sita have just completely shown themselves to be so loving and caring towards each other. When Rama tells Sita he is exiled, she doesn't skip a beat in telling him she will follow, despite the dangers and challenging of the forest.

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in the forest after exile (Wikimedia Commons).

The reading ended with Dasharatha dying and I'm a bit sad that Rama and his other sons were not near him when he passed.

So far, I am very intrigued and cannot wait to keep reading!

Learning Challenges

I have actually never hear of "Learn by H.E.A.R.T." until now. After browsing the blog and watching the videos that talks all about it, I found out it to be a really amazing concept. The two sections that stuck out most to me were the topics on health/happiness and time. They are things I think, we as college student, have to work on. With all the stress of assignments, grades, work, etc. we sometimes let our happiness and health take a back seat. We sometimes also misuse our time and that, in turn, creates even more stress. There was a quote on the Learning by H.E.A.R.T. blog by Steve Maraboli that says, "Forget yesterday. it has already forgotten you. Don't sweat tomorrow. You haven't even met. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift: today." This was such a wonderful quote and is a concept very applicable to busy, stressed college students like us. We tend to worry too much about the future when instead, we should really be taking it one day at a time. I try to always do this no matter how much I have on my plate. I know stress does not help anything. I like to write things down and schedule everything to make sure I utilize my time wisely. Even if I don't follow it 100%, having a sort of framework really helps calm me down for some reason! Even though procrastination is still an issue for me sometimes, I'm trying to improve!

Spongebob understands. (Seventeen Magazine)

As for health and happiness, they are equally important for one's life. We tend to get too caught up in cramming for exams or trying to work many hours. Everything in moderation is key. Working and studying hard are definitely important. But so is relaxing and taking time to breathe before tackling another task for the day. Be happy, be healthy!

Growth Mindset

I absolutely loved what Carol Dweck had to say. I wholeheartedly agree with what she had to say. I don't think I've heard a lot about the concept of a growth mindset but I think it's simply amazing. We focus too much through out our school lives on a pass vs. fail system. We reward memorization and, for lack of a better description, the throwing up of information on a test. I like her focus on effort, improvement, and growth. I think this is what our children should focus on--and not if they are "smarter" than their peer or that if they can't solve a problem, that means they're dumb somehow. There was one statement that really stuck with me. Carol Dweck says that we've taught our children to feel good when things were easy for them. I feel that way most of them time. I'm sure most students young and old feel that way. We've been raised with a kind or restricted mindset. We focus on what we can get right, and if we get something wrong, our confidence and belief in one's self plummets. That's why I appreciate this class so much. When I'm writing a story (the one in orientation week for example) I did not have to worry on whether anyone would give it an 'A' or not. Without that added pressure, I was able to let my creative juices flow and I must say, I was pretty proud of myself. I was proud of my effort because it took me a good chunk of the day to finish it. I am most definitely interested in learning more about growth mindset this semester. I feel that as this class progresses, I will experience GROWTH as a writer and student. I'm not going to worry about right answers vs. wrong answers. I'm going to focus on putting my absolute best into every assignment and go from there!

Doge's advice is best. (Bird's Epics of India)

Storybook Favorites

After going through the Storybooks from previous students, I have finally found my 3 favorites! Although I know almost nothing about the characters and stories they describe, these blogs' introductions and the simple, easy-to-follow layouts helped grasp my attention and keep me interested to read through their projects!

Epic Love Stories

I am a sucker for love, so when I read the title and clicked on it, I was pleasantly surprised. The student had used diary entries as a way to depict in detail what each character that she chose (Sita, Rama, Damayanti, and Nala) was feeling. Since many of us are familiar with writing in diaries, spilling all our deepest thoughts, feeling, and worries, this was a great idea to learn more about the characters.

Love Stories (Wordpress)

As I read through each entry, I learned more and more. For some reason, I feel I can focus more and connect to a story when it is written in a form like a diary entry. I can read one section and take it in before I read the rest of the entries. It was a great way to build suspense too! After one entry, like in the first few from Sita's diary, I was excited to see what would happen next and what "she" would write. The idea of a diary was extremely creative and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them!

Oscars: The Heavenly Academy Awards

One look at this title and I knew I was in for a hilarious ride. I read the first few sentences in the introduction and I was already laughing. It starts with Brahma as the host saying, "Good evening, everyone, and welcome to this year's first heavenly version of the Oscars! I'm your host, Brahma! I'm sure most of you know me since I did create you all. Ha ha!"

Brahma at the Oscars (Picture by Grace Fairchild)

It only got better as I read on, depicting little details that made it seem like such a normal Oscars. The introductions, audience cheering, crowd reactions, and of course, the awards. I really liked this idea because they connected an event most of us are familiar with, The Oscars, to characters from an Indian Epic. The combination of the two results in a magical, hilarious time at the Heavenly Oscars. I felt like laughing the entire time I was reading through the project and really appreciated how the student explained things so well about the characters through little details in the event, whether it was through introductions or why someone was receiving an award.

Lord Rama: The Greatest OU Football Player

Anyone who knows me, knows very well that I love anything having to do with sports. After reading the title, I knew it was going to be one of my favorite projects. What was amazing was the twist that the student put in her project to connect something as straightforward as football to a unique concept concerning warriors, lords, and reincarnation.

Lord Rama, the football player (Lord Rama Storybook)

The fact that the student included a story about our beloved OU/TX game with Lord Rama was so impressive and very entertaining. What was even better was having Chris Simms from Texas get upset with how the game was going and make the obvious choice to transform into Ravana. The student did an excellent job of creating suspense and excitement while writing about a football game. He or she even included a part of the story detailing the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship game! The unique details involving transforming characters, a time machine, and supernatural powers like controlling the wind made the story very fun to read. I liked the layout of the project and how the sections connected to a different game and a different turn to the story The creativity involved in creating this project was just wonderful and I really loved every bit of it!

Overview

For my Week 2 &3 readings, I have decided to go with the PDE Ramayana Online. I had a hard time deciding which option I would prefer since they both had positives and negatives. Although R. K. Narayan's Ramayana would be using a consistently modern writing style, I think having old-fashion language used (in the PDE Ramayana version online) will help preserve much of the original meaning from the epic. I also love that I will have access to an audio version if I need it. I love listening to stories so having that as an option is a big plus. I also believe having illustrations while telling/reading a story is essential for me to really take in what the author is writing about. I can follow along with the plot and be able to picture all the scenes with detail. Having notes and links available is always a bonus because I have never read an Indian epic before and any kind of resources for increasing understanding would be appreciated.

Lord Balabhdra, Goddess Subhadra, and Lord Gagannath (Wikimedia Commons)

This will be my first experience with anything concerning Indian Epics or mythology. I have learned bits of information about Hinduism and Buddhism on interfaith field trips, and have meditated with them briefly to experience it. I am Muslim, so I do know a lot about Islam and have read the Holy Quran many times.  I have friends from India and have heard their music and thoroughly enjoyed seeing their dances and entertainment. The picture above intrigued me greatly. It reminded me of the field trip I took to a temple where I saw a lot of flowers and intricate designs all around. It is really a sort of complex art. As I was sifting through the many pictures, I feel that I had seen a few of them before but do not know them well enough to identify who was in which picture. I have great expectations for this class and I think it will be very enjoyable!

Introduction to a Future Funky Pediatric Physical Therapist

Hello everyone!

My name is Bayan Abdallat. I know it sounds like a pretty complicated name to pronounce so you can just remember me with what my little sister has nicknamed me---Bayonce.

I was born in Jordan, a beautiful country in the Middle East. I am half-Jordanian, half-American. I was raised in Jordan until the age of 5. We then moved to Lebanon where I attended 1st grade there. We then moved to Oklahoma where my mother's family lives and I've been here ever since. We've gone back a few times to visit Jordan and I love that I'm able to do that (Link to more information about Jordan-My Favorite Place).

I am now a senior at OU, majoring in Health and Exercise Science (which contrary to popular belief, does NOT mean I'm majoring in jumping jacks or becoming a PE teacher!!). I hope to move on to become a pediatric physical therapist as I've always been able to get along well with kids and absolutely adore them. I hope to help make their lives easier, more manageable, and bring happiness to them.


I do have many hobbies!


I love to draw (mostly creating henna-like designs or sketches of cartoons).

A henna-like design with my name written in Arabic.

(Image Information: personal photo of art
photo from October 2014)

A henna-like design.

(Image Information: personal photo of art
photo from August 2014)

A drawing of a ninja turtle.

(Image Information: personal photo of art
photo from October 2015)

A sketch of an eye with dry-erase markers.

(Image Information: personal photo of art
photo from September 2015)

I also love, love, love soccer! I played in high school and I play recreationally every once in a while, setting up tournaments for my friends and I. Aside from soccer, I love watching almost any sport, except golf. I really enjoy soccer, football, and basketball. I am a big Sooner fan (of course), Thunder fan, and Green Bay Packers fan! I am what you would call absolutely sports-obsessed.

In the future, I'd love to travel the world. I would really like to visit France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, South Korea and so many more! I really want to try all the new foods, see all the entertainment, visit all the new shops, and experience new adventures.

My bucket list includes things like skydiving, bungee jumping, attending a Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, and World Cup (sports, sports, and more sports of course!) 

I hope I haven't you bored you with this long post but I hope this helped you all get to know me a little better!

~Bayonce

A little something extra. One of my favorite videos. Enjoy!

NFL Bad Lip Reading

Week 1 Storytelling: Two Travelers and a Bear

Author's Note. Two Travelers and a Bear follows two characters who are on a journey and encounter a bear. One of the characters leaves the other behind and climbs a tree. Meanwhile the other character decides to play dead to avoid the bear's attack. It seems to have worked as the bear leans down to the character on the ground and then leaves. As the man in the tree comes down, he asks his friend if the bear said anything, as it seemed to him that the bear had whispered something. His friend answers that the bear advises him against being friends with someone who would abandon him in a moment of danger. The story ends with the statement that "misfortune is the test of true friendship." I decided to write my story detailing the journey of the two men before their encounter with the bear.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

One sunny Sunday morning, Jacob awoke with a sense of purpose. Today was the day. The most important day for his business. Jacob worked in collecting ancient, antique jewelry. He had gotten an exceptional deal on a beautiful pearl necklace that was at least 300 years old and had stayed in a  well-known family from generation to generation. As the last surviving member of the family, the seller, named Mr. Williams, wanted to give it to someone who would appreciate it and ensure its safekeeping. Jacob was just the man he was looking for. In order retrieve the necklace, Jacob would need to travel about half a day to the town of Burrowsville. 

Brimming with anticipation for the day ahead, Jacob rose from bed, got dressed in his finest clothing, and left his house on horseback. As he made his way through his town of Aglo, he stopped for a bread roll with strawberry jam to satisfy his hunger before he started his strenuous journey. As he was eating his breakfast, his friend Aiden bid him a good morning. They exchanged pleasantries and caught up on what they had been doing in recent weeks. Jacob told of his intent to travel to Borrowsville and retrieve the necklace. This peaked Aiden's curiosity. He inquired if Jacob would be against him joining in on his expedition and if he could help him. Jacob was more than willing to accommodate his friend and welcomed him with open arms.

A half hour later, Jacob and Aiden began the arduous trip to Borrowsville. Jacob could not contain his excitement. This is what his business needed. This was the spark that would propel his business to be well-known in his town. While Jacob was busy musing about his bright future, Aiden had other ideas. He had recently suffered great losses in his line of work. He was getting desperately close to bankruptcy. As though the sky opened up and a light shown brightly, he found the answer to his problem in Jacob. He decided if he could get Jacob to allow him to join him on the trip, he could somehow take the necklace and sell it for a large sum of money. With that, he would be saved and avoid dreadful bankruptcy and debt.

A few hours into their trip, they stopped again and ate some of the snacks they had packed beforehand. They were enjoyed the serene nature surrounding them when all of a sudden heavy footsteps were heard. Although it took the men a few minutes to discern the source of the sound, their horses' keen ears identified something alarming. Frightened, the horses tossed their head, stomped, and suddenly ran away. The men perceived something was dreadfully wrong but quickly realized that their only chance for a swift escape, their horses, had just deserted them. 

As they looked around, they suddenly spotted a big, brown bear. Aiden, fearing for his own personal safety, decided to climb to a tree a few feet away to avoid contact with the large beast. Now having absolutely no one, Jacob had no choice but to rack his brains for some sort of information on survival. He quickly remembered reading somewhere that playing dead in front of a bear might help spare one's life. With nothing to lose at this point, he quickly dropped to the ground and lay motionless. With bated breath, he waited for the unavoidable confrontation with the beast. His breath sped up and his pulse quickened as he realized the bear's footsteps were getting closer and closer. He suddenly felt the animal's breath on him. Back in the tree,  hidden between branches and leaves, Aiden spotted the bear getting near Jacob, leaning closer and closer to his friend's face. The bear lingered for a few seconds before deciding it would continue on its trek through the woods. 

Two Travelers and a Bear, illustrated by Milo Winter (Wikimedia Commons)

Aiden jumped down from the tree to find a very bemused-looking Jacob. As they both tried to grasp what had just happened, Aiden suddenly recalled something. 

"Jacob, did that bear do anything to you? It is as if had whispered something?"

Jacob appraised his friend for a minute before answering, "yes, it did."

Aiden's curiosity was piqued by this point. "What did it say then, might I ask?"

Jacob, with a stunned expression said "why, it told me that I should be careful when choosing friends. I need to be wary of those who might abandon me in times of danger."

After Jacob had revealed what the bear had said, both men reevaluated their situation. Aiden realized he had made a grave mistake, not only in abandoning his dear friend in a time of danger, but also risking the loss of a beloved friendship over the mere issue of money. Jacob, after listening to the bear, had realized he should be more cautious of who his acquaintances were and whether they had his best interests at heart. Jacob and Aiden silently conveyed their feelings to one another and decided to return home for the day. Mr. Williams would have to wait until the men set off the next morning to pick up the necklace, with renewed, pure intentions and a stronger, trustworthy friendship than they began with. 

Bibliography. This story is based on the fable "Two Travelers and a Bear" in The Aesop for Children book, by Anonymous, illustrated by Milo Winter (1919). Link to online source.

My Favorite Place: Jordan

One of my favorite places to visit is the beautiful country of Jordan. It is where I was born and a place I travel to every couple of years. With its beautiful landscapes, historic sites, and growing cities, it is a place I hold dear to my heart.

This is Amman, the capital of Jordan. 

(Wikimedia Commons)

The beautiful scenery near the historic stone city of Petra.

(Image Information: personal photo of the hills near Petra
photo from June 2014)

The traditional tent and sitting area commonly seen in Jordan.

(Image Information: personal photo of a furnished tent
photo from June 2014)

Ancient ruins in the Amman Citadel (called Jabal Qalaa in Arabic).

(Image Information: personal photo of the Amman Citadel
photo from July 2014)

Ancient ruins in the Amman Citadel (called Jabal Qalaa in Arabic)

(Image Information: personal photo of the Amman Citadel
photo from July 2014)

Ancient Roman Theatre downhill from the Amman Citadel.

(Image Information: personal photo of the Roman Theatre
photo from July 2014)

One of the 7 Wonders of the World. Jordan's ancient stone city of Petra.

(Image Information: personal photo of Petra
photo from July 2014)

Comment Wall

Welcome to my blog! I'm excited to start this epic class (pun intended). I hope to learn a lot of new things from the class and from everyone else's blogs!

Welcome to the crib (Image Source).

I give free concerts to whoever is riding in the passenger seat in the car with me. This is one of my favorite songs to sing to whether I'm in the car, house, etc. Enjoy!

Testing

This is a post to check if posts work on this fabulous blog.