Salam All!

It’s been a little while since I made a proper entry, and I’m not sure that this will break the drought. Its just before midnight and I have my mid-term exams in the morning (although I won’t post this tonight, so it would only be possible for you to read this when I am actually sitting the exam). I’m not really looking forward to the exam – in actual fact I was given an extension because I have absolutely no clue what we have done in grammar over the last two weeks. My teacher, however, wants me to sit the exam anyway (the extension was granted by the “principal”) – he told me to pretend it is an assessment… I told him that the problem was not that it was an exam, do not get fussed over them (as most who know me will attest to) but rather the fact that I DON”T KNOW ANYTHING! So what is the problem? My class consists of seven people. All but one (me) have done everything we are doing before so the class is moving really really fast. Not only have they done the work, but all but one of those six speak, read and write Urdu, which shares the same script and many words are common. So anyway, I’ve spoken to the administration, and am thinking of “demanding” an additional class for myself if my needs cannot be met in the regular class (I am paying just as much as everyone else, why should I not be benefiting as well?).

*rant over*

So anyway, the cold snap continues – its been getting down to -4 at night, and its actually colder inside our place than out. Apparently some people have woken to find that their water pipes are frozen so they can’t use any water, and others have had their water entirely disappear for a week! Al-hamdoulillah we haven’t had any dramas, and I guess even if we did we have a well… Which is probably frozen too now that I think about it…

Speaking of the cold snap, all the water in the gutters is totally frozen in the mornings when we walk to school. One of the strangest things is that every morning about 6:30am people wash their cars, it is so cold out that the skin on your face actually feels like it is burning! What is totally scary is that by 7:30 when I walk down to class all the water they used to wash their cars has frozen in little soapy-rivulets on the road. Brrrr….

***

Went to a friend’s house for dinner last Monday evening. We left about 10pm an got to the bottom of the little laneway next to the zawiya (short cut home) when my flatmate discovered that she had left her handbag behind (not an unusual occurrence I’m afraid, she’s as absent minded as me). So we walked back to the top of the laneway and one of my flatmates and myself decided that we would wait there for her to get her bag (to lazy to have to do the hill again). So we were waiting and chatting… And waiting and chatting (quietly mind you). The next thing we know there is a little man poking his head over the wall next to us holding a rather large gun! We jumped about a metre in the air when he appeared, he really freaked us. He didn’t say anything, just stared at us. So we ignored him and continued to chat. Then three roller shutters on the same building went up simultaneously – the bloke with the gun was still watching us. We kept talking like nothing had happened. About 2mins later our other flatmate returned with bag and we left quickly. Apparently that is the building that belongs to the Jordanian secret police in our area… We see them driving around all the time. I’m not impressed with the number of men carrying weapons in this country – even if they are all in uniform. Weapons appear to be very easy to come by here. I went to the balad (downtown) on Monday morning and we happened to walk all the way to the end of the shops, and there in a row were about 8 gun shops. There was no security, no bars, no buzzer-to-get-in doors, just a large display of weaponry in the windows. Hmmm…

***

The water comes on for us on Friday nights (did I mention that we have rationing?), so I did some washing before, found that my favourite black abaya has been partially melted by something – possibly the heater (which we have incorrectly named in Arabic, but now no one can remember the real word for it) – and has a massive hole about midway down at the back… Need to buy a new one on Monday insha’allah (not happy).

***

Been listening to Sheikh Haisam Farache’s lessons in the evenings – masha’allah some good stuff – dare I say, just what the muslim community in Sydney needs??? If you haven’t listened do, and if you have the chance go to the lessons – I wish I could. If you are going, could you kindly tell the brothers to upload the rest of the lessons (only 2-8 are online)… Jazaks!

Found a Shafi’i fiqh circle on here which is just for sisters, which I hope to attend insha’allah. Not many shafi’i’s in the Hay… Most are hanafi (surprise surprise). This place is full of Paki-ma-stanis!

Anyway, need to sleep (the chai is keeping me up)…

Hope everyone is well, I’m missing y’all lots.

Ma’a salama.

*Donation Box: Dua’a for Drifter Accepted Here*

Don’t forget me!