Since my last post, I have received questions asking where I have been. But when duty calls, there is not always enough time to update posts. Even though I did have an Internet connection, the connection was not strong enough to post and update much of anything. So, for those of you that want to know what I’ve been up too for the past six months, let me tell you about it.
I am not sure if I have ever mentioned my career in the military prior to now, but it often has me traveling to different parts of the world. Sometimes with very short notice. My career has brought me to places such as Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Germany, and now Jordan. Unlike many of my other trips and locations, this trip afforded me the opportunity to get out and actually see some of the country during my down time.
After getting over the initial shock of more time away from my wife and children, I decided to think of this experience as an extended vacation. On any vacation, I would want to experience the local cuisines, engage with the people, and see the sites that area is known for. So that is exactly what I did.
The Food
Right off the plane, the members of my team greeted me and soon after took me to enjoy some of the local cuisines. Like any place, there were some excellent food choices and some that didn’t sit too well with me. Overall, however, the food was amazing, and in many cases fresh. During one of our excursions into the town, we drove past several restaurants where the lamb was out in front waiting for a customer to order their meal. We also, on several occasions, had the opportunity to dine with our Jordanian counterparts and enjoyed a multicultural feast.
One of my favorites foods that I enjoyed when I went out, was chicken and hummus; which was served with pita bread. Although it was a type of food I could get at home, this was my go to food when we went out. Members of the office would bring this back after a day out on the town, and we’d all gather for the meal as a way of breaking up the monotony and repetitiveness of the days.
I also enjoyed the Chi Nana (shy nana), sweet tea with mint leaves. Some of my best days were simply sitting with my companions talking and drinking tea with mint leaves.
The language and the people
It took me a while to start recognizing when someone was speaking to me. My team members would point out, that I was ignoring someone or tell me I was being rude. But I eventually started to recognize some of the Arabic greetings. Over time I was able to greet and exchange pleasantries, which I had the opportunity do quite often. I also began to notice a change in how I was treated during my engagements with the Jordanian people. The more I learned to speak in their native tongue, the more they began to open up and respond with pleasantries in kind. They would, on occasion, even correct my pronunciation. By no means was I able to hold a full conversation, but the initial ice-breaker of saying “hi how are you? Do you speak English?” Really helped me to start the communication process. During one trip to the local police station, I was greeted by an officer who welcomed me to Jordan and told me he hoped my time in his country was enjoyable.
Getting out and about
Looking at the trip in retrospect, I had a lot of chances to get out and explore the area. We’d frequent the Taj and City Malls almost on a monthly basis. We would take our day off to go to a movie and keep up on the new movie releases that were released in the country. Films that did not show in the malls were still made available to us on a weekly or monthly basis. (Waiting for Wonder Woman was an interesting experience.)
Jordan is rich with religious history. After all, many religions have their beginnings in this region. Of interest to me, was the story of Jesus. Jordan’s culture and history tell the story of how Jordan played a role in each religious beginning. With my bible app in tow, I set out to see several of the religious sites.
Petra, the city of Sela– Known as the stone city, many people have seen Petra, but have not realized it. If you have seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Petra, found in the Christian bible under the name Sela, is Capital of Edom and is the great valley extending from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea (2 Kings 14:7). It was described in the book of Judges (1:36) as
being near Mount Hor close to the desert of Zin and was called the rock. Sela was also mentioned in Isaiah and Obadiah as being doomed to destruction. Today, the local shops pay homage to the historical origins, the name Sela can be seen throughout the streets and storefronts of the area.
Later in the trip, we learned that the area was historically a major point for merchants to travel via the Dead Sea or the Aqaba Gulf to exchange goods in the market.
Aqaba – After leaving Petra we travel to Aqaba. My first time here, I was so exhausted from my time in Petra, I didn’t really get a chance to experience the area. When I arrived, I slept for quite a few hours. Awaking only to an alert that it was time to leave. My second time in Aqaba, my team surprised me for my birthday. Truthfully, I barely remember this as well. Thanks, Chuck! But, to say it was beautiful would be an understatement. From the hotel, we looked out to see both sides of the Aqaba Gulf. One side Israel, and the other side, Jordan.
Baptism Site- The Spot Jesus was Baptized
If you are like me, you’ve grown up with this image of Jesus being baptized. Imagine my shock and surprise to see that what the site looks like today was nothing like it was depicted in the movies. As our guide explained to us, the Jordan River has been and continues to dry up. Pretty soon, the site will be bare. So what may have been a large river during the days of Jesus, is now not so large.
The Dead Sea – The world Saltiest body of water
I must admit, prior to this trip I did not really know much about the Dead Sea and my only desire to visit stemmed from my daughter, who made me promise that I would take a picture of myself in the Dead Sea. Prior to leaving for this trip I did a bit of reading and discovered that, apart from it being one of the main areas that merchants used to conduct trade, the Dead Sea is home to where many biblical stories take place. It is said during the time of King David, the caves near the Dead Sea was the home to many who settled in the area. Stories of Abraham, Sodom and Gamora, 
and Lot’s wife, all happened just north of the Dead Sea. In fact, on my way to Aqaba from Petra, the Guide woke us up to show us the pillar of salt standing on top of a mountain, said to be Lot’s wife.
The Dead Sea is rich in minerals. Which means that it is very dense. When people told me that I would float in the Dead Sea, it was an experience I had to have for myself. When I entered the waters enough to be fully submerged, my body rose to the surface. I sat back in the water as if I was sitting in a chair.
Mount Nebo – The last site Moses saw before he died
Prior to us headed out on this trip, the coordinators sent out this scripture from Deuteronomy 34.
“And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, that is over against Jericho and the Lord showed him the land of Gilead.”
The land of Gilead is the mountainous region east of the Jordan River divided among the tribes of Gad and Manasseh and situated in modern-day Jordan.
I re-read this scripture the day before I made my way to Mount Nebo and ascended to see the view Moses saw. Although we took the road, bypassing the desert route, I stood on top of Mount Nebo, and imagined the beauty that Moses saw. The view was amazing. On one side we saw into Lebanon and Syria, and on the other side, we saw into Israel. My nostalgia was broken when I realized standing there, I could hear the faint sound of explosions in the background.
My Camel Ride – For the first several months in Jordan, each person on my team had their eye out for camels. They knew all too well that my children would not forgive me had I returned home without a camel experience. So, on one trip into the city, we stopped our car to ask a guy walking his camel on the street and asked if I could ride. Without hesitation, he allowed me to. Afterward, we agreed on the price that was suitable for him to let us parade up and down the street on his camel.
Although it was a trip for a work and the excursions were not as often as I would have liked, It was truly a trip of a life time. It was a vacation experience that people generally spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to have. I didn’t get to see everything that the country had to offer, but I must say I had a very enjoyable time!
Corey Stokes 
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