Using the Market Skills I Learned in Jordan to get Groceries on a Grad School Budget

My latest trip to Boston's Haymarket.

Hope you guys had a lovely weekend! I had a really good time this weekend chilling with S, plus some family and friends. I also did a bit of prep work for grad school living, including going grocery shopping, and I figured I would talk a bit about how I've used my market shopping skills that I learned in Jordan to get healthy and tasty groceries on a budget. 

As an amateur foodie, I decided to kick the students-only-eat-ramen trope to the side (though do I love Korean ramen)! I decided instead to focus on cooking all my food at home and getting healthy ingredients to fuel my grad school days. It's tough to get by on a grad school budget, but I'm finding that with a little effort and planning I can eat well on less than $50 a week. 

A big part of such thrifty eating comes from going to the most cost effective food sources, including surplus produce markets like Haymarket in downtown Boston. 

If you've ever been to Haymarket or any market like it, you might feel like you're stepping into a different country, where vendors are calling out specials, customers are haggling over prices, and a few special carts will give you a good deal if they like you. It's this relationship-first mentality to shopping that I learned to love in Jordan. 

In Jordan, there were more little grocery shops where the veggie guy would personally get to me, ask how my studies were going, and give me an extra banana as a treat. I missed these interactions a lot when I returned to the U.S., where all I got was seemingly overpriced food that I paid an often bored and unhappy cashier for. 

So, at Haymarket, I get to prioritize people over capitalism, even though the market is an example of capitalism at its finest. It's also conveniently the cheapest way to get all my fruits and vegetables! I pay less than $20 for all the fresh produce I need to make two weeks worth of meals. It may take a bit more time than going to the grocery store and getting all the groceries I need in one place, but for the maybe half hour of extra time I'm essentially paying myself in all the savings I'm keeping. 

I'm talking about a gritty, no-frills surplus food market, not an organic farmers market, as much as I love those too. While farmers market are equally as pleasant and often reasonably priced, you will probably not get the overall discount that you're looking for. 

So here are a few tips for going to the market:

1.) Bring cash. Probably few people will have debit card machines.

2.) Don't be afraid to ask for a lower price. The worst thing they could do is say no. But remember to ask with a smile.

3.) Return regularly to build relationships - and maybe even get a few "preferred customer" discounts!

4.) Walk around the whole market before you buy anything. A lot of vendors sell similar products, so taking a quick walk around will give you a better idea of what produce is the best quality for the best price. 

5.) Keep a record of the prices to get an understanding of how they fluctuate through the season. I'm not good at mental notes, so I have a little note on my phone where I write the lowest price I've paid for each fruit or veggie. It's really helpful to get an idea of whether something is getting a little too pricey and I maybe need to change my eating habits slightly, if only for a few months!

Good luck and enjoy! 

CAMP FOOD MENU FROM MY ACADIA TRIP

Sunday's Dinner: The Grilled Salmon

Happy Friday, everyone!  For this week’s edition of Foodie Friday, I decided to share the menu that I made for my camping trip with S and my Dad up to Acadia. The dudes knew that I probably had the most experience with making fresh food so they asked me to plan the meal schedule for our Maine getaway. I usually don’t over plan camping food, but S lately has had the worst acid reflux ever, so it mattered to me that I could create menu plan that was easily flexible for him.

So, below, you’ll see what I wrote up with photos from Pinterest (my ultimate guide in doing just about anything), ingredients, and a step-by-step guide of how a group of people can split up the meal prep. I also have my grocery list, though I must warn that it’s not one hundred percent complete with all the kitchen needs (knives, towels, etc.) and whatnot.

But I hope you enjoy and have a great weekend! Message me if you have any questions or leave comments of awesome meals you’ve done yourself!

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN JORDAN

Happy Monday! I can’t believe I managed to move in to my new grad school apartment in two days, and now I’m preparing for the school year and TAing my first class! Despite all the activity, I’m really enjoying the whole process of getting to know the department and my research team before I settle down for the semester.

And, sorting through all my old stuff as I move and unpack, I’m finding all these knick-knacks that bring waves of nostalgia, especially for Jordan. It’s the little things that make a living experience in place so special, so while it’s all very fresh in my mind, I figured I’d put together a list of places to see and things to do in Jordan. Basically, if you visit Jordan and do all ten of these things, I think you’ll be able to say you’ve really experienced a lot of important parts of the country. But keep in mind that this list is for more outdoors-oriented people.

1.)   Take a Turkish bath. My favorite Turkish bath is Al-Pasha in Jebel Amman, near the first circle (there are seven famous circles in Amman; conveniently ordered in geographic order from east to west). It’s pretty hard to find the bath, since it’s on a side street, so feel comfortable to ask around for direction. The experience of getting a whole layer of skin scrubbed off is somehow intense and relaxing at the same time. But it’s completely worth it.

2.)   Go to downtown Amman to have mansaf at Al-Quds, and try some knafeh at Habiba Sweets. I love Al-Quds; it oozes local charm. Mansaf is basically the country’s national dish, so you have to try it! Plus, a walk through the downtown area called wasad al-balad (“the center of the country”) is worth the having the experience itself. Habiba is also in wasad al-balad, and is a quick walk from Al-Quds. Just be ready for the tiny sweet shop to be completely packed at all times of the day and night with hungry customers.

3.)   Float in the DeadSea. If you go to a well-maintained beach, it is definitely a tourist trap and also quite pricey. Most hotels along the sea charge a crazy amount like 30 JD (about$42) per person for the day, but there’s one beach with a restaurant along the sea that is only about 12 JD (so about $17). If I went to a resort, I usually got in for free (either through a Fulbright event or as an extra on a movie set) or at a very discounted cost (through a group discount rate). But if you’re cool with stopping on the side of the road and taking a dip for free, just avoiding hurting yourself on the rocks with some sturdy water shoes. 

Me and my sis floating in the Dead Sea.

4.)   Navigate the water trail at Wadi Mujib. For all you outdoorsy people. Basically, you hike and rock climb, but with waterfalls gushing on top of you. It’s really refreshing and fun, especially for adventurists! Since Wadi Mujib is next to the southern section of the Dead Sea, this is especially useful for someone who’s been floating in the Dead Sea and needs to wash off all the salt. 

You might want to grab a waterproof camera to take pictures of your friends and family getting pummeled by water, like me here!

5.)   Spend a night in Wadi Rum. This is like the Dead Sea and Petra (below) in that it’s one of those must-see things. I went there twice and somehow got flat tires both times I was there, so I wax less romantic towards Wadi Rum than most expatriates living in Jordan. That being said, it is breath-takingly gorgeous and seeing it in photos does not compare to seeing it in person. 

Me and sis chilling on the dunes in Wadi Rum.

6.)   Go to Petra. Of all the tourist traps in Jordan, Petra ranks number one, but, it is a must-see. And, despite the relentless Bedouins hawking trinkets, it’s still a very magical moment to round the last corner of the wadi and see the famous façade, as popularly known from the Indiana Jones movie. I usually got in for almost free as a legal resident of Jordan, but for foreigners the cost of entrance is pretty expensive (currently at a whopping 50 JD, which is over $70 - yikes). If you don’t know a Jordanian and end up paying the foreigner fee, just pat yourself on the back for making a generous donation to UNESCO and preserving a world heritage site. 

There are also swings in Petra, if you want to do that instead.

7.)   Spend a night at Aqaba. I really love that little city by the Red Sea. The seafood there is fresh and tasty; definitely have a meal there. I used to really enjoy sitting on a dock and watching the colorful tropical fish drift in the turquoise waters. Plus, if you get hooked on knafeh and want to try recreating it at home, I remember seeing very discounted knafeh platters in the local market. The seaside resorts all cost an arm and a leg, so you can always do a day trip between Amman and Wadi Rum.

8.)   Check out Azraq. This used to be a lush spring and animal sanctuary, until the government tapped into the aquifer and almost completely drained it. It’s depressing but also very educational to visit. There’s also a bunch of desert castles along the way to Azraq, so it’s fun to make a day trip just to see the desert stuff. Plus, surprisingly, there’s a Chechen community at Azraq, and you can get to meet them a little by grabbing lunch at one of the town’s little restaurants.

9.)   Hang out at Jerash. I only did this once and I wish I could have done it at least five more times. This is one of the best preserved Roman ruins in Jordan. It’s a quick trip away from Amman by either taxi or bus. 

Me in Jerash. Admittedly not a telling photo of Jerash's beauty.

10.)Hike through Wadi Dana. My Dad and I had a good time camping on the roof of Wadi Dana’s hotel for almost no money. Then we hiked down the Wadi to really dramatic, elevated views of the wadi looking out to the Jordan Rift Valley.

Also note that a lot of the outdoor adventures require automotive transportation. It’s pretty easy to rent cars from Amman and use the capital as a base for all of these trips. However, if you’re up for the challenge, you can definitely travel to most of these locations through the impressively comprehensive and efficient system of buses.

For more outdoorsy things to check out, I also highly recommend Tropical Desert. I personally know the owner and he is fabulous at organizing and planning outdoor trips all over the country.

Over all, Jordan is a very tourist-friendly country and completely worth a visit. Good luck and safe travels!

DEPENDABLE PACKS FOR DAY HIKES

Beginning the hike around Fort Worden State Park, WA.

Just made it back from the Pacific Northwest! I think I’m on caffeine withdrawal from all the amazing coffee I had (shout out to Stumptown!) which is not the easiest thing to deal with while I pack and move to graduate school. But I’m so excited for the move that I’m running off of the adrenaline. Anyway, I’m taking a mellow morning break to collect my thoughts, plan the day, and also write a quick post on what’s quickly become my favorite day pack for all those hiking trips.

I love this day pack, called the Flash 18, from REI. I already have a lovely Osprey backpack for the heavy duty hauling, but I’ve been searching for a light, dependable bag for those days when I’m doing day hikes while “car camping.” I’ve used this pack on four-day trips so far and have really appreciated its storage capacity. For easy reference, a lot of packs have their liter capacity included in their title, so this day pack stores 18 liters worth of stuff. In my world, for the day hike where there was an opportunity for a lake swim, that equates to a full lunch (i.e. sandwich, chips, trail mix, and apple), bug spray, sun lotion, a towel, and a bathing suit. But I’ve also taken this bag to the beach, and was able to pack two sandwiches and two beach towels. Not bad!

Looking out at the Strait of Juan de Fucca from Battery Kinsey in Fort Worden.

There are two features about this pack that I particularly love. The first is a plastic carabineer that connects to the inside of the pack through a nylon line. As a very forgetful person, I attach my car keys to this line as a way to give myself the peace of mind that I won’t drop the keys somewhere along the trail. The second feature is the two cross-body straps. One cross body strap goes over the upper chest while the second runs around the waist. Though I’m used to cross-body straps for the larger cross country packs, I’m realizing why even the smaller bags have them now. Because, hiking a whole day, even the smallest bags will start chafing underarms and stressing the back. 

Hiking up the trail in "Paradise," in the Mount Rainier National Park, WA.

It seems like this bag has a pretty strong base of fans, too. One REI employee told me that all of her coworkers own at least one, and two different people have stopped me on the trail to tell me how much they love the bag too!

I think it usually costs around $40 ($35 for REI members), which seems like a decent price considering its durability. Osprey and EMS also have other day packs with similar dimensions and slightly higher prices. Plus I’m sure there are a lot more similar products out there, so feel free to take your time to find which day pack is right for you. Hope this review helped!

WHEN A NEPHEW SUES A RAP TYCOON

So, I had quite a lovely time in the Pacific Northwest, and as a geologist, I was drooling over all the glacial geologic features and volcanics. While S drove us up and down Mount Rainier, I would often say something like, “Oh, look! A moraine! That’s totally a moraine!” And S would usually respond with something like, “Oh, okay.” Made me realize how many random, unsolicited facts a geologist’s spouse gets exposed to. Photos to follow soon, I promise!

Anyway, during the drive, I figured I would write a quick post about two music tycoons that I love: Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi and king of the American rap industry, Mr. Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z.  These two have an unexpected connection. Can you guess what it is?

I love Jay-Z with pretty devoted loyalty. Growing up in New Jersey, I remember hearing him in about every other song on the radio. He, along with his charming wife Beyonce, defined my childhood. I remember being violently ill and home from school the day his song Big Pimpin came out. It was so catchy, and I think the only thing that made me feel better:

 

As for Baligh Hamdi, it took me several years into my obsession with Arabic music to understand that he literally composed about half of the Arabic songs from the sixties that I love. Take this hit, Khosara Khosara, which means “loss, loss” in Arabic:

If you listen to both songs, you might notice that they sound really [exactly] alike. So can you guess the connection between the two music legends? If you guessed that they were in a copyright lawsuit, you’re completely right! More specifically, Hamdi’s nephew sued Jay-Z and Big Pimpin’s producer Timbaland, saying that they sampled from Khosara Khosara without the proper adherence to Egyptian morality laws. I remember hearing about this lawsuit last year and being surprised by the unlikely connection. During our drive, when both songs somehow magically played back-to-back, I thought to check the status of the lawsuit, and learned that a judge threw out the case. It seems like the judgement made sense, especially since Timbaland went through all the standard legal processes and paid the Egyptian record label to get a license for sampling Hamdi’s original Khosara Khosara.

Anyway, during the drive, we also listened to this really interesting episode from the Switched On Pop podcast called “Around the World with Drake.” The podcast brought up a lot of thought-provoking points on how cultural appropriation happens through music. It reminded me of how appropriation can negatively impact a culture by fading its heritage. I thought of how Hamdi, who’s this musical legend in the Middle East, created such a catchy sound, and yet he is barely being recognized for it today. Specifically for the Middle East, which is already a very misunderstood and under-appreciated region, it’s unfortunate that the culture’s many positive impacts on the wider world aren’t fully recognized. That’s why I’m such a big fan of sharing Arabic music in all its diversity. So if you’re looking for more Arabic music sources, follow my station on Spotify and click on the “MUSIQA” tab on my blog for all my music-related posts!