2 full days left, then off to Istanbul

Time is flying for us in Amman. We have 2 full days left in Amman, Tuesday/Wednesday, then we're off to Istanbul Thursday morning.

Tuesday is a half-day at SIT/Amman, then at 11 a.m. we are off to Mount Nebo and Madaba. Mt. Nebo is where Moses climbed up to see the Promised Land, which of course he never entered. Madaba is home to the 6th Century Church of St. George, and its mosaic map of the Mediterranean world.

Then descending down to the lowest spot on Earth - the Dead Sea - for an afternoon dip (or rather a "float", as there is no dipping or diving in the Dead Sea) and a mud bath, which will leave students with the best skin of their lives.

For me, I've spent the entire day planning for our final two days and then our departure from Amman, our arrival to Istanbul, and finalizing our 2-plus weeks there - study tours of Istanbul and the Bosporus, lectures at our host University (Dogus University), etc. etc. etc. Planning, planning, planning seems to be my lot, as Dialogue leader. And I take great strength in the words of Eisenhower (I've always said that "I like Ike"!): "Plans are nothing; planning is everything."

And so, I plan plan plan. Our plans will change - as they have a lot already - but "the plan" is intact, and will continue to be so as we transition from the Arab world to Turkey and its "foothold" in Europe, Istanbul.

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