The Following is a blog post from a student currently on a program in Amman, Jordan.
I traveled
to Amman, Jordan for the Fall semester in order to complete an international
internship with the Hinckley Institute of Politics. I was placed with the
Ministry of Social Development, working within government institutions in
Jordan. My original intent in studying abroad was to buff up my resume,
complete an academic requirement for my major, and gain some practical
experience speaking Arabic. The work that I have been doing has been very
gratifying; I teach English in an orphanage two days a week, teach in a women’s
shelter two days, and spend the final day at the Ministry office doing social
research. I have grown a lot with my work here. In a few short months, I feel
like I am much more independent, adaptable, and willing to take a leadership
role. My Arabic has improved by leaps and bounds, and I feel much more
comfortable communicating in a cross-cultural environment and overcoming
language barriers. What took me by surprise though is that I gained much more
from my life outside of work than I did from my actual program.
This was my
first time traveling outside of the United States, discounting a day trip to
Canada when I was twelve. I grew up in a small town in Idaho, and my idea of a
grand adventure was moving to the East coast for a couple years. I put on a
brave face as I went about my planning, but honestly, living in the Middle East
was far outside my comfort zone, particularly since the program I chose
required me to arrange the logistics, such as housing and travel arrangements,
on my own. I was lucky to have so many people to support me. The Hinckley
Institute connected me with a prior intern who loved Jordan enough to remain an
additional year, and the help he and his wife provided was indispensable.
Still, it was a major challenge for me to learn to navigate life in Amman. One
moment that stands out occurred my second night in Jordan, I went into a
restaurant by myself to order dinner, and literally froze. I was so overwhelmed!
It was the first of many deer-in-the-headlights moments.
Amazingly
though, within weeks I felt completely at ease. After 2 months here, there are
honestly moments that I forget I’m halfway around the world. Life has started
to feel normal here. I’m sure this is largely in part due to the quality of
people I have met here. Everyone in Jordan has been fantastic! Within days of
arriving, some Iraqi neighbors invited me to dinner, and I became quick friends
with their daughter, who is about my age. A week and a half into the trip, I
was even invited to attend my landlord’s son’s wedding! Amman is a very international
city; I have actually met very few Jordanians here. Everyone is Palestinian,
Syrian, Iraqi, or Egyptian. It has created a really interesting mesh of
cultures, and a very welcoming environment. It is not unusual for a local girl
to introduce herself to me in the street or at a café and offer an
Arabic/English language exchange. There are plenty of foreigners from outside
the region as well. I have a roommate from Honduras, close friends from Sweden
and Denmark, and regularly hang out with Australians, Germans, Romanians, and
Russians. I am truly getting an international experience!
The city
is a perfect blend of ancient history, beautiful nature, and modern amenities.
There is always something to do, and rarely time for sleeping. I drive past 2000
year old ruins on my way to work! There is salsa dancing on Thursdays, and
organized hikes in the local Wadis every other Friday or so. Jerash, an ancient
Roman city, is only an hour drive North, and luxury beach resorts are an hour
South at the Dead Sea. With only two months left, I still have so much left on
my list of things to do! Crusader castles to the East, Petra (one of the 7
Wonders of the Ancient World), Wadi Rum, and the Red Sea in the far South, and
Jerusalem, only a short drive from Amman. And that’s just the start of the
list!
Living
abroad has certainly had its hard moments, but now that I have a taste for it,
I almost don’t want to go home! It makes me feel like a stronger person knowing
that I can not only survive on my own in a foreign environment, but I can
thrive here. I can’t really think of any blatantly negative experiences that
I’ve had in Jordan. Even the moments I struggled to figure something out, there
was a lesson in it, and the task was easier the next time. In times of doubt,
there was always someone to call for help. I can honestly say one of the best
decisions I’ve made has been to come to Jordan, and I am already scheming to
come back next summer!