Greetings from Amman, Jordan!
Sorry about the lack of updates, things have been quite busy around here! I got into Jordan on Friday night, after a rather miserable flight, had orientation all day on Saturday, and then started class on Sunday. Between class, homework, and overall culture shock, my schedule has been quite packed and my mind has been even more confused than usual. I'm living with a host family, and with another student from my program, and they're all treating me well thus far. Communication is difficult (or slightly impossible, at least in Arabic) and I generally have no idea where I am at any given time, but I'm surviving. And my first weekend is only just around the corner!
I have to say, the first few days were pretty tough, but I'm enjoying myself more each day, and I was able to have my first adventure this afternoon!
With the help of a visiting professor at BC, I got in touch with the director of Jesuit Refugee Services here in Amman. Since things will be slowing down soon, when Ramadan starts, he encouraged me to visit the office this week. I managed to hail a cab by myself for the first time here after class, and somehow made it to the JRS office by naming a nearby hotel (I'm quite certain the cab driver thought I was staying there, and, knowing I was a tourist, proceeded to rip me off, but, hey, I got there.) Once I arrived, the man I'd been emailing was nowhere in sight, so I tried to explain who I was to the people I found standing outside. They didn't understand who I was, but told me to get on a bus (so I did) and I eventually found myself in front of a school in East Amman, an area that's much more diverse and much less gentrified than the one I live/go to school in. I went inside, introduced myself to many confused people, finally found the one person I vaguely knew, and then sat in on several classes, including a kindergarten class. I ended up missing the bus back, but somehow made it home in a taxi, and now I'm sitting on my bed, extremely tired, and with too much Arabic homework before me. I'm going to try to make the trip again tomorrow, after passing both of my quizzes in the morning, and then I'm heading to Petra with some other students early Friday morning, so let's hope I can get it all done!
I have to say, the first few days were pretty tough, but I'm enjoying myself more each day, and I was able to have my first adventure this afternoon!
With the help of a visiting professor at BC, I got in touch with the director of Jesuit Refugee Services here in Amman. Since things will be slowing down soon, when Ramadan starts, he encouraged me to visit the office this week. I managed to hail a cab by myself for the first time here after class, and somehow made it to the JRS office by naming a nearby hotel (I'm quite certain the cab driver thought I was staying there, and, knowing I was a tourist, proceeded to rip me off, but, hey, I got there.) Once I arrived, the man I'd been emailing was nowhere in sight, so I tried to explain who I was to the people I found standing outside. They didn't understand who I was, but told me to get on a bus (so I did) and I eventually found myself in front of a school in East Amman, an area that's much more diverse and much less gentrified than the one I live/go to school in. I went inside, introduced myself to many confused people, finally found the one person I vaguely knew, and then sat in on several classes, including a kindergarten class. I ended up missing the bus back, but somehow made it home in a taxi, and now I'm sitting on my bed, extremely tired, and with too much Arabic homework before me. I'm going to try to make the trip again tomorrow, after passing both of my quizzes in the morning, and then I'm heading to Petra with some other students early Friday morning, so let's hope I can get it all done!
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