Skip to content

Tag: Amman

Published on

Maybe it doesn’t have water, but Jordan sure is rich in culture and history. In these past three months, I’ve had the honor of learning from Amman’s rich history, amazing sights, and from people’s stories of religious tolerance and cultural identity. Jordan is known around the world for its devotion to peace and humanitarian efforts as it takes in thousands of refugees every year and provides them with the safety and security they can’t find in their own countries. Because of this, Jordan has an incredibly diverse population filled with many different cultures, religions, and identities; yet, somehow, the spirit of unity and tolerance is preserved.

I was witness to this in what became one of my favorite experiences here in Jordan as I took a taxi to school one morning and met one of the kindest drivers in Amman. Immediately after I got in the car, my driver, Khaled, demonstrated genuine interest in who I was and where I came from. I shared that I was from Costa Rica, but I had migrated to the United States when I was younger and was completing my studies there. Enthusiastically, he told me he had moved to Jordan from Palestine when he was young and that Jordan had provided him with opportunities he wouldn’t have had if he had stayed. He shared that his parents had made the difficult decision to leave their home, because they wished to provide him and his brothers with a safe life and better opportunities. Curious, I asked him if he struggled to find an identity as a Palestinian in Jordan. He explained that because of Jordan’s diverse nature and continuous acceptance of refugees, he had been able to take on the Jordanian identity proudly while also identifying as Palestinian. He told me that his background would always be Palestinian, but that he also identified with the Jordanian national identity for the country had provided him with a safe home and great generosity. As traffic got worse and our time together lengthened, he pointed to the Qur’an sitting on the car’s dashboard and explained that he was Muslim and that he was also thankful to Jordan for allowing him to preserve and practice this identity safely. He then asked me what religion I practiced and I explained that I am Christian. Demonstrating, once again, great excitement, he proceeded to talk about how our religions were similar and how much he admired Jesus as a man of good deeds. He explained how our being able to have these conversations was what made the Jordanian identity so great for him. The genuine interest in learning about my identity, his life story and open-mindedness, and our being able to share our experiences is a reflection of the accepting and welcoming Jordanian society that I have grown to love during this time.

During this last month here, I hope to continue learning about this central part of Jordanian history and society. Even if I don’t get to learn in as much depth as I did with Khaled, I am eternally grateful for this experience for it gave me a more personal glance at this country’s diverse yet tolerant nature.

 

Published on

This cold, sunny day marks the end of my third week in Amman. Each day has brought new adventures, amazing views, new friends, and delicious food. From the moment I arrived, Amman has kept me busy with its beauty and incredible people. I have seen Jordan’s well-known hospitality in every corner, beginning with my first day in Amman as my host mom welcomed me home with a big hug and a warm meal. I live with a small family and have a new little sister.  We’ve become close really fast and have little dance parties every day when she comes back from school. My mom’s cooking outshines any other and her mom instincts are to feed me three times as much as I usually eat. My family has definitely been one of the highlights of my time here thus far.

Traveling has been another highlight from this trip and Jordan offers countless places to explore. My favorite has been Jerash, a small city just North of Amman. Along with a great group of friends, I explored the Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa and admired the arches and columns of the Temple of Artemis. After enjoying the city’s history, we headed further up into the mountains and stayed in a small villa. Here, I witnessed the most beautiful sunset and views of the city. This charming place allowed me to take a peek at Jordan’s rural, peaceful way of life.

Classes have already begun and I have enrolled in thought-provoking courses as well as extensive Arabic learning classes. The professors are all extremely qualified and passionate about their work, which creates an even more intriguing learning environment. My favorite class, thus far, is Islam in the Modern Context, where my professor has created an open-discussion learning setting and encourages us to open our minds to controversial topics. CIEE has truly impressed me with its selection of great courses and professors.

While my experience here has been mostly positive, there have been some challenges. The language barrier has definitely been something to get used to. However, even though I have only been here for a little bit, I can already feel my Arabic skills improving and feel more confident in my speaking. Another challenge has been getting around the city and knowing where I am. The first week, I got lost every time I took a taxi and that created lots of anxiety. However, I have overcome this and can now direct my driver without a problem. While it was complicated at first, I can already say that I feel at home here in Amman.

For my next blog, I hope to share more of my travels around Jordan and other countries in the Middle East. I also hope to begin my research and learning on immigration and identity in Jordan.

Min shufak!

Published on

By Joy Kayode

اهلاً وسهلاً،

مرحبا بكم في رسالتي الأخيرة!

Welcome to my last post, friends! Thank you to everyone that has followed my study abroad journey in Amman, Jordan throughout the past three months. There are no words to describe how much I have enjoyed my time in Amman!

I have already discussed the volunteer project I completed in the United Arab Emirates with the Al Ihsan Charity (see blog 3). On Tuesday, I will complete my final volunteer endeavor. We’ll be working at an all-boys school about 45 minutes away from my program site and the overall theme of the day will be grounds beautification. We’ll have two main teams: one for gardening and one for trash pickup. The gardening projects will include soil preparation (mixing manure into their soil), planting things, and trimming trees and overgrown bushes. We’ll also be picking up trash and hopefully installing some permanent trash cans in the courtyard area. This is a mandatory day of service for SIT students. I am happy that this is a mandatory project. I don’t think there could be a better way to leave a positive impact in the country that has so generously hosted us for three months. To be in service to others is to be in service to oneself. We will also have the opportunity to work closely with local residents of the Badia as some students from the school will also be helping us with the work. With this upcoming community service project, I do believe that I will be making an impact on the community that we will be assisting. Our program director let us know that at the school we are going going to, there are many things we consider basic that they have simply forgone. For instance, there are no trash cans at the school. It is my desire that by supplying the school with trash cans and decorating them to look more attractive to grade-school aged boys, the students will then feel compelled to throw their trash in the bins and continue to keep their learning environment clean. As I stated before, I don’t participate in community service for a sense of gratification or to feel like I am making a difference. However, I know that the students and faculty will be appreciative of the work that we are doing because this is the Jordanian way. Jordanians are extremely appreciative people and this is embodied in the way they live their day to day lives. I take solace in knowing this and having seen this culture of appreciation and gratitude for the past three months.

As I described in my first post, completing an internship or an independent research project are the final components of SIT’s curriculum. I elected to participate in a month-long internship of my choosing. Through the help of my program’s academic director, I was able to secure an internship with Former Minister of State for Economic Affairs H.E. Dr. Yusuf Mansur. Dr. Mansur is the founder of an economics based consulting firm that provides a wide range of research and consultation services for independent, public, and private sector corporations throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa region. At EnConsult, I work primarily as a research intern. Throughout the internship, I conducted research for two projects pertaining to the Jordanian film industry and the decentralization of Jordanian environmental protection programs.

I am happy to report that I did not encounter any notable challenges, obstacles, or hindrances throughout the course of my research/internship period. This might sound unlikely, but it is the truth. Any challenges that I faced have been too miniscule for me to recall now. I can’t express my gratitude for the ease surrounding all elements of my research endeavors. For the challenges that I did encounter, I am confident that I employed the advice that I gave in an earlier blog post.

There are several things that I am extremely proud of myself for accomplishing while abroad. Last week, I had the opportunity to represent the United States as a delegate from the Young Democrats of America while I attended the 44th General Assembly of the International Federation of Liberal Youth in Barcelona, Spain. The most important things that I took away from this conference were the connections I made with individuals from all across the world. From Sweden, Germany, and Russia to Senegal, Lebanon, and Jordan, I am sure that the friendships that I developed during this conference will last a lifetime.

Another reason I came to Amman was to learn more about how Jordanian youth and youth around the world view certain principles like: democracy, liberalism, freedom, and equal justice/liberties etc. I have never been one to have an opinion about an idea, an individual, or a group of people, based solely on the opinions of someone else. I have always liked coming to my own conclusions. Therefore, I wanted to hear straight from the mouths of my peers, while I was amongst such incredible and beautiful diversity. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with two Jordanian delegates. Long story short, these delegates were former students of my current boss, Dr. Mansur! It’s EXTREMELY funny how coincidences work. Things like this just make me realize how small the world can be. Fast forward a week, and I had the opportunity to attend the 13th Regional Conference on Economic Freedom of the Arab World this past Friday. This conference was hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The Jordanian delegates that I met in Spain work for this company and my boss was the keynote speaker for the conference. Like I said before, it’s crazy how connected things and people are to one another! Through this conference, I was able to meet politicians, scholars, and economists from Iraq, Tunisia, Oman, Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt, and several other nations.

Another recent example of one of my accomplishments is attending the art exhibition of Jordanian artist Mohanna Durra and meeting His Excellency Prime Minister Omar Razzaz. I must say I have a knack for meeting and speaking with politicians and political figures alike. So me thinking about approaching the Prime Minister was second nature. However, another unfamiliar consideration arose while I debated what I would say to him, if I got the chance to say something. Language. There has only been one other instance where I met a politician whose primary language was not English. Given that among the top reasons why I am studying abroad in Amman is to strengthen my Arabic language skills, I figured that there was no better place to flex Arabic with native speakers whom I had never met before. My confidence in this matter was at an all time high so why not, right? I approached the Prime Minister and semi-gracefully uttered “Masaa al khayr sa3adatak! Ya3tik al 3afya!” (Good Evening, Your Excellency! May God give you health!). This is all I had time to say before motioning to take a selfie (included below). Being Prime Minister, you can probably imagine how busy His Excellency is. Many people wished to speak with or take pictures with His Excellency. I am proud that I was able to articulate myself in Arabic and communicate with the foremost politician in the country. As I plan to continue in the international relations field, I presume that these encounters will eventually become commonplace. Therefore, I am so grateful to have opportunities to practice my demeanour in such instances now.

Overall, I am proud of the way that I branded myself and networked last week. To estimate, I met roughly 300 people. I hope to maintain contact with these individuals and broaden my professional network so that these connections are well developed past my graduation from GW and throughout my continued studies and career.

I could not have selected a better organization to work at and I definitely could not have picked a more experienced and accomplished individual to assist. I truly believe that working with Dr. Mansur enhanced my study abroad experience in ways that would not have been possible if I were at another institution or organization. Dr. Mansur is the one who encouraged my colleagues and I to accompany him to the art gallery where I met Prime Minister Omar Razzaz. However, this is just one example of the cool things I’ve been able to do because of him. I cannot thank Dr. Mansur enough for the wealth of knowledge he has provided me through his academic knowledge and personal life experiences. There is only one Yusuf Mansur, and I will miss him tremendously.

Upon my return to GW, I plan to continue to studying the Jordanian economy and the other political economies of the Middle East. I plan to do this through my formal coursework and through independent study. There are very capable and resourceful professors that I hope to consult to further assist me in this quest. Additionally, I plan to remain engaged in community services projects through my involvement in GW NCNW and The Pantry, just to name a few.

With this being said, I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity to speak with you all over the past three months. As cliche as it might sound, living in Amman has changed my life for the better. What I’ve encountered in Jordan, I could not and will not encounter anywhere else. Jordan is unique. Amman is rare. SIT Jordan’s Geopolitics program is a treasure that I am pleased to have found. With that being said, I am signing off for the last time. Thank you all for reading!

شكرا كتير، يعطيكم العافية و مع سلامة،

جوي كيودي

 

 

 

 

 

Published on

By amberherrle

It's my last week here, this time. I know I will be back to Amman soon and I couldn't be more excited. Amman is a city full of smells that permeate your clothes and coughs from smoking as often as laughs. It's a special place and I'm lucky to have called it home for the last few months.

I turned in my independent study project last Thursday and I don't have much more on my plate until I leave. All of the students on SIT here present our research proposals to each other this week. It has been really cool to see just how much we accomplished in a month. The topics addressed in this month varied greatly between students, making the presentations even more interesting.

There have been some aspects of my program that I am not super-duper grateful for, but I am extremely grateful for the research component. I have learned so much about the writing process in the last month, and I have gained valuable research skills that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. I just found out that I will be continuing this research next year with the Elliott School next year, through the Elliott Undergraduate Scholars program. I am really looking forward to continuing this research under the Elliott School's guidance, and I hope to continue it after graduation as well.

This past weekend I got to go to Aqaba to complete my scuba open water course. I can't recommend the red sea more for water-lovers. It is out of this world in its beauty and inspiration. The water is so beautiful and clear at any point you can mistake the choral for plans and the fish for land animals because of the visibility. Going to Aqaba was the perfect trip after turning in my ISP!

...continue reading "Last week in Amman"

Published on

By amberherrle

I am excited to finally announce that I received a grant from the Elliott School to study Arabic in Amman this Summer. This means that while I will be leaving this May, I will be back in Amman soon enough! I cannot wait to be back and studying Arabic here again.

I haven't been doing much since I started my research (other than research) BUT I am happy to also announce that I will be turning my ISP in a few days early. I am really happy about this because I have worked on this project since February.  Finishing the project early means that I will have a few extra days to relax because flying back to the states. So here's my advice for SIT students, I wish my program had placed a larger emphasis on planning and timing out our ISP, as many of my friends are in crunch time right now.

For those that don't know - a big part of SIT programs is the individual study project which is field research that is presented in a 30-40 page paper and in class seminar-presentation. It's a lot of work but a really great experience!

January: BEFORE (yes, crazy town, I know) you come on your program, have a clear idea of the general topic you want to research. So if you want to research radicalization in Jordan, do your research on theories of radicalization before you come here so you have some framework and context of your research.

...continue reading "What’s next"

Published on

By amberherrle

The travel warning issued by the US Department of State last December has severely limited my travels in Jordan and my program had to cut our educational excursion to the Badia.

This was a huge disappointment, the homestay in the Badia was one of the big reasons I had chosen this program. The Badia region is where the Bedouin population in Jordan are from, this area is much more rural than the rest of Jordan. There are three regions of the Badia: the northern, southern and eastern Badia. Okay, so anyways - life in the Badia is very different than in Amman. There is a much larger emphasis on tribal connections, families are larger and even the Arabic there differs greatly from that of Amman!

My research in Jordan relies on qualitative interviews conducted in the northern Badia in Jordan. This meant a lot of coordination with my program to find interviews and spend time in the northern Badia. So with their help, I managed to get up to the Badia "capitol", Mafraq for interviews with youth and mothers in the Badia about masculinity in their community.

I was surprised by what a short trip it was to get to the Badia. Only an hour away from Amman, it really feels like a different world. I am always surprised to realize how small Jordan really is, there are so many things to see and they are all really close to each other (all the more reason to visit Jordan!).

...continue reading "Qualitative Research in the Badia"

Published on

By amberherrle

As everyone is well aware, last week Bashar al Assad's regime carried out chemical weapon attacks on Syria's citizens in the northern province, Ilbid. The US President react swiftly by bombing one of Assad's airfields that is mostly used by Russian military forces. I have had so many friends reaching out to me, asking me what it feels like to be here at this time.

My reactions are not any different here than they would be in the United States. Amman is the same, Jordan is the same. In Amman, I'm only a few hours away from the airfield that was bombed but still, nothing has changed here. That has been the most surprising aspect of all of this. Jordan is so exceptionally peaceful and stable. And that has not changed.

The crisis in Syria has had detrimental effects on the Jordanian population and economy. There are an estimated 2 million Syrian refugees in Jordan. But still, Jordan keeps its doors open.

So when the United States, the same country that has pushed refugees out of the country and demonized these people, bombed a Syrian/Russian airfield I expected Jordanians to be angry. Angry at the United States and angry at the international governing bodies that have failed them. But I have talked with my family, talked with my family's friends and talked with friends. For them, this is no surprise. The US looking for a regime change is not a solution. Jordan will continue to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees. Jordan will continue to welcome new refugees into their economy, into their communities and into the societal fabric of Jordan. Just like they did in the early 2000s after the US invaded Iraq. Just like they have for the last 5 years in response to Assad's barbaric regime.

...continue reading "In reaction to US Missile strikes"

Published on

By amberherrle

After visiting Petra, my program took us to the desert. Wadi Rum more closely resembles Mars than it does Earth. It is no wonder that the film, Martian was filmed here. The Sahara offers expansive views of dunes upon dunes upon dunes. But Wadi Rum offers something different. I had heard from so many Jordanian friends that Wadi Rum is their favorite spot in Jordan but I didn’t quite understand. Now I do. Pictures certainly do not do this place justice.

We spent the afternoon driving through the desert, stopping only to race up the sand hills. The pick-up truck beds had been converted into benches that bounced with the dunes. Rolling across the desert, you feel like you are in space. The large mounts above you remind me of drip castles. I would go as far to say that Wadi Rum reminds me of the earth’s day out at the beach. I know, it sounds crazy but everyone in my truck agreed!

Aqaba

Aqaba is the only port in Jordan. This bustling multicultural beach town is a perfect spot for travelers coming to Jordan from Egypt or Israel. In fact, you can see both Egypt and Israel from most points in Aqaba. Our program took us out on a large yacht for the first afternoon we were in Aqaba.

Aqaba sits on the red sea, after driving the boat out about 30 minutes we arrived on the most beautiful reef I have had the pleasure of seeing. The area that we snorkeled in is nick-named the Japanese Garden and it is no wonder why. The beautiful reef is covered in green and blue choral of all shapes. The water was the most beautiful shade of turquoise making visibility ideal.

...continue reading "Wadi Rum, Aqaba and ISP"

Published on

By amberherrle

Wow! I am so lucky to have visited Petra this past week. I cannot begin to describe just how beautiful the red sandstone is, and how immaculate the entire landscape is. Petra is one of the new wonders of the world – and it’s NO WONDER why. Despite being over two thousand years old, the site has features that look like they were crafted yesterday.

Driving towards Petra, you are struck by the archaic landscape. Large boulder mounds break the landscape into pieces and the dark red sand looks endless. I would equate the experience with driving into the Flinstones.

After walking through mounds of rock, you eventually come upon al Siq. This 1200-meter-long gorge winds its way through the colorful sandstone. The walls form mosaics, straight lines and images with their colorful displays. You can even see ancient art carved into the stone when you walk through the gorge. One of the more impressive pieces is the life-size carving of a camel and its keeper along the gorge wall. One of my initial remarks was that the gorge looked different every time I walked through it. I was happy every opportunity I had to look back and admire al Siq from a different angle.

When you eventually make your way out of al Siq, you see the treasury. This is the monument that is commonly associated with Petra and Jordan. This large sandstone building stands tall in all of its glory. I was most impressed by the details that can be seen on the treasury. After two thousand years, the treasury has truly withstood the test of time.

...continue reading "Petra! Otherwise known as: the most beautiful place on Earth!"

Published on

By amberherrle

I am so excited to finally start the ISP period with SIT. The Independent Study Project is a key component of all SIT programs. Through this independent research, students are able to dive into a niche topic and explore it though field and open source research. I would say that most students on SIT choose the program because of the ISP component.

My project will look at the construction of masculinity in Jordanian society and how this construction contributes to radicalization in Jordan. Specifically, I will be seeking to understand the ways that mothers contribute to this construction.

Aspects of ISP

1. Choosing your topic - when you apply to SIT, you propose a topic for your research, but most of us are doing a totally different topic than we applied with. With that being said, I am extremely grateful that we did have to apply with a topic because it gets you thinking about what possible topics for your country and program theme are.

2. Finding an advisor - when I have an advisor, I will let you know all my tips on finding an advisor! For now, I would say start early and seek out actual experts in the field your studying. It sounds basic but a lot of students end up with people who generally know what they are talking about for their research topic, but they aren't able to provide students with the most adequate resources.

3. Meet with experts - One of the best things I did was reach out to every author of every article I read. Yes - I cold called, cold-linkedin and even searched endlessly for email addresses so I could send cold emails. And guess what? I got two great interviews with experts in this field! And these interviews have helped me tremendously in creating a great topic.

...continue reading "Preparing for my ISP"

Unless otherwise indicated, the content and opinions expressed on this web site are those of the author(s). They are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the George Washington University.
Privacy Notice
Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.