أهلا و سهلا
It’s been nearly a month since I came here, and I’ve found myself taken aback by how incredible of an experience this trip has already been. I’ve seen so many sites, met so many people, learned so much, and truly gathered a new appreication for the culture and the language here in Jordan.
Before classes started, I had around a week to get settled in to Amman, which I took full advantage of. I saw gorgeous skylines and enormous roman ruins, I visited tourist hotspots, like Rainbow Street, and various lesser known areas and restaurants, and I was able to meet and befriend various others in the program. The first week was a blast, and a nice settling in before the load of coursework began.
Interacting with locals is more difficult than I would have imagined. It’s one thing to practice Arabic in the comfort of a classroom, but wielding the language out on the streets is difficult, not to mention the plethora of differences between Modern Standard Arabic, which we study, and the dialectal Arabic. Not only are different words used, but entire letters are pronounced differently!
Four hours of Arabic classes each day plus an approximate four hours of homework on top of that have kept me quite busy, though I do think I have profited well from it thus far. We are going through our textbook at a rate far quicker than I had thought possible, and though I find myself quite challenged, I do think I am able to keep up. The other students in the Qasid program, especially in my class, have been a huge help. Working together when studying languages is very useful since you can pool your shared knowledge in case one person is lacking in a specific skill.
After classes and on the weekends, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to learn about and see more of Jordan as well. I’ve visited a number of different cafes and restaurants, and spent a good amount of time just wandering the city. I went down to a local market and made some local cuisine (which didn’t turn out great, but I’m still working on it!). We even took an excursion out to Ajloun, which hosted a historic castle and a stunning view! Plus, Qasid has hosted a number of cultural exhibitions, such as a musician playing the Oud and an informational session on Eid al Adha, a Muslim holiday.
I am extremely thankful to be here, and can’t wait to continue learning and exploring this country. I look forward to being able to visit Petra and the Dead Sea soon!
روي –
