Author: tuckerlimon

السلام عليكم These past three weeks have been insane. I endure heinous travel including unexpected layovers and broken planes. I finally make it to Amman. I get to my apartment, meet my roommate, make a friend on the shuttle, and hit the streets and market at 11:00 PM.

I had five days in Amman before the beginning of in person class. I was able to explore some markets, see the Roman amphitheater, visit the Amman Citadel, and go to numerous restaurants. Meanwhile, I am scraping together what Arabic vocabulary and sentence structure I previously knew. Luckily, my newfound friends and roommates are well-knowledged in the language and are able to provide me with some assistance. I had an orientation with the program and then began class. Four hours of in person class and then an estimated four hours of homework daily. It has been very difficult so far but being able to directly apply newfound concepts and words to your everyday life is a whole new experience that is bringing me immense gratitude and application outside of the classroom. I have met so many students of all countries, circumstances, religions, and languages within the Qasid program. In addition, I have made friends with some local Jordan University students who I now go out with multiple times a week. Last night we went to Friday market ( سوق الجمعة)  and tonight we are going to hear a local Amman dj. The culture here is beautiful and the unnecessary kindness that has been extended to me, especially when one finds out that I am studying Arabic, is truly amazing.

I am so thankful to be here and to be able to learn this language with such close proximity to utilization in everyday life. As I write this, me and my roommates are finalizing a last minute plan to take a bus to Jerusalem for the Eid al-Adha break. Below are an array of pictures, I will keep you guys updated. 

مع السلامة،

تاكر

Marhaba, my name is Tucker Limon and I am going to be studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan this summer. I depart in about 20 days and am attempting to prepare myself for a complete change of environment. I will know practically no one and be dropped into a foreign society in which I only have scraped the surface of understanding. However, with this daunting unknown, I am overly excited. I want to see and do everything.

I will be in a rigorous academic environment while in Amman. I am going to be studying at Qasid Arabic Institute in the heart of the city, and will be participating in the MSA program (Modern Standard Arabic – الفصحى). I will be in a classroom for four hours a day, outside work for four hours a day, five days a week, for nine weeks. I hope to engage with students, faculty, and society with my previously learned Arabic skills as well as with my newly gained knowledge. Outside of the classroom, I will be living in an apartment and will have to cook and live on my own. I am excited to navigate the transportation system as well as learn where and what to buy at a grocery store. I am very into music and have been looking forward to the house music scene in Amman for a while. I hope to adventure around and go to the numerous historical sites that the ancient city has to offer. 

On this trip, I will be forced to learn. Differing from the classroom setting, where Arabic is only taught for an hour a day, I will have 24 hr a day immersion. I will try to speak as little English as possible, only when necessary. I am hoping that this immersion experience will both increase my Arabic language skills as well as aid in the development of my independence and global perspective. I want to meet new people and experience an entirely new culture through the lens of language and integration. I am so excited to depart on this adventure and will keep you all updated! مع السلامة (Goodbye!)