In my first week in Amman, everything went wrong. First, the airline lost my bag. I explored Jordan with just two outfits from my carry-on. Eventually, they found my bag… in Namibia. After more waiting, it was finally loaded on a flight to Amman. However, instead of delivering it to me, the airline kept my bag. Fed up after twelve days, I went to the airport myself. Despite the baggage service denying having my bag, I persisted and fought my way into the baggage room in Arabic. Within a minute I saw the red, white, and blue ribbon that my mom placed on my bag. Victory at last! Twelve days later, problem one was solved.
The main issue I faced was culture shock in Jordan. With a Muslim population of over 97%, it was challenging when the locals gave us disapproving looks for wearing shorts and t-shirts. Their cold stares made me feel unwelcome, and it seemed like they didn’t want us there. In response, I put up a wall and stopped showing interest in connecting with them. However, everything changed after attending mass at the Jesuit center with a group of students from Notre Dame. The parish gathered for coffee and snacks afterward, and that’s when I met Doctor Barbara, a local Jordanian ophthalmologist. She was delighted to see young people and shared her inspiring stories of struggles and triumphs in Jordan. At the end of the gathering, she gave us her card, assuring us that she would be there for us whenever we needed help. This encounter made me feel like I finally belonged to a community in Jordan. Looking back, I had initially been scared of the culture, however, once I was able to find a community that embraced me, it changed everything.
The next day myself and two others were at a mall. A man named Moe came up to us. We chatted and talked about all the things we wanted to do in Jordan. However, we didn’t know how to get there. “I will drive you,” he said. Why would he want to drive us I thought. Despite this feeling, I followed up with him the next day and asked him if he would be willing to drive a group of us to Wadi Mujib. He excitedly agreed, and said, “I want you to have a friend in Jordan who is from Jordan.” Again, I thought, “Ya, right.”
That Friday, twelve of us piled into a van with Moe. He drove us to Wadi Mujib. He unexpectedly stopped at the Dead Sea before we got to Wadi Mujib. He was so excited to show us his home country and was just happy to be with us. We got to Wadi Mujib and Moe bartered with the people to get us a cheaper price. Moe guided the 12 of us through Wadi Mujib, and it was perhaps one of the most beautiful places I had ever been to. Vast cliffs, tall waterfalls, and beautiful golden sand. It was gorgeous and Moe made sure we saw every part of it. After the trip, we thanked him and he responded with “You guys made my day, I haven’t felt like this in a long time, I really wish you enjoyed it.”
As I connected with more and more locals and made more friends in my program, things got much better. I wasn’t scared of the culture but appreciated it. I realized I hadn’t even given the locals a chance. If I had given up, I would have missed out on many wonderful relationships. However, because I persisted I discover more about the beauty of the Jordanian culture and people every day.