D.C. Orientation

We haven't even left the country yet, but we've already experienced our first taste of traditional Jordanian hospitality. The Jordanian ambassador to the United States, Walid Hadid, came to speak to the group. He brought us each a souvenir tote bag decorated with a map of Jordan. Inside the bag were a few booklets about the country and a giant sticker of the Jordanian Flag. He spoke about the subtleties and beauty of the Arabic language, explaining that he's had difficulty expressing himself in English since we only have one word for love while Arabic has over 100. He also talked about the misconceptions about Jordan, in particular, the view of Jordan as another oil-rich Gulf nation, when in reality, Jordan has no oil and is a very poor country, especially compared to some of its neighbors.

After the ambassador spoke three 2009 CLS Amman alumni, two men and a woman, talked about their summer in Jordan and answered questions. The men mentioned that some of their most memorable experiences were some of the spontaneous adventures they went on with their Jordanian friends, such as an impromptu late-night excursion to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, where they floated effortlessly in the water, which supported their weight especially well given its extremely high salinity. The ended the night sleeping on the beach under the stars then drove back to Amman early in the morning for classes. The woman spoke about how she was able to see a different side of Jordanian life than the men. In an Islamic society like Jordan it would be inappropriate for foreign men to be invited into a household for tea or dinner if there were any women in the house, either wives or daughters. Foreign women however are often welcomed into the homes of female friends and acquaintances. Many of the female CLS 2009 scholars were able to be a part of traditional Jordanian home life, and even attend the lavish wedding parties, which are segregated by sex, where women gather with the bride in their best clothes to feast and dance together, gaining a unique perspective on the world of Islamic women unavailable to men.

I hope I'm able to experience both the excitement of impromptu adventures with our Jordanian speaking partners and see what daily life would be like for a Jordanian woman in her home. I'm not sure if I'll be able to go on the same type of excursions as the men or if it would be inappropriate for me to tag along, but, after hearing their stories I know that, no matter, I'm about to have an incredibly rewarding summer. I'm so grateful for this opportunity. I feel very lucky. We're leaving for Amman tomorrow so my next update will be from Jordan!