Immersed In Jordanian Culture June 14, 2022

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The program is intense in terms of lecture time and reading, however there is ample time provided allowing students to relax and explore Jordan. A perfect balance.

On-site administration of your program

The administration is a huge part of this program and a main reason why it is such an amazing experience. They all really care about the students and by the end of the program, they all felt like friends to me.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Although I was nervous at first, I am eternally grateful I ended up living with a host family in Jordan. We speak different languages and live in completely different cultures yet by the end of the program they felt like my second family and really made Jordan feel like home. I learned so much from them and my Arabic language skills improved more than I could have imagined from practicing with them on a daily basis. I would recommend living in homestay to anyone interested in studying abroad.

There is a lot of rice & bread in many Jordanian dishes so I would say it can get a little boring after a while, but overall the food is amazing.The falafel and hummus are to die for!! And there are other restaurants, cafes, and fast food places serving Italian, American, and Filipino food if you ever want to switch it up.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

During the last week of my program when I would speak to taxi drivers in Arabic talking about my experiences with my study abroad program they would exclaim to me: "You are half Jordanian now!!" If you come into this program open minded and willing to learn, you will gain an understanding and connection with the culture that you can only obtain through the experiences provided by programs like this(unless you live there for a long-period of time of course).

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues during my stay however a couple of students in my program got COVID, colds, and had teeth trouble, and the program administration made sure they were all taken care of ASAP.

I felt safe a large majority of the time I was in Jordan, however the only times I did not feel safe was when I took yellow taxis especially later at night. Although I was never faced with real danger, sometimes the taxi drivers can be a little creepy especially with foreigners. I would recommend always having your phone on you and if you ever felt really uncomfortable asking them to stop and leave the taxi. Also driving is a little crazy in Jordan so I would advice looking both ways many times when crossing the street.

This program is truly life changing especially if you have never lived in this region or abroad for a long period of time. You get to meet amazing people, hear beautiful stories, and overall become a better educated, more open-minded person.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Food is relatively inexpensive, the main cost during this program is taxis/ubers for students which we had to take on daily basis for class and events.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Living with a host family is a major part of this program where you really have to speak Arabic on a daily basis. Many families know English at least to a certain extent however they still will try to speak in Arabic.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• International Students

• Host Family
• Culture
• People(Jordanians, Students, and Administration)

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• N/A
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The Avid Adventurer