Being Foreign in Jordan

Overlook of part of Petra from the High Place of Sacrifice

Again, just part of the vast site of Petra. The remains of a theater are visible in the background

So it seems that most of my blog posts from now on will just consist of the articles in the Rice Standard and some extra pictures....so it goes. The article focuses on my experience with tourism in Jordan, mostly because of my recent trip with my parents on Oct. 23-29. It was great to see them for the first time since June, and I'm really happy I was able to see more of Jordan, as well because it is a surprisingly geographically diverse country. And luckily, we coordinated the trip to coincide with the holiday break here, so I didn't have to miss class. 

http://www.ricestandard.org/being-foreign-in-jordan/


Here are some more details on the trip, since it is not really clear in the article:

The desert at Wadi Rum

I took a 4-hour bus ride on Oct. 23 after class, which went south from Amman to Petra - I was definitely the only foreigner on board, and I was slightly scared sitting up front when we reached over 80 mph at one point in the dark, but otherwise, everything went smoothly. I met my parents at the hotel and then we spent the entire next day exploring Petra, as well as a neighboring site called Little Petra. We drove to Wadi Rum on Oct. 25 for a full-day Jeep tour, as well as an overnight stay in a desert camp. I especially loved being able to climb a lot of sand dunes and small mountains, which had magnificent views of the desert. The landscape varied, but in some places, the sand is an amazing shade of pink. I also enjoyed the peaceful and picturesque sunset, the addicting Bedouin tea (sage is the magic ingredient), and sleeping under the vast array of stars (thankfully with a mattress and large blanket).

One of the sand dunes and rocks (at the top) we climbed - the views and running down were the best part.

Even though I had already been to Petra and Wadi Rum, my experiences the second time were incomparable with the first visit. This time was much, much more enjoyable and interesting. I was able to see more of Petra, which consists of far more than just the famous facade of the "Indiana Jones" Treasury. It is really an incredible site, and I didn't appreciate this the first time I came. This Wadi Rum tour also gave a better idea of how vast and beautiful the Jordanian desert is. Receiving a marriage offer from our Bedouin driver also added to the fun, although my parents refused, saying they had no use for the 25 camels that the driver was offering. And of course, it was also wonderful to spend time with my parents.

Sunset at Wadi Rum

On Oct. 26, we hiked to the top of a mountain in the Dana Nature Reserve, which was beautiful, although slightly disappointing, to tell the truth. The weather was pretty hazy, so the views weren't as spectacular as expected. We headed to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth at 400m below sea level, where we checked into our chalet at Wadi Mujib, a nice alternative to the numerous 5-star resorts a short distance up the road. Unfortunately, there was a wind storm the rest of the afternoon and evening, which ruined the views, as well as any opportunity to float and relax in the Dead Sea.

The hike in the Mujib Reserve the next morning was one of my favorite parts! We basically walked through a giant, narrow canyon for the entire trail, and along the way climbing small waterfalls with rushing water. Thankfully, there were some ropes already in place at some of the waterfalls, and we also enlisted the help of some Omani students we met along the way who are studying here in Jordan. Definitely an adventure, and slightly difficult for the older members of our group :) We made it to the end, though, which was a much taller waterfall! On the way back, we were able to float back down the waterway in the deeper parts. I would love to go back and try some of the harder trails in Wadi Mujib, which require a guide, but unfortunately the site is now closed for the winter.

The morning view from our chalet at the Dead Sea - Israel/Palestine is in the background

We spent an afternoon in Amman, trying not to get ripped off by taxis, visiting the Citadel, walking along one of the more 'upscale' streets in Amman, and wandering through the suq downtown. We bought dried dates from the vegetable market, bargained for scarves, drank fresh sugar cane juice, and bought sweets at arguably the best bakery in Jordan. And then we had dinner later that night with my host family, which was a lot of fun, but also slightly awkward at times since my parents don't speak Arabic, and the only person in my host family who speaks English is my host dad. I think both sides enjoyed themselves, though, and the food was delicious, as always.

In Amman, with the Citadel in the background

The next day (Oct. 28) we took a long road trip to the northern part of Jordan, first visiting Umm Qais, which has some ancient ruins, although is most known for its gorgeous views. Again, the weather was hazy, so it was difficult to see far, but we were able to see the Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee, and Israel, which was pretty incredible. It was hard to believe that we were so close to Syria, especially since we were there to admire the panoramic, bird's eye views. We made our way to an extremely well preserved castle in Ajloun, which was fun to explore, and then to Jerash. This is an enormous ancient Roman site, with truly incredible buildings and architecture. We all thoroughly enjoyed exploring the site, although were pretty exhausted after a long week.

View from Umm Qais of the Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee (to the far left)

We treated ourselves to some sushi and Western food later that night in Amman. I miss Japanese rice so much! We said goodbye the next morning: they were off to the U.S., where they ended up having to stay overnight in Chicago because of Hurricane Sandy, and I had to get back to my 'normal,' non-touristy life here.

Part of the ancient Roman ruins at Jerash, about an hour drive north of Amman

 And on a side note, it is strange and somewhat sad to be in Jordan watching all of the election festivities going on 6,000 miles away. But at the same time, it has been an incredible experience to hear Jordanians talking with earnest about the elections, hearing about their seemingly unanimous support for Obama, and being able to watch the concession and victory speeches in class today. Of course there are no political signs or banners here, so the election spirit is definitely lacking, but multiple Jordanians have congratulated me, and my host mom even gave me a hug this morning when we found out that Obama won. Trying to explain the electoral college system in Arabic was certainly a memorable experience, too. No matter what, the next four years are sure to have a lot in store, both on a personal and political level.