Jordan

Hope Fitzgerald
Villanova University (Non-MU Program) in Mafraq at Al al-Bayt University, Summer Semester 2001

"My program in Jordan was the last of 3 study abroad trips, so I went into it thinking I was an old pro. Nope. Every day of the program in Jordan was a mini-adventure, but it was the most amazing and rewarding thing I have ever done. If you go to an Arabic speaking country, be sure to leave all the American stereotypes of Arabs at home-I've never been in a friendlier, safer, more interesting place than Jordan.

"I was at the Al-al Bayt University for 8 weeks, which is too little for studying a language like Arabic, especially if you've never studied the language before. I had learned the Arabic alphabet from a book before I left the US, and this saved my life once I got into classes-I'd recommend picking up a book or finding an Arabic speaker on campus to help you out before going on this program.

"Al Al-Bayt University is a new public school created out of an old army barracks after the peace treaty was signed with neighboring Israel. It's a couple of miles outside Mafraq, a growing city of maybe 80,000 people on the edge of the desert, about an hour north of the capital, Amman. I could find just about everything I needed in Mafraq, including internet access, which is spreading throughout the country. I went into town a few days a week mostly to do a little shopping or eat out (30 cent falafel, aw yeah!) Mafraq's not exactly a city known for wild nightlife, but it's a safe and friendly town, and a great place to practice Arabic.

"The classes at the Language Center were good if a little crazy (we had tea breaks between classes and most of the professors were chain smokers), running from about 9-2 daily, Sunday-Thursday. I learned an amazing amount of Arabic for the amount of time I was in Jordan. I think this is mainly because I lived in a dorm with 60 incredibly friendly Jordanian girls, very few of whom spoke much English. Since Mafraq is a pretty remote city, it was hard to use English in town or at the houses of any locals, but constant invitations to tea gave me a chance to practice my spoken Arabic. It may seem a little overwhelming to be invited into a home after just a few minutes of conversation, but this is the way to really see Jordan and its people. Being considerate of Jordanian/Mafraqi customs in these situations (never accepting food, gifts, etc with your left hand, leaving your shoes at the door, dressing modestly, etc) gets you far, so do your homework before you go.

"Compared to all other summer Arabic programs I looked at, this was a very cheap program. It's just getting started and has a few kinks in it, but overall it was incredible. Jordan is beautiful, even in the middle of the hot summer, but it's really the people who make it such a fun place. And, it's a very small country, so traveling is pretty easy. If you want to visit neighboring countries, though, be sure to get visas before you leave the States!" E-mail: hope_fitzgerald@maktoob.com.