Blog - Page 11 of 131 - Off-Campus Study

Pick Your People

Happy Friday!

After the full week of travel during Reflective week, it has been refreshing to be back in Liverpool this week! To echo the words of another friend studying abroad, I hadn’t realized how much Liverpool had started to feel like home until I returned from Italy. On Sunday, I left the city center of Rome around 5:00pm and after one train, two buses, and one flight, I was finally back in Aigburth Park close to midnight. Fumbling to unlock the door of my flat, I was filled with a rush of warmth at the familiarity my little room whose uneven whitewashed walls are adorned with pictures, quotes, and letters from friends back home.

Familiar Rhythms

Morning runs along the River Mersey and through Sefton Park, having the comfortability of actually knowing the public transport system, reuniting with fellow study abroad students, making a homemade dinner rather than eating a deliciously soggy PB&J at the airport, finding a private study nook in the library, bowling with the politics society at LHU, taking the time to WhatsApp video call my family, and going out with friends from church for Valentine’s Day are just some of the little moments that brought me joy this week.

Returning to the rhythms of Liverpool this week has left me reflecting on the pace of my study abroad experience. The conversations with other international students at LHU are often peppered with travel plans for our next weekend trip. I’ve found it easy to get drawn into this culture of constantly going. When one of my British classmates commented on how much I’ve been gone, I replied, “I don’t know when I’ll be back in Europe, and I want to see it while I can!” After all, everything is accessible and flights are cheap. I almost went to Belgium next weekend because I found a round trip flight for $18!

I love the adventure of traveling and visiting new places, but I found myself more conscious of how quickly time is passing: I only have 4 weeks of classes left in Liverpool plus a week of final assessments. Not only does this mean I need to “get cracking” on my final papers (as the Brits would say) but my travels during Reflective week have made me consider how I want to intentionally spend the rest of my time in Europe.

Study spot, foreseeing more days in the library soon

Reflections on Italy

I’ve realized it was the experiences with people in Italy that made that visit so memorable. Whether it was the random student at the airport who helped me find the correct bus to Vatican City when he realized I couldn’t speak Italian, the rich conversations on faith and philosophy with Megan, Andrew, and Julia over a delicious Italian dinner, the lady at 5:00am at the bus stop who led me out of a potentially hazardous situation on my way to Florence, or laughing over the most amazing gelato with Megan before we said goodbye, the moments I shared with others shine the strongest in my memory. Don’t get me wrong, I marveled at all the touristy things in Rome (the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Palatine Hill, Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant’ Angels, Capuchin Crypt, Spanish Stairs, Altar of the Fatherland, Mass at a Cathedral in the Vatican…) but as magnificent as those historical monuments may be, perhaps they don’t have lasting significance.

I’m reminded of what Trygve always says in Friday chapel on Anchor Days: “Pick your people.” So, instead of showing you a selection of the 500+ pictures I took in Italy the impressive architecture where history came alive, here’s a snapshot of my trip, focusing on the people that made it special.

Pondering and Planning

My friends would probably tell you that sometimes I’m a little late to realizing the most obvious things. Like for example, spending every weekend exploring a new big city is exhausting. In Rome, there were so. many. people. As the bus took me out to the airport, I was captivated by the vineyards and the mountains. My spirit was quieted as we left the chaos of the city for the quiet of the countryside. No matter how much I may want to pretend otherwise, my tolerance for cities isn’t extensive. Four days was plenty of time. This “revelation” was helpful as I continue to plan my weeks of traveling at the end of the semester. Rather than hopping from one big tourist city to another, I want to explore more national parks and small towns.

Florence…not a small town but I discovered some quiet, lovely places in the sunshine.

It’s tempting to make choices based on where I think I should travel rather than visiting places that fill my soul with peace and joy. I don’t want to be so swept up with the desire to explore that I miss what God has prepared for me in each moment. Practicing this thinking may might mean going back to some ordinary place that was special to me or staying in Liverpool for the weekend and making “American” pancakes with Romane or helping out at my volunteer placement on a Saturday instead of crossing one more thing off my ever-growing bucket list.

Navigating the balance between being present in Liverpool and taking advantage of the opportunity to travel can be difficult to discern. During these next four weeks, I want to spend more time investing in the friendships that I’ve formed, not always running off to the next big adventure and missing the moments to be a blessing.

Perhaps Trygve’s reminder to “pick your people” will encourage or convict you in some way this week as it has for me. 🙂

Cheers!

Sidewalks

I prepared for the major cultural differences before coming to Jordan. I knew that I would have to dress more conservatively than I do in the U.S., and I expected to struggle to communicate in Arabic. There are bunches of little cultural differences that are impossible to prepare for, though. Jordanian beds usually don’t have top sheets, for example, and toilet paper must be thrown away instead of flushed because the toilets use very little water. Another small adjustment I had to make was in my commutes.

“My neighbor says anything we plant

in September takes hold.

She’s lining pots of little grasses by her walk.”
Nye, Naomi Shihab. “Late August Hours before the Year 2000.” You and Yours, BOA Editions Ltd, 2005.

Every day, my commute begins with a short walk from my house to the place where I meet my friends to carpool. The sidewalks in Amman are very beautiful because they have trees and plants in the center. Unfortunately, this means that they are not very easy to navigate.

Amman has less of a culture of walking than cities in the U.S. Part of the reason for this is that it is so incredibly hilly. My walk is short, but very steep both ways.

Sometimes the trees take over the sidewalk and the people get crowded off to the road. Priorities!

Before I came to Amman, I was expecting to see very little green. I knew that Jordan is a dry country, so I expected plants to be rare.

This is not the case at all! The gardens here are beautiful, and there are flowers everywhere. Right now citrus fruits are in season, and there are lemon and orange trees covered in fruit everywhere. Turns out not all U.S. stereotypes of the Middle East are accurate (to say the least!).

Lemon and orange trees near a house, with a bonus kitty taking a bath on the wall

After my walk, I catch an Uber or Careem (Jordan’s version of Uber) with a few friends that live near me. Our drive to the SIT center takes about fifteen minutes, and costs between 1-2 JD. SIT gives us a stipend to cover transportation costs. Because our drive is short and we share the cost, I normally have plenty of money left over at the end of the week. That means the weekends are the perfect time for souvenir shopping!

Classes end for the day around 4:00, and we catch a ride home. The traffic going back is a lot worse, and it can take around thirty minutes to reach our neighborhood. If we arrive after dark, we take the car to each person’s house instead of walking back from our meeting point, which also adds to the commute time. Amman is a very safe city, but we’re foreigners and not fully accustomed to our neighborhood yet, so we err on the side of caution.

Learning to manage my daily commute has been one of the biggest boosts to my confidence I’ve experienced since arriving in Jordan. I’ve learned to take an uber safely, to understand street names and numbers in Amman, and to find my way. Before I left, I was terrified of getting lost in an unfamiliar city—but it turns out, it’s not actually all that scary. Google maps makes it easy to see where I am, and my host mom is always just a phone call away if I need someone to come find me.

As I’m writing this, it’s the end of my second full week in Amman. I’ve learned so much already, about myself and about the culture here. I’m excited to see what comes next as I journey down the sidewalk (see what I did there?!) of studying abroad. Bring on the trees!

Four Countries, One Week

Hello from Ireland, Wales, and Italy, although by the time this is published, I’ll be back in England!

At Liverpool Hope University (LHU), terms are split into four weeks of class followed by a reflective week. Reflective weeks are weeks without classes intended for students to catch up on work, study, research, or rest. This is my first reflective week at LHU which marks the halfway point of my academic program! How have I already been here for six weeks? I’m planning a post about university here and some of the educational differences I’ve experienced (including the 18 days of strikes), but for now, I want to catch you up on some recent trips.

Ireland: 2/2-2/5

Dublin

Where to even begin? My Thursday night flight from Liverpool to Dublin was seamless. I had planned a long weekend trip to visit two friends from Hope, Claire and Bridget, who are studying abroad in Dublin. I couldn’t stop smiling my plane took off, eyes glued to the window. The flight was quick; after 30 minutes the orange glow of Dublin’s city lights zoomed into view.

Dublin is the perfect blend of big city charm and quaint history. I love that the city is incredibly walkable! Claire and Bridget showed me around the city on Friday, taking me to their favorite coffee shop, bookstore, and a delicious lunch spot called Beanhive Coffee. We also visited the Trinity Library to marvel at the book of Kells and the Long Room. A stop at Dublin castle marked my first visit to a real castle!

We walked along the River Liffey to Phoenix park, a 1750 acre park north of the city. It’s actually Europe’s largest city park! We didn’t wander far into the park, but watched the sun set in layers of rose and gold over the mountains.

Of course, a visit to Dublin wouldn’t be complete without an evening at one of the numerous pubs for a Guinness and live Irish music!

Despite appearances, I do not like Guinness at all 😉

Bray, Glendalough, Wicklow

On Saturday, we took the dart (train) to Bray, a coastal town 45 minutes south of Dublin. The walk along the beach was lovely. From Bray, we took a bus to Glendalough. We explored the ruins of the monastery before hiking in Wicklow National Park. If I had to pick one top moment of my time in Ireland, this would be a favorite. The hike climbed steeply, providing stunning views of the lake. Mist settled in over the rich pine woods, threading through the damp pine-scented air enveloping the accordion of green hills. Savoring the sweeping beauty of Ireland with some of my favorite people was a memory I’ll hold forever.

Dublin 2.0

On Sunday morning, I walked to St. Patrick’s cathedral for a Eucharist service. Morning light filtered through the stain glass windows, illuminating the cold stone walls and impressive arches. Following the service, I explored the cathedral and listened to the choir rehearsal for Matins and Evensong. Late morning, I met up with Blaire at a charming outdoor market in St. Patrick’s park.

It was a beautiful afternoon and after lunch at Blaire’s favorite cafe. We strolled around Dublin, walking through the iconic Temple Bar District, stopping at the library for an exhibit on Yeats (shout out to Brit Lit II), and the National Museum of Ireland – Archeology. I had a late flight back to Liverpool, arriving back at my flat around midnight, where I unpacked my backpack and packed my luggage for my trip to Wales the next morning!

Wales: 2/6-2/8

Plas Caerdeon

The international study office at LHU sponsored an international and exchange student trip to Plas Caerdeon Outdoor Retreat Centre near Barmouth, North Wales during the first few days of reflective week. On the way, we stopped in a cute town called Bala where I enjoyed a snack of bara brith, a traditional welsh tea bread.

When we arrived in Barmouth, we enjoyed a packed lunch before walking (and running and skipping and jumping) along the shores of the Irish Sea. We climbed above Barmouth to the first National Trust site in the UK. To the north, the shadowy outline of the mountains were purple against a bright blue sky while southwest, steep hills and cliffs swept away towards the brilliant gold sun. Rocky hills spattered with the yellow blossoms of common gorse rose behind us while Barmouth and the sea fell away in front of us.

There were many times throughout our visit to Wales that the other students and I turned to one another in disbelief, “Is this real?” The retreat center is tucked up in the mountains but overlooks an estuary that feeds into Barmouth Bay and the Irish Sea. We spent a restful evening at Plas Caerdeon watching the sunset, playing games, and settling in to prepare for the full day of activities on Tuesday.

I choose rock climbing and canoeing as my two activities. Both provided stunning views of the mountains, the estuary, and the sea, although the canoeing was much more tranquil than the rock climbing.

On our way back to Liverpool on Wednesday, we drove through the valleys and cliffs of northern Wales. Wide-eyed, I watched as our bus driver navigated sharp turns and steps drop-offs. I fantasized what it would be like to live in one of the little towns tucked in the shadows of those impressive hills.

Conwy

We stopped at Conwy in North Wales and spent three hours exploring the medieval castle, city walls, and the cute town. As Taryn remarked, “Before now, these places only existed in my imagination!” A fun moment was FaceTiming my family from the top of one of the tower turrets!

My adventures buddies, Romane and Taryn!

England: 2/8

I arrived back at my flat around 6:00 last night (Wednesday) and busied myself preparing for my 7:15 flight to Rome! I’m writing this blog post as I ride the bus to the airport where I’m taking a flight to Rome for the last half of the week! By the time this is actually published, I’ll have been Rome for a few days, meeting up with other Hope study abroad students, Megan and Andrew.

Pre-Rome Airport Reflections: 2/9

As I was unpacking and repacking last night, I reflected on how grateful I am for this opportunity to travel and explore. I’ve certainly caught the “travel bug”. Four countries in one week seems unreal, and it’s certainly been exhausting (although as of this writing, Italy has yet to come!) but also rewarding. Each new place I visit leaves me inspired by the beauty and majesty of creation. There’s something humbling and rewarding about recognizing my smallness next to the grandeur of the world. With every swirling tide, towering cliff, rolling hill, and picturesque village, I’m reminded of the creativity and power of the Creator.

But sometimes it’s not the impressive grandeur of Europe that makes me stop and catch my breath, sometimes it’s just the gentle trilling of the song birds in the morning, the way the sunset softens the world to shades of lavender, the twinkle of the stars at night, or how the cool breeze blows through the pine trees. Sometimes, the little moments are magical.

That’s all for some early morning ramblings and reflections. If you made it this far, thank you! I appreciate those of you who have been following the blog or texting and calling; your love and support means so much to me!

New Scouse Word: “Boss,” meaning incredibly awesome.

Kodak Moment: Glendalough National Park, the mist over the valley leading into the lake.

Someone new I met this week: At St. Patricks Cathedral, I met a member of the congregation who said he’d been attending services at St. Patricks since he was a child in the 1930s!

Word of the week: Explore.

Rain and Shine… and Snow?!

Where has the time gone!? A rhetorical question because I know where the time has gone; it has turned moments into memories. My mind and heart are becoming acquainted with the fact that life moves fast.

Planning my attack.
The excitement builds…
and builds…
yup, my life has changed.
Of course, adventures are always better when you are sharing them with friends.

Hospitality

A few things I have been grateful for recently: my kind host who knitted me a beautiful pair of socks; Nenfa and Sam, my four-legged siblings who are the bests of friends; quiet morning walks to the U-Bahn station; and of course, imfamous German chocolate.

I arrived safely to my homestay and was greeted by my wonderful host and her two dogs. My beautiful new friends were quick to show me around the neighborhood; the place I would be calling home for the next four months. We explored the local sights, located the nearest U-Bahn station, and grabbed a few essentials at our closest Lidl.

I am so grateful to be staying with such a patient host who is an incredible dog mom, welcomes my mistakes, and bakes wonderful Käsekuchen.

Walks

Walking has been a large part of my life here in Berlin. Since arriving, I have not seen the inside of a car, and instead have become acquainted with the wonderful public transit system Berlin boasts. I have enjoyed being one with the elements, or rather I have realized this is something I will have to enjoy. There is a phrase that I find very fitting of the German mindset when it comes to clothing, “Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung.” Roughly translating to, “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing.”

We have experienced rain, shine, and snow; sometimes all in the same day. I am loving the unexpected nature and spontaneity of it all.

Walking everywhere has forced me to be more aware of my surroundings in a beautiful way. No longer am I able to close the car door and tune out the world for the duration of my commute, rather I am forced to notice the subtle details I would have otherwise missed.

Listening well

If only every building, door, empty space, and street could tell us about the lives they have lived. What would they say? I feel walking allows me to listen closer to the stories they want to share.

When I am walking, I am often walking to or from an S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus, or tram station. IES provides every student with a monthly pass to utilize the transportation system as much as they would like. I have used this public transit system to experience the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin wall, the famous Museum Island, the Mercedes Benz Arena and so many other amazing places. I have loved visiting local churches, the Berlin Philharmonie, and an abandoned 19th century sanatorium just to name a few. What a wild semester already.

Berlin has been very kind to me, and I am excited to see and experience more of this intricate place.

I appreciate you following along!

Discovering Amman

“Time present and time past

Are both perhaps present in time future,

And time future contained in time past.”
Eliot, T.S. “Burnt Norton.” Four Quartets, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1971.

The English major in me will always want to add poetry to my blog posts, but I chose this specific quote because I got to step into the past and the future of Amman this week!

Ampitheater

My friends and I had some free time over the weekend, so we decided to visit the Roman Ampitheater in the center of Amman. Just like Rome, Amman is built on seven hills, and the Ampitheater is in the center.

We only paid 2JD per person (less than $3) to be able to enter the Ampitheater. Once we climbed to the top, we received a spectacular view of the city.

More Roman ruins are visible along the horizon. My host dad told me that there are ancient tunnels connecting the two locations!

Next to the Ampitheater, a small museum displays traditional Bedouin clothing and jewelry from around the region.

It is an absolutely incredible feeling to touch stones that are thousands of years old. Something about climbing the stairs and running my hands over the rock gave me a deep sense of peace.

Studying abroad isn’t easy; making friends, adjusting to the culture, and keeping up academically all take plenty of work. Visiting the Ampitheater was a good reminder of why I chose to study abroad, in a moment that transcended stress and anxiety.

City Tour

The day after we visited the Ampitheater, SIT brought us on an Amman city tour. Our guide was a young man who focused on street art, poetry, and human stories of the city.

We were also introduced to several initiatives and coffee shops that support humanitarian causes and local artists. I ended up with a bunch of reminders on my phone for places I want to revisit!

The English translation of this parking garage poem can be found at Amman’s Urban Poetry – Between Deserts

I am a huge poetry lover, and one of my goals for the semester is to learn to read Arabic poetry. Seeing snippets of Jordanian poetry and art during this tour gave me renewed motivation to practice my Arabic so that I can understand more!

I am ending the week with a feeling of incredible happiness. It can’t compare to anything I’ve felt before in my life. It’s a mixture of pride for making it here, gratitude for all the new experiences I’ve had, and hope for the future.

“A Song for a Different Dance”: A short note on FOMO

On the train from Berlin back to Prague, a girl in my program said she hadn’t done her homework yet, but that was a “song for a different dance.”

I’d never heard this phrase before and it charmed me immediately. While she used it to refer to her homework, it applies to many aspects of studying abroad.

Something that I have been struggling with recently is feeling like I am not making the most of my time in Prague. I’ll look at my neighbor in class and see they’re booking flights to Spain, Portugal, or France for the weekend. I’ll go on Instagram and see people from my program at trendy restaurants or famous landmarks. It’s hard not to be afraid that I’m wasting my time, that I’m not doing enough.

Views from the train. Somewhere in the German countryside.

But studying abroad isn’t just about traveling every weekend and getting your pictures in front of Prague Castle or on the Charles Bridge. Of course, those are fun elements of studying abroad and one of the reasons people choose to study off-campus. Still, in addition to that, studying abroad is about building a new routine from scratch in a foreign country. It’s about adjusting to life in a different culture and gaining independence you may have never built before. It’s about becoming confident in yourself, your identity, and your ability to move through a multicultural world. It’s about learning how to go to the grocery store and not royally mess up.

This takes time, and it won’t happen overnight. I know I still get nervous every time I walk into Lidl, my local grocery store chain. But I already feel challenged, stretched, and grown up, which I think is the point of studying abroad.

When I frame my study abroad experience in this way, I don’t feel as much pressure to keep up. To borrow from the girl in my train compartment, I realize we all have our own songs for different dances. No two people are going to have the same study-abroad experience, nor should they.

So, as I move into my third week in Prague, I am going to keep this thought in mind. Yes, I’ll plan trips and visit Prague Castle, but I’ll also count grocery shopping and taking the trams as big victories. I’ll listen to my own song and do my own dance.

After all, life happens in the mundane. Even life abroad.

Vietnamese Lunar New Year!

Denver has a large Asian community, and Lunar New Year is a big celebration there! There is a place called the Far East Center which is an outdoor/indoor business space that has restaurants, stores with traditional artwork and food, bakeries with delicious treats, and even a place with freshly caught fish.

The first store that we went into had just about everything. It had a lot of really pretty tea sets as tea can be an important part of the culture. They also had many plants and greenery that was all throughout the store. Buddha is known to be an important part of the Lunar New Year Celebration. Some cultures that celebrate this new year are Buddhist cultures, and in honor of that, the stores sell golden Buddhist statues.

I also learned that artwork in Vietnam is very special – everything is created with a purpose and a lot of intention behind it. So, from the tea pots to the statues, to these gorgeous lamps, everything is unique and special. Several pieces of the artwork included the lotus flower, which is the national flower of Vietnam and symbolizes purity, optimism for the future, and commitment.

Another big aspect that is important for Lunar New Year is scaring the bad spirits away. This is done through the lion dances and firecrackers which create the loud noises to scare the spirits. It was really cool to see the traditional lion dances from dance and karate departments around the area. It is beautiful to see all of the hand-painted heads, and you can see the detail really well in the picture with the yellow dragon. At one point they all go through a restaurant in the Far East Center and interact with the people there, which is super cool to see.

Firecrackers to scare away the spirits.

It is also crazy to see how strong and flexible the dancers have to be in order to do such incredible things. They had a karate performance which I did not get the best video of, but it was super cool!

2023 is the year of the Rabbit in China, which symbolizes grace, beauty, mercy, and good luck. And the year of the cat in Vietnam, which symbolizes sensitivity, gentleness, and kindness. Every year they have an ice sculpture creating an ice statue of the animal with the year on it. They have so many different tools and saws that create the most detailed, realistic sculpture ever!

It is also very common to give out Li Xi (pronounced leechee) gifts (or red envelopes with money in them). These symbolize good luck for the new year, as does wearing red, especially around the New Year.

Another common thing is for people to wear something new that they just purchased to a celebration. This is because the last year was old, and it is important to bring in the new year with new things, which helps celebrate. For example some people get a new Ao Dai (pronounced ow-yai), which is a traditional national garment. It is worn both for the new year and also for other special occasions.

It is always so fun to go to traditional celebrations and experience different cultures. When attending these types of celebrations, it is important that you are being respectful and curious while acknowledging the importance the traditions. And if possible, bring someone who is part of that culture to help you better understand and learn more about it!

Shoutout to my roommate Jolie for helping me with this blog post and for teaching me so many things about Vietnamese culture and the New Year celebrations!

Thanks for reading, until next time,

Aurora Franzon 2024

Adjusting to City Life

Hi again! Welcome to week two of Chicago adventures with me! This week was not as crazy as the previous one, but I feel I got to know people much better, which was definitely a highlight.

To kick off the week, I had my first official class for both my nursing course and art class. My professors are amazing, and I can’t wait to really jump into learning! For nursing, we are beginning our review journey as we all head toward our impending graduation this May, after which we will take our board exam, the NCLEX, to become registered nurses. Totally not intimidating or anything, right?! But anyway, we had to take a practice comprehensive exam to see where we stood, and I am happy to report that I didn’t outright fail! Was it pretty? No. Am I happy it’s over? Definitely!

The other exciting piece of nursing news I have for you all is that I began my internship at Northwestern and absolutely adore my preceptor and the floor I am on! I wish I could share everything with you, but that would be a likely HIPAA violation. So, for now, all I’ll say is I am already learning and growing, which feels great!

After nursing came art! As a class, we went to see The ripple, the wave that carried me home at the Goodman Theater. The play was written by Christina Anderson and centers on a family facing social justice issues from the 1960s to the 1990s. This play was beautiful, and I could honestly write forever about its many intricate pieces and amazing actors!

Outside of classes, my internship, and events, I spent time with friends and family trying new things! First, I explored the city and got more familiar with public transportation. This week was specifically buses! My friend Emily and I attempted to go to a Thai food restaurant (Silver Spoon). Ironically, while we successfully made it to said restaurant, we still somehow managed to enter the wrong place. Being too nervous and not confrontational, we ended up just eating at the really nice sushi restaurant we stumbled into (Friends Sushi). However, the story does have a happy ending because we tried again a few days later and successfully ate at the Thai food restaurant! After, Emily got to try boba for the first time and was blown away! Big thanks to Vin Tea for the fantastic boba treat!

Finally, I got to see my two beautiful sisters, Haley and Mandy, and Haley’s boyfriend Kyle. My sister Mandy lives in Crystal Lake, which is about an hour outside the city. I stayed there relaxing before we all made our way over to do some bowling. I, unfortunately, lost fairly badly, but at the very least, Kyle was worse, haha! We ended the night by going to dinner at Buona Beef which is probably one of the nicest fast-food chain restaurants I have ever been to.

I’m having a really great time in Chicago! I will admit, though, that I do miss the friends I left back in Holland, but I guess that’s the best part about choosing here over another place – I can go back really whenever! Anyway, I will catch you all next week!

Favorite coffee of the week: Big Shoulder’s Coffee

Optimum Culture Shock

Hi friends! I’m typing this from Amman, Jordan, and I’m finally starting to believe that I might actually be studying abroad this semester. It feels like a dream. Apologies in advance for the photo quality—I took tons of pictures, but I’m a horrible photographer so you’ll have to use your imagination to fill in the details.

Travel

We had a very packed backseat on the way to JFK

We picked my little sister up from school and went straight to JFK Airport. It took us about two and a half hours to get there, and I had just enough time to grab some food at the airport and say goodbye to my family before it was time to head through security.

My flight departed at 9:10pm on Monday and arrived in Jordan at 3:50pm on Tuesday, so with the time difference included the flight itself was just under eleven hours. My travel time felt much longer, though, since I left my house in the early afternoon and arrived in late afternoon on the next day. I was very ready to sleep in a real bed! SIT staff met students at the airport and drove us to our hotel.

I’ve never traveled outside of the country before, and I’ve only flown by myself a handful of times. I’m here to say that it’s possible! I was super nervous about security, customs, the Visa process, and staying on a plane for such an extended time, but all of it was way more doable than I had imagined it to be.

Orientation

Next up was orientation! We covered everything from Jordanian cultural norms, to important Arabic phrases, to how to shop at a suq (market) without getting scammed and safe practices for women in Amman. It was tons of information thrown at us very quickly, but the program staff are very kind and make sure that we’re awake and not overwhelmed. They also bring us to Jordanian restaurants twice a day to experience the amazing food—more on that to come!

On our second-to-last day of orientation we had a drop-off event where we separated into groups and went on scavenger hunts around the city of Amman. My group visited a shawarma stand, a library, and a cool little bookstore that sold merchandise focusing on justice issues in this region, especially freedom for Palestine.

I’m moving out of the hotel and into my host family’s house tomorrow, and I’m so excited to meet them! Stay tuned to find out how it goes.

The Highs

So far I’ve really enjoyed Amman. I’m at the high point of culture shock—the time at which everything feels amazing. I expect that eventually the lows will kick in and I’ll start to miss my people and habits back at home, but for now everything about Jordan is fascinating and utterly enchanting.

So far, my favorite aspects of Amman have been…

The cats! This is a silly thing to start with but there are friendly stray cats everywhere and I love them so much. If you hear about an American student trying to smuggle a stray cat through the airport out of Amman in a few months, all I can say is…. it wasn’t me.

Hummus, falafel, eggs, liver, tomatoes… love

2. The food. Seriously, it’s even better than I expected, and I had very high expectations. My favorites so far are kanafa, a dessert that’s made with cheese on the bottom and a crunchy, sweet top, and an incredibly flavorful baba ghanoush with pomegranate seeds on top. Runners up: shawarma, mansaf, the hummus and pita bread that magically appears on the tables of every restaurant we go to.

3. The smells. This is kind of a weird one, since it mostly smells like smoke from cigarettes and shisha mixed with whatever food is currently cooking. It’s so different from the U.S. and I think it’s really fun. Every time I step outside, I get reminded that I’ve made it halfway across the world. It’s a little boost of happiness.

The Lows

This isn’t to say that study abroad is all sunshine and rainbows. I’ve struggled to form connections with the other students in my program, and I keep getting hit with imposter syndrome. I had very little time to prepare to be here, so I feel like I’m playing catch-up with learning Arabic and researching the history of this region. I worry about whether or not my host family will like me and what to do if I accidentally offend them.

What I keep coming back to, though, is that I’ve already made it here. I’m proud of all the work I put into this, and although I don’t believe that I deserve to be here, I do know that it is an incredible gift of grace. My goal is to approach everything with an open mind and a commitment to learning as much as possible.

I’ll close with the words of Khalil Gibran, a poet I’ve been coming back to recently:

“For to stay, though the hours burn in the night, is to freeze and crystallize and be bound in a mould.

Fain would I take with me all that is here. But how shall I?”
Gibran, Khalil. The Prophet. Alfred Knopf, New York, 1923.

Choosing to leave a place of familiarity and comfort is choosing to break out of a mold. Every day that I’m here, I can feel my mold breaking a little bit more, freeing me to embrace new growth.

Departure Thoughts

As I sit here at Gate M24 in Chicago’s O’Hare airport, I am graced by the sunlight that shines forcefully through the clouded windowpanes displaying the organized chaos that litters the tarmac. My day was filled with last minute packing, my last homemade matcha latte, a smooth little road trip to the Windy City with my sweet mother, and a few not so smooth experiences as I attempted to make it through the airport to my gate.

Travel Companion Reunion

The first memorable experience on my new adventure happened just about as soon as I stepped out of our trusty Honda Odyssey. I checked my bag, weighed my carry on, and acquired my boarding passes; I had not however managed to remember my water bottle. My beautiful water bottle equipped with a compass, flint and steel, and a Paracord handle was still hanging out in the car with my mom who already on her way home. As soon as I was able, I gave my mom a ring on my “Handy”(German for cellphone:) and very humbly asked if she would be willing to reunite me with my water bottle. I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming kindness she displayed by making the 20 minute trek back in Chicago traffic to deliver my travel companion.

Reunion #2

The memorable experiences kept coming! Feeling grateful for the recent reunion, I looked down to discover I in fact did not have my neck pillow hanging on my carry-on. It was true. I called my mom once more this time asking if my neck pillow was hanging out in the van. She again met me with grace, but this time was not able to confirm the neck pillow was in her presence. Realizing it was not in the van, I came to the only remaining conclusion: I had dropped it. With a weary smile on my face, I peered through the foggy, upper-level window to discover my neck pillow patiently waiting for me on the road outside. Descending the escalator for the second and final time, I causally trotted to the road and humbly retrieved my neck pillow from the friendly pile of salt that had kept my neck pillow company while I was away.

A Win for Sustainability

Brushing off the dust and salt, I then encouraged my neck pillow to stay connected to my carry-on as I made my way towards the security check-point. I was excited to see the line for security was virtually nonexistent, just like my knowledge of what was to come.

I proceeded to take off my trusted Blundstone boots and place them in the plastic trays, retrieve my laptop from my bag and place it in its own tray, empty all of my pockets, take my jacket off, and send all of my remaining items through. I entered the full body scanner in my socks that read “CHRIST STRENGTHENS ME,” and I smiled and felt a little more at peace. I then stopped smiling because I thought that might seem suspicious. That peace attempted to flee my body when I saw my bag had been taken aside for further inspection. I made peace stay with me as I gathered up the items that had made it through the scanner unscathed. I waited patiently to be called over to the bag inspection area and was told not to make any movements towards my bag. I acknowledged the command and watched as the TSA agent attempted to locate a “sharp metal object” in my bag. I was thoroughly confused at this because although my packing was last minute, I was confident no “sharp metal objects” had made their way into my carry-on.

I was pleasantly surprised when the TSA agent pulled out my reusable chopstick container and asked “are these chopsticks metal?” I simply could not hold back my smile maybe a little laugh as my bag was handed back to me. It brought me joy to know that my sustainable efforts had been noticed, even if for the wrong reason. Maybe the TSA agent will decide to invest in a pair of reusable utensils after our interaction! My first sustainable win of the adventure!

Memorable Moments

After a memorable first hour of travel, Ben Rector and I are hanging out at gate M24 excited for the plethora of new adventures that await. His song “Paris” streams through my noise cancelling headphones that will most likely prevent me from hearing important flight announcements. Despite this, I listen on and reflect on what I have learned so far.

I have learned to welcome memorable moments. Some may replace the word “memorable” with words such as “unexpected,” “stressful,” or “uncomfortable.” I, on the other hand, hope to welcome these moments with expectation rather than dread. Memorable, uncomfortable, and stressful moments are a part of every journey big or small, how will I choose to embrace them?

Oh, I have also learned to double check I have all of my items multiple times.

Well, I’m off to Paris with my water bottle, neck pillow, and heart full of gratitude!

Catch ya later friends!

Familiar Rhythms

Reflections on Italy

Pondering and Planning

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Ireland: 2/2-2/5

Dublin

Bray, Glendalough, Wicklow

Dublin 2.0

Wales: 2/6-2/8

Plas Caerdeon

Conwy

England: 2/8

Pre-Rome Airport Reflections: 2/9

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Hospitality

Walks

Listening well

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Ampitheater

City Tour

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Travel

Orientation

The Highs

The Lows

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Travel Companion Reunion

Reunion #2

A Win for Sustainability

Memorable Moments

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