“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.
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!
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.
