Jordan

The Jordanian flag flying high above the ruins of the ancient citadel, city center of Amman

For my next adventure, I went to Jordan for 10 days. First there was a Fulbright conference in Amman so I got to meet other Fulbrighters from around the region. It was FABULOUS! Not only did I get to see how things worked in Jordan, but I really enjoyed sharing stories and getting advice from the students from all around the Middle East and North Africa. Plus the added bonus of getting even closer to some Morocco Fulbrighters.

The Roman ruins at Jaresh, nestled into a very modern Amman

Bonding time with other goofy Fulbrighters, Jaci and Mohsin

After the Fulbright Commission in Jordan put on such an incredible event- with prominent speakers and small-group discussions, tours of the area and buffet after buffet- it was time to hit the road with Jaci and Elena. We started off in Petra, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, with a Tunisia Fulbrighter, Christen. I was mesmerized by the natural and ancient man-made rock formations, but like a true social scientist, the highlight for me was playing with some local kids as their mothers hocked jewelry to us and other tourists. There are waaaaaay too many pictures to post here, but these will give you an idea of my trip to Petra.

The most famous view in Petra, truly spectacular

Climbing some natural rock formations, equally as mesmerizing

Tickling a new little friend from the area

Riding in a camel train from one end of the enormous Petra back towards the beginning

After Petra, Jaci and Elena and I hopped in our rental car and set out for the Wadi Rum desert. Traveling in general was uneventful except for some wandering camels and our attempts to speak Jordanian dialect or even find bathroom stops. But we found our way to the incredible red desert and were met with enthusiastic guides who reminded me of my own desert friends back in Morocco. The nomadic desert people around the world seem to share a lot in common!

In Wadi Rum we slept in nomad tents, sang songs, watched the sunset, went scrambling up mountains and enjoyed the company of the sand and the stars. The only snag was when I split my pants open, right at the crotch, during a more strenuous climb. I like to think that the bandana I hung from my belt loop covered the hole so I didn't embarrass myself too much in front of our hosts, but I have a feeling they were just politely ignoring my ridiculous accident.

I'm sure Jaci and Elena will agree that the highlight was when our guide, Salem, jerked our jeep to a halt, hopped out and approached a roaming camel so he could milk it into a plastic water bottle. That's right, we drank fresh camel milk in the back of a jeep in the desert. Delicious and warm, no intestinal difficulties included. More than anything, I learned in Wadi Rum that I really am a desert person. Can't get enough of the sandy, dry, slow-paced life.

The red sand and rocks of Wadi Rum

Sunset in the desert

On top of the land bridge- the fruits of several hours of hiking and climbing

Guide Extraordinaire: Salem Qublan

Lunch with Elena and Jaci

With modern wonders and tranquille desert landscapes under our belt, our trio headed to the Red Sea where we could relax in Aqaba for our last nights in Jordan. This port city was described as a little town by our Jordanian friends, but we found it to be quite bustling and packed with beach go-ers from around Jordan and the world. Though famous for scuba diving, we were only able to fit in a few hours of snorkeling the beautiful reef plus an evening on the beach sipping cocktails and shisha/hookah/argila. Siiiiiiiigh :)

The beach at our hotel in Aqaba

Snorkel prep with Elena

A happy snorkel trio

After ten days all over Jordan, I was ready to head home to Morocco where I speak the right language and had many more adventures waiting. Jordan was lovely and I met wonderful new friends, but it was time to get back. I hope this was just the beginning of my experiences in the Middle East, inshallah!