Cutting the Cord: How I Learned to Ditch the Smart Phone in Jordan

Harold Lyons is a student at the University of Maine, Orono and an ISA Featured Blogger. Harold is currently studying abroad in Amman, Jordan on an ISA Academic Year program.

Smart phones are undoubtedly one of the greatest technological advances in the last 100 years. Music, navigation and internet access make them an invaluable tool in our everyday lives. Recently, there has been an explosion of app development. There is quite literally an app for everything. All of these aspects combine to make an addicting piece of technology.

College marked my first foray into smart phone technology, and I was hooked. As a man who enjoys efficiency almost to the point of laziness, my HTC Desire was the perfect tool for school. Google Calendar allowed me to schedule my time, to plan my assignments and to easily share this information with others. Apps such as Twitter and Flipboard allowed me to check the news while I got my morning cup of coffee. Evernote allowed me to access my notes for impromptu study sessions anywhere.

Surprises in Jordan: Rain, Cold, and Scuba

Lydia Shippen is a student at University of North Carolina, Wilmington and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with her Arabic professor at UNC Wilmington. Lydia is currently studying in Amman, Jordan on a Fall 1 program.

This is a sunset in on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Up until the past two weeks, the weather in Amman has been fairly predictable: sunny, dry, and warm.  Things began to change in a drastic way within the last two weeks.  It actually started to rain!  Along with the rain came the sudden cold weather.  My roommates and I find ourselves frequently quoting Al-Kitaab (our Arabic textbook) as we say “Baarid jiddan” (It’s very cold).  The voice from the book will forever be stuck in my head.

Discovering Amman’s Hidden Colors

Lydia Shippen is a student at University of North Carolina, Wilmington and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with her Arabic professor at UNC Wilmington. Lydia is currently studying in Amman, Jordan on a Fall 1 program.

As I mentioned before, at first glance Amman is a city built of cream-colored buildings.  They seem to be stacked upon one another as you scan the horizon.

This is a view of Amman from Jabal Weibdeh, one of the artsy neighborhoods.

Electoral Approval in Amman

Harold Lyons is a student at the University of Maine, Orono and an ISA Featured Blogger. Harold is currently studying abroad in Amman, Jordan on an ISA Fall 1 program.

President Barak Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

The election of 2012 was of personal importance to me. The election was not significant to me because I was particularly supportive of either candidate, quite the opposite really. It would have been the first presidential election when I would be eligible to vote. The ability to vote for our leaders is a right I have never taken for granted, and I was genuinely excited to exercise my right. Spending time in the Middle East studying political science has only made me appreciate my rights more.

Why I Would Waste Away in Wadi Rum

Harold Lyons is a student at the University of Maine, Orono and an ISA Featured Blogger. Harold is currently studying abroad in Amman, Jordan on an ISA Fall 1 program.

Hailing from the rough coast of Eastern Maine, I always assumed I understood the term “rugged beauty.” Vast forests of evergreen rise up to oppose the never-ending blue of the Atlantic Ocean. The bold coastline was my home for many years, so forgive my slight bias when I proclaim there is nothing more beautiful than the Maine coast.

Any desert is as alien to this native of Maine as the deserts of Mars, itself. Needless to say, I was completely unprepared for what was in store for me. Simply describing Wadi Rum as a “desert” does not give justice to its vastness, its loneliness, its emptiness. Spires of sandstone erupt from the glistening sea of red sand, interspersing the simple peacefulness with something much more dangerous. If the Atlantic Ocean could envelop you in a chilled embrace, than the desert of Wadi Rum could wrap you in an endless inferno.

Middle Eastern Hospitality: Tea, Dessert and Dancing

Lydia Shippen is a student at University of North Carolina, Wilmington and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with her Arabic professor at UNC Wilmington. Lydia is currently studying in Amman, Jordan on a Fall 1 program.

Before coming to Amman, many people told me that Jordanians are some of the most hospitable people that they have ever met.  Following that news, I came expecting people to be nice and welcoming, but I honestly did not expect the sheer amount of hospitality that I have experienced!  Within the first few weeks here, my friends and I met a man who owned a hotel in downtown Amman.  He invited us over for tea and we enthusiastically accepted his offer.  The night turned into one of the best nights in Amman as we drank tea on the roof of his hotel that overlooked the ruins of the Roman Amphitheater.  Then we went downstairs where he hosted a Dabkeh dance party.  The Dabkeh is a traditional dance from Jordan, Syria, and Palestine.   Below is a YouTube video of the guys showing us their skills.  Later they taught us all how to dance and we continued the festivities late into the night.

Meals in the Middle East

Harold Lyons is a student at the University of Maine, Orono and an ISA Featured Blogger. Harold is currently studying abroad in Amman, Jordan on an ISA Fall 1 program.

The most affordable fruit stand in Amman.

The importance of food quickly became evident while attempting to acclimate to Jordanian culture. In the States, home cooking is usually a sign of hospitality. It seems as if hosts prepare lavish feasts in order to indirectly boast of their means. In Jordan, exceptional cooking is an obligation ingrained into their very culture.

Food is quite affordable in Amman. In what I thought was a bizarre cosmic joke, I realized the healthier, more authentic Arabic food is cheaper than America’s fast-food counterparts. Luckily for me, American food is viewed as somewhat of a delicacy. For example, Pizza Hut is much more expensive than most of the Jordanian restaurants in the area. In a rare twist of events, I am now happy to be a broke college student. My inherent lack of funds force me to eat the local Jordanian food, by necessity alone.

Jordanian Values: the Individual vs. the Family

I am used to living in a place where, even as a woman, I am encouraged to live and travel on my own. A question that I often receive is “Are you alone here?” The fact that I am a woman traveling without family is mind-boggling to a lot of people.

In Jordan, Food has Spirit

Lydia Shippen is a student at University of North Carolina, Wilmington and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with her Arabic professor at UNC Wilmington. Lydia is currently studying in Amman, Jordan on a Fall 1 program.

Food is an art here in Jordan.  There is even an Arabic phrase, “Akul Al-Nafas” that means “food of spirit.”   This is used when someone cooks their food with a lot of spirit, love, and character.  A tremendous amount of time and care is taken throughout every step of the process, from washing the food, to cooking it, and then finally to eating the meal.  The passion behind cooking is something that I have seen and experienced in the United States, but in Jordan it takes on a new meaning.  The spices are plentiful, the fruits and vegetables are fresh and organic, and in my opinion everything tastes richer.

This is the ISA students with Balqees, our Arabic professor, enjoying our home-cooked family dinner!

Tetris, Taxis, and Fairouz in Jordan

Lydia Shippen is a student at University of North Carolina, Wilmington and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures  blogger corresponding with her Arabic professor at UNC Wilmington. Lydia is currently studying in Amman, Jordan on a Fall 1 program.

Amman is a very unique city.  In your first glance you will see tall cream-colored buildings that are built out of stone and cement.  You will experience the chaotic traffic and be afraid of crossing the street, but then you will soon realize that it functions in an organized chaos that can be likened to a game of Tetris.  Even with the pieces moving quickly and fitting into their spaces at the last second, it is surprisingly safe to cross the road.  In addition to the traffic, you will be amazed by the extremely talented taxi drivers.  Many of them multi-task with ease; they can smoke a cigarette, talk on the phone, and drive a manual car while somehow successfully navigating through the traffic.  A simple ride through the city can quickly turn into an adventure.

A picturesque view of Amman and the Jordanian flag.