“Adventure is Calling You: Traveling Abroad while Abroad” by Juliana Cosenza
I am easily convinced that travel is the most enriching experience in our lives. Coming from the perspective of someone who has spent the last few months living in Amman, Jordan, approximately 5,000+ miles away from home, travel matters. It opens you, it humbles you, but ultimately, it changes you. One of the reasons why I had chosen to study in Jordan was its close proximity to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa as well as Europe. Throughout my semester abroad, I have seen a few new countries, such as Jordan, Palestine, and Cyprus, while also re-visiting my favorite city: Jerusalem. While describing my travel process to these amazing places, I will also include some advice for any new AMIDEAST students craving adventure during their time abroad.
Jerusalem
During the first month of school, three other AMIDEAST students and I decided to take a weekend trip to Jerusalem. My advice: Do not fly into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The distance between Amman and Jerusalem is only 70 km, and it is much shorter and cheaper to cross the border at the King Hussein Border Crossing between Jordan and Israel. Please note, if you or anyone travelling with you is an Israeli citizen you must cross at the Northern Border. You can take either an Uber or a taxi to the border, but taxis will probably be much cheaper unless you Uber to the border early in the morning when there is less traffic. There is a fee for crossing the border on both sides which may vary for future reference. When exiting Jordan you pay approximately 10 Jordanian Dinar (JD) per person and when exiting Israel, you pay approximately 192 INS (Israeli New Shekel), which is about 39 JD or $55.
When you arrive at the Jordanian border, the officer will print out a slip of paper documenting your exit, and usually the officer will stamp that sheet of paper, not your passport. After paying the exit fee and having your paper stamped by the border officer, you will enter a Jett bus that will take you through the actual border and into Israel. The fare for the Jett bus is approximately 7 JD per person and extra if you have any additional suitcases. Advice: packing all your clothes in a small carry-on will save you from having to pay for luggage. Upon arriving on the Israeli side of the border, you will exit the bus and go through security. There were multiple security points, and depending on the officer, the time, and uncontrollable circumstances, you may receive some personal questions from the border officer. My advice: Remain calm when answering the border officers questions and provide brief answers. I also advise against bringing any political objects.
After going through security, you can walk outside the facility and get a taxi to wherever you are travelling. When I traveled from the border into Jerusalem, taxis going to Jerusalem were approximately 60 shekels per person or $17. The taxi into Jerusalem will stop at multiple stops on the way, most of them into East Jerusalem. Because Jerusalem borders the Israeli border wall with Palestine, you will go through an Israeli checkpoint where an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier will enter the van and check passports. Usually if you are American, they will barely look at your passport. In my experience, the IDF soldiers only checked the people on my bus who were Arab which showcased the reality of the relationship between Israel and Palestine. The last stop on the shared taxi is at Damascus Gate, the famous, ancient entrance into the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. Depending on where your hotel, hostel, or Airbnb is, you can either walk, taxi, or take the light rail that runs through various parts of the city. Unfortunately, there is no Uber in Israel, and taxis vary on price based on how far and how long you are travelling from one place to another. Tickets for the light rail (without transfers) are around 6 Shekels or $2, and the train schedule should be online.
On my first weekend trip to Jerusalem, our group had planned to travel to Ramallah in Palestine but we decided that due to limited time we would stay in Jerusalem. I do not know much about busing into Ramallah from Jerusalem based on personal experience, but general knowledge includes:
Cars in Israel have specific license plates. Those with blue license plates and the Israeli flag are Israeli citizen or certified cars and they can drive pretty much anywhere. Cars with green license plates and a P are Palestinian cars and their travel is strictly limited based on checkpoints and Israeli-controlled roads.
There are two types of buses in Israel and white buses are Arab or Palestinian buses. If you want to travel into the West Bank, get on a white bus. Make sure you have your passport as you will be entering a border checkpoint into the West Bank.
Buses do not operate on Shabbat (Saturdays) or other Jewish holidays. If you want to travel into Ramallah on Saturday, it will have to be by taxi which might be more expensive. Additionally, Friday is the Islamic day of rest, so if you plan on going into the West Bank, a lot of stores might be closed.
I enjoyed returning to Jerusalem twice throughout my time abroad since I had also gone with my parents during Fall Break. One of the most amazing things about returning to my favorite city was visiting the Dome of the Rock atop Temple Mount. Some tips that you should consider if you plan on visiting this beautiful gold mosque and courtyard:
Visiting hours are early in the morning, from approximately 8:30 to 11:30. The Dome of the Rock is closed on Fridays and Saturdays for the Islamic and Jewish holy days. All are welcome to visit and you can reach the entrance by the wooden staircase near the Western Wall. Enter the separate security line that is specifically for the Temple Mount and not the Western Wall.
For everyone: make sure to wear something long that will cover your legs. When I visited, I wore a long dress that had a small slit on the bottom, and I was given a skirt by the men who run the mosque. If you want to avoid being given a skirt, make sure to adjust your outfit to the dress requirements in order to respect the guidelines of the mosque.
If you are not Muslim, you cannot enter the mosque. Please be considerate of this requirement as this has been a rule since the early 2000s and remain respectful of these religious traditions, especially since this is one of the most holy sites in Islam.
Upon arriving back to Jordan, you go through a similar border processing but with less security checkpoints. If you cross through the King Hussein Border Crossing, you do not have to repay the 40 JD visa to enter Jordan; rather, you pay 1 JD at the police station when you extend your visa and confirm with the police that you have re-entered the country.
Paphos, Cyprus
Another new travel adventure was embarking on a trip to Paphos, Cyprus. AMIDEAST Blog Abroad Correspondent Ghufran and I booked our trip to Cyprus through Ryanair, a discount airline that flies out of Amman to certain European countries such as: Malta, Cyprus, Italy, Czech Republic, and Hungary. Although the flight prices from this airline are super cheap, the days when they fly out of Amman are usually in the middle of the week, which makes it difficult to schedule with classes and other things happening throughout the week. The flights to Cyprus were the only flights which lined up with a weekend, so Ghufran and I spontaneously booked our tickets and shortly after, made a reservation at a hotel.
We walked into our trip with little knowledge about the country, which allowed us to have few expectations. The flight from Amman to Paphos was surprisingly only about an hour, which is shorter than flying from Amman to Cairo. When we arrived at the Paphos airport, we were blown away by the beautiful Cypriot landscape, including views of the Mediterranean from our hotel room. Cyprus is within the European Union, so their currency is the Euro, which we were able to get at the airport. Prices in Cyprus for food, leisure, etc. are relatively cheap compared to other EU countries and we were able to explore different parts of the city without draining our wallets. We spent the weekend exploring the town, including famous landmarks such as the Tomb of the Kings, containing ancient Hellenistic tombs as well as buildings within the Old Town of Paphos. Additionally, we were able to relax poolside at our hotel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Although we were in Cyprus during the end of November into early December, the weather was relatively warm. During the day, you could feel the warm heat from the sun but by nighttime, temperatures do drop, making it necessary to bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. Upon arriving back to Amman, I had to pay the 40 JD visa at the airport, which meant that I just had to return to the police station within two weeks of my trip to re-register my entrance.
I was so thankful that I was able to visit Cyprus during my time abroad. It was such a calming and relaxing experience that allowed me to deeply reflect on my time abroad. Overall, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to take advantage of my proximity to Cyprus and be able to visit a new country which I had never imagined travelling to; the experience opened me in so many ways and allowed me to deeply appreciate Cyprus as a whole.
Travel is truly a transformative experience. While studying abroad, remember to take advantage of your opportunity to experience a new place that is closer to you than usual, lean into spontaneity, and remain open to the beauty which this world has to offer you through travel. My last piece of advice is: EXPLORE! Adventure is calling you.
