Introducing Fall 2018 Blog Abroad Correspondent: Lindsey McGuire
Hello all! My name is Lindsey McGuire and on September 1st I will be boarding a plane and traveling over 7,000 miles to Amman, Jordan, where I will spend my fall semester. It still doesn’t seem real that I will be living in another country for the next four months. While my mom is making lists upon lists of things I need to buy or do, my mind hasn’t really grasped the fact that August will soon end and my daily life will change drastically. This summer seems to have gone by so fast – I’ve interned on a campaign for governor, fostered a kitten who has since been adopted, spent my Saturdays cleaning garlic at a local orchard, and voted in a primary election.
Lindsey in her hometown of Las Vegas! Photo credit: McGuire, 2018
I’m typing this blog post from my home in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I live with my parents, younger brother, younger sister, dog, and two cats. I love my hometown, with its dry weather and stores open 24 hours a day. I’ve also loved getting to explore a new city by attending college across the country in Washington, DC. DC is an amazing place totally unlike what I’ve experienced growing up in Nevada. While in Las Vegas I might spend my time hiking or shopping at an outdoor mall, in DC I love to visit museums or walk through Georgetown. At George Washington University, I am majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in the Middle East. When I’m not attending class, doing homework, or writing hundreds of Arabic flashcards, I’m involved with the Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club and my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. I’m passionate about politics, the Beatles, art museums, and photography.
Lindsey at the National Mall in Washington, DC. Photo credit: McGuire, 2018
I’m excited to get pushed further outside my comfort zone by spending four months in Amman. Ever since I began looking at colleges in high school, I’ve known that I’ve wanted to study abroad. It wasn’t until I began taking Arabic and Middle East-specific classes at GW that I knew I wanted to go to Jordan. The country has such a fascinating history and is also at the center of so many current events.
I can’t wait to explore a new city and also immerse myself in the Arabic language. I hope to be able to travel throughout Jordan and the region. I know the adjustment to a new country and culture will be hard. Despite taking four semesters worth of Arabic, I know that my grasp of the language is still very low. I am worried about being able to communicate and express myself. I have also been vegetarian for over five years and am worried about what options will be available to me. I’m curious to learn what things I’ll miss the most during my four months in Amman. Attending college in DC has made me appreciate my hometown and the things I’ve grown up with even more (the East Coast seriously needs In-N-Out and Redvines). I expect these feelings to become even more amplified as I adjust to life in another country.
Now, it’s time for me to pack – see you soon Amman!
