Introducing Blogger Jack; and, How to Manage Lost Baggage
Hello everybody!
I’m Jack Mullen, a student who has spent the last year getting used to cold weather in upstate New York at Colgate University, only to jump right into the desert climate of Amman. The most important part of traveling abroad is being prepared and clothes are the main part of that. My travel experience to Jordan, however, has been tainted by the airline losing my luggage and needing to survive with nothing but my backpack and clothes on my back. But I will be happy to share some tips for preparing for the worst because I have been able to thrive thanks to a well organized backpack.
The main issue for surviving with limited supplies is clothes. Air travel can be cold and Amman can be hot, so I’d recommend layering on the plane so that you can tailor your layers to the climate you’re in. A zip up on the plane, unzip it for the warmer airport, maybe stuff it in your bag if you get hot, then de-layer to a t-shirt by the time you make it to Amman (but keep that zip up on hand for sun protection if the weather isn’t too unbearably hot.)
As for pants, make sure you travel in jeans. Jeans can be reworn better than other pants and are appropriate for most situations. You can leave the rest of your pants in your liable-to-be-lost-luggage if you’ve got your trusty pair of jeans on you.
As for in your carry on, just pack the things you absolutely will need. Things like medication, charging cords, *adapters*, a mini Kleenex pack, toiletries, and any important documents. With these things you can pretty much make anything work.
Once you’re in Jordan you will probably have to restock on clothes because shipping anything to Jordan is a pain so you might have to deal without your luggage for a while. Unfortunately, in Jordan, receipts aren't really a thing so you won’t be able to get reimbursed by the airlines for any clothes you need to buy. But fortunately, you can find very cheap clothing in Amman for as low as a few dinars. So even if your foreign eyes see a $20 shirt and think “wow that's not bad for a shirt”, it is. To my Californian eyes I was happy to shell out 15 JD for a shirt but after talking to my host family I learned you could buy from far cheaper stores.
In short, to those of you who will inevitably lose your luggage, don't pay more than 5 JD for a shirt (button down or t-shirt), invest in Jordanian pants because they are super comfy and way cheaper than American pants, and take some time to relax. Your whole plan has been turned upside down and you will need to spend extra time figuring out how to restock your wardrobe. So once the homework hits (and it will, this is an INTENSIVE program) make sure you find a balance of homework, shopping, and relaxation time.
(also consider tossing an extra pair of underwear in your carry on)
This has been Jack, I’ll keep you all updated on my time in Jordan, and hopefully in my next post I will be able to report my luggage has been delivered inshallah.
Jack Mullen attends Colgate University and is a student in Jordan on the Amideast Summer Intensive Arabic Program in Summer 2023.
