"A Letter to Jordan" by Macalah Pcolar
While my time in Amman came to a close suddenly, and much sooner than expected, these past 2 months have been some of the most beautiful and enjoyable of my life. It was the people that made this city feel like home, from the students who filled each day with laughter, to the teachers who went out of their way to make us feel at home. Every day in Jordan was an opportunity to learn something new, to discover a new part of the city and to become a more involved in Jordanian culture. There was never a day I felt alone, despite being so far from my familiar surroundings. While I wish I had more time, I wouldn’t trade the people or the memories we made for anything.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the whole world and everyone is suffering in their own unique way from the consequences. In my head, I think of all the other events in my life I would have rather had lost than my semester abroad. I would’ve traded my college graduation or my senior prom if it meant I could stay in Jordan just a few months longer. I try to keep in mind that this isn’t a personal hardship, no one plans for an epidemic, and everyone is hurting in their own way now. Instead, I like to focus on what I did take away from my time in Jordan: lifelong friends, new language skills, and a home away from home, for whenever I am able to return again.
To my homestay family; who showed me just how real Jordanian hospitality is. Thank you for welcoming me into your home, for showing me your culture, and always greeting me with a home cooked meal after a long day of school.
To my language partner; whose kindness was unmatched to anyone else I have ever met. Thank you for inviting me to your celebrations, helping me with my Arabic homework, and showing me around Jordan. I will miss our weekend adventures and trips to Nafisa. It’s nice to know I will always have a lifelong friend to visit in Amman.
To my teachers; who somehow managed to make early morning classes enjoyable. I’ll never forget your passion for helping students. Thank you for reminding me why I chose to study this language and for encouraging me to continue learning. Arabic may be a difficult language but with your help I grew confident and motivated. I am so lucky to have learned from such great role models.
To my fellow AMIDEAST students; you were my hardest goodbye of all. It was a pleasure to be a part of such a goofy, kindhearted, and intelligent group of students. I’ve said it before, and I will continue to say: I wouldn’t trade my 2 months with this group for a full 4 months with any other people. Thank you for all the laughter and group hugs, I will miss seeing your smiling faces in the common room every day. I wish you all the best and I know that we will continue to stay in touch.
I would give anything to continue my studies in Jordan but what I’ve learned throughout my goodbyes this past week is that even if we had been able to stay the full length of the program, no amount of time would have been enough here. Just remember ya shabab, it’s not a masalama but a bashoofkum!
Sincerely,
Macalah
