"A Drop in the Ocean... A Change in the Weather" by Iesha Said
Jerash: As I took my first steps down into the theater, the first thing that came to my mind was, “Let the show begin.” This feeling of contradiction overtakes me as I step into the ancient world and leave the current one behind me. As I try to fully grasp the auras around me and picture the time period of this intimate theater, it made me really contemplate whether would I be allowed to be in the presence of those here. As I get closer towards the bottom near the stage, the seats get more spacious and the staircase from one level to the next gets steeper. As the names of the elite are engraved in the seats closest to the stage, I trace one of them as I begin to wonder could my ancestors ever trace back to one of them. Photo Credit: Said, 2019
ShaiWana3na3, Abdoun: This was my home, away from home, from home. When I needed a place to study or just step into my own zone I would come here to find the solace and recenter myself. I frequented this place so often that the waiters and managers knew my name.
Hamza, Ahmed, and Ali.
Hamza was the first ever to show my friends and me what real Jordanian hospitality felt and looked like. Upon meeting us and welcoming us to Jordan, Hamza kissed one of my guy friend’s head because he had the same name as his nephew. Quickly after, he brought us scoops of snickers ice cream and cold peach ice tea and told us it was all on him and to enjoy.
Ahmed, who usually works second shift comes from a long journey of going to university throughout the afternoon and making a 1.5-hour commute to and from work with a maximum of 4 hours of sleep on his good days. Nonetheless, to help familiarize us with Arabic he would do his best to talk in Fusha and correct us in our speech and boost our motivation to learn the language.
Ali also worked in the restaurant, but unlike the others, he was an international student from Ivory Coast. He was pursuing his Masters in Economics and similarly had to pick up learning Arabic from the level where we started. I’ve come to acknowledge the opportunities but also the strengths one has to endure in order to grasp the fruits for their future. Photo credit: Said, 2019
Aqaba, Red Sea: Here is where I took the greatest leap of my life - literally. On one of my last weekends in Jordan, I decided to take this wonderful opportunity and go visit the port city of Aqaba. Growing up in predominantly black and low-income neighborhoods, public pools at recreation centers were the closest I’ve ever come to swimming in a body of water.
In Aqaba, that all changed for me; not only did I swim in the Red Sea, but I also went snorkeling and deep diving. I can still see the hundreds-of-years-old coral reefs and anemone (that’s where Nemo lives!). I still can visualize seeing dozens of Dori’s and Nemo’s as they swim in bunches around me; it was unbelievable! That day I learned so much about myself and my abilities to seize the opportunities I come across and make memories with those I meet. Photo credit: Said, 2019
Wadi Rum: This is by far my favorite picture I’ve taken all summer long. It wasn't until I started traveling abroad that I started to gain an appreciation and a longing for sunsets. This here is a clear and contrasting picture, whereas the sun sets with the beautiful burnt orange of a lover's heart the night steadily creeps in with vibrant youthful energy.
I still remember the warm/cool breeze that encaptured my soul as I gazed endlessly until the rays of the sun were nothing but a memory of this picture. During this time, while unaware, I started to dwell on my time in Jordan and all that I’ve done and all the memories I’ve created with people I will probably never see again, but will always carry with me. Photo credit: Said, 2019
عائلتي
AMIDEAST Summer 2019: Words can’t gather the emotions I feel when I look at this picture. I’m proud to say that every individual in this picture always brings a happy and laughable memory that I can hold on to: whether it’s experiences of getting overcharged by a taxi, taking the bus, or going to Al-Hussein Park to play basketball after Friday prayers. My professors and classmates were and still are considered my family. Through thick and thin, through midterms and final exams, they were there with me through it all. As this was my first ever formal course in learning Arabic, it was a shaky start, but with the support of my professors, classmates, and AMIDEAST staff, I made it through, we all made it through. Photo credit: Said, 2019
