According to the countdown clock on the dashboard of my laptop I have 1 day 11 hours and 45 minutes until I start actually traveling toward Amman, Jordan. But really, this journey started last January when I decided I wanted to study abroad. I spent the remainder of the semester filling out applications and getting forms signed and credits passed off, and in August I departed from Anchorage, Alaska on what felt like the world’s longest flight and landed in Italy. That’s right, I’ve been living abroad since the end of August.
I spent fall semester studying and living in Florence, Italy through ISA. I attended the Florence University of the Arts, taking several journalism and writing classes as well as beginning Italian. It was a great experience, and I’ve been writing about it on my personal blog all along, which you can check out here if you’re interested. I fall into the rare (and possibly crazy) category of college students who spend their year of exchange in two different locations. And I picked Florence, Italy and Amman, Jordan.
So I’ve spent the last few days saying my goodbyes to Italy. Ciao, cobblestone streets and Ponte Vecchio and beautiful Duomo! But sad as I am to wrap up the Italy chapter of my life, I am really, really to start my life in Amman. I’ve been on winter break for almost two months on the beautiful continent of Europe traveling my life away, which has been completely fabulous. But after two months of not having a concrete schedule or home, I think I’m ready for a regular place to stay and the mundane comfort of a school schedule.
Jordan, on the whole, is a relatively safe and stable country, but its neighbors have experienced awful violence during the protests of the Arab Spring from dictatorial regimes trying to hold onto their power for dear life. I plan to update this blog a few times a month on what life is like as a young American female in Amman, so check back every so often!
Elika Roohi
Amman, Jordan
Spring 2012
You can follow Elika’s other adventures abroad on her personal blog www.elikaa.blogspot.com.
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