Best summer of my life!

I spent this past summer living in Amman, Jordan, and I can say without a doubt it was the most life-changing summer I will ever have. Before going to Jordan, I did not know anything whatsoever about life in the Middle East. I had the common misconceptions that many Americans hold. But after living in Jordan and being completely immersed in the culture, I have gained so much respect for people of the Arab/Muslim culture, that I pass it on to everyone who will listen to me in America. I would have never been able to learn any of the things I experienced from a textbook. The best part of the trip was the people I met. I learned about a completely new perspective on life. The people in Jordan were the most helpful people I have ever met. Everyone was very patient with my group and was willing to help us with our Arabic or finding things if we were lost. Before going, I was a little concerned about my safety. I will tell anyone that I felt 100 percent safe in Jordan, and although there are some things that differ from American culture, it was still a very safe and welcoming environment. I learned how America is perceived in a global context without the spin of any media. I heard things from real people and learned through their experiences. I have become much more involved with world issues and have became proactive in making my friends, family, and classmates more knowledgable. I studied Arabic and US Foreign Policy in the Middle East. Both classes were taught extremely well by great staff who really knew how to teach in a way foreign students could understand. The program would not have been what it was without the amazing staff. Our program director, Mohammed Naser, was the most helpful and guiding person that there could have been. He made my group feel safe in every situation and he was very knowledgable about any and all questions we asked. There was never a situation where he was not the first to help and he could be reached at any time no matter what time of the day it was. I would gladly recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about it and I would love to visit Jordan again!