I applied about two months ago for a key, and that key was going to open a door to another world for me. I applied to go on a trip to Jordan to learn about my roots, Arabic culture, and to improve my Arabic language. About two weeks after I applied I got back the results, and I was accepted. Once the key was in my hands I felt really good; it was the type of feeling that you get when you know that you have accomplished or gained something very big. I felt like a different person all the way until I put the key into the door and opened it to a whole new world. Once I arrived at Jordan I felt more independent and a lot of responsibilities just came upon me. I had no one with me, none of my parents, siblings, and even close friends. The world was very strange to my eyes; it was not familiar like home, back in Detroit. Every single day I would wake up in the morning and go to school where I would learn how to read and speak Arabic. It took me the entire month to get a grip on writing Arabic, thankfully my writing improved.
“Ring, Ring”, once the school bell rings an entire ocean of freedom drowns me. After school, I am able to go shopping in the bazaars and the little supermarkets. I learned that in Jordan wherever I go shopping I could bargain. The amazing thing is that you could bring a price from about 30 JD to a marvelous 8 JD. After long hours of shopping I would take the bus back to my condominium where I would take a cold shower. If I ever want to take a nice hot shower I would have to turn on the heater and wait about two hours or more for the water to get hot. That experience made me feel thankful for how I live in the United States.
I tried every single day to visit historical sites that were in Jordan. I visited Aqaba, Petra, Jarash, Karak, Aum Qais, Salt, and Ajloun mainly to understand or to learn about the civilizations that once existed in Jordan. The site of every structure I saw was dazzling; all of the hard work that people from old civilizations put into building their communities still remain and will in my memory forever. The experience that I enjoyed the most was interacting with foreign people. I was able to live a whole different life by just speaking to Jordanians and eating what they eat. Also, I had the opportunity to get closer and to build better friendships with the people that were sent with me on this trip. Everything worked out like how it was planned and the entire trip was better than the previous year’s journey to Jordan. The trip made me become more thankful and fond of everything that I have in the United States. I also learned that I should always love and care for everyone that is around me because once they are not, everything will change. In the morning that I got ready to go back to the United States the sky began to drizzle with tears because I built a bond with that nation. I felt like I was right at home for that short period of time that I was In Jordan. Once I arrived back home I gave back the key that was presented to me and I said, “thank you GEE and Riverside Academy for this opportunity”.
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