You think you have it bad in your French or Spanish classes? Try learning a language like Arabic that uses completely different characters! Colby junior Lisa Kaplan is currently studying abroad in Jordan and was very excited to share her experiences with the Her Campus Colby team.
HCC: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your interests?
LK: I’m a Junior Government and International Studies double major, but I’m going to change one of them to Middle Eastern Studies, and I’m from Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I’m interested in humanitarian work, especially community development which provides sustainable ways for communities to grow their economies and lift them out of poverty, as well as refugee aid and disaster relief. I’m also interested in diplomacy and conflict resolution. For fun, I like skiing, running, doing yoga, and going to the beach. I’m a New England sports fan, the Celtics are kind of like a family tradition, but I’m okay with the NBA lock-out because I’m not in the country so I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
??HCC: We heard you are spending the semester in Jordan. How did you decide to study abroad there?
LK: I decided to study abroad in Jordan because I’ve always been interested in world politics. I really enjoy learning about other cultures and understanding how political decisions effect the every-day citizen. I’m Jewish and I’d been to Israel so I wanted to learn more about the Arab worldview, especially how they relate to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. There’s a large Palestinian refugee population in Jordan so I figured this would be a good place to start. Also–it’s pretty cool to be in the Middle East with all of the revolutions going on, especially because Jordan is so stable. Another reason I chose to study abroad in the Middle East is because I feel like you need an excuse to go to the Middle East, no Americans ever just go. Europe will always be there and I’ve been to South America so I just kind of figured–why not?
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HCC: Jordan seems like a pretty interesting place to study politics and government. What classes are you taking over there?
LK: I’m taking two Arabic classes, one is the written Arabic that the whole Arab world read and writes and the other is the spoken Jordanian dialect. I’m also taking an economics class and a conflict resolutions class. My most valuable learning experiences though have been outside the classroom. Life is so different here! You have to barter and bargain for anything you want to buy, and Jordan’s just so funny sometimes. For example, there are essentially no enforced traffic laws so the driving is horrific, but at the same time everyone walks in the street and not on the sidewalks because people will park their cars on the sidewalks or plant trees and gardens in the middle. Also, a big part of Jordanian culture is the TV. My host mom and grandmother started screaming at each other while I was studying and I came running out to see what was wrong and they were literally about to kill each other arguing over which soap opera star was better. Just a typical day at home.
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HCC: Can you tell us a little about the other things you’ve been doing? What have you enjoyed the most?
LK: I’ve been interning at a nonprofit focusing on community development throughout the region called the Naseej Foundation. They’re a granting foundation that used to be UN funded as part of the Millennium Development Goals, but when that grant ran out their services were in such high demand that they’re transitioning into a nonprofit funded by corporations and governments. They’re at their transition period now and their budget is significantly smaller, but I’m working in their development office to help them target potential donors.?I’ve also been doing a lot of adventuring around Jordan. Aqaba is definitely my favorite place in Jordan. I just got my scuba certification and there’s an awesome shipwreck. A close second is Dana, an Eco-reserve run by the Bedouins where I went on a yoga retreat. I’ve also been to Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea.
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HCC: When you tell people you are studying abroad in the Middle East, I’m sure one of the fist questions that comes up has to do with the level of comfort you feel living in a place with so much political and religious turmoil.
LK: I’m surprised by how much more safe I feel here than in the US. It’s weird because you always hear how oppressed the women are here and while I’m definitely considered a second class citizen (meaning I always have to sit in the back seat of a cab while the man always has to sit in the front, I always get served after men at meals, etc.) there is virtually no crime here. You get a lot of unwanted attention if you’re a white woman, and it’s tough for me to blend where the population is like 5’5 and I’m 5’10, but I can walk down the streets at 2 am by myself and I feel totally safe. The only weird part is that I have to hide being Jewish. I’m not religious so it doesn’t really bother me, but I can see how it would bother someone who is.
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HCC: Moving back to the Hill, what are you involved in at Colby?
LK: At Colby I’m on the Student Executive Board of the Goldfarb Center, a CCAK mentor, and on the Board of Directors for Hardy Girls Healthy Women. I was also the co-chair of the Haitian Relief Effort, and I take up random causes here and there when I can.
?HCC: Tell us all how much you miss us! What’s the worst part about leaving Colby for the semester? What’s the best part?
LK: I miss Colby so much! I really miss my friends. The worst part is missing the people and not seeing my friends every day, and on top of that the time difference is tough here because I’m seven hours ahead so it’s literally impossible to skype people at home . But the best thing about Colby is it’s one of those places that’s just so great to come back to, and I know the people will always be there. I actually decided to stay abroad for the year because I feel like I need the full year to get conversational in Arabic–it’s so difficult! But I’m one of those people where I love being pushed totally outside my comfort zone and this has definitely done that. I love learning about the Arab culture and the more I’m here the more amazed I am by how nice and friendly Jordanians are.
Thank you so much, Lisa. It’s so interesting to hear about what you are doing across the ocean, especially in such an interesting country. We hope you have an awesome (and safe!) rest of your trip and we look forward to seeing you back on campus!