So it begins...

Here it goes, I have never blogged before, and so I ask you to bear with me as I shake off the writing shackles put on by purely academic expressions of myself. I struggle with where to start this type of open ended message and I guess I can begin with hello or, أهلاً وسهلاً, in Arabic. This trip is a way of saying hello to a whole new part of my life, a welcoming of sorts, into not only upper level classes but into who I want to be. Friends, family, classmates and colleagues always wonder how I ended up where I am today, holding a ticket to Jordan in one hand and an Arabic book in the other. It has been a long winding journey of 5 years to reach this point. Involving a trip to Israel and the Occupied Territories, hosting Palestinian youth in my home and my community, traveling back to New Orleans to work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of American on understanding areas around the world that are under extreme distress from walls and occupation. It has involved a stint with Air force ROTC and many long hard hours struggling to understand where my life is heading. Yet, here I am preparing to leave for 9 weeks to immerse myself in a land I can only attempt to understand. I have learned so much about who I am and who I want to become over the past 5 years all seeming to lead to this moment. 

I understand that I am just one of thousands of university students around the world who are all off jet setting around the world and doing truly amazing things. I am proud to be part of these ranks of young men and women who are striving to understand more about the world we all live in. Understanding what it means to a part of this new globalized world while also understanding how much our homelands have such an effect on our actions and futures. I hope to learn and grow during these next 9 weeks. They will not be easy and I don't want them to be. I want to be pushed to understand my own beliefs as much as coming to understand others. Beyond religion and language there are things that fundamentally make us different and yet seemingly similar. Just as many have gone before to go out and better understand themselves and others here is my time to go and be a part of this world. 

It seems I have gotten the feelings out of the way and now down to business. I will be living with a family in the city of Amman and attending classes provided by Amideast. Amideast is a non-profit that focuses on Middle Eastern and United States relations as well as education abroad program for students from both regions. I will be taking 301 and 302 level Arabic courses and completing my minor in the language. I will be communicating strictly through email at jones.r.harrison@gmail.com as well as this blog you are currently reading. I plan on taking several trips including to Petra, Wadi Rum, and hopefully back to Jerusalem. 

I cannot wait to start this adventure and I am glad for the people who are reading this will get to come along for the ride. With that I leave you for now!

شكرا جزيلا ومع السلامة
(Thank you very much and goodbye!)