Regarding internships, many assume they'll be local or with a large national corporation to gain valuable experience and insights into a potential future career. However, I chose to apply for an internship that offered a unique opportunity to work in Amman, Jordan, a city in one of the world's most important regions. Jordan, known for its stability in the Middle East, is a country many people overlook. Yet, it houses the most refugees from regional conflicts, making it an essential player in global humanitarian efforts. Moreover, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam intersect in Jordan and share their historical narratives. For example, Mount Nebo, a religious pilgrimage site, is where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land before his passing. This intersection of cultures and religions makes Jordan a fascinating and prosperous place to explore and learn from. Jordan wields significant influence in the Arab world politically, economically, and socially. Interning in this dynamic and culturally diverse environment has been interesting. I am gaining an understanding of the complexities and contributing to the country with meaningful impacts from my internship.

My internship involves working with a non-profit organization that helps provide much-needed medical relief to Syrian Refugees in Zaatari—the 5th largest refugee camp on the globe. Our job is to write funding proposals, work at the clinics, and fill any needed gaps. It varies daily, with a new task being asked to be done. However, we start mornings with lectures about what it means to be a humanitarian actor, what is expected, and how it operates in the region. There is also cultural sensitivity training, first aid/CPR, and workshops to improve skills needed in the workforce.

During my internship, I had the opportunity to participate in some fantastic excursions organized by SIT. These trips were a welcome break from work demands and allowed us to explore Jordan as students and tourists.

 Jordan is home to some of the most significant sites in the world, such as the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized, Petra, Wadi Rum, and many more. These excursions had an educational aspect, offering us insights into the history and significance of these sites to the local people and various faiths.

I'll always remember our adventures, from experiencing the stunning landscapes of Wadi Rum, often featured in movies depicting Mars, to the surreal experience of floating in the Dead Sea. Additionally, delving into the local cuisine was a highlight. I discovered that kebabs and hummus are delicious staple foods in Jordan. The food culture is so rich and diverse that I could never get tired of exploring it. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to learn, explore, and savor the unique experiences Jordan offers. Even if I did not want to go on an extensive excursion, there are many cafes and restaurants where people socialize and smoke hookah to unwind from the day. My host family loves to go out and have fun, so it is a nice change of scenery from the office or Zaatari.

Overall, the experience is unparalleled by any job I have done in the past. It was beautiful, heart-wrenching, and exhausting, but worth every fiber of my being. The opportunity to connect with people, make a difference, and push my limits filled me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I had never experienced before. It was challenging, but the personal and professional growth I gained from it was immeasurable. I will always cherish the memories and the lessons learned from this experience.

                                                

 I am sharing my remarkable experience while completing an internship with the School of International Training (SIT) program in Amman, Jordan. This unique opportunity allowed me to work with NGOs and humanitarian aid agencies, specifically with the Jordan Health Aid Society International (JHASI). This non-profit organization provides medical assistance to Syrian refugees and vulnerable individuals in the Zaatari camps and across Jordan. During my time with JHASI, I had the chance to engage directly with the community, contributing to health education and family planning initiatives within the refugee camps. I also developed and presented a concept proposal to secure funding to support the organization's ongoing efforts. The program provided practical, hands-on experience and allowed me to earn college credit while immersing myself in a new and diverse environment. Despite the intense nature of the summer session, the invaluable experiences and the profound impact on the lives of others in the refugee camps far outweighed any challenges. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and the unforgettable insights it provided.

A typical internship day looks like this:

1. Wake up, get ready, and leave early to be at the head office.
2. Ask the assistant in charge of making coffee and tea for a Turkish coffee. As a university student, a tiny Turkish coffee's sweetness and caffeine content is enough to keep you going for a few hours, and you may be addicted by the end of it.
3. Meet with the manager to see what is on the agenda and complete the tasks given. This can be done in various ways, such as working on funding, establishing tasks at the camps, or being trained on procedures within the company.
4. Go home or relax at a cafe on Rainbow Street or in Weibdeh. Sometimes, you have to take work home with you; other times, you meet up with friends to eat and smoke shisha (potentially).

Jordan is truly a must-see destination for anyone's bucket list. Despite potential concerns related to regional conflicts, the country is generally very safe for students and travelers to explore. It's essential to maintain a reasonable level of caution, as one would in any major city. There is a thriving community of students and expatriates in the area, making it effortless to meet new people and make connections. The internship has allowed me to experience working, studying, and exploring a new country and will enable me to consider working abroad.

   

 

Taxi Driver Story Time

While study abroad leaves you with a strengthened resume, amazing stories to tell your friends, and a poppin’ Instagram profile, my favorite part of my summer in Amman, Jordan was the incredible people I met. My host family felt like real family by the end of my stay, the other students in my class will be my lifelong friends, and internship supervisor became one of my greatest role models. However, one of my favorite impressions that was made on me was by a conversation I had with one of my taxi drivers.

On the way to my internship one morning, my taxi driver mentioned to me that he was of Palestinian origin. As an International Relations student, who has studied the Palestinian-Israeli crisis for years, I was extremely interested in what this man had to say about the crisis. Research and class lectures can not compare to being able to hear a point of view from someone who has actually experienced the hardships caused by the tragedy.

He knew that I was American, and the US has played a negative role in the crisis (in my opinion), he in no way had any sort of hostile attitude towards me. He even wanted me to come to his house to meet his family and teach his daughters English. At the end of the ride, he offered me some of the cake he was eating.

I will always remember this experience because it demonstrated to me that the people who have faced extreme adversity in life always have the most kindness to give. It also reminded me of lack of open-mindedness I sometimes feel in America. He never judged me for being an American or seemed to have any bias against me, which might not be the same case had the roles been reversed, and he was Palestinian student in an American taxi.

Communication Through a Language Barrier

While I was in Amman, Jordan I lived with a host family. I had a host mom, host dad, three host brothers, and a host sister. My host brother who was in the middle age-wise, host sister, and host dad all spoke English, whereas my eldest host brother and host mom only spoke Arabic. Going into this study abroad, the host family experience was one I was most excited about. However, making a connection with my host mom and eldest host brother was difficult, at first. If you are planning on studying abroad in a country whose primary language is different than your own, even if not required by your academic program, I recommend learning as much of the host country’s language as possible. Not only is this a sign of respect, but it also allows you to connect with the people you meet on a different level. Unfortunately, I did not put a lot of effort into learning Arabic before my trip and was subsequently unable to communicate very well with my host mom and eldest host brother. However, overtime, I learned ways to communicate and connect with them without using language. My favorite example of this is one night my host sister and older two host brothers were out with friends, my host dad was working, and my youngest host brother (3 months old) was asleep. My host mom knew enough English to tell me she was bored. While it would have been impossible for us to have a conversation, I decided to try to teach her how to play a few different card games. She understands English numbers because all of the phones in Jordan use English numbers, so through a few times of me demonstrating how to play and through trial and error, her and I were able to have an entire night of just card games. In the end, she beat me almost every time and we had a great night together just playing cards and laughing without even having to talk.

Meaningful Internship Experience

While I was in Amman, Jordan I interned for a NGO called Sisterhood is Global Institute Jordan (SIGI - JO). During this internship, I was assigned free range to develop my own project to benefit the organization. Given these guidelines, I created a curriculum based on Self-Empowerment and Protection to be taught in sessions to adolescent women at SIGI-JO’s clinic for Syrian and Palestinian refugees and underprivileged Jordanians. Working with a language barrier in a culture very different from my own, provided invaluable lessons in communication, understanding, and empathy.

Throughout my undergraduate career in International Relations, I learned a great deal about the Syrian refugee crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian issue. I knew about the effects both of these tragedies had on the people who experienced them. However, spending time with this group of girls made me realize just how disconnected from all these issues I actually am. I was in Amman to try and make a difference and help those affected by the refugee crisis, but the hardest part for me was that in six short weeks I would be flying back to the United States where, as a woman, I am free to pursue pretty much anything I want. The girls I was working with did not have this same option. While they were very grateful for the lessons in the clinic my colleagues and I provided for them, no amount of physical self-defense, goal setting, and information on the importance of education could change the fact that some of them would still become subject to unwanted arranged marriages, prohibited by their families from attending college, and unable to return to their homes in Syria or Palestine due to ongoing conflict. This made me realize how separated I really am from the issues I study. It made me realize that if I want to go into the field of humanitarian action, I must be able to use my emotions to help beneficiaries of humanitarian aid and not to overtake me. While it was a very heart wrenching and sometimes devastating experience, it made me realize reality. As this was one of the most difficult realizations of my life, it confirmed my plan to work in humanitarian action following my graduation. Before this trip, I had a few ideas of what I might want to use my degree for, but I was never sure. This experience ultimately confirmed my future goals. Though it is an experience that will always weigh heavy on my heart, I am so grateful for it.