"Microcosm of Jordan" by Andrew Murdough
My first week in Jordan was perhaps one of the rougher transitions I’ve dealt with in my life so far. This past summer, I worked as a “Mountain Man” at a Boy Scout camp in Goshen, Virginia. Being out in the wilderness was so freeing and enjoyable, I always feel the urge to go back to my roots. Going from the Appalachian wilderness to a city of 4 million is quite the change. Being me, I’ve always struggled with change, and moving to the Middle East is quite a large change to daily life. With this in mind, my adjustment to living in Jordan was rough to say the least. Sleepless nights, homesickness, and a state of depression seemed to come up without warning at any moment. In this turmoil, we went on a short trip together to the Roman Theater and the Citadel downtown to view the ancient ruins.
While there, our guide Amer said something that really stuck with me. He mentioned how the citadel represented the best of Jordan, how there were structures from Romans, Christians, and Muslims, with each group not defacing or destroying the others. It dawned that this mutual respect was the reason there were so many well preserved artifacts within the country, and was why Jordan as a country thrives while so many others around them exist in a state of conflict. This fact gave me a sense of peace, as I continue to learn more and more about the city, I can rest assured that the heart of the city is in the right place.
While I may meet some unsatisfactory people on the street, the majority of all Jordanians I have met and interacted with are some of the kindest and most welcoming people I know. This fact helps me feel at home in a place that couldn’t be more different than mine, among stone and concrete rather than the sprawling forests.
