"Jordan, Here I Come!" by Carson Sturgis
Banner Image: Picture of me with sunset in background. Photo Credit: Sturgis, 2025
Ahlan wa sahlan everyone!
My name is Carson Sturgis and I am a junior at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. I am pursuing a degree in Arabic and International Relations with a concentration in the International Politics of the Middle East.
My career goal is to combine my academic knowledge of international affairs with my Arabic language skills and help strengthen the relationship between the United States and the Middle East.
For many years, the Middle East has intrigued me, geopolitically, culturally, and religiously, and even through its food. I am excited to experience life vastly different from mine back home in the States and learn outside the classroom.
This is not my first time abroad nor my first time in the Middle East! In the spring of my sophomore year, I studied abroad in Singapore, where I had the opportunity to experience all of what Southeast Asia had to offer. It was during that semester that I found traveling to countries different from the United States more interesting and authentic to me.
Additionally, I spent several days in Doha, Qatar last January exploring the city and “getting my feet wet” with Arab cuisine and culture.
Having traveled to over 25 countries, I am especially excited to spend this semester studying abroad in Amman, Jordan. I look forward to fully immersing myself in Jordanian culture and using Arabic in my daily life, not only to improve my language skills but also understand how other people live around the world.
Stay tuned as I will travel to niche locations both around Jordan and the Middle East! I am excited to share my travel stories on this blog.
Watching sunrise at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photo credit: Sturgis, 2025.
Carson is a student at George Washington University, and studying abroad in Spring 2026 on Amideast’s Area and Arabic Language Study Program in Amman, Jordan.
