Introducing Sky Roman Valdera
Marhaba!
My name is Sky! I am a sophomore at St. Lawrence University. I am excited to be studying in Amman, Jordan, this semester! Having only been in Amman for a week, I have learned a great deal, from giving directions in Arabic in a taxi to learning how to negotiate prices at local shops.
As a Communications Studies major and Arabic Studies minor at St. Lawrence University, I look forward to learning more about the intercultural communication styles in Amman and how it differs from Western communication styles. I also look forward to learning more about the Jordanian culture through day-to-day interactions and experiences. By having to utilize Arabic for daily interactions and conversations, one of my goals for this semester is to improve my Arabic speaking proficiency beyond the classroom.
Outside the classroom, I have been exploring different neighborhoods in Amman, including Old Amman (my favorite so far), Al-Abdali/Al-Boulevard, and Al-Weibdeh. So far, the food here is very delicious, especially my host mom’s cooking, and the people are very nice and helpful, even for someone who isn’t very familiar with the Levantine dialect. I was surprised to learn that a great number of people in Amman can speak English or are trying to learn it, which has made the language barrier less nerve-racking.
I can’t wait to see all Amman has to offer this semester!
Sky is a student at St. Lawrence University, and studying abroad in Spring 2026 on Amideast’s Area and Arabic Language Study Program in Amman, Jordan.
