GLOBAL PASSAGE

Day 1 to day 7

MSS — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:09:18 +0000

Destination America 2012

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:08:14 +0000

Departure

GEE Team — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:47:07 +0000

The clouds were dark over Amman last night and they drizzled tears. All of the students made the analogy that Amman was sad to see them leave and they are right. The emotions ran high this morning as I gave hugs to the 9 lovely ladies that I have been staying with for the last 3 weeks. Many expressed their gratitude and and how we all made strong bonds so quickly. When I stopped into the boys apartment to say my goodbyes, the atmosphere was a mix of excitement to return home and sadness to have a journey so great come to a close. Myself (Ms. Cynthia), Dr. Ayman, Dr. Harp, and Mr. Rashad have grown fond of the 15 lovely students who were handpicked by GEE to experience on this once in a lifetime opportunity. These students represented their schools (GEE), their country, and their families with respect and dignity! You have made us all proud and Amman has lost great ambassadors of the future, but Amman’s loss is America’s gain! This Destination Jordan has given all of you great life experiences and skills which you will cherish forever! I hope you take those experiences that you have acquired here and apply them to all aspects of life. Again we are proud of you and thanks to everyone who has made this trip a huge success, especially the students themselves! Students will be arriving in the Detroit Airport at 6:45pm.

Reflection (Hasan Attar)

GEE Team — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:18:08 +0000

After being granted the opportunity to experience a trip like no other, I took full advantage. My ability to speak Arabic was horrible at the start. All 15 of us were to attend the Modern System Schools where we practiced the Arabic language. Day after day, our Arabic quickly began to enhance. We were taught many grammar rules in the Arabic language. My Arabic spelling score quickly increased from a 2/5 to a steady 5/5. I really liked how our Arabic teacher taught the class. She made the class fun by allowing us to speak anything in Arabic freely and corrected any mistakes we made. The information I learned in just 3 weeks made a huge difference in my ability to speak, write, and read the Arabic language. Not only was school fun, but also the places we visited. We went to many tourist attractions such as Petra, Aqaba, and Wadi Rum. At Petra we walked enormous distances in the hot sun. The sites were amazing because there were many ancient structures. We came home exhausted and a bit tanner. At Aqaba we stayed at a fancy hotel, which made all of us feel like we were in Vegas. The hotel was located at the shore of the Red Sea. We walked a lot and ate fantastic food. Wadi Rum was a thriller. We rode pick-up trucks and sat in the trunk. The pick-up trucks rode quickly through the sand dunes. We stopped n climbed up the mountains of sand then raced each other down. School and the places we went to weren’t the only things that were amazing; the food was too. Everyday we would be taken to a fancy restaurant where we would be spoiled with delicious, yet fattening, food. However, we burned most of it off when we walked. Us guys were lucky enough to play basketball. We didn’t play much but when we did it was intense and very fun. There is just one more day until I leave for home. All I can say is that this was one of the best times of my life. After this trip I feel like Arabic is my language and not English. I hope to study more Arabic in the future. The hardest thing for me is to leave these sweet guys. We really did bond with one another and had a lot of fun surviving in this new environment. We always stood up for each other when we were in need. I am really going to miss those mornings where we had to get ready for school. Thanks to all who made this trip perfect.

Day 19, 20, 21!

GEE Team — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:55:59 +0000

Hello Everyone! It has been a few days since we have had a chance to update our journey here in Jordan. These few days have been busy with packing, last minute trips, shopping, and school. Today students took their final exam for Arabic and Dr. Harp and the rest of the GEE team are confident that these assessments will show promising improvement from the start of the trip. Also, students had a special ceremony at MSS to celebrate their accomplishments. MSS created a slide show of photos which was displayed and every student received a copy. MSS was also generous to give our students small tokens of appreciation. GEE created a video with multiple picture slideshows, interview reflections in Arabic with students, chaperone reflections, and a few video clips for students. The students worked very hard on there interview reflection and are proud of there work! (many felt a little shy watching it on the big screen in the ceremony but they turned out great!) We would like to thank the parents for entrusting your children to us! They have been wonderful and the experience is one that many dream of. Students are looking forward to home cooked meals and as many of you know, they have already made requests! Students are eager to come home and will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning for the airport! We will miss them greatly!

Day 18 (By: Ali Ali)

GEE Team — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:24:57 +0000

Today we woke up extra early to get to school on time. We had to fulfill our schedule which was: go to school, then to Salt, and at last the historical site of Jarash. At school my classmates and I learned how to speak proper Arabic, recognize correct sentence structure, and we learned how to read fluently. Then after a short school day we proceeded to our next task which was pottery making in Salt. After a long journey we arrived at Institution of Pottery in Salt. The long journey to Salt paid off with an amazing experience on the potter’s wheel and handcrafting a mug. Once our time was over at the institution no one wanted to leave because of all the enthusiasm we have for Art. However, sadly we left the institution and got on the road to Jarash. Once the site of large pillars began to show we knew that we had arrived at Jarash. We exited the school bus and gathered in groups, and then we walked around the ancient area scrutinizing every aspect to understand the meaning of the Roman civilization. First, we walked through the colossal pillars and looked at the amazing building structures. Then once my group finished the path of pillars we arrived at a theater, which looked very beauteous. Unfortunately the theater was our last visit in Jarash; then went back into the bus and drove to a restaurant where we ate a variety of barbecued meat. At last, after a fun and long day we drove back to our condominiums to rest and spend the rest of the day working on our journals.

Day 17 (Dead Sea and Karek Castle)

GEE Team — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:45:36 +0000

Museum insdie of Castle

Group Picture in front of Karek Castle

It was like yesterday when these 15 lovely students arrived in Amman, Jordan. It is hard to believe that these 15 students will return in just a few short days. I will miss them greatly, along with Dr. Ayman, Rashad, and all the teachers at MSS. This Journey to Jordan trip has been a wonderful experience filled with learning, culture enrichment, and lots of great opportunities to expereince Jordan.

Today students went to school for three hours to attend Arabic classes. They returned home for about 30 minutes to get ready for a day trip to the Dead Sea and Karek Castle. We had a quick tour of the castle, along with a journey through the museum to look at the ancient artifacts left behind. After we left the castle we headed for the Dead Sea. Students had a chance to wade in the water and enjoy the beautiful scenery. After we headed to the basketball court for a quick game of basketball.

Day 16 (Malak Nasser)

GEE Team — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:45:23 +0000

Fatima on Dr. Ayman's Horse in Salt

Ali on the Horse in Salt

Volleyball Jordan Style (Mezra, Salt)

On Top of the World (As-Salt)

Today, we finally got a break from school. Don’t get me wrong, it’s so fun to be at school and to build our Arabic knowledge, but it’s also tiring to wake up early everyday so we can get to school. So, we finally got to slept in. Many of us asked if we could go to the Mosque to perform Friday prayer. So, at 12:00 we were all ready. The girls rode in Cynthia’s SUV. The guys, on the other hand, took taxis to get to the Mosque. We made it in time to King Hussein Mosque. After prayer, we went to a restaurant to fill our empty stomachs with delicious falafel sandwiches and Hommous. When we were done, we hurried back to the apartment and got ready to have some real fun. Dr. Ayman planned for us to spend the day at his land in Salt, a beautiful city. The land was very spacious Masha’allah. There, most of the girls and the boys played together a few games of volleyball. While the others enjoyed playing Badminton and Soccer. We also took turns riding Dr. Ayman’s horse. We ended our day by going to Majdi Mall to pick up some gifts and souvenirs. And then we went back to our apartment. Today was a great day filled with relaxation, fun, and some downtime! Peace for now: Malak!

Day 15 (School and Majdi Mall) By: Nazmeih El-khatib

GEE Team — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:55:35 +0000

Today we woke up at seven o’clock in the morning to go to Arabic Class. We had two Arabic classes. I am in the intermediate level and we took two lessons. We learned about plurals and we took two spelling tests and finished both of the lessons. Later we went home to relax. Next we went to Turkish Land to eat dinner and then we went shopping at Majdi Mall. We all had a great time today.

Student Reflection (Noor Issa)

GEE Team — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:18:22 +0000

My trip to Jordan is a very memorable occurrence because I’ve experienced being on my own, met new friends, and embraced a lifestyle diverse from mine. When I first got here I was like, “How am I going to survive? It’s way different than America.” But I started to adapt to the lifestyle here; like 5 minute showers, doing my own laundry, and cleaning after myself. These small things have proved to me that I can be more independent but at the same time handle more responsibilities. In addition, it taught me that it’s okay to be away from family because yes you will miss them, but if you don’t let go you’ll never know how to deal with obstacles life throws at you on your own. The Arabic classes that I’ve been taking every morning with the group have been very beneficial. It has improved my writing, reading, and speaking skills, which I’m grateful for. Every day on the trip has been such an adventure full of excitement. On this trip it showed me the true colors of each individual. I’ve learned, that whatever happens good or bad, move on because tomorrow is a new day. The chaperons on the trips have been very responsible and caring. They’ve have showed us how to appreciate what we have and be grateful of where we live. Mr. Ayman and his wife Mrs. Cynthia that I’ve grown akin to and look forward in leaving them with a good impression of myself, have been great. In addition, Rashad Issa has been very fun and has shown us a great time. He has proven that when the time gets rough, we can pull through…..that’s what makes him an outstanding chaperone. Journey to Jordan is an amazing experience and I’ve been satisfied to have been chosen. As well, I thank GEE for sending us on a cultural, traditional, educational, and life changing experience.