Orientation

Upon arrival in Amman, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Jordanian culture and daily life and familiarize them with program logistics. Students stay in a hotel in Amman during orientation, and move to their accommodation for the semester at the end of the first week. The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with Amman. Topics such as safety and health, Jordanian family life, cultural adaptation, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. During the on-site orientation students also meet their professors, take language placement tests, and become familiar with the program’s IT environment.

Accommodation and Meals

Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman, Jordan have a choice of living arrangements and meal plans:

OPTION 1: Living with a Jordanian Family – students who select this option will live with a Jordanian family that has been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Jordan from a database of qualified applicants; families generally host two AMIDEAST students at a time. All host families are Arabic-speaking; English, however, is spoken in most of the homes.

AMIDEAST matches students with host families using a variety of criteria. While all placement preferences may not be met in every case, AMIDEAST will strive to make the best match to ensure a rewarding and pleasant living experience. In the event of a problem, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program staff members will be available either to mediate or to arrange a new host family placement.  Students living with host families will be provided with all meals by their host families but may find that some days it is not possible to return to the family for lunch because of class schedules.

OPTION 2: Living in a shared apartment with other students from the program.  The apartments are carefully selected by AMIDEAST to be safe, comfortable and convenient to program facilities and public transportation. Students purchase or prepare meals on their own.

Activities

In addition to the academic program, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Jordan offers a variety of additional learning opportunities to enhance participants' study abroad experience:

• Civil Society:  Students will encounter a variety of Jordanian civil society organizations ranging from local NGOs in a variety of fields to women’s organizations to sports clubs.  AMIDEAST/Jordan will organize special activities to facilitate student connections to these organizations.

• Service-learning: AMIDEAST/Jordan coordinates organized service-learning projects either for individual students or for larger groups. With many connections to a wide range of organizations in Jordan, AMIDEAST can adapt projects individual student interests to ensure a unique and satisfying service-learning experience.

• Cross-cultural learning: AMIDEAST/Jordan organizes a variety of cross-cultural learning opportunities. Ranging from meet-and-greets to formal presentations, these events give participants the chance to interact with Jordanian students, to learn more about Jordan, and to introduce others to American culture.

Excursions

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman, Jordan students participate in three program-organized excursions outside of Amman to visit major points of interest. The excursions are coordinated by AMIDEAST/Jordan in conjunction with the program’s academic staff and are led by a member of the faculty. Organized activities are combined with limited free time, allowing students to explore independently within a safe and structured framework.  Among the sites visited will be

• Petra, the ancient Nabatean city in the south, and Wadi Rum
• Biblical Jordan – Madaba, Bethany, Mt. Nebo, and the Dead Sea
• Northern Jordan – Jerash, Ajlun Reserve, Ajlun Castle, Um Qais

Visas and Immigration

All American citizens can be issued a visa upon arrival at the Queen Alia Airport in Amman, Jordan.  Currently, a single-entry Jordanian visa costs 20 JD (approximately $28).  This price is subject to change.  During your stay in Amman, AMIDEAST will help facilitate extensions of the visas.

Health & Safety

With AMIDEAST’s more thank 60-year presence in the Middle East and North Africa, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs are able to draw on AMIDEAST’s long-term experience in the region, strong local connections, and deep understanding of the intercultural, health, safety, and security issues inherent to study in the Arab world.

AMIDEAST provides medical insurance for all enrolled students through HTH Worldwide, as well as medical, political, and security evacuation coverage. AMIDEAST has also contracted with an intellige

nce provider to assist with monitoring, protecting against, and responding to security issues in the region.

The AMIDEAST Advantage

Guided by an Academic Consortium that represents a cross-section of U.S. higher education, AMIDEAST programs are designed to provide academic excellence. AMIDEAST programs also include ample opportunities to interact with local university students and to reflect on intercultural encounters in structured settings.

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