Getting Ready for Our Trip

I am finally returning to Jordan, a country I enjoyed living in while I studied Arabic for two months during the summer of 2005. The Qasid Institute, where I will be studying this time around, is where the State Department sends recipients of its Critical Language Scholarship so I feel confident I will receive excellent language instruction. I have been working towards this for a while and I am thrilled about spending an entire year in Jordan, where I can focus exclusively on studying Arabic.

I purchased the tickets for our one-way flight to Amman, Jordan a few weeks ago and now that we are less than 100 days from embarking on our year abroad, it is starting to feel very real. I feel a bit overwhelmed at the logistics of moving overseas for a year, but I have made a long to-do list and am tackling one item at a time. Luckily, Melanie is extremely organized so I think we’ll manage it fine.

Now that I’m married, we (read Melanie) have accumulated a ton of stuff. Task number one for me will be to dispose of the stuff that serves no functional use so that we can minimize our storage expense. Others things to consider include finding health insurance and finding a place to live in Amman. I have requested information about a few travelers’ insurance plans, which I am currently reviewing. Qasid offers to find you housing for an initial three-month lease to minimize the hassle one would face upon arrival. However, my friend Amin, who works in Amman, has offered to look for an apartment for Melanie and I, and part of me would rather see my future residence in person before signing a lease agreement.

Well, I will keep my first post short, especially since we’re still here in the U.S. getting prepared. I’ll post updates as we continue our preparations and hope to see everyone before we leave on September 5.