This weekend I traveled to Aqaba, Jordan to celebrate the beginning of a week-long break for Eid al-Adha, an Islamic holiday.

According to members of my host family and my Jordanian professors, many people spend the days leading up to Eid al-Adha resting in places like Aqaba before school really starts. While my three host sisters technically started school last week, almost every child and Muslim adult have school and work off this week for the holiday.

Aqaba, which is positioned on the farthest southwest tip of Jordan, cradles the northern part of the Red Sea. As I sat on the beach this weekend, I could look straight ahead across the sea and watch the sunset over the mountains in Egypt. When I look to the northeast, I could see the busy, congested city of Eilat, Israel, that seemed to effortlessly morph into the smaller, less popular city of Aqaba.

Eid al-Adha is one of two Eids — or feasts — that Muslims observe. This holiday celebrates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son after God’s command. According to many Jordanians I have talked to, Eid al-Adha is typically not as big a celebration as Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

My experience so far in Jordan leading up to this weekend has been highlighted with the kindness and generosity of my host family, especially my host sisters who constantly make my days more interesting with their games and help learning the Arabic language.

I think that everyone, especially students studying in countries which are completely foreign to them, should stay with a host family in order to form relationships with members of the community they live in.

In general, I’ve noticed that Jordanian families are more reserved when it comes to forming relationships with people from Western countries. I think some of the main reasons for this are the obvious language barrier that occurs for many people and the societal gender norms that consume every day life.

My host mother has taken numerous steps to break those barriers in order to make me feel more comfortable in the country. The family has taken me, my roommate and other students in my program who are staying with other members of my extended host family on day trips, family activities and events.

I have already learned from the multiple family dinners we’ve had that holidays like Eid are just another excuse for the family to come together, eat amazing food and enjoy each other’s company.

I think living with a host family has already allowed me to observe the everyday life of Jordanians on a more personal level and I have had unique experiences that my friends who chose to live in apartments may not get.

While I won’t be with my host family for the very beginning of Eid, I know I will come home to a spread of various sweets, barbeque and famous Jordanian dishes that were collected on the first day of Eid when my family visited every extended family member’s house.

This week off, due to the Islamic lunar schedule that Eid follows, will afford me time to spend with my host uncles, sisters and friends exploring the city of Amman a little more. I will also have the chance to meet my language partner, who will help me work on my Arabic skills even more.

While I have spent a large portion of my time spending moments with each member of my host family, I have began drawing parallels and differences, however slight, between my community in the United States and my community here in Jordan. I think every student can find value in going out of their comfort zone and staying with people from a different lifestyle.

Published on September 12, 2016 at 9:53 pm