March 5th, 2010

My Trip to Jordan: Guest Blogger

My name is Sarah and I recently traveled to Jordan to check out this tiny country and its tourist attractions for my company. Great job, right? I work for Academic Arrangements Abroad, which organizes cultural travel experiences for many non-profit organizations. I had heard amazing things about Jordan from fellow travelers, but really didn’t know much about the country. But once I started my tour, I immediately decided that I didn’t want to leave!

Because so many different civilizations have passed through Jordan throughout history, and because it is a crossroads of religions, there is a tremendous amount of interesting ruins, churches, mosaics, and historical sites to explore. I especially enjoyed my tour of Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman cities outside of Rome, and my visit to a mosaic workshop in Madaba, where you can watch mosaics being made by local artisans. I was surprised by the amount of hiking and biking options in the six protected natural reserve areas in Jordan, and I was happy to learn that ecolodges are available in these areas for less outdoorsy people like me, who want to be both eco-friendly and comfortable.

But the highlight of my touring was Petra – an ancient city hidden within striking red mountains. I had heard about the beauty of this site and was ready to be impressed, but I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of these cliffs and the intricacy of the buildings and tombs carved into the cliffs. It definitely has my vote for one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” I also had a lot of fun at a restaurant called Petra Kitchen, where all of the guests team up to help make their own traditional Jordanian meal. We must have been pretty good cooks, because our dinner was delicious!

Travelers love Jordan because of this huge range of diversity and activities in such a small area. Parents will be pleased that you are having an educational experience, and you’ll be satisfied because you’re having a good time! If you’re interested in other trips that would make both you and your parents happy, click here to check out our 13-night family summer program to Russia. This program includes a 1-week cruise along the Volga River to hard-to-reach historic towns, Russian dance and language lessons aboard the ship, and talks by Marshall Goldman, an internationally renowned expert on Russian politics. Or if you’re looking to escape the cold during winter break, click here to check out our 7-night cruise to the Galapagos Islands, where a study leader and local naturalists will help you come into contact with the creatures that live in and around the volcanoes, beaches, and waters of the 9 islands we will explore.