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• Save 12.5% on programs in Europe
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Register for any Language, Fun, Professional or Educator program
in Europe for 2 weeks or longer by
April 15, 2010 and
save 12.5%.
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to receive the discount.

Please note: Teenager, SALUD,
College Study Abroad and Volunteer/Intern programs are not
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People seem to love this photo of spices at a little store in Amman, so I thought my first blog would be about the food in Jordan. Since I have been on a diet since I returned a few days ago, you can surmise that I found the food delicious.

The staple seemed to be lamb and chicken and it was served in a variety of ways, but I was addicted to the many salads.  Many are commonly known abroad and were already favorites of mine such as Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and others.  You are able to find some of these at ethnic Greek or Lebanese restaurants but others I discovered for the very first time.  

One Jordanian pointed out to me that before Lebanon’s civil war and its continued unfortunate position of being caught between Syria, Israel and other Middle East powers, it had long been a popular tourist destination.  This particular Jordanian gentleman wanted me to know that what so many Europeans and Americans call Lebanese food is NOT just Lebanese food, it is a common throughout that part of the world.  His point was that much of this food so many call Lebanese could just as easily be called Jordanian food, if only Jordan had been a big tourist destination in the 50s, 60s and 70s.  And don’t forget, both the Greeks and Romans at one time ruled Jordan so their impact on the food is everywhere as well.

One widely used ingredient was Za’tar (pronounced ZAH-tur) which is blend of spices and herbs (thyme, sesame seed, salt and more) used throughout the Middle east. Za’tar is said to increase mental acuity. It is usually mixed with olive oil and baked into the crust of flat, round pita bread and boy is it tasty!

One great experience in Jordan is Petra’s Kitchen where you are taught the names of many common Arabic spices and foods, how to cook them and get to eat whatever you cooked.  Anyone going to Jordan should visit Petra where some of the ruins were highlighted in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Petra’s Kitchen experience is available most evenings.

You should never choose a language program for the food but in Jordan you’ll be able to eat well and Learn Arabic.

Learn Arabic in Amman Jordan 

Petras Kitchen Info 

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About the Author: John Slocum co-founded AmeriSpan Study Abroad 17 years ago and is recognized as one of the true experts in Study Abroad.  He has helped start language schools in Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia as well as assisted schools in Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina and Costa Rica on improving their overall language programs. Finally, John worked closely with STA Travel when they introduced their language immersion programs in Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA.

Affordable luxury is way overrated. It’s simply too easy to travel from one metropolitan city to another in two hours on a world-class train. In one city one may overeat the finest ham, see three cathedrals and the world’s oldest university in one afternoon. Who needs it? Taking a relaxing drive along la Costa del Sol would just be entirely too beautiful. 

There is also simply too much to do! Examples such as Sagrada Familia, la Alhambra and la Plaza Mayor mean that your day will be packed with meaningful activities. Spain is only one of the most culturally rich destinations in the world, so you may risk learning or feeling something you never imagined was possible. Don’t go to Spain, because you might fall in love. No joke, this has been known to happen!

Not convinced? Ok, ok, AmeriSpan happens to have study abroad programs in 15 different cities throughout Spain! Interested? Click to learn more about AmeriSpan’s Spanish programs in Spain.

Sadly this is my last blog about Peru…

So we left the somewhat modern civilization that I had come to
know for the past 5 weeks and ventured into the rainforest/jungle/selva/amazon
(whatever you want to call it) there were all sorts of animals. We took a
30 min plane ride into Puerto Maldonado and were met by a guide who took us on
a 1 hr bus ride to the Tambopata River. We were given all natural,
rainforest snacks of fresh banana trips, a local cocona juice, tiny (finger)
bananas and the most famous, brazil nuts. We boarded a small boat that luckily
had a good motor and were on the river for about 3 hours with some occasional
stops for animal sightings. We were given another local delicacy for lunch: a
fried rice dish in a banana leaf that we disposed of in the water when we were
done. We very much felt like jungle people! 

Once the boat dropped us
off at the lodge we hiked up some makeshift wooden stairs that they have to
rebuild every year because the river rises at least 10 feet in the rainy season,
and walked about 20 minutes to the lodge. Our first view of the lodge was
surprising because it seemed very nice. We were greeted by cool towels and cool
pineapple juice with our introductions for the lodge. We ventured down the
pathway to our rooms that only had 3 walls (aka one entire side was completely
open to the world outside. There were no lights in the lodge only candles
and lamps (lit for only 4 hours a day) and no hot water but there was running
water and mosquito nets for the bed so I was pleased. 

Since we arrived a little early we were able to hike into the
jungle and up the 30m tower in hopes of seeing some birds as the sun set. We
didn’t see too many birds but did hear plenty of insects as the sun went down.
However it was an absolutely incredibly view of the forest since we were level
with some of the taller trees and could see for a few miles versus a few feet
from within the depths of the forest. Adjusting to the little light available
and finding critters of all sorts (David loved watching the frogs eat insects)
was a little tough but nonetheless a learning experience.  We all
double-checked our mosquito nets to make sure they were intact and tried to get
a few hours of sleep.

We were supposed to leave at 5:45 the next day to go to the lake
at sunrise but it was raining so our guide said nobody would be out there. Once
it stopped raining we made our way out to the lake and were able to see some
really neat, noisy birds in the trees and a bunch of fish surrounding our boat.
Later that day we went on a walk with a shaman that resides and works by the
lodge and he showed us many of the medicinal plants that he uses including the
hallucinogen that is very popular with shamans (ayahuasca). We took a boat ride
across the river to a local farm where we walked around and got to try many of
the different things that grew there including a stick of raw sugar cane!

The next day we did actually get up at 4am and go a little
upriver and through a path that was at times slightly harrowing to reach the
most amazing spot of the adventures there, the bird clay lick. For a short time
each day the birds (parrots, macaws…) go to this place and eat the clay
because it neutralizes the bad things they may eat. We saw some of the most
gorgeous sights of hundreds of birds frolicking in the trees near us. We
just sat mesmerized for quite some time. Later that day we went to the mammal
clay lick but we were told it was always less likely to see things. There was a
monkey climbing around in the tree near us so we really made our own path in
the woods trying to see him but he decided to take a nap and we never got a
great view of him. Our last night concluded once again with superb food (all
the food was absolutely delicious and like almost all the other food I had in
Peru very natural and mostly local). I somehow managed only to get 4
bites which were well worth the time spent in the rainforest!

We journeyed back to San Diego for about 30 hours and I left with
one of the best experiences of my life.  Now that my Spanish is a little
better I definitely want to return to South America.  If you want to hear
any more about the adventures let me know but I don’t want to bore the rest of
you with any more details. Hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to talking
to you all now that I’m back (well after the 12th I’ll actually be free from my
MCAT lockdown mode).

Here is the link to my Picasso albums online.  I don’t have
time to put up captions until after the 12th so check back after then if you
want to see what the pictures are actually of, sorry!
Album 1   Album 2

con amor,
Jamie

Click for information on AmeriSpan’s language programs in Cusco.

Click for information on AmeriSpan’s SALUD program in Cusco.