Since my early twenties, I’ve done a good amount of traveling—this year, I’ll be visiting my 24th country! Each unique adventure has introduced me to new favorite foods, music, and, most importantly, people I still call friends despite the years of distance. 

I’d be lying if I said I don’t have a favorite country I’ve visited—I do have a favorite, and it’s Jordan. Its striking nature, uplifting energy, and remarkably genuine people are just some of the things that made it almost impossible to leave.

As a polyglot, language immersion has been a huge motivator for a few of my long trips. So, in 2023, I planned to spend all of April in Amman, Jordan, to put my intermediate Levantine Arabic skills to the test. 

I arrived at my Airbnb in the lively West Ammani neighborhood of Swefieh. After physically settling in, I stepped out onto the balcony and took a moment to mentally settle in. The late afternoon breeze was nice, but colder than I had packed for. As far as my eyes could see, the buildings were all different shades of the same sandy color and no more than five stories tall. I scanned the streets, trying to identify the sweet melody that played in a loop. It came from a tiny green truck that, to my surprise, sold small tanks of propane instead of ice cream. A flock of birds swept across the sky in what looked like a choreographed motion. 

When arriving in a new city, especially during the daytime and especially when it's sunny, I often experience a mix of excitement and guilt—as if every second spent indoors ate away at my opportunity to discover my new surroundings. But the ~two hours I had been in Amman up until that point made it clear that something was different. The cool breeze embraced me with a welcoming stillness, and the rays of the setting sun turned every last sand-colored building into gold. When the looping notes of the propane truck stopped, I heard the familiar, comforting sound of the Adhan—the Islamic call to prayer. I can’t begin to describe how thrilling, yet calming it felt to just… stand there, completely hypnotized by the birds that flocked from one side of the picture to the other, and completely unbothered by what I should do next.

That night, I would have usually gone out to the city center or looked up a nearby restaurant or bar. Instead, I did some light groceries, called my mom, and proceeded to sleep for 11 beautiful, uninterrupted hours.

The next day, I attended a dinner with strangers in Weibdeh—the neighborhood where all the foreigners seem to live. After eating the food that everyone brought to share, we played a long game of Cards Against Humanity. Inas, one of the girls who organized the dinner, routinely checked up on everyone to make sure we had eaten. We had only known each other for a couple of hours, but it felt like we were all lifelong friends. That night, I left with a full belly, several new Instagram contacts, and completely unaware that Sarah, the pretty British girl, would later become my roommate, and that the following year I would take a trip to Istanbul with Inas (who, to this day, I can’t go more than 24 hours without talking to). I fell in love with Amman—and its people—so deeply that my one-month language adventure turned into two consecutive four-month stays (I meant it when I said it was almost impossible to leave!).

Of course, seeing Wadi Rum—the gorgeous, otherworldly rocky desert—took my breath away. Floating on the Dead Sea was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had (except for when I accidentally opened my eyes underwater—do not do that). The second I set foot in Petra, I understood why it’s considered one of the seven wonders. Exploring As-Salt, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with my new friends was an unforgettable experience. But what makes Jordan the best place I’ve visited is that the same reassuring tranquility I felt while standing on my balcony in Swefieh followed me until my very last day there. 

Oh, and because I am now fluent in Arabic.

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