First day in Jordan

After what seemed like an eternally long plane ride, we arrived in Amman, Jordan at around 12 pm. We headed on to baggage claim, and eventually, after everyone had collected his or her luggage, we left that airport. Our first sight of Jordan was picturesque, a gentle breeze weaving its way through the bright, green trees…and a big coach bus. We got on the waiting bus, and our journey began. The bus took us through scenes of fields, deserts, roads, and more roads. The only sounds that could be heard in the bus were our oohs and aahs, along with the clicking of cameras. We could see houses in the distance, and the architecture was so amazing. There were delicate arches framing elegant homes, studded with balconies and greenery.

We finally arrived at our hotel, Le Vendome, where we met two young Jordanian girls and Father Nabil, all three of whom gave us the warmest welcome imaginable. Walking through the doors of the hotel was like stepping into a fairyland. The furniture, the architecture the colors- everything spoke of class and hospitality. Cheerful attendants served us orange-flavored Tang, a welcome refreshment in the heat. Father Nabil gave us half an hour to change and get ready for lunch. After a lot of hustling and rushing about, we were finally ready.

We were taken to a restaurant called Tawaheen Al-Hawa Restaurant. The place was gorgeous; it was located outside, but high tents allowed people to catch some breeze without getting burned by the Sun. Waiters brought large amounts of food…so huge that we finished eating only to learn that those were just the appetizers. Miraculously, all of us managed to eat our way through dessert. The food, of course, was delicious. When we returned to the hotel, we were given two hours to relax. Some of the kids spent time swimming in the hotel pool, while others rested, or took naps.

At around five o’clock we started getting ready to see the Jordanian youth and see one of the most phenomenal events we were ever going to experience. At six o’ clock, all of us, dressed in formal shirts, pants, and skirts, gathered upstairs to meet the Jordanian youth. As they walked in, we realized that they are not at all as different as we had assumed them to be; in fact, we were all just like each other. After brief introductions, we were given tickets to Zade Dirani’s “One Night In Jordan”, organized under the patronage of her royal highness, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. It was a concert given by the London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and international guest artists.

We were all very excited to get such a wonderful opportunity on our first day in Jordan. The bus brought the Jordanian youth and us to a Roman amphitheatre, a ancient ruin dating back thousands of years. We were eventually admitted in, and then came a big surprise. We had to climb up the rock steps, which were very narrow and steep in some places, and wide and slippery in others. It was especially hard to do dressed in skirts and high heels. Our seats were located on the highest bench, and as we waited for the concert to begin, we conversed with the Jordanian youth, and got to know them a little better. The view of the Jordanian skyline, the heavenly music and the entire atmosphere were part of a wonderful night that was a perfect start to a mind-blowing experience.

The concert ended rather late, at eleven o’clock, and we returned to the bus. Father Nabil had falafel had sandwiches picked up for us, and they made a very satisfying dinner. After dropping off the Jordanian youth at school, we returned to Le Vendome. Though we were all very tired and sleepy, we felt that our first day in Jordan had definitely been a memorable experience that none of us will ever forget.