Student Handbook Amman, Jordan ______________________________________________________ Contact Information AMIDEAST/Jordan Program Staff: Program Staff: Dr. Elena D. Corbett Myrna Al‐Tall Director of Education Abroad Program Manager [email protected] [email protected] Katie Johnson Ghassan Tlili Coordinator Program Officer [email protected] [email protected] Hazel Unger Nour Al Rasheed Program Officer Country Director, Jordan [email protected] [email protected] Telephone: 202‐776‐9629 AMIDEAST Center Street Address: Sarah Sloan Building No. 8 Program Assistant Princess Basma Street [email protected] Wadi Abdoun Telephone: 202‐776‐9642 Amman, Jordan Address: Mailing Address: AMIDEAST Headquarters AMIDEAST Amman 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 600 Study Abroad Washington, DC, 20036 (Your name) Web: www.amideast.org/abroad P.O. Box 852374 Amman, 11185 Jordan EMERGENCY LINE: 202‐412‐8564 Tel: +962‐6‐5929994 This number is for your family and your Fax: +962‐6‐65929996 sending school to use in case of an emergency and will connect the caller to a staff member in AMIDEAST/Jordan Center Hours: our headquarters in Washington, DC, 24 hours Sunday – Thursday 9:00 AM ‐ 5:00 PM a day. Emergencies in Jordan should be AMIDEAST Headquarters reported to the emergency line in Jordan, Program Staff: which will be programmed in your Jordanian cell phones. AMIDEAST Headquarters Student Handbook — Amman, Jordan Last Edited Fall 2020 2 Table of Contents Ahlan wa sahlan! Congratulations on your admission to an AMIDEAST program in Amman! We look forward to welcoming you to Jordan. This handbook contains a great deal of useful information to help prepare you for a successful program in Jordan. Please read it cover to cover so you have clear expectations of this experience. You will be grateful you did!1 Section I: Arrival Information ...................................................................................................... 5 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 5 PROGRAM CALENDAR ................................................................................................. 5 GET AND STAY CONNECTED ....................................................................................... 6 ORIENTATION .............................................................................................................. 7 WHAT TO WEAR IN JORDAN ........................................................................................ 8 Section II: Academics and Academic Policies ........................................................................ 15 AMIDEAST JORDAN STUDY ENVIRONMENT ............................................................. 15 MODERN STANDARD ARABIC (MSA) WITH AMIDEAST ............................................ 15 WHO WILL BE TEACHING? .......................................................................................... 16 ACADEMIC CULTURE ................................................................................................. 16 PROGRAM EXCURSIONS ............................................................................................ 17 NOTE ABOUT EARLY DEPARTURE ............................................................................. 17 LIBRARY RESOURCES ............................................................................................... 17 PROFICIENCY TESTING AND ARABIC PLACEMENT ....................................................... 17 ACADEMIC POLICIES .................................................................................................. 18 PROGRAM STAFF ...................................................................................................... 18 Section III: While You Are in Amman ........................................................................................ 18 RULES AND REGULATIONS ........................................................................................ 18 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ............................................................................... 18 HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATIONS ............................................................................. 19 APARTMENTS ............................................................................................................ 20 HOUSING TIPS: .......................................................................................................... 21 STUDENT HOUSING POLICIES .................................................................................... 21 TELEPHONE ACCESS ................................................................................................. 21 INTERNET ACCESS .................................................................................................... 22 ELECTRICITY ............................................................................................................. 22 CLIMATE .................................................................................................................... 22 MEALS & INCIDENTAL EXPENSES .............................................................................. 23 BUDGETING ............................................................................................................... 23 HEALTH, SAFETY & SECURITY .................................................................................. 25 DISCRIMINATION ...................................................................................................... 26 Safety in Taxis ...................................................................................................................... 28 Public Gatherings ................................................................................................................ 28 1 Note: The information contained in this Student Handbook was correct when it was written. AMIDEAST reserves the right to change any of the policies and procedures contained herein without notice. Student Handbook — Amman, Jordan Last Edited Fall 2020 3 Section IV: Background Information ......................................................................................... 29 AMMAN ...................................................................................................................... 29 JORDANIAN SOCIETY & CULTURE .............................................................................. 29 JORDANIAN & MODERN STANDARD ARABIC CHART .................................................. 30 SOCIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 32 RELIGION ................................................................................................................... 32 SOCIAL RELATIONS ................................................................................................... 33 MAKING LOCAL CONNECTIONS .................................................................................. 34 CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ........................................................................................... 34 Student Handbook — Amman, Jordan Last Edited Fall 2020 4 Section I: Arrival Information LPROGRAM MANAGEMENT America‐Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) is a private, nonprofit organization that strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. Every year, AMIDEAST provides English language and professional skills training, educational advising, and testing services to hundreds of thousands of students and professionals in the Middle East and North Africa; supports numerous institutional development projects in the region; and administers educational exchange programs. Founded in 1951, AMIDEAST is headquartered in Washington, DC, with a network of field offices in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad department designs academic study, cultural immersion, and professional development programs that capitalize on the diverse resources of and experiences available in each country where AMIDEAST operates in the region. Using its extensive network of field offices and contacts throughout the region, AMIDEAST is able to customize programs to meet the specific needs and interests of each client. Its programs accommodate groups of any size and range in duration from a few days to an entire academic year. PROGRAM CALENDAR Download the Program Calendar found on the AMIDEAST website Jordan program snapshot page for Area and Arabic Language Studies. AMMAN (ABDOUN) MAP Student Handbook — Amman, Jordan Last Edited Fall 2020 5 BEFORE LEAVING FOR YOUR HOST COUNTRY o Call your credit card company and bank. Inform them of the dates you will be travelling and the countries you will be visiting so your cards are not blocked when used internationally. Find out about fees for ATM usage and international purchases. o Visit your dentist. Your program insurance (CISI Insurance) does not cover routine dental care. o Visit your doctor. Discuss any chronic physical or mental health issues that may need attention while you are abroad. Ensure you have prescription medicines to last for your entire time abroad. Request a generic prescription and letter of explanation to bring along with all medications. GET AND STAY CONNECTED During your pre‐departure process remember that there are several ways to connect online with AMIDEAST students, alumni, and staff. 1. If