It’s been 2 weeks since I returned to my normal life. But questions of what “normal” means have been plaguing me since my Wadi Rum tour.
“If you made me a king,” Mosalem, our Bedouin host, said, “And gave me a palace, and servants, and a feast every night, I wouldn’t take it. Out here […]
The unexpected and unscripted moments are often when some of the most significant travel memories are experienced.
Our guests had a son studying Arabic abroad at a Jordanian university and his family took advantage of this opportunity to travel to Jordan themselves. They wanted to see the great tour sites of Jordan, interact with the […]
The way I see the world was radically changed by having a real conversation with my enemy.
During my University days, I was invited by a Muslim classmate to attend a Ramadan fast breaking meal at the local mosque. Considering myself, at the time, open minded and well rounded, I happily agreed. I thought it would […]
We wound our way an hour and a half north of Amman through the mountains toward Al Ayoun. Stands dotting the side of the road let you know what fruit or vegetable is in season. Jordan receives the majority of its produce from this fertile region as well as […]
The red mountains grew larger as we turned off the main road and approached Rum Village. Our gracious Bedouin guide and host, Mosalem, greeted us, took us to his home and served us tea while we waited for him to prepare the jeep for our excursion. The entire experience felt like […]
One of the things I love about travel is the opportunity it affords you to step outside of your world and into a new one that was once completely foreign. And, what better way to see this new world than through the eyes of a local?
The […]
I’ve been waiting a year for October and November to arrive. Autumn is my favorite season in Jordan. Though it’s not the glowing orange, red, and yellow colors of Fall I’m familiar with, it does bring cooler temperatures and the Jordan olive harvest.
I was able to experience the olive harvest […]
By John – former guest of Engaging Cultures Travel
I had the privilege of traveling to Jordan late last spring. I had traveled to Africa and Europe a couple of times before, but never had the opportunity to travel to the Middle East. It had always been a dream of mine to go, so when I found out […]
As an American living in Jordan, Ramadan can be a lonely time. Many of my local friends are exhausted during the day, and busy with family in the evenings. Occasionally, however, an invitation comes to break the fast with them. Daniel, myself, and my son recently had an amazing meal […]
After a long hot walk we entered the first Bedouin tent we came to. Our host for the day ended up being a widow with three children.
Because we were a group of men, we did not greet her or her young daughter (her two sons were at school) but sat […]
