Hashemite University (Jordan)

My wife is a featured lecturer in the United States Embassy's American Speakers Program. This week she was asked to address a topic requested by Hashemite University: Hispanic Heritage Month, outside her usual lecture topics but, willing (as usual) to help, she prepared accordingly. This morning we went to the main gate of the U.S. Embassy and were met by an embassy escort and a driver in an armored vehicle. The SUV weighed twice as much as normal, had bulletproof windows two-inches thick, and armored plating around and underneath. Opening and closing the door was difficult even for me because of its weight. Hashemite University is in Zarqa, over an hour east of Amman, where the desert transitions into brown, rolling hills and sparse vegetation; a rural and conservative area. The university was named after the royal family's dynasty and is the second largest university in Jordan with over 30,000 students (drawn from the surrounding small towns and villages). Very few foreigners are seen in this area yet the openness and warmth with which they welcomed my wife, and me by extension, was typical Jordanian. About 65 students were present and Terry began by answering what everyone (whether here or in the U.S.) asks: "Why Jordan?" Then she described how the varied immigrant population in Jordan is similar to the United States because "Hispanic" is an umbrella term. She explained that American Hispanics range from European (Spain) to Caribbean (primarily Puerto Rico and Cuba but more) to Latin, Central, and South America. The students were lively, polite, and asked Terry intelligent questions about Hispanic literature, political impact, and personal questions about living in a state heavily influenced by Hispanic culture. My wife-the-trial-lawyer was in her element fielding questions. After the lecture students clustered around her, taking her picture and asking questions. Customary in Jordan, as guests we were served 3 standard drinks: coffee (here, the thick sweet Turkish coffee), water, and fresh fruit juice. On a cultural note, I appreciate this because even after living in deserts in Arizona, California and Nevada, it's hard to imagine how dry the climate is here and how welcome drinks are. A university administrator asked Terry to return to present a lecture for the faculty. The Chair of the English Department thanked Terry and told her, after she said the students knew English well, "education is our oil." I include that phrase because it captures what I, as an outsider see often: Jordanian students respect education as key to their futures. This is not a rich country but these scrappy people are determined to live in peace in a region in turmoil, get along with their neighbors, and better themselves through education. Jordan's population is young (about 70% are age thirty or younger) and as I wrote in a previous post, education is not a right, it isn't taken for granted, and people sacrifice to attend university. As I experience the Fulbright (as a dependent), and the (very) hard work of our United States Embassy personnel, I am aware (and now appreciate) the impact educational and cultural exchanges have on international relations.