Last night, 11 students and three faculty trip leaders, Lina Al Samawi, Sam Leitermann-Long, and Justin Romick, departed New York’s JFK Airport to begin their trip, Jordan: Exploring Culture, Language, and Context. Prior to their departure, trip leader Lina Al Samawi asks students to share their answers from the following prompt:
In two to three lines, share:
What you are excited about the most and what you want to learn about the most.
Aviel Alexander ’25:
I am excited to go to Wadi Rum since it is a desert and I have never been to a desert. I want to learn more about Jordanian cuisine.
Ocean Feng ’24:
I am excited to put my language skills to use. I am also excited to visit Amman because I’ve heard about the long history of the city.
Toler Poole ’24:
Something I am looking forward to is experiencing authentic food and also what daily life is like for people in Jordan. I want to learn about the history behind places like Madaba and Petra. I am also looking forward to the different landscapes from Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea!
Cameron Herr ’24:
I am excited to walk around the city of Amman and experience a culture and place different from my own.
Kai Darrell ’24:
I am excited to ride camels because it sounds like a lot of fun and I want to learn how to speak better Arabic.
Lauren Sobczak ’24:
I am excited to experience a new country, try new food, and see a boarding school based off of Deerfield.
Max Peh ’23:
I’m excited to hear the language being used in a natural and native environment. I’m so also very excited to visit Petra, it seems very beautiful.
Josephine Cramer ’24:
I am excited to swim in the Dead Sea, because I am interested to see what it feels like to float so easily and see the beautiful landscape there, as well as throughout the country. I am the most excited to learn some Arabic and work on my ability to communicate in a foreign country.
Isabelle Schwartz ’24:
I’m excited for the visit to mount Nebo and to learn about its religious and cultural significance. I want to learn about the Arabic calligraphy as it seems like a unique form of art and communication.
Lukenine Suphakarn ’24:
I am most excited to go to the Ajloun forest reserve since Jordan is mostly desert. I want to learn about Arabic (the differences between Jordanian Arabic and other dialects) and Jordanian food; the impact of Jordan’s geography on its cuisine will also be interesting to see.
Theo Lewis ’24:
I am excited to visit the Dead Sea. I have heard many cool things about it and can’t wait to experience it first hand. I also am excited to learn more about Jordan culture on this trip. I have never been anywhere like Jordan and can’t wait to see what it is like.
Mr. L:
I’m excited to learn about Jordanian culture and food, and to get to experience the art and history of Jordan!I also want to learn more Arabic and see calligraphy 😃
Mr. Romick:
I’m excited to make new connections and explore a new world. I’m also eager to see new bonds that form and how kids react to this adventure. We have a great group of individuals and this trip is going to change us all!
Ms. Samawi:
I’m looking forward to get to know our group, each and every person! I’m excited to show my country around to you and have that shared experience and inside stories when we return back to Deerfield!
We look forward to reading students experiences through the Notes from The Field blog!
