<p>Living in another culture (any culture) than your own means first understanding what is in your control and not in your control. It behooves you to get evacuation/international medical insurance, to notify the local embassy, to learn about cultural norms and very basic language skills. You should know how you will access money and where you might go if you get sick. This is about all that is truly 'in your control.' What is outside your control varies from country to country and some of it is political, some of it is security related, some of it is health-related, some of it is logistical, some of it relates to the inevitable cross cultural mistakes which happen as you learn. </p>
<p>The fact is, statistics about chances of murder notwithstanding, there is a degree of unpredictability in certain parts of the world that surpasses even this level of 'lack of control.' This is where the personal gut check really becomes profound. The Middle East has historically been volatile. So, predictably it will likely stay volatile. Jordan is in the Middle East. There you have it. </p>
<p>Once you become familiar with a culture and country a great many of the general 'not in my control' issues fall by the wayside. This final one never really does and some people simply are too risk averse to make the risk:benefit 'ratio' to THEM worth while. </p>
<p>I live in an Islamic country and am sending my child to another in a few months time. Again, you have to guage your personal gut check level on this one. No one, no brochure, no nothing can tell you it is 'safe' and you are not being honest to think otherwise.</p>
<p>My son is an American and attends university in America where the event took place. My comments about living in other countries in no way changes the significance of violence, etc...in the US. However, when you are away from a country which is not your own, there is an additional element of uncertainty, hence the comments on this thread.</p>
<p>
[quote]
A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in Nairobi's business district during rush hour in the Kenyan capital yesterday, killing one other person and leaving more than 30 people injured as shards of glass flew through the air. </p>
<p>Initial reports suggested the attack was a suicide bombing, although police were unable to confirm it. "It looks like it was a terrorist attack," said one Western diplomat who had spoken to senior police officials.</p>
<p>The explosion happened at about 8am outside the Ambassador Hotel on Nairobi's busy Moi Avenue. Witnesses reported seeing a man try to get on a packed bus before turning and running towards the hotel. A local media outlet, KTN, reported that the bus had been heading for Nairobi's international airport. The blast took place outside the City Gate restaurant, on the ground floor of the Ambassador Hotel. The force of the blast ripped the clothes off those nearest to the explosion.
<p>My D just got back from 4 months studying in Kenya. They were not in Nairobi much, but the potential for random violence there kept me on edge the entire time. But her program was great...the cost include all of the evacuation insurance, it was just the thought that it could come to that.....</p>
<p>I agree with cheers. I had an accident that required stitches in the ER. Let me put it this way, my plastic surgeon uncle was ****ed off when he saw my scar when I came back from Israel. He immediately cleaned up a piece of stitch that was still there and gave me proper gel to help it heal better. Israeli hospitals are quite an experience- I would never want to live through it again unless I absolutely have to.</p>
<p>paying3tutitions- </p>
<p>I don't know what to think about all the students so interested in Middle East in hopes of achieving a peace between the Israelis and the Arabs/Palestinians. Unless you've actually lived in Israel, you're an idealist. Now I don't believei it can really happen- the roots of the conflict run very, very deep that it'll take an eternity for each side to gain full trust of each other to maintain peace. Anyway, my 2 cents and I shouldn't say anymore because I don't have that kind of interest and it's not my field.</p>
<p>However, I agree. As long politics don't come up in the conversation, Israelis and the Arabs can actually get along just fine. I have a 16 year old friend who has attended several lengthy conferences that included Palestinians and she got on with them just fine. The Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem has a very mixed batch of doctors- all doctors must know English OR Arabic in addition to Hebrew in order to work there. They all love their jobs and work together but just don't talk politics in the hospital. I've seen it...while waiting in the ER. The Israelis doctors rushed in to help a huge group of Arabs that came in together. What a scene.</p>
<p>I agree about the concerns for American Jews to be able to work in Arab countries.... which brings me to your next point. Doesn't matter- the Arabs will always see American Jews as Jews first, then Americans. They mistrust the Jews far more than Americans (think about it. Which country have they been more successful with- the US or Israel?) There are Israeli Arabs and they still see the Israeli Jews as Jews, ignoring the fact that Israeli Jews don't see a difference between being "Israeli" and "Jew."</p>
<p>It always kind of amuses me to see parents afraid of sending their kids to Jordan- of all places. That's one of the safest places on my now discarded list of places to study abroad! </p>
<p>Then again, I'm still ****ed that my parents nixed a summer program in Uganda and Rwanda (there are more dangerous places in Southie!) and I refuse to go to Israel because programs there are too "safe" and brainwashy. I even have a hamsa tattoo (though, granted, a hamsa is an Islamic symbol as well) and it wouldn't bother me to go to pretty much any Muslim country. The way I see it, if you base your travel plans around what is "safe" or not, you're going to lead a boring, miserable life. Or at least I would... I have no interest in Paris or Rome- would much rather go to Cochabamba, Managua, and Nairobi.</p>
<p>paying3tuitions, regarding the issue of Americans working in Arab countries: if no one ever tries, nothing will ever get done. If there were no American Jews working in Arab nations, the prejudices and lack of acceptance will never begin to erode. Jime Crowe laws weren't changed because someone threw up their hands and said, "Oh well. No way to help this. Let's just leave." You already addressed the issue: understanding. Not just on the Americans, but on the part of the citizens of the countries in which they are working.</p>
<p>I know I am young and idealistic, but I KNOW for a fact that saying there will NEVER be peace or acceptance gurantees that it will never come true. Saying that there will be doesn't guarantee it at all, but at least it gives a glimmer of a hope.</p>
<p>I think Jordan is safe. Several students from my school actually went to teach at an international boarding school in Jordan for either a summer semester or the whole year. I know teachers from my school who have gone to Jordan a few summers ago and they had such wonderful experiences.</p>
<p>I am very interested in living abroad after grad school and working with people in Africa on HIV/AIDS education (I'm working on a research project about it now and it's really interesting). But right now, there's NO way my mom would let me go to Africa, basically by myself, for any length of time. I'm 19 but she would have to put her foot down on that one. I am, however, going to study in Paris this summer. Baby steps, you know. She is fine with Paris.</p>
<p>AUlostchick, my daughter is planning on studying abroad at Africa University in Zimbabwe next fall. Zimbabwe has so many problems right now, it would take too long to catalogue them all, but my daughter will be going with my blessing (assuming the country doesn't implode after the March elections). Part of the reason for my <em>relative</em> calm about this is because Robert Mugabe tends to view the establishment of Africa University in Zimbabwe to be a bit of a feather in his cap; as a result, it's been largely sheltered from some of the political strife found at other Zimbabwean universities. It's generally assumed that there are students in the classroom paid by the government to report on any anti-government rhetoric, so students and professors are fairly circumspect. And my daughter fully understands that she will be attending Africa U as a guest student, not as a political activist, and she's aware that she must be careful re: any political statements/activities. She intends to go, observe, and learn...</p>
<p>Anyway (yes, there was a point to my rambling!)...you might want to look at Africa University for the future. They have a master's program that might be of interest to you. Their website (which is adequate but not great) is Welcome</a> to Africa University Main Page</p>
<p>I'm a UCLA studennt currently studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and live on Givat Tzarfatit (French Hill), which is essentially in East Jerusalem. Because there was (and still is) a travel warning on going to Jerusalem, my school doesn't have a study abroad program with Hebrew U. In 2004, a bomb exploded at the Rothberg International School Frank Sinatra cafeteria killing 7 international students...Hamas claimed responsibility...so that's probably why i suppose the Us gov't doesnt necessarily want us to study here. </p>
<p>And with the recent terrorist attack at the high school and many other attempted ones that the international news doesnt talk about, we are routinely sent text messages to update us on the security level and to tell us not to go into large crowds, avoid the old city, blah blah blah. </p>
<p>We're not supposed to visit sites in the West Bank, but I've been to many places there and felt quite safe (Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nazareth, et al)...even took a weekend in Petra. </p>
<p>My mother cried when I left in July, but I think she's gotten used to me being here...enough that she's going to come visit in June.</p>
<p>From my time in the Arab Middle East, I've been impressed by the ability of people to distinguish between countries and individuals, policies and people. Most I've met are far savvier than their (better educated) American counterparts.</p>
<p>As for the OP, there is no guarantee of safety for our children anywhere in this world. Do your research. Make your decision. I think your kid will have a fabulous time in Jordan. Arabic culture is amazingly warm and open to Westerners who care enough to learn about them and especially, their language.</p>