Photos taken by Elaine Pollard, (Kalamazoo College), Student Correspondent for CET Jordan, Fall 2023
Moments. Big and small.
My last blog post in Jordan will be a little different than my previous ones. I want to showcase the times when I saw something in a particular instant that I just had to stop and take it in. I had to sit with it and admire it, knowing that I would never experience that exact same moment in the exact same time and place again. These are photos that remind me of how beautiful the world is, like the canyons of Wadi Rum, or something as seemingly trivial as a staircase in a bell tower in a city you will probably never return to.
The colors in these photos bring me joy, peace, love, and laughter. They make me feel something, and that’s one of my favorite things about photography.
So please, while you take the time out of your day to read this blog post, try to remind yourself of the big and small moments in your lives. The moments that make you cry or laugh or that make you angry or passionate, or any other kind of emotion. Remember that it is just that, a single moment that you experience for a single period of time in your life. Let it wash over you, and remember what it made you feel.
Here are some of my moments in Jordan:
Wadi Rum
A man standing so peacefully on top of this cliff, overlooking the beauty that is Wadi Rum. While taking this picture, I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about in his own moment. Why did he choose to face this direction? Did he see something in the distance that caught his eye? Or is he just admiring the many different rock formations and sand dunes that make up Wadi Rum?
This reminds me of a scene in an action movie. These are our getaway cars, and we’re escaping the city—making our way to our secret hideout in the desert. This photo was also taken in Wadi Rum. This was a highly rejuvenating trip, especially after working so hard in CET. Wadi Rum is almost otherworldly.
Petra
Another place that I can’t even begin to describe with just words. Petra, one of my bucket list travel spots, was absolutely amazing. It was a perfect day to make the hike down to the treasury, and we even got this amazing picture with all of the CET Jordan students.
This is how I like to remember Petra—with all its history and background, contrasted with modern Jordanian culture and traditions. The colors pop so beautifully together, and I felt like I was in a dream the whole time I was there.
Aqaba
This is a very special moment for me because it was taken in the Red Sea. It was the first time I’ve ever gone scuba diving. This is something that I have dreamed of doing since I was little. Jordan is so beautifully diverse in its geography that Wadi Rum, this big and exquisite desert, is only a drive away from the Red Sea. Within it, turtles, octopuses, sea cucumbers, and tons of fish can be spotted in its waters.
A beautiful sunset featuring a stray dog laying down to rest. I can remember clearly from this moment, hearing the waves of the sea combined with the voices of the people talking behind me in the restaurant we were sitting at. It all came together so nicely.
Madaba & Art
We toured the ancient city of Madaba, Jordan, with CET on one of our field-based components. There was an old building with three of these faces in a row. I’m not sure exactly what it is about this one, but I felt it called to me.
A CET student climbs down the rickety metal stairs of the bell tower in St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church. This was an experience to remember. So many of us tried to go up at the same time, not realizing that the space got smaller and smaller as we climbed higher.
The city Madaba is known for its Mosaics, or فسيفساء and this is how the city makes a lot of its money. Madaba is an extremely significant place for Christians, and Mount. Nebo, is a sacred mountain where the Christian pilgrimage takes place. You can find pieces like this all over the city, and they’ve all been handmade by those who live there.
Amman
Fruits and vegetables in one of the corner markets in Amman. The fruit and vegetables are so accessible here, and I’m going to miss it quite a lot. Every time I go into one of these places, I am overwhelmed by the colors and the smells, and I feel so grateful to be able to have access to such a variety of things.
Hello, this is me in my apartment in Swefieh Village, Amman. The windows in this apartment give off old-timey vibes, and I want to remember that they too, make me feel like I am a character in a film. I am always looking at the world through a different lens whenever I gaze out of these windows.
Jordan
This was taken at a FIFA game between Saudi Arabia and Jordan. We lost the game, but the CET students and every single person in the crowd that night felt immense pride and love for this country. I have so many feelings, thoughts, and memories here—happy and sad, good and bad. This was my home. It is my home. It will always be my home for at least a moment in time.