Kate Bettes' Jordan study tour

A cultural immersion

Being in Jordan for The Foreign Correspondent Tour was exciting, exhausting and game-changing, all at once. Not bad, for 18 days. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to change so much over such a short period of time.

From day one, we were in the thick of it exploring our surroundings to find the best stories. Being on the tour was like having a mental permission slip to ask as many questions and learn as much about Jordanian culture as we could. People were incredibly friendly, and happy to oblige. From climbing past remains at Pella and Petra, to walking the streets in Aqaba and Amman, it was always a pleasure to speak to people and report.

Before going on the tour, I had so many questions; what is the same, and what is different? How do people interact with their friends and family? What issues are prevalent in the street art, in conversation and on campuses? I couldn’t wait to get there to find out

Cultivating curiosity

Having each other there was a real support, as we learned from one another’s specialities, such as photography, film, producing and writing. This was perhaps the most obvious takeaway of value, but I feel that what was greater was the sense of curiosity the program stoked.

I now want to visit other countries in the Middle East, as well as North Africa to see the differences in culture. I’ve also realised the cultural significance of languages, such as Arabic in Australia: and want to try learning it as soon as possible.

As a journalist, the richness and number of stories meant I was happily overwhelmed by ideas. If anything, it has taught me that you can find stories anywhere if you look hard enough!