Help Janine go to Jordan

Janine D'Souza Start Date: Nov 3, 2022 - End Date: May 2, 2023
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Intern Abroad
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Amman, Jordan

My Travel Story

by: Janine D'Souza Start Date: Nov 3, 2022 - End Date: May 2, 2023
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Intern Abroad
  • Study/Degree Abroad
Hello! My name is Janine D’Souza, and I’m a junior at Dartmouth College from Greenville, SC. Before starting at Dartmouth, I only had vague ideas about what I’d like to do with my life: majoring in government, going to law school, and then being a lawyer of some kind. When I eventually started classes, I realized I had to take a language class. Instead of opting for Spanish as I had in high school, I decided to take Arabic. From my first day of class, I knew that I had found an interest that would propel me through my college career and beyond. I loved everything about the language, from its history to the beauty of even my daily homework assignments. As I began college amidst the pandemic, I was unable to consider studying abroad until my sophomore year, when I started making preparations to go to Jordan. Finally, after a year’s worth of inquiries, applications, and bothering my college’s registrar, I was finally accepted into my dream program to Amman, Jordan! As part of the program, I would live in Amman, Jordan for 4 months and take Arabic classes in formal, Modern Standard Arabic as well as dialectic Jordanian Arabic. Beyond my Arabic classes, I would also take other courses on Middle Eastern and Jordanian politics and complete an internship with a local organization. I was most excited about this internship opportunity as I could get first-hand experience working with refugees, migrants, and other displaced populations in Jordan to gain access to the resources needed for establishing better lives, which is what I plan to do following law school. To me, working in human rights, refugee resettlement, and legal protection for individuals whose entire lives have been based in another region of the world without ever having personally worked in that region does not feel beneficial to those seeking assistance. This opportunity in Amman gives me the chance to be a more informed, empathetic professional once I complete my education.


Unfortunately, my study abroad program did not offer me a single dollar in financial aid. My family and I were not prepared for this, as I receive large amounts of financial aid from Dartmouth. On top of medical bills for an unexpected injury over the summer, we will not be able to afford the entire amount necessary for me to study abroad in Jordan. The opportunity to travel to Jordan is one I would never have access to outside of school; as a child of Indian immigrants, our rare vacations are always to visit family in India that we have been unable to see. If you could lend any support, even just a dollar, I would greatly appreciate it. The chance to go abroad and learn about the Middle East and its languages, cultures, politics, and people outside of my New England bubble will make an extraordinary difference in my education. Thank you for your support!
  • Amman, Jordan