I’ll be heading out to the Badia for a few days here in Jordan so I won’t have my laptop to blog. But alas! Sunday when I return I will drop 3 whole posts on this joint! Stay tuned for pictures from the ancient city of Al-Salt, a commentary of the challenges of Diglossia in Arabic language learning, and for reflections of my time with the people of the Badia!
Also here’s the coolest picture anyone has ever taken of me.
Martha Ramos
<i>*Texas Scholarship</i>
Marhaba! My name is Martha and I’m a student at the University of Texas at Arlington and I’m a huge nerd for all things related to language so naturally I chose linguistics as my major and Arabic my minor and upon graduating I will have earned my TESOL certificate that will enable me to teach English abroad (Insha’allah!). In my senior year of college, I had an abrupt change of plans when my dream job suddenly was no longer a possibility for me for astronomical reasons beyond my control. I had to rethink my career plans but as the old adage goes, when one door closes, another one opens! I delved into my language studies and am now torn between the possibilities of my future! Teaching English in Latin America or the Middle East is most definitely in my future! I hope to spend some time in the Peace Corps after graduating from UTA and later on contribute to the conservation of Endangered Languages while pursuing my graduate degree. This Summer I’ll be traveling to Jordan in an effort to refine my Arabic and acquire a glimpse into the lives of my future students.While I’m there I hope to volunteer in an ESL classroom and teach English to local Jordanians. The Scholarship from FEA has made real for me the opportunity that up until recently was just slightly out of reach and I look forward to such an experience.
