Aqaba

Hello all! Sorry I haven't posted in over a week, I've been so busy these last few days in Amman with school and friends. Anyways, last weekend we went to Aqaba which in on the Red Sea. It was so amazing there! The Red Sea is beyond beautiful and the city had a very cool atmosphere. Also when you are at the Red Sea on the Jordan side you can see Egypt, Palestine and Saudi Arabia!
While in Aqaba on Friday we were given the opportunity to scuba dive in the Red Sea which is one of the best places to do it in the world! Of course I jumped on that opportunity and went scuba diving for the first time!! Even though it was a struggle to get my wetsuit on, which looked like a shark attacked it and the equipment was very heavy for my little body to carry, it was so worth it! The coral reefs and all of the sea creatures were so amazing to see up close and personal. I would definitely go scuba diving again, especially in Aqaba! On Saturday we woke up and went on a glass bottom boat tour. Although the boat tour was not as cool as actually being in the water, it was still an adventure! We had the opportunity to go off of the boat in the middle of the Red Sea and snorkel, so being the adventure queen that I am of course I decided to do it, but it didn't turn out so well at first. First I jumped right off the boat into the sea and started to snorkel, everything was okay until I decided it was okay for me to go away from the boat. Water kept getting into my goggles and snorkel. As I tried to swim back to the boat the waves kept taking me under, I seriously thought I was going to drown! Thanks to some of my classmates the captain of the boat was able to guide me to the boat and after a struggle pull me back onto the boat. I was a little shaken, but as soon as the captain offered me a life jacket and to go back into the water with me I was all for it! With some help from Anndrea, my adviser Mohammad and the captain Morad I got back into the sea and was able to snorkel again! I really had a great time in Aqaba, it is definitely another place I would love to go back to!  
Here are a few pictures from Aqaba...We had a underwater camera while snorkeling so hopefully I will receive those pictures soon!

 The adventure underwater begins...

 Wetsuit time!

 The Red Sea

 Mine and Leah's awesome water shoes haha

Beautiful hair Anndrea

 Our diver Abdullah in his element

 The cute note Anndrea left for me at breakfast, I'm going to miss her!

 Glass bottom boat time!

 Crystal clear water

 Coral reef time!

Ship wreck! 

 Oh just going for a camel ride on the beach...

 More coral...

 Snorkel time!

 Man, we were so attractive!

 Smiling back on the boat after my near drowning incident...

 My snorkel buddy Morad!

This is either Egypt or Palestine...

Well Aqaba was amazing and I hate to say it, but I'll be heading to the airport late tomorrow night to leave Jordan. My adventure here has been so amazing. Its had its ups and downs, but overall the experience was one I will never forget. 

Now I'm off to hang out with friends in the city! I'll be posting reflections soon and of course my adventures in France!!

Petra

Along with going to Wadi Rum this past weekend we also went to Petra! It was an amazing experience!! Even though I was so sweaty and full of sand by the time I was done, I had a great time. Our guide from the Wadi Rum camp came with us and walked us around parts of Petra and taught us different facts about the site for a few hours. We then had a couple of hours of free time to explore. Most of us decided to make the journey up to the monastery, which was 900 steps up a mountain. The majority of the group took donkeys up to the top, but not me. I climbed all 900 steps! It was tiring, but so worth it! Petra is really an amazing place!
Here are the pictures I took...

An ancient tomb

 There were plenty of horses riding along the path...

 The drainage system that was built in ancient times took keep the city from flooding

 The people that inhabited Petra in ancient times worshiped different Gods and had monuments for them, this is one.

Look at the rocks and how they fit together...proof that an earthquake separated the mountain

 Looking up

 Walking between the mountains

 The water pipes that were built thousands of years ago!

 Another monument to a God believed to be the most important one.

 The stone road that was discovered under the sand 9 years ago.

 I saw the coolest rock colors here!

 My first sight of the Treasury...

 The amazing Treasury!

 Little me standing in front of the Treasury!

 Camels :)

 9 years ago another story was found 40 meters below what was already believed to be the full Treasury! So awesome to see the discovery of ancient history!

Bedouin police and regular police...

 The notches on the side were used so the builders could climb up and down to carve out the rock, so crazy!

 More of Petra...

 The amphitheater

More awesome rocks!

 I need to buy myself a camel before I leave...

 Heading up the 900 stairs to the monastery...

 After 45 minutes of climbing we finally made it!

 There was a Bedouin just hanging out on top of the monastery, no big deal

 Inside...

Heading back to the beginning...

Petra was truly an amazing experience. The place is so full of history and amazing architecture that you can't simply look at in a picture and see its full beauty. I wish I could have more time to explore the ancient city, a day was certainly not enough. Inshallah one day I'll be able to go back. I'll definitely have to climb those 900 steps again!

I only have 10 days left in Jordan! Time has flown by so fast, but I'm still going to enjoy every second I have left. The ISA group is going to Aqaba this weekend!! Expect to see a great blog post about that trip!