I think about my privilege constantly in Jordan. One situation that was particularly striking was when we met with Doad, and he described the trials and tribulations of Jordanian journalism. Unlike in America, there is no freedom of speech in Jordan. Although our American political platforms are rife with polarization, no one is going to prison because of their opinion. 

The ability to speak our minds is an important aspect of all of our lives, especially during DukeEngage. One of the key experiences during DukeEngage is the weekly reflections when we listen to new voices and connect their voices to our perspectives and experiences. I’ve listened to every member of our cohort state their opinions that explicitly contradict the American government agenda and feel empowered and confident while doing so. In many ways, this is not a reality for most Jordanians. It is a crime here to criticize the king, government officials, and institutions. In addition, defamatory speech is absolutely prohibited. Journalists could face jail time for publishing information that is not approved by the government or the monarchy, and the policies are getting stricter. I think about this every time my supervisor answers a political question, a guest speaker presents, or when I am in a taxi and feel comfortable discussing current news. I am grateful that I have grown up in a culture that encouraged discourse and that this privilege follows me overseas. 

There is a popular anecdote about two fish used to describe culture. One fish swims past the other and asks, “How’s the water?” The other fish replies, “What the hell is water?” Almost every orientation I have attended brings up the visual to prove the point that you don’t truly know what surrounds you and how it affects how you interact with the world until you leave your ‘fishbowl.’ In this case, leaving America and Duke is leaving the fishbowl to dive into the Jordanian ocean. But despite the change of environment, you still don’t shake off how you’re used to swimming. This means all of my interactions are impacted by my context. It can be silly things, like how Americans shut car doors harder than Jordanians, or larger decisions, like entering a new space at work and not knowing the proper professionalism. This means many mistakes are made, but I try to be conscious that this is not my water, and I try to take a step back and watch how the other fish are swimming.