After working on a Friday, Geethika and I sat down with one of our colleagues on the couch. As we sipped tea, she explained why she decided to have her kids abroad. Although she had decided to attend university in Jordan, she said that she wanted to give her kids an opportunity. Opportunity meant an avenue outside of Jordan. 

She was not the first person that we met that talked about wanting a pathway out of Jordan. The chess player I met wanted to leave to find an IT job outside of Jordan, another guy talked about how he was glad that he left for university in Hungary, and a news reporter talked about the limitations of the press while within the Jordan borders. Even the individuals that were the most committed to promoting employment within Jordan talked about how their dreams lay elsewhere. 

Through my work, I conceptualized why all of the people I talked to had travel dreams. I wrote briefs about how, despite Jordan being the number one host country to Palestinians, unemployment levels were startlingly high. Amongst the youth unemployment is around 50%. One in two young adults in Jordan do not have a job. Let that sit in. 

Our colleague’s comment about having her children abroad may just sound like a preference, but it represents the systemic issues of Jordan. It makes me wonder, if citizens do not feel as though they have a successful future within the country, how can refugees? Our work has expanded my knowledge of the initiatives within Jordan to provide refugees with employment and educational opportunities. But, to truly address the issues we must solve the systemic employment issue first.