My name is Abeer Qasem, that’s me with the blonde hair above. I’m from Jordan. Jordan is an Arab country on the east bank of the Jordan River. It is defined by ancient monuments, nature reserves and seaside resorts.

It’s home to the famed archaeological site of Petra, the Nabatean capital dating to around 300 B.C. Set in a narrow valley with tombs, temples and monuments carved into the surrounding pink sandstone cliffs, Petra earns its nickname, the “Rose City”.

Jordan’s culture is a pleasant jumble of old and new and Amman (its capital) has rapidly become one of the most sophisticated cities in the Middle East. The culture of Jordan is based on Arabic and Islamic elements with significant western influence. Jordan stands at the intersection of the three continents of the ancient world, lending it geographic and population diversity.The strong connection that Jordanians have with religion is an interesting cultural aspect where Islam and Christianity are practiced freely.

I’m the American program coordinator and an English Language and Literature teacher in the international section at RAMS, my lovely school, which is located in the capital Amman. RAMS stands for Rawdat Al Maaref schools and College. It has been a long journey to reach the place where I am today. I work in the international section with the upper classes ( 9-10-11-12) grades. I give literature and world history classes up to 15 hours per a week.

My School was founded in 1869 in Jerusalem by Sheik Mohammad Soliman Al Saleh. His progeny has carried on his vision of providing one of the most reputable institutions here in Jordan by building modern facilities located in Khelda-Amman. It is the mission of RAMS to prepare students for a life characterized by integrity, life long learning, and compassionate service in society by becoming productive citizens and responsible leaders.

The number of students is approximately 1000 distributed on KG, Elementary sections ( the National curriculum- International curriculum), middle school ( the National curriculum- International curriculum) and the high school ( the National curriculum- International curriculum). The school also has accommodation for students. It is private which attracts wealthy families.

Because I’m a person who has a positive outlook and filled with energy, I’ve managed to enrich my career and way of teaching with a lot of professional development. I’m a certified ESL teacher and Oral Examiner and I hold a TESOL certificate. I enjoy teaching critical thinking and raising attainment for students.

However, the most important certification that I have achieved is the one which has enabled me to become a Neurolanguage Coach. I feel that it has completed me firstly as a person and secondly as a teacher. I have always believed that a teacher’s impact extends far beyond the classroom; to me a teacher is a mentor and a friend. Having the potential to communicate and interact directly with students at all stages of development and from all walks of life, led me to become a Neurolanguage Coach. For me, it is like a portal which has opened a new dimension in which I can positively help to shape the next generation’s decisions, behaviors, strengths, weaknesses and imagination. I love playing a part in my students’ lives, shaping the person they will ultimately become.

The most important thing that I learnt on the course was that no matter where you come from, we, as humans can still blend and merge in harmony to bridge the gaps between our different cultures .
Recognizing the differences and similarities is what made me realize that we are all similar at our core in ethics and morals, feelings of sympathy towards the elderly, children, living in peace, enjoying happy moments or even feeling sad for others, and many more. But we sometimes differ in translating these similarities to the outside.

So now let me tell you about my life in Jordan: I was born in Kuwait in 1976, but we moved back to Jordan in 1990 when I was 15. I finished my studies and I joined the teaching sector first in 1998 in the public sector, but then I moved to the private sector in 2011 where I am still working today.

I usually spend my free time with my children since I have 2 boys and 2 girls. I try very hard to establish a solid bond with them as I have with my family. I like to lie in the sun to relax from my hectic daily work especially in summer times. Sometimes I go out with my friends – we have fun, chat, or watch a movie. I love pets as they make me feel comfortable and at ease and I have a dog and a cat.

Concerning the war in Syria, it has really affected the economy of my country in general, but concerning my job, it has not.

So that is my happy life in Jordan, part of the Arabic world. Please come and see it one day.