Editor’s note: The Daily Orange’s previous abroad columnist, Lara Sorokanich, has returned to campus and will no longer be writing a weekly column. Stephen Sydor, a junior international relations major, is studying in Irbid, Jordan, and will be writing the weekly abroad column for the remainder of the spring 2013 semester.

Jerash was like something out of a movie.

The Arch of Hadrian instantly let all visitors know they were in a special place. Walking down the perfectly paved cobblestone roads of the ancient city of Jerash, I was amazed at the early age technological capacity its inhabitants possessed.

Even common areas like the hippodrome or two 1,000-seat amphitheaters were designed using engineering beyond its day. The theaters had large hallways leading to rows and aisles so patrons could easily find their seats. Some lower-deck seats even had armrests.

As I walked through, it became easy to envision the city as a bustling first-century metropolis. The huge open forum surrounded by pillars still seemed to echo the chatter of merchants who once filled the streets. The broken temples and shrines were a testament to life before Christianity or Islam.

I noticed a herd of goats grazing in between some fallen rubble, with two young boys watching the animals. Grazing goats are not foreign sights in the Middle East, but the fact that they were in a historic park and the boys looked 14 years old made it worth checking out.

The boys waved to me and smiled as I approached them. I was surprised at how well one of them spoke English, considering his age. He said he was from Syria and his friend was from Jordan.

The Syrian boy’s name was Ahmed and he was quite outgoing, given I was a complete stranger and foreigner. He asked me questions about America and was curious about what Americans thought about the Middle East. As I mentioned all of the comforts that make my home so special, his eyes lit up with wonder.

He told me that one day, he would like to come to America, but was well aware of the near impossible hurdles in his path. It is difficult for many Jordanians and Syrians to come to the United States because of visa and security issues. Ahmed said he came from the Syrian city of Dera’a only four months ago because of the Syrian conflict.

Many Syrian refugees come to Jordan from this southern city because of its close proximity to the country. There are close to one million Syrian refugees now living in Jordan.

Ahmed said every day, he brings his three goats to the park because his family lives in a refugee apartment complex, and there is no place for them to graze around his home.

Ahmed’s maturity exceeded that of many adults. After he told his story, the boy took a ring off of his hand and presented it to me. I told him I couldn’t take it, but he insisted, saying it wasn’t expensive.

He told me it was made from Syrian iron, and wanted me to keep it so I would always remember him. Even though Ahmed lost almost everything he owned and was forced to leave his house as a refugee, he showed a level of generosity and selflessness I did not think possible for someone in his situation.

As I walked away, the boys smiled and waved, just like when I had first approached them. Their unwarranted kindness toward me will forever be a part of the memory of my trip to Jerash and the Middle East.

Stephen Sydor is a junior international relations major. His column appears every week in Pulp. For more information, he can be reached at srsydor@syr.edu.

Published on March 5, 2013 at 1:39 am