What does a German expect when he travels after a long period of snow in his own country to a state generally known as to be located in the desert?

My hopes to finally warm up have been disappointed by welcoming heavy rain showers which turned the streets into rivers flowing through the city.

Only the honking cars seeming to swim through those rivers reminded me that it would be hopeless to start fishing here. Amman – a vivid, Middle Eastern crowded city was crying out for the desperately needed water.

Although I have lived in an Arabic town for almost two years already, it was nothing like the experience of being in a megacity as this. The initial fear of being betrayed at every corner and in each taxi I would take because of my obviously different origin fortunately turned out to be in vain.

As day one of a one-month internship at ‘Radio Al Balad’ – the first Arabic online radio station and a precursor of liberating the media in Arabic countries from political restriction - passes by, I have time to reflect, to write down, to inform.

Being a student of both Middle Eastern Studies and Science of Media & Communication brought up the idea in my mind of combining an obligatory internship with travelling to the area of interest.

Only two weeks before the internship would actually begin it was clear that it would work out for me and finally the time has arrived.

Daoud Kuttab, an award-winning Arab journalist and founder of Radio Al Balad, received me in his office with a good friend who lived in the city for a while and helped me in finding a host family as well as my way through the completely unknown area.

One of his plenty visions is to build up a connection to German universities in order to receive photography students for internships. The idea behind it is to send them with local journalists to happenings, members of the parliament and other relevant people as to start taking professional and up to date pictures which can be posted on their website www.ammannet.net, used for illustrating news and to be sold.

Other than that the coming four weeks will keep me busy with getting to know the many projects ‘Radio al Balad’ is working on and getting involved with the English website.

Unlike in Germany the atmosphere in the offices is less official, around 60% of the men turn to you when you say the name Muhammad and surprising employees with a huge birthday cake is the most normal thing to do.

As for now, it is getting quieter in the office, the daylight slowly fades away and people start moving home.  I am looking forward for the weeks to come and enshallah not leave until the sun reminds me again that this is truly the Middle East and not my rainy hometown.