What makes Jordan a great place to live in?

I've written an earlier post about the reasons why I thought Dubai is one of the best places to live (Here) . Now, it's time to talk about Jordan.

Being a Jordanian, and someone who lived most of his life in Jordan, I should be able to write a comprehensive piece on the subject. However, those who lived or continue to live in Jordan know that the country changes very quickly. The social fabric in the country keeps morphing and changing. It remains to be a matter of debate whether those changes in all aspects of life are to the better or worse. What everyone seems to agree on is that change do happen, and in a pacey way.

Therefore, I realized that for someone who has been coming back to Jordan mostly for holidays for the past five years, it will make sense to ask for feedback from those who currently live there, or in some way have experienced the place recently.

So, this is an invitation to all of you out there, to grace us with your comments, telling us what makes Jordan a great place to live in?

Spread the word. We want to know what you think :)

Chapter 4: Jordanians " THE GRINGOS "

There is always this nasty sheep that stands out. It's the one not taking the parallel route to the herd. It's a troublemaker sheep, chewing on a toothpick the Eastwood style, and fluffing its hair the other way around.

In a similar fashion the gringos have taken a wild path. An unorthodox style of life. They couldn't care less about what you think of their clothes, or their glasses. If they like it, then everybody else can bite the dust. They are intrigued by what the mass would consider a given. They are moved by what the crowds thinks dull and colorless. They, surprisingly, still read. They have hobbies. They've got talent. They sing and dance, fall and bounce. they play an instrument, they share a sentiment. Hate for all that is vain and mundane. All that is typical and sane. They're awkward, in a good way. They might be twisted in their heads, but it's really hard to say.

They've abandoned the mainstream, preferring to travel uphill. Inspired by their dreams, and stories they want to live to tell. Your car make is just a name to them. The color of your eyes tells of your genetics, no more. It's what you have in you that matters the most to them. With those guys, you might get away with charm for a couple of minutes, but then you'd better have something good to say.

There is an IQ prerequisite to talk to these guys. It's their law of attraction. They grew tired of stereotypes and status quo. They breathe change and action, vitality and authenticity. If you looked for them you wouldn't find them. They just appear before you, out of nowhere. There is no secret handshake. There is no safe house. There is no headquarter, home, bar or cafe. They roam the place like thirsty kids. Wanting to quench their thirst with ideas. After all, home is where the mind is.

They fall in love with arts, music, sport, physics, numbers and books. It's their religion. They practice and don't preach. They are always up to something, and they never fail to function. They've been accused of so many things; dreamers, losers, too passionate, too optimistic, too pessimistic, disconnected, dysfunctional, pretenders, and a lot more. But it doesn't deter them. for they have a vision. They have a reason for living. Life to them is more than a 3-meal day, an 8-hour sleep 8-hour job and 8-hour social disturbia. it's much more. 


They are the reason this country produced any success. They are the reason Jordan is still viewed favourably by some. They are the reason we still boost one of the most intellectual and desirable communities in the region. They are the ones who passed the unseen gate of immortals first. For you will see their traces after they leave this world. Lucky you are if you are a gringo. If you are a nerd or a geek, If you raise a couple of eyebrows from the masses, and if you were laughed at in high school, and dismissed as a loser. 


The Gringos are the pen and the eye of this country. They are the wind of change. They ensure continuity, while others provide the fuel. 

Chapter 3: Jordanians " The Hair Shirts "

THE HAIR SHIRTS


You need a Polo shirt, Diesel Jeans, Clarks shoes, and a Breitling. You need a BMW or an SUV, a BB, a so-called exquisite taste, and a 5-number car plate. These are the pre-requisites to the League of Extraordinary men and women. If you have the pre-requisites, then you're eligible for entry.
Self-haters who denounce everything around them. Jordanians by virtue of a document, and if given the chance they'll be anything but. They claim superiority to a world that fed them. They are disgusted by a nation that never stopped giving them. To them, this country can't do anything right. As the movie of the Jordanian life flickers before there eyes they fail to see anything but the black spots and the hidden signatures. They've succumbed to the notion that their survival stems from their distance from this society. They welcome foreigners with a cry for help. They'll bash everything they see to overcome their insecurities, and lack of self-respect.
they're overwhelmed with reality. Oblivious to the concept of classes. Everyone needs to be Upper Class. You need to get your morning coffee at Starbucks, watch your movies at Zara Center's, have your Shisha in Lemon, and NOT read your books in Books@cafe. You're unrecognizable to them if your net worth of apparel covering your body is less than 200 JD. They'll sing Odes of the wonders of the countries they visited, and compare it to the nothingness they see in Jordan. They have a soft spot for Lebanon. It's their best bid to achieve social immortality.
If you want to see them, look around you. They are the ones sitting on tables talking to each other in English, dropping a "ca va" every once in awhile. They are the ones staring at you, from the corner of their eyes, somewhere near the belt, for an eye contact with the masses hurts their superiority.
They love their version of Jordan. One in which they only see themselves. One in which everybody dines in a hotel and shops in a mall. One that breathes vanity and exists in their fantasy.
They have a keen interest in arts, but they can't tell the difference between a melody and a fart. They are the farthest there is from sophistication, but they definitely look the part. They are the parasites growing around ministers, and the country's blood-sucking sinisters. For them, narcissism is a religion, humility is fascism, and a nation is a minority of Gods and a majority of enslaved and ripe humans put there to glorify their mere existence. 
They dread the crawling of the easter Ammanites to their Green Zone. Down the years they retreated from Jabal Al Hussein, Jabal Amman, Shmeisani and Rabieh. They are still fighting for there lives in Sweifieh, while they still have a stronghold in Abdoun and Deir Ghbar! A counter attack has been recently launched at Jabal Amman, but it remains to be seen who will eventually prevail.
If you're rich, you're not necessarily one of them. However, you need to keep spotting yourself. As your humanity and your connection with reality is at stake. You have the choice. You can become superior by overcoming your superiority, or dwell in the hole of self-worship and shoot yourself to oblivion. To the dumpster of history.

Chapter 2: Jordanians "THE WINGERS"

THE WINGERS


In a world of superstars and celebrities those people take the different route of annonymity. They are socially outdated, and barely ever took a look at today's dictionary of Who's Who. They run through life with selfless dedication and make the best out of nothing. They're the ticking clock behind every functioning or barely functioning family, but life breezes past them like summer wind, and their unforgivable cluellessness is their only triumph.

They are deaf to The obscenely loud buzz of life, as somewhere along the line of their monochromatic life someone taught them that this is the best they're ever going to get. With an 80's hairstyle, and a 20JD- leather jacket they wake up everyday to do the same thing they did the day before. A weekend is for house shores. A picnic is a barbecue task on Airport road. Eid is family visits, and Jabal Al Hussein is the equal of the strip in L.A.

They pass by you like a Friday. As they exist, but to us we managed to strip them off every single meaning of spirituality. They've learned some 50 years ago that being a woman is a test. Being a man is an obligation. Work is routine, and life is a big greyscale scene.

They studied in public schools. They admire and resent those brats who graduated from schools usually referred to by 3-letter acronyms. Gel is as bad as Alcohol, and trendy Jeans are as sinful as thongs.

They roam the streets of East Amman and Every Jabal something during early evenings, wearing an empty look. Carrying a black plastic bag that is the only source of joy to that family. they are usually overwhelmed by how life left them behind. How their values are antiquities from the past, and how days move so freaking fast. They grow frustrated with the shadow they cast, but it's as far as the next morning that this feeling will last.

There pen is a stamp. They know how to guide you to the next office of that civil building with as few words as possible. they puff their cigarettes earth bound. They searched for their ambition but it's nowhere to be found. Unlike others, they usually underestimate themselves, but they compensate for that with their self-proclaimed high standard of morality.

They are the Janitors of a hospital. The infantry of a military. The traffic cops at intersections. The TA's in a faculty. The full backs in a football team. They play on the premises of the play. They walk at the edge of life. They are the wingers going forward and the guardians going back. They are the wings of a falcon. For without wings a falcon can't fly. But as he poses and stairs at you, those wings are held back. They just don't have the knack.

In their world, love is convenience, and respect is obedience. Fun is a travesty, and change is a tragedy. In their shells they are contained, writers, scientists, geniuses and hard workers! Unfortunately for the world, only few of them will ever break through that bottle knick called self esteem.

Chapter 1: Jordanians " The Floaters"

There are five types of Jordanians. At least 95% of the population belong to one of these types. The rest are just anomalies or simply not Jordanians.

These types are identifiable by their way of life. Not by religion or origin, but by social beliefs and codes of social communication.

In this Series of 5 posts we will go through the 5 types as an extensive Jordan 101 Course.

THE FLOATERS:

This group takes pride in being Elite. Not in a financial sense, but more on a moral level. the wrong doing of their own doesn't necessarily undermine their status as they have struck a deal with God to give them a signing bonus. A huge sum of good deeds that will always balance out their screw ups.

Males will look for a girlfriend, and girls will look for boyfriends. Guys will always look for sex by any mean, but they'll eventually look for a Virgin to marry! Someone whom no man's hands have touched before. For them every guy in a car with a girl is the boyfriend and he's getting some! The possibility of him being her brother, fiancee, cousin is absolutely absurd and unrealistic for them.

They all know what religion is all about. They know what's wrong and right, but they do all the wrong things. They want to enjoy life! Go out, party, have Girlfriends, dance, experience the nightlife, sleep overs, go camping with the opposite sex just for a laugh and a game of Monopoly through the night. They want to have a hobby. Play a sport. Maybe Tennis! They end up playing Cards until all their life's wild cards are spent. They are hooked to pipes running from their lips to the end of their dreams. To a bowl of stinking water as they vent their dreams and watch it become a white cloud blocking their sight.

They sit and judge and gauge. How much did they waste, and how more is there to waste. By the time their dreams are transformed into a proud gut, and their lungs rot, they find themselves a "Virgin" and go on to add mediocrity to a mediocre existence. Eat, Work, Drink, and sleep. They believe that they are the best thing that happened since bread came sliced. Syrians, Egyptians, Gulf people, Iraqis, Lebanese? No, they are not good enough.

They speak different tongues because they always try to fit! Gaddaish, Addaish and Addaih! They love their cars. They love their Shisha's and they love their coffee cups and keyboards.

They are stuck midway between Heaven and Hell! They don't drink but they don't pray, they don't think but they don't play!.. They don't read because it's lame. They don't play sport because it's immature. They love and they deny it. They have brains but they don't levy it. They are dressed in blue, grey and black. Probably Green on a happy day, But Pink would be just too Gay. They don't know where they stand. Are they on the left or on the right? Are they in the middle of it or just on the side? Are they vectors or just scalar values with no direction or aim?

They just float... The lost Children of this country.

To Be Continued....

Today's Dose of Wisdom: Marriage!

Being in Jordan, you find yourself forced to share the joyful and scandulous wedding atmosphere of everyone around you!! Even those you don't know. From Parades and convoys in the street that force you to line up and participate in the horn-honking contest to the social obligation of showing up in every single wedding of a member of your super-extended family!! All of this merits a scratch of the brain, and A call for wisdom. Especially that the hot topic of this mating season is marriage!

Here are some quotes to help you through the casual discussions while you'rE driving around with your friends/family, or while you'rE engaging in the social activity of smoking shisha in one of the Zillion coffee shops around the city!!

"A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband."
Honore de Balzac

"A husband is what is left of a lover, after the nerve has been extracted."
Helen Rowland

"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it." John Steinbeck

"A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing." W. Somerset Maugham

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." Mignon McLaughlin

"All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble." Raymond Hull

"Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't they'd be married too." H. L. Mencken

"We, as Humans, are bound to make mistakes. If nothing else, we get married." Ehab

"Humans go against nature all the time. For example; We get married, animals sleep around." Ehab

If you look closely you'll find Spirms flying all over the city!!

HAPPY MATING SEASON EVERYONE!!

Jordan Ranks 33 on Forbes List of Best Countries for Business

Jordan came No.33 in Forbes list for best counties for business up 28 spots from last year, right after Bahrain and beating the United Arab Emirates (No.46) by 13 spots, Saudi Arabia (No.44) by 11 spots, Kuwait (No.49) by 16 spots, Oman (No.39) by 6 spots, and Qatar (No.37) by 4 spots.

Rank-previous year 61
GDP Growth 4.5%
GDP/Capita $5,000
Trade Balance -29.4%
Population 6.2 mil
Federal Budget Balance as % of GDP -5.9%

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources. Poverty, unemployment, and inflation are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH II, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards.

Since Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary policy, making substantial headway with privatization, and opening the trade regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased under the free trade accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which allow Jordan to export goods with some Israeli content duty free to the US.

In 2006 and 2008, Jordan used privatization proceeds to significantly reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio. These measures have helped improve productivity and have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. The government ended subsidies for petroleum and other consumer goods in 2008 in an effort to control the budget. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the growing budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs.

Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls. Jordan's conservative banking sector has been largely protected from the worldwide financial crisis, but many businesses, particularly in the tourism and real estate sector, are predicting a slow-down in 2009.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/6/bizcountries09-best-countries-for-business_Jordan_CHI051.html

The Seven Arab Girls You Should Never Date

P.S. No images were included for lack of authentic material or time for creativity. Image donations are accepted and will be attributed to the donor!!

This one is inspired by the post at www.andfaraway.net, which in turn is inspired by the one at www.KabobFest.com!! But since the purposes of dating vary hugely, and since I would assume that the purpose implicitly stated in the previously mentioned posts is a long lasting relationship, then I will build the list based on that assumption. Because honestly speaking, the list might become the most wanted in case you were looking for something else.

It is also worth mentioning that I didn’t try to categorize girls based on their favorite hangout, hobbies, clothes, or upbringing background, but more on their mentalities.

I’m not sure whether the point I’m trying to make here is clear to everyone, or is it just clear in my head. Anyway, there goes nothing. Below is a list of eight girls you should not date in Amman.

1.The “ENNU” girl!! a.k.a The “I WAS LIKE” girl:

Boosted with a couple of private school years under her belt and a self-induced feeling of sophistication, she sticks the above mentioned words/phrases in every sentence replacing all punctuation marks. She thinks that the world revolves around her, and that guys would die at her feet just because she knows how to say Oh My God and she remotely resembles Europeans. She spends her time hours on end gossiping with her equally light-headed friends, usually about the other group of her light-headed friends and vice versa. She is usually rich.

She usually wears shades that cover half her face, and makeup covering the other half. Has more bags than an airport belt and relentlessly brag about her love for shoes.

2.The feminist:

-And no, by definition, not all females are feminists- Usually she’ll smack you with a speech about how women are equal to men, and how they can perform almost all tasks and duties a man can do! For obvious reasons, she will not come to mention semen. She will use every chance to mention her passion for work, and the nightmares about marrying a guy who will stop in the way of her career. Usually will complain about guys manners in queues, buses and restaurants because they don’t behave as gentlemen towards women, and will make no secret of her desire to quit work a few years from marriage.. Sighting numerous reasons, one of which is the presence of the kid!

No single dress code usually fits the group. As it is more related to an age bracket.

3. The plastic girl:

Usually have done a couple of surgeries to enhance her assets! And as much as it is pleasing to us, all will become negligible next to the empty space between her ears. She thinks that cars and clothes are assets, and believes that a guy’s love is directly proportional to how much money leakage he is willing to accept. The most annoying treat in a man for her is; him being stingy.

What she is wearing? Brands, brands and more brands. And more brands.. and yet more brands

4. Shareefet Makka:

The girl whom you were the first to kiss!! Touch or, exercise any kind of foreplay with. Because according to her you are the first… but the truth is, there is a long line of firsts. Note: Virginity is not a measure, since this type of girls is so accommodating through other entry points.

5. The Ugly one: For obvious reasons

6. The age-conscious girl.

She is so insecure about her age, and about still being single. You can easily spot that type because they talk a lot about marriage, and their refusal to marry the first guy knocking at her door. She is keen on mentioning all suitors knocking on her door, and the reason why she allegedly “rejected” them. Reason for not dating her is simply because she will hook up with a monkey if he is coming close to raising a marriage LPO. Turn on your detectors around those older than 26, because this is the threshold for Jordanian girls. Usually it takes them 2-3 years after graduation to get over the career dream, and then they develop into men-hunters!


7. The “not so sure about this” girl:

Testy girls who want to make a challenge of every little thing. She wants you to get into her heart through a treasure hunt contest. Reason for not dating is simply because she should go fuck herself. There is a lot of fish in the sea, and it has been proved times and times again that it is not worth it!


The purpose of this post in not primarily to be funny… It has a point, and if you don’t get it, then you are beyond help.

Queen Rania!! Queen of Jordan!! An Arab Woman!!

You know... I can't really say much here! She is just wonderful!!!

The Experience of Life

I’ve been always making fun of people who go camping in Wadi Rum, until I went there myself, it was like a slap on my face, I can’t tell you how stunned I was by the beauty of the rocks and the shapes that emerged from the sand covering these huge and magnificent rocks.



All of the above was in the afternoon, but the sunset time and the night is something else. When we took the way to the west, and my eyes fall on the sun disappearing behind the hills, I almost stopped breathing; we honestly stopped talking when we saw that breathtaking scene.

For those interested, below are some information about this magical place. Although, I have to warn you, nothing you'll read will be equal to the beautiful experience you'll have there.

"Wadi Rum is a protected area covering 720 square kilometers of dramatic desert wilderness in the south of Jordan. Huge mountains of sandstone and granite emerge, sheer-sided, from wide sandy valleys to reach heights of 1700 meters and more. Narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains and many conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over millennia. Bedouin tribes still live among the mountains of Rum and their large goat-hair tents are a special feature of the landscape.

It’s not just that Wadi Rum is a tourist area; it has been used as a background setting in a number of films:
Lawrence of Arabia - David Lean filmed much of this 1962 film on location in Wadi Rum.
Red Planet - Wadi Rum was used as the surface of Mars in this 2000 film.
Passion in the Desert - The area was also used for scenes in this 1998 film.
The Face - BBC Film, Rock climbing in Rum"


So from now on, don’t underestimate how entertaining a place can be until you experience it yourself.


For more information about Wadi Rum please see the following links


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Rum

http://www.wadirum.jo/

Americans flock to Jordan to study Arabic

AMMAN, Jordan - Young Americans studying Arabic like to joke that Jordan is "Middle East Lite" — a safe way into a tumultuous region without Lebanon's violence, Syria's tense relationship with the U.S. or the Gulf's conservative culture.

Drawn by that reputation, an increasing number of Americans interested in Arabic have been flocking to Jordan.
The capital, Amman, lacks much of the history and color that attract Americans to Cairo, the most popular destination for foreign students who want to learn Arabic. But Amman comes without the air pollution and crowds that plague Egypt's capital. It also feels more Western with its clean streets and numerous American shops and fast-food restaurants.
"I've traveled to Morocco but not to the heart of the Middle East, and Jordan was that good entry point," said Liza Hester, an Arabic student from Maine's Colby College.
She speculated that places like Egypt and Yemen would be more difficult to navigate and said her college would not give her credit for Arabic classes taken in countries on the U.S. State Department's travel advisory list, such as Syria and Lebanon.
Jordan, perhaps best known as home of the ancient red rock city of Petra, has generally been safe for foreigners despite an occasional flare-up in violence. A Palestinian gunman wounded six people outside a popular Roman amphitheater in Amman earlier this summer, while triple hotel blasts claimed by al-Qaida in Iraq killed 63 people in 2005.
But such attacks have done little to damage Jordan's image as a placid island of stability.
Amman has also become a doorstep to neighboring Iraq: Construction has boomed with Iraqi investments and Iraqi refugees have flooded in. Westerners traveling to Baghdad or using the Jordanian capital as a base for operations in the wartorn country are also common.
Still, Amman remains far sleepier than other Arab capitals.
"Amman is like the Kansas City of the Middle East," Kelly Nau, a 26-year-old Los Angeles native who came to Jordan to work as a nurse, said between puffs from a waterpipe at one of the city's stylish cafes.
It may not have the "allure of Damascus, Beirut or Jerusalem," but, Nau adds: "It is stable."
More than 300 Americans are expected to study Arabic at the University of Jordan in the fall, making up over half of this year's class of 600 students.
The size of the program has tripled since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, said Tawfiq Omar, the academic adviser for foreigners learning Arabic at the university.
It is the largest of more than 30 Arabic language programs offered in Jordan. Many charge about $2,000 per year in tuition — less than the cost of many programs in countries like Egypt and Syria, which have also seen an increase in Arabic language students from the U.S. since the 2001 attacks.
For some, the cheap tuition means money left over to party in Amman's nightclubs and Irish pubs. Others get jobs waiting tables in the city's restaurants or write English speeches for Jordanian officials to pay the bills.
Jordan's moderate government has encouraged Americans to visit the country, hoping the exchange will reduce misconceptions about the Middle East. The country's youthful Queen Rania launched a Web site on YouTube earlier this year devoted to breaking down negative stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims.
"I want the people to know the real Arab world, unedited, unscripted, unfiltered," said the queen in one of her videos.
The Jordanian government's moderate politics has made the country a sort of diplomatic "Middle East Lite" for the U.S. as well.
Jordan, which signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994, is one of America's most reliable allies in the region and rarely adopts controversial positions on issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian crisis or the Iraq war.
A large number of Jordanians in Amman speak at least a little English, which makes the transition easier for Americans who come to the country to learn Arabic for the first time. Also, many signs in the country are posted in both English and Arabic.
Even the country's summer weather is fairly moderate, a rarity in a region where temperatures regularly soar above 100 degrees Fahreinheit.
"The lovely climate is the main reason I came here. But the people are also very welcoming," said Mariam Shaheed, a Texas native who came to Amman over the summer to improve her Arabic.

From Yahoo News "An AP report"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080902/ap_on_re_mi_ea/jordan_mideast_lite;_ylt=Alpp.s5BFMMfUmWVsBHpRUxvaA8F

Jordan: Private hospitals deny accusations of discrimination!!

I have to say when I first read the title, I freaked out!!

It turned out that it wasn't as discriminatory as I thought, but it is even more inhumane!! OF course if it turns out to be true!

The private sector in Jordan rejected accusations of mistreating & overcharging non-Jordanian patients!!

My father used to say: Doctors are the worst & most merciless Businessmen on the face of earth!!

I just hope this is not true. Because really, we have some of the best doctors in the region in Jordan, and probably in the world. Also, we really need this Therapeutic Tourism!! Mush na2seen Masayeb!

For the full article follow the link below (From MENAFN-Jordan Times)

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093211297

Jordan's Matrix Company, finally Hacked!!

I knew it!!... I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!!

aaaaaaaah, business in jordan!! The ever elusive dream!!

I heard they've passed new laws to regulate the operations of such ill-fated companies!

Yes, they have prevented a married guy from travelling for his honeymoon because he was involved in such business dealings and he owned people loads of money!! But somehow they failed to see this one coming!

Please raise Oil prices now, and hammer the last nail in people's coffin!

In Amman

For the last three and a half years, and since I left Amman to work in Dubai, I've always had a special place in my heart for the city (Amman). I practically grew up there; making most of my meaningful friendships, and having what I still consider the best years of my life.

Loyalty

I've always yearned to Amman. I never accepted the fact that I might spend a big chunk of my life in another country. In my head, it was the final destination, and the place to be.

To me, Amman is a place where I can spend my time with family and friends, enjoy weather, people, places and hours of useless/usefull chats with people I've known for as long as I remember. It was fun, real, honest & most of all HOME.

Having all that saved deep in the ROM of my brain, I occasionally complained about everything I can complain about in Dubai! Melting heat, suffocating humidity, people's lack of loyalty, and the fact that everyone here is a temp! Just like in a bus station, staying for awhile in his/her way to another place. Some of my friends here thought otherwise. They believed that I will soon get used to it, enjoy it, and even stop feeling home sick or even wanting to!

They obviously had their arguments, but for some reason they were not convincing!

In Amman

Last time I was in Amman, I started seeing with new eyes. Things that I never noticed before became irritatingly clear to me! In Amman, everyone has a say in everyone else's business. In Amman, everyone knows better than anybody else (A carpenter knows the right medicine to prescribe more than a doctor, a doctor knows more about cars than a mechanic, & a taxi driver knows more about traffic laws than a police officer). In Amman, 70% of the population is having the worst day of their life on any given day, and are willing to pick a fight with the cat passing by. In Amman, they are all world class brokers, and Oil experts. In Amman, nobody has money!! (Never mind the countless Hummers, Audis, Merc’s, BMW’s, SUV’s you see in the streets) They still don’t have money!... And yea, I almost forgot!! In Amman, taxi drivers are the most impolite people in the world. I think the tourism department (or whatever it’s called) should give them mandatory courses in manners, just as important as their driving license! What a nightmare.

In Amman there are three subjects to discuss, and they are as follows:

Topics of choice:

1. Oil prices.
2. Inflation & rising prices (the price of 1 kg of tomato comes up as a good example).
3. Marriage! Somebody's got to get married between June-August or else there is a crisis.

You can not escape it! You get a sense of déjà vu, and after a while you realize that you could’ve taped your part of the previous conversation you had and just play it while you are sitting with the next person! Perfect fit, don’t bother speaking again.

Maybe it is that bad! What do I know! Either way, I think the society is about to explode! Not necessarily in a violent way. But in 5 years time, the whole community will change! IT IS NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY!!

One thing I wouldn’t miss though, if it miraculously disappears… Tribal Rule that is.