Not right or wrong - just different

The primary reason for spending the last few weeks in Jordan has been to start learning Arabic, but there is another motive. To be effective in our new work a clear understanding of culture and customs are needed. This can be anything from how to greet people - especially those of the opposite sex - to learning to do things in a Middle Eastern way and not in a 'Western' way.
I recently had to post a book so I took my package to the Post Office (2 miles away) only to be told that the package has to be unsealed so that they can check the contents. The next day I returned with my new package (with some tape on a corner which had started to rip) only to be told that no tape is allowed on a package. The following day I learnt that you had to write the return address on the package (I'm having enough trouble learning Arabic without bothering about Post Codes). The next day I was satisfied that everything was fine - you guessed it - if I wanted my package to go by ordinary post ($5) it had to be fastened by a folding metal clip, a sealed package could only be sent by registered post ($20). OK so where can I get a metal clip? Apparently the only stationers that sells them is 'Downtown', I know because I checked all the local ones; have you ever tried to buy something in a foreign language when you don't know what its called in English? Today I successfully posted my book. You may ask why the postal procedures were not explained on my first visit, well that is only relevant if you've got something better to do, queueing is a way of life here. P

Azraq

On Sunday we got up at 4.00am to go to Mount Nebo (where Moses looked across to the 'Promised Land') for a sun-rise Easter service (all the churches in Jordan use date of the Orthodox Easter). This was the start of a few days break from our Arabic studies.

We wanted to escape from our fellow 2 million Ammanians and decided to venture east into the desert. We took the road to Iraq and Saudi Arabia but decided to stop at Azraq a few miles before the border. Azraq is Arabic for blue, and it got its name because of the oasis that is there - unfortunately many of the springs have been drained to supply water for Amman, which has had a huge effect on the wildlife. It was an important place for migrating birds from Africa, Asia and Europe. The RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) has adopted the area as one of its projects in Jordan and is attempting to replenish the oasis and reintroduce the birds and animals. We stayed in a lodge owned by the RSCN - it is a former British Field Hospital in the middle of the Jordanian desert. I've decided that desert life is not for me, it was dusty, hot and dry - every 2 hours during the night I woke because I had to drink some water. But it was an unique place to celebrate our wedding anniversary - no family or friends just a cactus. P

Arabic/English

Arabic lessons continue to cause amusement to our teacher and others that we meet. Our reply to the question, "Are you a Christian?" was, "No I am not from Egypt, I am from Britain" (the word for Christian and Egyptian are similar). But we are not alone with problems with language - we found a few mistakes with a set of English alphabet cards for children: 'Kamel' & 'Appel'.
We are just approaching Easter (all churches in Jordan celebrate the Orthodox Easter) and we will be going to an Easter sun-rise service on Mount Nebo.
After Easter we have a short break from Arabic lessons so we are visiting Azraq - an unique wetland nature reserve in the middle of the desert, but where over recent years the unquenchable thirst of urbanization has drained the once fabled watering stop for travellers (the wonders of 'cut & paste'). So the next blog will probably have an environmental message. Happy late Easter! P

Fame

Have you ever tried to search your name on Google? It's a test to see how famous you really are - a search for 'Peter Nott' results in 1,310,000 hits. But try my new occupation of 'pavementologist' and you get only 10 hits - 4 of which relates to me. The wonders of the Internet has meant that we can read newspapers thousands of miles away from the UK. It has also allowed us to search Google for our friend, Bex Morton, who has just had her first article printed in a national newspaper. Sorry Bex, but a search for 'Bex Morton Observer' produces 2,000 hits, a long way from true fame as a 'pavementologist'.
I have recently become aware just how quickly one can become part of the community. There are over 16,000 taxis in Amman. Yesterday I was struggling to get taxi, when I noticed one that was travelling in the opposite direction turn around and come back to pick me up - he recognised me (I must have given him a generous tip the last time I rode with him) he even remembered where I lived. This is one advantage of standing out in the crowd - was it because he knew that I am one of only a few 'pavementologists' in the world OR perhaps because I am the only person in Amman with ginger (red) hair, beard and glasses? P