Out and About in Amman

Amman is a wonderful city full of culture and life, though much different from my beloved Chicago.  I am fortunate to have my own personal tour guide and expert to guide in the exploration of my new, temporary city.  My dear friend, Mohammad, took me to a wonderful, little artisan market last weekend, Jara Market.  Full of gorgeous jewelry (I refrained from buying any, surprisingly) and local goods and crafts, the market was booming with people, smells, and scenery.  I fell in love with a painting of the Jordanian flower ( I cannot remember the name of it to save my life) and could not refrain from buying it, even though I know it will be a challenge to transport it back to the States.

Painting I bought at Suuq Jara

Though the streets of Amman were pleasant and peaceful, the air around us was heavy, as were our hearts. Last Friday, the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, moved forward with the Palestinian bid for recognition/a spot in the UN.  Unfortunately, President Obama has already indicated (with a speech that was devastatingly biased and full of Zionist propaganda) that the US will veto this bid.  I am unable to express my sadness and disappointment in my President, nor am I able to accurately express the importance of the Palestinian position.  I hope Mohammad will be able to better explain the historical and future significance of this more eloquently than I would ever be able to.

In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about the true history of the conflict, I have provided some links and resources below.

Handala - Another popular sight in the market, this cartoon is another representation of the Palestinian situation/cause/condition.  I encourage you to check it out.
Occupation 101 - A documentary created by the organization If Americans Knew.  This is a very good analysis of the history of the conflict, outlined in a very practical manner.
IfAmericansKnew.org - The everything you need to know place to go about the statistics, etc regarding the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

This weekend, I hope to be able to catch a sunset.  From what I remember, they are incredible.  And coming soon (inshallah) Arabic food and cooking lessons.

Salaam

The Language of Poetry

People express themselves, their emotions, in ways that are fascinating and continually changing.  10 years ago, who would have thought you would be reading my blog as I sit on my couch in Amman and you are (likely) thousands of miles away.

There is one form of expression I admire most, that I am drawn to no matter what the origin, language, or culture.  Poetry, the profoundly radical, intimate synthesis of words, thoughts, and ideas conveys life in a way that is sacred and beautiful.

The Arab world is filled with poetry.  The best example of this is in everyday language.  In English, our interactions and verbal communications are very blunt and to the point.  We say hello, good morning, goodbye, bless you.  Very basic but universal.  This is not true in Arabic and though I cannot justifiably translate the expressions into English I can give you an example.
Person 1: Good Morning - saba al khayer (good morning)
Person 2 Response: - saba al nur (morning of light), or saba al ward (morning of the rose), or saba al yasmin (morning of the jasmine)

In Arabic, you can find infinite numbers of ways to respond to a simple phrase in words that are poetic and full of meaning.

It is no surprise that Arabic poetry is famous for its eloquence and beauty.  The play on words serves an important purpose, politically and culturally.  Palestinians, in particular, have used poetry to express the plight of their struggle and the frustration with over 60 years of struggle.

That being said, I have chosen four of my favorite Palestinian/Arab poets and hope you will check them out.  Darwish is, by far, the most popular Palestinian poet and he and Fadwa Tuqan are from an older generation.  Suheir Hammad and Remi Kanazi are current spoken word artists and poets of Palestinian heritage, but from the States.
Mahmoud Darwish
Suheir Hammad
-From Ted Talks Suheir Hammad: Poems of war, peace, women, power
Fadwa Tuqan
Remi Kanazi - Poetic Injustice
-From You Tube/Grit TV: The Do's and Don'ts of Palestine
-From You Tube/PalFest 2010: Coexistence

Lights, Camera, Wedding?

Saturday I experienced my first Jordanian wedding and what an experience it was.  Occasions, such as weddings, can often be awkward as people from every corner of the individual's/ couple's life converge under one roof (or sky in this case) to celebrate.  What usually happens is that you end up sitting at a table where don't know anyone, occasionally looking at your table mates and smiling with little to say after the preliminary introductions (apparently this is a universal phenomenon), eating mediocre food while downing as many drinks from the open bar as is possible and ending up on the dance floor, drunkenly flailing about to 90s remixes provided by a DJ who refuses to take requests.  What a strange social experiment.  Generally, this has been my experience, with a few exceptions of course :)

Observation 1 - What time is it?
We were the first to arrive at the wedding, literally the first.  I am told this is unusual and that the bride and groom (families included) do normally arrive on time, but in this case they were at least a half hour late arriving.  This means that the actual celebration did not start for an hour after the original time.  Hmm.  Needless to say, the outdoor venue had a beautiful view of Amman, so it wasn't wasted time in the least.

Observation 2 - Appropriate Attire
I was very nervous about my wardrobe for this event.  Weddings, generally speaking, in the States are quite informal and I can usually get by with the standard black dress, sundress, or even pants and a nice shirt but Jordanian culture is more formal than the States and this is particularly true when it comes to weddings.  Thankfully I have a wonderful friend (thank you Huda!) who took me shopping and acted as my guide for picking out the appropriate attire. 

I was quite intrigued when the guests began to arrive.  The men were dressed well, in a suit and tie or trousers and a nice shirt.  The ladies were all over the place, some wearing the traditional long dress with long sleeves and hijab.  Others were in evening dresses, all fancy and stuff.  And then there were those who were dressed for a booty club complete with hair weaves (I saw at least 2-3 with extensions/weaves, usually blond).

The diversity in attire was striking but truthfully, we have that in the states too.  (Though the makeup is frequently a bit too much.)  And all in all, the ladies looked beautiful, especially the sisters of the groom. 

Observation 3 - Lights, Camera, Action
I was unprepared for the production portion of this wedding.  The spectacle was bigger than many independent films in terms of photography, cinematography, and fireworks.  Yes, fireworks.  Not only fireworks in the sky, but roman candle like apparatuses(apparati?) surrounding the stage as if it were a KISS concert.  I wonder how many brides' dress catch fire because of incidents such as these.  Massive amounts of hairspray coupled with flames is a recipe for an interesting pyrotechnical display.  Needless to say, this bride escaped the sparks, unscathed.

Observation 4 - Dancing
Oh the dancing....everyone dances, or at least claps.  I was even convinced to get on stage and shake it, though very briefly.  This was one of my favorite parts.  In the States, dancing is usually reserved for the very bold or the very drunk, but in this case everyone dances and has a good time.


Observation 5 - Open Juice Bar
No alcohol....well almost.  There was some flask-like action happening under the table but all in all, no alcohol.  There was, however, an open juice and soda bar.  Strange but the fact that people had a great time without alcohol is refreshing. 


What a great experience, and it is quite different from what we are used to in the West.  The actual ceremony, from what I am told, usually takes place in a more private setting such as a house.  An Imam is brought in and the vows are said.  The wedding people refer to is what we would consider the reception in the States. 

So now that I have one Jordanian wedding under my belt, I feel more prepared for the next one.

Salaam.

Settling In

The apartment search is over!  Two days ago I moved into a lovely apartment in the Amman neighborhood of Shmeisani.  Located in one of the older parts of Shmeisani, this apartment is simply adorable with a fireplace, large garden and patio, a lemon tree, solar heated water, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms.  My roomate, Rebekka, and I are settling in, learning the ins and outs of apartment life in Amman.  I have included photos below...

Living Room with fireplace and access to back patio

Dining Room

Large kitchen!

Kitchen - Stove, teeny tiny washing machine and short fridge

Small bathroom

Large bathroom

Fancy, stand up shower

My room - take 1

My room - take 2

 I love the cuisine here, unfortunately it does not love me.....well part of it anyway.  Pita or some sort of bread product is included with every meal and for those of you who know me realize that this is problematic.  Eating a gluten free diet is challenging enough in the States where I have access to gluten free goods in most places, including many restaurants.  Here, not so much but it can be found.  I got the down low on where they keep the gluten free products and went shopping.  Incredibly, I found some of my favorite and most treasured ingredients, at a pretty penny mind you, but nonetheless I am ready to start cooking!

That is all for now....Rebekka and I will finish tidying up the apartment and making it feel more like home.

Until next time...

Observations, Take 1

Tomorrow marks my first full week in Amman, and it has been quite a fascinating experiment, one that observation junkies would find perpetually stimulating.  Though I was aware of the cultural environment of this region, it is a whole other animal to be completely immersed in it.  I started this blog because I realized there were misconceptions and an extreme lack of understanding about the dynamics of the region.  The idealist (who still exists somewhere deep down inside) in me wanted to share a more raw and unfiltered image of the Arab world, in particular the Jordanian world.  I have found that the misconceptions and suspicions go both ways.

Arab hospitality is truly second to none and I encourage everyone to travel to the region to experience it for themselves.  And the family unit is the nucleus of every person's life.  Life revolves around the family, immediate and extended which is not unlike my own family but I know this isn't the case for many people in the States.  It is refreshing to see such a close knit microcosm of people (though sometimes not so micro....the families are huge!) but it does also present issues.  Tribal mentality seems to draw families close together in a protective bubble but I also believe it creates a fear of things or people outside that bubble.  Perhaps fear isn't the correct word, skepticism might be more accurate, but nonetheless exists.

I am a foreigner and an American and that label comes with a lot of baggage, not just here but globally and particularly in second and third world countries.  The people I have met thus far, outside of my friend(s) and their family, have been incredibly welcoming but full of questions.  They are wondering why I am here and why I am studying the Palestinian situation in Jordan.  I know they are fishing and I know they are skeptical of my intentions, perhaps that I am working for a governmental organization or something much worse (who knows!) but after I explain myself they become even more eager to get to know me and speak about the issues more openly.

Living in the States, we aren't often directly impacted by our foreign policies (other than the pocket book), unless of course a member of our family or a friend(s) is serving in the military.  We see fleeting images on the news (usually biased and filtered) and some of us even study it in the classroom, but rarely do we feel the impact of the decisions our leaders make.  I am both excited and saddened at the same time.  Excited to be able to start building a bridge between two very different cultures - though the impact may be very, very small - and saddened because I don't feel this bridge will have any effect on the bigger picture, on the mechanism that negotiates foreign policy and the media, but truly that is not a task for a single person.

Regardless, I feel this exercise is necessary and am blessed for having the opportunity to participate and the resources (my wonderful Jordanian friends and family) to guide me through it.

I haven't taken many pictures yet, but will do so soon.  It seems I am always inside at sunrise and sunset, but I know from past experience they are amazing.

Until next time....

Salaam.

Arrival and Eid

I arrived in Amman Wednesday evening without much difficulty.  Nothing much has changed in the airport since I was here last.  While going through customs I had a conversation with a nice young lady from Iceland who is here in Amman for 5 months.  Her family had come with her to get a feel for where their daughter would be spending the next few months and as it turns out, she doesn't have an apartment yet so we are in the process of looking for something together.  It is truly amazing how a simple conversation can lead to something else....in this case, possibly a roomate - or at least a friend here in Amman.

I am currently staying at the Nefertiti Hotel, which is quite suitable and easy on the pocketbook.  The only strange thing is the "shower" which consists of two nozels and a hose, but all in all it works.  I have breakfast in the mornings made by Abu Imrad (spelling?) who is a very kind man who also showed me the proper way to make Turkish coffee.

Eid was in full swing when I landed and there were hoards of people on the street.  Traffic has been disastrous, even worse than Chicago traffic (if you can believe that!) but things have eased up in the last day or so.  

I was lucky enough to be able to observe and participate in the traditional Eid festivities, which are quite different from the holiday celebrations I am used to.  Of course there are feasts and wonderful meals but there are also visits from relatives.  The visits are somewhat short with folks just catching up, but everyone sits in the sitting room (not sure what else to call it) and they are served Arabic coffee and a sweet pastry.  The talking continues for a bit and they are offered chocolate and that is about it!  One of the things that was very different for me was that the visitors would not let you know ahead of time they would be coming, they would just show up.  In the States, that probably wouldn't fly.  It was very interesting to see it all come together - the doorbell would ring and everyone would move as if they were performing some sort of act.

I am enjoying the food, but am a bit frustrated with the language, or perhaps the lack of my ability to speak it at this point!  Lessons will start soon and I have already picked up quite a bit.  

Things should settle down soon and I will get a better idea of the atmosphere in Amman without the madness of a holiday.

Salaam