I was very excited to read about this:Police women will be driving motorcycles along the roads of Amman,at last.I personally believe they do a much better job than their male colleagues keeping traffic at bay.Congratulations ladies!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
"We spend the first two years of a child's life teaching him how to talk and walk,then we spend the rest of his life asking him to shut up and sit down."
And after a five day vacation at home with the kids,I can't help but wonder,how come we're much more succesful the first two years than the following ones.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
The Professional Hairdresser
Saturday, October 28, 2006
My last few posts were about our trip to Bangkok.This one will be ,as they say out there,same same but different.Here I will post some pictures to speak for themselves, and maybe a few words in between.The quality of the pictures is terrible,but
that's still better than nothing! This is the hotel,Plaza Athenee,and the view from the room.
These are pictures from Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn),on the Chao Phraya River.It is supposed to be 104 meters high,and is decorated in tiny pieces of pocelain ,I was not very impressed with the quality of work,it just looks imposing from faraway,nothing like the intricate decorations churches and mosques have.
The Buddha Statue,is near the entrance,and people buy gold leaves to cover it and light candles and pray in front of it.
The steps up to the temple neary reach my knee,and were very tiring to climb.It's good that you are not allowed access to the top.
The two giant statues guard the entrance to one of the buildings.
The ticket to enetr the temple grounds states very clearly that you are not allowed to "clime"the rails,or dress "impolitely"which is understandable,but the third instruction of "Do not dangle any doll"is beyond me!
The things they carry on those motor bikes!
Siam Plaza,expensive malls,not the shoppers paradise i dreamed of!
The famous Tuk tuk ride!
A cultural show,dancing and music,in a sea food restaurant.
The best pick up places,to get your magazine,you and your dirty minds.
And the Happy Toilet Exhibition!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
I read the sign,even before leaving the taxi:"Say No if someone offers to take you buy jewlery."
Considering myself a savvy shopper ,and jewlery not being on my shopping list ,I did not pay it that much attention and headed towards the mall's entrance.It was still around ten in the morning ,and the concierge in the hotel said shops would open around that time.
A guy approaches me and speaks in a combination of english and thai and a few gestures :
"MBK close,opino at two'oo ..holiday, holiday,not open ..only Thai centa opino..."
I was not inclined to believe him,but the shops that had windows on the street were actually closed.However,I decided to see for my self.I walked forward,and another guy who was walking by and who seemed to be minding his own business also said :"close..close..only thai centa opino..Buddha holiday today.."Things started to make sense now,since innocent passers by are all agreeing on the same thing.The first guy pops up from somewhere and says :"You want taxiiiii to Thai centa?"
Well,I was not about to waste anytime in a three day vacation ,and I did not want to betray my husband,who was attending his one-day conference, by going to the touristic places on my own,so shopping was the only thing I can do without regretting his company.
So I agree to the taxi and thank God that people are this helpful,they stop me a taxi and tell him to take me to the much-recommended Thai Center.He agrees to take me there for 30 Baht only though the meter sarts at 35!Wow,these are genuine people.
Not feeling completely at ease with all the interogations I was put under by the taxi driver,who by the way was the only one who spoke relatively clear english,I told him I was meeting my husband there in Thai Center.The guy was shocked,for some reason:
"Yooo hubend Thai centa?how he go?"
"With Thai friends."
Somehow I felt he did not believe me.And somehow,things did not feel right.
I started feeling that I will be taken for a ride somehwere along the way,and I did pray,in the back of that taxi,that it won't be that bad.At the same time,it did feel intriguing and I wanted to know and experience first hand how will they try and trick me,I also did not want to show him that I was scared,and I made use of the opportunity of being able to strike a conversation with someone from the street who could speak a bit of english.
I asked him about these white thumb print paintings that I've seen in two taxis so far.I thought they had to do with some sort of religous beliefs.They design different patterns on the inner roof of their taxis using prints made by dipping their thumbs in a white material.I was right.He showed me a picture of a young Budhhist monk,and from what I understood,they do this to honor the Lama,and to show him that he owns their property not them.Very nice,but later on I wonderd,doesn't religion teach him to be honest as well?
He offers to wait for me outside and to take me back to the mall when I finish,and I insist that he shouldn't since I will leave with my huband and his friends who have a car with them.
Anyway,we get to the place and I give him 100 bahts,he hands me over the rest of the money and says do you have ten baht ?I say no and he says "never mind never mind!"So I assume he'd given me eighty,and without looking I leave,only to realize that he'd only given me sixty and was about to rip me off ten more!
Going inside,the feeling of being tricked is a certainity now.This is not a mall at all.It's a huge hall and there's a big stand where they're serving drinks .A lady in a grey uniform approaches me and immediately offers to take me around.
"What are you interested in" ,she asks,"diamonds,rubies,emeralds?"Then it hit me that they think I'm the rich arab who will buy everything off their shelves and go,and that's why everyone was desperate to help.
"I don't want any of that stuff,I was told I can find clothes and toys here."
"Yes,yes I show you thai silk"
We pass through an even bigger hall,which has hundreds of counters selling all kinds of jewlery and precious gems.I check out the prices ,and they are not cheap at all.I wouldn't be able to compare prices of gems,but at least gold of much higher quality can be bought in Jordan for much smaller prices.Thai silk section is a diappointment,only a few designs and silk fabrics,nothing to catch my attention.I did like some pieces of souvenirs that I bought,worth less than 20 jds.And when I wanted to leave,the lady insisted that my Taxi would be waiting outside inspite of the fact that I told her I paid him and asked him to go.And I did find him outside.Of course to me they all look the same.But this guy had red glittery nail polish on some fingers,and dark blue on others.So,very confidently I walk towards him shouting.I discovered I can speak Thai:-)"Why you lie to me??why you say MBK close?"
"No,me no lie,I say some shops close"
"Well anyways,you will take me back to MBK now,and I will only pay you 20 bahts because you already took 40"
"No,madaaaaam,noooo,I lose moneyyyy,I take 40 now"
"No,you said 30 first time,you already took 40 now you only take 20!"
He drives along,and somewhere along the way,he turns back to me and says:
"I take you to MBK for free!"
Huh!I think to myself,this is not about 30,40 60 bahts or about a free ride,60 bahts is something like 1.2 Dinars,which is reasonable for a long drive in this traffic.But I did not want him to feel that he can fool me,otherwise I don't know how much I will be tricked into spending."How come?"I ask.
"You know,in front MBK,you go with me to shop,you looko there,you no buy,you looko and they give me coupons for gas,I walk 50 kms with coupon.ok?better than money for me..ok?you no buy ..nothing!"
I certainly was not planning to spend my day with him,nor was ready to plan my time according to his schedule.I felt we are about to be going steady!I tried to be as firm as I can:"No,my husband did not meet me in Thai center,he called me and said he will meet me back in MBK.I don't want to go anywhere else."
"But only few minutes before..."
"No!"I say,and I intensify my prayers that he will take me to where I want ,and that I will not end up slain on a Bangkok pavement.I also make sure I sms my husband the taxi number ,in case of emergency!I'm a coward?so what?The arabic proverb says:"Alf jaban wala allah yer7amo!Being called a coward a thousand times is better than having people wishing mercy for one's soul"
Well I got there safe and sound,paid him the 20 bahts and left.Twenty jds short ,but with two irregular pearl necklaces and two matching earrings!Not a bad deal afterall !
Monday, October 16, 2006
These are the care instructions for a cotton shirt we bought in Bangkok.You'd think it's pure silk or cashmere from all the delicate handling instructions(Allah w Ismallah!)but my favorite advice is the last one.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
It's the confusion and uncertainity.Are we going,are we not??
Ten days before the due date ,my husband realizes he'd lost his passport.This alone is driving us crazy.We don't do this,we're just not that sort of people who lose a passport.
For three full days,the house and office are strip-searched..nothing!
I search my office too,what would his passport be doing in my office?Still I search,nothing!
I search my parents house,he seaches his parents house,Nothing!
So now,we put our confusion aside and decide it's time to apply for a new one.
He goes to apply and asks what needs to be done.
He stresses the fact that this is urgent,and what can he do to make the process go faster.
"Nothing",is the reply he gets;"inform the police station,put an ad in the paper,come next morning and get it ready."
Piece of cake,next mroning he goes,does all the procedures,which include looking through all the files that belong to his family,from the days of his grandfather,to check that he has not applied for a lost passport before,after 7 minutes of searhing through the files,he asks the employee,which year are you in now and he says 1968,my husband was born in 1971!Procedures also included paying an extra 5 jds to send a fax to the mokhabarat for approval and make things faster ,"and thankyouvery much,come back in three weeks "is the answer he gets this time!
"What?No one mentioned I had to wait,what am I waiting for?"
"You have to wait for the Mokhabart approval,it will come in two to three weeks."
"But,you said,he said ,she said,and no one mentioned ,and ,....."
"Well,that's not our problem,if you know someone with a wasta in mokhabarat,maybe they send you the reply earlier."
"I can find someone",he says;someone must know someone who knows someone bimoon 3ala someone in the mokhabart.
Phone calls start."Is so and so still in his post?""No trammaj min sit tosh-hor...""what about so and so?""well he died din't you know."
Eventually,the missing link is found,and someone makes the connection and we are promised that the reply will be at the jawazat following morning .
Every day I call the Thai Consulate,and explain our situation.Every day they promise me it will only take half an hour to get the visa,on the same day we apply.
Following morning,with only 2 more days to go,the fax is at the jawazat !Thank God.My husband is running around from one room to the other.At one point,he is redirected to go the filing section.Along long corridors and down dark halls he runs,only to discover that the filing section is the person sitting right next to whoever gave him instructions to go to files.In fact,the filing section is an armstretch away!
"Go the committee's office" he is told,they have to approve your file..And off he goes,but the head of the committe is discussing his iftar plans with his colleagues."Sorry,can't help you,we meet twice a week,once on tuesday and once on sunday.We already met for today so some back on sunday"
".But,wait,it's,no one,you see..."
"Can't you see I'm done talking to you? "headofcommitte exclaims?
Angry at the rude way he was addressed,and yet not wanting to make a fuss for fear things might get more complicated,my husband leaves,it was nearing 2 o'clock anyways ,and in Ramadan,it's bye-bye time for government employees.
I make a last attempt and pull one final string.I call him up and ask him to go to so and so who will really have the final say in this,but he's already in the office and no way can he make it before two.
"So next morning,at ten thirty,let him come to my offic"e,our last string says.
Next morning is the due date,where we're supposed to leave at midnight.
It's not going to happen,I say.The consulate has one employee,it seems.And tomorrow,she will have diarhea, and not show up,I bet.
While my husband was headed to the jawazat,I called the consulate to make sure it won't be a tough task with such a short time.
Diarhea or not,she did not show up!!!!
"But,you guys promised it won't be a problem,"I scream on the phone,but this is just the janitor who can only assure me that ,tough luck,you will need to take a rain check on your trip.After minutes of negotiations,the only glimpse of hope he gives me is that I can call after half an hour,maybe someone can help me.
Then I call and grovel for some assistance.
This nice guy who is probably the secretary or something promises to help.You just come over and I will do my best.
"Well we will",just as soon as we have the passport in our hands.There will always be the possibilty that our trip downtown to the consulate will be a complete let down,but we just have to try.
So ,ok,lets wait and see what happens with husband down at Jawazat,I'm thinking and waiting for his phone call.He calls me around one,passport ready.The guy from yesterday signed! he is obviously THE committee..he can't hide his dismay that he did not have the final word.
I call the people in the consulate again.."make sure you're here before one thirty" they say,the lady came to the office but she's leaving at one thirty,you know it's Ramadan and she has to cook,"I'm informed!
Well,we made it,no one asked for names or photos,"give me passports and 15 Jds each..here's your stamp and on your way!!"
The trouble was worth it!You see,it's a long anticipated vacation,short,but that's just as good,can't be too late for the kids...and it seems we will make it afterall!!
Bangkok, Baby!Here we come!
Better start packing!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
When I saw this picture I did not know what it exactly is !
Turns out to be part of a building being built in Amman.Can you guess which one is it?
Hint Hint
Saturday, October 07, 2006
This is an ad
from yesterday's AL Rai news paper: Well,after reading the ad,I thought maybe it's not a new
logo,maybe it's the hiring committe's picture:) I would have blamed
such a mistake on Ramadan and fasting,but the newspaper is printed at a time
where stomachs are full..or too full maybe?
But is Nabil Sawalha head of Human Resources?
Here's the ad which was right next to it:
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Ten stations,scattered around the Jawazat(Civil Status and Passports Department).Oldish men on broken chairs behind them.They all hail you to park close by .The luckiest is the closest to the car parking.In an area where it’s impossible to park on the streets,that’s one strategic location. Occupied by an old man in an arabic thoab,the station serves hundreds a day .The nice old man welcomes you and offers you a seat.His file filled with all sorts of forms and his Bic pen are ready for his five-working-hours Ramadan day. -Renewal? -And we need 2 pictures from you -Thank you The Photographer's Station: Water pipes shaped in U’s,and planted in cement buckets, orange nylon sheets spread across them to give some shade.A broken table with a box for storage underneath.One of these wooden cutting boards that photographers use ,a digital camera,and an HP laptop with an added blue tooth thingie are his tools.An A4 paper sticking on the side of the table with the words:Tasweer Fawri.The R has an ink point drawn on top as a joke to make it read:Tasweer Fawzi.The wiring for all the electrical stuff goes through a hole in the wall to the shop in the back,and most of them have extensions fixed with scotch tape and band-aid plaster. He hands me over the copies,asks for 2.5jds,while telling me that the pictures won’t be accepted: -These are old ,he says ,ma biymshoo -Of course ,he replied ,ever so tactfully. We go inside,take a turn,there’s aomething like 15 people ahead of us,but the turns move efficiently,it’s mine in no time.The guy behind the counter insists he wants to help me but there’s no way he can accept the photos. -They're copies,and will be copied again for the passport,so all features will be smudged,and it will be dark. So we go back to Mr. Tact outside,who takes new photos of me,with his I-told-you-so look,in front of a white polystrene panel glued to the wall.I mentioned the reason that they won’t be clear and he throws it in my face: -El mowaththaf ista7a ygollek i7na konna wain w sirna wain:(the employee was too shy to express that you have gone a long way from your nice old picture) I swallow my pride ,take the artfully photoshopped photos ,pay the discounted price of 2 Jds,and go back inside.They ask us to come back in half an hour,and voila!my new passport is ready.That was fast. Going into the car, the public parking attendant complains to us twice about the taxi driver who blocked his parking entrance.He makes sure we know how bitter he is at the two minutes that the taxi driver took to remove his car away,and how some people have no manners.He makes sure he reminds us of that incident on the way out. -7aram, My husband says,this must be the most exciting event of his day,he will probably be telling this to his wife this afternoon,amma el yom ijalek hal wa7ad(today this person comes over and parks.............)
-You're from Madaba?Ya hala ya hala bi ahel Madaba,3ala rassi!
He greets us ,after he looks at the passport.
-Yes, and we were wondering what do we need to add the kids to the passport?
-Only two pictures.
-so we'll bring them next time
-Surely you have pictures on your mobile?He wondered.
-Yes,but these are not good enough,are they?
-But of course,Show me! I imagine he wanted to check how many pixels was the camera on the phone.
-No,no.No rush,next time we'll do it.
-I only have one is that ok?
-I'll make you copies,wait.Ya walad,take this and make photos,yalla run!and here are your forms ready.Hala bil garaba!
-How much will that be ?
-Two and a half dinars.
My husband handed him three,to which he said "yekhlef!"and put them in his pocket!
-You go and get your pictures from the photographer down the street,get inside the building take a number like in a bank and wait...half an hour you'll be out!
-It's this obvious that I'm a few years older now?
Sunday, October 01, 2006
New housewives are often subjected to the brutal criticism of older ladies ,who consider themselves much more accomplished than their younger counterparts.They often forget the huge age gap ,and years of household practice that seperates them from younger girls, who :just got married ,were never respnsible for cooking and cleaning before and who,due to being a student and/or working woman for most of thier lives,till the unfortunate incident of meeting such accomplished ladies ,were rarely required to tend for themselves,let alone other people.It's a great thing to be able to cook and clean perfectly before you have your own family,but what I 'm saying is: if you can't,it's never too late to learn,and one would understand .Or SHOULD understand.Girls go to school,go to univeristy,get jobs,start working and might get married in any point along the way.A girl doesn't stay at home till prince charming comes her way , sweeps her out of the kitchen window ,on his white mare's back ,and unloads her in his own kitchen to auomatically continue everything she's been practicing ,ever since she left elementary school.
This memory was brought fresh to my mind yesterady ,when I was preparing a nice bowl of tabooleh;a-much-loved-but-not-so-common salad in my house because of its long preparation time:
We had hardly come back from our honey moon,and had just moved in our new house in Qatar,supposedly away from family invitations that save you from cooking ,for at least a year after marriage.
We were soon part of a large community of Jordanians who had dinner invitations ON DAILY BASIS.In the year we spent there,I can count the nights we spent at home alone.It was such a friendly atmosphere,either taking turns in cooking or preparing shared dinners at someone's house.The couples were all considerably older than us,with their kids already in colleges abroad,yet,we got to be good friends ,and they made it feel like home for us.So one night,they decided to make a sharing party and asked me to bring the tabbooleh.I remeber very clearly how I felt,standing there in this nice lady's kitchen,holding my tabbooleh bowl,being subjected to the ruthless attack of a friend of hers,who deided "for my own benefit" to dissect my salad,and teach me the 101s of the art of tabboleh:"Listen,my dear,"she howled:"To make tabbooleh,you don't mince parsley this fine,you don't dice tomatoes this big,you don't put cucumbers inside it ,but sliced around it if you must,this is not the right kind of burghul to use,and onions should be grated not diced."
To crown her achievement of belittling me and my salad she told the hostess:"But don't throw it away anyways,who knows maybe someone would want to try it!"My face was yellower than the lemons garnishing the bowl!I will remember this feeling for as long as I live,even if I do turn into an accomplished housewife one day!
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