snapshot of life in amman

So I realized that many of our friends and family may have a hard time imagining what life is like for us here in Jordan. I thought of some of the differences that I have faced in both daily life and in our distinct cultures and wanted to share some with you:

-- Summers are a big wedding season as in the States and it is common to hear celebratory gunshots.
-- Jordanian children are allowed to sit in the front seat, without seatbelts, with their heads craning out of the window.
-- All restaurants are smoking areas. Most Jordanians also smoke hookahs, even the wealthy group.
-- Jordanians from West Amman wear tight skinny jeans, dye their hair and perch on spiked heels. -- -- Those from East Amman generally wear black Abbayeds and are covered.
-- We have several malls here, with stores like Gymboree, Gap, Ace Hardware, Payless Shoes and Claire's Boutique.
-- I have a boab named Mohammed who tends the garden, takes out garbage and sweeps the ubiquitous dust off the patios several times a week.
-- Occasionally, I run out of water or gas. Fortunately, I usually just need to call Mohammed and he takes care of it.
-- There is a 16% value added tax on many things here.
-- Mostly everything is made in China, but the quality is even worse.
-- When I call a serviceman, his name is Ahmed, Marwan, Khalid or Mohammed.
-- I have a frying pan that was made in Egypt.
-- My eggs come in crates of thirty and have anything from chicken poo to feathers stuck to them.
-- The only place I can buy bacon is at the embassy co-op and a package of Oscar Meyers costs $10.00.
-- However, I can buy falafel sandwiches for the whole family and only pay $5.00 total.
-- We wash the floors with a squeegee on a long stick and a wet towel.
-- Tap water is off limits for the kids and we have a water cooler in the kitchen.
-- Sleeveless shirts are off limits for me in public as are most shorts.
-- I tend to wear a lot of cute lightweight scarves so that I can get away with a lower neckline.
-- I have a helper who works in the house forty hours a week.
-- The cars inside the traffic circles in Amman do not have the right of way.
-- I check the underside of my minivan before I get in the car.
-- If I am going out to eat with Steve, waiters will look at him, but not at me.
-- At the butcher counter, men are always served first.

Hope this gives you a little bit of insight into the differences we are learning to live with here!