Kim

Q. Are the people and the overall pace of life as hurried and frantic as it can sometimes be in the US or is it a bit more relaxed there? Aside from the driving I mean:)

A. The pace of life in Jordan is interesting.

In Jordan, there are not as many things to keep yourself busy with. Generally speaking, you aren't running around after school with after school activities such as football, gymnastics, volleyball, etc. There are few opportunities for fishing, swimming, boating, hanging out at the cabin on the weekend or after work. We don't have large yards that need mowing, raking leaves, or shoveling snow from the sidewalk/driveway. These activities in the USA are so much enjoyable, yet they are what we keep ourselves busy with outside of work and housework.

In Jordan, time is spent wasted. I spend a lot of time (and stress) waiting to get the normal activities done. Such as paying bills, not many bills can be paid on-line and there is no mail that comes to your doorstep - so when you want to pay a bill, you have to first drive to the bank to pull out cash (as most places do not take checks or check cards), then you have to fight traffic as you drive to the place to pay the bill, wait in line to pay the bill, and then pay the bill. Another example of time wasted is government agencies, hospitals, clinics, etc. There are no appointments made, so you arrive (with half of Jordan) in the morning just as they open and you wait and wait and wait and wait.....sometimes for hours until it's your turn - many times we found ourselves waiting forever and when it's finally our turn the guy tells us that we are in the wrong place.....time wasted. Really, nothing in Jordan is easy. Even the housework is more work. The dust in Jordan is awful! It never gives up. I have to dust my house every 2-3 days...in Minnesota and Wisconsin, if I had dusted less than once a month I would have had less dust than what I have after 3 days in Jordan! Cooking is also mostly from scatch. A lot of women do not have automatic washing machines, many do not have clothes dryers, and most do not have a dishwasher. This means, time wasted scrubbing clothes in between washing cycles, time wasted hanging clothes on the lines to air dry, time wasted ironing every piece of clothing (including socks and underwear), and time wasted hand washing dishes.

The Jordanian people are very lively people: when they are happy-they are so happy, when they are sad-they are so sad, scared-very scared, annoyed-very annoyed, angry-very angry....so things can get frantic because everyone is waiting, wasting time, nothing is easy and people are lively. There are very few things that are organized here and that also makes life frantic here. It seems as though, like the traffic, people are always pushing to get them self next in line, to get their ideas heard, to get themselves recognised.

I am not saying anything is necessarily wrong with this way of life (although I prefer the American way of being organized and set up for convenience). Things work for them here....but I know there are easier ways of doing things. I often talk with the people I know (Jordanian or American) who have spent considerable amount of time in the USA. We always laugh amongst ourselves of how we use to think things were tough in the USA. How we use to think we had no time. Now we are living somewhere where things are not convenient, things are chaotic, and we are often finding ourselves wasting time.

Mayra

Q. How have you overcome culture shock?

A. Interestingly to me, before I moved here and for the first few months I didn't think of myself having issues with culture shock. As I have been married to an Arab, I am close with his Arabian family, I had been to Jordan numerous times over he past 12 years; I thought I wouldn't have any trouble with culture shock...I thought I knew the culture.

As my time here has lengthened and I have been working within the Arab community, I realise more and more the cultural differences. I have little problems or concerns about the culture itself, really it's a pretty good community; however, things trip me up sometimes. I would give examples of this; however, I don't want any of my Jordanian friends and family to read my blog, misunderstand or misinterpret my posting, and feel hurt by my words and shy to ask what was truly meant.

That being said, how do I overcome culture shock....#1-find Americans who relate to me, the circumstances of Jordan, and the Jordanian culture. I have found this to be the most helpful thing. I have Jordanian friends and family who I can talk to and I have American family and friends living in America; however, they just don't get what I mean by certain things. Verses an American living in Jordan who totally gets it when I say something like, "I wish there was a Target anywhere in Jordan, as I would drive 3 hours to get there - just to look around!"

The other things that has helped me adjust to my new environment is to #2- understand Jordanians, understand their culture, cultural norms, why they do things a certain way, and their way of thinking. I have started to think as a Jordanian. Even though I am American and I have my own view on things, if I understand Jordanian thinking I can then think as them to understand what to expect.

Lastly, to #3- find humor. I don't always get the culture and sometimes I don't want to get certain things...like why do you have to walk, literally, two steps away from my car as I am passing by you at 40 km?! Are you not afraid of me and my car?!...to find humor and people who get your humor about the new environment....back to the idea of having friends from your home community who just get it and just get me!

Good luck with your transition. On those tough days, just talk yourself into believing that you have a great opportunity that not everyone gets...to live within a new community, a new culture, a new language, that sometimes you don't get, but that you will definately learn from. You will take what is good from what you knew, from back home, and what you now know, in your new home, and you will make it your own...the best of both worlds will mold you into a great person with a unique perspective!

Hillary

Q: I was wondering, what has been the hardest thing/transition been for you while in Jordan?

A: The hardest thing for me is the lack on understanding and speaking Arabic. Many years ago, I took Arabic at the University, so thankfully I do understand and speak at a basic level. However, being that I don't completely understand and speak the language, I miss out on many opportunities. I miss out on family conversation and communication. I also find it very difficult at work. Even though everyone I work with speak English fluently, I miss out on many learning opportunities and interactions as they discuss topics among themselves. At first, It was also was nervous leaving the house-I thought I would have a difficult time if I got lost driving; however, I have overcome that fear as I now know my way around Amman, I know I can communicate at basic Arabic, and nearly everyone in Amman speak English at some level.

I also miss the outdoors that I enjoyed so much back in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In Amman, there are very few walking trails or parks to enjoy the outdoors. There are not many trees and not any lakes, which is difficult for me because I love both of them so much.

Last, but not least, my family. I miss my family and friends. Especially now, as my younger sister is pregnant with her first baby! I am so happy for her and it's so difficult to be far away....especially knowing that I won't meet her little one until she is at least a few months old.

But Alhumdillah (Thank God), we all have our health and each other. No matter the distance, we are a close family and we can communicate with modern technologies. The trees and lakes, I will enjoy during my summer vacations back home. And I am learning the language as I am engrossed in it everyday.