Q. What are some of the major recreational outlets/hobbies of people in Jordan, and is it that much different from recreational interests of America?
A. My husband says, "Fishing in the Dead Sea"...LOL, there are no fish in the Dead Sea and this is a good comparison as there are little recreational outlets in Jordan! Seriously though, the most common interest here is spending time with family. The Jordanian families are always getting together, all days of the week. They eat supper together, smoke hookah, eat sweets, drink tea and coffee, let the kids play as the adults talk. During the Spring, Summer and Fall, weekends are for grilling. The Jordanian families grill kabobs, meat, and veggies everywhere from their garden (backyard), parks, and the kids of busy highways. Going to weddings and funerals are a big deal also. Jordanians have huge immediate families, in addition they include people like the children's' children of a distant cousin as part of their family! Therefore, someone is always getting married or dying. There are activities for around 3-5 days for every wedding and every funeral, and everyone is expected to attend at least part of these activities.
Outside of the family get together, Jordanians like to spend time in the pool, on the soccer field, at the playground, playing cards, and in the malls. Unfortunately, there are not very many people interested in recreational activities. There are the few who do hunt, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and other activities among these lines. There are also centers in Amman for your children to get in activities such as Soccer, martial arts, biking, gymnastics, etc; however, they are usually expensive and therefore not widely used. Even within the school system here, not really an extraciricular activities for the kids...as school is for studying academics here in Jordan.
Showing posts with label About Jordan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label About Jordan. Show all posts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Kayla
Q1. I am wondering about childcare and schools there.
Q2. Also, is the language in school Arabic then?
A1. School here is quite similar to the USA. It starts with optional pre-school, followed by the required Kindergarten through Senior year of high school. However, there is a huge difference in the Senior year. At the end of the Senior year there are tests that are required to be taken by all students. If a student does not pass satisfactory in these tests, they must repeat the Senior year regarding that subject(s) they did not pass. The Jordanian curriculum is far more difficult and advanced than the curriculum in the USA and to pass these tests takes a lot of effort from the student. When the students find out their scores and realize that they passed, not only do the students celebrate but also the families. There are huge parties in honor of a student passing the Senior year. Another very interesting and different thing about the Senior year is their final score. So once a student passes their Senior year, they have an accumulative score. This score depends their future!!! The score determines what they are allowed to study at the University level. For instance, if you want to be a doctor...the student must get a 98.2% or higher...nothing lower than this will permit them to study medicine in Jordan. (This is why many Jordanians leave Jordan and study medicine somewhere else, like the USA!
Childcare is available for working families. There are many live in maids/nannies in Jordan. There are childcare facilities like daycare. However, the most preferred way to do things here is to have your mother or mother-in-law watch the kids while you are at work. This is the safest and best according to most people in Jordan...yet if it is not available, then there are the other options I mentioned.
A2. The language in schools here is a very interesting topic. Arabic. English. Arabic and English. French. German. Whatever you want for your child is offered here. Jordanian program. American Program. International Program. What program do you want?! The majority of schools here are Arabic and English. Meaning that the students learn subjects in Arabic and then learn the same subjects in English. English is not offered as just a class, it is a curriculum. English is strongly encouraged and widely used in Jordan - as it is the universally used language for business around the world. As I am currently looking at school for my daughter to attend next year, it is important for me to find a school that is in Arabic so she can learn to communicate with those around her, as well as a school that is heavy in English as this is the language that I can help her with her studies. I am so thankful that Jordan uses English widely, if they didn't it would be very difficult for me here. I think to the USA and how it is becoming the norm to have Spanish as a second option of communication and I am so thankful for that as I understand the frustrations of an immigrant who doesn't fully know the language of the country.
Q2. Also, is the language in school Arabic then?
A1. School here is quite similar to the USA. It starts with optional pre-school, followed by the required Kindergarten through Senior year of high school. However, there is a huge difference in the Senior year. At the end of the Senior year there are tests that are required to be taken by all students. If a student does not pass satisfactory in these tests, they must repeat the Senior year regarding that subject(s) they did not pass. The Jordanian curriculum is far more difficult and advanced than the curriculum in the USA and to pass these tests takes a lot of effort from the student. When the students find out their scores and realize that they passed, not only do the students celebrate but also the families. There are huge parties in honor of a student passing the Senior year. Another very interesting and different thing about the Senior year is their final score. So once a student passes their Senior year, they have an accumulative score. This score depends their future!!! The score determines what they are allowed to study at the University level. For instance, if you want to be a doctor...the student must get a 98.2% or higher...nothing lower than this will permit them to study medicine in Jordan. (This is why many Jordanians leave Jordan and study medicine somewhere else, like the USA!
Childcare is available for working families. There are many live in maids/nannies in Jordan. There are childcare facilities like daycare. However, the most preferred way to do things here is to have your mother or mother-in-law watch the kids while you are at work. This is the safest and best according to most people in Jordan...yet if it is not available, then there are the other options I mentioned.
A2. The language in schools here is a very interesting topic. Arabic. English. Arabic and English. French. German. Whatever you want for your child is offered here. Jordanian program. American Program. International Program. What program do you want?! The majority of schools here are Arabic and English. Meaning that the students learn subjects in Arabic and then learn the same subjects in English. English is not offered as just a class, it is a curriculum. English is strongly encouraged and widely used in Jordan - as it is the universally used language for business around the world. As I am currently looking at school for my daughter to attend next year, it is important for me to find a school that is in Arabic so she can learn to communicate with those around her, as well as a school that is heavy in English as this is the language that I can help her with her studies. I am so thankful that Jordan uses English widely, if they didn't it would be very difficult for me here. I think to the USA and how it is becoming the norm to have Spanish as a second option of communication and I am so thankful for that as I understand the frustrations of an immigrant who doesn't fully know the language of the country.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Mike Lash
Q1: Do you have more rights as an American woman living in Jordan than other Muslim women?
Q2: Do you think Jordan will ever really make a moves towards democracy?
First of all, thank you Mike for your wonderful questions! I will answer them honestly and I hope that you understand that many people read my blog and therefore they read these answers to your question-I am happy for that. I use this medium (my blog) as a place of educating people about Islam and the Middle East/Jordan, as it is so wrongly understood in other parts of the world. I hope that you find my answers educational and insightful! Thank you again, Mike, for your great questions!
A1: As an American women living in Jordan I do not get any more rights than any other woman living in Jordan. That's because anywhere in the world, whether you are living there or visiting there, you fall under the laws of their land. Now that being said, of course there is an American Embassy available if one ever needs help from a legal situation; however, over all you live the laws of the land.
In Jordan, women have the same rights of a Jordanian men, it doesn't matter the religion. Women in Jordan have rights to education, work, property, children, and anything else that a man has right to. It is a misconception in the world and in the United States that Muslim women are not granted certain rights. In countries where Muslim women are not allowed particular rights it is do to cultural norms and laws, not by Islamic Laws. Islam grants women the right to own property, to work, to her money, to her children, to education, to vote, etc. All these rights were given to the women 1400 years ago when Islam became a religion.
For more info on the Rights Islam gave women check out this website:
http://www.themuslimwoman.com/herrights/womensrights.htm
A2: Jordan is a Kingdom as you know. There are no elections for His Excellency, King Abdullah. It is his job to be King until he dies or appoints thrown to someone else. However, Jordan does hold elections for Parliament. In fact they will be holding the elections in November. Is this a move towards democracy?! It depends on your definition of democracy. There are many democratic thoughts and practices in Jordan; however, the King is the King and I doubt there will be any changes regarding this issue. Really, a Kingdom, in my opinion, is not a bad thing-if you have the right King. The Jordanian King Abdullah, is a well respected man in the Arab, Muslim and Western communities. He is doing wonderful things for Jordan and it's people. I would prefer him to some of the recent presidents we have elected. All in all, what works for one country may or may not work for another. I don't think it is appropriate nor applicable to think that because it works for one it will work for all. Jordan is a Kingdom that holds elections and that's what works for them.
Q2: Do you think Jordan will ever really make a moves towards democracy?
First of all, thank you Mike for your wonderful questions! I will answer them honestly and I hope that you understand that many people read my blog and therefore they read these answers to your question-I am happy for that. I use this medium (my blog) as a place of educating people about Islam and the Middle East/Jordan, as it is so wrongly understood in other parts of the world. I hope that you find my answers educational and insightful! Thank you again, Mike, for your great questions!
A1: As an American women living in Jordan I do not get any more rights than any other woman living in Jordan. That's because anywhere in the world, whether you are living there or visiting there, you fall under the laws of their land. Now that being said, of course there is an American Embassy available if one ever needs help from a legal situation; however, over all you live the laws of the land.
In Jordan, women have the same rights of a Jordanian men, it doesn't matter the religion. Women in Jordan have rights to education, work, property, children, and anything else that a man has right to. It is a misconception in the world and in the United States that Muslim women are not granted certain rights. In countries where Muslim women are not allowed particular rights it is do to cultural norms and laws, not by Islamic Laws. Islam grants women the right to own property, to work, to her money, to her children, to education, to vote, etc. All these rights were given to the women 1400 years ago when Islam became a religion.
For more info on the Rights Islam gave women check out this website:
http://www.themuslimwoman.com/herrights/womensrights.htm
A2: Jordan is a Kingdom as you know. There are no elections for His Excellency, King Abdullah. It is his job to be King until he dies or appoints thrown to someone else. However, Jordan does hold elections for Parliament. In fact they will be holding the elections in November. Is this a move towards democracy?! It depends on your definition of democracy. There are many democratic thoughts and practices in Jordan; however, the King is the King and I doubt there will be any changes regarding this issue. Really, a Kingdom, in my opinion, is not a bad thing-if you have the right King. The Jordanian King Abdullah, is a well respected man in the Arab, Muslim and Western communities. He is doing wonderful things for Jordan and it's people. I would prefer him to some of the recent presidents we have elected. All in all, what works for one country may or may not work for another. I don't think it is appropriate nor applicable to think that because it works for one it will work for all. Jordan is a Kingdom that holds elections and that's what works for them.
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