One of the paradoxes of living in a foreign country is that, before long, it starts to feel normal. You realize that human nature is constant, and that life basically consists of the same routines across the world. People go to work, get married and have kids, throw birthday parties, and take their families to the park. Once you get past the Islamic calls to prayer and the occasional flock of sheep milling about in the street, life in Jordan feels pretty normal.
I don’t usually write about the day-to-day stuff of life here, because I take it for granted. Every once in a while, though, I’m reminded how little the average American knows about this part of the world. These reminders often come in the form of questions, like whether or not my wife has to wear a burqa (almost nobody wears a burqa here) or how I cope with the food (it’s amazing) or if I’m afraid I’ll be killed by terrorists (no). I’m shocked by some of the far-right-wing hysteria that I occasionally encounter from people who don’t have the slightest idea about Jordan or the Middle East.
I’ve realized that it’s important to convey something of the day-to-day life here in Jordan. The sensational and explosive aspects of the Middle East are what make the news and feed popular American perception. It’s important that Americans get a glimpse of the other 99% of life here. So with that said, I will be attempting to write more posts about ordinary life in Jordan.
DO THEY HATE FREEDOM?!?! GLENN BECK SAID THEY HATE FREEDOM!!!!! DO THEY SIT IN A FIELD AND CHANT “DEATH TO FREEDOM”?!?!?!
Exactly.
I think its a great idea……. While in Afghanistan, I was fortunate to develop a friendship with some of the Jordanians. I found the physicians to be well educated, friendly and helpful. Here’s a post that included us having coffee together after a bad night on the FOB…. I also found their soldiers to be highly competitive.. to a fault.
.. but there’s good and not-so-good in all peoples.
I am glad you mention that it is important to realize that day to day life overseas is often similar to that of the average American.
America right now is to overrun with nonsense spouted off by Glenn Beck. It still kills me that Americans can’t look at a map and say where Iraq or Afghanistan are, and most of what they know about the Middle East has to do with radical Islam, or the conflicts in Israel.
Not to be argumentative. But can you give some examples of “nonsense spouted off by Glenn Beck”? There certainly might be. However, my impression is that despite his overly emotional delivery, he is in fact honest and educational. I think that his viewers can find Iraq and Afghanistan on the map and can delineate Muslims from radical Islamists.
In truth, I rarely watch his show, but from what I have seen, I have found educational and true. I don’t see the nonsense. But if there is, please tell me.
FaST Surgeon,
I’m sorry to reply to this so late, but I don’t have it set to get other comment reply’s. And to the Blogger of Building Peace, I am sorry I have to reply using your blog.
Disclaimer: I try my best not to watch Fox News. If something ground breaking has occurred then I will click over just to see how Fox is reporting it.
Glen Beck clearly does not understand the difference (along with some Tea Party members) between fascism, Nazism, socialism, communism, and democracy. Yes, he is incredibly over dramatic, and that tends to lead him down the road of 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon… I am not sure how his logic works, but I don’t see our country heading down a path to becoming the next Nazi Germany, or that our current President’s education policies will suddenly make our children into Hitler Youth. That is just my personal opinion.
As for Americans being able to distinguish between radical Islam and the ever day Muslim let’s look into the hysteria caused by the Islamic Cultural Center that is going to be built 2 blocks from ground zero. Now, I am not saying it is a smart idea, but our Constitution allows for the freedom of religion. Maybe the media is feeding the hype and ignorance, but the debate has become asinine. A southern state is holding a Quran burning, people in Tennessee and Wisconsin are trying to stop the building of cultural centers in their states. All because these people feel that these centers will suddenly become terrorist training camps in America….
It is sad, and it makes my husband and I shake our heads because we both know the reality.
Anyways, I hope that answers your questions.