New Home - Settling In

I moved into my new place about a week ago. Its like having a country house. The kitchen was decorated in the 1960’s with red/white box pattern. There is a lemon tree outside the window hopefully I can reach them to pick some. I have a small terrace where I can sit and eat with wonderful sunlight. Hopefully will barbeque soon. I want to buy a few herb plants to grow there.
Its learning everything over again. The first weekend I clogged the toilet for the entire weekend because I should not flush paper down the toilet. We have to heat the water before taking a shower and I had to call the landlord to ask how to turn this on. It even took me a little while to remember how to turn on the fire for the gas stove. I couldn’t remember and came back to it a couple hours later. I still don’t know where I should put the garbage. Its really interesting just having the basics in a kitchen - no microwave, toaster oven, George Forman grill, cuisine art…. The first weekend I had not bought internet so this was a bit like being on holiday – not connected.

One thing that is funny, in the USA and especially in NYC we are not used to waiting. In the states I would have just bought my internet on my credit card and paid for it later. But Jordan is a cash country, and my check took longer than expected so I ended up waiting till getting paid just a few days. Being that it wont be easy to put back my US Savings or credit card I want to use them sparingly. Also Jordanians have a very different sense of time and some think I am impatient. Of course as a New Yorker, we want everything done promptly. They can discuss or put something off for two weeks that I intend to wrap up in 3-5 days. I regularly tell people here, I don’t really wait for people.

So I thought I was getting direct deposit from my company on the 1st. It ends up US AID sends a big check to AISEC on the 1st, they cash it which takes one day to clear, then we go and pick up a check from them. Funds were getting quite low, so they told me they could give me partial cash. But then they tried to just give me cash and then to wait another day to come back for the check, which would have cost me 4JDs each time (with income of 1/3 of US). I passed by my bank to cash it but that would take a day to clear, so I waited to go the bank the check was written on to get cash, which delayed paying rent and buying the internet. I went window shopping for internet that first weekend and found out that I needed a resident to sign up or the deposit for the modem would be much larger. So then I had to coordinate someone to go out to City Mall to get the internet.

Tuesday I realized I have to go the police station to extend my 30 day visa. You have to go to one in that has the jurisdiction for your home. I stopped by one close and asked them what I need and which one I should go to. Wednesday morning I headed down with my passport and apt lease. I had to walk 40 min because I did not have a small bill to give the taxi and normally don’t even have change for 5JD. I knew the area it was in but wasn’t sure exactly where, it took me an extra 30 minutes to find it once in the neighborhood. Each person kept telling me something else, and they always want to tell you to take a taxi even when its quite close. SO I go upstairs and they tell me that I need the blood test to receive the stamp. I have gotten different information and I know people who have not gotten the test but no one who spoke Arabic picked up the phone to help me sort this out. The police guy told me go get the test and we will stamp you if you have the receipt. So then I am off to El Garden Street to find the blood test place. The taxi driver spoke to my boss for 5 minutes and he still didn’t know where it was. I got out once I knew I was close. I asked someone in a bank and he decided to walk me over. I took the test 20JDs ($28) and headed back the police station. I showed up with the receipt that I had taken the test. But the friendly police chief was not having this and told me the rules changed March 31st (written in Arabic). He told me I have to come back with the results and I will pay 1.5JDs each day late after one month from entrance. The funniest thing, when I wasn’t happy, he said speak to my wife and handed me the phone. I took the phone and she said hello and asked me the problem. When I heard her voice I asked if she was Jordanian, and she said no American. I was sitting with a room full of men and I said “oh thought I may like a woman to console me”. If I have not mentioned before, I have met many men with American wives. Anyway what I thought would take an hour or so took 4 hours on the first day. Welcome to Jordan – Ahlan wa sahlan! I also said this to the police officers which made one laugh.

After my morning of running around I went to work, then to Arabic lessons, then to city mall to cash my check and buy internet with a local. While there I decided to do a big food shop, since it cost 5JDs($7) taxis. The store kicked me out at midnight when it closed. I got in the taxi and when 2/3rd home I realized that I forgot the modem in the check bagged desk. I debated and decided to go back because I wasn’t sure if things will still be there in the next day. So myself and the taxi guy enter the mall after closing and made our way into the store. Which we spoke with the guards for over 30 minutes to get this. I tried to use My arabic “eli yom, ma boukra – today not tomorrow”. He said impossible and I respond “leesh la – why not”. When I say something people often giggle.So finally we got the bag I said “el hum du allah – thanks be to god” and I got home at 1:14 am. I spent 8JDs ($11) with the very helpful taxi guy who was born in Brazil but Jordanian/Palestinian. He spoke pretty good English, but once I heard the Portuguese I started also saying little things in Spanish. The moral to the story being very tired cost money with mistakes – but there will always be a learning curve.

Believe me I am so tired of asking people for help, trying not to be too needy for those that are helpful OR taking an endless amount of time/wandering to figure it out myself.