An American in Jordan

Well folks, it looks as though my time here in Jordan has come to an end. I’m not going to go into details, but the short and skinny of it is that I’ll be leaving in just a couple of days.

I’m going to truly miss Jordan and the wonderful friends I’ve made here. This country and its people will always have a special place in my heart. My wish is to one day see Jordan reach its potential as the jewel of the Middle East. There are still many things that must be accomplished before that goal is reached, but it is obtainable and you (yes, you) can make difference.

I’ll be sure to keep in touch with my close friends, and I’ll still be reading all of my favorite Jordanian blogs in order to stay current with local news and cultural happenings. Until (and if) we meet again, I bid you Adieu.

Dave
(The person formally known as The American in Jordan)

I love the idea that Jordan is now the 27th international country to have a Papa John’s Pizza. Papa John’s is the third largest carryout and delivery pizza restaurant in the United States behind Pizza Hut and Dominoes Pizza. Most Americans I know consider Papa John’s to be the best delivery-style pizza available.

Amman’s new branch is located in Swefiyeh across from Wakalat Street at the site of the old Burger King. I had a friend bring me a menu so I could have some pizza delivered to determine if Jordanian Papa John’s was, in fact, as good as the original stuff I was used to.

I called the number on the front of the menu (the one listed under the words “Home Delivery”), only to be informed by a very confused young woman on the other end of the line that they don’t offer delivery. I said, “Well, you’re advertising home delivery on the front of your menus.” She informed me that it’s just not available yet.

So I drove to Swefiyeh to order the pizza directly. I spoke to a very friendly manager who informed me that delivery would be available in one week…er…10 days. So I’m going to use my knowledge of the culture to interpret this statement and inform everyone that Papa John’s will begin their home delivery in one month.

Over the past two weeks, little green signs have been popping up at intersections all over Amman, denoting street names and numbers.  Are we finally moving to an address-based system rather than a landmark-based one?

Thank you, Greater Amman Authority, and keep up the good work.

It’s been a few months since I’ve traveled anywhere, so I’m just now discovering a free wireless network at Queen Alia International Airport. So I can check my e-mail and keep myself preoccupied while I wait for them to open the gate. (The television monitor says that my flight is ‘boarding’, but they won’t let anyone through the gate yet).

I’ll be in Thailand for a few days. I’m hoping for the opportunity to post from there, but perhaps I’ll be too busy riding elephants and feeding monkeys and buying ties. Get it? Thai-land? [Crickets chirping].

According to this article…

The minister of the telecommunications of Egypt, Dr. Tareq Kamel, said that his ministry has decided to compensate the internet customers in Egypt for the damage that happened [to the sub-oceanic line], which might last for one whole week, by urging internet service providers and the Egyption Telecommunication Company to give their customers a free month of internet usage.

It’s a rough translation, but I hope Jordan telecoms get on the ball and do something similar. I didn’t pay for a year’s worth of fast, “always on” internet just to suffer through slow, spotty (and sometimes non-existent) performance for the past several weeks.