Abuse of domestic workers in Jordan

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28720628/

Another problem not mentioned in this article is that often, for status reasons, domestic workers are employed by Jordanian households who cannot afford them. They remain unpaid for weeks and even months, are not given the proper supplies and equipment, and face other difficulties.

Jordan equivocates on Israel and Hamas

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1057385.html

Jordan is in a tough position. I believe that it secretly wanted Israel to smash Hamas, but cannot say so publicly.

Not a typical Jordanian wedding, but noteworthy

http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD220109

This is a link to an English translation of a transcript of a Jordanian wedding that appeared on Arabic TV. These views are not at all representative of the vast majority of Jordanians, but it is evidence that extremism does exist there.

Lack of professional courtesy in Jordan

I've been working in Jordan for a long time, and one of the striking characteristics of Jordanians in professional jobs is their lack of courtesy. Emails requesting information are seldom answered in a timely manner; emails supplying information are seldom acknowledged or thanked. Minor executives, even those with whom I have worked for a long time, will not place their own phone calls -- instead, they have a secretary or receptionist do it for them. It seems that the only time one gets a timely or complete response is when companies are bidding for subcontracts and large amounts of money are at stake.

Culture of littering in Jordan

Jordan is a beautiful country, but it seems like Jordanians have no respect for the cleanliness of their own cities, highways, or parks. Trash is everywhere, and people indifferently throw trash out of their cars while riding or toss empties anywhere while walking. The other day, I was walking near Culture Street in Shmeisani. A well-dressed woman walking with her friend ahead of me finished a juice from a Tetra-Pak container and then just tossed the empty on the sidewalk.

A dysfunctional Jordanian family

An acquaintance of mine lives with his family in a poorer section of the Greater Amman Municipality. He lives with his three brothers, two of whom are married, and his one unmarried sister (several other sisters are married and living with their husbands). The unmarried brother is an alcoholic and goes out drinking every night with his friends. When he comes home, usually at 2 am or later, he wakes up the unmarried sister and demands that she make him something to eat. He also screams at her and hits her if she doesn't keep up with washing and ironing his clothes. Also, one of the sisters lives in a different Arab country with a husband who beats her, and her son also beats her. (The husband has a second wife whom he favors.) The family in Amman want to go to this other Arab country to rescue her, but they can't get visas.