Holidaze

Day 105

Wrapped things up here in Irbid this last week. After a 3 hour language final and a last meeting with my Journalism prof, all that remains between me and a long trip home is some dorm cleaning, packing, and last minute photo ops with some of my Jordanian pals in Irbid. I bought a less than direct flight back stateside, on Etihad airways to Dubai then NY then DC. With travel time and layovers (and counting time zone changes), it amounts to just over 28 hours of travel time. Mmmm. I'm saving the cash moneys this way though, which is important because the trip is coming out of what I had managed to save from my Fulbright stipends and my own money.

To formally wrap up the Critical Language Enhancement Award period (the precursor to Fulbright research), I still have to submit my report and take a post language phone test. But I am very much looking forward to the big city life in Amman next year, and more to the point, to starting my research project finally. Still haven't nailed down an apartment in the capital yet but..details.

I'll go ahead and sign off here for 2007. Bring on the family, friends, and colder weather (snow?).

'Eid mubarak

Weird News

Day 93

Right, so occasionally I come across some odd news stories browsing the Arab media. The following opinion piece appeared in Ammon News, a news website very popular among the internet-savvy in Jordan, and known for breaking important stories in Jordanian politics. I chose it for this first installment of weird news (who knows how many if any more posts may follow in the next 9 months) for a number of reasons:

1. This letter to the editor is straight out of middle America, circa 1995.
2. Although the piece is an appeal to young people in Jordan, the author's language couldn't be more out of touch with his intended audience (err see also #1).
3. I am still waiting for the corresponding letters to the editor that tackle the string of fashion issues arising from the young Jordanian (failed?) attempt at metrosexual stylings: way-too-tight jeans, equally inappropriately-tight Diesel Jeans Co. shirts (as if there was any other brand here), leather dress shoes that take the tapered toe to jester-like levels, and copious amounts of gel. Ok, maybe that last point isn't as much metro as it is 1950s middle America, but still. And ok, so maybe I should be writing these next letters to the editor...

(my translation, his words--and picture):

"A National Campaign Under the Slogan “Raise Your Sagging Pants Young People!”

To the editor,

I appeal to you and this wonderful website and its national role to take up and help launch a national awareness campaign under the slogan “Raise your Sagging Pants Young People,” especially seeing as a large proportion of the surfers of this site are youth.

This phenomenon is spreading among large segments of our young people who we want to be men of the future. I don’t want you say that this is part of personal freedom, as this matter is intrusive and alien to our society and our faith and our values.

We are starting to see shameful sights appearing under sagging pants in the streets, universities, and schools. This is not, as some have called it, a laughing matter.

We, as media professionals, want you to take a serious stand on this issue and use your role to spread awareness in any way you see fit. And I also ask for help from the people and from education and religious institutions in spreading awareness and reducing this phenomenon among our heroic young Jordanians. I appeal to every zealous Jordanian in this matter."

...Heroic? Zealous? This is clearly a laughing matter.