Sightseeing

In my first few weeks in Jordan I have also managed a bit of sightseeing. There are certainly a lot of sights to see in this country and I already know that my short-time here will not allow me to see as much of it as I would like!

A two-hour drive north of Amman is the town of Umm Qais. Situated on a hill, close to where the borders of Jordan, Israel and Syria meet, are the Roman ruins of the ancient city of Gadara, complete with amphitheatre, columns and stunning views out towards the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.

It was the first warm and sunny day since I arrived and we spent some time wandering among the ruins before enjoying a long lunch at a restaurant overlooking the site. We then drove back to Amman through the fertile Jordan Valley, which runs parallel to the border with Israel and is full of greenhouses where a multitude of fruits and vegetables (but probably mostly tomatoes) are grown.

Last weekend I visited the Amman Citadel, right in the heart of the city. The site dates back to Neolithic times and has an immense history of occupation over many centuries. The two dominant feature are the remains of the Roman Temple of Hercules

And the restored Umayyad Palace

It's all set high on one of the many hills of Amman and so you get amazing views of the city in all directions.

Apart from the fascination of these historical sites that have survived so much I thought one of the nicest things about them was that for Jordanian residents the entry fee is affordable to most people as it's the equivalent of about 25p or 35c. This means that they are not just somewhere for tourists to go but they are also a great day out for local families who take along a picnic and enjoy spending time together.

First weeks in Jordan

I have now been in Amman, the capital city of Jordan, for three weeks. It's been a busy time as I have met colleagues, tried to get to grips with my job and started to find my way around. It's been a mixture of emotions these first few weeks.

I am frequently confused:

• Although a lot of people speak English the majority of conversations are in Arabic and so a lot of the time I have no idea what people are talking about. Even when someone kindly translates I am often still not exactly sure what has been said.
• We work from Sunday to Thursday and go to church on Friday so I never seem to know what day it is.
• As the 'newbie' on the team I have a lot to learn about the projects we are running, the places we are working and the people we are partnering with. It's a lot of information to take in but I think it's gradually making sense.

I am often amused. As I get to know a bit about another new culture there are always things that make me smile:

• The Jordanians really don't like snow. In the first week I was here it was very cold and when snow was forecast the government declared two days of shorter working hours and strongly recommended that people didn't travel around the city before 9.00 a.m. or after 6.00 p.m. In the end there was more rain and sleet than snow but my colleagues were very concerned for a few days.
• If you go to a meeting that finishes at 11.00 a.m. you may need to eat the enormous 'breakfast' that has been prepared before it is possible to leave.
• Although Amman is a modern city I still managed to spot some camels just hanging around with their Bedouin owners on the outskirts of the city. 

I always seem to be eating:

• Amman is full of places to eat, with restaurants and cafes serving food from around the world. In the short time I have been here I have eaten fish and chips in an Irish pub, Lebanese wraps, Chinese take away, Italian lasagne, Jordanian chicken and English breakfast (but without the bacon!)
• Every lunchtime my colleagues order food to be delivered to the office. This can be anything from more traditional Jordanian food to MacDonald's.
• There is an Italian ice-cream parlour across the street from where I am living and it's never too cold to eat ice-cream...

I am sure this is just the start of many new experiences and emotions in the coming months.