Letter from Palestine, 14. Experiencing Jordan.
3rd December 2004
Dear friends!
I start with the good news, so you don’t need to read all to get it: I have a new visa, for three months, and don’t need to worry more. As I have understood, I was the only worried, it is not easy to know what the border police can do. Sunday I met three new Norwegian ecumenical accompaniers. They came Saturday, and two of them spent 8 ½ hours on the airport before they came through!
I went to Jordan on Monday. When I did not have visa for Jordan before, I went by the Sheikh Husayn bridge north of the West Bank. I was met by a too joyful young woman on the border, and was a bit sceptical to this new strategy of the border police. When I told that I had been to Jerusalem, she spoke about how wonderful that city was. I came through by a few questions and came to the next person. She was not that joyful, and did not speak that good English, so I did not understand what she asked about. She gave up, and let me pass. On the Jordanian side it was easy to get a visa before I was caught by a driver to Amman. I said I wanted a bus, and he told me to come. What I thought was a servis, was a taxi, and the price was then higher…
I was going to stay at the YWCA Hostel in Amman. I had not thought much about it, but heard from other Norwegians that it was a bit old fashion. When I came, it was how I would expect it if I had thought about a YWCA Hostel, at least 20 years ago. An elderly, calm woman, who reminded me of my grandma, received me. She showed me my room, which is for people like me, staying a few days, with five beds, but no other guests. The bathroom also reminded me about my grandma, mostly because of the kerosene smell, my grandma ha kerosene heating. I was lucky and came to the hot water day, they had hot water three days a week. Everything was said three times, to be sure that I understood. When I asked about the different streets, I could “go up there and down there”, three times, or “down there and up again” three times. It was too far to walk to downtown. But I did not listen to that. It was not very far in a Norwegian scale, but quite much up on the way back, because Amman is city built on several mountains.
I went downtown some times. The first time I was lucky and found a map with the different parts of the city and the largest streets. But it was not detailed, and to find the sites to see was a challenge when the Jordanian authorities do not see signing as an important task. I was suddenly by one of the ruins to be seen, and then I found others also. The Citadel, which is on a hill, I had seen from a long distance, but it does not always help to find the way up. On my way a man pointed out some stairs I could take, so I went there. I came up among people in working clothes excavating, and I was surprised about the entrance. When I went further and found myself on the other side of the fence from where the other tourists were, I understood that I should have found another entrance. Embarrassed I left without seeing any more. Next day I tried again, right way, with ticket, and saw impressing ruins of old buildings.
Jordanians are like Palestinians, not walking more than necessary. Both my trip to downtown, and from the hostel to the YWCA office were impressing, they thought. I was just glad to be free and have the chance to walk. A reason for their surprise was that they found Amman a big city difficult to find out about. I was a bit agree. Before I had a map, I thought that “first circle”, “second circle” etc were circle roads like in Oslo. Then I found out that they were roundabouts, and then everything became easier. Luckily the city has some big hotels with characteristic look which are good to orientate from.
If I had been a bit reasonable, I had taken the same way each time. But it is more exciting to take new ways, last time from the Citadel, it was longer than planned. I used to go up on the Amman mountain, where the YWCA Hostel is, on the northern side, while I now thought I might be on the southern side. It started to get dark, and I did not have any known buildings to orientate from. To check if I was on the right mountain, or hill, I started to climb the stars. There are really many stairs. When I was up, I saw a church, and was surprised to see it there, it should be on the neighbouring mountain. Then I found out that it was not the same, though they were both white with red roof. I started to be nervous on how long away I was, and used the chance for an express prayer in the chapel by the church. I calmed down, and short after I was by the first circle, close to the hostel.
Before I went to the border yesterday, I had a trip to Madaba, the mosaic town about 30 km south of Amman. One of the employees at YWCA wanted to take me there as she came from Madaba, but she did not have time. So she called her mother to arrange for my lunch there and told me to go to the church to ask for the way. It was a beautiful last day of my stay, with the famous mosaic of Madaba and hospitality with lots of food and few English words. It is not easy to leave when you are asked to stay with such nice people. But I managed to come to the Allenby bridge.
As I expected, it was easy to get out of Jordan. Then what I was afraid of began. I had thought through different questions and answers some times, but you never know what they will ask about. I waited for a long time while friends of the border control manager passed, they were of course treated first. When it at last was my turn, I got short questions about my stay, the purpose and length. I got visa almost at once, and could go further. I wondered how easy it could be, but then I was stopped by the next check. There the joyful woman from Sheikh Husayn was, and I understood I should not be glad too early. I am not sure if the recognized me. When I said I was going to Jerusalem, she again said it was such a nice city, without showing that she had seen me before. I only had to empty my pockets, and so they checked my Madaba tickets for bombs before I could get through. So I had not needed to worry so much. I have three new months and can take it easy now.
Happy greetings from Hanne.
Dear friends!
I start with the good news, so you don’t need to read all to get it: I have a new visa, for three months, and don’t need to worry more. As I have understood, I was the only worried, it is not easy to know what the border police can do. Sunday I met three new Norwegian ecumenical accompaniers. They came Saturday, and two of them spent 8 ½ hours on the airport before they came through!
I went to Jordan on Monday. When I did not have visa for Jordan before, I went by the Sheikh Husayn bridge north of the West Bank. I was met by a too joyful young woman on the border, and was a bit sceptical to this new strategy of the border police. When I told that I had been to Jerusalem, she spoke about how wonderful that city was. I came through by a few questions and came to the next person. She was not that joyful, and did not speak that good English, so I did not understand what she asked about. She gave up, and let me pass. On the Jordanian side it was easy to get a visa before I was caught by a driver to Amman. I said I wanted a bus, and he told me to come. What I thought was a servis, was a taxi, and the price was then higher…
I was going to stay at the YWCA Hostel in Amman. I had not thought much about it, but heard from other Norwegians that it was a bit old fashion. When I came, it was how I would expect it if I had thought about a YWCA Hostel, at least 20 years ago. An elderly, calm woman, who reminded me of my grandma, received me. She showed me my room, which is for people like me, staying a few days, with five beds, but no other guests. The bathroom also reminded me about my grandma, mostly because of the kerosene smell, my grandma ha kerosene heating. I was lucky and came to the hot water day, they had hot water three days a week. Everything was said three times, to be sure that I understood. When I asked about the different streets, I could “go up there and down there”, three times, or “down there and up again” three times. It was too far to walk to downtown. But I did not listen to that. It was not very far in a Norwegian scale, but quite much up on the way back, because Amman is city built on several mountains.
I went downtown some times. The first time I was lucky and found a map with the different parts of the city and the largest streets. But it was not detailed, and to find the sites to see was a challenge when the Jordanian authorities do not see signing as an important task. I was suddenly by one of the ruins to be seen, and then I found others also. The Citadel, which is on a hill, I had seen from a long distance, but it does not always help to find the way up. On my way a man pointed out some stairs I could take, so I went there. I came up among people in working clothes excavating, and I was surprised about the entrance. When I went further and found myself on the other side of the fence from where the other tourists were, I understood that I should have found another entrance. Embarrassed I left without seeing any more. Next day I tried again, right way, with ticket, and saw impressing ruins of old buildings.
Jordanians are like Palestinians, not walking more than necessary. Both my trip to downtown, and from the hostel to the YWCA office were impressing, they thought. I was just glad to be free and have the chance to walk. A reason for their surprise was that they found Amman a big city difficult to find out about. I was a bit agree. Before I had a map, I thought that “first circle”, “second circle” etc were circle roads like in Oslo. Then I found out that they were roundabouts, and then everything became easier. Luckily the city has some big hotels with characteristic look which are good to orientate from.
If I had been a bit reasonable, I had taken the same way each time. But it is more exciting to take new ways, last time from the Citadel, it was longer than planned. I used to go up on the Amman mountain, where the YWCA Hostel is, on the northern side, while I now thought I might be on the southern side. It started to get dark, and I did not have any known buildings to orientate from. To check if I was on the right mountain, or hill, I started to climb the stars. There are really many stairs. When I was up, I saw a church, and was surprised to see it there, it should be on the neighbouring mountain. Then I found out that it was not the same, though they were both white with red roof. I started to be nervous on how long away I was, and used the chance for an express prayer in the chapel by the church. I calmed down, and short after I was by the first circle, close to the hostel.
Before I went to the border yesterday, I had a trip to Madaba, the mosaic town about 30 km south of Amman. One of the employees at YWCA wanted to take me there as she came from Madaba, but she did not have time. So she called her mother to arrange for my lunch there and told me to go to the church to ask for the way. It was a beautiful last day of my stay, with the famous mosaic of Madaba and hospitality with lots of food and few English words. It is not easy to leave when you are asked to stay with such nice people. But I managed to come to the Allenby bridge.
As I expected, it was easy to get out of Jordan. Then what I was afraid of began. I had thought through different questions and answers some times, but you never know what they will ask about. I waited for a long time while friends of the border control manager passed, they were of course treated first. When it at last was my turn, I got short questions about my stay, the purpose and length. I got visa almost at once, and could go further. I wondered how easy it could be, but then I was stopped by the next check. There the joyful woman from Sheikh Husayn was, and I understood I should not be glad too early. I am not sure if the recognized me. When I said I was going to Jerusalem, she again said it was such a nice city, without showing that she had seen me before. I only had to empty my pockets, and so they checked my Madaba tickets for bombs before I could get through. So I had not needed to worry so much. I have three new months and can take it easy now.
Happy greetings from Hanne.
posted by Hanne at 2:50 PM
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