Reflections

NOT a Bad-Hair Day

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:48:00 GMT

Just in case you thought THIS PICTURE was taken on a bad-hair day, or was photoshopped or something, here's another one of "Doctor" Abu Baker with her latest news: http://jordanzad.com/jordan/news/117/ARTICLE/3348/2008-08-11.html

إلى متى الصمت؟

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:28:00 GMT

إلى متى الصمت؟ إلى متى سنبقى مكتوفي الأيدي ننتظر أن يقوم شخص أو عدد من الأشخاص بعملية "غبية" – أغبى من عملية المدرج الروماني (الثانية) - تقضي على مستقبل السياحة و على قطاع السياحة و على عشرات آلاف من الشباب و الشابات و العائلات التي تعمل في هذا القطاع الحيوي الهام الذي يجلب للأردن الملايين من العملات الصعبة!

لقد تحمل العاملون و المستثمرون في قطاع السياحة في الأردن خلال العشرين سنة الماضية و أكثر، أعباء و ضغوطات و خسائر كبيرة نتيجة الحروب و الإرهاب و الأزمات السياسية المتتالية في الدول المحيطة و في المملكة. و لقد شعرنا في قطاع السياحة ، ولربما للمرة الأولى ، أن الأردن هذا العام يواجه تحديا جديدا من نوعه و هو التعامل مع الكم الهائل من الحجوزات و طلبات الوفود السياحة المهتمة بزيارة المملكة . إلا أن هذا التحدي سيختفي قريبا اذا لم تتخذ أجراءات صارمة ضد مرتكبي و محرضي الجرائم الموجهة ضد السياح والزوار و المواطنين.

انني لا أستغرب من أن يكون مرتكب جريمة المدرج الروماني قد شحن و حرض ضد مهرجان الأردن من كثرة المقالات و التعليقات و الكلام عن علاقة المهرجان في الشركة المشرفة على حفل تأسيس دولة أسرائيل. كما لا أستغرب من أن يكون مرتكب الجريمة كان يظن أنه يقوم بعمل بطولي بمهاجمة متطرفين أسرائيليين يتابعون فرقة أسرائيلية بوسط العاصمة الأردنية يبنما في الواقع الفرقة الموسيقية، و الحضور و السياح و المصابين كلهم عرب.

حان الوقت أن يعي كل من يكتب و يثير الأشاعات و يحرض الناس أن يحاسب على أقواله و نتائج أقواله و تأثيراتها على الناس و المجتمع. كما على الحكومة أن تكون أكثر شفافية و أسرع وأوضح في الرد على كل ما يثار في الصحف و الشارع من اشاعات من شأنها أن تثير مشاعر الإستفزاز في قلوب الناس.

حان الوقت أن نعي أن ضربة جديدة لقطاع السياحة قد تكون الضربة القاضية!

سامر رياض صوالحة

6ORMOS

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:49:00 GMT

For some reason, I can not find one single reference in all of the Jordanian newspapers archives about these two Jordanian doctors, a brother and a sister whose story I have been following for some years. Professor Yousef Abu Baker, and his sister Muna, if I remember their names correctly, have claimed over and over again that they have come up with a medicinal miracle that heals numerous incurable ailments such as Aids and Cancer.What has always fascinated me, is how would anyone in his right mind believe that such an invention/discovery can be found without creating a huge echo in international medical and social mediums alike. If such a treatment existed would it be our best-kept secret that Jordan wants to monopolize..wouldn't huge pharmaceutical companies be running after the Super Siblings to grant them immortal fame? I understand that as the arabic proverb goes, a drowning person would hold on to a straw, but is there any common sense in buying and using medicines that are not recognized by any renowned medical establishment?

Especially when you read that this same "Professor's sister" as she was often labelled is also very politicaly active and has just established the first Jordanian political party headed by a woman. Jeez! How many hours are in that woman's day?!

In today's Al Ghad, I read this article. Turns out our dear doctors have been selling out colored water that has been used to soak 6ormos ( some type of pulse,I guess called the pigeon peas, that is soaked boiled, then salted and eaten as a popular snack) to heal cancers and aids. After three years of investigation and close follow up, they were able to determine that this miracle medicine is indeed 6ormos water. What I find mind-boggling is did they really need to spend three years, investigating the skills of a Jack-Of-All-Trades who looks this professional:

to find out this must be a scam. It's true, you can not judge a book by its cover, but if the cover looks like this, I, for one would not use its pages to wrap handfuls of 6ormos to sell for kids in the streets.

The Jordanian Dream, Only Better!

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:09:00 GMT

Warning: Long post that took around a month to write.

Turning down this job offer was not an easy thing to do.

In my husband's words, this offer was THE ultimate Jordanian dream; only better!

A government job, with pay from an international organization.

"Think about it," He said jokingly. "Isn't it every jordanian's dream? The stability of a government job, where no one can termintae your employment, where you can leave work on impulse, and get to be called 3otooftek?"

3otoofti did consider it very well indeed. It was a good job afterall. Very Interesting project, not your typical monochromatic government job, a really good salary, and short working hours. This could have been the perfect deal for me, BUT. I'd only started my new job exactly a week earlier. In one week, I had a sense of belonging to this new company, and I thought it would be a better atmosphere for me to work in. It was certainly more demanding than the government one, with longer hours, and a little less salary to start with, but very promising prospects for career and financial developments. I loved all the challenges that this job offered me, especially after the last two years I spent at my old job, which were too...mundane, to say the least. But, I hated working till five in the evening!

During this week, I felt I hardly saw my kids, and while I sympathize with all full time working mothers, I'm just not used to this. I have been working part time for the last eight years, and the increase in working hours was just too much to handle. Government offices work till three and everyone was telling me what a normal thing it is to take daily leaves whenever I needed, the government job paid me more, for the time being, and the project was quite interesting, so why wouldn't I accept? I thought about this for days. I did not sleep for two days in a row. I wanted the job I was in, with the working hours that the other one offered. This current job is in a new field to me; Project Management, I was already enjoying the work, and liked the people in the office, and felt that I fit in with the crowd much sooner than I expected, the pay will probably increase soon, and I felt appreciated, but most importantly, I now know what working here is all about, while the government job's atmosphere was too vague for me.

And I'm a person who hates change.

I hate change so much, that I spent 12 years in the same place. I'd been comfortable, work was convenient, and I had every reason to be content. Then came a time where I felt it's getting a bit too boring. I realized the later I stay, the harder it would get for me to quit. I toyed with the thought for a few months, and waited for the right moment to do it. The straw that cut the camels back did not take long to come, and I quit. It was much easier than I thought. My decision was well thought and happened at the right time, I did not feel the slightest bit of remorse.

Since then, my professional life has taken quite a few roller coaster rides and has cost me a lot of sleepless nights, over decisions that I could not make, none of which to compare with this huge dilemma that I found myself in last month.

Do I leave, do I stay? Do I choose a good job that offered me convenience, or a good job that offered me challenge? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, people would love to be in my shoes, with two good things to choose from, but I was really confused. It was no fun not knowing where I would be soon. Not having a schedule, not having a target, being restless, it was nerve wrecking, but my mind was set at last. I can not afford spending two extra hours away from the kids. It was too much for the whole family to deal with us and I decided: "Hello to the world of being a government employee!"

My husband thought it terribly amusing. Of all the people around me, Samer knows EXCATLY how I feel, and when I am weighing things in my mind, and give him a brief opinion, he knows how I reached this point, how my mind worked, and what sort of factors brought me to this decision. So he felt my confusion, and promised to be supportive in any decision I make. But he still found it amusing. 3otooftek was my new code name! He offered to buy me Cigars for those long field trips behind the driver in these big government cars. He teased me about the famous jordnaian angry-face (kashara), he wanted to know if it will be reserved for working hours or will it be my new trait!

Then came the day where I had to break the news to my new employers, that after one week of work, I was quitting. That was not funny. How do I do this? Yes, there was a three-month grace period, and yes it was only normal to leave during this time, but I felt so awkward doing that, when there was nothing I did not like about this place. Things started easing off the moment I spoke. The two people I had to talk with were extremely nice, which really helped me to think clearly. They understood why anyone in his right mind would go to that new job, and were truly genuine. Most importantly, they made me an offer of shorter work hours, and that did it for me. I immediately knew I wanted to stay. Shorter hours would make my life much easier. I did not negotiate the pay, since it really did not matter as much. Private sector salaries increase substantially more than government sector,at least I doubt they will do like the government person who made me the other offer, when he said: "Oh, you will have an annual increase of 20", and I was like: "That's good, 20% is good!" and he's like: " 20 jds!"

And so I stayed! It's been tiring and demanding, but also challenging and rewarding. I hope it stays like this, but if it doesn't; yeah well, it will only take me twelve more years to make up my mind and quit again!

Overheard In Burger King

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:41:00 GMT

My husband looked pretty amused as he stood in line in Burger King, with two customers in front of him, the first taking forever to order. Weird, I thought, wasn't he just cursing work, the weather, the lack of parking in Shmesani?? what's so amusing now?

Here's his recount of the conversation going on in front of him, between a 40 something customer, and the guy at the cash:

-Customer: Shooo feee 3indak inta? What kind of stuff do you have?

-Cashier: Mmmm, lahmeh w jaj. Mmmm, meat and chicken.

-Customer: Lahmeh w jaj keef ya3ni? Meat and chicken, how do you mean?

-Cashier: Sandwichat! Sandwiches!

-Customer: Sandwichat keeef shikilha? How do these sandwiches look?

Cashier looks up and points to the posters over the counter.

-Customer: Ayya Ahsan? Which is better?

-Cashier: Eltenain, zay ma bit7eb. Both, whichever you like more.

-Customer: A36eeni jaj iza haik. I'll take chicken then.

-Cashier: Wajbeh?ma3 kola w ba6a6a? Meal,with Fries and Coke?

-Customer: Ah, ah! Yes,yes!

-Customer: Kattirleee el ba6a6at ballah! Be generous with those fries will you?

-Cashier: Akeed,akeed. Sure,sure.

Giggles everywhere behind the counter.

Customer turns towards the Philippino lady behind him and asks:

A6loblek? Should I order for you?

Lady: Excuse me?!!!

More giggles from inside.