Is Amman Boring? (+This Week's Calendar)

An Egyptian journalist was asking me the other day: “Why does everyone insist that Amman is a boring city? I’ve been here three times already, and I spend at least two weeks every time, and there’s always something happening in the art and culture scene… there’s always something new and interesting to do. But people here still insist that it’s a boring city, and that’s also the common stereotype of it in places like Beirut and Cairo.”

It reminded me of my early days of blogging three years ago, when I decided to start an events calendar on my blog for the simple reason that an expat in Amman told me he found it a boring city.

It’s not that I’m on the defensive or that I feel some national duty to prove my city innocent of some vicious charge. I also don’t want to claim that Amman is something it’s not. I’ve been to Cairo and fell head over heels in love with it, but I guess the reason I still write these posts on my blog about all the interesting things taking place around town is because I’m convinced that many of those who find Amman boring simply don’t know what goes on and what they can enjoy.

Now you can’t compare Amman to Beirut and Cairo… that’s just unfair because Amman is a very young city. Sure there’s an ancient Roman Amphitheatre and a Citadel with remnants of different historic eras, but Amman as a modern city with an urban culture is less than 100 years old. And yes, there is so much that is missing - but we’re getting there. Just think of how different the cultural landscape is today than it used to be a few years ago.


Sometimes I feel that no matter how many interesting things Amman offers, being bored is just a dominant issue in people’s mindsets here. It’s sort of a general attitude. I’m curious to read what you think…


That said, let’s move on to why I started this post in the first place – to bring to you my list of events taking place in Amman this week :) so without further ado:


Two exhibitions open today at Darat Al-Funoun:
Secrets
9 international artists will meet in Amman, Jordan to explore the theme of secrets. The artists from Egypt, Holland, Lebanon, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Palestine and Scotland will come together to create inspirational artwork through a variety of mediums.

Time: 6:30pm

Nakba Archives
I think the opening for this one is also at 6:30pm but I’m not quite sure!

Guardians of Memory
In commemoration of Al-Nakba, Al-Hannouneh Society for Popular Culture is organizing a series of events this week, running until May 16th. Today, Monday, there will be a screening of a number of films and documentaries at the society’s building, located at sport city circle- behind al-quqa building.
Time: 6:00 – 10:15

Tuesday, 13th of May
Bazaar
Traditional products and food & hand crafts
Location: `Ebaal society
AT 5.30 PM
free entrance

Wednesday, 14th of May
Al-Hannouneh Folkloric Dance
Location: King Abdullah 2nd Culture center-zarka
AT 8.00 PM
tickets:5 JD

Thursday, 15th of May
Al-Hannouneh Folkloric Dance
Location: Radisson Sas Hotel
AT 8.00 PM
tickets:5 JD

Friday, 16th of May
Concert
Sho Hal Ayyam
Location: Directorate of arts and theater
AT 8.00 PM
free entrance

Exhibition: Organized Chaos
An exhibition of Palestinian cartoonist Mohammad Sabaaneh, at Al-Balad Theatre, running until May 15th.

Tuesday May 13
Documentary: Occupation 101
Place: Darat Al-Funoun
Time: 6:30pm

Indian Film “Life in a metro” Screening at the Shoman Cinema Forum
Date: Tuesday May 13
Time: 7:00pm

Thursday May 15th
Sharq live in Concert

Time: 8:00 pm till 10:00 pm
Place: Royal Cultural Center
Free Entry

And for the fun open air activities (hopefully with more summer-like weather this weekend):


Souk Jara Theatre
Amman’s summer flea market is back starting Friday May 16th and every Friday. The Jara theatre will host shows by young Jordanian musicians, as well as film screenings. This Friday, the opening will be with Aziz Maraka, from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm.



100 Live Music Festival
Now this is very cool, at the Park of the National Museum for Fine Arts in Jabal Luweibdeh, artists from Jordan and the world will be performing from 4:00 pm until 10:00pm (or may be even later).
This will be on Saturday May 17th


Click to see large poster

Concerts and Film Screenings this Week in Amman

Here’s Lina’s occasional list of events taking place in Amman this week :)

Monday May 5

Best of Abdel Halim Orchestration
Led by Dr. Ayman Tayseer, with the Arabic Choir Ensemble and the Amman Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mohammad Othman Siddeeq.

Place: Hussein Cultural Center, Ras Al-Ein
Time : 7 :30pm
I think tickets are for 5 JDs, available at the door

Tuesday May 6

Film Screening at the Shoman Cinema Forum
This week it’s an award-winning Indian film called Salaam Bombay

Place: Shoman Library between first and second circles
Time: 6:30pm
Free Entry

Australian Film Festival
Until Sunday May 11th, films will be screened at the Hussein Cultural Center. Below is the full schedule.



Wednesday May 7

Yazan Rousan in a fundraising concert
Place: Muhataraf Remal in Jabal Luweibdeh (call 06553319 for info or directions)
Time: 7:30 pm
Tickets are for JD3

Thursday May 8

Now this is the event you’re not supposed to miss:
Three Stories from Amman: a screening of three short films
The work of three talented young Jordanian filmmakers; Mohammad Hushki, Ahmad Amin, and Kasem Kharsa
Place: Al-Balad Theater
Time: 7:00 – 8:15 pm
Free Entry



Also on Thursday
RUM Tareq Al-Nasser in Concert at the Roman Amphitheatre
Place: Obviously, the Roman Amphitheatre downtown (valet parking is available)
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 pm
Free Entry

Friday May 9
Rock Breeze
Three Rock bands; Akher Zafeer, Illusions, and Gilbert Simon (read more on their Facebook group)
Place: Zara Expo
Time: 7:00 pm
Tickets are for JD10 if you purchase them at iPlay or Prime Mega Store, and JD15 at the gate (boo!)


Also, if you haven’t checked out the current exhibition at Darat Al-Funoun, Art Now in Lebanon, I think you should :) it’s got some very interesting work by contemporary Lebanese artists, and it runs until the 27th or the 28th of May.

Random Thoughts on Dubai - Part I

It’s been over a week since I got back from Dubai, where I participated in the workshop “Learning from the Future”, organized by the British Council and the Young Arab Leaders.

Though it was my first time in Dubai, I didn’t get the chance to explore the city much because the workshop was quite intense. Naseem sums it up nicely, and Mais gives another great perspective on the trip.

Although Dubai had never really sparked my curiosity and never felt like my type of city, I decided to go there with an open mind and to put aside the judgments of “materialistic,” “fake,” or “soulless” until I experience it for myself.



We were staying in hotel apartments in the “old Dubai”, i.e. Bur Dubai. The workshop itself was taking place at the Sheraton Creek hotel. Now for the first couple of days, friends would text me and ask, so how do you find Dubai? And I’d say: I’m feeling absolutely nothing towards the city; nothing positive, nothing negative… just blank. Then I eventually realized that this in itself says something about it; a city that doesn’t stir any emotions in you! I wasn’t blown away by the number of cranes, the clean streets, or the glossiness, simply because there’s so much hype surrounding the city and we all know how rapidly it’s developing, it comes as no surprise.



One thing I did feel though was that the city is very safe. You don’t see police officers anywhere, but every driver tells you there are strict traffic regulations. And wherever you are, you generally feel quite safe. Even more interesting for someone coming from Amman was the lack of metal detectors and extra security at malls and hotels. I guess that as a Ammani, I had completely internalized this and gotten used to the security checks that I thought this is how it’s supposed to be everywhere.

One of the evenings, after a hectic day at the workshop, we had a free evening at the Mall of the Emirates – supposedly a “true Dubai experience”. I couldn’t get over the “whatever” feeling when I was there, but then again, I am not a fan of shopping no matter where I am. I was looking for a specific thing that is unavailable at Amman’s music stores, and one of the UAE locals in our group told me there are a couple of specialized music instrument stores at Ibn Battouta Mall. Ibn Battouta looked nice on the outside, in terms of architecture, but inside, it was just so TACKY! And I didn’t find what I needed.






Then I was told there’s a whole bunch of music stores on a street behind Ghurair City Mall. Now that was a more interesting place to hang out because it was obviously another side of Dubai – the buildings had laundry hanging out the balcony. There were Indians on bicycles, and people rushing to take the bus – no one local, as far as I could tell. In Omar Ibn Al-Khattab St., just off Fish Circle, there were all these music instrument stores. After I got what I wanted, I stood waiting for a cab. I eventually learned that this is not something you do in Dubai. You can’t just get a cab on the street. You have to call one. Cabs get their orders via a computer system, and they get penalized if they don’t accept an order. So you have all these empty taxis passing you by but declining to stop because they’re on their way to pick someone up. Occasionally you get lucky. But I didn’t wait; I saw a bus heading to Al-Karama, which, as far as I could tell, was close to where our hotel was… and I hopped in. The bus fare is 1.5 dirhams, which is less than 20 piasters. Not bad… But I didn’t get to my destination and had to stand waiting for a taxi again.







Another thing that caught my attention was that taxis are all very clean and neat. Let’s just say they don’t have the “character” of Jordanian taxis exhibited through the most random dangling items and stickers and what not.

Still, taxi drivers are apparently chatty anywhere in the world. All you have to do is ask one random question, and they tell you their life story. One driver from Bangladesh was telling us that he’s been in Dubai for ten years, and that he used to like it a lot more at first. Now he hates it. He went on and on about how there’s no identity, how it’s all about money, how he works 12 hours a day and struggles to make ends meet. Interestingly, he said what he misses the most is the feeling of being in an Islamic country… that nothing about Dubai now feels like an Islamic country.

One of the things that got me thinking was the green lawns and the flowers on the streets of Dubai. You have all these fuschia, red, and white flowers everywhere. And personally, I couldn’t help but wonder how much water is spent keeping them fresh in this desert. The UAE has one the highest per capita rates of water consumption in the world. Then again, may be I shouldn’t be commenting on this, coming from one of a country that’s on the list of the 10 poorest in water resources yet has the audacity to build yet another water park!





The workshop aside (there will be another post focused on that), I enjoyed a final evening walking along the creek, crossing to the other side on a boat, and having a nice dinner with great company.



That said, the conclusion I came to regarding Dubai is that it is not my type of city. There’s something missing there. I don’t know how to rationalize it, but I finally felt it; it is artificial.

I think I’ve managed to write a whole post without using the word “reflect” :) next attempt would be to exclude the word “interesting,” if such a thing is possible for me – and I will try that when I write my thoughts on the workshop, which was a great intense experience.

Please put your mobile phones on silent mode...

I’d be driving my car, listening to my music and contemplating one random thing or another, when something catches my attention, like the new buses around town with the blue and orange lines and the URL www.autobus.jo, and I’d reach for my bag to grab the camera and take a photo… but then I’d remember that the camera isn’t with me. In moments like this, I’d wish my cell phone camera were more sophisticated with higher resolution and all.

When Roba asked what computer power you would like to have, I thought the best response was “Print Screen”, the ability to take a photo of something by just blinking your eyes. I’m always seeing things and wishing I can snap a photo and blog it right then and there.

Ever since I started blogging three years ago (THREE YEARS, I can barely believe it!), I caught this blogger bug which causes you to constantly be writing blog posts in your mind. It mostly happens while I’m driving, I’d be mentally blogging, but then I’d never get around to ACTUALLY typing it and posting it. Which is why, another thing I’d like to have, which isn’t a super computer power lately, is the ability to talk into a recorder while I drive, and then for that recorder to type up what I said and publish it directly on my blog with the click of a button or two.

While we’re at it… that shouldn’t be a separate recorder… that should just be part of the mobile phone; a smart audio recorder with high sensitivity, to go alongside the high resolution camera. What would also be cool is if I can have a simple minimal version of photoshop installed on the mobile so that I can do a bit of photo editing before uploading pictures online.

You see, I always thought that I don’t like phones that are too sophisticated. I always figured that I just want a device that can make phone calls and send/receive text messages. But over the past few years, so much of my life has become connected to the internet, and more digital gadgets have become part of my daily routines (I usually walk around with my laptop, digital camera, digital audio recorder, iPod, and of course, my cell phone). Now I’m thinking these devices really need to be integrated in one, without compromising on the quality of each.

Although internet penetration in Jordan is still low, and the number of people who have PC and DSL internet connections constitutes a small percentage of the population, change can be brought about by mobile phones. I’m not saying that the average Jordanian should be carrying a Blackberry, and I’m not saying that all our consumption habits when it comes to cell phones are healthy – but it’s just that cell phones have managed to change our social habits more than anything I can think of. While I acknowledge the misuses of phone cameras by many people and their blatant invasion of privacy, I find it very interesting how you see more people taking photos of anything that draws their attention. In a way, that tells you people are becoming more observant and attentive to details in their surroundings. When I was taking photos of the protest in front of Al-Jazeera offices the other day, a number of random passers-by were taking photos and videos with their cell phones. There’s an old man who sells newspapers at one of the traffic lights on my way to work, and he always has earphones plugged in and connected to his phone, and I can’t help but wonder what radio station he listens to :)

I have a lot of thoughts on this issue, but I guess I started writing this post to say that I get tons of blog-worthy ideas rushing through my head all the time, and that I wish my blog had some kind of wireless connection to my brain. Oh, and that perhaps I should get myself a new phone :)

Guest Post: Striking Justice

Written by: Mohammad Dalabih

Haaretz: "The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 1st, also coinciding with April fool's day!) approved (unanimously) an unprecedented resolution recognizing Jewish refugees from Arab countries who were forced to flee their homes in the aftermath of the creation of the state of Israel."

According to the language of the resolution, U.S. officials involved in Middle East peace negotiations, which also reference the Palestinian refugee question, are to "also include a similarly explicit reference to the resolution of the issue of Jewish refugees from Arab countries."

In case you are wondering if you understood that correctly or not, yes, the House of Representatives called for the recognition of the long neglected side of the Jewish suffering after the creation of the state of Israel. They called for the recognition of the Jews who fled the Arab oppression to infant Israel as refugees, and the raising of the matter of financial compensation in any future negotiations if the peace treaty is to have any chance. For a comprehensive peace treaty must be just to all sides.

So, we can say that finally, the world's leadership represented by the United States is looking in a just and even way towards both sides, unlike the United Nations which has always been so pro-Arab and supported all that gibberish about the ridiculous right of return.

I am so happy that the world is finally turning its eyes towards all the refugees equally. I hope that the next step will be calling for financial compensation to the early settlers in the South and North Americas, as people fled the oppression and persecution of their home countries for a better life there and should thus be considered refugees. If I became the president of the United States I would cut all diplomatic contact with Europe until they pay for each American family of English, French, Dutch, German, Irish or any other European descent a good compensation. Fair is Fair.

Australians too, they must get compensation, people living in New-Zealand should not be forgotten either.

You know something? Didn't all modern humans, according to the current understanding of anthropology, originate in Africa? Somewhere is Kenya or around that area? They then went to the different corners of this world. Isn't it plausible that they were escaping some sort of oppression in Kenya? Then Kenya should be paying all the countries in the World and any settlement ever to be built by humanity anywhere on or outside this earth a just compensation as refugees.

Long live democracy and God bless you all.

Tons of interesting stuff on Amman’s Cultural Agenda this weekend

Of course, the weather is really lovely, and unless you have a pretty good reason not to, you should just get out of town. There are so many choices, but that’s a list I’d like to write in another post. However, there’s a lot going on in the evening that you can enjoy… here are my picks:


Today, Thursday April 3:

Smile, You’re in South Lebanon
Documentary by Dalia Kury
Place: The Royal Cultural Center
Time: 7:00 pm



When you’re done watching this film, don’t leave the RCC… head straight to the studio theatre for the next event:

Shoo Hal Ayyam live in Concert
It’s been a while since I last heard Shoo Hal Ayyam play, and I would really like to see how their music has evolved and what they’ve been working on.

Place: Royal Cultural Center
Time: 8:30 pm

This is all part of the Fawanees Festival (Amman Theatre Festival), and so after this concert, and also at the Royal Cultural Center, you have:

Coppercity 1001
Editta Braun Dance Company (from Sweden?) and Alternative Theatre Group from Alexandria (Egypt) are going to present this dance and Theatre Piece.

Time: 9:30 pm (!!)



Friday April 4:

Open air performance by the Tannoura Group from Egypt at Al-Hussein Park
Philosophical concepts reflecting the man’s spiritual dilemma in understanding the universe from the Sufis’ point of view
Time: 5:00 pm



Oil spot, Iraqi Theater Group
Time: 8:30 pm
Place: Royal Cultural Center, Studio Theatre



Saturday April 5:
Chill-out Jazz Evening
French Pianist Franz J. Dartmann in a Jazz Jam Session along with Jordanian Musicians:

Enas Mohammad/ vocals, Omar Faqir/piano, Yacoub Abu Ghosh/bass guitar, Basem Said/drums, Nasser Salameh/percussion, Salam Hmoud/guitar, Abed Faqir/drums, Ala'a Faqir/ electric guitar, Ahmed Barakat/oud, Aram Hairabedian/Sax, Yarub Smeirat/violin, Nour Abu Haltam/Nai

Time: 7:30pm
Place: OrangeRed Terrace, Jebel Al Weibdeh (they have a really nice terrace but it doesn’t fit a lot of people)

Sunday April 6:
Screening of Mahmoud Al-Massad’s Recycle
Finally, the audience in Amman can watch this Jordanian award-winning documentary. If you don’t know what it’s all about, check out this review on 7iber. You can also pick up the March issue of JO before it’s taken off the newsstands, and read the cover story about Al-Massad and his film.



Place: Al-Hussein Cultural Center in Ras Al-Ein
Time: 7:30 pm

Monday April 7:
An evening of songs from Laila Murad
Performed by the Amman Symphony Orchestra and the Arabic Choir Ensemble

Place: Al-Hussein Cultural Center in Ras Al-Ein
Time: 7:30 pm
Ticket: JD5

Woman gets reduced sentence after murdering her daughter

What infuriates me the most when I think about discrimination against women is the fact that oftentimes in our society women themselves subscribe to it, defend it, and pass it on to their children.

Here’s a story in today’s al-Ghad: a woman who was found guilty of murder was sentenced to just one year in prison, because the murder she committed was associated with “reduced legal motive” (or something, I don’t know how to translate legal terms well!). So get this… this woman’s daughter, who had been divorced for seven years, used to spend a lot of time outside the house and sleep-over at her friends’ sometimes. The mother found out that her daughter was pregnant, so she took her other daughter, got some heavy sharp object (cutter), and confronted her pregnant daughter before hitting her on the head, neck, and different parts of her body until she killed her.


On one hand, it’s interesting that a mother got a reduced sentence just like a father or brother would have. However, this still sounds to me like COLD-BLOODED MURDER!! I just don’t get where a reduced sentence comes in!!!


Here’s another interesting bit… there was no mention of the word “honor” anywhere in the news article. It interests me because usually, while women are "the honor" of the family, it is the men’s duty to watch over this “honor” and spill blood when need be to “cleanse the shame”. Can I guess that the mother’s reduced sentence would not be because she was “cleansing the honor of the family”, but because it was “in a fit of anger”??


Whatever it is… it’s just very disturbing.


(Oh wait… am I in contempt of the court? Is what I’m writing illegal?)

It’s Thyme Time :)

There have been lots of cultural events taking place around town these past two weeks, mostly foreign film screenings, but also classical music concerts… and perhaps it’s just me, but I haven’t been super interested. Now finally there’s a “Ammani” event that I’m really looking forward to!

From thyme-flavored rearrangements of great Jazz standards, to classical Arabic music fused with Jazz, plus some unique original music that’s just hard to label into any category… come to Blue Fig Sunday evening and enjoy a live performance from Sign of Thyme (a.k.a Zaman el Za3tar).



With Yacoub Abu Ghosh on Bass Guitar, Ahmad Barakat on Oud, Nasser Salameh on Percussions, and Nabih Boulos on Violin, they will be playing music from the band’s second album “Zad”, as well as some new songs.

Sign of Thyme are currently in the process of recording their third album, which will include eight original tracks. They’ve already recorded drums in Egypt with Ahmed Hesham (who plays with the Egyptian band Sahra, I only managed to find one video on YouTube and it doesn’t do him justice, but you can still check it out.) While in Egypt, Sign of Thyme had a very successful little gig at the Cairo Jazz Club – one of Cairo’s hottest venues for regular live music (the type of which Amman unfortunately still lacks!)

Anyways, remember… the gig is this Sunday March 23rd, 9:00 pm. Call 06 5928800 for reservations.

Journalists Sentenced to Jail

A number of journalists have been sentenced to three months in prison for charges related to “insulting the judiciary system and commenting on its rulings”. The motion was filed by the Higher Judiciary Council – the head of judiciary authority in the country.

So it's against the law for the press to debate court rulings. But I'm a bit confused as to what this exactly entails. Don’t we criticize reduced sentences in so-called honor crimes all the time? Is that against the law?

Of course, we all want to be living in a country where no one is above the law, but that doesn’t mean the law is perfect the way it is and cannot be scrutinized. Commenting on the law or criticizing it, and abiding by it are not mutually exclusive.

According to the Jordan Times:

In 2006, the two papers carried a news item about a citizen who filed a motion with the Higher Judicial Council against the judges of the Higher Court of Justice, who had upheld a decision by the Civil Status and Passport Department depriving the plaintiff from his citizenship. The two papers were sued accordingly.

It’s not quite clear to me what happened. If I may rephrase what is written above… the newspapers were sued because they ran a news item about a citizen who contested a court ruling. It’s interesting that Al-Ghad does not mention anything about the details of the case, and Addustour and Al-Arab Al-Yawm have nothing about the whole thing, for obvious (!!) reasons (they were the two papers involved).

Al-Ghad also reported that columnist Abdul-Hadi Raji al-Majali has been sentenced to three months in prison for defamation in an article he had posted and circulated on the internet. The motion was filed by the previous head of the Jordan Media Center – another government entity. The report says this is the first time in Jordan that someone is sentenced to jail because of an article published online.

Speaking of the internet, today will be the first hearing in the court case against AmmanNet. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds, because this time it’s about a reader’s comment online. AmmanNet has a regular program on the air on which comments from readers are read to reflect the pulse of the street on certain issues. One of the comments read by the presenter included an insult against the Parliament. MPs complained to the Audio Visual Commission, who in turn verified the archive and found that the comment had been read during the radio show, and so they proceeded to file a motion. Now the question is, if the comment stayed online and was not repeated on the airwaves, would it have been ok? Or would it still be a violation of the law? To what extent can the internet be regulated and controlled? And what’s the code that should be applied to it? The Penal Code?

Questions that cannot be ignored for long. But can we trust our Parliament to find the answers?

A Protest in front of Al-Jazeera's Offices

Up the street from our office is the Arab Broadcasting Service, which hosts Al-Jazeera’s Office in Jordan. About half an hour ago, a colleague called me out to see this protest by fifty people or so.







Signs and banners were saying that Al-Jazeera should apologize for having insulted the Prophet during Faisal al Qassem’s notorious talk show “The Opposite Direction”, where he hosted Wafa Sultan and an Islamic Cleric to discuss the reprinting of The Cartoons in Denmark. Another sign read “In what concerns our Prophet, there is only one direction, no opposite direction!”

Al Jazeera had already apologized, but I guess people wanted to protest anyway.


I have to get back to work, but you can read more about the controversy on Tololy’s blog.