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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 20:35:09 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 19, 2010 20:35:09 GMT
I've slipped this in here because it seems to include the Middle East, according to the board description. And as it is the weekend I expect that it'll get passed over quite quickly and forgotten about by the time members come back next week.
Anyway, just to let you know that after months of speculation (by us) it is 95% certain I will be leaving Egypt next summer to reside in Amman, Jordan. My wife will be leaving Cairo more than likely in February and I will stay until the school year ends. Fortunately Cairo and Amman are not that far apart until then.
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 20:39:28 GMT
Post by bjd on Nov 19, 2010 20:39:28 GMT
Are you looking forward to leaving Cairo?
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 20:39:58 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2010 20:39:58 GMT
Jordan is an interesting place, although I am more familiar with Aqaba and did not really get a chance to visit Amman at all, apart from the airport.
My intuition tells me that it is a more tranquil place than Egypt, but I have no evidence to support this other than information gleaned through the media in recent years.
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 21:05:00 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 19, 2010 21:05:00 GMT
bjd, no matter what I've said about certain attitudes it is actually quite easy now to live here. But that is the problem. Once a place no longer feels 'foreign' to me, I feel it is time to move. I am a rare breed (probably, but not sure) that only feels at home if the place doesn't feel like a home. If you see what I mean.
It is a bit of a 'been there, done that' attitude for sure, but there are few places here now that aren't familiar to me. It not exactly boredom, more acceptance of the place and how things are/work. New pastures and all that. Fortunately I married someone who not only has a career conducive to moving every few years, but who feels the same.
Kerouac, I've spent some time in Jordan, but not a lot. I've been to the major sites/sights several times and had a week or two on the beach in Aqaba. I agree with your feeling and my impression, purely subjective, is that everything is a grade above the standard in Egypt but still a grade below somewhere like Turkey. Egypt and Syria being more or less equal.
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 21:09:28 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2010 21:09:28 GMT
Even though it is possible from Egypt, it should be easier from Jordan if you find an urge to plunge from time to time in the modern world to a place like Tel Aviv.
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 21:45:38 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 19, 2010 21:45:38 GMT
That would then give me passport problems to get into various other countries, though it is an attractive option. But I do have two passports so that might not be such a problem. I'm thinking more of Beirut, especially as we have relatives there on her side.
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Jordan
Nov 19, 2010 21:49:08 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 19, 2010 21:49:08 GMT
Plus I've always wanted to get back to Syria to look around the place instead of the several times when I've had a group with me and an itinerary. Even though these places are accessible from Cairo the cost of the flights from here are proportionally very expensive. It is far cheaper for me to fly from Cairo to Madrid than from Cairo to Damascus.
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 2:39:51 GMT
Post by hwinpp on Nov 24, 2010 2:39:51 GMT
I've never been to Jordan. Seems slightly more 'civilized' than Egypt.
Beirut would be my life line ;D
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 6:51:03 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Nov 24, 2010 6:51:03 GMT
Really interesting changes on your horizon, Mark.
You say "speculation". Does that mean that you all were not sure whether or not your wife would be transferred there? Were you all tempted to stay where you are, or to try for somewhere else?
(hope these questions aren't too nosy)
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 10:06:25 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 24, 2010 10:06:25 GMT
We are not tempted to stay here unless the alternative is worse. For example there are posts in Iraq, a couple of the 'stans, Palestine, Yemen etc that are coming available, but we wouldn't want to move there. So we'd only move if the place was on a par or better. We wouldn't move just for the sake of it.
I'm also suspicious in that I'd never say something was 100% certain. Tempting fate and all that. But the uncertainty arises because a 'stamp of approval' (normally a decision is rubber stamped without problem) is needed from the German Foreign Ministry and as there are certain procedures that have recently changed (without getting into too much detail), this has not yet happened and it is unkown if the changes will affect this, if at all.
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 14:36:16 GMT
Post by tod2 on Nov 24, 2010 14:36:16 GMT
My son's name is Jordan. Not named after the country, or the River(although he has paddled in the Jordan river in Israel) There were Jordan toothbrushes and Jordan shoes around at the time......now the shoe owners make Jordan wine - I think being named after a wine sounds OK? ;D
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 14:57:50 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 24, 2010 14:57:50 GMT
Errr..... basket ball player?
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Jordan
Nov 24, 2010 15:10:32 GMT
Post by tod2 on Nov 24, 2010 15:10:32 GMT
Nah!
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Jordan
Dec 2, 2016 0:31:42 GMT
Post by nycgirl on Dec 2, 2016 0:31:42 GMT
In just a little under four weeks, I and the family will be in Jordan! We'll be there for 9 days. On the itinerary is Amman, Jerash, Madaba, the Dead Sea, Petra, Aqaba, and Wadi Rum. So I've been revisiting all of these great threads while eagerly anticipating my trip. I'm sooo excited!
I'm actually a little afraid to jinx it. Our first flight (which was a great price) got completely cancelled. We scrambled to book another one, and fortunately we were able to without too much of a change in plans (although the flight times and price aren't as good). Fingers crossed this trip happens without a hitch.
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Jordan
Dec 2, 2016 0:43:52 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 0:43:52 GMT
I hope you get to go to Wadi Rum.
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Jordan
Dec 2, 2016 1:44:37 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 2, 2016 1:44:37 GMT
Really, really excited for you & the fambly, NYCGirl! Have a great trip and bring back lots of pictures.
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Jordan
Dec 2, 2016 5:11:30 GMT
Post by onlyMark on Dec 2, 2016 5:11:30 GMT
I'm sure it'll all be fine and enjoyable and I hope everything goes smoothly for you. I think someone did post a little about the country on here.
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Jordan
Dec 2, 2016 23:06:37 GMT
Post by nycgirl on Dec 2, 2016 23:06:37 GMT
I think someone did post a little about the country on here. You sure have. I found your reports interesting the first go-around, but I appreciate them on a whole new level now.
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