4 Things I like and enjoy about Jordan
- Arabic Food – see my post on Arabic Food, the Sweets – and you know what I’m talking about
- The amount of sunshine – coming from Germany, I really do not miss the rain
- The culture – shops are almost open all day, you can sit in cafes and restaurants with a roof or open windows, have a drink or Shisha and enjoy the warm wind and blue sky
- The outdoors – there are plenty of things to see – and I am not just talking about the well-known sites such as Petra or Wadi Rum but also about some beautiful hikes in the northern Jordan or the Dana Nature Reserve for example.
4 Things I miss the most or dislike about Jordan
- A green environment – although the north is a bit greener than Amman, at least a few months of the year, the view of the landscape in Germany is just stunning after April/May and at some point, it is a bit disturbing to only see beige around you.
- The amount of dirt and rubbish – After having been to Cairo, I have to say Amman is much cleaner but comparing it to my home country, it still shocks me, how ignorant and disrespectful people treat their own environment – and sometimes people
- Infrastructure for pedestrians/cyclists/families with kids – I used to go to school by bike, when we met friends in the afternoon we went by bike, from my home city we sometimes cycled to Holland… Despite the hills, Amman is not really cycle- or even pedestrian-friendly. I explained already in my posts about Where to go with Kids in Amman what I think about the missing infrastructure for families with kids or people with disabilities.
- Smoking everywhere – I really don’t like cigarettes and despite the laws and attempts to ban it in malls or other public buildings, most of the time at least 2 to 3 people just ignore the rules
Places and Events you need to know
There are a couple of places that are of interest for Germans who live in Amman such as the embassy or the educational institutions that might be a potential workplace. Apart from that, you might be interested in the German Week, last year held in September. During Christmas Time you might explore some of the Christmas bazaars, who of course cannot hold up with the German ones, but still, you might want to grab a Gluehwein at the Marriot or watch the Christmas Tree lighting at one of the Dead Sea hotels or browse for some gifts at other bazaars.
Since food and culture are great but different in Jordan from Germany, you might reach a point where you miss a good beer, if so head out to the Carakale Brewery in Fuheis. If you want some “real sausages” you might find your luck here. And finally, if you can’t live without Brezels, than I have good news for you, because you can find them together with Weltmeisterbrot or Schwarzbrot at the German Bakery.
Summary
While it is surely challenging for Germans in Jordan for many reasons, there are plenty of things you can enjoy or that are even better than in Germany. You just need to look out and explore a bit and you can enjoy a good life in Jordan. I still hope the situation regarding the environment and about smoking in many public places and restaurants will improve.
See here the map of some German institutions or another point of interests for Germans in Amman
- German Jordanian University
- DAAD Jordan
- Goethe Institut Amman
- Embassy of Germany
- German Development Corporation
- Friedrich-Ebert Foundation
- Konrad Adenauer Foundation
- Friedrich Naumann Foundation
- German Bakery
- Carakale Brewery
If you want to dig deeper into Arabic Food, different Bakeries, or a post about Drinks, see the related posts on my blog. If you would like to read more on life in Jordan, see my Ultimate Guide to Living in Jordan as Expat and read from an Austrian, Canadian, Russian, Pole, Brit, Japanese, French, Spaniard, Irish, American or Italian live their life in Jordan.
Last but not least: If I forgot something and you would like to add, please comment and let me know
If you like this one, make sure to check out the other posts in this series of guest posts.