May I help you?
well once i finally finished the long flight overseas (about 11 hours), i had to stay in the Amman airport for a significant amount of time, waiting on my flight to Istanbul. this happened partly because of a) availability of flights and b) becuase of me being cheap and choosing the lowest costing option no matter how many hours i'd have to wait. i almost finished two books during this period. i got to know the small (lubbock sized but with a much greater traffic flow) Amman airport pretty well. and during this time, i made friends. of course i did.
let me back up just a tiny bit and say that there were a couple americans on the flight that i talked to alot that were very nice, but they left the airport.
so i was kinda on my own.
but i was told from multiple resources that i was safe and should have no troubles in this airport.
that advice was correct. no problems at all!
but now we get back to the part of the story where i made friends. and these friends were all workers here in the airport. airport employees = my buddies.
louis was my first friend and he helped me SO much. louis worked the information desk he even allowed me to come behind the desk to get on his own computer to check my email since i couldn't get any wireless on my laptop. well i only got to use his computer for just a few mintues, but after that he let me stay behind the counter with him and just hang out! this helped me pass time and it was much needed. we talked about lots of things, including religion (he wasn't muslim; he was catholic--which he calls "Latin Christian". interesting), womens rights, cultural differences...it was good.
Then as i continued to sit behind the desk with louis, people asking me questions in arabic. what did i know? what were they even saying to me? shoot, i'd rather answer a question about Tyler software, as opposed to a question in Arabic. so i would just *shrug* helplessly and point at Louis.
At one point in time, louis tried to put me to work and make me answer the phones. no, you see, that doesn't work either. on the phone, i'd still probably *shrug* helplessly but i think i could muster an "english?" since they couldn't see me pointing through the phone. (ok, i know they couldn't see me shrug either, but i'd still do that.)
a little later on, i was talking to several of the airport workers. this airport is not only open 24/7, but it's fairly busy 24/7. and i guess people are used to making flights at 3 & 4 a.m. not one person who i saw come in looked exhausted or like they'd rather be in bed. ( i know i would've rather have been in bed) but anyway, i was talking to the aiport workers on break. they were asking all sorts of questions about america and cultural differences, etc. about 30 minutes later they all got up and just left. i was like alright...guess i'll go back to my reading! well one of them came back just a few seconds later from around the corner and motioned for me to come with them--AND he had something in his hand that made me know their intentions were kind...
and so i followed.
and so i sat (in public view. i didnt go to a back room or anything).
my luggage around me. in a green chair. with the jordanian airport staff.
and we ate watermelon.
of course we did. how natural.
so, i had my fill after about 3 pieces of watermelon and thanked my airport-employee-buddies very much. and thus i returned to my reading position. (with a full belly)
note of fact: after 'thank you' they respond with just 'welcome'. if they say 'you're welcome', they mean exactly that. you are welcome here. the airport staff let me know kindly and sincerely that i was welcome back to jordan at any time. thanks, guys.
i need sleep.
~ "God shook His head the day He built her..oh, but i bet He smiled." ~
let me back up just a tiny bit and say that there were a couple americans on the flight that i talked to alot that were very nice, but they left the airport.
so i was kinda on my own.
but i was told from multiple resources that i was safe and should have no troubles in this airport.
that advice was correct. no problems at all!
but now we get back to the part of the story where i made friends. and these friends were all workers here in the airport. airport employees = my buddies.
louis was my first friend and he helped me SO much. louis worked the information desk he even allowed me to come behind the desk to get on his own computer to check my email since i couldn't get any wireless on my laptop. well i only got to use his computer for just a few mintues, but after that he let me stay behind the counter with him and just hang out! this helped me pass time and it was much needed. we talked about lots of things, including religion (he wasn't muslim; he was catholic--which he calls "Latin Christian". interesting), womens rights, cultural differences...it was good.
Then as i continued to sit behind the desk with louis, people asking me questions in arabic. what did i know? what were they even saying to me? shoot, i'd rather answer a question about Tyler software, as opposed to a question in Arabic. so i would just *shrug* helplessly and point at Louis.
At one point in time, louis tried to put me to work and make me answer the phones. no, you see, that doesn't work either. on the phone, i'd still probably *shrug* helplessly but i think i could muster an "english?" since they couldn't see me pointing through the phone. (ok, i know they couldn't see me shrug either, but i'd still do that.)
a little later on, i was talking to several of the airport workers. this airport is not only open 24/7, but it's fairly busy 24/7. and i guess people are used to making flights at 3 & 4 a.m. not one person who i saw come in looked exhausted or like they'd rather be in bed. ( i know i would've rather have been in bed) but anyway, i was talking to the aiport workers on break. they were asking all sorts of questions about america and cultural differences, etc. about 30 minutes later they all got up and just left. i was like alright...guess i'll go back to my reading! well one of them came back just a few seconds later from around the corner and motioned for me to come with them--AND he had something in his hand that made me know their intentions were kind...
and so i followed.
and so i sat (in public view. i didnt go to a back room or anything).
my luggage around me. in a green chair. with the jordanian airport staff.
and we ate watermelon.
so, i had my fill after about 3 pieces of watermelon and thanked my airport-employee-buddies very much. and thus i returned to my reading position. (with a full belly)
note of fact: after 'thank you' they respond with just 'welcome'. if they say 'you're welcome', they mean exactly that. you are welcome here. the airport staff let me know kindly and sincerely that i was welcome back to jordan at any time. thanks, guys.
i need sleep.
~ "God shook His head the day He built her..oh, but i bet He smiled." ~
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