Jordan – Page 6 – Jen Maan in Amman

Bleaching My Way Through Amman

For the last six months, since the announcement of our assignment to Amman, I’ve been scouring the Internet for two extremely important things: a yoga studio (still nonexistent) and a reputable hair salon to get blonde highlights. Getting highlights is stressful even under the best of circumstances. When I attempt to explain the depth of my anxiety, people casually mention things like, ‘do it yourself from a box’ (all over color is not an option or worse still, let your hair grow out to its natural color (which, I might add is BLONDE. Just ask my mom and she’ll prove it to you with pictures of my childhood). The truth is, I’m not sure what color my ‘natural’ color would be, so that’s NOT an option.

Eight years ago, shortly after meeting Raj, I made the mistake of listening to my sister, Nicole, who worked with a woman whose hair we envied. She had beautiful blonde highlights and her hair was always well-maintained. We wanted her hair, but more importantly, we wanted her stylist. Nicole got the number of the stylist and we both made appointments with her separately, on different days. Nicole was up first. I don’t recall seeing her hair, but she said it was good and best of all it was CHEAPER than what we had been paying. This excited me. I went to the salon, which wasn’t in the best part of town, but what was even more disturbing was the stylist in the chair working next to mine. She/he was a transvestite and not the pretty kind–the kind that just recently changed teams and doesn’t know how to dress. Did this portend disaster? I ignored the signs. The stylist was nice and efficient. The process was different from what I was used to. She used foil, but then started saturating my hair with what I believed to be bleach because it started burning my scalp and my eyes. Most normal people would have started questioning the procedure, not me. I stuck it out counting ALL of the money I was saving and thanking my lucky stars for having such a great sister for finding this place. The stylist finished up my hair, dried and styled it, and I was on my way home to see Raj (keep in mind, we were still in the super nice courting stage). I looked in the mirror a few times before Raj got home. It looked okay to me. The color seemed a little different. I quickly called Nicole and told her about the scalding scalp treatment, which she agreed was alarming (and she couldn’t have forewarned me about this?). Raj got home and he was speechless. (Maybe he only liked me for my blonde highlights?) He tried very hard to say something nice, but couldn’t. I looked at my hair AGAIN in the light. Alright, it was pinkish and HORRIBLE. I kept trying to tell myself it wasn’t that bad. But it was.

Nicole received a few more calls, each one angrier than the last. She eventually agreed that she didn’t like her hair either…but she let me go? And she says I’m the mean one?

Raj, the metrosexual, had been seeing and following his stylist for years, moving from salon to salon with her, remaining loyal to ‘Barbara.’ I had never dated a guy who had a stylist (and spent $35 on hair cuts–even as cheap as he is!), let alone a guy who had much of an opinion about my hair. I agreed to meet with Barbara to see if she could fix my Strawberry Shortcake pink highlights. She hoomed and haahed and gave me an earful on the damage that had been done. “This will take years to fix,” she lamented and each month when I’d go in to see her, she’d point out how much more my hair would have to grow out until the damage was no longer visible (this went on for 7 years!). Both Raj and I remained loyal to Barbara until we moved to DC, sharing with her my fears of finding ANYONE qualified enough to bleach my locks. She agreed, it would be VERY, VERY difficult. [Sidenote: Did I mention that Nicole eventually started going to Barbara too? Even more interesting, she just recently returned to the same woman who made my hair pink.] Despite Barbara’s outlook, I was fortunate enough to find someone equally, if not more qualified in Old Town to manage my hair.

In researching hair salons in Amman, the only salon that was recognizable to me was Toni & Guy. I’ve never been to one, but they’re international and I used to walk by one all the time in the Mission Viejo (California) mall. I landed on June 2nd and made a hair appointment on June 3rd for July 1st, today. I was a nervous wreck going to the appointment not knowing what to expect, if I even had an appointment (because I didn’t get a phone call confirming the day before), how much it would cost (I was planning on paying in cash and didn’t know how much to bring), what to tip and the expectations of tipping (do you tip the colorist, the shampooer, and the blow out stylist and how much do you tip?)

I walked into the building that housed the Toni & Guy sign, knowing nothing other than they were on the third floor. The building was a little shabby (not as in shabby chic, either). I tried out the elevator and ended up in a parking garage (I guess I went down), got out of the elevator and tried the stairs. Luckily the stairs led to the salon and I was greeted by two lovely receptionists who welcomed me. (They were both stylish and one was wearing an LA Gear, crop t-shirt, a la 1980. Too bad I didn’t save any of mine. They’d look great with a pair of high-tops and leggings. Nonetheless, she pulled it off in a retro cool that I could never.)

The colorist immediately sat me down, offered me coffee, tea and water, and examined my hair. There wasn’t any chit-chat and he got right to work. I was worried at first. I thought I could feel the heat of BLEACH on my head, but I stuck it out. The foiling of my head took about 45 minutes and then I remained in the chair to lighten up (no steamer or heater here). In the meantime, I was served ‘special’ coffee (an espresso. I love this place!) After 30 minutes, my hair was finished and I was sent to the shampooer. My stylist asked if I had time to do a ‘treatment.’ “Sure,” I said, not knowing what the treatment was for of how much this would cost (Raj doesn’t need to know). The treatment included a fabulous 20 minute scalp massage.

When the treatment was over, I was handed off to yet another stylist who was tasked with drying my hair. He asked me how I wanted my hair, straight or full. My hair is SO straight that it’s usually not an option. I said full (let’s see what he’s got) and he did all kinds of pulling and man handling to my hair, but he got it full.

Throughout my experience, I was worrying about the cost and how much I had in my wallet. When I was finally done, three hours later, I walked to the counter and my total came to $65 for the highlight (which, by the way was a FULL and half the price of my Old Town gal) and $15 for the ‘treatment,’ so the total was $80 plus I gave a $10 tip to the stylist (I’m not sure if that’s a decent or a cheap tip or if I should have tipped the other two?). We have a fourth of July party to attend and while I was getting my hair blown out, I thought about how nice it would be to get my hair styled for the party. After paying and making my next appointment, I asked how much blow-outs cost: $7. Wow! So, I’ve got an appointment for Monday as well. All in all, it was a great experience and Raj approved of the work.

Decorating

Minor Miracle in the Kitchen

As you’ve probably noted by now, I hate this kitchen. Here are the major offenses that this kitchen is charged with:

its design (it lacks any!)
open cabinets (not one, but two)
propane oven (don’t get me started)
chartreuse colored sink with the built-in tray for a dish rack (because there’s no dishwasher!)
large window with bars (are we in the ghetto?)
funky built-in table (and we don’t have any chairs. I had to send the chairs that came with the table back to storage because they were beyond my magic repertoire–decoupage, painting, fabric…)
overhead lighting that goes on upon banging the cabinets (and we’ve had them fixed)
the converter box–if I want to use any of my appliances (i.e. Kitchenaid, etc., I have to plug them into a converter which is a HUGE, circa 1965 ugly, metal tool box looking contraption the size of a shoe box that is difficult to camouflage and potentially dangerous, not to mention you can only plug two things in at once).

None of this is charming or quaint or anything in between. It’s just ugly and I cannot live in such a state so I’ve attempted to make some minor adjustments. First on the list, the open cabinets and the window.

Before I show you what I’ve done, let’s review my constraints:

I don’t know of any fabric stores like JoAnn Fabrics, etc. where I can get fabric and notions, etc. This means I have to order online, sight unseen, which is difficult, especially with fabric.
I didn’t bring all of my crafting supplies, just a couple and nothing great.
Raj is CHEAP (He often reminds me, “we’re only here 2 years so why spend ANY money.”).

Given these obstacles, I have to say that I’m very pleased with the results. What do you think?

Here’s the before and after of the dishwasher space:

Before and after of the large cabinet to the left of the refrigerator:

…and the window treatment (it’s really hard to see anything, sorry):

It’s difficult to see what I’ve done, but I ordered a dark brown burlap (yes, Raj, it’s very cheap) and a couple of tension rods (total cost $20). One of the rods didn’t fit, so I had to improvise with some other way to hang the fabric in the tall cabinet. Luckily, I had a few decorative tacks in my craft box and hammered the fabric on the shelf above. Although I have my sewing machine here, I found it more efficient to use “steam and seam” for the seams and to attach the grosgrain ribbon onto the front panels. (If you’ve never used “steam and seam” it’s a great product). I ran out of fabric so I was forced to pull out the sewing machine to seam together what little fabric I had leftover. I staple gunned the fabric to the wood panel above the kitchen window and used more of the decorative tacks and grosgrain ribbon to finish it off. It’s so much better that I can almost step foot in the kitchen without cringing.

Cooking

Quick Fix Meal after a Day in Madaba: Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Couscous with Currents, Mint, and Parsley

Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Couscous with Currents, Barberries (if I could find them), Mint, and Parsley

We came home exhausted from our excursion to Madaba yesterday afternoon, but I’m not sure why because we didn’t really do much or even walk that far. Lucky for me, I had prepared the marinade Friday afternoon to let the chicken marinate overnight and only needed to prepare the couscous, which only took about 30 minutes.

I love this recipe from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes because it’s quick (with some advance planning), doesn’t require the use of my propane oven (it’s grilled) and it’s always good.

We sat on the back patio, enjoyed the cool breeze, and drank some excellent, inexpensive Rose (only $4 JD’s).

Moroccan Chicken Skewers

Marinade:

1 small onion, quartered
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 garlic cloves
2 tbl. ground cumin
1 tbl. caraway seeds
1 tbl. sambal oelek (or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes)
1 tbl. paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 pinch saffron threads

Chicken:

2.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1.5 in. pieces
Salt & pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

Marinade: Puree the marinade ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers and place in a large baking dish. Pour marinade over chicken and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

To make the chicken: Preheat the grill to medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill until no longer pink and cooked through, turning frequently, abut 10 minutes.

Transfer the skewers to a platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Couscous with Currents, Barberries, and Mint

3 tbl. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. turmeric
2 cups couscous
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup currants
¼ cup barberries (optional; found at Persian stores)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tbl. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Salt and pepper

Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, turmeric, and 2.5 cups water in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Cool slightly.

Stir in the green onions, pine nuts, currants, barberries, mint, orange zest, orange juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Travels

Movie Star Spotted in Madaba!

Who’s the Hottie?

I’m not sure who this guy is, but come on. How can he NOT be famous! Look at the pose, the glasses, the stance, smoking a cigarette, edging his sunglasses ever so slightly down his nose to check us out (in a school bus, yikes) as we drive by en route to St. George’s. Although his sighting was not the reason for the trip, it was certainly a contender for second place. Did I mention that he weighs about 100 pounds?

Background Information on the Town of Madaba

We booked a trip to Madaba, about 30 km (you do the math) southwest of Amman to see Mt. Nebo and St. George’s church. Madaba is be known for the dozens of Byzantine mosaics preserved in churches and museums. Madaba was first mentioned in the Old Testament as having been conquered by the Israelites and parcelled to the tribe of Reuben. The city was won back by King Mesha, at which point the Israelite prophet Isaiah stepped in, prophesying doom: “Moab shall howl over Nebo and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness and every beard cut off…everyone shall howl, weeping abundantly.” (I’ll let you know if this is still true.) After further turmoil, Madaba passed from Greek hands to Jewish, to the Nabatean’s, and by the 3rd century AD, Madaba was minting coins of their own.

Madaba was abandoned and in ruins for centuries. In 1879, conflict between Christian and Muslim tribes in Karnak led to ninety Catholic and Orthodox families going into voluntary exile here and they laid claim to the surrounding land and began to farm. In 1884, during clearance work for a new church, the map of the Holy land in St. George’s was discovered, followed by many more mosaics across the area. Christians still comprise the vast majority of inhabitants in the area ( estimates claim over 95% are Christian).

Mount Nebo

Mount Nebo is about ten minutes outside of the town of Madaba up a gradually sloping hill. It is said that this is the place that Moses finally saw the Holy Land that God had forbidden him to enter after spending forty years leading the Israelites through the wilderness. After Moses died on the mountain, his successor Joshua went on to lead the Israelites across the river into Canaan. According to the Christian and Jewish tradition, Moses is said to be buried someone up here, but no one, except the shepherd who God spoke to, knows where. Muslims believe that the body of Moses was carried across the river and placed in a tomb.

The Moses Memorial Church is undergoing construction at the moment, but it’s set to open up sometime next year. The first structure of the church may have dated from classical times, but by 394 AD it was converted into a triapsidal church floored with mosaics. It expanded during the sixth century and was the focus for a large and flourishing monastic community that was thriving in 1217, but by 1564, it was abandoned. In 1933, the ruined site was purchased by Franciscans who began restoring and excavating the church and the surrounding area. Today this remains a monastic refuge and the headquarters of the Franciscan Archeological Institute.

The Franciscan brother who led our tour felt badly that we couldn’t view the church due to the construction project, so he led us into the Brother’s private courtyard and living quarters, below the church site, giving us a rare glimpse into their small monastery. We were welcomed into a beautiful, terraced garden area with amazing views and we were invited to peek into their private chapel, complete with many tiny mosaics.

(No Bargain) SHOPPING!

We left Mt. Nebo, heading back towards the town of Madaba, with one stop for shopping. We were welcomed in to a small mosaic workshop where some of the artisans demonstrated (of course in anticipation that we would buy lots of stuff) the techniques. The pieces were beautiful, but pricey ($2,000 JD’s for table tops). I bought a four serving pieces (see picture)–no deals, but I love them and Raj got to work his haggling magic (he didn’t feel he had haggled enough). I told him I was very proud!

St. George’s (The Church of the Map)

This is Madaba’s main attraction. The map is estimated to have been laid in the second half of the sixth century. What makes the map unique is that it depicts the larger towns and cities with an oblique perspective, as if from a vantage point above to the west. In addition to glorifying God’s work in the lands of the Bible, it is said to have been used to better direct pilgrims to sites of biblical significance. The church was small and full of modern mosaics. The floor map was fragments, but interesting, nonetheless.

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Living in Amman

Good Things: NetGrocer.com & Care Packages

I used to grocery shop daily, not because I had so much time or particularly cared to do so, but I never knew what I’d be preparing one day to the next. I’d complain about how tiring it was to go three different stores (within a two-mile radius): Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Balducci’s–each store promising exactly what I wanted anytime I needed it. These days it’s different. Say for instance I want to make macaroons (which I’ve been waiting to do since I purchased the cookbook, SugarBaby). I have to special order almond flour, or any other ingredients that I cannot find in the grocery stores in Amman in anticipation of one day making them. I’m sure there are specialty food stores that may sell almond flour, but I don’t know where these stores are located, nor does anyone I ask. I have vowed that once I get home, I will appreciate the cornucopia of options that these trifecta provide.

As excited as I was to tear into the NetGrocer box, the loot didn’t look as amazing as I remembered when I ordered it (over two weeks ago). It’s actually quite a sad lot: Saltines, Hormel pepperoni (the kind I’d never buy at home), chocolate chips, Baker’s chocolate, pretezls…It’s all normal, ordinary stuff I’d buy at ANY grocery store anywhere in the states. Nonetheless, as ordinary as this stuff may seem to those of you fortunate to enough to be able to get into you car and buy whatever your heart desires at any moment of the day, I’m so happy to have these supplies for my larder if ever I decide to make chocolate the chip cookies, brownies, cornbread, or macaroons that I desired on the day I placed the order.

And lastly, thanks to my parents for answering my plea for pork products, we finally have a small selection of salamis. This contraband is SO special that it’s going under lock and key, away from Raj, and will be rationed out and saved for VERY special occasions.

Living in Amman

Pop Quiz! What Is This?

I love a good pop quiz! I love to give them, to torment students with them, and love to take them. For those of you sadists like me, or at least my sister (who I know is equally guilty), I’m challenging you to figure out what these pictures are of and how they work together. This is a two-part quiz and if you already know what it is and how it works, you are SO much smarter than me. It took me a week to get it.

Part I: This a picture of something on the floor in the bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry room. What do these rooms have in common? What is it?

Answer: Okay, you are super smart. It’s a drain. But on the floor? Why?

Part II: What is this?

Answer: No duh, it’s a squeegee, right. Is it for windows? No! What is the relationship between the drains and the squeegee?

Put it all together and what do you get? It’s actually quite ingenious. The drain I’ll grant you is disgusting looking. When I opened it the first time, I shuddered. I’d clean it out, but we have a ‘house cleaner’ who does that (and no, I’m not trying to sound obnoxious. I’ve never had a house cleaner because we could never afford one, but here it’s so cheap, i.e. see pedicure blog, that we can’t afford not to have someone clean the house). Anyway, I’ve witnessed the magic of the marriage these two items firsthand. You wash your floor with a mop and then squeegee all of the excess water into the drain. Isn’t that smart? Who knew? Well, you probably knew, but it took me a week to figure it out. I’ll let you tally your own score on this first pop quiz. Don’t be smug is you did well. They’ll get harder.

Decorating

A Minor Victory in the Bathroom

Check out the shower curtain in the master bathroom. Pretty, huh? Notice anything (aside from the sea-themed design including lighthouses, sailboats and shells) that isn’t quite right? Look again.

The shower curtain, which I might add is hung properly (you can see the holes in the top), is sideways–the lighthouses, sailboats, and shells are all askew. This curtain kerfuffle has been making me sick since I first stepped foot into the shower and noticed its flaw. But it’s more than just the flaw. It’s just plain ridiculous to have a sea themed shower curtain in Amman. There aren’t any sailboats or seashells or lighthouses ANYWHERE in the vicinity. Luckily for me, I came armed to Amman with a shower curtain, just in case I faced a conundrum as insurmountable as this. Below is the new and improved shower curtain. It looks much better, not awesome, but given the constraints, my new awesome is so much different then my former one. It’s a huge improvement unless you live in the sideways world.

Living in Amman

Good Things in Amman: Pedicures

I’ve been pretty negative so far. I’m going through shopping withdrawals (the only thing I’ve bought are the turquoise earrings at Jerash), I’m forced to run on a treadmill (in a lackluster gym without my own personal television attached and tuned in to The Today Show to get me through my run), I’m coping with issues of co-denpendency (from my former independent self), and I am seriously suffering from not having a yoga studio to spend ALL of my free time. Despite these issues, there was a ray of hope today found in a salon in Amman. Who knew this respite could temporarily displace my frustration?

One of Raj’s coworkers generously offered to take me to her salon for a pedicure. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was fabulous. The salon was clean and elegant. The nail technician (is that the right word?) was professional. What was even more surprising was that these nail techs were the same nationality as those in salons all across the US. Yes, they were Asian. The best part of all, the coup de gras–the only deal I’ve found in this country–the price. It was ONLY $8 JD’s. That translates to $10.40 American money. I asked how much to tip the gal and was told $1 JD ($1.30 US–please don’t make me feel badly about this!). The last pedicure I had in Old Town Alexandria was $25 for the cheapest version, plus a $4 tip and I was rushed in and out in 25 minutes. Here I spent a leisurely hour being pampered. Given the pedicure situation, things are looking up.

Living in Amman

Shanti, the Traitor

Shanti is my miniature schnauzer. The Hindi word ‘shanti‘ means “inner peace.” Shanti is anything but calm. Call him cute, cuddly, loyal, but definitely not peaceful. Shanti is sweet if he knows you, but if not, he will bark incessantly, growl, attack, and scare you to death. How pray tell was this beast bestowed such a lovely name? It was a manipulation tactic used on Raj to get him to warm to the idea of getting a dog, something he vehemently opposed. I thought that by suggesting an ‘Indian’ name it might work to soften up Mr. I Don’t Want a Dog. Raj bit and the rest is history.

Prior to moving to Amman, Shanti was ALL mine: he followed me everywhere; he’d coo when I came home; he worshipped the ground I walked on. Raj left for Amman two months before I did with Shanti in tow. As much as I missed him (Shanti, that is), I was pleased with the arrangement because I didn’t want to fly alone with his cumbersome kennel and have to deal with all of the logistics by myself. Unfortunately for Raj, Shanti was kicked off their flight from JFK to Amman because the airline claimed his barking was so bad that “he wasn’t breathing.” (I’ve seen this bark and it is terrible, but he certainly wouldn’t die. He’d eventually get tired and sleep.) As a result, Raj and Shanti were holed up in a dive motel in Jamaica, NY for eighteen hours. Raj was NOT pleased, but as you can see in the photo, Shanti looks pretty relaxed, even happy (perhaps he had found his shanti?). They BOTH made it out the next night, worse for the wear, but together. Maybe this was the critical moment that Shanti switched teams. I’m not sure, but after two months of hanging out with Raj, he’s no longer my dog, but Raj’s. Nowadays, Shanti spends his time napping on the sofa, sunning himself on the back porch, and chasing feral cats out of his yard.

Hanging Out with the Trouble Maker in Jamaica, NY

Travels

Striking a Pose in Jerash

We ventured out to Jerash on Friday. It’s one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the eastern Mediterranean. It was founded around 170 BC, focused around the Temple of Zeus. Jerash (or Gerasa, the ancient name for Jerash) briefly became the center of the Roman Empire in 129-130, as Hadrian wintered in the city. In his honor, the Gerasenes built a monumental arch on the southern walls.

The place is amazing and it’s very explorable. We watched the Roman Army and Chariots Experience reenactment show. I’m not much for reenactments or “interpreters,” but the chariot racing was kind of cool to see, especially in the Hippodrome.

In addition to seeing the sights, another high point of the day was haggling amongst the ruins for earrings by a young Bedouin salesman (about 10 years old) . I noticed some beautiful turquoise earrings that I fancied. I asked how much for the earrings and the next thing I knew, the earrings, a matching necklace, and a chunky silver Bedouin bracelet appeared on my body. The young salesman held a mirror out for me to gaze at the splendor staring back at me while he offered me fabulous deals, solely because I was “such a nice lady” (in perfect English I might add). I only wanted the earrings, but they were $10 JOD and too much for Raj. After much bargaining, the young salesman wouldn’t budge. He really wanted to sell the ensemble, not the piddly earrings. Raj walked away and I followed, despairingly. Two minutes later, the salesman followed us down the path and offered to sell them for $7. Raj said, “No, $5.” To which the salesman responded, “7 is only 2 more than $5.” We got the earrings for $5. I felt guilty (poor kid). Raj felt triumphant. I got over it.

After walking around the ruins for a couple of hours, we headed west out of Jerash to Ajloun castle, a former isolated Christian monastery home to a monk named Ajloun. By 1184, in the midst of the Crusades, the monastery had fallen into ruin, and an Arab general took the opportunity to build a fortress on the ruins.

This place was interesting to see, but someone who shall not be named was getting ‘hangry’ (hungry/angry) so we had to speed up the tour so that we could get back to Amman to get some food into someone’s belly.

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