Sometimes I just don't understand why?

So there are tons of things that are different obviously about the Middle East, and I expected that, but there are some things that have totally shocked me and I really don't understand why it is that way.  Some of them might be repeats of things i already wrote about, but forgot that i did and didn't want to waste valuable internet time rereading my previous entries...so kindly ignore those.  

1.  People do NOT use credit cards (okay some people randomly will let you, but you have to beg for about a good five minutes or go to a really expensive European store), you have to have cash, AND you have to have exact change.  So if you want to buy something that costs 7 G.D. (G.D. is like a dollar but worth more...1.5 dollar for every 1 G.D.) you have to have 7 or maybe 10, if you hand them a 20 they won't take it because they don't have change.  Its really annoying.  I had a 50 in my wallet forever and finally had to buy a 40 G.D. painting to get rid of it! (it was really hard for me haha)

2. They use this thing called a bidet (or it might be spelled biday) and its basically a water spout that you wash your butt with after you go to the bathroom.  I was extremely wierded out by this whole concept and I was like "umm no".  So for the first week I was happily using toliet paper and then I get the following emails from Dil:

The plumber came to the building today and fixed leaks and plug ups in
a few apartments, and then we were given the good/bad news depending
on your point of view.  This building (and the huge majority of
buildings in Jordan), and in fact the whole sewer system here, was
simply not designed to handle toilet paper, and using it plugs up the
building and the system.  We now have two choices.

1. You can stick to your tree-destroying American ways and continue to
use toilet paper, but you must not put it into the toilets.  Rather,
you should get a waste basket, line it with a plastic garbage bag, and
deposit your toilet paper there.  You can change the basket (and put
the old stuff out of your door for Muhsin to take away) as often as
you like.

2. You can adapt to local custom and learn to use the bidet or the
bidet sprayer, depending on how your bathroom is equipped.

Either way, we need to make this adjustment in our culture so that we
don't have to have the plumber in the building every other day.

Think of what a great opportunity this is in what it will allow you to
tell the folks back home, and particularly what you will be abel to
tell your grandkids.  You guys are really lucky.

thanks.
dil

AND THEN:

The toilet paper instruction wasn't a joke, and it really isn't
optional.  We are plugging put the sewer system of our building faster
than they can keep it unplugged, and it is creating overflows from the
upper apartments into the little openings that the bathrooms open into
which are creating sewer leaks into the lower apartments and the
basement.  We MUST completely stop putting toilet paper into the

toilets.  Please comply. 

 

umm...okay.  So now i have to use the bidet.  Its cold, water gets everywhere, and quite frankly I find it rather disturbing.  

3. They don't have shower curtains...or rods/hooks to hang one from.  Here in the M.E. people do not use them, instead they have a drain in the middle of the floor and they use this tool called a "squigy" to push the water down the drain.  So here I am taking a shower in a freezing cold bathroom with a hand held shower head that I haven't quite gotten the hold of so that I periodically point it directly across the bathroom while trying to angle it in such a way to get all the shampoo out of my hair etc.  And then when i'm finally done I have to get this "squigy" out and make the first of many fruitless attempts to push all the water down this drain.  My point is that you should all enjoy your nice long relaxing showers where all the water goes stays in one place.

4. Boys and girls don't hang out with each other.

5. People hang out here for hours and hours and hours without doing anything.  They don't have homework or jobs (at least the people i have met and observed) they just go to a class then hang out for an hour, go to another class, hang out for 3 hours etc.  They don't carry backpacks (thats the number one sign of an american, cause we are the only ones who don't think they are hideous looking...and the only ones who obviously have to carry around books)

6.  Lined paper is a different size...its skinnier and longer...doesn't fit in american folders...wierd. 

7.  McDonalds is open till 4am, then closed til 10am and does not serve breakfast...so no pancakes.  I am really depressed over this.

8. They do not believe in providing people with toliet paper in public bathrooms...and bar soap is popular for public bathrooms also...probably doesn't bother lots of people...just the germophobes like me.

9. Men sit everywhere...women are nowhere to be seen after like 6.  They do not go out at night.  I went to a 10pm movie and me and my friend Lauren were the only girls in the theater.

10. Smoking is EVERYWHERE.  I am just waiting for the opportunity to get a picture of one of the many people that smoke right in front of the signs that say "smoking is forbidden".  They have no problem smoking in elevators, taxis with all the windows closed, everyone smokes...i've been thinking of picking it up so that i can fit in more.  

...i'm kidding Dad.

11. Traffic laws are taken as suggestions...here it is not as bad as in Egypt, but still can be quite life threatening.  For example today our cab driver took the wrong exit and so he REVERSED around a corner and said (and I quote) "I hope there are no cars coming"...yeah me too.  

12. People don't have addresses...I don't know how they get their mail...?

13. Handicaped people would not fare well here...example: sidewalks abruptly end with 2 feet dropoffs.

14. People are very touchy...but only with people of the same sex (I think i'm finally getting used to guys walking around with their arms around each other).  People kiss when they meet...but they do one kiss on one side and then two or three on the other.

15. Electrical outlets are hard to find...because there are none.

16. Phases that i hear the most in english "it is no problem", "I love you", "you are so beautiful"...at first i was like oh these people are so nice, but then i realized that thats all they know and so they just repeat these (especially the last two) over and over.

17.  Pandora.com does not work here...driving me crazy.