Arab Films

A little more than a month ago (well a week before Harry Potter 7 pt 2 came out) all Hollywood films were blocked in Jordan. I still don't know exactly why. Rumor has it that it's about taxes or something....? Don't worry the blockbuster hits are back (I hear), but it hasn't been all that bad because I've been going to the Jordan Royal Film Commission and The Al Hussein Cultural Center instead to watch free films and documentaries.

The Film Commission is downtown in Jabal Amman and they have a beautiful outdoor theater that overlooks the entire downtown area. It's the perfect place to be on a summer evening.

Below are a few of the films I've seen recently, most at the French Arab Film Festival back in June. I would recommend them to any movie buff, or if you are interested in Arab-French culture or language!

Disclaimer: One thing to keep in mind is that not all the films below are documentaries or based on true stories and events. So enjoy what you watch, but don't use these films to generalize about the MENA region, people, and culture.

Des hommes et des dieux (Of Gods and Men) by Xavier Beauvous

"Brotherhood. Religions. Faith. Martyrdom. Love. French monks are living, working and praying in a Catholic monastery in Algeria in the '90s (civil war). It starts off showing how the Islamic locals and the Christian priests coexist in harmony. The situation with the Algerian Muslim-terrorists became worse. They will have to decide whether to stay or go back to France. They are forced to question themselves and their mission very profoundly. Their sense of fraternity with the locals and amongst themselves is challenged." (IMDb)

(No) Laughing Matter by Vanessa Rousselot

"Convinced that humor knows no frontiers, a young filmmaker embarks on an unusual quest: to search for humor in the West Bank. At first she finds only disillusionment - "our whole situation is a joke" - but little by little she uncovers a vibrant culture of humor that defies conventional wisdom. From inane stories mocking the residents of Hebron - the classic butts of Palestinian jokes - to self-deprecating, political quips and bitter-sweet anecdotes about the absurdity of everyday life, her journey plunges her into a little known universe, one in which a glimmer of hope and humanity endure in the shadow of conflict..." (IMDb)

Incendies by Denis Villeneuve

"A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love." (IMDb)

18 Days - The 1st Egyptian film about the Tahrir Square Revolution

Details:

A group of ten directors, twenty actors, six writers, eight directors of photography, eight sound engineers, five set designers, three costume designers, seven editors, three post-production companies, and about ten technicians have agreed to act fast and shoot, with no budget and on a voluntary basis, ten short films about the January 25 revolution in Egypt.

Ten stories they have experienced, heard or imagined. All the proceeds of this movie will be devoted to organizing convoys to provide political and civic education in the villages of Egypt.

Between 25 January and 11 February…18 Days.

The films are:

• Retention by Sherif Arafa, 14 minutes.
• God's Creation by Kamla Abou Zekry, 8 minutes.
• 19-19 by Marwan Hamed, 14 minutes.
• When the Flood Rises by Mohamed Ali, 9 minutes.
• Curfew by Sherif Bendary, 15 minutes
• Revolution Cookies by Khaled Marei, 13 minutes
• #Tahrir 2/2 by Mariam Abou Ouf, 13 minutes.
• Window by Ahmad Abdallah, 13 minutes.
• Interior/Exterior by Yousry Nasrallah, 11 minutes
• Ashraf Seberto by Ahmed Alaa, 12 minutes.

Egypt was the guest of honor at the Cannes International Film Festival 2011 and “18 Days” was screened during the festival.

King Abdullah Sighting.

His Majesty King Abdullah II was in Irbid last week to speak to over 700 community leaders of the city, in an effort to urge them to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections.





Being King and all, the streets were being patrolled by countless armed men for, including city police, traffic police, and various branches of the military. Basically there were 200+ military and police officers, plus who knows how many Mukhabarat (General Intelligence Directorate...secret police) in Irbid to guard his red carpet. Oh and 2 army helicopters.

Local news articles; King meets Irbid dignitaries and tribal elders --
http://www.petra.gov.jo/Artical.aspx?Lng=1&Section=8&Artical=195624































































So exciting to see King Abdullah II and a big fat 'check' on my 'to do list' for Jordan!

MENAXLDS 2010 Study Tour.

The day after I finished the conference of a lifetime, we left for the Study Tour. It is tradition that after every international AIESEC conference, the host country organizes a tour around their nation. Originally, I was planning on returning to life in Irbid immediately after the conference, but after meeting and working with so many amazing people, I could not pass up the opportunity to travel around with them. Also, because road trips are where the real magic happens.

Our destinations were as follows; Madaba, Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, Petra, and the Dead Sea. Alhum'dulelah for just receiving my residency card before the conference, because as a resident of Jordan the entrance fees to tourist sights drop dramatically. And we all know how thrifty -- cheap, I can be. For example, Petra costs a foreigner ~33 JDs for a one-day entrance pass, but as a proud bearer of الإقامة (residency) I pay a mere 1JD to enter! Muuuuhahahha!

















Madaba is known for its Byzantine-era churches and in particular a mosaic map of the Holy Land, dating back to 6th century AD.

Here we are at Madaba attempting to spell "AIESEC" .... I was part of the 'S' holler!

Above is the view from the gates of Mount Nebo (جبل نيبو‎), incredibly breathtaking if you ask me. Mount Nebo is significant in both Judaism and Christian faiths. According to the final chapter of Deuteronomy, Mount Nebo is where Moses was given a view of the promised land. It is also rumored that God buried Moses on this mountain.

And a bejenin picture of Ali and I, doing my signature dance move from the conference. Priceless.























We spent the night at a large camp in Wadi Rum. The first time I ventured to the red sand desert of Rum, I stayed in a secluded Bedouin camp, about 8KM off the beaten path. Unfortunately, when traveling in such a large AIESEC herd (we were 80+ people) things tend to get a bit more complicated.

Thus we stayed in a more touristy camp, to accommodate our large numbers. It had it's perks though, including relatively clean bathroom facilities, an enormous empty fountain-like thingy -- perfect for large dubkeh circles. And patios for dining, carved into the rock formations.
















Although different than my 1st Wadi adventure, still had a great time around the camp fire. And if I remember correctly, there were some ghost stories being told, quite authentic.

After waking up, we made our way to Petra. At the time had been in Jordan now for almost 7 months and still not seen it's most well known destination. Thus, my excitement was through the roof. One busted tire later and we were safely inside the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. Built in 6th century BC it is well known as one of the original 7 wonders of the world.
























As I reached the beaten path of the siq, I choose to part ways from the group and venture on my own. Don't get me wrong, I am a social person, but after being with people around the clock for the last 10 days, I needed some time to decompress and Petra provided the clarity I needed.























The first main attraction in Petra is the treasury, known as الخزنة‎ bil Arabi. The treasury is magnificent, towering over you like a metropolitan skyscraper.

After gazing in awe at the unfathomable architecture, for what felt like hours, I continued down the siq towards my next discovery.

Look at the beauty of the rock. I'm sure my friend Nora, an avid-geologist would jizz in her pants at the sight.

At the end of the siq you reach an opening into the plains where the amphitheatre is located, cut into mountainsides. Unfortunately, this site is in such bad shape that it has been fenced off to prevent further damage. This large open space was littered with shops, restaurants, vendors, and at least 1,000 tourists. It was quite an eyesore. When there are so many people it really takes away from the historical beauty. Your experience seems less genuine and unique when everyone else is doing it too.

To be honest, I am a snob when it comes to tourists. Although I am one of them, I never like to be associated with them. Especially here in Jordan, because although I was touring Petra, I am not a "tourist" in this country, I am a resident and I work here, and I don't want to be pegged as otherwise.























After navigating the mob, I climbed countless flights of stairs to reach Urn Tomb, the first of the Royal Tombs at Petra. After looking around and snapping a few pics, I sat on secluded ledge to just look out upon the old city and soak it all in. We only had 3 hours at Petra and I think I spent 1/3 of my time up here, just getting lost in my surroundings. It was so peaceful.

Before floating back down to earth, I ran into some AIESECers on cloud 9.



After sorting out some "transportation issue" we were ready to make it to the Dead Sea by sunset....until BAM our bus break down on the side of the road, just about 30KM outside of Petra. Quite the wet blanket to a perfect trip. It took a lot of problem solving, but we made it work and another bus came down from Amman to retrieve us. I thank all the delegates who maintained a positive attitude throughout this mishap.

Alhum'dulelah the bus company offered to take us the next day (Sunday) on a trip to the Dead Sea to make up for it. Sunday, a work day in Jordan, was supposed to be my first day back at work, but I ended up wiggling out of that to accompany 40 international delegates to the Dead Sea.


It was a lovely, relaxing last day to finish my chapter on MENAXLDS.

MENAXLDS 2010 in Jordan.

Last month (from March 9th-21st) I experience my first AIESEC international conference, MENAXLDS 2010! MENAXLDS is an annual conference hosted in the MENA (middle east and north Africa) region. The conference is mainly focused on improving exchange and developing leadership, two main pillars of the AIESEC way.

For delegates, they spend their day in sessions either as part of the LDS (leadership focused) or XPRO (exchange focused) track. But as for the CC members, it was our responsibility to ensure that everything happening during those 7 days was logistically running smoothly.

Being an intern here in Jordan connects me to AIESEC in a much different way than what I am used to as a full-member back at Madison. Don't get me wrong, I am more than enjoying my time here, but basically I was desperately missing contributing to AIESEC directly, through means of intensive labor, ha. Thus, near the end of December, I applied to be a member of the CC (congress committee or planning team) as a delegate servicing (DS) teamster.

I was responsible for marketing the conference to members in the MENA region and across the AIESEC global network. I was also a "buddy" for all the international delegates (outside MENA) -- India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, United States, the Netherlands, and Greece.

This meant that I needed to help them prepare both logistically; registration, flight confirmations, airport pickup, pre/post conference hotel stay, etc..., but also culturally; language, food, dress, cost, traveling the region, keza keza.

I really enjoyed this work, one because I would do most of it from my computer ha, but also because it gave me an opportunity to share my experience and what I have learned in Jordan thus far, with other internationals.







My BEJENININ CC TEAM!




























MENAXLDS 2010 started out with a BANG! A.K.A. Opening Ceremony. Above I am standing next to the welcome banner, beside my company's logo, CCC (Consolidated Contractors Company). CCC has been a loyal sponsor of AIESEC Jordan, including their generous donation towards the conference.

Next we moved right on to Mecca Mall -- one of the two major malls in Amman, for Global Village. This Global Village was like one that I had never experienced. Having so many internationals in one public space was amazing. We had live rap performances, 2 comedy shows, and danced to Tunak Tunak right in the middle of it all.
To top it all off, I yellahed on the dubkeh (of course, ha)!

Thanks to the delegates from the USA -- shoutout to Julia and Claire!! .... we had a sweet Ameeeerika table too!
























The next few days were spent DOING WORK! Wake up calls in the AM (which I love by the way), manning the help desk during sessions, nap if I was lucky in the afternoon, and partying at night.

Being a lover of theme parties, I provided the themes. So we ended up having three great parties during the conference...DISCO night, Karaoke Night, and a White Tee party! Not much different from being at an AIESEC US conference, except there was a lot less drinking, which actually allowed people to spend more time during the evenings having genuine conversations and networking. All and all, not a bad trade off.
















Our next special event was Jordanian Night, where I had a rendezvous with my friend and fellow AIESEC Madison member, Rashaad. Also know as "the beast from the middle east" hhahha.

As most of you know (and previously mentioned) I quite enjoy theme events, so I went all out. Sporting my dress that I bought from Jerusalem and a head piece purchased in the souks of Amman (although this is not technically tradition Jordanian fashion, so you know.)















The food was delicious. We had a wide variety of salads to begin with. And then the national dish, Mansaf. This was Trisha's first Mansaf btw. And even though the dish is covered in meat...I still ate it. Well ate around it, but it was actually good none-the-less. And a dessert of fresh fruit, tea, and agila.

The conference came to a close with the Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony, a crucial moment for AIESEC Jordan which we shared with our partners, both companies and organizations, families, and friends.


The ladies of the CC Team pictured here. Tala, Shatha, Shatha, Walaa, Rana, and Farah, M.I.A. Rand :)

As the conference came to an end, I was so happy about the accomplishments my team and myself achieved. MENAXLDS 2010 was only the 4th installment of this international conference. Similarly, AIESEC Jordan has only been in existence for the same amount of time. Thus, producing this conference in such a young and inexperienced AIESEC region and country was a HUGE challenge, but no doubt successful! The most important thing for me was that the delegates had an experience of a lifetime and I am confident we delivered that and more.

I was the only non-Jordanian member of the CC team, which did have it's disadvantages. Like not being fluent in Arabic for starters. But also my lack of knowledge about AIESEC in the MENA region. Many of the CC members were new to AIESEC and for most this was their first time being on a conference planning team or doing AIESEC work for that matter. So although I was new to the area, I think I was able to utilize all my experience in the organization and bring my international perspective and work ethic to the team. And actually take more of a leadership role in the conference than I attended, which I admit was a challenge, yes, but a growth experience and utterly amazing.

This is our amazing conference chair Ewelina (from Poland), a fellow intern and friend.

For all of you who attended MENAXLDS, whether as a delegate, FACI, CC member, partner, or attendee for the special events, I thank you. This conference was one that will go down in the history books and an experience that will remain with me for eternity.

Oh and you can't forget the USA role call to YMCA! What a showstopper!

Ridiculous happenings in Jordan; take 1.

"YOU ARE MOST WELCOME."
















1. Having a PIMP ass car in Jordan = having a violent picture of your king tattooed on your ride. Ha seriously you see 30 cars a day decked out in similar atrocities.

New goal; find a similar snap shot of Obama and glue it to my Honda back home.















2. Sheep grazing in my front yard. WALLAH! I mean I would expect this in a village, or even in Al-Huson where I work, but in Irbid...come one. It's the 2nd largest city in Jordan, ha!



















3. A group of crazy shabab clinging onto a moving dump truck, while wearing roller blades. I almost saw 2 of them bite the dust, in the middle of this busy street. So scary and stupid.

"YOU ARE MOST WELCOME."

AIESEC Madison Banquet Video

Made this video for my LC back home!

Sorry it was kinda boring, hahah. I was trying to be professional, blah.

Get it girl, get it, get it gurrlllll!

دبكة!!!

Dancing some Dabkeh (دبكة) with my students.

Dabkeh is a traditional folk dance of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.

Hahahaha I need A LOT of practice!!!

Messitna habibitna.

واحد

Hello world, This is my first blog post!

Feeling a tad like Ms. Carrie Bradshaw as I it in my room, smoking, and trying to type fast enough to keep up with my racing mind. Well my journey began almost a week ago. I departed Chicago for D.C. where I had a lovely last hurrah with Kaitlin. Then to NYC where I spent two much needed days with friends and family. After a 12+ hours flight to Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. I had an entire night to chill in the airport. I actually enjoyed that time. I reflected on my last days in America and began to ponder my soon-to-be life in Jordan. By the way, the Abu Dhabi airport is gorgeous! And I would recommend all to go, even if just on a layover haha. Blue and yellow tiles covered the walls floor to ceiling, architecture like none I had ever seen. After being asked by fellow tourists if they could take my picture (apparently I stand out everywhere) and letting a tiny Croatian girl try on my size 10 moccasins in a hope they would fit her and she could buy them off me, which didn't happen...I was back on a plane to my final destination!

Hmmm, well first of all mad props to AIESEC Jordan! After hearing many stories of failed reception, but trying to keep a positive attitude it was a calm breeze to coast through customs, and see @ers waiting for me. As we drove to Amman, the capital city, I was shocked by the lack of grass and immense amount familiar restaurants (Pizza Hut, Hardees, and KFCs galore). I then went to the MC flat in Amman before heading to Irbid where I will be living and working for the next 6 months.

After contemplating my choices of living situations for no joke 2 hours; Option #1 - An all female dorm with a curfew, bunking with an @er, my own bedroom, and basically the same perks of living situation in Madison or option #2 - Living alone (at least for the first few months), paying almost double,but a brand new apartment though...my selling point came down to a microwave ha and internet access, how materialistic of me. But after spending just a few short hours in the dorm I realize it should have been a no-brainer. Live with @ers or live alone...obvious choice be with AIESECers, duh! And my rent is only 122 JD/month, score!

After dropping my bags I went to the Irbid Mall. Well more like a Jordanian Super Target then any mall in America. Complete with groceries (some familiar like Coco-cola and Doritos but most were completely foreign), home appliances, toys, and clothing. After shopping it was time to partake in the daily hookah session. And by daily, I mean AT LEAST once a day. Btw, its Nagila here, not hookah, not shisha. Praise allah for Hala, fellow @er, new friend and dorm neighbor.

I slept for the next 16 hours straight minus the times I woke up to the annoyance of Rooster crows. Spent the day hanging around the apartment, smoking nagila, and learning key Jordanian Arabic phrases - like my address, directions, and names of foods and utensils. And although I took Arabic for one semester - almost a year ago...the rumors are true! Al Kitab will only get you so far, seeing as how like no one in the world speaks the modern standard form.

Tomorrow is my first day of work. I will not be teaching yet, insha'allah because I'm not prepared...hopefully just getting introduced to the job, meeting colleagues, receiving training and so on. But LCM with @Irbid on Saturday which should be great. I have been given the opportunity to introduce myself to the LC so I am going to make a slideshow. Can't wait to meet everyone here. Pictures and more blog posts soon.

Ma'salama.