Reply to this comment with your email address, and I’ll send you some contact info. Good luck with everything.

-Ian

Ahlan wa sahlan. I hope this finds you well. My name is Hadi Akhtar and I’m currently a Fulbrighter in Jordan. I came across your blog as a result of reading an article that you wrote about water shortages for The Jordan Times. I’m nearing the completion of my grant (which was focused on entrepreneurship and non-profit management), but may not have to return to the US for a few more months. In the course of my time here, I’ve become very interested in the issue of water as you can imagine and would like to spend some of my remaining time learning more about it and possibly getting involved in the sector more directly. I’m in the midst of applying to medical school, so my interest in water is mostly from a public health angle (e.g., drinking water quality, sanitation, hygiene, etc.), though the whole topic is quite fascinating here in Jordan from almost any angle (political, social, etc.).

As I’ve just started thinking about pursuing this research topic, I thought I’d reach out to you and see if you could point me in the direction of any contacts that were helpful to you when you were writing your article for The Jordan Times and that could help me narrow down a viable and useful research focus for the new few months.

It was also a pleasure reading your blog. I poked around a few of your other entries and looks like you had an amazing time here in Jordan–I’m hoping to do some more outdoor adventures myself (especially the canyoning in Wadi Mujib) before I have to head back to the States.

Best of luck with your studies and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Hadi

What the hell am I supposed to say to that? ]

-> “You had to be there.”

And I think most of them also see the King as legitimate, patly due to his claimed lineage to the Prophet’s bloodline. Plus he’s actually a good leader. He is genuine when it comes to trying to address the demands of reformists.

I think most of the frustration in Jordan, like the rest of the Middle East, is due to economic problems. Jordan has virtually no natural resources, and has been hit especially hard by the global recession. To a certain extent, this issue is out of the King’s hands.

Because this is the only place I’d probably see this distinction made and written in English So keep it comin.

I’ve always understood it (and make fun of me if I’m wrong) that no Jordanian really thinks of themselves as oppressed (in the sense that the Egyptians were and the Palestians are), and that they are a bit well off in comparison to most of their neighbors…so this anger is more about a lack of political rights or a lack of direct control than it is objection to secret police, lack of opportunity, etc.

I guess, in short, as far as dictators and monarchs go, how bad is Abdullah in their eyes?