Jordanians hate strangers by default BUT given that they do chat up for 10 min with a stranger, ther...

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Jordanians hate strangers by default BUT given that they do chat up for 10 min with a stranger, there is a big chance they see each other the next day for coffee! However, Canadians like strangers by default BUT give them 6 months after a two hour talk so they can get in touch with you to go out with coffee.

Posted by razano on 01.11.2008

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Posted by SXTZ on 05.11.2008

I do not think it is hate nor do I think of us as being Xenophobic! I'll talk about Jordan here, even though we are a frowny bunch we are in general quite a friendly crowd, but I also think it depends on where you land as a stranger.

I also tend to compare it to denmark and the danes where they like to meet foriegners and talk to them, but take exception to the ones who want to move to denmark and live. It's the village mentality a certain distrust of strangers is always bubbling under the surface.

Posted by Shalabieh on 04.11.2008

Hate is such a strong word. I dont think we hate strangers as much as we are insecure about ourselves and fear others. We are Xenophobes to say the least.

But I think what it is, even other Jordanians we dont know, we need to have a social CV so we can place them in our matrix of social heirarchy. We need to know if we have to defer or lord it over them, if they come from the same social class, if they are educated, if they know any of our family because we then modify our behaviour to suit that person.

We dont hate we try to project an infallible image of proriety and to do that we need to know the social markers we need to highlight.

Thats what I think.

Posted by razano on 03.11.2008

It is funny when you put it like that too! I think it relates more to tribal nature of relationships between people, having big families and so with little importance to having actual friends outside the family circle. I don't see it in my generation or the people I hang out with. But its apparent in older generations. For instance, where I grew up in Saudi, everyone was a stranger and that was the case, arab expats there embrace it and socialize extensively. Yet, when it comes to their hometowns, family becomes the circle where you socialize most of the times.

Posted by Nadine on 01.11.2008

That's a weird generalization, but I get how it's kind of true.

About the first part, Jordanians hating strangers by default - I hear that a lot. It makes me laugh. This whole country has been built on influx of 'strangers'. There is a fascinating concoction of strangers that make up the population and fabric of life here, yet pretend they don't exist or matter. Bottom line, IMHO, this country wouldn't be much without them.

If we take a moment to embrace the diversity of 'strangers' that make up this place, we'd see it all in a whole new light. We're idiots to keep negating the evolution of what makes up Jordan, with our stubborn, racist perspectives.

Sorry to digress off your point!