Jordanian Malls

Malls in Jordan are one of the most fascinating places. I would never have thought I would say this, but I really enjoying hanging out at the malls in Amman. I have the opportunity of seeing the entire spectrum of Middle Eastern women and men from the westernized Christians who look like any American from any city or town in America or Europe to the stylish Muslims who wear stylish but modest clothing and a hijab to the fully covered traditional galabiya Muslims. The men typically have a more western style but there are the gulf people who come in for the summer dressed in their white robes and headdresses. It is a fabulous opportunity to just sit and watch people, the way they interact, how they act, and how they dress. If I ever take friends to Jordan I want to take them to the mall on a Thursday night, that is the ideal time because it marks the beginning of the weekend and everybody comes to the mall to hang out. What the mall is to high-school students in America it is to everybody here in Amman. I would never have guessed. As a result of this the malls here are huge. The two largest malls, Mecca Mall and City Mall are within walking distance of each other. Sitting in a Jordanian Mall takes “people watching” up to a whole new level of observing inter-personal interactions and relationships on every level.
Another interesting experience I had tonight happened after we all left the mall. Everybody else had just gotten into cabs and I was waiting for one when I realized I didn't have any Jordanian money on me at all. Naturally, I had to go back into the mall to find an ATM and after withdrawing money had to go buy something to break my smallest bill, a twenty, into something cap drivers would handle. I went to the Donuts Factory and after ordering sat down to eat my donut before leaving for the evening. While I was consuming my donut a young lady walked in dressed head to toe in the traditional shirsha and naqaab, which is the long gown and the hijab with a veil over the face. I didn't think much of it because I see hundreds of women every day who are dressed similar. What caught me off guard was her conversation with the donut man behind the counter. At first I wasn't sure I heard correctly because it was pretty loud but it sounded as if she was talking to him in English. Since I was at the mall it isn't too uncommon for the workers and the customers to speak English, it is a status symbol being able to spend money there on westernized items and do so in English. However, as I listened closer I realized that not only was she speaking English to him, she was speaking English with a very western accent. It was not expected, in some ways I feel like the Arabs who are surprised when I address them in Arabic. I've thought about why this young girl who is dressed the way she is would be speaking Western English instead of Arabic and I can't come to any certain conclusions. It is possible that she was raised in the West and is just here temporarily but that doesn't explain why she isn't speaking Arabic, unless she doesn't actually speak Arabic, then that raises a whole new series of questions about who she is here with, why she is here, and why is she not with someone who speaks the language, and why is she dressed this way? If only there was a girl there with me who could have approached her to ask those types of questions. I would have been very interested in knowing the answers because everything I come up with is purely speculation and I don't have nearly the background nor the expertise to really come to any conclusive answers.