Working and living in Amman

Welcome on board Expat.com, Noor
I hope you'll soon get responses from active members of the Amman forum. What is your professional domain?
Have a good evenening further
Cheers
Arlette

FeeAcer wrote:

Welcome on board Expat.com, Noor
I hope you'll soon get responses from active members of the Amman forum. What is your professional domain?
Have a good evenening further
Cheers
Arlette

Thank you FreeAcer for the warm welcome!
I hope I'll get lots of responses because I really need it. Don't know what to expect, don't know if it will be easy to find a place to live and ,more importantly, a job so any help is welcome!
I work in sales but I have done lots of voluntary work

I looked at your profile, you're Belgian too! What a coincidence!

Hello Noor, did you have a look at Amman Classifieds? There are various sections such as Jobs, Accommodation etc (browse till the bottom of the page to find them).
Hope this helps
Arlette

FeeAcer wrote:

Hello Noor, did you have a look at Amman Classifieds? There are various sections such as Jobs, Accommodation etc (browse till the bottom of the page to find them).
Hope this helps
Arlette

No I haven't but I will now
Thank you!

Good luck to you

Akhtaboot is a great source for finding jobs in Jordan through the internet. Take a look: http://www.akhtaboot.com/en/jordan/

Noor, honey, I know where you are comming from, you want a new start and whatever but please let me warn you of the truth of the reality of this country.

First off foreigners do not get jobs easily in this country--they always come back and tell you "You need a Jordanian Passport or a National Number...ect"

TOURISM BUSINESS???

Don't dream of getting paid more then 500 JDS a month--and that's considering you have a degree, and speak five languages!

RENT::: DON'T dream of rent for a foreigner like yourself in the immediate centralized Amman/Gardens Sweifieh/ Abu Jbeiha/ Rabia/Dabuk/ 8th 7th and 6th and 5th Circles---ABDOUN-Sweileh---YOU WILL NOT FIND A decent furnished apartment (decent meaning clean, and everything is working -safe area)for less than 300-350 JDS baby--and that's NOT including the 25 Jds a month for electricity, and 25 JDs / month for water + 10 dinars for an Egyptian guard (haris)!

HOTEL JOBS---There are NO Hotel Job positions available in AMMAN or DEAD SEA UNLESS--You have atleast 3 years experience working in a 5 star Hotel chain!

That's it for the foreigner here--either tourism or ZILCH..Even engineers don't get paid decent salaries here (1100 JDS AT the VERY MOST)

AMMAN--is a hard life. People rarely smile--and usually people make friends with you only because they want something from you either a. money, or b. citezenship or help getting it. or c. sex... and because you are a foreigner be lUCKY if you find an apartment, for LESS then 500JDS/month in the immediate busy Amman areas unless you go to Jebel Webdah--and most of those apartments are literally unlivable trash--plus Jebel Webdeh is far away and you need atleast 4.5 JDS comming and going to anywhere in the Gardens, or Shmeisani districts....sometimes more!!!

HUSBAND IN JORDAN? Even if you did find your love of your life, unless he's filthy rich(and usually if he is filthy rich he's going to be either on of these or all a. a drunk/drug addict or b. a womanizer/player who sleeps around or c. an extremely religious man who makes you stay at home and never leave the house. SO ROLL your dice and come to Jordan at YOUR OWN RISK.

THERE are so many other places in this world ---France--Spain,Italy, Switzerland, But JORDAN?

I have a best friend from Germany who got married and had twins. Her husband beat her everyday and once pulled a pistol to her head when she left the house...SHe tried to get a divorce and get her kids, she got the divorce, but he kidnapped her kids and now she lives in constant sadness stuck in this country just so she can see her kids!! Do you want that noise????

I'm leaving in the next few weeks....Work for a government, or any hotel outside...but I promise you will come to JOrdan, and hate your life because life here is just too difficult, and it's full of sad poor people, and you will eventually become one of them unless you literally sell your dignity--
And if you have no family to lean on back home--just don't come to Jordan, because they could care less here if you starve to death and get put out on the streets for not being able to pay your rent!!!! Please stay in Belgium, or go To France, and work in a Hotel in the French Riviera, anything, but just don't come here. Also people say they are muslims here, but most of them are liars and full of stinginess! People don't help you here accept for "muslaha" or for personal gains!!!!!!

Oh Also--====AKHTABOOT and BAYT. COM===even if you have the most glorious resume---they will not respond---I am an American and I have an impeccible record in engineering with a B.S --I speak 5.2 languages...and guesss what???IF YOUR not Jordanian...you can kiss your opportunities good by....

Hello, Noor!!And welcome!! Please don't get influenced by the FoudasBaby comment, she must have been hurted very much by someone to talk so bad about Jordan and jordanians. It's not all like this, not for everybody, depends probably on the status you have there. My housband is in Amman, working and living in very good conditions, he rented a studio from a serious person, in a good, nice, quiet and clean area (4-th circle) and at the end of the year I'll go to Amman myself. Life can be expensive if you have high standards, but as common people we are very satisfied. Again, depends what kind of life you want to live and what your status is. He has many foreigners at work, housband and wife from different countries and there is no problem between them or with jordanians people. Besides, Amman is very beautiful (of course, like in every big city, there are bad areas, but you just don't go there). So, good luck!!

Thank you Mrs. Danik-- for your comment. But I just don't like to candy up the reality of ground zero here. It's good to be honest to people even if it's bitter...

There is an Arabic Saying, that says "Who cries in your face, is afraid for your wellbeing
Who laughs in your face, is a liar (and not after your Well being).

I'm sorry to say, but life here is expensive, even if you have normal standards (falafel and hommus once a day--and sliced tomatoes and khyar with bread for lunch--Indome for dinner-+plus bottled waters) ---this is how the average poor person here survives.

There is no such thing as a "Common Foreigner". Unless you live like the general Jordanian public, and at their low standards.
Common people don't go to pubs and gatherings at 4 * restaurants and bars. Common people have lives where they have both spouses working, raising kids, and usually have a built home or ahome for cheap rent JD 80-120 /per month and they have a combined income of no more then JD 500/month to support a large family.

We foreigners don't fall into their category unless we actually live like exactly like they do. Getting up at 6 am every morning and comming home about 6-730 pm everyday...no rest no relaxation, just work, work work.

You obviously have better fortune than others. So have a wonderful time !

Noor if u still interested on coming to Jordan,I have to agree with everything FouadsBaby said,she is very right,but if u are lucky and land a good Job and a nice place to live,u will be just fine.
So it depends in How u will live,?ur income? ,and where u go?.
Most of none Jordanian here ,socialize with none Jordanian or with Jordanian with Western mind..
If u have degree u have a good chance to get a Job in a Bank or with unrwa.org and they pay well 500JD-1000 JD .
if u coming alone u should move with another girl,u save money on rent + safer then living alone..

Later
Chris

Me too Kalamir, I also agree and respect all Foudsbaby's points of view.   Majority of what she shared was the reality here in J. Good to others if they're not experiencing the hard life ...they're just trying to be "honest."

I have since been forced to go back home to the states in order to earn some money. So I'm going to work up in Breckenridge or Keystone for the next two months and then I'll come back to hubby after the high season ends. Really that's the only way to make it --otherwise if I was in Jordan right now I'd be homeless. My husband drives a Momayez Taxi and he sleeps in his car and cannot even come close to paying anything close to the rent averages in Amman for furnished apartments. Or Even UNFurnished ones (JD180-200 --for a good apartment). So that's how we are surviving. If you have a job before you get to Amman that's what you should do. But if you don't, I'd say beware not to come in order to settle down. Also you have to remember that if you don't have some kind of back up support or income, there is no assistance here in Jordan to help people get out of bad situations. So be very careful and do a lot of planning and budgeting. There are plenty of good Jordanian men that love to marry foreigners...and there is nothing wrong with that at all...I found the love of my life in Jordan...so you just never ever know! ITs good to go to Jordan and see what life is like if you have the money to do so ... and if you have a very strong personality.

East Amman is, imho, a better place to live than West Amman. A much more authentic experience, very much cheaper than West Amman, and proper butchers and greengrocer shops, as opposed to buying the overpriced rubbish available in the supermarkets. And much better value for your dinar when it comes to accommodation. I found places like Rabiah and Abdoun (west side) kind of sterile.

deb568 wrote:

East Amman is, imho, a better place to live than West Amman. A much more authentic experience, very much cheaper than West Amman, and proper butchers and greengrocer shops, as opposed to buying the overpriced rubbish available in the supermarkets. And much better value for your dinar when it comes to accommodation. I found places like Rabiah and Abdoun (west side) kind of sterile.

IT just depends on like some factors. Unfortunately there is some serious friction between certain people and bedouin Jordanians (original natives of Jordan). My husband wouldn't ever let me live in that area over in East Amman because of very specific reasons.

1. It's not safe for us because he's from a different tribe, and a tribe that happens to be unpopular amongst some other types of people, and I really cannot go into this, because it is a VERY VERY touchy subject and so I diplomatically just want to say that we live in the other parts of Amman mainly due to safety reasons.

FouadsBaby wrote:

IT just depends on like some factors. Unfortunately there is some serious friction between certain people and bedouin Jordanians (original natives of Jordan). My husband wouldn't ever let me live in that area over in East Amman because of very specific reasons.

1. It's not safe for us because he's from a different tribe, and a tribe that happens to be unpopular amongst some other types of people, and I really cannot go into this, because it is a VERY VERY touchy subject and so I diplomatically just want to say that we live in the other parts of Amman mainly due to safety reasons.

I am really so shocked!!! I thougt you are really optimistic. but what I found out really makes me down. How come you change your words very quick!!? I think your problem is that you have got married to the wrong person.

It is really a sweeping generalisation to talk about jordan like that!!
I've read you letter " lessons learned", and I liked it so much. but now its my turn to advice you: dont be ever judgmental, and when you are angry, its safe for you to be withdrawn, at least you will not hurt any one.

I am hoping to see you doing well in jordan.

But we can't deny this fact.

We can't sugarcoat truths that you and I both know happen in Jordan.
Unfortunately, it's something that we can't change...

I don't like to feed into this malfunction of the society, but really it's so true.
THere is a lot of tribalism that happens in Jordan, and on all types of levels- and you know this.
Some of my closest friends are Arabs from other countries, but unfortunately some people don't understand that not everyone is the same. But it is a problem, and it is a cut-throat issue especially when small political decisions are made by higher-ups and people of responsibility. Unfortunately, it happens a lot in Jordan, and after living their for 5 years, I have lived it, and witnessed it and cannot lie about this.

Preference comes to you if you are in a specific situation and some times it doesn't in other situations, depending on your origin and who you are associated with.

I have been in Amman for the past three years and was here previously.  I requested to be assigned here again.  I like it and have many friends that are Jordanian.  I agree that the country is tribal, just look at the politics, but that comes with living in Jordan - or Yemen, Saudi, or many of the other countries in the region.  I work with some disadvantaged people, so I see the heartache, but again, that comes with the territory. 

So I saw that some of you said there are apartments for 180-200 JDs.  How do I find those?  I have two families that need housing by the end of the month and I walked all over Jebel Weibdeh looking today.  Found nothing.  I tried the 'agencies" that charge you 20JD before showing you anything and that was a bust.  Anyone know how I can find these people housing.  They are not well off.  One is a single mother with two beautiful children and the other is an older Palestinian/Jordanian that just needs a clean, dry place. 

Abu John

Abo John,
If u looking for an apt in west Amman your Budget should be more than 300JD but I advise look for little far in Swialeh or Abo Nasir Jabiha  or by the Jordan University ..These areas are in Amman too..by the way I live in Abo Nasir...
If you have a car I can show u...
Later ... Chris

Hello Abu John,

It is possible to find apartment for that price, but the question is what you will get for that price.
On Jabal Al Weibdeh I saw in October last year one apartment for 180 JD (Kulliat Al Shareea street, when you go from the top of the street on the right side, there is one building with coffee bar which is closed and has some tropical name), but with just basic furniture and almost nothing in the kitchen and bathroom. Check in that building the owner has more apartments, maybe you will find something appropriate. The next cheaper apartment I saw was for 300 JD next to Canary hotel. The owner also has more apartments. The rest of the apartments I saw in this area were 400 JD.

Wish you good luck  Aleks

Why are some people so sensitive about criticism? People are getting pissed when anything negative is said about Jordan. 1) Its not heaven, so yes there will be negative things. 2) No country is heaven, so every country has negative things. Just because people talk about the negatives doesn't mean they have some ulterior motive.

You would think someones' mother got slapped or something.

I spent two weeks each year in Amman from 2002-2009 when I decided to take early retirement and live here. I spent the first year in Al Rabieh. The flat was cheap, but the landlord was a thief and liar so I moved to Tarbarbour. Here I have 2 bedrooms (3rd is used as office), living room, kitchen, salon/dining room and 2.5 baths. I am paying a bit more than 200 per month for this place, but it is fairly new and everything works beautifully.

Having spent 19 months in this country I can safely say I will probably never live anywhere else. I don't shop in the high-end areas or go to 4-5* restaurants. I like eating in places like al Quds, the shawerma shops and the like, but 95% of my meals are taken at home. I live very cheaply here, but very well too.

Tribalism here isn't that much different than the elitism back in the US. We have poverty here, in some cases grinding poverty. Same back home. People are people and I have always found the Arab people here in Amman to be very hospitable and friendly without any ulterior motives.

I spend a lot of time visiting friends in Jabel al Taj and I am more welcomed there than I ever was in the US. I love shopping in Al Wehdat. It's so alive there and I feel my dinars spent there are helping people who are more poor than I.

There are positives and negatives to living in this country, but from my personal experience the positives outweigh the negatives 100:1!

I've lived on and off in Amman over the past 20 years or so. When it comes to where to live, it depends on what kind of experience you're looking for. I like inner city living, walk everywhere, local markets, small shops, and fresh food every day, brought in from the farms and bought from the local market rather than a shop. I'm not sure why people who live in west Amman are so anti East Amman. It's like they look down on it. But if you like inner city living, where you get to know the neighbours and can walk to do your shopping, to school and the like, then it's a good place to live, not to mention it's quite cheap. The places we've lived:

Nuzha - my kind of place. Palestinians, Jordanians, Armenians (when I met these neighbours I had to think for a minute to work out in my head where Armenia is :-), Iraqis, and quite a few westerners.Inner city I suppose, but still a half hour walk down to the town, and I definitely didn't like the trek back up the hill. I'll try anything once! Good food market, and butchers selling meat I could afford.

And that's something to keep in mind about the rent. 155JDs a month for a two bedroom unfurnished flat with two reception rooms and two separate toilets. Renting cheaper can mean you eat and travel better. 

Tabbabour: My favourite place. I liked the feeling of being able to say I live near the top of Ben Nevis. Great air. A bit more expensive though, that the inner city.

Wehdet: Mmm. Great market, but....Each to their own but that's not a neighbourhood I felt comfortable staying in. You get to know the people very quickly, because every block (it seemed at the time) someone stops you and asks you who you are and what are you doing there. And it is a cheap place to live, cheaper than Nuzha and Hashimi.

Hitteen (Out by Marka airport.) Good if you travel a lot. And it's a LOT more convenient to fly into Marka than Queen Alia. Off the aircraft and out the door in less than half an hour. But far from the city centre for me, but I thought the flats were quite good for the price.

I've lived out of the city as well:

Jawa (South Amman) - way too rural for me, BUT nice houses, big gardens and easy travelling to and from the airport. And you have grape vines on the roof, which is kind of nice when they are full of fruit. Plus it's a cheap place to live.

Sofoot:

A nice place. Not too much activity on the streets. A bit too quiet for my taste. Not bad if you need to get to places on the West side, or to the uni. I prefer a bit more action.

Be'qaa.
The cheapest place we lived, BUT it's a fair way from Amman, very Palestinian, and if you are coming back at night you have to be prepared for the taxi drivers to drop you at the edge of the city rather than at your front door. So be prepared to walk. Safe? Well, I felt safe and never had any hassle, except when I was photographing parts of it. I've seen some really amazing metal doors in Be'qaa. But I found it interesting how few people ever went there. Some Jordanians told me they thought it was lawless. And one woman (Jordanian, third generation Palestinian) said to me (snob?) "I thought someone like you would live in Rabia or Abdoun. I can't believe you would even go to Be'qaa, let alone live there. Decent people wouldn't go to a place like that!" Well, that's as maybe, but let me put it this way - when you buy your meat from the gates of the abattoir, at least you know it's fresh. And the people there are really authentic.

Hello deb568,

Thanks for this wonderful contribution

FouadsBaby wrote:

I have since been forced to go back home to the states in order to earn some money. So I'm going to work up in Breckenridge or Keystone for the next two months and then I'll come back to hubby after the high season ends. Really that's the only way to make it --otherwise if I was in Jordan right now I'd be homeless. My husband drives a Momayez Taxi and he sleeps in his car and cannot even come close to paying anything close to the rent averages in Amman for furnished apartments. Or Even UNFurnished ones (JD180-200 --for a good apartment). So that's how we are surviving. If you have a job before you get to Amman that's what you should do. But if you don't, I'd say beware not to come in order to settle down. Also you have to remember that if you don't have some kind of back up support or income, there is no assistance here in Jordan to help people get out of bad situations. So be very careful and do a lot of planning and budgeting. There are plenty of good Jordanian men that love to marry foreigners...and there is nothing wrong with that at all...I found the love of my life in Jordan...so you just never ever know! ITs good to go to Jordan and see what life is like if you have the money to do so ... and if you have a very strong personality.

Wow, you and your husband are seriously unlucky to have his family. Your husband sleeps in his taxi?? His extended family cannot even offer you two a room to stay in? Omg, hell would freeze over and Amman with it before my in laws treated us like that, whatever the relationship between me and some of them.

Instead of rushing back to the States to earn money and "rescue" the istuation, did you ever consider just running out of money and seeing what would happen? Yes, you love your husband, no doubt, but sometimes from some of your posts, I question how much he actually loves you. No decent man, whatever their nationality, imho, would see his wife without a roof over her head.If your only importance to him is how much money you bring through the door - I can only know your life through reading your posts, but he definitely doesn't seem to make you his priority - then maybe it would be a good idea to stop filling that role and see what would happen.

i have been living here as a dutch person for 3 years now and I understand what you mean...this place has something....even though there are many problems in the region at the moment.....if you need any help just let me know, i can even help you with accomodation as i work in real estate....groetjes,doei

Hi I live in Amman as housekeeper pls can I get a job outside,a company work or factory am kk am a Ghanaian pls help

You posted on a very old and inactive thread where you are off topic too.

We have a job section above the page where you can look for a job. As you wish you can leave your CV there as well.
This forum is not designed for these purposes as the post will fade away when time pass. In the appropriate section you'll better views than here.

Good luck and take care.

exactly, old post and out of topic....

@noor1980

Hi and welcome to Jordan.

I believe that this is a nice place in certain cases only:

a) you are a visitor/a tourist

b) you work/study (you are here for a goal)

c) you are a European or an American

d) you know a bit of Arabic

e) you came here voluntarily

Personally, I would not choose to live here, despite the fact that I am Jordanian. I studied abroad and was obliged to return here. I do not work. I find the day as well as the night SO LONG, particularly during Winter. When the weather permits, I go out for very long walks. However, during very cold weather (like it is now), I get "stuck" at home. I open my laptop and read, as books are not available any more. Bookshops and libraries are very few, which is too bad.

I would love to hear from you.

Best regards.

Take care and best regards

om you

@noor1980

Hi (again). Your English is good, but excuse my asking: what about Arabic? How about learning some Arabic? Give it a try.

@FouadsBaby

It is not at all easy for a non-Arab to adapt in an Arab country, due to the different culture, habits and traditions, mentality, even religion (with my respect to all religions), and language.

A female from UK got married to a Jordanian and has lived here since 1970 - more than 50 years. However, her Arabic language is still very weak, and she has NOT been able to adapt here. The only thing that is keeping her quiet is the....MONEY. Her husband is a millionaire, therefore she lives in a luxurious villa, she has a beautiful car, and fulltime maids. What would her leave?  I understand her for staying here. Do you?