Mash’Allah: Three Weeks In Jordan. Hip-Hop, Film & Music in Amman
The adventures of Project Pen’s Content Developer
As the newest member of the Project Pen team, I've been having a blast. I'm developing the content for the blog, and have been fortunate enough to write up all of those fascinating interviews with the freshest creative minds in the Middle East that you've been reading.
In fact, since arriving in Jordan, I've spoken to award-winning Emirati directors, video game developers working in the West Bank, and the only hip-hop DJ in Saudi Arabia – creating a sort of VICE-headline wet dream for myself in the process. Also, the Project Pen office – nestled in the King Hussain Business Park, has a slide that whisks you between floors, so you know it’s trendy.
I've had only one Skype conversation with my mum since coming here from England – I love her dearly, but she is bereft of travelling experience: “My friend was in Amman last year,” she said. “She says you should stay out of the areas where they only speak Arabic; in case you stick out like a sore thumb.”
Thanks mum; as if there’s any area of Jordan where some local would see me – a half Chinese, British guy and say, “Oh hey, check out this fellow Arab guy over here. Are you my cousin?”
To be fair, that’s not all we talked about. Most of our conversations danced around a question many people have asked. One I can’t answer. Not yet anyway. “Why?”
Why are you moving to Jordan?
For the experience I suppose. That’s what I’ll say to my next interviewer, they’ll probably like that – they’ll be dead impressed.
You see, Jordan is not really on the radar for many English people, and I was absolutely, desperately careful not to condescend to my hairdresser, my dentist, the lady at the post office whom I ordered my Dinars from when I told them, “I'm going to Jordan.” I always gave them the benefit of the doubt, before saying, “The country/it’s in the Middle East/next to Egypt/Syria,” or words to that effect.
Reading that back, that actually sounds quite condescending.
“Why move to Jordan?” It echoes around my head. To travel, I suppose. I like travelling. I spent this Summer in Romania digging up a Roman fort in preparation for a Masters that is somewhere on the ineffable horizon, realising that yes, Archaeology is for me, but also that moving around the world is what could keep me fresh-faced.
On the subject of that: I gave up a place at Edinburgh University to come to Jordan, but I promised my also-travelling girlfriend – who is definitely my wife when I talk to taxi drivers — that I wouldn't look at it like that. I don’t. I have my whole life to do another degree, that option just feels a bit too safe.
Given all of that so far, Jordan is working out just fine. Between the two of us, we have enough friends and contacts in Amman to get ourselves a flat, a full evening schedule most weeks, and a job each.
I've hit the ground running, in that last respect. Aside from the aforementioned interviews, I'm also in charge of social media here – which is a bit like trying to hold a conversation from the inside of a tank with someone standing on the street. They’re taking notice of you, and you’re trying to engage them in a totally human way, but they’re a little concerned that you might just be a rolling, unthinking machine concerned only with brand awareness.
I'm being careful, trying to find my feet. I don’t want to make the mistake of every single corporate Twitter account, muscling in on important online conversations with click-bait nonsense; careening in to hijack #hashtags about War Memorials to sell waffles/tea towels/fulfilment to the disinterested masses.
Then again, everyone on Twitter is a brand in their own right. I've spent hours reading profiles, trying to find appropriate users to connect with, wading through thousands of descriptions which contain the following phrases, “A Beam of Energy” “Dreamer” “Human Being” “Life Liver” “Philosopher”. I'm starting to forget how actual people talk.
Luckily I can take frequent breaks.
“Why did you come to Jordan?” my new Jordanian friend asked me the other day at a café in Jabal al’Weibdeh – this question is spreading like wildfire. I may not know the answer to it even now, but I know “why” I am staying: Jordan has proved itself full of opportunities, working-wise, but also musically.
For instance: I played my first ever overseas gig here last week, to sixty people. This wasn't the disinterest of the gaggle of onlookers, this was the rapt attention of a crowd. If you knew how vain I am (I've just written 500 words about myself) you would understand this was a big deal, it’s the sort of response you fight to the death to claim when playing in London.
When it comes to Jordan, I think you get out as much as you put in, I'm trying to make an effort with everyone, in every aspect, and I'm enjoying the cultural shift. England can get a little stale, especially if you've lived your entire life there. Jordan, and Project Pen, are fresh and exciting.
Check out the new project pen blog on storytelling, creativity & multimedia here.
