National traditions of Jordan. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Jordan is a unique country in terms of traditions and mentality. All key events described in the Bible took place in the territory of Jordan. According to the sacred books, this is where Sodom and Gomorrah were located. These two cities were destroyed because of the sins committed by residents. This is also the place where Moses obtained the Tablets of the Law from God. That being said, this is just a short description, and you will find out all amazing and exciting details during one of the numerous excursions in Jordan.

The Jordan River has an important role in the country’s cultural heritage. As many important events in Christianity happened in this region, the river attracts numerous pilgrims. This is where John baptized Jesus Christ, so many modern travelers and pilgrims come to the River Jordan to participate in the baptizing ceremony. This place emits the atmosphere of holiness, sacredness, and purity. The ritual is not free, and visitors need to respect some traditions of baptizing. For example, besides faith, visitors need to purchase a special outfit for baptistery that has a white shirt as the main element. According to local traditions, it is prohibited to throw away or even wash the shirt. It should be passed to children.

Many travelers are worried before visiting Jordan. It is not clear why this stereotype has appeared because the Jordanians are very open-minded and hospitable people. However, a couple of short walks and excursions are enough for tourists to understand this. It is believed that the desert is the reason why people in the Middle East are so cheerful and friendly with tourists. It is prohibited to refuse to help a person who is alone in the desert – this is what local people think. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Local hospitality is expressed in invitations to visit home, and it doesn’t matter if the invited person is almost a stranger. Tourists can receive invitations to drink tea even in shops – it is absolutely normal! The Jordanians greet each other and make farewells with a handshake. They use only the right hand for all gestures because the left hand is considered impure. It is also virtually impossible to see a local person eating with the left hand. The country’s mentality approves of speaking the Arabian language only. Because of this peculiarity, it is always a good idea to take a phrase book and learn several phrases. Greetings, goodbye words, and expressions of gratitude in Arabian – these are enough to make the Jordanians pleased, and it doesn’t matter if tourists have a wrong pronunciation.

An attempt to speak to the wife of a Jordanian man or asking questions to her is offensive and insulting in the country. For female travelers, it is a good idea to prepare modest clothing for their travel to Jordan. Clothing must cover the whole body. It is better to leave mini dresses and shorts at home – such clothing is considered vulgar in Jordan. Consider covering hair with a scarf when going outside because all Jordanian women wear hijabs. Couples shouldn’t express their feelings in public places. Hugging and kissing are prohibited.

In order not to face potential problems and get into a conflict with local people, do not try to take pictures of a Jordanian person secretly. It is better to approach that person and ask to take a picture. If he rejects, apologize politely and do not insist. Travelers need to understand and respect local traditions regarding Jordanian women. If a Jordanian woman doesn’t show any reaction when a tourist is taking pictures of her, this doesn’t mean that her husband agrees with such a photo-shoot. Taking photographs of local women can be considered a crime, and the photographer will head to a police station for investigation.

Bargaining is widely adopted in Jordan. Women are luckier here because they can expect not only bigger discounts but also small gifts with purchase. That being said, the final price is usually the fair price of the chosen items. Tourists, who don’t plan to make any purchases, shouldn’t ask prices and other details. Otherwise, the seller will restlessly follow and ask to buy his goods.