-Before our trip, we had heard that the Jordanian people are kind and gracious. They indeed are, and more. Everywhere we went, our experience was enhanced by the friendly and helpful Jordanian people. Clearly, with tourism as a major industry in Jordan, they are smart to be welcoming. But we think it goes deeper. This is generally a calm and kind culture. Our guide Lauy provided so many insights to their lives; how they court and marry, how they live with multiple generations in one very large home, how they embrace and value education for their children, how they take care of their elderly relatives.

Juay mentioned several times how different Jordan is from its neighbors in the Middle East. Jordan does not have oil like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emeritus and others. It is a relatively poor country, in comparison to them. It is a peaceful and compromising nation, caught between often waring countries. They really just want to be left alone, to pursue their lives and show others their country.

We learned that they respect Christianity and all religions. As our guide said, “Christianity is born from Judaism. And Islam is born from Christianity,” and in the Quran, there are chapters dedicated to Moses, Mary, Abraham and Jesus. He spoke critically of radical Islam and how distorted it is.

We learned that they do not leave their parents’ home until married. There is a 5.6% divorce rate. And most women achieve a college education. They have taken in many Syrian refugees, integrating them into their agriculture industry. There is no homelessness, though there *is* a problem with litter, which is everywhere and is a distraction.

Jordanian people are hard-working. Every young woman and man that we met along the way were hustling. Restaurants were very efficient. We chatted up a few during our stays and they all are very appreciative of their positions. Most people speak English. 

We NEVER were concerned for our safety while in Jordan. The airport experiences were very organized. While we always traveled with a Jordanian security officer, there were never any incidents or concerns.

It is sad that their country, which relies so heavily on tourism, is suffering due to the conflicts in the middle east. Everywhere we went, there were empty shops, and nearly empty restaurants and hotels.

Jordan is open for business and we highly recommend!