Saba Imtiaz: Everyday is a winding road..

While my brain currently feels like its going to explode spewing PDF files, Excel sheets and other must-do priorities, it isn't made easier by all the chaos in my life and in my country.

Its 3 PM, and I'm still slightly disconcerted with how my morning went.

Rushed out of the house, lugging backpack to find a cab for meeting with our grant body.
I looked behind me, only to see a huge bunch of 'protestors' nonchalantly walking up the sloping street I live on. My first Jordanian rally/protest, yay!

Though, I'm still unsure if it really was a protest..because the bunch of people were carrying banners, huge flags of Jordan, had police/army escorts and a bunch of photographers clicking away. There were..no slogans. Even the random protests at the Karachi Press Club have more noise & spirit than what I witnessed. Truly disconcerting.

Anyway, find cab - and immediately after I get in:

Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "Where are you from?"
Me: "Pakistan"
Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "aah, not America?"
Me: "No, P-A-K-I-S-T-A-N"
Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "so you don't have an American passport"
Me: "No.."
Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "ah, do you like Americans?"
Me: "Err.." made noncommittal gesture. You never know how people are going to react to your answer.
Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "Yes, too many Americans in Pakistan.."

A number of the usual and not so usual questions followed..do women have to cover their head in Pakistan, how long have I been living in Jordan..and then:

Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "why not speak Arabic?"
Me: "I can read & write it! Plus I work with foreigners.."
Talkative taxi driver#2939247: "Americans?!"
Me: "No.."

This is not a conversation you want to have when going to a meeting with an agency funded by the Americans..I'm convinced he could've been from the Intelligence, but then, I'm also convinced I saw a ghost pass outside the window of my house a couple of days ago..

P.S: Watching The Crystal Maze on YouTube is a good way to cure stress issues! 'And you've only got two crystals../To the Medieval zone!' ..love YouTube :D

Labels: jordan journal, random musings