The Shababs Jordania! (Jordanian Youth)

Introduction:

The life of children in Jordan is in many ways like children in America, but in other ways different. They live in houses or apartments either in the city or in villages and they go to elementary, middle and high school. Many go to college after graduation, and the Islamic religion is a big part of life in the community and at school. The favorite sport of Jordanian youth is soccer, and they consume a mixture of Arabic and American music and media.

What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?:

Coffee and halowats (sweets) for breakfast, falafels for lunch, and shawarmas for dinner.

What is your house like?:

My bayt (house) is an older but comfortable home in central Amman. It is one-story and has a hadiqa or yard.

What chores do you have at home?:

I help my mother—in Arabic, the word for housewife is ruub al-bayt which translates to "Lord of the House."

What jobs do your parents have?:

My father is an engineer, called a muhandis—the word where Hindi activist Mohandas Gandhi's name originates from.

What time does school start, and what time do you go home?:

School starts at eight o'clock in the morning.

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