#1 2008-11-20 09:08:06
- expat blog
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- From: small earth
- Registered: 2008-06-01
- Posts: 5411
How to make friends in Jordan
We have been talking about loneliness when you are abroad, let's now talk about how to make friends (locals and other expats) when you're living in Jordan 
Which are your best tips to meet people and to make friends in Jordan??
Thanks in advance for your participation
The expat blog team
Share your expat experience!
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#2 2009-02-04 14:55:16
- ninjabike
- Member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-02-04
- Posts: 22
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
I am Australian but I was born in Jordan,I lived,studied and worked in Australia for 16 years but had to come back to Jordan.
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#3 2009-03-12 11:38:36
- Highway
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-03-12
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
I am from Scotland and arrive in Jordan in April. I was there for 3 days last week and feel the first few months will be real tough.
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#4 2009-03-31 13:12:32
- Brit in Jordan
- Member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-03-31
- Posts: 24
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hi Highway
It is tough to make new friends - especially for women in Amman. Suggest you join the Brit Club in Abdoun which shows regular sport on TV - has curry nights and Sunday lunches on a Saturday. I am seriously considering writing a blog to help introduce like-minded people to get together for a drink etc. At least women have the BLA (British Ladies Assn) coffee mornings etc. but for you blokes must be difficult. I do know another Scot here and I know he goes to the Brit Club for sporting events. Good luck !
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#5 2009-04-01 10:56:39
- Highway
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-03-12
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Thanks for your response. Day of arrival only 10 day now. For sure I will head to the Brit Club now I know it is there and am a fan of sport.
Hope you are well
Highway
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#6 2009-05-16 11:39:45
- prosenberg1944
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-05-16
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Saw the post on the Brit Club in Abdoun. Do they allow Yanks in? I arrived from Washington, DC in mid April. Found an apartment in Shmeisani. Now trying to figure out where I can meet fellow ex-pats. Is there an American Club of some sort?
Thanks in advance.
Philip
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#7 2009-05-19 12:21:33
- Brit in Jordan
- Member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-03-31
- Posts: 24
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
I am sure there must be - try contacting the US Embassy - the Brit Club is in the grounds of the British Embassy - so is the Australian Club at Oz Embassy. I think membership to the Brit Club is for Brits and Commonwealth only but there is no harm in contacting them for Associate or Social Membership. They have a website britclubjo.com - best phone as Daniel who runs the Club is slow in replying to emails. I meet for coffee with some US ladies on Mondays so will ask further for you next week.
Best wishes
Jeanette
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#8 2009-05-20 08:55:04
- prosenberg1944
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-05-16
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Jeanette,
Thank you for your reply. I will contact the U.S. Embassy and the other leads you provided. If you learn of anything at your Monday coffee, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Philip
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#9 2009-06-19 01:11:14
- shobaki
- Contributor

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-06-19
- Posts: 152
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello every body
to make friend relationships in Jordan , with Jordanian ppl , I think its so easy !
Just be brave and say “hello or Salam“
U will surprised that wall between u and them is broken, It was not there
Jordanian ppl very friendly and hospitably …
Just try to be closer
Want to check??
Write me dr.Shobaki[at]gawab.com
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#10 2010-01-10 15:00:43
- Brit living in Jordan
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-12-14
- Posts: 4
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Jordanian ppl are very friendly and easy to make friends with. helpful and kind also
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#11 2010-05-23 11:10:57
- omaracc
- New member
- From: Irbid
- Registered: 2010-05-23
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello everybody
Guys u don’t need a special club to make friends or to meet new friends just break the ice that’s all
I think all Jordanian ppl are friendly, yes maybe you will find their behave strange a little but u will get to use it soon
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#12 2010-08-20 03:51:55
- Zoba In Jordan
- New member
- From: London
- Registered: 2010-08-20
- Posts: 9
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
HELLO!! who wants to be my friend.. lol i have no friends in Jordan as well ~~ im feeling lonely ;(( lol
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#13 2010-09-26 20:11:31
- Iyardanetz
- Active member

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2010-04-19
- Posts: 31
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
People around here usually make friends through school, university, family, or work, or other friends. Have none of those? It is highly unlikely you will make many friends. Unless you knock on your neighbors' doors, and ask for their friendship.
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#14 2010-10-09 16:26:48
- smadi
- New member
- From: amman
- Registered: 2010-10-09
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
i'm jordanian, i live in amman,
i'd love to make a few friends from australia,
i want to learn about it and it's people, and maybe improve my language a bit too,and you may learn a few arabic words that may come in handy.
if your interested, here's my email: ala_smadi86[at]yahoo.com
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#15 2010-10-09 21:33:05
- FeeAcer
- ViP

- From: Ras al Khaimah
- Registered: 2009-08-06
- Posts: 5793
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Welcome to expat blog, Smadi 
Have you already thought about "language exchange"? There is a Language exchange subsection in Amman's Classifieds where you could also try to post this message 
Hope this helps
Arlette
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#16 2010-10-10 15:44:47
- FouadsBaby
- Active member
- Registered: 2010-08-29
- Posts: 78
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
I just have to tell you a secret:
We foreigners in Amman have to learn the hard lesson of 1. Take your humility, trust and honesty and just lock them up in a safe box--and don't open it up until you get back to your country because in Jordan when you answer people's personal invading, sometimes very uncomfortable and direct questions ( normal local people --old ladies, young ladies- kids, men or elder men or anyone --your boss) You have basically these options:
a. Not answer and try to change the subject quickly, but be sure they will keep asking and trying to dig. People here do not hesitate to ask personal questions that we as westerners find down right out of line.
or
b. Answer with your honest self and risk being judged or given a disgusted look--sometimes you might even lose a job for being down right honest about yourself or your past.
or
c. Open your mobile and act like somebody's ringing you, and quickly just, diplomatically leave the situation altogether,and make it a point in lessoning your contact with the locals in general unless you can learn to really lie. And most of us aren't raised -where it's okay to lie.
Again...stick with you're own kind, and you'll be fine. Ofcourse you need to have a good income in Jordan in order to maintain your social life, or otherwise if your poor and stuck like me, buy yourself a cheap vodka and stay drunk and asleep because life here is just horrible and literally unbareable. That's why I'm leaving as soon as possible. It's not worth it here.
Last edited by FouadsBaby (2010-10-10 15:50:58)
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#17 2010-10-20 12:29:22
- Gourmandise
- Member
- From: Port au Prince
- Registered: 2010-03-24
- Posts: 24
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello guys
Related to the topic of making friends and meeting new people, we are organizing a get together tonight for people on this forum in AMMAN at 7.30at Blue Fig.
Reservations are under my name "fran". It would be a good opportunity to meet people from the forum
Please confirm whether you can make it ( you can PM me until 6ish today).
See you there and bring friends!
Cheers
Fran
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#18 2010-10-20 14:18:19
- ninjabike
- Member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-02-04
- Posts: 22
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Sorry can't make.Hopefully next time.Enjoy
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#19 2011-10-11 15:06:56
- yasmine1989
- New member
- Registered: 2011-10-08
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
i just came to jordan and i feel so lonely here without all my friends and i find it wired so does any1 can give me advices about the ppl here
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#20 2011-10-27 03:43:08
- Sir Edward
- New member

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2011-10-23
- Posts: 4
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Guys i know its late reply but what the hell is going on !!!! making friends is the same in any place else just respect the people and you will get the same in return, be open minded , and u have to know that u have to get used on any place cultures or views or thinking way i know it would be hard because the difference between cultures and languages but its not impossible.
FouadsBaby i read what you have wrote here in this topic and i really cant believe that i thought that you describing ghetto !! in any place , there is the good and the bad people !! here in Jordan or in any country am truly sorry if u have faced bad conditions here . and sure life here would be very horrible if u only drinking your cheap Vodka, sleep and stay home it would make any place horrible , give your self another chance don't give up , try hard, and get the needed courage .
by the end anyone who needs help in anything here in Jordan am so ready and it would b my pleasure ..
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#21 2011-11-17 09:58:55
- Moe007
- Member

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2011-10-26
- Posts: 23
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
its just hard to find them here I posted here about a month ago and didnot get any respond!!?
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#22 2011-11-17 11:15:22
- Harmonie
- ViP

- From: Mauritius/Ile Maurice
- Registered: 2011-06-13
- Posts: 19273
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello Moe007, maybe that you should introduce yourself! This will help.
Harmonie.
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#23 2011-11-17 13:44:31
- danik2010
- Active member

- From: Ploiesti
- Registered: 2010-09-02
- Posts: 89
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello everybody!! I live in Amman for almost a year now and I can tell you it was not difficult to make friends, Jordanians are very friendly. Also, I have a lot of foreign people as friends, we all get together as much as possible and spend a great time. I love being here and I hope to stay longer...
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#24 2012-08-25 13:13:49
- Ismailk
- Active member

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2012-08-09
- Posts: 45
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
organizedchaos wrote:
I like the note about dealing with Jordanian people, it is very interesting as I was in England for 5 years and faced a similar issues.
Diplomatic, non committal and faceless speeches is there normal way of speaking, occasionally they say "TO BE HONEST" because usually they are not honest, they talk always in the Gray aria, never yes or no, when they are drunk they starts to behave different, saying what in there brain !!!
Weather, Gossips, back biting and Evil Speaking is there only subjects, no one will tell you that your shirt is dirty but instead they tell everyone else! they would be setting together and when one leave the group they talking about him, and when second person leave they talk about him as well, never direct or straight always giving you hints and you have to read though the lines to understand them.
I found many people there are very materialistic, lonely, Live like robots with no emotions, neither family or personal, it is all depending on what they need from that person, you live or work with them for years but they stay strangers.
They are happy to get married and share children but when it comes to sharing a house you find them dealing with each others like they have never met, money is much more important than children or family. many of them die lonely and the social services employees discover them before there family or friends!!
On the other hand I found many honest people as well, and handled the different way of living, it wasn't easy at the beginning but we live and learn! And if you are leaving your place you should expect these differences, respect it and find a way of dealing about it!
All the best!
organizedchaos you are absolutely right in what you said here, you simply put all I have seen and felt in words!
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#25 2013-03-16 19:25:43
- nana962
- New member

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2013-03-16
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Hello ,i would like to make some friends in jordan , people from any country ,they live in Amman city.
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#26 2013-03-16 19:44:11
- habana
- New member
- From: Amman
- Registered: 2009-07-18
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
hello nana,
you are welcome!
regards
habana
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#27 2013-03-17 00:16:19
- desertwolf
- Member

- From: petra
- Registered: 2013-01-28
- Posts: 10
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
you most welcome in jordan if you like to have friend in jordan 'i'm bedouin guy live in bedouin village and in mountain of petra south of jordan i can host you by our bedouin way simple different than Amman you fell free to contact me : 0962 776 882 309
greeting nawwaf
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#28 2013-03-17 10:10:47
- Primadonna
- EB member +

- From: Amman
- Registered: 2012-08-04
- Posts: 812
Re: How to make friends in Jordan
Ahlan wa Sahlan Nana and Habana,
Welcome on board and I hope you will like it here.
This site can help you to meet new people and who knows, make some good friends too.
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