Living in Jordan - My Journey From America
It has now been 13 years since I first arrived at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. A day that is as fresh in my mind, as if it was yesterday. Living and working in Jordan was my dream. I was an expat, but my heart was with this new land called Jordan. I had closed my real estate brokerage and I was preparing to start my new life with my husband who was anxiously awaiting my arrival.
I wanted to bring my cat with me, so I had done all the preparations and went to the Department of Agriculture in America and filled out all the paperwork. My cat, Tiger had all her shots and we were prepared to depart. I found an airline that would accept me traveling with her under my seat (Egypt Airlines) and I purchased a soft sided animal carrier from Sherpa. The animal carrier was quite expensive at the time, but 13 years later I |
still have that same animal carrier and have used it continuously. You can get one exactly like mine at Sherpapet.com. When I arrived at the airport with my cat in hand, I looked for the place to check her in. I finally found the area where animals are to be checked and I told the man, "I have a cat." He said to me, "No you do not have a cat." I said again, "I have a cat" and he said to me very sternly, "No you do not have a cat." I said, "You are right, I do not have a cat." He just smiled and I went to get my luggage.
Jordan does not quarantine animals and their only requirements are that the animal must have up-to-date shot records. The injections must be older than 30 days but, younger than 12 months. As you can see, they are not too worried about animals entering the country due to the strict requirements from the USDA when I departed America.
There is a bank at the airport where you can exchange your money to pay for your taxi and tips. After you place your luggage on a cart, you must go through the inspection area. If you have anything to declare when coming to Jordan, you must pay customs fees.
Visas for Jordan
When you arrive in Jordan you will need to apply for a visa. A single entry visa cost 20 JD ($28.17) and a multiple entry visa costs 65 JD (91.55). A multiple entry visa is good for people who are traveling to other countries on vacation, such as to Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. If you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you can renew your visa at any police station for three months, not to exceed six months.
If you stay longer than six months, you will need to pay a fee of 1.5 JD per day or 45 JD a month. People who stay in Jordan longer than 30 days will need to be tested for HIV.
You can apply for your visa through the Jordanian Embassy before departing your home country if you prefer, but remember your visa is good for 30 days only.
Transportation from the Airport
Transportation from the airport is usually done by taxi or by shuttle service. This can be arranged prior by your relative or friends arriving in Jordan. If you are coming here for the first time, then simply look for a taxi. The taxi is quite inexpensive compared to America and the UK. It cost me 10 JD to take a taxi from the airport to the bus center to go to my home in Amman. To take a bus from the bus center in Abdali to my home cost only fifty cents. This is why we went to the bus center to go the rest of the way home.
Most people ride the buses here as they are very inexpensive and gasoline for automobiles is very expensive.
Looking for a Place to Live
My husband hired a realtor to find us a home to live in. A realtor can be hired for a very minimal fee and he can show you where the best places to live are. My husband was able to find us a home in just a few days. It is traditional here to pay several months in advance, if you are brand new to the lease. Most landlords do not require a deposit of any kind.
When I first came to Jordan my husband was self-employed and worked the best he could. We could live on a very minimal amount of money. We eventually moved out of Amman to live by his father. Zarga was much cheaper and easier to afford. Our house cost 115 JD a month ($162) and our utilities cost around $40 a month. You do not need a lot of money to live here. The people are extremely helpful and they just love foreigners. Jordan is the most welcoming place I ever saw and the people will treat you better than you can imagine.
Working in Jordan
On January 24, 2002 my husband died of a massive stroke. I was not prepared to be alone in a country where I had no family or close friends. I had no savings of any kind and no where to call my own. The people of Jordan welcomed me in and supported me totally. The government of Jordan provided me with minimal amount of welfare each month also.
My husband had prepared my paperwork before he died for me to become a citizen here, a dual citizen I should say. After he died I went to Amman and processed the paperwork and became a citizen. It cost 400 JD to become a citizen at that time. I could now stay in Jordan and all my penalties of 1.5 JD daily were wiped off the books.
I had all the privileges of any Jordanian citizen and so I could now work for a living. I had no college or university degree other than my Broker's license, so my options were minimal. I decided to teach English at the local schools. You do not need a degree in this area to teach English. Many schools only want you to be a native speaker of English. I even wrote my own textbooks to teach with and I sold the books to the students.
Some schools will pay you a percentage of the money charged the students for the English course. The going rate is 50 to 60 percent. It is better to have a guaranteed weekly salary though. Some schools in Amman will pay up to $600 per month.
American Expats Working on the Internet
What worked for me the best was working on the internet. I applied for a job as a freelance writer with a large website and I was hired on the spot. I knew little about writing at the time, but I learned fast. I went to the internet to bankofamerica.com and opened a checking account using my sister's home address. They did everything over the internet and allowed me 30 days to deposit my initial deposit.
I then went to PayPal, a normal way to get paid over the internet, and applied for an account. As long as you have a stateside address, you will be approved. So I could now work from my home and get paid through PayPal. Once the funds were in my PayPal account, I could transfer the funds to my Bank of America bank account. I had my sister FedEx my ATM card to Jordan, so I could quickly withdraw my funds from any local bank.
Setting Up a Home Office
My last part of living and working in Jordan was setting up my home office. I contacted Orange Telecom at my local office here in Zarga and had them install a phone and internet service at my home. The installation charge was very minor. Within one week they came to my home and installed both the phone and the internet, which is set up on broadband. The phone costs around 7 JD each month and the ADSL (internet) cost me 11 JDs per month for the first year and 16 JD for the second year.
I have internet 24 hours a day for a very minimal cost and it is all tax deductible. Americans must pay income tax to the US government. During the years when I had no income, I did not have to pay income tax. Some states in America require you to pay state tax also, make sure to check with your state of residence.
I now could run a home business in Jordan, be independent and have a regular monthly income. I now work for many companies writing about what I knew best. I later on learned how to become a Twitter Manager and it proved to be my best source of income.
The next thing that I needed was a computer. I bought an entire computer for 150 JDs from Al Jabri Computers. Their phone number is 05-392-9739. Just ask for Abu Ali and tell them that you are here because of this American woman, Um Hurairah. Even if you live in Amman or another city, he can help you.
I never thought of leaving Jordan, as this was my husband's last wish. He felt that being in Jordan was best for me. I am a Muslim and I can freely practice my religion here. I am surrounded by Muslims and I can work freely as I please. Jordan is a wonderful country and a place where expats and foreigners are welcome.
Related Information Links:
Jordan does not quarantine animals and their only requirements are that the animal must have up-to-date shot records. The injections must be older than 30 days but, younger than 12 months. As you can see, they are not too worried about animals entering the country due to the strict requirements from the USDA when I departed America.
There is a bank at the airport where you can exchange your money to pay for your taxi and tips. After you place your luggage on a cart, you must go through the inspection area. If you have anything to declare when coming to Jordan, you must pay customs fees.
Visas for Jordan
When you arrive in Jordan you will need to apply for a visa. A single entry visa cost 20 JD ($28.17) and a multiple entry visa costs 65 JD (91.55). A multiple entry visa is good for people who are traveling to other countries on vacation, such as to Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. If you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you can renew your visa at any police station for three months, not to exceed six months.
If you stay longer than six months, you will need to pay a fee of 1.5 JD per day or 45 JD a month. People who stay in Jordan longer than 30 days will need to be tested for HIV.
You can apply for your visa through the Jordanian Embassy before departing your home country if you prefer, but remember your visa is good for 30 days only.
Transportation from the Airport
Transportation from the airport is usually done by taxi or by shuttle service. This can be arranged prior by your relative or friends arriving in Jordan. If you are coming here for the first time, then simply look for a taxi. The taxi is quite inexpensive compared to America and the UK. It cost me 10 JD to take a taxi from the airport to the bus center to go to my home in Amman. To take a bus from the bus center in Abdali to my home cost only fifty cents. This is why we went to the bus center to go the rest of the way home.
Most people ride the buses here as they are very inexpensive and gasoline for automobiles is very expensive.
Looking for a Place to Live
My husband hired a realtor to find us a home to live in. A realtor can be hired for a very minimal fee and he can show you where the best places to live are. My husband was able to find us a home in just a few days. It is traditional here to pay several months in advance, if you are brand new to the lease. Most landlords do not require a deposit of any kind.
When I first came to Jordan my husband was self-employed and worked the best he could. We could live on a very minimal amount of money. We eventually moved out of Amman to live by his father. Zarga was much cheaper and easier to afford. Our house cost 115 JD a month ($162) and our utilities cost around $40 a month. You do not need a lot of money to live here. The people are extremely helpful and they just love foreigners. Jordan is the most welcoming place I ever saw and the people will treat you better than you can imagine.
Working in Jordan
On January 24, 2002 my husband died of a massive stroke. I was not prepared to be alone in a country where I had no family or close friends. I had no savings of any kind and no where to call my own. The people of Jordan welcomed me in and supported me totally. The government of Jordan provided me with minimal amount of welfare each month also.
My husband had prepared my paperwork before he died for me to become a citizen here, a dual citizen I should say. After he died I went to Amman and processed the paperwork and became a citizen. It cost 400 JD to become a citizen at that time. I could now stay in Jordan and all my penalties of 1.5 JD daily were wiped off the books.
I had all the privileges of any Jordanian citizen and so I could now work for a living. I had no college or university degree other than my Broker's license, so my options were minimal. I decided to teach English at the local schools. You do not need a degree in this area to teach English. Many schools only want you to be a native speaker of English. I even wrote my own textbooks to teach with and I sold the books to the students.
Some schools will pay you a percentage of the money charged the students for the English course. The going rate is 50 to 60 percent. It is better to have a guaranteed weekly salary though. Some schools in Amman will pay up to $600 per month.
American Expats Working on the Internet
What worked for me the best was working on the internet. I applied for a job as a freelance writer with a large website and I was hired on the spot. I knew little about writing at the time, but I learned fast. I went to the internet to bankofamerica.com and opened a checking account using my sister's home address. They did everything over the internet and allowed me 30 days to deposit my initial deposit.
I then went to PayPal, a normal way to get paid over the internet, and applied for an account. As long as you have a stateside address, you will be approved. So I could now work from my home and get paid through PayPal. Once the funds were in my PayPal account, I could transfer the funds to my Bank of America bank account. I had my sister FedEx my ATM card to Jordan, so I could quickly withdraw my funds from any local bank.
Setting Up a Home Office
My last part of living and working in Jordan was setting up my home office. I contacted Orange Telecom at my local office here in Zarga and had them install a phone and internet service at my home. The installation charge was very minor. Within one week they came to my home and installed both the phone and the internet, which is set up on broadband. The phone costs around 7 JD each month and the ADSL (internet) cost me 11 JDs per month for the first year and 16 JD for the second year.
I have internet 24 hours a day for a very minimal cost and it is all tax deductible. Americans must pay income tax to the US government. During the years when I had no income, I did not have to pay income tax. Some states in America require you to pay state tax also, make sure to check with your state of residence.
I now could run a home business in Jordan, be independent and have a regular monthly income. I now work for many companies writing about what I knew best. I later on learned how to become a Twitter Manager and it proved to be my best source of income.
The next thing that I needed was a computer. I bought an entire computer for 150 JDs from Al Jabri Computers. Their phone number is 05-392-9739. Just ask for Abu Ali and tell them that you are here because of this American woman, Um Hurairah. Even if you live in Amman or another city, he can help you.
I never thought of leaving Jordan, as this was my husband's last wish. He felt that being in Jordan was best for me. I am a Muslim and I can freely practice my religion here. I am surrounded by Muslims and I can work freely as I please. Jordan is a wonderful country and a place where expats and foreigners are welcome.
Related Information Links:
- Jordan Customs Department - www.customs.gov.jo
- Jordan Hotel Association - http://johotels.org/
- Jordan Restaurant Association - www.jordanrestaurant.com
- Jordan Telecom - www.jordantelecom.jo
- Jordan Times - www.jordantimes.com
- National Information System - www.nic.gov.jo
- National Health Network - www.e-health.gov.jo
- Queen Alia International Airport - Visit their site
- Royal Jordanian - www.rj.com