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Thursday, December 07, 2006


People I admire I

This morning I walk out of our apartment laughing for a comment my mom made. I see him in my face surprised from they way I walked out my bag in my hand a plastic bag with fruits and laughing loudly.

The point is this man is our door man or as we call him (7aris), so since I saw him this morning I said I must tell people why I admire our door man.

He is Egyptian, wakes up very early to wash the stairs, take the garbage out from all the apartments, wash the cars, he does this on intervals but still he has to do this every single day, one day for the stairs and garbage, the next day wash the cars and so on. Mind you he does not have all day to do that, he works as a garbage man with the municipality as a day job, and he works at a small shop (dukaneh) after hours.

I find it marvelous that he can keep all this up, at the same time he has a BA in Arabic language. We have never complained that he neglected any part of his job in our building, and since he kept both of his other jobs I'm assuming he is doing them well.

So a man away from home, living in a small room, having to juggle three jobs, which means he has to wake up at dawn every day and work all day. and still he has a smile on his face and he is always calm and quite, and he never crosses the line with the tenants.

The sad part is that I wish this was taken on by a young Jordanian man, the three jobs, this way he could afford to have a family and not to wait on his father to give him pocket money, just because he is too proud to take such a job! This makes me so angry that our young men do not have work and sit at home waiting to get a desk job, while the Egyptian, Iraqi and Syrian workers all find well paid employments in Jordan.

Did you know that the tile worker ( balee6) gets paid 30 JOD a day or more depends on their skills ? which totals to JOD 780 for 26 working days !! and our youth Jump for joy if they get 250 a month as a start salary, and the lucky few make over 600 a month after years of experience and professional training.


( the photo is of labor workers gathered close to the 7th circle waiting for work)
All for now ….

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tamara, it's a shame that people with good qualifications has to be left without a job that forces them to go out of their country, but it's even a worse shame for someone to stay with no work till te state find him a job as you mentioned. Our mentality with jobs stink as we expect the job to come to us and we do not accept alternatives as the bottom line is to survive by working. This Egyptian man is a MAN who refused to accept alwaqi3 almafrood, and was determined to work and better himeself. El3aib ma howa eshughul ma dam ma feeh ma3siyeh lilah, el3aib kul el3aib elistislam lilwaqi3 wa3dam mu7awalit taghyeru.

Tamara said...

Abdulla

It is a shame I agree, and I wish someone will talk some sense into our youth ...grrr

Anonymous said...

I don't think you can generalize on Jordanian workers in that manner, I started work before I even graduated, and was juggling 2, 3 and 4 jobs at times going home every single night at 2 AM. And I'm not an exception. Many other folks are in the same shoes.
I agree that "Wlad el Balad" don't tend to like lower jobs, but many are extremely hardworking and talented and hopefully the results will be sensed by all as well

Tamara said...

Qwaider

I agree with you there are many exceptions to the rule, but that does not mean that the rule does not stand.

I know personally several examples like your self, but that does not mean that they are the norm among young people. if the general situation was like you said we would not be where we are now.

Abdulla

Please refer from attacking the person of the people on my blog ! you are more than welcome to argue any thought or idea or belief a person may have but their person is stepping the boundaries.

I respect you and your ideas and you will always be welcome on my blog. but I will have to delete your comment.

Please don't take it personally.

Anonymous said...

hey ..

well , each time i saw the worker ppl i believe more and more that : Allah give each one a skill in filed , so kol wa7ed ma5lo2 la san3ah , and there's a lot of things make balance in life ..

well I was in Market when am 16 , I try to work different kind of job one of them in blacksmith filed , but didn’t work with me …
the Egyptian ppl have a skill help them in the tough work not like middle eastern ppl , the environment make there body tough and hard so it's help , and more than that they are the Pharaoh genealogy , so it's like Building and tough work in there blood ..

not about Hejra or what ever , Allah told us to go through lands to find our Rezeq , so where ever u be in your country or out , this is Rezaq form Allah , and about the incoming it's Totally right and just to know that most the Egyptian that they work in just carry (3taleh ) they take at least 25JD per day , and it's known something that who work in his HAND get more than any one else ..

so it's not about shame or not , it's about skill and gift …

: ) nice topic

Anonymous said...

Shakli Ra7 ashta3'el masry, a7sanly!!

Tamara said...

Mqabbani

I do agree that a person should have the required skills and some are stronger than others, but this is no excuse for locals not work in certain jobs and stay at home.

Hourani

Welcome to my corner, and why not if you can handle the physical work : ) its not easy being a construction worker, but they earn well.

Anonymous said...

Please, accept my apology as I was furious of double standard. But you have commented the way I would have to the issue and that is enough for me. Have a good day!

Tamara said...

Abdulla

You need to relax a little bit, and assume the best in people : )

You too have a good day...

Anonymous said...

And all we do is whine about our jobs ... while most of us work in the best conditions , all luxury additives available .. we get to be late at work a couple of times .. and we whine .. while those workers can work up to two shifts and more , driven by the well of surviving .. and I admit , I whine about the hard work sometimes , but it is nothing compared to the hard conditions they have to work in or even live in ..

You reminded me of another story I read on a blog once , talking about how people abuse the Egyption workers in our beloved country .. :) though its not the right spot to share ..

I'd like to add .. Allah y7'aleelkom el7aris taba3kom :) ya Tamara

Tamara said...

Danah

That is true we complain too much about our work...good addition I was looking to why young men with no job work as labor workers, did not look at it that we are lucky to have comfortable jobs. Al7amd Lilah

Anonymous said...

And why not by young Jordanian WOMEN !!!!

Lets be real here Tamara, things are not that simple,

first of all, there are Jordanians who do such Jobs, and I know some.
And the Egyptian u talk about, once he exchange his money to Egyptian currency he can live better than minister in his country, while it will do nothing for the Jordanian here, it will not even pay his rent.

Tamara will you accept to marry garbage man? I doubt

Tamara said...

Jordanian

I find this a problem with men more than women for social reasons, simply women who don't have the drive or dire need to work can sit at home married or not.

It is a problem with women but less than men, there are women who work in cleaning houses or making goods at home and selling them, some work at hair dressers and so on, but they are less noticeable to the full community unless you are a woman and you see them or use their services.

As for Egyptians I know that the mechanic I take my car to has three buildings in Egypt and he helped in the marriage of his sisters and brothers, but still a construction worker ( see calculation on post) can afford to pay rent and much more.

Would I marry I garbage man ? hmmm that's another post all together. maybe not a garbage man since he has no education or skill. but a skilled worker is very possible, and yes I'm in my full senses and yes I have a high education