Music

I really should go to bed now. It's 1:30 AM Jordanian time and I have to get up in 4 hours to catch a ride with four other people so we can get to the Dead Sea tomorrow morning. I am thrilled we are leaving so early. It's amazing how many people are still chatting and smoking sheesha in this cafe. One of the most useful things I've found here in Jordan has been some knowledge of Arabic music. Knowing some basic words to songs, popular Arab singers, and where Arab singers are from has proved to be an amazing conversation topic in class and with people around Irbid.
Before coming to Irbid, I had grown to love a few Iraqi singers who are relatively popular here in Jordan; Kazem al Saher (who's sung songs with Lenny Kravitz and Sarah Brightman) and Ilham al Madfai. My mom knows these singers too since I tend to play them a lot in the car and drive her nuts. Here in Jordan Kazem is very popular since he puts to music the poems of the famous Syrian poet Nazar Qabani. Sitting in the cafe, I've just heard the songs of Fairuz who is a legendary Lebanese singer. I know the words to a couple popular Arab folk tunes which has been entertaining when I talk with Arabs since to us Americans it would be like having a foreigner go up to you and recite the words to "Uptown Girl".
There's this music store I've gone to a couple of times. Like most Jordanians here they are very friendly. Everytime I pass the store one of the men who works there sings some song in English: "We welcome you... we welcome you... we welcome you to Jordan... Welcome... welcome". This guy has a daughter and son who I gave a stuffed Micky Mouse to. Really traditional Arabic music from the 1960s and 1970s is very good chill music, that's probably why it's often played in the cafes while men smoke sheesha and relax.
I'll bring back some Arabic music since it's pretty cheap... a CD costs about 3 U.S. dollars.