Jordanian bloggers document their lives

By Natasha Twal (http://natashatynes.com)

The first to arrive was Isam Byzaidi, one of the players in a revolutionary new movement. Pacing back and forth outside a popular Amman coffee house, he eagerly awaited the arrival of his compatriots. None had met face-to-face; rather their relationships had played out virtually. As his cohorts slowly trickled in, he recognized them immediately via photos sprinkled throughout their online journals, today referred to as blogs.

The meeting was a first for this group of `bloggers' and in planning for nearly a month. After getting acquainted, the discussion moved quickly towards ways of furthering their blogging missions. The group included some of the first in Jordan to surf the growing global blogging wave, a medium currently challenging the work of traditional media.

Short for web logs, blogs are online diaries created by ordinary individuals to discuss topics ranging from the latest Hollywood gossip to controversial issues like elections and occupation. Those at this meeting agreed that many in the kingdom were unaware of the medium's growth and power.

"Many do not recognize that they actually have the right to express themselves," Ammar Ibrahim (http://gnuix.com/ammar), 22, told the gathering. "The problem is that the concept of speaking out is just not injected into today's youngsters and never taught to kids in school."

Roba Assi ( http://andfaraway.blogspot.com), 20, chimed in with a different take. "Blogging can never blossom with the status of the internet [here]," she complained. "Many don't even have access to computers."

A revolutionary media

Since the words "web" and "log" were first combined in 1999, blogs have mushroomed to over four million sites, dissecting life as we know it and the medium is at the forefront of a new "citizen journalist" movement. But in Jordan, blogging remains in its infant stages.

"What is great about blogging is that it takes us back to the original spirit of the net, which is the notion that an individual has the same publishing reach of big media and corporations," explained Jordanian media pundit and CEO of SYNTAX digital Ahmad Humeid ( http://www.360east.com ).

From discussing whether Starbucks' presence in the Kingdom is a blessing or a curse to the controversy over a local lawyer's responsibility for the bombing in Iraq's al-Hilla district, Jordanian bloggers offer opinionated and informed views of life in the Kingdom, prompting healthy debate.

"[Starbucks] should close, as should McDonalds, Burger King and all those places that represent the essence of capitalism," wrote blogger Zaid Amireh (http://tumbak.preempted.net) on his journal, expressing dissatisfaction at the arrival of the coffee house in the Kingdom. "I used to go to Starbucks when I went to UAE but I later realized how wrong I was."

For Amireh, blogging is a way to educate the world on the Middle East. "I began blogging to show my point of view to all my friends who live outside of the Arab world, mostly in the EU and the US," he told The Jordan Times. "I want them to know we think about current world issues."

Meanwhile, Nader Shnoudi ( http://nadershnoudi.blogspot.com ) used his blog to highlight a major blunder by the Queen Alia Airport IT department. Posting a picture of the airport's arrival and departure screen taken by mobile phone camera, he showed an error message indicating the airport's use of trial anti-virus software.

"Bypassing the fact that Windows is the [operating system], in this case, how can they use a trial version? If you know some basics about computers and software, you would know that this is an unforgivable action," Nader wrote.

Jordanian journals are also visual, some falling into the category known as "photoblogs." Assi, a fine arts student, regularly photoblogs designs that strike her fancy or uploads images of her trips around the kingdom.

"What can I say ... Wow! I love it. I love it. I love it! Why the heck do we go to Syria and Egypt when we have this perfect heaven [downtown] 10 minutes away from modern Amman," she wrote alongside her snapshots of El-Balad.

For Assi, blogging provides an ideal outlet for self-expression. "I started blogging because I needed an outlet for my many thoughts and a place to sort of `save' whatever inspires, motivates or impresses me," Assi explained. That experience continues to be rewarding. "Not only did I get to meet many new people I would have never have met otherwise, I also think I broadened my horizons and knowledge by reading other blogs."

Jordan Planet

The coffeehouse gathering was in part facilitated by the introduction of a website that took Jordanian blogging a step further. The website (http://www.jordanplanet.net ) aggregates into a single website the scribbles of 16 Jordanian bloggers scattered around the world, serving as a virtual window on Jordan.

Byzaidi, 26, is the man behind the planet. "I noticed that there were some quality blogs for writers from Jordan. I felt there should be a way to bring those bloggers and blogs together," Byzaidi told The Jordan Times.

He found software development teams using something they dubbed a "Planet" to bring assorted entries to a single source. "I used that software to make a portal for Jordan bloggers ... It took me some time but as soon as I had the initial group, the number started to grow and more writers joined in." Byzaidi has big plans for the site, with an Arabic version in the works.

The expatriate blogger

Although not present that day in person, others were there in spirit, as Jordan's bloggers are not kingdom-bound. Iyas Massanat (http://jameed.blogspot.com), or "Jameed", is one. Having lived in the US for four years, Jameed yearns for home. In one entry, he details his passion for a sandwich sold in front of the University of Jordan (UJ).

"It was 1994 when I was first introduced to 'The Rocket,' a Siveen specialty.

Siveen was (is?) one of three fast-food vans parked outside UJ's main gate ... A `Sarookh' sandwich has been on my mind all afternoon. The unusual craving may be a sign for me to take a break out of this hell-hole and go back home for a visit," he blogged.

For Massanat, the blog quenches a thirst for home. "Blogging has been rewarding, as I get acquainted with fellow Jordanian bloggers and discuss matters of common interest," he told The Jordan Times. "In a sense it provides a feeling of closeness to home."

Ameen Malhas ( http://www.ameenmalhas.com/blog ) is another US-based expatriate blogger. Using the blog primarily to "feel published," Malhas also sees it as a place to raise awareness about issues. "Being an expatriate adds a bit of excitement about developments in Jordan and gives an `outsider looking in' perspective to my views, so I tend to write emphatically about the most mundane developments," he said.

Media pundit Humeid sees the blogging activity of expatriates as a positive development. "Interconnected blogs have the potential to be a bridge, connecting Jordanians across the world," he explained.

Creating a blog

Becoming part of the revolution is as easy as creating a web-based e-mail account. A number of Jordanians created blogs using use the free, Google-powered service "Blogger". Others have invested in paid, more advanced services like TypePad, either of which requires little in the way of technical know-how to get started.

Upkeep is the real challenge, with Malhas citing writer's block as a hurdle. "Sometimes I find myself at a loss for words. I have ideas but the pressure of presenting these ideas in an astute manner that will engage the casual reader is hard," he explained.

At the meeting's close, the bloggers were optimistic but recognized there was much to be done as citizen journalists to facilitate development in their own backyard. "Let me cite Persian bloggers as one example," Byzaidi said those gathered. "They made a huge difference in their community using this medium. We can do it [too]."

This article was published in the Friday-Saturday, March 18-19, 2005 edition of the Jordan Times. It is used here with permission.