Something about Jordan

Waking up at 7:30 to renew a long-expired driving licence is the last thing anyone would want to do on a Saturday morning, but I was in Amman for a precious 48 hours so I drove to the Royal Automobile Club at the crack of dawn, which, everybody agrees, is the only time one can get anything done in Jordan.

To my pleasant surprise, I left the building exactly 25 minutes after I arrived, with my new driving licence in hand and a renewed love for everything Jordanian.

From the moment I walked into the building, everyone I interacted with responded with a smile and some form of humour.

Having walked in through the wrong entrance, I was directed to the correct office with wishes of “safe and pleasant journey” by the receptionist who had already given me a hot cup of coffee.

Once in the right place, the administrator filled out my application. 

I moved on to the photographer, a jolly man who offered me tea and biscuits whilst I waited my turn. Next was the optician for an eye test.  Having passed the test, I paid the renewal fee and proceeded to pick up my licence.

The policeman at the desk was congratulating a young student who had just passed her test.

He then looked at me and deduced that it was not my first time because I did not have “the family paparazzi with me”.

I told him I remembered the day I got my licence and that it felt like another life now.

“The next 10 years will fly by too and you’ll be here with your children getting their licences before you know it,” he said.

He handed me my brand-new, shiny licence.

As I walked to my car I thought about every employee who made me smile that morning.

Aside from the humour, the entire process was organised and easy. I doubt one could get any official document renewed at that speed anywhere else in the world, and I am almost certain one would not enjoy it as much as I did.

I am sure that many people would attribute my positive experience to luck. I can appreciate that; I was born and raised in Amman, and have always complained about how slow and frustrating public services can be.

I also acknowledge that we still have a long way to go to get things right, but having had such an enjoyable experience that morning, I want to applaud every employee I met for doing their job whole-heartedly and providing such high-quality service.

I am confident that any other person will receive the same service I did, on the one condition that they treat people with respect and with a smile that will most certainly be reciprocated.

Maral Sivzattian,
Amman