College graduate breaks ‘culture of shame’ in pursuit of a bigger dream

AMMAN — Through an at-the-door car wash service, Mohammad Arabiyat seeks to realise his dream of pursuing higher education, breaking the so-called "culture of shame".

The 23-year-old sociology graduate from the University of Jordan is driven by a dream to become a university professor in order to have the platform to influence students and contribute to the change he wishes to see in society, he told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

But since the resident of Salt city, some 35km northwest of Amman, cannot afford higher education fees, he decided to start a small business, especially that the only job he was able to get after graduation was at a shop, where he was paid JD150 monthly.

"My initial thought was to own an equipped van that I can use for car wash delivery services, but to get the needed funding I have to obtain a project license," he said, adding that he reduced the business model to a simpler one.

He decided to start off his journey by offering a car wash service for Salt residents six times a month for JD7 for each customer. 

"This career is dominated by Egyptian guest workers and it makes good money, so why cannot young Jordanians do it?" he asked in a phone interview, noting that it is generally unheard of for a citizen and a degree-holder to work in car washing.

"My father, who holds a master's degree, had to work at a café at a certain period of his life," he said, describing the move as one that seeks to break the social taboo that claims it is "improper" for degree holders to work in “inferior” jobs. 

Within only a week of kicking off the project, Arabiyat was able to attract 50 customers in several parts of the city that he serves from 8:00pm until 4:00am.

"It is exhausting to work at night in the cold outdoor, especially that I am new to car washing, but no pain, no gain," he said.

Asked about on the reaction of his community to his move, Arabiyat said many people showed disapproval at first, but once they saw him doing the job they started accepting what he is doing.

The problem, as he puts it, is that many people still look down upon providers of services like this, yet he receives support from his parents, five siblings and a network of relatives and friends.

"I still have a long road ahead and I am willing to develop my project so that it could generate a stable income," he said, noting that the equipped van would save him a lot of time and effort.