Staying Safe and Getting Along
Please take a moment to explore the nearby city of Madaba virtually through the video below. Madaba serves as the home base for the Jordan Field School.
| Important Contacts in Jordan |
|---|
| Salome Hotel Aisha Um Mumeneen St. P.O. Box 397, Madaba, Jordan Tel: +962 5 3248606 Fax: +962 5 3248607 E-Mail: salomeh@orange.jo |
| The American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) P.O. Box 2470, Amman 11181, Jordan Phone: 962-6-534–6117 FAX: 962-6-534-4181 Email: acor@acorjordan.org https://acorjordan.org |
| United States Embassy: Amman, Jordan Phone: (+962-6) 590-6950 After-hours emergency phone: (+962-6) 590-6000. Email: Amman-ACS@state.gov https://jo.usembassy.gov |
| Maria Elena Ronza P.O. Box 252, Wadi Musa, Jordan Phone: 0096232155336 Cell: 00962795863312 Email: gigele@yahoo.it |
Respecting the Beliefs and Values of Our Jordanian Hosts
One of the Madaba Plains Project’s most valued assets in Jordan is the long-standing positive relationship which it has enjoyed with the people of Jordan, especially the people from the village of Hisban and Madaba.
Most of the people in Madaba and all of the workmen from Hisban are Muslim. This means, among other things, that they place a high value on the sanctity of the family, the purity of women, and avoidance of certain foods and beverages. These values are also shared by the largely Muslim population which lives around the villages. One should remember in this connection that, as with all world religions, there are various expressions of the Muslim faith around the globe-from extremely stringent observation of religious and social guidelines to a total lack of attention to them. Most of the people we work with in Jordan, while serious about their faith, are somewhere in the middle of the continuum; for example, alcoholic beverages are off limits for most of them (men and women), but not all of the women wear veils. In addition, the gracious hosts that they are, the people tend to be tolerant of foreigners, whom they hope will also be understanding of them.
As leaders of the Madaba Plains Project, we seek to do our utmost to affirm and respect the values of our gracious hosts in Hisban, Madaba and of the surrounding community. We therefore make every effort to conduct our own personal lives in ways which are in harmony with the sensibilities of these hospitable people. We also expect those who join our team as volunteers, students or staff to do likewise.
To this end, everyone who chooses to participate with MPP is expected to make an earnest effort—before coming to Jordan—to learn about Middle Eastern Muslim beliefs as they relate to these matters (you will find reading material on the subject on this website. In addition, all newcomers to the project are expected to take part in a cultural orientation session which will be conducted as part of our orientation program during the first few days of the dig by the director and other veteran staff. This session will further explain behaviors (appropriate and otherwise) in the local cultural context.
Additional Resources
Bureau of Consular Affairs: The mission of the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) is to protect the lives and interests of American citizens abroad and to strengthen the security of United States borders through the vigilant adjudication of visas and passports. CA contributes significantly to the USG goal of promoting international exchange and understanding. Our vision is to help American citizens engage the world. The Bureau issues the travel documents that allow Americans to travel the globe and lawful immigrants and visitors to travel to America and provides essential cycle of life services to American citizens overseas.
Travel.state.gov: Latest news on travel to Jordan
American Center of Oriental Research: Information about archaeology in Jordan
U.S. State Department’s Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management: Information about safety abroad
Vision of Humanity Foundation Global Terrorism Index: Information about the general safety of Jordan