Hope You Have Good Directions

We have some great friends in town who are also Americans. We met them years ago when we were all at the same school to learn Arabic. They are funny people. In fact, they are the same people I wrote about regarding the Mango Tree. They recently took their family on a road trip and were inspired to write a post for Apricots Today...so without further adieu, I present to you my funny friend from the East Coast:

So the season of Parliament campaigns - the fireworks, vinyl banners, tribal clashes, and massive images of candidates - is over. Still, the aftermath can be seen. For some reason, every few years when the elections take place, over zealous tribes in the south of the county (in a sincere effort to promote a family member toward victory and power) plaster street signs with face shot stickers of the candidates. Now one might think, a sticker here or there, no big deal. I myself, having grown up in the amazing state of New Jersey developed an early appreciation of graffiti and bill posts as I walked the streets of Manhattan and Queens. In those formative years, apparently I began believing a lie: What was once thought in my mind to be an innate understanding that the acceptable protocol for the posting of bills was on the sides of, on the backs of, or in close proximity too signs or walls carrying vital information to the average citizen was obvious...has been dis-proven. It is not innate - in any sense.
 

On a recent family outing to the tourist haven known as Wadi Rum - this was again an issue. A veteran of the road to Rum, I was not phased - but with great compassion I felt the pain of the average tourist in their rental car attempting to navigate to their destination. Sign after sign was covered with the faces of the area’s parliament candidates. Signs like: Wadi Rum This Way, Dangerous Curve Ahead, Speed Bump in 100m, Railroad Tracks Ahead, and of course - STOP. They were all covered up by such propaganda. 

On a happier note - the Southern Port City that I continue to somehow manage to declare as my home - known for its gruff, tough residents with their deep thick Arabic and stone faces proudly had a solid dozen candidates post self images in many forms throughout our city for the election. Two men were eventually elected - and with great surprise - the two victors had one thing in common - they were the only two wearing smiles in their glamor shots.


Good times.

What does that teach us?
Smile.
Even if you don't know where your going.
You may get a lot of people to follow you!