I went with a friend to watch Jordan vs. Oman tonight. His work colleague got us First Class tickets and, realizing we would never in a million years find the stadium on our own, picked us up at an intersection in Mafraq.
We got there just after the game started and were greeted by a stadium packed with people fully decked out in green, red, black and white. I think there were *maybe* four other women in the entire crowd. The crowd was awesome - chanting back and forth across the stadium, trading off chants about the awesomeness of Jordan (left side) for chants about the awesomeness of King 'Abdallah (right side). The Omanis, not to be left out, kept up an insane racket with a full drumming section and a blur of red and white clapping and fist-shaking.
After watching a lot of back and forth, we took a halftime prayer break. We took advantage of the break and paid a guy wandering around with tiny paint cans 1 JD (about $1.50) to get us appropriately decked out. I also discovered that Jordan has its own version of the reviled Vuvuzela. It sounds quite a lot like a dying cow...and provided endless amusement for the gang of small boys sitting next to us.
Then the Omani goalie switched to our side of the stadium. Very convenient for being able to watch Jordan SCOREEEE! for the win, about 15 minutes into the second half. The crowd went crazy (there was a lot of tearing off of shirts) and immediately starting chanting something along the lines of "God is good but give us another". There was so much stomping of feet, it raised an enormous dust cloud.
I was sternly warned against going to the game, as last year several female Americans were groped. I'm happy (although ever-so-slightly insulted) to report there were no incidents all evening. That, combined with Jordan's win, and a chance to see "real" Amman, aka where all the Ammanis actually live, made for one of the coolest experiences I've had since coming.
We got there just after the game started and were greeted by a stadium packed with people fully decked out in green, red, black and white. I think there were *maybe* four other women in the entire crowd. The crowd was awesome - chanting back and forth across the stadium, trading off chants about the awesomeness of Jordan (left side) for chants about the awesomeness of King 'Abdallah (right side). The Omanis, not to be left out, kept up an insane racket with a full drumming section and a blur of red and white clapping and fist-shaking.
Jordan
vs. Oman
working hard...
or hardly working?
After watching a lot of back and forth, we took a halftime prayer break. We took advantage of the break and paid a guy wandering around with tiny paint cans 1 JD (about $1.50) to get us appropriately decked out. I also discovered that Jordan has its own version of the reviled Vuvuzela. It sounds quite a lot like a dying cow...and provided endless amusement for the gang of small boys sitting next to us.
their prayers were answered!
his wife would be proud - he blended right in
seriously - dying cows...very loud dying cows
hazy with dust and joy
I was sternly warned against going to the game, as last year several female Americans were groped. I'm happy (although ever-so-slightly insulted) to report there were no incidents all evening. That, combined with Jordan's win, and a chance to see "real" Amman, aka where all the Ammanis actually live, made for one of the coolest experiences I've had since coming.
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