Traditional Foods of Jordan

While talking with a colleague about the evolution of belly dancing in Muslim cultures, she quickly asserted that Jordanians ARE NOT belly dancers ..... Jordanians ARE belly fillers.Wherever you go, food is abundant, zaki (delicious), and always shared. Jordanians love their lamb and mutton, and the Al Ramtha area where I live also is known for its tradition of eating camel meat. In the spring, people carry bushy bunches of green hummous and bags of green luz (almonds) and orange askadinia which they eat as snacks. Roadside stalls and markets of fruits, vegetables, spices and nuts abound. Although I have not found anything that I don't like, I am particularly fond of maashowi (skewered lamb) and lazagyat (extremenly thin bread dipped in olive oil, then sugared and rolled ... just like a French crepe) made outside over a wood burning fire. I have learned to make karkaday, kussa (stuffed squash) and dowali (stuffed grape leaves). Another favorite is the national dish of Jordan, mensaf! Its origins are Bedouin and it is made of boiled mutton over rice which is then covered with toasted almonds, parsley and a tart yogurt sauce. The hard, ball-shaped yogurt used for mensaf is dense like a brick. Developed by the desert dwellers, this form of yogurt lasts until it is rehydrated for mensaf. The mensef is served on communal platers and we all eat it with our right hands. By the way, I did eat the meat from the sheep's head too!!!

While visiting a colleague's home for the weekend, we enjoyed traditional breakfasts where it was pointed out to me that one came entirely from the garden (hummous, khubez, falafel, makdoos, s'laata, tabbouleh, bandura, zaytoon, abugines, jezer, fuul, shy marrameeya and shy nanna) and one came entirely from animals (lahmeh, asal, bayd, jibneh, labneh, zabazdi, zibdeh). Her aunt, who had just returned from an umrah shared with us water (zam zam) and dates from Mecca.

And then, there is always Arabic coffee which is ground with cardommon spices straight from the coffee bean roaster, and the gastronomically beautiful and zaki Arabic sweets like k'naffy, baglawa, hareeseh, mehallabiyyeh, and halwa which are certainly not on the Weight Watchers recommended foods to eat list. I have easily adapted to the Jordanian custom of "belly filling".

Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) Photo Gallery

Through these photos, you might sense of the beautiful that is Jordan University of Science and Technology. It is a landscape architect's showplace, and I get to live and work here.  Gardens, topiary, palm trees, evergreens, and flowerbeds punctuate courtyards and adorn buildings and walkways;  and  there are over 100,000 olive trees to appreciate.

Faculty and Senior Dental Hygiene Students at the JUST Dental Center

All clinical sessions are scheduled at the JUST Dental Center in downtown Irbid. The Dental Center is part of the University Health Center. Most universities' medical and dental programs have their clinical centers in urban areas in order to access a diverse population for student practice and experience. The location of the Dental Center is also a good, visible way of serving the needs of the community. For teaching the seniors, I work with several other faculty in two clinic sessions on Sundays here at the Dental Center. We also fit in a noon time lecture between clinic sessions for the junior dental hygiene students.

Our current goals with the seniors include the development of competencies in periodontal debridement using sharpened Gracey and universal curets and ultrasonic scaling instruments, infection control, and assessment and treatment planning to ensure comprehensive care. I am hoping to get a donation of periodontal explorers for student use; assessment of root topography with a No. 23 dental explorer is impossible! Documentation and record keeping is always a challenge too. Fortunately, the students have an excellent flow of clinical patients who are medically complex and have moderate to advanced levels of oral diseases so they make challenging teaching cases.

One faculty member that we work closely with is the enthusiastic, constantly smiling Dr. Hayder, a periodontist from Iraq. Jordan is now home for many Iraqis who have fled their homeland because of the war. On March 7, 2010, the Iraqi Presidency Council held a national parliamentary election for the 325 members to the Iraq's Council of Representatives. "Out of country" Iraqi's were able to vote in established locations in Jordan. Dr. Hayder proudly displays his inked finger proving that he voted. Dr. Hayder and I are team teaching the Periodontics II course. We have the coveted 8 AM lecture block on Wednesdays!

Another important person to know is Mohammad, the man in charge of the clinical dispensary. If we need supplies or instruments, we go to see him. Mohammad was educated as a dental hygienist at the Amman College and he practiced dental hygiene in Dubai before joining the faculty and staff at JUST. He too is extremley supportive, patient, generous, and wonderful to work with.

The days go by very quickly working with such great people!