Moving from one country to another always is accompagnied with mixed emotions. On the one hand we experienced many things in the country we are leaving and on the other we are looking forward to experience new things in the country we are moving to.

I moved to Jordan in 2003. Well, I was supposed to move to Baghdad, Iraq, but when the United Nations Headquarter was bombed just five weeks after my arrival my stay there was cut short and I moved – sort of by force – to Amman, Jordan (and covered my duties in Baghdad by commuting in and out every few weeks until 2011).

What did I like most in Amman, Jordan? It was definately the Azan – the Muslim call to prayers. It was wonderful to hear it very well from my residence(s). What better way to prepare for the Fajr Salat (early morning prayer) but by hearing the words “Assalato Khairoun Minanaoun”  (Prayer is better than sleep) from the near Mosque(s).

On the other hand one thing did depress me a bit, I must admit. A strange little thing in a way, I do not know why it bugged me / bothered me:  When going into a shop, whether in ‘upscale West Amman’ or in ‘Downtown Amman’ I used to loook how many items where ‘made in Jordan’ and what was that?  PRACTICALLY NOTHING. Downtown practically everything comes from China. The better quality may be from Turkey. There used to be on offer a few items from Syria, but the ‘democracy-bringing-coalition’ has brought an end to that. In the upper-scale shops we could find anything from Europe and America, the only item ‘made in Jordan’ was some offer of good olive oil. Ah, no, let me correct my self: Newly some ‘made in Jordan’ jam also came to the market: A factory owner among the Syrian refugees brought with him from Syria a factory for Jams.

With this my ‘tick-in-the-head’ about the ‘made here’ I paid attention in Indonesia and was pleased to note that in Indonesia, both in ‘lower scale’ and ‘upper scale’ shops there is quite a lot of ‘made in Indonesia’ items on offer. Whether among food stuffs or textiles it will be fairly easy to survive actually on ‘made in Indonesia’ items.

Another aspect: Well, countries that are relying on foreign aid can actually not be counted among as real independent countries. They cannot act in a way that angers those that come up with cash. In the case of Jordan that will be the United States of America, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. How does that affect the citizens and residents? As an example:

The ‘Mukabarat’ (Secret Police) has told the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to stop holding their Friday Prayers in their Mission House (which was previously permitted). As an explanation an officer of this Police Department frankly said that ‘We cannot afford to ignore the wishes of Saudi Arabia’.  (!!!!).  His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan actually would like to be ‘liberal’ and ‘open minded’, but as he has to beg for Foreign Aid he cannot ignore the opinion of those who give it.

Well, as far as the Government’s approach regarding relations with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is concerned both Jordan and Indonesia seem to follow a similar approach, listening to Riyadh more than to their own leaders.

Equally Jordan is not really thrilled to train the ‘Free Syrian Army’ in Jordan, but as the (money-giving) United States insists on it, what can they do.

It would be hoped that Indonesia, not having to rely on Foreign Aid, can be more independent. But countries cannot be too independent, as Saddam Hussain and Colonel Ghaddafi could testify (if they still could). Iraq and Libya and Syria did not rely on Foreign Aid and therefore thought that they did not need to ‘bow down and obey’. And look what happened to them.

Should I just enjoy the beach in Lombok instead and not think too much?

Well, at the moment I came to Zurich and enjoy the fresh water from the mountains, drinking it just from the tap, cold like iced …