a jordanian driver to remember
Windows down, music blaring, the Dead Sea on our right, and canyon mountains on our left. My sister and I are dancing in the back seat rocking from side to side, hands raised and clapping. Zaid has one hand on the wheel and the other mid-air snapping and dancing while singing along. The three of us are smiling ear to ear. There are certain moments permanently etched into memory, and this moment of bliss will always be one.
The people-in-passing we interact with, sometimes have the power to change the way we experience a new place. A bellman in a hotel lobby, the server at a restaurant, or even a street vendor…these secondary characters are everywhere. An Uber driver usually slips into the background, a wallflower behind the wheel that takes you from point A to point B. However, Zaid, the Uber driver we were assigned for the 3 hour journey from the Dead Sea to Petra, introduced us to a side of Jordanian hospitality unparalleled to any other. As two young women with mixed feelings about traveling to the Middle East on our own, these dark assumptions quickly evaporated because of Zaid. Our Uber ride with him, was a reminder of how easily a stranger can turn into a friend, no matter how different the world told us we were.
With a limitless sky and a dusty horizon ahead, it wasn’t long before Zaid, took the lead and started off with small talk-- “Where are you from? What do you plan to see in Jordan? How do you like my country so far?”. They were harmless questions from a talkative driver, but soon after came the question that made a standard car transfer, one of our most cherished travel memories to date-- “You like Jordanian music?”.
For the rest of the journey, Zaid played mainstream radio songs, Jordanian classics, and other hits from different parts of the Middle East. While the blurry landscape outside was desolate and silent, the inside of the car was loud, upbeat, joyful, and bursting with energy. We were suddenly overwhelmed by the Middle Eastern version of bagpipes, tambourines, guitars, drums, wind pipes, fiery vocals, and loud rhythmic clapping.
With a dozen Arabic songs under our belt and a new level of friendship unlocked, my sister and I requested to play one of the most popular reggeton songs at the time. Within moments, “Baila, Baila, Baila” by Ozuna was playing, and Zaid was euphoric and surrendered to the the latin beat and Spanish lyrics. Despite not understanding a word, he la-la-la’d the whole song through, his arm fully raised and dancing while driving. The ultimate ephemeral exchange.
The Jordanian hospitality didn’t stop with the curated playlist and song requests. Zaid took the longer route and made sure we saw all his country had to offer. He stopped at different lookout points for sweeping views of the Dead Sea and the mountains, including a massive boulder shaped like an elephant. Halfway through the trip, he pulled into a gas station and when he returned to the car, he brought us both fresh coffee and snacks.
Maybe it was the power of music? A charade in exchange for a generous tip? Or a chance encounter between friendly personalities?
Deep down, I truly believe it was because Zaid was open enough to unapologetically share his culture with us, and we were curious enough to engage with it. The inside of that car bore witness to a beautiful connection between strangers from different cultures, and a memory that eclipses any kind of souvenir.
Not every stranger will give the same experience, but we all carry half of the potential to create it. Someone in passing can open doors and work wonders, but it’s important to remember that we can also be the person in passing who opens the door first and work wonders. And when we leave the door open to connect with strangers, one of three things can happen:
They’ll make your day better
You’ll make their day better
or both
A warm thank you to the people in passing, like Zaid, whose fleeting acquaintance, make life that much sweeter, and the world a much kinder place to be in.
