"What, I just came from Surry Hills! "
You can tell from the accent that this taxi driver is not born in Australia.
"Do you know where Holt Street is?"
He looks a bit worried, but I'll be alright...
"Holt Street... Hmmm.... No worries, I will use my navigator"
"So where are you from?"
"Jordan."
"Wow, Jordan, I have never met anybody from Jordan before!"
"So you have never been to Jordan, do you know where it is? "
Oh God, somewhere in north Africa? How can I not know where Jordan is? Embarrassing!
"I believe I do... Almost"
"It is in the middle east, next to Israel"
Ok. I knew that. Do they have an wars there? I know so little about the world...
"How is Jordan? Peaceful or do you have wars? " Exposing my lack of knowledge. Be kind to me...
"Jordan is very peaceful! All the surrounding countries are less peaceful, but Jordan good. We have a good king! 85 percent of the people like him."
Wow! That is more than most democracies.
"Do the king have any power? "
"Yes! It is not like in England, the king decides everything! I have not been in Jordan since King Abdullah the second started ruling but I went back to Jordan last year and my family says that he is good. Ok. This is it. Holt Street 55. "
"Oh thank you"
"You know, I picked those ladies up over there (pointing 100 meters away from where we are), the ladies I was dropping off when you were coming out of the office. I am so lucky getting a new customer immediately. Have a great day!"
