Money-Money-Money...?

"The only thing money gives you is the freedom of not worrying about money." —Johnny Carson

Yeah, right now everyone's worrying about money.

People would say that sponsored students won't have any problems regarding their financial spendings. The scholarships provided are more than enough for them to live. Yeah, we all think the same.

Most of us didn't bother to bring our own money here because we thought the same. We thought that once we get here we could change our bank draft into cash or bank-in into our account savings as quickly as possible. Bank draft is a type of check where the payment is guaranteed to be available by issuing bank. Typically, banks will review the bank draft requester's account to see if sufficient funds are available for the check to clear.

Well, mara scholars may be different from other scholars. I think this year they start to change everything. I don't know if this only happens to us (Jordan-bound students) or also to the other countries. During the pre-departure briefing on last 7th September (a day before our flight to Jordan), we've been given a bank draft with written amount about 7,000+ USD. Only a sole bank draft without any cash money. As I recalled we were informed that the bank-in process would take about 2 weeks. We've been advised to open a bank account as quickly as possible and to inform Mara our account numbers within 1 or 2 months  (I am not quite remember, but it's around that period).

Bank draft given by Mara

Upon our arrival here, money become a big issue. The bank draft given to us neither can be cashed nor can be banked in. This is due to procedure set up by the government here, that we need to have permanent iqamah (like an ID issued by this country) to open an account. To make an iqamah it takes (if I've not mistaken) about 45 days (1 and a half month) to be processed. This does not include the age allowance to open an account, where an individual must be at least 18 years old. Of course, not all of us have celebrated their 18th birthday!  Our sakan rental, carpets, home appliances, foods, etc, all require money. Most of us only bring some cashes for backup money but only cover for several weeks or a month excluding purchases of home appliances and furnitures.

Our seniors under PERMAI SPB (Sambutan Pelajar Baru) are working tirelessly to solve our problems. Akh Abdul Mukmin who are in charge on our iqamah registration and bank accounts are always trying to gather all of us to discuss solutions and other options left.

Akh Mukmin. Credit to his FB :)

Say that we are out of money, these are the options left :

 - Ask our parents to deliver some money via Western Union.

Parents will go to bank which provide Western Union service. They will give their child name and place to the bank. The bank will give them a pin code that to be used to verify their child in retrieving the money. But this type of service may imposed high additional charges. According to seniors' experiences, the service charges 15% of the sum of money delivered.

- Use Maybank, CIMB or any bank cards that have been internationalized or have VISA signed on it.

Local bank here can accept these cards. Additional charges are 2 JOD (RM 2x4.3 = RM 8.6). But, I'm not quite sure with the charge. The rate may be fixed or varied, but still within reasonable charges. But this type of service is too risky. There were cases on previous years that the cards are jammed on the ATM machine, and never get out. Other case recorded that the cards get out, but the money were stucked in the machine resulting loss of money.

- Use HSBC or any banks that have their linked-branches in Malaysia

HSBC and most of these banks are located in Amman. About 70km from Irbid. The students need to go to Amman first. But only 500JOD maximum can be withdrawn from the ATM. 

- Use Money Changer

Money Changer may accept the bank draft. They will directly cash our bank draft. But the problem using this service is the money changer may find the bank draft unacceptable by the bank. There were cases previously, where the bank drafts gave by students were not accepted, due to some problems lies within the bank draft. The money changer will call us and give short period of time for us to pay them back the cash they've given.

All have pros and cons. Right now, we're trying to save our spendings and use the backup cash money we've brought from home as this is the safest option. SPB are trying to process our Iqamah as fast as possible.  The important thing right now  is we're helping each other. We're now arranging systematic organization for our sakan. All of us will have their own roles in helping one another.  Till now, we have organized makan jama'ie, where we all gather in one place and have meals together. Next, we will have puasa 6 and iftar jama'ie . Insya allah, may Allah bless HIS barakah onto us and strengthen our ties of ukhuwwah!

Also thanks to our mentors who have treated us number of meals in exposing us to the Jordanian delicacies. :)

Makan kunafah ramai2. semua kebulur!. haha