When Mama Became Umm Karim — Epoche A1
In this street in Amman, nobody calls Mama by her name, Layla. The neighbours say Umm Karim — "mother of Karim". Karim is my big brother. Baba is Abu Karim, "father of Karim". Why Karim? Why not me? Grandmother explained it. When the first son is born, the parents take his name. It is the polite, warm way here — often you do not call an adult by their own name at all. So one baby changed two names. Layla stayed for her old friends, from before. The street says Umm Karim, and Mama answers to both.