Friday Market

After being here about a month we guessed we had acclimated to the heat enough to venture out to the Friday Market after church. Well… we guessed wrong. We drove out to the Friday Market which looks insane from a distance, so many crowded stalls crammed together. It was dusty and so dry. I immediately realized that though I had just eaten and consumed 2 tall glasses of water it was not going to be near enough to keep me going. People claim that the Market is better after Ramadan. Then more stalls come, and they have the more exotic things like the dyed chicks and peacocks. It was still very interesting though, and there were lots of tempting buys. We just kept telling ourselves to explore first, and learn what is reasonable to pay. Dad bought a fantastic shirt that is a big famous Hawaiin brand for around 750 fils, less than 3 dollars! We almost bought Emily an abiyah, but the embroidery would have been too itchy for her. There was a whole range of stuff from used dishdashas to silk flowers, antique knives, and faded children’s beds that sat in the sun too long.

As we walked around we got our hopes up when we saw people selling water. After a closer inspection though we realized that the people who had purchased the water were merely pouring it on themselves rather than actually drinking it. I don’t understand how they can make it through the day sitting in the heat selling their wares. I feel so sorry for them. Whether or not they want to, it is enforced in public. Emily and I began to sting in the heat and felt a bit light headed after walking around for so long. We couldn’t go alone, so dad helped us find the bathrooms where we went into the stalls and took nice long drinks of our water. It may sound disgusting to resort to drinking in bathrooms, but when it’s your only option then it’s what you gotta do.

We had fun exploring, but soon we were just too miserable in the heat to last much longer. So we walked up through the market to the LuLu Grocery Store. This place was huge, and so very packed. There were lots of people making it hard to maneuver and all the carts are a bit wonky, making it a dual effort just to push the cart. I was delighted to find some American cake mixes that I needed as the base for mom’s cake. Pudding for the filling was another story though, nothing was quite similar, and what I found ended up being an epic fail when I tried to make it later. We were happy to find some peanut butter, but they were expensive and in itty bitty jars. The fruits and vegetables section was huge though, food imported from just about everywhere. Because households here normally involve at least one maid and lots of extended family the food is packaged in large quantities. We have to buy our tomatoes in large crates and have difficulty consuming such vast amounts before they go bad. Mom and I decided to try some new food, and ended up buying something similar to a lychee. It was different though, and well, just weird. Emily searched for a while to try and find seedless grapes, but I think that is just about impossible here. Sometimes the bunches will have a couple grapes without seeds, and then a couple grapes with. You never quite know what you’re getting.

The store was packed with people, but Emily and I worked our way towards the soaps and shampoos. We were happy to find some British brands of deodorant, but wriggled our noses and wished that the people surrounding us would use more. Much more.

The cheese counter in this store was huge, so much to choose from. Mom forgot about the fact it was Ramadan and requested to try some of the cheese because there is no other way to know what on earth is good. The man pulled out some cheese, looked at her and said “are you sure madam? Even though it is Ramadan?” Oops! It is so easy to forget here. Mom apologized and we just didn’t get any cheese. Too bad Ramadan affects even our shopping!

We spent a long time in the grocery checking off our list, finding substitutes and other things to try. On the way back home Em and E took turns covering for each other as they bent down and tried to take meager sips of the water. It was a relief to be able to be home inside the AC, drinking lots of water, and eating hummus and bread.

Our neighbor has been sending her maids over a couple times a week with food from their evening Ishtar meal that they have as they break their fast. We have enjoyed the Ramadan sweets, the donuts, lentil soup, mini pizzas, cheese bread… Everything is amazing. Tonight is another night of Girgaen, the Arab’s version of trick or treat. We were told to give cereal sized bowls full of candy to the children that parade around the neighborhood in their traditional clothes. They are so beautiful! When they ring the doorbell they have a cute song that they sing in exchange for candy. I just wish that they would come earlier in the evening rather than their tendencies to come at 11 or later. It’s been sweet for a while, but the phone, doorbell, and our vonage phone all sound alike, so when one rings it’s a race to figure out what we’re supposed to answer.

Girl's Night Out, Free Dinner and a Movie at the Base!

Yesterday I hurried through my work and anticipated 4:00 when I would begin my evening of fun. So I waited for my friend’s dad to finish a meeting with my dad and take me back to his house. Apparently they were having “chum time” as the other soldiers called it cuz they took forever! Once the meeting finished dad left and I sat around talking to soldiers and waiting for my ride.

Eventually we went back to his house and picked up his wife and daughter and all piled in for the 45 minute drive to Camp Arafjan. We all talked about really random things, but laughed the entire way there. Kate pulled out her cell phone which belonged to the previous girls who lived in her house,and we were laughing but totally shocked at the insane text messages the 14 year old had left on her phone.

At the dining hall our badges were scanned and we had an amazing free meal. I had ham and it was soo good. We were the only family in the dining hall, and greeted and were greeted by everyone. I really enjoyed just talking and laughing with her family. It was great since they are also new and are appreciating learning about all of the cultural differences. We had lots of good conversation and laughs.

After dinner we hurriedly snarfed down our baskin robins in time to go visit the chief. We brought some chocolate chip cookies from the dining hall and the book which he was very appreciative over. The chief just couldn’t get over the fact that we all came up to visit him. He looked like he was in shock actually when we pulled back the curtains and surprised him. The hospital looked so temporary. It was nice facilities seeing as well it’s on a base in the middle of the desert. But still, I mean it was just very makeshift. And even the chief didn’t get his own room, he was in a big ward. He claimed that he was being well taken care of and the army nurses were doing great. But still, it just makes you appreciate the entire American military. I really can’t believe I’m here right now. It still just blows me away. I’m not going to Lakenheath or Ramstein base in England or Germany anymore to shop for groceries or do something up at the school. No, this base’s main purpose is to support Iraq.

We wandered around the base for a while and checked out the community centers. There were several big converted warehouses staffed with volunteers who were signing out games, playing movies, had ping pong and air hockey going, giving out free sodas and candy bars. We were all just so happy they were being treated well. Eventually we found the movie theater. It was free entrance. And I don’t even think this movie has been out very long either. Before all the previews the soldiers stood at attention during the National Anthem. The theater was a decent size, nice seats and tons of leg room. But the screen was small and only fair. The speakers were stuck in odd corners of the room with wires running everywhere. But nobody cared. Everyone was just thankful that it was there. Because the movie theater was in the Community Center there was Karaoke going on next door. It was hilarious listening to the men attempt to sing. During the romantic parts in the movie everyone in the theater would burst out laughing simply because some burly soldier was trying to sing I Kissed A Girl and epically failing. And then a cell phone went off. Kate’s dad was laughing and wondering who would be such a fool to leave their cell phone on. His wife told him to shut up because she thought it was just part of the movie. But Kate and I sat there laughing as she poked her dad and pointed out that it was his cell phone going off. He immediately switched from joking dad to military officer and quickly walked outside to take the call, totally mortified while we all sat there laughing.

As we left the base it was sad to see that there was more security than when we entered. The guards had to scan our IDs in order to ensure we were allowed off base. Most of the soldiers are not permitted to leave the base. On special occasions the Embassy will invite groups of them down, but till then they stay in their village in the sand.

I enjoyed watching the Time Traveler’s Wife and all the thinking it involved to just follow and understand the storyline. But the whole evening was the fun part. Just getting out and about and enjoying dinner and a movie with a friend and experiencing the military base was an experience enough.

Friends and Neighbors

I am rejoicing as I think of all the friends that we have made so soon after arriving here. Tomorrow we will have been here for 3 weeks, and I cannot think of any other place I’ve lived where I have had so many friends so soon.

This afternoon I spent with my friend Kate. Their whole family was welcoming and fun to be around. Kate and I enjoyed the nice big pool in her front yard and spent hours floating around and talking. The water may have been 95 degrees, but it was refreshing compared to the humidity outside. It is so muggy and nasty here, just miserable to be outside. Kate’s mom made us a delicious fruit salad and we all commented on the amazing selection of fresh fruits they have here. Our favorite grocery is the Carrefour. They have everything from exotic dragonfruits to enormous grapes and mangoes imported from Egypt. Fruit here is plentiful and delicious, but we’ve noticed that lettuce is harder to find because it is more difficult to grow in the Middle East. The groceries that do sell it have it for marked up prices, and Ethan was disappointed that a restaurant did not have it for his burgers. But yes, Kate and I had a lovely afternoon and I think I found a fantastic new friend. It was so nice to hang with her today because I’ve been hanging out with guys all week. In fact, the other thing I could have done today was help one of the guys with a project on his roof. He got all the other guys to assist him with his little farm on his roof. Apparently he has chickens, ducks, peacocks, and is growing corn and other things. The guys asked if I was going to go help, but I said I’d just let the guys do all the dirty work and go check it out later.

Yesterday we joined Nathan’s family at his church. Nathan and I had been talking about churches at lunch earlier this week and he invited us to join them, so before I knew it our dads had talked and gotten directions and arranged to meet up to go to church. I really enjoyed church yesterday. It was the first time in weeks that I had felt at home somewhere. Sure, it was spirited and I had to assist dad in clapping during the worship, but I loved it. Mom and I were in heaven when the worship started because we knew all of the music for once. The worship alone will draw me back to church each week. It was a small congregation, but we were assured that the basement room is normally overflowing when everyone gets back from their summer vacations. I look forward to returning when the teen programs are running because we’re told they may be small but are fantastic.

After church we went with our friends to an amazing Lebanese restaurant along the Gulf. The view of the beach was beautiful, and the restaurant was decorated so elaborately with colorful lamps and arches looking very Middle Eastern. The food and fellowship was fantastic. Nathan’s dad ordered a sampling of their favorite dishes and we enjoyed everything from the Arabic bread with hummus and garlic to the unique salads, meats, and the falafels dipped in a creamy sauce. We will definitely be making regular trips to this restaurant.

Once we were stuffed with fantastic food everyone went home to rest because the humidity just zaps all of our energy. Mom and dad baked some cookies and platters of goodies to take over to our neighbors to wish them “Ramadan Kareem.” I made cards with the little scrapbooking supplies I happened to have, and dad delivered them and visited with our neighbors.

Once it had cooled off outside we went to the Movenpick Resort to enjoy their beach and hang out with Nathan’s family again. It was low tide, and though there was little water to enjoy it was fun to walk along the beach admiring the hermit crabs, sea anemones, and blobs of jellyfish. Ethan and Nathan’s brother Ethan began to create mud balls and prepare for war. Soon they were pelting us girls with mud and we retaliated and ran shrieking along the beach. I was just happy that we could be as crazy as we wanted because there was no one else on the beach or in the pools. That also meant that the volleyball court was free, and we were dragged into a game of beach volleyball. Now I am horrible at volleyball, but we all had fun attempting to hit the ball and just laughing at each other and having fun as the stars began to come out. Soon we were covered with sand and decided to enjoy the pool to get a break from the humidity. The “hot tub” is actually the “cool tub” with bubbles. And the swimming pool is warmer than the “hot tub.” I don’t know if that’s intentional or what, but we all piled into the cool tub to visit and relax. Our whole family was happy to have found some good friends and thankful that the entire families got along. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy many more fun outings together.

My favorite part of my work days are the crazy lunches that I have with the guys. I don’t know how I happen to be the only girl working as a summer hire, but I enjoy the company of the 5 guys. Sure, it proves for some random conversations, but they are so funny. I can be tired and ready to fall asleep in my office, but the moment I’m at lunch I’m awake and laughing all afternoon. I’m sure we all stay way too long on our lunch breaks, but each of us is either known for working hard and thus given grace or has nothing to do and milks the freedom.

Happy Hour on Thursday was fantastic because I had friends to hang out with this time. I honestly couldn’t even tell you what special restaurant came because I was too busy having fun to pause to eat. I spent the earlier part of the evening hiding out in the kiddy room and talking with Quentin because it was one of the cool indoor places with AC where you could actually breathe. Eventually though I was convinced to join the guys in game of volleyball and happened to be positioned near the kiddy slide that sloshed water everywhere. So my jeans were covered in mud and I was sweating in the unbearable humidity but for once I was having too much fun to care.

Besides making all these new embassy friends I’ve also enjoyed getting to know our next door neighbors. Last Sunday we were coming back from the mall and greeted their dad as he was about ready to go inside. He immediately requested that we come inside and meet his family. It turned into visiting for a couple hours and being pampered. He had his maids prepare Arabic coffee, mango juice, custards, mini pizzas, chocolates, sweets, rolls… a delicious tray of things to sample. His family came down to visit and we met his daughters who are 14, 18, and 22. Ethan disappeared shortly after arriving with Ali who is the 12 year old boy. I was told that rather than enjoying the Xbox and range of game stations Ali had the boys decided to play with the chickens. Yes, I guess they have chickens as pets and the boys took turns tossing them into the air and laughing at their attempts to fly. How is this entertainment?

The women told us about Ramadan and began talking about head coverings. The mother told us that they wore theirs only for the sake of tradition and insured that they dressed stylishly and in bright colors. The women definitely did. On the topic of the burqua the mother began ranting about how it was all the crazy Bedouins who wore them and she would never ever cover herself like that. She laughed at how some women wear gloves and called all the women who wore burquas silly ninjas. It was impossible not to laugh along with her and her daughters at this tale.

We were amazed at the hospitality we received. They told us that their home is now our home. We are supposed to visit anytime and help ourselves to anything that we might need. The mother told us that if we needed an appliance or anything and she wasn’t home that we should simply walk on through their front door and take whatever we needed. Mom was laughing and said that the maids would surely call the police. All of our neighbors laughed at this and she said “who would they call? My husband is the chief of police!” The father elaborated and mentioned that the first year he lived in this area he kept his police car parked out front so everyone knew he lived there. Now he claims the entire neighborhood knows about him and there is never any crime in the area. Everyone was happy to be assured of the fantastic area we live in.

Apparently the father was a very successful chief of police because he is retired and his daughters said he now relaxes and enjoys life and goes to Starbucks with his friends every morning. His eldest daughter Zahara told us that she tried to work this summer, but her father refused to let her because he instead took the entire family to Munich, Paris and Italy for the summer. They told us about shopping at Gucci, Prada, Armani and Dolce and Gabana … It was obvious that our neighbors are enjoying the life of luxury.

As we left they told us they would call and we could all go to the movies and hang out. At first we thought they were merely being polite, but sure enough the very next day they called and asked us to go to the movies with them that night. So we met them at the Avenues Mall and they paid for us to see GI Joe. I sat in the family section with the older sisters, but Emily, the other daughter and the boys had to sit in the bachelor section because there were no other seats. They sat in the corner and the boys sat on the end and I guess all was good, but we were just marveling at the fact they try and separate people even in the theaters. The movie was okay, but I enjoyed the experience more. The seats were luxurious and actually comfy. The movie was in English with Arabic subtitles, but anytime you thought a potential for a kiss was arising the movie quickly jumped to the next scene. It was nicely cut and chopped, but occasionally it got a bit confusing. At the end of the movie the girls were telling us how much they hated this and that they love to go to the movies in Dubai because there they can watch the films without anything being tampered with.

I think during this month of Ramadan I need to sit back and count my blessings because right now I have so much to be thankful for. This whole experience of living in the Middle East is big enough, but our amazing house, the car, my job, our neighbors, new friends, great church… Though my world is spinning so fast I just need to sit back and appreciate it all.

First day of work

Today I started my very first day of work at the American Embassy in Kuwait, working for the State Department! So, technically I guess I am working for Hilary Clinton! I don’t exactly know what to think about that… but it’s cool to say anyways.

I had to force myself to roll out of bed at 6:30 this morning. So early! By 7:40 I was in the Human Resources Department signing forms and getting ready for my job. I think they forgot about me for a while, but eventually someone took me down to shipping. They introduced me to my Bassam who is in charge of shipping, and Hamza who takes care of transportation for the Embassy. They both wanted to make me feel at home, and the first thing Bassam said is “we are all a big family here. Now you are my daughter, and Hamza is your big brother okay? Okay!” He wanted to know if I my stuff had arrived yet, and when he realized we had no clue what was going on with our household goods he immediately started making phone calls. I think Bassam knows everyone, Kuwaiti and American. Eventually he tracked down our stuff, and rolled his eyes when someone said it only arrived yesterday. So Bassam wanted to take care of me and made someone fax him all of the information for me to give to my dad so that he could return with me tomorrow and expedite it. I was so appreciative for this random act of kindness.

Bassam and Hamaza showed me around the office, and I just started smiling and laughing at the endless stacks of paperwork everywhere. It was apparent that they had been delaying filing or organizing anything because they knew I would soon take care of it all. So, I got to work filing stacks of random papers. Turned out a lot of what I was filing was the General’s paperwork for his Household Goods, car, house… It was interesting to see all of the names on the paperwork and match it with people I had met. I laughed as I read some of the paperwork I was filing. Several times it had to deal with pets being quarantined and eventually shipped over here. I don’t think my dad would ever pay to have a pet shipped over to a foreign country.

After I completed several stacks of filing and could actually see a small bit of surface on my desk Hamza wanted my help renewing the insurance on the Ambassador’s vehicles. He told me what to do, gave me a huge heap of paperwork and started to leave when I protested that I had no earthly idea what the Arabic squiggles meant on the paperwork! So, Hamza sat down and gave me a ten minute Arabic lesson on the numbers. I soon could distinguish them and convert them to English, so began translating the Arabic numbers on the insurance renewal paperwork, matching them with the license plates of the Embassy cars, and filling in the cost and vehicle description. This took a very long time, not only because there was so much to do, but I had to keep guessing around at all of the Arabic forms. Eventually I had renewed the Ambassador’s fleet, and when Hamza saw my progress he gave me another stack and said “here, these people will be happy not to make a trip and come to it themselves, so do these Embassy workers.” So, I completed more of the endless forms and I’m sure a bunch of Marines will be happy that I renewed the insurance on their vehicles for them.

Bassam then stole me for a while and had me fill out more paperwork and forms and ship a bunch of documents to the US Ambassadors in the Netherlands and London. I kinda enjoyed seeing all the behind the scenes stuff that makes everything run so smoothly. Around 10:00 I found a Kit Kat and a falafel sandwich on my desk. Hamza had brought me a snack. I left it there for a while and figured I’d eat it for lunch. When he saw I had ignored the sandwich he became inquisitive and wondered if I wanted a different type or something and why I hadn’t eaten it. I realized he wanted me to sit down, take a break, enjoy the sandwich and talk to him. So, I took a brake and admired his entire wall full of photos.

The day moved on slowly with me listening to Bassam play Celine Dion and Mariah Carey as I filed paperwork. Bassam gave me an errand at one point, and I had to go in search of the cashier to get a receipt for a check for him. I looked down at the check and paperwork, to see that he left me in charge of $3,500. Whew! I was quite happy to hand over the check to the cashier and leave it all in her hands.
The rest of the day was spent on an endless project the men gave me. There were stacks of paperwork several feet deep that they wanted me to sort through. They also wanted me to add 2 enormous stacks of papers to the pile. I saw what a problem it would be matching up the names and files as nothing was organized, and spent over an hour alphabetizing it.

At noon I asked if I could go to the cafeteria to meet some friends and they replied yes, yes, I could do whatever I wanted. So I eventually meandered my way to the cafeteria and caught a couple of the guys I meet at Happy Hour. They had already finished lunch, so we all just sat and chatted together. I was delighted to hear that Nathan went to one of the sister churches for The Lighthouse Church we visited earlier. He said that he really enjoyed it, so maybe we will visit it this Friday. The guys tried to orient me a bit and Nathan invited me to his house on Saturday to help out with his project on the roof. He explained that “you can take a boy away from the South, but you can’t take the South outta the boy.” Nathan bought 15 ducks and 10 chickens this weekend, and plans on adding plants and making a garden up on his roof. I can’t wait to see this!

The guys only had a short 30 minute lunch break, but Nathan walked me back to shipping and showed me a short cut so I didn’t have to rely on the Marines to let me in. I went back to sorting the endless files and continued doing that till about 3:00. At 1:45 Bassam left for the day. Things were slow after that. Hamza was bored and spent most of the afternoon on the phone out of the office. I kept sorting until my desk was finally clean and read my book until 4:00. Hamza decided to leave at 4 and told me to answer his phone if it rang, and to shut off the lights and lock up after I left. So, I did just that when I left at 4:30 to go meet my dad.

He and Nathan were swimming, but he got out to take me home while I chatted some more with Nathan. On the way home dad and I stopped off at the Embassy’s “Tearoom” so that he could purchase some wine.

We came home and I soon crashed since I missed my afternoon nap. It was nice to sleep while the others were out, the house was so peaceful! It’s 10pm here and I am never ever this tired in the evenings, but I guess the whole waking up early and working all day may be making me tired. Hopefully it will help kick the jetlag out of my system!

Home

Well, it’s finally starting to feel like home here. Sure, the heat is irritating, but I think I’m slowly becoming accustomed to it. The call to prayer may still be loud and new, but the only time it really annoys me is when it wakes me up at 3:30 in the morning. We happen to live 2 doors down from one mosque, and have about 2 others in the neighborhood. So when they all sound together it equals a really annoying 5 minutes! We moved into our house yesterday, and we adore it. Just walking around makes me count my blessings and thank God for this beautiful gift. Dad reminded Emily and me that we need to marry a millionaire if we want to ever live in a house like this again. A millionaire’s not at the top of my list, so I guess I’m just going to have to enjoy this while it lasts!

Emily and I agree that our house looks like a big bunker. It is big, white, and the levels pile like stair steps. The master bedroom is our safe room. We have to keep MREs, water, the radio, a phone, supplies, everything we might need to survive. Their door is reinforced, and has a couple bolts plus peephole. The embassy is taking all sorts of measures to ensure our safety. I can’t wait till all of our stuff arrives next week and we can make this huge house into a home. It is just such an amazing blessing, and I can’t wait to help mom host parties and dinners. I’m already dreaming up a roof conversion into a big patio. We have a huge roof with easy access and in the evenings when there’s a bit of wind and the stars are out is quite nice and peaceful up there.

Earlier this week we got a bit of a wake-up call in the morning news. It was all over the Kuwaiti headlines, and we noticed it on our Yahoo homepage. Six men were arrested on Tuesday that were involved in a plot targeting a US base in Kuwait. OUR US Base in Kuwait. Camp Arafjan is where we go for everything from the dentist to our little Commissary. Here is CNN’s report on the event:

(CNN) -- Kuwaiti security forces arrested six Kuwaitis linked to al Qaeda who planned to attack a U.S. military installation, the country's state-run news agency reported Tuesday. The suspects had planned to bomb Camp Arifjan during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Kuwaiti security sources said.

It is unclear when the arrests took place.

Camp Arifjan, outside Kuwait City near the country's border with Saudi Arabia, is used as a logistical base and transit point for U.S. troops deploying to and from neighboring Iraq, according to the U.S. Defense Department.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood congratulated Kuwait "on the reported arrest of terrorists targeting U.S. forces and Kuwait facilities." "... Kuwait has been an outstanding host for the United States armed forces. This is evidence of the strong U.S.-Kuwait partnership against al Qaeda."

The U.S. military had no further information.

The operation was a Kuwaiti-led one, and so the Kuwaitis have the details on the intel and the people they apprehended," said Navy Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command.

The plot also involved an attack on Kuwait's State Security Service headquarters and other government facilities, according to the Kuwait News Agency, which cited a statement from the Interior Ministry.

An investigation into the alleged plot is ongoing, the news agency reported.

Two suspects confessed Tuesday that they planned to attack Camp Arifjan with an explosives-laden truck during Ramadan, which begins August 21, the security sources said. The other four suspects will be interrogated Wednesday, the sources said.

Camp Arifjan is the forward headquarters for the U.S. Army Central Command in the region. It is a major logistics base for the U.S. military and generally houses thousands of American troops.
Most of the troops stationed there are a component of the 3rd U.S. Army, which is headquartered in Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia, and supports U.S. Central Command missions in the Mideast, including Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the U.S. military.
"We take the security situation at the base and force protection very seriously and coordinate closely with the Kuwaiti government on the security of our bases," said Army Sgt. Major Brian Thomas, an Atlanta-based spokesman for Central Command.

"Camp Arifjan and other bases in Kuwait are very secure. The security at Camp Arifjan is no different than the security at any U.S. base in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Tomorrow we are going to Camp Arifjan for our dental check-ups. I’m sure that the security for getting on base will be much more secure than normal, but am so thankful for all of the checks that may seem irritating and a hassle at the time, but will protect us from threats like this.

Yesterday dad got a call from the Human Resources department because they found me a job! So today I went down to the embassy to pick up all the paperwork. I have a job in the shipping department doing organizing, filing, typing, whatever they ask me to do basically. It is Sunday through Thursday, and 40 hours a week. They pay well and I figure it may open doors into other jobs and possibilities to make this a great gap year and earn some money for school next year. The job is also a good way to meet people because the Embassy hires a bunch of students every summer. I met a guy tonight at the Embassy’s Happy Hour who is going to show me the ropes and meet me for lunch on Sunday. I’m so happy to have a friend already!

Throughout the past week dad and I have been meeting people and all of the parents promised to bring their teens to Happy Hour today, and sure enough they all showed up. I had to run around for a while guessing who some of the teens were and matching them with parents I had already met. Eventually I had a tableful of teen girls all chatting and enjoying dinner provided by Ruby Tuesdays. Emily met 2 other 10th graders, a 9th grader, and an 11th grader. The heat wasn’t too bad tonight, but eventually it got to us all, so we moved inside where a bunch of guys soon joined us. There was a big group of us talking and sharing stories about the American School of Kuwait. After listening to many mixed reviews we decided that Emily’s just going to have to go and form her own opinion of the school.

Well, it seems weird, but tomorrow is our Sunday. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to going to work on Sunday and waking up for church on Friday. I think we are checking out the Anglican church this week and just hope dad’s map mission will be successful and we can find it easily!

Day 4 and 5

I think I now see why we are almost required to stay in a hotel for 10 days. At first I was thinking, I don’t care about the luxury, just give me a house and my own room! But now I see why. The combination of heat, lack of sleep, jetlag, and simply adjusting to everything makes me happy to be in a place where I can be pampered. I just took a nap because I couldn’t sleep at all last night, and am now still in my comfy bed because I just feel so sick. Oh well, at least I can enjoy the quiet while the others are down at the beach. Oh dear. I spoke too soon. They just returned. So much for a peaceful afternoon. Anyways the temperature has jumped to the 120’s. It is just disgusting how much you sweat. I thank God every single day for the amazing AC in this hotel. When we go out I’ve had to stop wearing my shoes and stuck to flip flops because my feet just swell too much. I hate this heat! I can’t wait till summer is over and the temperature goes down a wee bit.

Today I wore once again my long colorful skirt. I have worn it for 3 days, and though I love it, I am getting sick of having to wear it. Thank goodness it has many colors and I can at least swap shirts. I have a couple other skirts with me, but only one that goes to my ankles. I need my stuff from England to come! Every morning Emily wakes up and throws a fit about how she wishes she was in England and could run around in tank tops and shorts. She then begs me to pick out an outfit for her, and I find something modest enough. When I get dressed, I do the opposite of Emily, I find the longest and most modest outfit I can put together. I just feel so much more comfortable in it, because I know I am one of a very few Westerners here, and feel like I am on show. I know I can’t possibly begin to blend in, but I can at least dress modestly and respect their culture.

Yesterday we went to a mall. We were the only blondes in there. All of the women were in burkas or abiyas, though there were some teens who were in UK fashions, but they were layered with long sleeves and skirts. The whole mall was full of Western shops. There was New Look, Gap, Boots, River Island, Topshop, Calvin Klein, Debenhams, Miss Selfridge, and H&M just to name a few. However, I didn’t really see that many people wearing the clothes that were on display. I was delighted to see a Forever 21, and was hoping that perhaps they would have clothes a bit more modest than those sold in the states, and something I might feel a bit more comfortable wearing here. I was disappointed to find the exact same clothes, and wondered who on earth was wearing those here?

The mall was huge, and there were lots of people out perusing the shops. It appears to be a very social thing. The prices on everything were much higher than I would normally pay in the states. The last time I was in Forever 21 I bought 2 tops for $14, here it is $36 for a comparable top! I think I will be doing most of my shopping online.

I didn’t care to do much shopping at this point thanks to the prices, and the fact that I just spent my whole summer shopping in the states. I did however enjoy simply people watching. It was fascinating to study the different women and how some went to the extremes to remain completely covered. One woman was wearing a burqua, sunglasses, and gloves. I could not see a millimeter of her skin. Another lady was wearing a Burberry abiya. Yes, her abiya had a Burberry hem and sleeves. The range of women’s fashions is huge, and each one manages to make herself look unique in some way.

There were lots of groups of men walking around together, and many were enjoying coffee at the 3 Starbucks we saw. I laughed at the restaurants; Johnny Rockets, Auntie Anne’s, Baskin Robins, Coldstone Creamery, Pizza Express, … I never thought I’d see a Johnny Rockets in Kuwait. As I was taking a photo of the Auntie Anne’s sign I tried to show that I was taking a picture of the sign and not any of the people, so aimed it up high. Sadly I missed it, but Emily told me a group of Arab boys were trying to jump into my picture.

I never know quite how we’ll be received here. As of yet, I haven’t been shunned, but both mom and Emily have. Emily and I were at breakfast, and I smiled at a young lady pushing her elderly mother that was in a wheelchair. The lady nodded and smiled back. However, Emily smiled at the mother who took a loose corner of her abiya and covered her entire face until she was past us.

Today we went out to explore the souk. Sure, we were the only Westerners, but besides 3 other Indian women I saw helping their husbands at the stalls we were the only women in the entire souk. It was a little awkward, but everyone was very welcoming and friendly. There was a cacophony of “welcome, welcome, hello, merhaba, good day and come buy!” Everyone smiled and though they were definitely trying to attract us to their stall, nobody went too crazy.
The souk was outside with only some bits covered. I think it was in an older part of town, because lots of the pavement was chipped and rough, there were large murky puddles, and old drains running through it. It was great to experience it though. If it wasn’t for the heat that was beginning to get to me I think I would have enjoyed all the smells of various spices, but the combination made dizzy and sick.

We spent a lot of time trying to navigate through the cloth merchants section, and dad kept repeating how he was coming back to have some suits tailor made. Eventually we wound up in another area, and looked at the various scarves to find one to help cover mom’s back. A kind gentleman was looking for an interesting way to pass time, so he beckoned us to his stall. There he took Ethan and began to dress him like an Arab. He wrapped Ethan up and showed us the headdress for Yemen, and the different one for Kuwait. Ethan looked fantastic in it, and I think dad may have bought it if it wasn’t for the fact that Ethan was so excessively hot in it. We failed to find the gold souk this time, but will definitely be going back when we have more time to peruse, and when it is cooler out.

By 11:00 we had found our way to the Lighthouse church. We had read about it online and really looked forward to attending it. I was a bit confused when we drove into the parking lot. We were really only following many other people we saw carrying Bibles. We got out and had to walk awhile in a lot full of rubbish and so much sand and grit. To get into the area of the church we walked through a tiny door in this big metal separation thing. The whole layout was very confusing and puzzling. We got to an area with lots of little rooms meandering along a passageway. On accident we walked into the wrong room, but eventually we got oriented. It was a small room, with a couple ceiling fans, and lots of metal fold out chairs. I know I’m not doing a very good job describing the area and the church, but it was just so different. All I know is that it was unlike any church I have ever been to in the states. I enjoyed the service, though I admit that I was so jetlagged and tired from getting hardly any sleep the night before that I think I totally zoned out on some of the sermon. The worship was led by an Asian man and his small band. The two things that reminded me of home was the Indian woman who led prayer who sounded exactly like my best friend’s mom, and a couple hymns that we sang.

At a little before 12:30 we were quickly hurried out as the new group was coming in for the 12:30 service. There wasn’t a feel of community, and no one hung out in the courtyard afterwards to chat. As newcomers were told to put up their hands, and since we were not Indian or Asian, I guess most people knew we were new. One sweet lady from the Philippines came and introduced herself to us, but other than that we received no welcome.

We came back to the hotel after church and Emily and I took a nap. I couldn’t dream of moving from under the duvet to answer the door, but eventually got up to let mom in, then curled back under the covers. She began to describe the amazing buffet they had since it was Friday and I guess weekends here equal special menus. The moment she mentioned strawberries and chocolate fountain Emily bolted out of bed and grabbed me along to rush down to lunch.

One of the waiters showed us around and our eyes nearly popped out at the enormous assortment of food. There was a grill outside, a place to have omelets special made, a salad bar, hot and cold section, and it just went on and on. Emily ran directly to the new dessert section, and we immediately decided that we were just going to have desserts and call it lunch and dinner.

So, our appetizer was white and dark chocolate swirl ice cream. It was thick, creamy and sooo delicious. For our main course we had a crepe made to order. Ours included dark chocolate and kiwi. I didn’t know quite how that combination would be, but it proved to be superb. It was so incredibly fantastic. Our dessert involved the chocolate fountain. We dipped in melons and strawberries in the best milk chocolate I have ever had. Emily lost a couple berries in the fountain, so of course I laughed at her as everyone else in the place appeared very posh.

Now I’m back in the room trying to remember every detail to record and blog. Emily and Ethan are next door (I think) and mom and dad have gone out to explore another mall. It is finally peaceful in my room and I can put on my own music without anyone else changing it to something crazy. I think I may just kick back, relax, and listen to my sappy love songs now.

day 2

Well, I really feel like I am sitting in the lap of luxury. We are pampered at all hours of the day, and though I love it, I find it hard to get used to. Yesterday Ethan and I were checking email in the lounge, and as the maid came to collect the trash she must have noticed Ethan was not wearing shoes. So, after collecting the trash, she returned with slippers for Ethan! He was totally shocked, and very appreciative of the comfy shoes he was given. The front desk has an endless row of people who greet you each time you walk by, and constantly ask if they can get anything for you. Whenever we leave the hotel there is a doorman, and we have chatted with him on several occasions, he is just so sweet. All the workers at the hotel are delightful, but it appears that the Kuwaitis do not give them a second glance. They simply tell them what they want, allow themselves to be pampered and served, and I haven’t seen many thank yous going around. So whenever we dine at the restaurant downstairs we chat with our waiters, and they are just so friendly and appreciative. When I arrive they pull out my chair, and tuck it back in. If I get up they will refold my napkin into a perfect little point. At one point the cooks were refilling the food, and it was temporarily behind the counter and unavailable. I planned to simply return in a few minutes, but one of the cooks quickly stopped me, ran behind the counter, and filled my plate with whatever I wanted. Since we dine at the hotel each night ( I mean, who wouldn’t want to when the Kuwaiti Government is paying for such amazing meals) we have come to know the waiters, and have enjoyed chatting with them. Earlier we were dining outside with some new friends. Along the tables outside are little fountains. One of the little boys accidentally stepped backwards into one, and immediately the waiters were hauling him out, drying him, and just taking perfect care of him. His mom just stayed seated and laughed, because there were 4 different people assisting her son. I am enjoying being pampered, but it still just feels a little odd to constantly be served.

Talking about being served, the Kuwaitis appear to have brought their maids with them to the resort. They are easy to spot as they often wear pink uniforms and are always around the little kids. I have seen them running around at breakfast, and then especially at the pool. The children were playing and splashing around, and the maids just made a little ring around the pool. Some of them were chatting with other maids, others looked sour and irritated. I only saw one that actually seemed to enjoy being around her charge, and though she was in her uniform she was splashing and being splashed. I feel so sorry for these rich kids that are brought up with their every need granted by their maids. And if I’m correct, don’t children need time with their parents? There were definitely very few parents in the pool with their children.

At one point there were about 3 Kuwaiti women swimming in the pool. There was no way they were going to wear a normal swim suit, but they had a swimsuit unique to itself. It covered them from head to toe just like any normal outfit they would wear. It was somewhat like a long wet suit, but not nearly as tight, and it had a special hood like attachment to cover their hair.
If women go to the extent to swim all covered up, I wondered how they would work out. I wore my longest pair of shorts, and opted for a plain grey shirt rather than my Messiah one. When I got to the gym I felt a little out of place. I saw a couple women in their 20’s in long sleeves and sweatpants, but there was another woman who was working out in her burka. I felt so sorry for her because it was burning up in the building, with no air circulating at all, and I knew she just must be dying.

On the topic of heat, today was 116, yesterday was 112. Soooo hot! I haven’t even needed to dry my hair, because by the time I’m ready to go out, it is perfectly dried naturally by the heat. I woke up parched last night, and saw that the hotel was prepared, because on my bedside was a water bottle. I definitely need it. We discovered that you need water just about anywhere you go. So, I grab one from the mini bar every single time we go out. The air conditioning in our new car only works on one half of the backseat. I ended up having to sit on a small seat in the trunk with no leg room just so I could get a bit more of the air I so desperately needed. Without it in the middle my feet had been swelling, and I was just dying.

We had to find a clinic today to have our blood type tested. It was quite an ordeal to find it. I still have no idea how dad manages to navigate the roads, but apparently he understands the block system and though we got turned around and went down several random alleys we eventually found the place. It was in a random location, but the service inside was excellent. As Ethan was having his tested, dad was trying to read an Arabic newspaper. One lady apologized for not having an English one, and called to have someone fetch one for dad. She then went to dad and helped him translate part of the newspaper until dad discovered the word Obama. But sure enough, about 3 minutes later an English newspaper was delivered specially for dad.
The evening was spent visiting with another new couple who happen to be dad’s boss. They were delightful, and swapped stories and shared advice. We relaxed at the pool, lounged around, and walked along the beach collecting the most amazingly perfect and beautiful shells. The boys ran around bringing me hermit crabs, and I hope they didn’t get into the pile that mom brought back to her room!

Well, I am suffering horrible jetlag. Last night I stayed up till 2:30. I would have watched a tv show online, but discovered that the Kuwaiti ministry of something has blocked it. I was not very happy, but it forced me to go to bed. I guess I’ll go to bed now, midnight, and hope that my body clock resets soon!

First Impressions

Well, I’m here! I am in Kuwait. It doesn’t just feel like a new country, it feels like I am in another world. Everything is different, new and exciting, and I hope I can share a glimpse of it through this blog.

As I am writing my laptop is coated in a fine layer of sand. No, I haven’t taken my laptop down to the beach, the sand is simply in the air. I can’t feel it, but I can see it as it coats my stuff.

We arrived yesterday, and the moment we exited the plane I knew I was not in Kansas anymore. I think I was stared at as much or more as the stares I was giving other people. I had to struggle to be polite and not gaze with my jaw dropped at the array of people and sights. I saw many groups of men in long white robes chatting in clusters. Some of them had checkered “tea cloths” on their head, and others had elaborately sculptured headdresses pointing off in various directions. The women wore a wide range of clothing. Some had the full burka garb with only their eyes visible, others wore bright head wraps only concealing their hair. But all of the women were modest. They concealed all but their hands, feet, and face. Some of the women looked rather plain, and others had sequins and sparkles on their clothes that matched their elaborate makeup.

The entire airport was chaos. We frantically found the bathrooms, but were then forced to wait even longer as we chose to wait for the stalls with toilets rather than use a hole in the ground. The floor of the bathroom was wet, and a lady occasionally mopped the water into a drain in the center. I wondered where the source of all the water was, and discovered in each stall there is a little hose to help keep clean in this sticky heat.

When we found the boys they were talking to Salih, our assistant from the embassy who was the paper pusher that knew all the ropes. He had met us at our gate, and thanks to him we cut tons of lines, and let him deal with the paperwork and visas. Salih took care of everything much faster than we could have imagined to do on our own. I don’t even think we would have been able to figure out what we needed to be doing without him. Salih appeared to know everyone, and security just waved him and his entourage onwards without even a question. There is no way we could have figured out the mess without him.

It took a while to collect our 12 suitcases, but there were men there who hauled all our bags for us. Thank goodness, because we had too much stuff. Salih took us to meet Bob, the person that dad is replacing. It wasn’t exactly difficult to pick him out of the crowd though. He was the only blonde American in the midst of Arabs in their robes. He loaded our stuff and drove us to our hotel. The city sites were beautiful. Even though the sky was a grey haze from a previous sandstorm we enjoyed admiring everything. The city was unique, what appeared to be colorful enormous margarita glasses turned out to be water towers. The buildings were beautiful; they had stair step designs and dwarfed the little restaurants clustered in between them. I laughed when I saw a Hardees that hardly looked like a traditional American fast food stop. It was a beautiful little restaurant, and seeing the Hardees sign made it appear to be an oxymoron. We also picked out Papa John’s, Pizza Express, Starbucks, and McDonalds that looked so strange in Arabic lettering.

Eventually we wound up at our resort. It was tucked away with lots of security for the guests. Our car was searched by a boy that looked to be no more than 14. When we arrived at the door I immediately knew I was in the midst of luxury. I didn’t have to lift a finger as our bags were unloaded and we were escorted to our room. We have two beautiful suites with king sized beds and a lovely sitting area. Our names appeared on the TV screen when we entered with a little welcome note. Replacing any champagne or alcohol on the table was a bottle sparkling apple cider and wine glasses. My favorite aspect is not the array of fruits and fully stocked mini bar, but the beautiful view from the balcony. There are shimmering pools, beautiful gardens, and little marquees with couches lining the beach. The gulf is beautiful, and the water so incredibly warm. I think I could get used to this.

I took a shower in the luxury bathroom to wash off the oil and grit of traveling and began to settle down in the room. The rest of the family was elsewhere and I was left to chill. Though I was somewhat tired, I wanted to take a peaceful walk along the beach and asked dad if he thought it was okay. His response was that it was all right only if I took my little brother out to escort me. I groaned at the thought. Peaceful walk and Ethan somehow don’t go together. So, I sat on my balcony and watched the waves ripping and crashing along the shoreline.

Coming from a country where individuality and independence are so valued I think it might take a while to get used to this new culture. How can women be unique if the best they can do is embellish their burkas that cover them from head to toe? And how can I be independent if I need to rely on a man to take a walk in the evening? Maybe things will change as we adjust to the country. Perhaps being escorted by a male is only a precaution at this stage. I sure hope so.

I spent the night sitting on the balcony and people watching as I waited for my laptop so I could begin to tell friends about my experience. Emily and Ethan slept as I watched the beach light up. Palm trees were illuminated with strings of Christmas lights, and lanterns were lit along the beach. I heard some people playing a game of beach volleyball, and others casually walk around. However, I did not see any Westerners. There were groups of Arab men in their white robes that swayed in the breeze, and women in black burkas that chatted in the tents. Along with the guests wandering around were hotel workers rushing back and forth. About every 20 minutes someone would run to either end of the beach to refill the shisha pipes with new burning coals.

Eventually the stars came out, and I curled up in the chair listening to the waves and watching the beach. My laptop was finally free, and I skyped and chatted to friends, relaying the day’s events. Around midnight I was finally tired enough to sleep, though it was only around 4:00pm on my body clock that was still set to Indiana.

This morning I woke up around 10, and got dressed to explore the hotel and beach more. I put on a long sleeveless dress, but added a shirt as I felt way to bare compared to the other women here. Emily and Ethan soon woke up, and mom joined us as we explored the beach. We paused to take photos in the lobby of the hotel. It was so elaborate. Colorful chandeliers were scattered across the ceiling and bay windows showed the sparkling crystal gulf. The sand outside was scorching hot, and it took a while to adjust to the heat. I carefully walked to the waves, cautious that it might be cold as the seas I’ve been to normally are. However it was the perfect temperature; nice, warm and refreshing. We counted the minutes down till lunch, and were rewarded by a beautiful buffet spread.

The food was to die for. There was a huge salad bar, far from the traditional American one. I ate mainly from this as it was refreshing and a cool contrast to the heat. There were endless fresh greens, peppers, tomatoes, stuffed olives, grilled mushrooms and peppers, chicken salad, raw salmon, tuna salad, shrimp, egg, chicken patties of some sort and so much other food that I have no idea what it was, but enjoyed every bite of it. I also sampled a chicken and lamb dish. The lamb tasted so incredibly different than usual. You could call it another meat altogether and I would not know the difference. It was tender, and perfectly cooked in a sauce that tasted of heaven. The chicken was part of a red and orange rice dish that was cooked in many different and enjoyable spices. I also had to try the mushroom soup. It was creamy, with rich chunks of mushrooms and herbs. If you can’t tell, I can’t wait for dinner tonight. There was also an endless spread of desserts, but by this time I was so stuffed I only tried a tiny portion of a rich chocolate mousse. It was amazing.

So now I plan on cleaning the sand off my laptop for the second time in an hour, unpacking a bit, and probably taking my brother down to the pool or beach as he is dying to go. I thought I would hate being in a hotel yet again, but I believe I will enjoy our ten day stay here.