Prom 2010. Number 5. Yes, that’s prom number 5. I think it’s a pretty impressive record don’t you? Five proms and only in high school for 3 years. Yes, I’m proud of myself.
The day of prom I decided to go all out and pamper myself. Joha, Tamara, Erika and I booked appointments at a lovely hair salon where they got updos and I got my hair curled. We had fun posing in the fancy chairs while the ladies fussed over us. After hair we got our make up done. It was my first time to ever have anyone else do my make up, and I was a bit worried at first! The lady seemed to understand what I was wearing and what I needed, so the sweet Indian lady just went all out! It was MAC make-up, and boy did she cake it on! The lady applied it the traditional Arab way, thick, lots of it, and very heavy on the eyes. Besides the fact that I was wearing an absurd amount of make up it wasn’t too bad! I called my driver and had him take me from the salon back home where I touched up a few things and soon was quite happy with it.
I slipped on my elegant dress, buttoned my silver dancing shoes, put on the borrowed earrings and matching necklace my boss loaned me, and walked down our staircase feeling like a princess. Daddy drove me back to Joha’s where people were starting to gather. The girls posed for endless photos until our men finally arrived. My date was Louae, his mom is a Southern belle from Tennesse, and his dad is Palestinian. Louae wore a white suit and a tie that matched my blue dress.
Erika brought out the boutonnieres and corsages that were absolutely lovely! Louae and I were proud of ourselves for being the first to put them on without any trouble. The corsage was traditional Arab, over the top white roses with blue flowers surrounding them. It was not the traditional American one, but I liked mine even more. I carefully pinned Louae’s boutonniere and tried not to poke him. I was having so much fun already!
The white limo arrived shortly and the guys played their music through the limo. Very soon the helium balloons were punctured and being inhaled for laughs, I just observed the insanity.
We finally arrived at the Movenpick in the Free Zone and walked across the red carpet that had all the seniors names in stars on it. The place was beautifully decorated , Tamara truly did a fabulous job. Okay, to understand the rest of my story you gotta know that proms are illegal. Mixed gatherings are illegal. Dancing is illegal. So technically we shouldn’t have even attempted to hold the prom. BUT, we have embassy kids, princes, and people with plenty of wasta from the most elite school in Kuwait at the prom, so we went for it. Tamara ensured we had documents from the Ministry that said we were legal for one night only and that they would not disturb us. Oh, if only it were true…
We found our candlelit table, greeted friends, and started dancing on the dance floor. After only a couple of dances the lights were on, the DJ vanished, and we were told to eat dinner. This was around 10:00, and we had only arrived at about 9:15. So we started eating dinner, and enjoyed the “dinner party.” Information from outside slowly began to leak out as questions were asked while the police wandered around the hall and conducted random searches. Supposedly someone called the police and claimed we had alcohol and drugs. There were no alcohol or drugs. We believe rather than some spiteful kid, this was a lie by the Ministry to exert their power and shut us down. The police left for a little bit and we were told the party should be back on soon. Well, that didn’t exactly happen. Tamara came in and yelled at everyone to cover up, and enjoy the birthday dinner party because the Ministry was coming in. The DJ was far out of sight, and soon girls shoulders and chests were covered up by wraps and shawls that were produced from purses, and those we had none were covered in the guy’s jackets. The most impressive party was how all the men turned into gentleman to protect their ladies. As the Ministry walked in and surveyed the area we all began to sing Happy Birthday for a random person, trying to complete our act. The Arab Al-Sabah’s excused themselves and slipped to the bathroom to make phone calls and pull wasta. Louae and I enjoyed our dinner, talked, and enjoyed the entertainment. Dad figured this might happen, so he had been sitting in the park lot the whole time, ready for a quick escape. I texted him and went out to the parking lot to talk to him at 10:45. All dolled up, with a sheer wrap around my chest and me attempting to be a lady and hoist up my skirts through the sand and dust was apparently quite a site. I wanted to scream at the cars who slowed to follow me, and the men whose eyes were fixated on me. Finding dad was quite the relief and I quickly slipped into his car to pour out the details. Dad walked me back inside and he sat in the lobby trying to make sense of the chaos and he even tried to call in a few favors. By 11:00 things were continuing to look sketchy and those who didn’t have enough wasta or social status to save them slipped out the back. Americans gathered around me and some of the other Embassy kids with our “you cannot arrest or detain this person” cards. At 11:15 we were told the party was back on! The music turned on for about 10 seconds before the ministry came in yelling, they weren’t finished with us yet! At 11:30 we knew it was hopeless. As soon as the drug call was made and the police arrived we were no longer legal. Because we weren’t legal the ministry took our papers, and because we had no papers the hotel wouldn’t back us up. Tamara was in tears as she and her mom tried to desperately contact the owner of the hotel, if he could have been bothered to show his support, we would have been fine. Sadly though, the manager of the hotel has been known to pull things like this on American proms. Dad came in and I said goodbye to my friends at 11:30. He wanted me out of there, and he wanted me out fast. About half the people had already trickled out, and the rest were calling taxis and trying to plan quick after prom parties.
Dad and I got stuck in an epic traffic jam right outside the hotel, when we finally neared the explanation dad had me cover up once more and he pulled out his embassy id for the roadblock. We were waved right through because we’re embassy, but there were several cars detained on the side of the road. I texted the guys and warned them of the roadblock, their response was that the police were searching everyone exiting the hotel for drugs or alcohol. Several people who were neither Western or Arab were detained due to their nationality. All of my friends made it out safely, they were just jostled around and a little frightened. As I texted people on my way home Louae apologized for the insane prom that hardly even had the chance to begin. I told him it was no worries, it takes a lot to top a prom at Windsor Palace or an elegant country mansion, but this one succeeded. To have my prom busted my cops and shut down by the Ministry of Interior tops absolutely everything!
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