Funny...

Funny

August 30

In this unrelated photo:  

my first attempt to make samosoas with sambosa leaves from Saudi Arabia...quite delicious!  In the foreground: a local fruit that is like a lechee

I saw an advert at the clinic the other day that struck me funny.  I presumed it to be for a plastic surgery practice, but not one I'd want to submit my body to. On the left side it pictured what should have been the "before" photo which was a nice, firm, flat female abdomen.  In the "After" pic there was a flabby, lumpy, tummy more like my own.  As I was wondering who would PAY to have the rolly polly look, Emily reminded me that they read Right to Left here:)

In England & Germany, we constantly lamented how early the malls closed and the impossibility of getting any shopping done after dinner.  Now that we're in a country where shopping is the main source of amusement, stores are open till midnight.  On Thursday, Robert & I went out around 8pm to get things for the house after we had finished unpacking.  At IKEA, we stopped at the diwanea (a large tent used for entertaining with cushions low on the ground for sitting) where Arabic coffee and sweets were being served.  After a snack, we scooped up everything from trash cans to full length mirrors and headed home around 12.  The traffic was crazy; we waited to nudge out into the mystery lanes (not sure how many there are, which is fast/slow, etc) for the ride home.  A truck in a hurry tore past us on the right hand shoulder. Funny, what a contrast it is to life in Europe.

The road in front of the Avenues Mall divides the old from the new.  The mall sprawls over many blocks with it's wave shaped roof and Rodeo Drive-ish palm lined, fountain dotted exterior and equally grand interior.  The humor is in the contrast on the other side of the road. Smaller shops are huddled together and groups of white clad men cluster inside and out.  Cars park 3-4 deep on any semi-flat surface available.  Piles of trash lean against tired & crumbling buildings and rubbish lays like snow drifts wherever it's been blown.

I'm looking for beauty and appreciating this culture but sometimes things just hit me weird. The other night when I was wakened by the call to prayer, it sounded to me like the Imam was gagging on a tongue depressor.  MY BAD, I know!

Try as we may, keeping to the Ramadan rules is so tough. Who'd think I'd have to tell my "dying of thirst" son to "go duck behind that truck and sneak a drink of water?" At the Friday market we noticed people buying cold water bottles and several had them open, so we thought maybe the fast was lifted on the Holy days.  Just as Emily was about to take a drink, Molly noticed the water bottles were being used to pour over their parched heads--not for quenching thirst! Later, while grocery shopping I forgot and asked to taste olives at the deli counter.  The first guy let me, but when I asked to taste some cheese, the assistant looked reluctant and tipped me off!  Embarrassed, I hurried away.

Funny how homesick one can get when there is no phone service to call home on.  I miss hearing the voice of family and friends.  I miss the hugs and warmth & prayers of my home group.  I miss being with people who know me & love me anyway!

Culture Coma

I personally feel that the term "Culture Shock" is a misnomer. It seems to suggest that it is only an initial response, like a bolt of lightening that jolts you and is over. Perhaps "culture coma" would be more accurate. How long will this state of altered consciousness last? I will let you know!



I seems like I can only get one or two small things done each day. There is no direct route to getting anyplace or doing anything. We learned the procedure for getting maintenace done on our house; we email housing and they quickly and efficiently respond, then arrange with the middle man to make the repairs. We had a leak by our side door which left the steps constantly slippery and we had to schedule 3 times before the work actually got done. No one would say "we can't come till next week" but they can "no-show" and that seems to be more acceptable.



Our embassy health clinic arranged for Emily to see a pediatrician who would then make a referral to the rheumatologist who will manage Emily's care. The paperwork was promptly delivered to me and insurance gave their approval. We headed downtown with the photo copied directions. When the roads became confusing, I called the clinic to ask for an address we could put into our GPS and was told "no address mam, just go behind Mubarak Hospital, you will see it." Addresses here contain an area, a block number, a street number and a house number....but not all businesses have numbers!



By winding around in the area, we managed to find the building. Once inside we did our paperwork and after waiting for 30 minutes, I asked when we might be seen. Only then did they show me that they had no record of our appointment!! They kindly worked us in and once we met the Jordanian doctor, we loved her. She trained in the UK and was so empathetic & reassuring to Emily. She treated her swollen, irritated eyes and drew us yet another map of where to find the rheumatolologist.



Today, not wanting Robert to miss work, I called my favorite driver: Ahmad. He runs a taxi service of 20 cars and has perfect English and a very pleasant manner. This clinic was 20 minutes away, but costs the same as the 5 minute trip to the embassy. I asked him how to get around without addresses and he just laughed & assured me I would get used to it. Even the largest map we could find does not contain all the streets in the city.



Thankfully, the doctor was also excellent once we got to him. Our insurance liason had tried many times to reach him from the UK to see if he would follow Em but he could never be reached. It feels like we are a LOT further away from England than we are. Professor Kalid was definately "on the same page" as the specialist in London so I think we will get high quality care. This too, is an answer to prayer. His main concern was to get Emily sleeping through the night again but he will change nothing until all her records arrive.



One more example of how things work here: School. After the false start a week ago when we were told to go register and no one was there, we wanted to be bright and early on Sunday. At 8:30 when we were preparing to leave, we discovered they did not actually open until 12:30. We changed our plans and arrived early in the afternoon but en route, I got a call that they were closing at 2pm and would not be admitting anyone else...



We "rushed the gate" soon after this and no one turned us away. The office was chaotic but many had already left since it was Ramadan. It was literally the first day back for staff: many teachers were still on holiday though school starts in 9 days and student testing begins in two. We were fortunate to have a chance meeting with a high school counselor and Robert asked if she had time to help Emily select her courses. The computers were not working, but she took time to sit with us and advise Emily on the course selection. As Emily will be taking honors English and AP World History, she informed us that both of these had summer assignments. She offered to get the assignments for her but said the books had to be ordered; she was sure teachers would be understanding if her work was late. That's when mama & papa bear got growly! We tried to register them in March, and again when Robert came in June...he even visited the school to see what we needed to do to prepare for admission and was told "JUST SHOW UP WHEN YOU ARRIVE." After explaining the miscommunication, the counsellor took us to the Vice Principal who was very kind and willing to negotiate the assignments. She didn't want Emily to feel behind in class but knew it was too much pressure to ask her to read & write about 5 books in one weeks time, so she agreed for her to read Cliff Notes on some, scan others, and shortened the writting assignments.



The facilities themselves were not too impressive. Security is tight and access is limited. The kids will be outdoors as they travel from class to class. There is no cafeteria and the kids eat outside. When I explained Emily's heat intolerance, Mrs. Ness offered to let her bring a friend and eat in her office. There will be a designated classroom during Ramadan where non fasting kids can go for a quick break and snarf their contraband lunches. It will be nearly October before much normality will be established at school. The school days are two hours shorter during Ramadan.

The heat continues, but thankfully some of the humidity has lifted, for which we're very thankful. Now if this coma-fog will clear in the near future, I can get on with living here!

Ramadan Kareem

August 23

Ramadan Kareem!

The moon played hide and seek with the holy men resulting in the delay of Ramadan by one day. This meant we were able to go to lunch on Friday after chuch with some new friends. Tom works for the State Department and speaks Arabic, so his family has lived all over the Middle East. They took us to their favorite Lebanese restaurant which serves family style. We all loved the cuisine as well as the company of this lovely family of 6.

In anticipation of Ramadan, I baked cookies (tricky, without a mixer & only a cake pan for baking) and made some tomato relish to share with neighbors. I wrapped things the best I could: Styrofoam & tin foil! Molly helped me make "Ramadan Kareem" cards to wish our neighbors a blessed Ramadan and introduce ourselves. After much discussion, it was decided Robert would initially go alone since we noticed with the next door neighbors, only men answer the door.

Across the street, the man was out, so the lady (Braheim) greeted him warmly and thanked him. The man behind us invited Robert in. An hour later as I was wondering if he'd been kidnapped, I texted him to see if he was okay; he answered "tea" and I knew he was in good hands! Hussein was visiting with his brother but they welcomed Robert in & offered him tea.

On Saturday, we were not feeling so adventuresome with the 115 degree weather and the steam bath going on...only Molly ventured out to spend time with her new friend. Mid afternoon, the bell rang & the lady Robert had taken cookies to was at our door with her daughter and a Ramadan gift for us. I'd hate to compare the humble presentation of our gift to hers; it was a silver lidded bowl of traditional desert which was similar to a jellied cranberry sauce. The card she gave us was gorgeous, it was lace trimmed & had a packet of something (seeds?) attached and was in English. They had written the warmest thanks and "welcome to the neighborhood" greeting inside...I was so touched by their sincerity. They explained they were still cooking for the first night of Ramadan and couldn't stay, but they came in briefly and I showed them the lower floor of the house (I'm learning this "tour" is quite common.) In his desire to be hospitable, Robert offered them a drink!!! The daughter smiled and replied that they were fasting and he was SOOOO embarrassed! We are tying SO hard to get in sync with this culture and when we pulled that FAUX PAS after instructing the kids on not offending during Ramadan...we ALL had quite a good laugh at ourselves. I think we must provide our host country nationals some humor as well, while we trip all over ourselves trying to "blend in."

It was so timely that I had just read this from I Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

We all needed this reminder of why we submit to authorities even when we personally enjoy the freedoms that come through knowing Christ. To abstain from even sipping a water bottle in public for a month when it is 115 outside seems absurd unless we understand that it is honoring to God and respectful to those we're here to love....NOT TO MENTION, that we don't want to be cited by the police! It is truly no joking matter, this is taken very seriously here. Restaurants are closed and any eating & drinking that is done must be done behind locked doors.

About 5pm, Kefaya sent her sweet maid, Bunshee, over with a sampler plate of the delicacies they were making for their feast tonight after sunset. I learned that since all of their meat must be "halal" (like Kosher for Jews) it is drained completely of blood, so may not be as flavorful. They compensate by the seasonings & cooking methods which make it very tasty. The meat patties she brought were grilled and delicious, the stuffed vine leaves were different than Greek ones and excellent, and the rice and potato balls were unusual but deep fat fried.

I am so thankful to be finding favor with our neighbors. I pray for divine appointments and ongoing friendships with these dear Kuwaitis. I feel so humbled, so honored to be here. Pray that I'll be able to invest my time here in things eternal. Isn't God just so.........Oh I wish I could describe him!!!

The Assault

August 21, 2009

The Assault

We were downtown Kuwait City to have our initial consultations with the local dentists who will provide our care; Ethan and Emily both may be getting braces of some sort. It was just past 8pm when we stepped out of the building. I was unsuspecting, though we had been warned. The assault was sudden and severe. In the blackness we were hit with a hot, wet, blanket that took my breath away. Humidity!!!

Just that quickly the weather changed from blazing heat, to a smoldering, steamy inferno. When I merely open the door to the outside, I am blinded by the fog on my glasses. All of us here agree: there is no way to describe this climate. I heard that the humidity yesterday was around 65% on top of the heat.

I was in and out of an AC vehicle all day Wednesday and survived with the short exposures. Our sponsor did a drive-around for some new ladies and took us to some lesser known places to find the practical items not carried by the super-malls. The “sticker shock” was a bit less when we visited a “Sears” that functions like a TJ Max…I found great quality sheets for our King size bed at a comparable price to online.

Driving around the city, I’m stunned at how trashy most places are. In a country where cheap labor is so abundant that trash pick up is DAILY; I can’t understand why there are still so many lots littered with rubble and trash that could well be from the Gulf War. I turned my ankle on an uneven surface in the parking lot and cut my foot… it is frustrating.

Had my first shwarma; like an Arab version of a donor kebab…it was yummy. I brought home dinner from a deli; so glad my family is up for trying new foods!

Emily is still not sleeping well and wakes up very tired and achy. She & Ethan have been reading a lot and watching movies on the cable network we were provided; Indiana Jones, etc. Ethan spent a couple of hours at Ali’s house. He says he goes to bed at 5am and sleeps till 6pm. I guess they are ready for Ramadan to start. Their family usually eats dinner from 9-11pm, but they know we eat much earlier. Since Ethan was there around 7, they thought he may not have eaten, so one of the maids brought him burgers, fries, & Coke! He could get used to being treated like a Prince, I fear!

Friends & Neighbors

August 17, 2009

Friends and Neighbors

Saturday afternoon was our “hail & farewell” in the smaller sub group that Robert works with. I can’t remember anyplace ever being easier to fit in and connect with. It was nice that the Col. Prayed over the food before we ate. I enjoyed talking to his wife about the powerful mission of the group of evangelical churches in Kuwait. I’m so excited for the ministries to re-start as people return from summer holiday.

On the way home we stopped at the very posh and extravagant Avenues Mall to pick up Ethan’s new cell phone and Sim cards for the girls. These malls with their razzle-dazzle are more of a spectator sport than anything else once we view the price tags. Shopping is a major source of entertainment here as much else seems to be forbidden, so much money is spent on developing ever more impressive architecture & décor. I can’t think of anything in the states that compares to how lavish and large these shopping centers are.

As we were getting out of our car around 8:30pm, we saw our next door neighbor and said “hello.” After we introduced ourselves, he said “come, come” and escorted us all into his finely decorated sitting room. We were a bit self conscious as we had dressed for an American event, not for our first visit to a Muslim home! He began hollering in Arabic for his family to come down; the girls obviously had to take time to cover with their headscarves and change clothes. Meanwhile one of their maids served us orange juice and we chatted about his large photo on the wall: he is a retired general from the Ministry of the Interior of Kuwait. Soon his lovely girls began appearing in ordinary clothes with long sleeves, pants, and their hair was covered. The youngest is 14, the middle daughter just graduated from High School as the #1 senior in all of Kuwait, the oldest is very well educated, articulate and spoke the best English. They were very pleasant and soon were chatting with the girls, offering to take them to the mall. The Madame swept in with great flair and pomp. Her name is Kefaya which means “enough” because she was the last child, and that was enough! Next, the maid brought out little home made pizzas with local spices, olive, cheese. When the 12 year old son appeared, he took Ethan upstairs where they played on the X-box, and tossed around what we believe is his pet chicken! Ethan said it pooped on the floor a few times…no wonder, with such “play!” The boys hit it off quite well, to my surprise.

They continued to bring out lovely food for us to try, as if they had planned on our company! There was some sweet custard like stuff with nuts, muffins, delicious chocolate wrapped in silver with raised golden scrolls on it, and finally the Arabic coffee in tiny cups. Our host taught us that we must hold it with our right hand, and shake it when we were finished if we did not want more. It tasted nice, but nothing at all like coffee to me. It did not keep me awake either…the calls to prayer did that just fine!

All of the family spoke English, but sometimes the girls needed to help the parents with some translation. They are very well traveled to the US, and often to Europe; they also love Germany and had just returned from there and a trip to Paris where the designer clothes and handbags are cheaper! Kefaya (mom) works (just to stay busy) as director of a school but she is off for the summer and is finished work every day by 2 pm. Amir (dad) retired and now chooses to “rest” because he makes “much money” and does not need a second career like American military members.

We talked about the different groups of people in Kuwait and Kefaya brought up the women who dress like “Ninjas” and we just cracked up! They said the women who cover completely are either Bedouins, or radical Islamists who do it only for tradition, not religion. They sorta looked down their noses at those who do more than Muhammad requires. We wonder at the purpose of covering…if it is not to draw attention, it seems counterproductive because the women here wear fancy jewel studded black abayas and scarves that I think are much more arresting than hair would be!

We received a gratis briefing on what to look for in a housemaid, were advised to only have a live-in maid and that Philippine maids are best and the cleanest. The Bangladesh maids can’t be trusted and are inclined to run with boys. They had a maid once who asked to go to her place of worship to “pray” but they found names of boys in her cell phone and suspected the meetings were more for “playing” than praying! Their maids were friendly, happy and chatted with us. Their daughters also helped with serving us. It felt odd to be the only ones eating & drinking, they were so eager to please us, and we were so eager not to do/say something stupid!!! My kids assured me that I failed at the laterJ All the things I’ve read not to say or do, come back to mind about a millisecond after I’ve said or done them…like reaching out to shake Amir’s hand as I was leaving. They were very forgiving and nonjudgmental for which I am very thankful.
We asked them about their Ramadan traditions and learned a lot. The evening of days 13-15 the kids in the neighborhood dress up in traditional clothes and go around collecting candy or money like our Halloween…so glad to learn about this BEFORE they start ringing the bell! They look forward to all the new shows that come out on satellite TV during Ramadan which they watch at home with all the many family members who join them. So many people come there are not enough chairs for them all (trust me, there we A LOT of seats in that house!) so they push back the furniture and everyone sits on the floor to do their feasting. They eat from about 6:30 till 3am, then go in to work a little later than usual. We learned that neighbors traditionally trade dishes during this time so I’ve been searching in my new Southern Cook Book from Atlanta for some pork & alcohol free (does vanilla count since the liquid form is not available in stores here?) recipes I can make.

Kefaya told us we were blessed that we were next to them because they would look out for us. She told me to come over any time, for any reason, and “do not even knock on the door, just come right in like you are family.” I said the maid would surely call the police on me and they all laughed, Robert said Amir was the police chief, that’s why it was so funny! They assured us this is a very safe neighborhood with no crime and no worries. They told us never to call a taxi, one of them would be happy to take us anywhere we want to go. “You want to go to mall? I will take you. You want to go to grocery? I will take you. You want to go to spa? I will take you.”
Before we left, we were given a tour of the house, it’s many sitting rooms, 5 kitchens, and only I was invited into Kefaya’s personal bedroom, designed by her for her own personal use. Ali had his own large screen TV & gaming equipment in his room. Before leaving, he told Ethan “see you tomorrow.”

On Sunday, Robert & Molly had to go to work but Ethan, Emily & I were invited over to the other sibling friends; Jocelyn & Pauls. Needing to establish a driver I could trust, I called the first taxi on our list. I asked for an English driver, and the dispatcher asked “why?” When our Iranian driver showed up, he did not speak English and we nearly had to bail out of the car two blocks from the house. When I discovered there were no seat belts, I asked him to stop the car. He smiled very patronizingly and said he had none ( he understood this!) When we started to get out, he insisted he take us home. When we got out he motioned for us to wait while he yanked out the back seat and dug up the seatbelts! The car was stuffy, and he talked on the phone occasionally, but sensing my terror, he did drive quite sanely. The kids noticed his visa papers had an expiration date of January, 09.

Once again, Emily, Ethan, Paul, & Jocelyn sardines all afternoon in their enormous house (bigger than ours!) while Delores & I indulged in pedicures at her favorite salon. These are the sweetest kids and for all who prayed for good friends for our kids…be sure to thank God for answering those prayers! We are sooo thankful.

The spa we visited is run by a lady from California but the gals who gave our side-by-side pedicures were Filipino. We were pampered with tea, coffee, and amazing footwork lasting nearly two hours. The climate here contributes to some leathery feet so this was really a treat. While we were out, we saw more stay, skinny cats. They are so sad & hungry looking, we wished we could bring them all home. I don’t quite know yet why there are so many unattended cats here, I don’t think Kuwaitis consider them pets.

True to his word, Sunday evening, Ali rang the bell asking for Ethan to join him and his friend for a spin around the neighborhood (they were on rollerblades.) Reluctantly, I let him go with phone in pocket. They were back soon and asked for Ethan to join them on X Box which he did. The other friend was very, very nice and Ethan enjoyed them both. I asked about language, etc. and Ethan said there were no issues but he giggled. The friend had asked him “in American schools, when do you learn about sex?” Ethan didn’t know of course! The friend was excited because they learn here in grade 7 which is the grade he is going into!

Yesterday we made brownies and took them over after afternoon prayers…oh yes, about the prayers, I digress…
A couple of nights ago when I couldn’t sleep, I was blogging till about 3 and just stayed up to see if I could record the prayers. When the first one started at 0320, Robert got up and joined me on the roof under a starry sky and we listened as a second one converged. Shortly after, from a third direction came a new voice. It was stunning to stand in the night breeze, scanning the housetops and the minarets, listening to the mullahs sing-song calls to prayer. Before 0400 we were back in bed when the loudest of them all began, followed shortly by a fifth one. So, we learned they do not synchronize the calls, but rather spread them out!

Back to the brownies… No one came to the door for awhile, finally Amir came, clearly having just woken up! It was nap time. Kefaya was so upset about the wedding fire that took place Saturday, she had suffered a restless night. This time, Emily & I made an effort to wear clothes with maximum coverage and we nearly chuckled when they met us wearing tank tops and shorts! (Robert was not with us.) They munched brownies and Zahra invited the kids to join them for “half price Monday” at the cinema. They had to pre-order tickets online and choose their seats in advance. There were not 7 seats together in the “family” section to see GI Joe, so they asked if Emily minded sitting in the “bachelor section” with Batool & the brothers where they would be the only girls. Ali & Batool came over to our house before the movie and played some Arabic version of hide and seek that is called “3 Eggs.” Em & E taught them spoons. It was awesome that the kids seemed so content to just hang out and be with Em & Ethan. I am so thankful that we have found favor with our neighbors. Many people told us not to expect this kind of friendship with Kuwaitis, so we are feeling very blessed.

We drove, as Zarah did not have enough seat belts. Robert & I cruised the mall and “people watched” then enjoyed the most fabulous Lebanese food while they saw the movie. We tried a traditional coffee and warm rose water drink that had lemon peel in it which was nice. The grilled Haloumi cheese, tabouli, olives, pickles, fat almonds, and fresh Arabic bread was oh, so, yum. The “movie review” was quite positive except all the viewers seemed to miss the “kissing parts” which were ALL blipped from the film in a not-so-seamless way! They said any time things were becoming intimate, there was a scene change that left you wondering what happened! The neighbor kids said they HATE movies in the Gulf, they much prefer to see them in America where they are not edited. We have noticed that books are also censured here…even “Green Eggs and Ham” could not be purchased for the Embassy library! My friend Delores told me there are sections in the kid’s history books at school which are stapled together!!
Ethan is awake and wants to show me the paint ball gun he is saving money for. He has learned that they do paintballing here in old, bombed out villages from the Gulf war so he is highly motivated to earn money! He is willing to be my housekeeper before he starts school so he can save enough to purchase this $230.00 weapon of destruction!

More later….

Random Observations

August 14, 2009

Random Observations

The days are tripping by at an accelerated pace now that we are in our home. We hope to get our household goods before Ramadan as we’ve been warned that not much gets done once it starts. Perhaps the echo will diminish in these halls when our “stuff” arrives. Update on bathrooms: I found another one, bringing the total to 8. As for what the calls to prayer are like; let’s just say SHOCKING. Around 3:30 the speakers begin to blare and it sounds like a competition to see which of the 3 mosques in the neighborhood can drown the others out. Last night I heard two at one time and just when they were over, the 3rd one began. To my sleep starved brain, it seems like there are horns blowing as well as the sing song mantra of the Imam. We promise to capture it on video soon to share with you! Robert slept thru it the first night, Emily lay awake, anxious about her new school until about 3, then slept thru the call last night. I’ve gone right back to sleep for which I’m thankful. My mantra when I hear the call is “There is only one God and Jesus is his son. We are his servants; how can we serve best today?”

We are so excited about an answer to prayer: Molly got a “summer hire” FULL TIME position at the US Embassy starting at $7.25/hr! She begins Sunday in the shipping area and will work until this fund dries up… hopefully by then she will have made herself indispensable! She will continue to look for opportunities to tutor. There is a senior guy from a really nice family we met who is also doing summer work there; he has told her he will meet her for lunch at the café…can’t wait to hear how it goes. She will have to get to work early so Robert can take her on the way to his office which is not at the embassy.

Thursday we did our first local grocery shop at one of the CO-OP stores.(see photo) This was a bit un-nerving but mostly, people were really nice and helpful. It was difficult to find English speaking people here and I did a lot of pantomime. I love having an excuse to approach the women when I have a question, most are helpful if they understand me. I was one of only 2-3 Western dressed women in the big store, the ONLY woman in a smaller market. We were able to taste cheeses and olives and decide what we liked before purchasing. I asked the man at the deli if they had hummus and he pointed off in the distance; an older woman was not happy with his reply so she took us herself to someone who spoke English…he took us to the dry garbanzo beans and I explained I wanted “ready made”…he took us to the CANNED garbanzo beans and I gave up! Guess I’ll be making my own hummus! I asked for chocolate chips and was taken to the “Snaps” which are canned chocolates in the shape of potato chips…aw shucks it takes a long time to shop hereJ Later, the same man found me hunting in the baking goods and took me to the Hersheys chocolate chips which were reasonably priced. Later at a “Sultan Center” which is a private grocery with ALL things American, they had Nestle Baking chips but the KD price converted to $9.70 a package! We could have about any brand name food we craved at the Sultan centers but we may get things cheaper by flying to a Kroger back in the States! I’m really thinking that having a once a week maid who can also teach me to cook with locally grown foods would be quite beneficial.

Thursday at the “All Hands” meeting our family was introduced and invited to the end of week briefing. The recent arrest of several who were plotting an attack on our main base here, Arif Jan, has heightened the already high security here. One of the new “Force Protection” measures introduced is that the military members can no longer travel to work in uniform. They must wear civilian clothes, change, and change back to civies any time they leave their work site. We were taught to use our radios that must also be kept in our “safe room” and tested monthly. The new general stressed how much our safety meant to him and the importance of looking out for each other’s back side. He is a very amicable guy and always seemed to be serving others at the social that followed. His 17 yr old daughter just arrived and she & Molly hit it off quite well. On inspection of our vehicle as we were leaving Arif Jan today, the guard saw the pierced hole in the side of our Tahoe (not obtained since we’ve had it) and said in his southern drawl “where I come from, that would be considered a bullet hole.” Robert insists that it is not from a bullet but the kids love the story anyway. Again, the general stressed the very critical issue of safety on the roads, much more dangerous than terrorist activity.

The Happy Hour was constant meeting, greeting and good food from Ruby Tuesdays this time. It was very easy to chat with everyone and I was again impressed with how genuine the people are. There was a whole table of teen girls and Ethan met 2 more guys his age who will also go to ASK (American School of Kuwait.) Emily must have heard too many stories about the school as she got very sad, worried, and homesick for London when she got home.
Friday meant church, and we also had dental intake appointments at the base, so we visited an Anglican church that was in that direction. With the exception of the Chinese congregation, we made up about 20% of the worshippers. Church was held in the basement of a villa; the Seventh Day Adventists met upstairs. We received a very warm welcome and met 3 Brits who were attending. The “reader” carefully distanced themselves from “evangelical” when I was talking to him…funny, as our Anglican church in London was clearly evangelical but titles don’t always mean the same thing in different places. Here the preacher is not a vicar, he is the “chaplain.” The sermon was quite good on the flesh & blood of Christ, but it was slow going as it was translated into Chinese as she preached. The service lasted 1 ½ hours and included communion and a very liturgical style.

We all had initial exams by the military dentist so he could then refer us to a Kuwaiti dentist/orthodontist for Ethan who will need braces (our London orthodontist thought he was fine) and a peridontist for Robert. We had lunch in the mess hall where the troops eat and we were not even charged. It was nice to see how well fed they are.
Any time we drive here, my anxiety still climbs the scale. I must tie on every “Fear Not” I can think of, then I lower myself down one step at a time while I scan 360 degrees to try and help Robert stay aware. Today I counted discarded cars along the road from Camp Arif Jan: five. We are learning to expect to be passed by speeding vehicles on EITHER side of the car. Drivers who can’t be bothered to wait in a turn lane to make a U Turn (the only way to get onto the road going the opposite direction) will just stop in the next lane over and nudge their way in. Drivers talk on cell phones, adjust their head scarves, and let their kids play unbuckled in the front seat while traveling at high speeds. Every day in the paper the accidents are listed with graphic photos of the traumatic scenes…this does not seem to be a deterrent as “Inshallah” (as God wills) is the prevailing philosophy. The ONLY good thing about driving is the price of gas: it is so cheap! The government subsidizes the cost so the pump price is under a dollar a gallon…that would explain all the Gas Hogs on the road, including ours.

Tonight was my first time to cook in my new kitchen…so we invited guests! We met a family who has a son that is 12, and a daughter, 15; they will be in the same grades as Emily & Ethan. The mom is so delightful and their dad works very long hours and could not come, but we had the rest of the family. We had a lovely time together and the kids played “Sardines” and had a blast hiding on all the floors. It was a great way to celebrate our new home even though we had to improvise for every kitchen item not found in our borrowed “welcome pack.” Delores brought me my first table cloth with camels on the border! It is really beautiful.

My heart is so full of praise for the faithfulness of God in our lives. I can’t wait to find a way to give back.

A Place To Call Home

August 10, 2009

A Place to Call Home

How very odd that today, Sunday, began the work week here. Robert went to work while I worked out, indulged in the breakfast buffet, read & got the kids in motion. We were all asleep again by noon till Robert came with news of a new house assignment. A single officer had been placed in this 3 story house and was unhappy with so much empty space. His request to move came just before our move in date and the switch was made and approved even though the house had been designated for a “Director” level or above. This was a very gracious move by all involved and the house is WAY beyond our wildest dreams. (see above outside pic)

This time, we approached the house through a lovely new neighborhood just 5 minutes from the US Embassy where we will often need to be. To our surprise, there is even a small patch of yard in front of the house that Ethan will get to mow; having grass is quite rare here. There is enough covered parking for about 6 cars and a “drivers room” by the side entrance plus 2 maids quarters which are quite small. We nearly wet our knickers when we saw the inside; it was not only huge, it was new and lovely with modern fittings and colors. There are currently 4 furnished sitting areas; we could turn one into a workout/entertainment room with the ping pong table, and we could well make a dance hall out of one as the floors are nicely tiled! According to what we are hearing, there is not a lot for teens to do here, so we may be very grateful for space to entertain and make our own fun. I think I counted 7 bathrooms, all equipped with the hygiene hose by the toilets which comply with Islamic laws on toileting habits. The second floor has a door onto a wrap around balcony and the top floor opens onto the roof as is common here. The roof has a ledge around it and they will deliver outdoor furniture for parties there in cooler weather if we wish. The skyline around the house is beautiful and we are 3 houses away from one mosque, and not more than a block from two others; I can imagine the call to prayer will be loud and clear! We noticed today that radio stations break from usual programming and play classical or nature sounds music during prayer time; about 5 minutes. I hope I will benefit from these reminders to refocus on God throughout my day instead of viewing it as an intrusion.

Rules for Ramadan were posted at the Arif Jon Military Base where we went this evening to get more ID’s.(see photo) It is hard to believe that restaurants do not open until sunset and eating in public is a punishable offense. Ads & articles in the paper reflect the rising anticipation of this most sacred religious festival.

Our 25 mile drive to the base was an adventure in itself. We passed oil refineries where fire danced atop towers in the distance. The flames were eerie after dark. These fields looked like cities, they were so expansive. The base appeared amid the barren desert landscapes then stretched for miles. There was so much empty space between the structures; Robert says this is so if a missle is launched, there will not be a density of things to hit and this can limit damage. Much of the place appeared to be temporary as there were large tents and moveable searchlights. The barracks looked really basic. Security was unbelievable: if the layers of concrete and multiple checkpoints wouldn’t stop a terrorist, the confusing unmarked roads would surely prevent him from reaching the target…they worked for us! After missing our turn and having to be escorted back to the entrance, we then had to get out of the car, stand in the heat behind a blast wall (in case others in the queue had ill intentions) while the car was inspected, and finally proceed. There is a very sober air here that I've not noticed on military barracks other places; I feel like I'm as close to a war zone as I would ever want to be. Just last week, four terrorists were arrested for plotting to attack this very camp during Ramadan...Thank God for such good intel & security here.

We finally reached the correct office around 7:30 pm, fortunately it was open all night. We were all fingerprinted, hand scanned, and photographed for the privilege of gaining access to the PX where we can get our Oreos! The grocery selection was shockingly short of many of the basics I’d come to expect: Cheerios, chocolate chips, flavored coffee creamer, etc. We may need to change our eating habits a bit! As I pass other soldiers in the PX or on base, I'm keenly aware of how lonely and homesick they must be as they are all there unaccompanied for a one year post.

As we left the base, once again we had to produce our badges and paperwork which I thought was silly...until Robert reminded me that all the soldiers posted there are not allowed to leave the base unless they have special permission, so they are checking to see if we have the priviledge to exit before they open the gate. My appreciation for the sacrifices soldiers make is very great. The benefits we enjoy because of Roberts position are very humbling and I don't ever want to take those for granted.

Passtimes

Aug. 8

Friday afternoon brought out yachts and large wooden dhow boats into the Gulf and many of them clustered around the Movenpic Beach. A floating boundary encircles the hotel waterfront and provides a walkway for brave, well balanced guests. Ethan, Emily & I ventured out to enjoy the water and we found that people-watching was the highlight. Perched on the edge of this floating "dock" was 6 mostly covered girls and one likely brother sat beside them. In spite of the sizzling heat, with two exceptions, the teens wore layers of clothes and head scarfs to cover all but feet, hands and face but the young men on boats and wave runners were lined up in the water watching them like it was the best show in town. Only 2-3 lucky females did I ever see enter the water for a ride or the many recreational boats, but the males delighted in driving wildly within inches of the girls to douse them with saltwater and watch their shrieking retreat. We were advised that staring was a common means of flirting but I didn't expect it to be so blatant!

Around 8pm, Robert & I decided to check out the Marina Mall as the darkness gave slight respite to the heat...us and the rest of Kuwait were ALL out on the Gulf Road it seemed. Traffic crawled and parking spaces were rare as pearls. The sprawling complex of restaurants and shops stretched beyond what we were willing to walk in the time we were there, I've never seen such a large mall. All the familiar shops from both the US and England were there. It seemed so ironic that fashions are being sold that are never seen in public, or if so, the cute shirts are put over long sleeved/high necked undershirts and take on such a different look. For the first time, we did see Western dress but it was definitely not the norm. Families with young children, maids, teens (boy groups much more common than girl groups)...all were shopping and eating and perhaps buying gifts for the upcoming Ramadan from vendors. The makeup we saw was over the top: highly decorated eyes, shimmering shades highlighted one lady's nose, another had glitter lining just the cup of her upper lip. Jewelry sales appeared to be strong. I did not see tattoos, or even henna for that matter. Steep heels and fashionable shoes were also in view, sometimes peeking out under long pants or abayas. The mall's interior was extravagant and the prices were even higher than London if we did the conversion. People were polite, but did not initiate conversation as in the souk (market.) The entertainment value was high, but for actual shopping purposes, I found it disappointing.

Around midnight, room service hummus, olives, stuffed grape leaves, soup and other unrecognized items were pure indulgence...in just a few more days we will have to move out, find the grocery stores and discover what "normal" is like in this new place.

Photo: Ethan the Sultan with Maids in the background



Two worlds collide around the resort pool: the posh lifestyles of the privileged flourish due to the 3rd country nationals who silently serve them with grace and dignity. Providing a livelihood to maids and servants who earn more than possible in Sri Lanka or The Philippines seems like a noble thing, yet I fear this opportunity is often given with strings attached that become cords of bondage.

I stood close to Sheva in her pressed uniform as she observed her charges in the pool. Before I could initiate conversation, she asked if I was enjoying the water. Her English was excellent, learned in primary school in the Philippines. Her brilliant smile belied the pain that leaked at my gentle questioning of how she liked working in Kuwait. Her fathers long term illness prompted her to sign the two year contract that would enable her to send money home. After only 3 months here her regret was strong. Her "Madame" expected her to be available 24/7 for the care of house and children which she described as very "naughty." The baby woke her at night and she survived on about 5 hours of sleep and precious little time to herself. I was shocked at her openness and curiosity as we chatted. The Sri Lankan maid who conversed with us spoke less English but appeared as though she lived a hard life. Just having someone show interest and listen seemed to bring joy to Sheva. How I wished I could do more. I am haunted by the knowledge that many of these maids suffer so much injustice at the hand of their employers they run away and wait in fear to be deported, if they are lucky. God, give me the ability to see and respond to the pain around me with wisdom and love.

Day 5 and 6

Aug. 6
Most of the day spent in bed with a churning tummy. Robert & the kids made their first visit to a mall which I hope Molly will describe. We are not finding this place to be nearly as “Western” as we were led to believe. We feel pretty much on display wherever we go and it is impossible to “blend in!”

I didn’t want to miss our first Happy Hour at the Embassy which is where the expats & their guests gather every week to enjoy a more normal social event. The food was catered by The Hard Rock Café, a DJ played Western music, and alcohol was available for purchase: this is the highlight for many who come as guests and have no other opportunity to enjoy a beer in this country. To my dismay, the event is mostly held outdoors on the patio where enormous fans blast cool air & mist to make it tolerable. The girls & I are having trouble being outside without getting nauseated and they are having a lot of swelling and stinging in their feet, however, we lasted for over an hour. It was great to meet other expats & get a sense of community. I get the feeling that there is some division between State Dept. and Embassy employees. I think there is such a need for community here that it won’t take long to build friendships. The girls met a few teens, but more will be coming before school starts. Ethan met Miles and they enjoyed playing video games together.

Aug. 7

Today is Friday, but it is the day of Worship in Kuwait and the beginning of the weekend. Sunshine blasted into our room like a spotlight & we groped for our water bottles. Since church at The Lighthouse begins at 1100, we ate & headed to the Souk which is right downtown near the church. The first person we saw was a crinkled & smiling old man who told us “welcome to Kuwait!” in English. Ethan asked, it is that obvious…YES! Not many were out, but rarely ever did we see any women. Men literally stopped to stare at us as we passed. Many shopkeepers greeted us with “Welcome” and other Arabic greetings. We were hit by how trashy things are in spite of the cleanliness of the white robed men. New buildings with modern architecture sit next to old crumpled ruins that look like remnants from the war; even occupied buildings droop with broken shutters, graffiti, and rubbish. The ground through the marketplace was strewn with litter and the broken concrete was uneven to walk on. We arrived in the fabric souk where long rows were draped with multicolored prints, all of which seemed too hot and heavy for the climate. A picture is worth a thousand words but it is difficult to pull out a camera when we are THE ONLY Western people in the place and all eyes are on us. Only when a friendly shopkeeper stopped us to demo Arab head gear for men on Ethan did I feel comfortable snapping a photo. We were warned we must barter or they would be offended, however, to my surprise, the prices were so reasonable I felt cheap to offer less (so I let Robert make the deal!) For about 1 KD ($3.60) each, I got some lovely pashminas which work great to cover up with if our shirts feel too revealing when we are out in public. Once we made one purchase, we were met with many vendors wanting to show us their lovely scarves. I asked one of them where was the scarf made? You guessed, it: China! Apart from oil, actual goods produced here are dreadfully low compared to other areas of the world. As we made our way through narrow streets the clothes & goods all looked the same, and none looked like anything we would want to wear. The smells arrested our senses and the heat drove us back to our car and on to church.

The Lighthouse Church is one of many churches that meets in a large…church complex I guess. We didn’t understand the set up at first and found our way into a sanctuary where they were still setting up for service at 1105. Robert inquired and got us redirected to a different sanctuary a few steps away. I was thrilled to hear music we recognized and a familiar spirit upon entering! Emily was trembling all over by then from the heat and sat while she cooled off in the AC. Finally, we were not the only Caucasian, there were perhaps a half dozen others in the congregation filled with mostly Indian & Orientals. The pastor was from the US but we did not get to meet him. He spoke about seasons, and proclaimed this was the season to be used of God here in Kuwait. He asked how long it takes for Kuwait to become home & I wondered that myself! I was strangely warmed to be singing songs from my childhood…”Pass me not Oh Gentle Savior, The Old Rugged Cross,” and “There is a Fountain” brought back many memories. The service actually felt like going back in time a bit, yet to a different place than my past. They served communion (with juice!) but it was not preceded by confession as we came to know in the Anglican tradition. The people were not un-friendly but certainly did not make the effort made by Emmanuel to include us when we were new…wow, that was such a great way to start out when we arrived in Northwood. The visitor forms we filled out asked how long we had been Christians and when we were baptized. As we walked to our car, the Mullah's sermon blared from the speakers at the Mosque next door.

After cooling off in the hotel, I enjoyed a light lunch of salad, grilled peppers, fresh shrimp, fruit & chocolate fondue, and the most delish Crème Brule ice cream I’ve ever tasted.

Day 4

August 5, 2009

Today was our mandatory Embassy briefing and badge making routine. We now can come & go with diplomatic status providing Ethan doesn’t lose his ID as often as he does his room keyJ Later we will get the card that says we may not be arrested or detained…THAT, I gotta have! Our briefing was actually quite brief. We did learn that we’d be issued a rubber necked head mask to use in case of chemical or biological warfare. After discussing the low risk of crime and terrorism, he covered the most life threatening activity of all: driving! Coming from a country where not being in the proper lane in a roundabout before exiting is a highly “honkable” offense—it is with shock & awe that we watch speeding cars from the inside lane (for lack of a better word; they don’t observe this convention) cut abruptly across all traffic to exit the circle.

Here are a few things this culture does not appear to be bothered by:

>Securing children in car seats while driving
>Signaling intentions in traffic
>Recycling & proper waste disposal
>Truth…at our hotel, if an answer to a query is not known, one is made up)
>Asking for clarification if there is confusing communication: better to ignore the matter than
admit you didn’t understand

To our great disappointment, we discovered Molly can’t get a permit to work anywhere (not just the embassy as we thought) until her 18th birthday in Jan. Now we must get creative with options such as private tutoring, as sitters don’t seem much in demand with the common use of hired help to do both cleaning and childcare. This unexpected finding has put a dent in her plans and will require some re-thinking.

The heat & jetlag have combined to suck the life out of me today…All I want to do is sleep

Day 3

August 4, 2009

Awake @ 0400, my mind churned over how I could make that ill designed house a home. In anticipation of negotiating such challenges, I marinated in Phil. 1:27 "Only let my manner be worthy of the gospel of Christ." This is my prayer for all of us as we move in unfamiliar territory where the best intentions may prove to be offensive to someone. Today, Emily smiled at a couple of Muslim women; the younger one pushing the older one in a wheelchair returned the smile, but the older one tucked her face down and pulled her scarf over her eyes to avoid Emily's gaze.

Robert & I walked the beach at 0600 & enjoyed the best part of the day before the temperature soared to the teens. As the tide was out, we found lovely shells of red and yellow hues. Sadly, we also found a lot of rubbish and exposed bits of cement, pipes, and glass that drastically increased just past the hotel property. Some Muslim families played in the water and I discovered the women have "swim suits" that look just like the black full coverage they always wear but don't appear clingy when wet.

Our morning paper's headlines were about Obama's positive meeting with the Amir of Kuwait. The most urgent issue seems to be the Middle East Peace Talks: the Israeli Palestine situation seems central to all important negotiations. With our usual American bias towards Israel, the pro Palestinian slant here challenges me to engage with this very hot & murky issue.

Robert & I went to the US Embassy to continue In-processing with our sponsor. Our badges were not ready due to some mix up so we sweltered awhile outside the second ring of security with all those waiting in line for US visas. The Embassy has layers of protection and tighter security than any military base. All cars are searched inside and out every time they enter the compound. The Marines run 24 hour security operations inside the embassy and provide roaming security that patrols even the residences of diplomatic employees out in the community. We all have this Marine desk programmed into our phones in case of any type of concern or emergency--even if we think we are being watched in the grocery, they will come to our assistance. We may well be safer than ever before!

We met many useful contacts and were pleased at the friendliness of this community. the Ambassador's compound is right in the middle of the embassy and she has her own Di wan (?): a tent set up for entertaining which is full of cushions for reclining & eating dates...that's what lines the roads we learned; date trees with funny bags attached to catch the fruit.

An unexpected meeting with the generals deputy (Steve, who we met in FL) was reassuring that storage issues with our house could be negotiated with the landlord and with housing...we were very honored by their concern.

As we left our sponsor's place, he very kindly gave us a cooler of beers and a bottle of wine which I presume he needed to clear out of his apartment before leaving country. In this "dry" country, this is precious cargo; especially since we don't yet have the connections to obtain alcohol through the base. He also brought us some of our luggage he had stored for us. When we returned to the hotel, in my haste to get inside, I quickly unloaded the car in front of the guards who insisted on helping me place it onto the xray machine where a beer rolled out of the cooler...I thought Robert was going to have a stroke when he saw what I'd done, and rightly so! AL-HAMDU LILAH! The guards waved us on in! Such an incident could result in serious consequences I've since learned, but hopefully this hotel wants the continued business from the embassy enough to be forgiving of such grievances and not get us kicked out of the country!!!

In the late afternoon, Steve's wife, Stephanie and her 3 sweet boys met us at our hotel for swimming. Her enthusiasm for living here was refreshing and it was great to make such a lovely American friend. Steve joined us for a poolside dinner which took longer than expected but we're learning to expect that! Being outdoors, we heard the call to prayer which blends into the sounds of the night. Depending on how close we are to the mosque, it is not always heard. Such are the rhythms of life here.

Day 2

Awake at 5:30 I joined God on the balcony where I soaked in the richness of Is. 40. I didn’t even need the sticker in the bedside drawer to orient me toward Mecca! The health club provided all my favorite equipment for a workout before the most exotic breakfast I’ve ever had. I decided not to eat familiar food (omelets, pastries, fruit, etc.) but to try new things. Something that was labeled “Foul Medame” was anything but foul: it tasted something like pinto beans with onion, cumin, tomato, tabouleh, garlic and lemon—YUM! There were seeds, pods, olives, chesses, hummus & Arabic flatbread. The halal (like Kosher for Muslims) beef bacon looked disgusting.

Bob met us for breakfast then took Robert to get our rental car: a Tahoe with 3 rows of seats with a remarkable crash record. Robert was a star at reading the map & cracking the code on road signs…this was fortunate at the GPS was no help. The city is sectioned off into numbered areas like Paris. On the way, we passed a crumpled up car off the side of the road, abandoned like a piece of highway litter, left to remind others of the looming threat.

Our first outing was to see the house we’ve been assigned to. Our joy over getting a “villa” and not an apartment was tempered by the discovery of the 3 story monstrosity that we saw. The enormous marble floored living spaces are great but it is not a very user friendly house for someone who plans to cook their own meals. The layout is challenging and there is NO storage space. There are 4 bedrooms and EIGHT bathrooms all equipped with the standard hygiene hose by the toilets with enough water pressure to pin you to the ceiling! This is a curious apparatus which seems to be essential equipment in every toilet we have visited so far. The master bedroom had the standard issue reinforced security door with peephole where if instructed, the entire family would retreat to. Ethan immediately figured out that our bedroom would be just the perfect place to store the MRE’S (meals ready to eat like soldiers get in war zones) which are also “standard issue!”

Heat and jetlag drove me to my bed for an afternoon nap just like the locals enjoy. Afternoon temperature was 116 F. The air was so gritty the hotel guards were wearing green surgical type mask…unless there is an outbreak of Swine Flu and no one told us??? Emily felt faint & sick when we tried to walk the beach mid day. I bought rafts so we could relax in the water.
Dinner is served from 7-11 and by the time we ate at 1930 the air outside was pleasant, so we dined seaside under a full moon. Around 1900, it seemed like someone switched off the light outside—so suddenly without the usual twilight. Must find out why this happens here. Sipping ginger tea & various “mocktails” we inhaled the sweet scent of the shisha pipes around us. These coal burning contraptions are as big as a table lamp and robed attendants re-fill them with hot coals every 10 minutes while diners inhale from long tubes and blow clouds of smoke around them. The food is comparable to cruise ship cuisine in its variety and presentation with the added flair of Oriental flavors. After eating, Ethan bravely approached some boys playing beach volley ball and asked to join them. With limited English they acknowledged him & the group of 3 immediately doubled to 6 as other curious boys joined in. We were very proud of his willingness to jump in but his participation was short lived when he hurt his wrist.

It’s near midnight and I must get my body clock re-programmed.

Arrival in Kuwait

It seemed fitting that the first Arabic word we were taught at the airport was “al-hamdu-lilah” which means “thanks to God.” We are very grateful for safe travels and for such a warm welcome to our new country.

We left New Castle Sat. afternoon and met Robert at the Indianapolis airport (his flights were goofed up; he had to fly Ft. Bragg to Atlanta, to Indpls & on to Dullus with us.) Joy & Steve dropped us off in our van which they graciously agreed to store for us at their house. All our 14 checked items (including a trunk & my new rolled plastic table coverJ) were happily weighed & loaded by United staff who were very understanding of our PCS move & extra baggage allowances. We then proceeded to the USO lounge where military families are provided a place to relax when traveling…the warmth of the welcome unlocked my tears and walled off emotions over our impending departure into the unknown. The Indianapolis Colts are a major contributor of the services provided there: computers, stocked refrigerator, drinks, comfort food, cushy recliners and reminders of the country’s appreciation for the work of the military.
Our first flight was a small jumper plane & Emily got a bit panicky in the exit row as we recalled images of the plane sitting in the Potomac so recently! It didn’t help that I discovered my emergency vest was missing from under my seat. With no time to spare, we landed & rushed to our international flight which was already boarding.

The flight to Kuwait was completely full but Robert got us upgraded to Economy Plus which meant we had 5 extra inches in our row; this was a huge benefit allowing a bit more stretch room for our 11+ hour flight. Our flight attendants got very frustrated as they tried to get all the Middle Eastern passengers into their seats so we could pull away from our gate. Robert said his Kuwaiti flight was an hour late departing last time; they are not too concerned with schedules it seems. We were 45 minutes late in leaving. Other than the Arabic translations and a scattering of military members, the flight was pretty routine. I was too tired to do more than watch “The Soloist” eat, and sleep. The girls barely slept at all. I woke as my TV/map screen showed us flying over Baghdad and Robert assured us we were high enough not to be concerned! As we neared Kuwait, our view was obstructed by a milk chocolate haze that blanketed the city; we learned there had been a bad sandstorm on Wednesday.

Before even hitting the restrooms to freshen up, we were met by “Sammy” holding up a name card. In the toilet, we were surprised to find half the stalls were “normal” and half were just a drain in the floor like we’d seen in poor European areas. After mopping up our oily faces, we emerged to what felt like a catwalk to reach the passport control desk. We tried not to stare but discovered the curiosity was mutual! Our gaze was met by sheet wrapped men with artfully wound wraps on their heads. Female eyes and some exposed faces scanned our family. While there were some other Westerners, a full family was a bit rarer. We trailed Sammy who I discovered was an “Expeditor” from the Embassy. He hustled us to the front of the line where he knew all the officials. For our brief wait, he had people move seats so we could sit together. As we chatted, I learned he is Egyptian and has 5 children “al-hamdu-lilah.” He was pleased we had 3 children and “not just one like many Americans.” He let me take his picture with Emily & said he would be our first friend; I told him he might be on facebook and he replied he could be our friend there too! I thought it was so kind of him to meet us on the weekend; then I remembered it was a workday for him, Sunday begins the workweek here.

Our bags were loaded by porters who delivered it to a waiting pickup truck. We were met at the curb by our sponsor, Bob, who drove us to our hotel and briefed us on the intricacies of tipping in this culture. He admitted to being a bit jaded after 3 years here and advised us to just tip the minimum required: “no matter how much you give them, they will look at you with disgust, not gratitude. If you give more, the Kuwaitis hate it; it’s hard for them to get service as the porters always prefer gullible Americans & Europeans.” We rode drop-jawed past exotic architecture & dessert topography as we wove in & out of traffic on very modern roads. When we were cut off by a car quickly exiting in front of us, Bob assured us that was normal: whoever’s bumper is in front has right away. We laughed to see Papa John’s Pizza and Hardees so far from home. This utterly strange place is punctuated by little teasers of the familiar.
Although we’d just woke up, it was 7pm when we arrived at the Movenpick Hotel & Resort, Al Bida’a. All cars entering the hotel were searched by guards, then we had to have our bags scanned by xray & pass security for entry. At check in, Robert & I were each given our personal cell phones already programmed with “husband,” “wife” and emergency numbers. Our spacious, beautifully decorated rooms are on the main floor near the business center where computers are available. Our coffee tables were heaped with fresh fruit and sparkling juice. Our room is stocked with lovely juices, non alcoholic beer, sodas, nuts & snacks which along with room service and all meals, is fully paid for by the Kuwaiti embassy for the duration of our 10 day stay! We gasped at the view from our balconies: just beyond the perfectly manicured courtyard with pools & games, lies the palm tree lined white sandy beach. Molly needed some personal space after so long sharing rooms with siblings, so we let her chill while we scanned Arab TV & had a wander. The air was pleasantly warm by this time and not nearly as miserable as Oklahoma! Ethan & I explored the area & found the swept sand soft to the feet and the water delightfully warm. A few clusters of Arab boys played on the beach, one group of mostly covered women sat by the water, a servant in uniform walked a pajama clad child through the complex, and large families dined on private patios outside hotel “rooms” that looked more like enormous houses.

Back in our room, I wanted to let Dad know we had arrived safely. I discovered that phone calls from the hotel are 5 American dollars PER MINUTE! Ugh. Thanks to email, I got him the message. Internet contact is a lifesaver here when we are still feeling so isolated.
We were welcomed by easy sleep in our comfy bed with the fluffy duvet (just like England) and to my surprise, no call to prayer disturbed our rest.