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!