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.