Day 256 of Our Sri Lanka Trip

     Okay, so it has only been seven days in reality, but it feels like SO much more!   This is nothing like I expected (not exactly sure what I expected), but this trip has totally worn me out, physically and mentally.  We came to relax, but it seems that doing anything we like is hard work.   Internet access?  Have to walk to find a place.  Any walking?  Have to fight off the tuc tuc drivers, the store owners, and the beggars.   Walking?  Too humid.   Eating?  Afraid to eat now due to sickness.  Tired of fighting off the teeming hoards of humanity.  Don’t want to take naps, because then I can’t sleep at night (which is hard anyway because the bed is so uncomfortable and there is always noise).  

      I found out that my beloved Aunt Shirl passed away yesterday.   I can’t believe that I am so far away from the life and death matters in my family.   It makes me totally homesick….I can’t even believe how much. 

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day in Sri Lanka (2011)

     I can’t begin to tell you how homesick I am right now.  I miss my family and friends, and I also miss my own holiday traditions.  I hadn’t realized how hard it would be to give up those things in order to live overseas.  I never have taken those things for granted, but I can tell you that I never, ever will.  It’s the smaller things in life that make our daily survival bearable.  If Santa Claus showed up right now with a ticket for me to fly home, I’d take it in a heartbeat….and forget anything here on the other side of the world. 

     Sri Lanka is a blend of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists; Nikki read something that called Negombo the “Little Rome” of Sri Lanka because of the number of Christians here.  There are Christmas lights all over the place.  Little bands of boys run through the streets at night singing “Jingle Bells” while begging for donations.  There are shops full of Christmas schtick like blow up Santas, red plush Santa hats, and fat, colorful garland.  This is a place that definitely loves its holiday.  There are creches everywhere.   Here is an example of someone getting too excited about putting up the Nativity scene, put it up in front of the crucifixion statue:

     On Christmas Eve, we went to dinner at our local WiFi hangout.  I was able to Skype for a little while with my sister and her family.   That was delightful!   I got to say “Merry Christmas” to a fat, jolly, naked, little elf named Charleigh Jo…..the newest sweetie in our family!  Nikki ate fruit salad and I had a bowl of chicken/egg drop soup with ginger ale.  Then we were beat so we came back, read a little, and hit the sack.  Alas, sleep was not my friend.  The natives were celebrating Christmas Eve by shooting off fireworks for a good portion of the night.  On top of that, our air conditioning was working too well and my sheet just wasn’t up to the job of keeping me warm.  I got up twice to turn it up before I discovered the magic number.

     Then, Christmas morning, we got up early and headed off to our WiFi hangout.  I know that they normally don’t open until 11:00am but we saw someone there and asked if we could simply sit by the back gate and use their WiFi; of course, in all his niceness, he said yes.  I was so hoping that Grace would have been up so I could have wished her a Merry Christmas eve and see what was happening.  But apparently the festivities were in full swing at the Block household and no one was thinking about getting on the computer.   I don’t blame them….I know how much fun Christmas Eve is there with all the family gathering together!!

     We then came back to our hotel for breakfast and then I purchased a sarong from a beach vendor lady…..she was stick thin, so I figured that she didn’t eat very regularly.  We got offered a ride in a catamaran, which we declined since we will be on the water for a few hours tomorrow; two days in a row is a little much for my pale skin.  Then a little R&R before going back to the beach for swimming.  How many people can say they swam in the Indian Ocean on Christmas Day???   Oh wait…I can tell you….a whole bunch!   The beach was full of people walking, swimming, eating, laughing, visiting, and having fun.   It is a beautiful day in paradise!!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

First Day of Sightseeing in Sri Lanka

     We found a tuc tuc driver, Naushad.   This was a good find.   He has been exceedingly helpful and speaks very good English.  He has helped us out in several ways so far.

     First of all, I needed to have a blood test for a new medication that I recently started.  I asked Naushad if he would take me to a clinic to have it done.  He took us to the Ave Maria Clinic/Hospital.   I told the receptionist what I needed and was directed to see a doctor.  I waited for less than 5 minutes before being showed in.   He wrote the directions for the laboratory and we were on our way.  It only cost R185 for that visit.  I was delighted to get into the laboratory immediately and the technician quickly got the job completed.  Of course, at home the test is a finger prick; here it was a blood draw which only cost R850.  I was directed to come back the next day for the results.  As we had plans, it took an extra day to return, but I did and all was well (after talking to a doctor again). 

     My experience at the hospital was a very pleasant one.  One surprise was that the building was open all around -- so that the air could circulate.  In order to pay for the blood test, we were directed to go down a hall, turn to the right, and then go ahead.   Well, it didn’t quite work that way and we did get to view some of the hospital rooms.   Very ugly, plain little rooms with doors wide open.  Very poor looking.  I wish I had taken photos here!

     Then off to find phone cards.   Good thing that Naushad was with us, because this was not an English speaking store.  I bought a SIM card and was told that it comes automatically with a few minutes, but this turned out to be false.  Nikki bought minutes for a phone card that Roman had given use from his previous trip, but we never could manage to get them loaded.   It turned out that they were for another provider – none of us noticed THAT!  The good thing, so we thought, is that they were for the SIM card I purchased.   Unfortunately, the phone wouldn’t accept that particular kind of card, whatever that means.  I never did get my phone to work.

     Of course, we did not have the correct adapters for our various electronics.  Our next stop was at an electrical store.  These guys were very helpful and we found exactly what we needed for cheap!

     Then it was time to go to Colombo!!  Nikki knew that Arthur C. Clark was buried in Colombo and viewing his grave was a must.  The trip to Colombo in a tuc tuc took awhile, but we certainly did get to see lot of things on the way.  They are building a new highway from the airport to the city and we saw two different portions of the construction.  I was interested to see that the const. equipment was very small compared to the Caterpillars I am used to back home!

     Arthur C. Clark’s grave is located in the largest cemetery in Colombo.  It is very beautiful, if you are interested in cemeteries and graves.

 We were interested to see this gravestone with the swastika on top….the gentleman passed away in 1938.

Here was a fun place to visit:  the Colombo Municipal Park.  It’s 42 acres of gorgeous greenery.  It was built approximately 250 years ago by the English.  There are many varieties of trees, bushes, and flowers, as you can see by the photos.  A very large golden statue of Queen Viharamahadevi greets you at the entrance.  The park is actually named after this queen (after originally being named Victoria Park).

Across the street is the municipal building, which is built to look like the U.S. Capitol!

     We had lunch in a downtown mall, which was pretty much like any other mall, except that this place was packed!

     The Independence Memorial was interesting.  This monument celebrates the Sri Lankan independence from England.  I had an experience there where I wanted to purchase a cool gift for my friend, Bob Geary, from a street vendor who didn’t have change for my large bill.  “Come, come,” he said while motioning me to follow him.   I was a little nervous, but Naushad came to my rescue and followed along.  We went out to the street to another man who also didn’t have enough cash.   I kept saying, “Forget it.   I don’t want it anymore,” but they were desperate for a sale.  Finally, one man dug into his secret stash and found a few more bills…..all I know is that I wasn’t going to pay anything more for this item!

     Our last stop in Colombo was a tour of the largest Buddhist temple in the world. 

Supposedly Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s tooth, a sacred relic, is stored here.  A little man who showed us his badge claiming that he is a certified tour guide took us on a tour. We had to remove our shoes before entering and checked them with the claim agent.  We entered the building with many people, many of whom were dressed in white.  Many also carried lotus flowers, which I later discovered is the holy flower that they placed on the altar. 

We saw the place where the tooth is housed; behind the door are seven golden caskets, the very top one is the one that holds the tooth.  Above this are 100 golden lotus blossoms in the ceiling; this is very beautiful.  The whole building was beautiful and very spiritual.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Trip to Kandy

          Got up at 5:00 a.m. to pack to move to another hotel.  Naushad picked us up at 6:00 a.m. and moved us to the Topaz Beach Hotel, which are much nicer accommodations than we had.   Nikki didn’t like the idea of packing and moving all over the place, so we decided that we liked Negombo and booked for seven days.  We found that we could use this as a jumping off point for doing the tourist things that we wanted to do.  Here is a view from our balcony:

Drove to fisherman’s beach which is where Naushad parked the tuc tuc and we met his friend with a van who was driving us to Kandy for our day trip.  Nikki and I walked a little ways out on the beach to get a better look at the fishermen preparing their sail boats for their daily fishing expeditions.   Of course, they wanted us to come out with them for a boat ride…money!!!   And then, ironically, wediscovered that Naushad and his friend are both Muslims and are both Mohammeds!   Who would have guessed that we would find Muslims in a predominately Christian area of the country, especially after leaving our Muslim friends in Kuwait?

Our first stop was at a bakery for breakfast items.  Naushad told me that a particular fish roll was “very nice.”   It looked like a nice croissant, and you know me:  I’ll try anything once.   Well, it turned out to be some kind of fish paste and was NOT very nice; it gave me a horrible aftertaste.   But my goal is to try new things, and now I can say I tried it.  The jelly roll was much better.

                Then we drove and drove for several hours towards Kandy.  It seemed like we never got out of the city.  We would see areas that looked like forest, but there would be people on bicycles, walking,  or on motorcycles, plus, there were little stores lining the road.  People everywhere!!

At the Elephant Orphanage I got to pet an elephant!   A first in my life!   We walked around and saw what there was to see and then left the park to look for souvenirs down a street of little shops.   And a good thing we did.  It turned out that the elephants march down this street on their way to the river to bath and cool off.  It was magnificent watching these huge beasts at such close range.  They drive them to the river for a few hours and then drive them back up the street back to the park.   Amazing! 

At one place, Naushad said come in here; it was an elephant dung, paper-making process plant.  Yikes, you may say, elephant poop????   Well, think about it.  All elephants eat are fiberous plants; when the dung is dried, it is mostly fiber, and what is paper, after all?   The dung gets washed and dried again, and I can vouch that it is odourless!   It is then mixed together with water and cooked until it becomes a smooth, runny consistency.  This mush is spread out thinly into a mesh tray and placed in the sun to dry.  The resulting paper is rather thick and uneven…it reminded me of heavier art paper.  These pieces of paper are put into a rolling press and when they come out, they are flat and smooth; not as thin as our writing paper, but thicker like a greeting card.  Then there are people who take these sheets and make them into things like note pads, greeting cards, and small notebooks.   I particularly liked one which had a cinnamon stick cover, so it smelled delightful!

Nikki and I agreed that we both wanted to stop at a spice/herb garden, so we did!  This was an ayervedic herb and spice garden….an olfactory delight!  A guide walked us through telling us about the various herbs and spices and inviting us to smell everything in sight.  At the end, we sampled some of the different products, like a hair removal product,  a face rub, and I had a shoulder/arm massage.   You know how I love my massages!  Nikki and I both purchased “medicine” to bring home.

And last, but not least, we visited a tea factory….yet another olfactory delight.  They processed only black tea at this particular building.  We toured the whole process, which was very educational, and then had a wonderful cup of tea in the tea room before making our purchases.  I splurged and bought “silver tip” tea which is one step below the most expensive tea.  I can hardly wait to try it in my new brewing cup!   “No sugar and no milk” I was cautioned by the lovely clerk in her business sari.

Well, there was yet another surprise in store for us!   On the way home, we got to stop and visit a Hindu temple!  This was very amazing.  We had to remove our shoes outside; this is a symbol of respect.   I took photos of the outside, but didn’t feel that it was appropriate to take photographs inside the temple, disrupting people who were worshiping.   It seemed disrespectful.  There was an air of spirituality there that permeated my soul, as so much of Sri Lanka seemed to do.  For such a small country, there is a large amount of religion available.

Flight to Sri Lanka and Arrival

     Gulf Air was our airline of choice, and a good choice it turned out to be.  The hosts and hostesses were very pleasant.  All drinks were free, even the alcohol; this is very unlike anything that I had seen in the States!   The seats were definitely not as crowded as United’s, which made for happy legs and feet.  One downfall was the weird television show that played on the short flight to Bahrain; it was a looped show of something similar to Candid Camera .  Nikki found it obnoxious, but I  laughed in a few places nk that people are funny.   After we changed planes for the flight to Sri Lanka, I plugged in my earbuds and listened to some rock and roll for awhile until my attention was diverted by the Indian movie that was playing.  The acting was so bad that I turned the channel and listened in (and read subtitles) to some strange, humorous love story between Siddharth and Meera, just to see what was going on.  And then I ended up watching the whole thing.    Okay, this will sound funny, but in my mind, it was a blending of Will Farrell’s bad humor with Shakespeare’s love of twists and turns!!   Perfect bad humor!! 

We had a plane change in Bahrain.  A HUGE surprise awaited us:  Christmas decorations and Christmas music!!  

I had another “Jane” moment in the Sri Lanka.  I got my passport out of my purse in order to fill out the visa paperwork.  I filled everything out and put my passport away.  Unfortunately, I did not put my purse back into my carryall.   Nikki and I were heading on down a long hallway when I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten my bag!!!   I ran back (can you say O.J.???) and went back past the security…..and guess what?   My purse was still sitting on the counter next to some men who were filling out their papers!!!   That would never happen back home, but here people are honest.   I was one happy traveler, I can tell you that!

We had made arrangements for the Silver Sands Hotel to pick us up and sure enough, there was a man with a sign near the exit waiting for us!  He loaded our stuff into his van and off we went!  It was interesting to have our first “view” of Sri Lanka to be at night when all we could see were the lights of the shops and things.  It was very inviting and interesting.  We only rode in a proper vehicle one more time during our whole trip (one with doors and windows).

We traveled and toured Sri Lanka in a number of tuc tucs, but our favorite by far was our new friend who told us his name was Naushad.  A tuc tuc is a small, 3-wheeled motorized vehicle (a cross between a motorcycle and a car).

Silver Sands Resort House

     We booked this room through the Internet (after reading about it in Lonely Planet) and only for two nights.  Our thinking was that we would figure out what we wanted to do once we arrived.  Well, this is a strange and delightful little place.  We chose it for price, WiFi availability, and an ensuite bath.  We got a good price, the WiFi only exists in the reception area, and the bath had a toilet that took forever to refill and the shower didn’t drain.  Oh well, we survived!

     There were several cool things about this place.   1)  the plant life everywhere, in pots, in the ground, growing up and growing out.  2) the line of fish tanks along one low wall in the reception area; Lonely Planet was right.  3) the koi pond in the reception area with a Catholic shrine above it.  And the final thing was the little restaurant around the corner with WiFi where we could sit, have a snack and connect to our friends!

The view from our balcony the night we arrived:

                                                                                     

Everyone here was exceedingly polite and spoke English very well.  The Silver Sands is only steps away from the Indian Ocean which is definitely a plus.  We walked down to the beach as soon as we got unpacked.  All was dark so there was not much to see, but the moonlight on the waves and also the crashing noise were enchanting.

As you can see, we had two twin beds underneath a blue mosquito net:

                                                                         

The Saga of One Lonely Package

                Before I left Casper, I purchased enough of my favorite Melaleuca products to last me for a year in Kuwait.  I only put enough in my suitcase to get me by for a month or so, until my kids could send me a care package.    This is the story of my lonely package.
               Alex let me know that he shipped my package by Fedex on October 6 and that it would arrive here on Sunday, the 9^th.   I was so excited!   I waited and waited……and waited……..and waited.  I did discover that the customs people were on strike during that time, but that was only for three days and it was over on 10/13.  In the meantime, I was telling everyone that I was waiting for a package.   No package for me. 

               Then I asked Alex to check on the shipment and let me know what Fedex said.  Well, he let me know that they were going to send me an email about the problem.   EEK!   What problem?   So I waited for my email…….and waited……and waited……and waited some more.

               Finally, I mentioned to my superintendent that I was waiting for this Fedex package and he told me that there’s a Fedex number at school and I should call them.   So on Monday of this week, I called Fedex.  The lady that I spoke with said that there was a customs delay, she didn’t know what it was, and that someone would call me the next day (yesterday).   Of course, I missed the call.

               Today, I accidentally left my phone at home, so I went to Bea’s office to see if I could borrow hers.  I called Fedex and reached someone who told me that yes, there is a problem with customs because my package contains personal items (I’m almost positive there are no personal sex toys involved).  Therefore,  I would have to come to the Fedex building to talk to customs before I could get my package.  Fedex is out by the airport, which is not an easy jaunt.  And since we’re coming on Eid (a religious holiday that lasts a week), I would have to come to their facility tomorrow morning and get there before noon.  I was getting pretty unnerved and furious by this time.  How can I take time off from work just to pick up a package of facial cleanser and toothpaste?????

                Maya, who is our special education person, was in the office by this time and told me to ask them if a driver could please come and make the pickup.  Of course, I was told no, I had to come, and I had to bring my I.D.  I was furious at being so helpless, and then, Maya, bless her heart, took the phone, had a conversation -- of which I could understand not one word—and told me that she would send her driver to pick up the package in the morning.   All I have to do is give her my I.D.

                I was so thankful to her and she just said, “Wasta,” which is the Arabic word for influence!!!   I guess she has it!!  And tomorrow I am going to have a taste of home!   Melaleuca products, favorite TUL pen, and one of my Relay t-shirts…..who knows what other treasures await?

                Can I just say that I am not going to mess around with Fedex and customs again?   Now, I’m going to use the Kelli and Ashlie Express Service to carry and deliver my packages.   Of course, this means that everything has to go/come during the Christmas holidays, but I guess if I play my cards right, I will have enough supplies to last me until I come home this summer!

Can You Say CARBS??

Today’s post is going to be about food.   All kinds of food, but mostly carbs.   Why?  Because that is a staple in Kuwait.  I have never seen so many chocolate stores, bread stores, bakeries of all kinds, you name it.  Plus, rice is served with just about everything.  Carbs are especially interesting because I am like a crazy person around carbs…give me sugar combined with fat and I am in heaven.   And it is not a friend to me, by any means.  So today I want to talk about carbs, sugar, fat, and a couple of other interesting foods that I have discovered here in Kuwait.

Hey, I said discovered!  That means that I didn’t know about these things before I got here.  By trial and error and being adventuresome, I have discovered a few treasures (and a couple of things not so good). 

One day in a grocery store, I came across a very strange looking fruit.   My friend Ian said that they are called dragonfruit.  He used to eat them in an Asian country where he taught last year and urged me to try one, because they are sweet and delicious.   Well, he was right…  You eat these with a spoon.  The little seeds remind me of the seeds in kiwi, but they are all through the fruit.

Another interesting find was at a little bakery not far from the apartment.  Bea came across this place in her wanderings.  These little sesame cookies are to die for!   Sesame seeds cover the top, and pistachios are baked into the bottom!   I don’t go here very often, because these are addicting!

There is an interesting little hole-in-the-wall Ethiopian restaurant a couple of blocks away from here.  There are only a couple of items on the menu that we can read and understand, like chilli chicken or chicken and rice.  We ordered these the first time we were there.   That night we jokingly made a comment to the waitress that the next time we came in, we would eat the same thing that the people next to us were eating.  A few weeks later, my friend Julia and I went there for Julia’s first time.  The waiter didn’t speak very much English, and so my little waitress came out to take our order.   I asked her to surprise us with two entrees, one chicken and one beef.   She actually remembered what I had said earlier about ordering what the locals ordered!   Imagine that!   Anyway, we ate pretty well that night….with our fingers, like the locals.  And afterwards, we had the coffee service.

Another great thing about Kuwait is that every restaurant delivers, it seems.   Even Hardees!  I order from a local Indian restaurant.  Mutton curry was recommended by Roman, a young man on my floor.  I loved the flavor of the curry, but the texture of the mutton was definitely not to my liking!  They brought a container of the curry along with a large container of rice.   The brown things in the rice are browned onions…yummy!  And there’s always enough to feed an army.

One morning, a senior in my hallway who is always very nice and polite to me brought me a container of food that he and his mother had made.  Of course I thanked him wholeheartedly and asked if it was a snack food or if it was a breakfast food.  He said a snack food.   I took it to my desk and looked inside.  Oh no!   It was a container full of little green "fingers"!!!  They looked awful!!  I set it on my desk, hoping to get brave later that morning, but it didn't happen.   At lunchtime, I decided that I was going to just close my eyes and take a bite, but it looked like it needed to be heated up first.  I took it down to the kitchen where I ran into Marie.   I showed her my gift and she was excited!  She explained that these are filled grape leaves (rather Mediterranean) and that there are two different sorts:  the ones filled with rice are snack foods meant to be eaten cold, and the meat-filled ones are meant to be eaten hot.  Since Khalid told me these were a snack, I guessed they were filled with rice.  Well, okay.  I went back to my room and decided to try one.   This is definitely one of those "looks bad, tastes good" deals.   I took one bite and am now hooked!!!   These are yummy!  By the way, my friend down the hall told me they are called warak enab.

You might be wondering if all I ever eat is ethnic food.   The answer is NO!   A new discovery is The Early Bird café.  This little place serves the best Western breakfast ever!  Well, maybe not “ever.”  The only thing that would make this place perfect is if they served sausage/bacon instead of the fake stuff.   I do have to say that once you get over the fact that you are eating lamb sausage, it’s actually not that bad…kind of like venison in texture.   Anyway, it’s a little place started by a young Australian woman and when I say small, I mean SMALL!   There are 4 tables inside and a few tables outside.  People are happy to wait in line for breakfast here.  They are famous for the most delicious French toast!  French toast banana bread, even!  Beautiful pancakes.  Omelets and hash browns to die for!!   And a club sandwich with cheese, turkey sausage, fried egg, and lettuce/tomato!!  No one ever leaves disappointed! These beautiful women are Nikki and Karen….we stopped in for “brunch” after a morning of shopping at the Friday Market (outdoor market). 

And just to make you feel bad, here is a photo of mens’ legs on a nice warm October day in Kuwait on our way to the Early Bird café!!

 Bon appetite!!

"...we welcome people from all nations to come in and share"

“You look at the history -- the aboriginal people welcomed the first settlers here with open arms, fed us and took care of us ... that continues today, we welcome people from all nations to come in and share.”   Peter Stoffer

And welcome us they do!   I am an associate member of the Canadians in Kuwait, which is a social group that gets together weekly to socialize.  While it is basically a Canadian group, they welcome all ex-pats to to join them at their events.  Friday mornings they host a brunch.  Since Friday is the Muslim holy day, most people have the day off.   Some churches also hold their services on Friday morning because of this.

I joined this group as an associate member because members enjoy a discount on the price of the social events.  Who wouldn’t want to attend a cocktail party at the Canadian Embassy?   Or a ball?   Or the Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner (which, by the way, is this Monday, October 10)?  I already have my ticket for the Thanksgiving Dinner and am excited for Monday to get here!  Cocktail parties begin soon.

Currently, our brunches are held at the Sahara Country Club.   I have posted photos for your viewing pleasure.  

As you can see, even in the desert there is grass, if one has the means to take care of it! 

I have to tell you about the choice of brunch foods because this really kills me.  First, there is a choice of pork and beans (meatless) and also foul (which is a Middle-Eastern type of bean dish).  Then there are several types of breakfast meats:  one is horrible-looking pink hotdogs which they call chicken sausage (remember, there is no pork here) and beef bacon.  I have to admit that I have not been able to bring myself to try beef bacon, and I am a pretty fearless eater, I think.  This meat looks terrible and the thought of it makes me cringe!  LOL  There are several choices of prepared eggs, one of which is a kind of poached egg in an oily veggie sauce.  Pancakes and french toast (sad looking).  The best thing is the made-to-order omelette, vegetarian style, of course.  Too bad there is no salsa!  There is a good selection of salad makings and also of melons and pineapple.  Several types of yoghurt and cheeses.  Several selections of pastries; I prefer these little yellow muffins with dried fruit (yummy!).  Cold cereals and breads.   And juices.   And the best iced tea and tart lemonade!!   All in all, a good selection.

So far I have met an Indian petroleum engineer, a French man (I don’t know what he does), a woman from New Zealand who is waiting on paperwork to teach ESL to adults in China, a couple from Vancouver, Canada (he’s Kuwaiti and she’s French/Canadian), a teaching couple from Canada, and Vicky and Julia, teachers from England.  

All of this for the reasonable price of 2KD for taxi (approximately $7.00) and 5KD for breakfast ($18.00).  Okay, perhaps not so reasonable, but a good splurge at any rate!

My School Day – Part One

Because the Muslim religious day is Friday, our school week is from Sunday to Thursday.  This is interesting for me as I am so used to the second day of the week being Tuesday, but really it’s only Monday.  The worst part of it is that Thursday night, I’m thinking that I’m starting a three-day weekend!  Ah, the strange ways in which our brains work!

My day usually begins at 5:00 am, when the alarm wakes me up.  I have to confess that sometimes it’s a good thing that I don’t sleep well because several days I have forgotten to set an alarm.  Again, this is related to habits…I am used to having a clock radio beside my bed; here, I have to use my phone’s alarm.  So at 5:00 am I am having to listen to my obnoxious phone’s message:  “It’s five o’clock.  Time to get up.  It’s five o’clock.  Time to get up.”  She’s rather annoying and I try to turn her off before she repeats more than twice. 

I leave my apartment at about 6:30 because we are required to be at work before 7:00.  There are thumb machines in the lobby where we check in…better not be late because the machine never lies.  I’m not sure if the thumb machine is a time clock or if it has to do with security; no one has ever explained it to me.  After this, I go up to my floor and sign in with the secretary there.  Again, I’m not sure what purpose this serves, but I do it anyway.

I have time to get ready for the day because the first class does not start until 7:45.  I teach three classes per day:  first block, second block, and fourth block.  This school is on an accelerated block schedule so we teach ½ the students first semester and the rest during the second semester.   I have never worked with this schedule before, so I am not sure exactly how I am going to fit everything in.   I guess I will learn as I go.  Each teacher is assigned a “duty” each day; I probably have the best duty of all:  on the playground during the lunch period.  The last 10 minutes of lunch, I troop down the stairs to the courtyard in order to monitor the door that leads to the elevators.  Only students with an elevator pass can come in that door.  Okay, not much action there EXCEPT I have the pleasure of watching the boys play soccer.   You have never seen such soccer as they play here!  They all look like they were born with a soccer ball attached to their feet!  It is such a joy to watch them!  (Can you tell I am a soccer fan?)  There are tournaments that go on all year; when one is over another one begins.

I really like the location of my room; I am close to my new friend Wadad.  She is from Lebanon and recently went out on maternity leave.  I will get to have the baby girl as a replacement for the ones I am missing back home.  Sheila is right across the hall from me; she teaches 11^th grade English and is very helpful.  Bob is next door; I love to walk by his room and listen to his Marine voice keeping those kids in line.  Actually, I have to say that everyone in this school has been friendly and helpful, making this “newbie” happy and comfortable.  In addition, I have a block of senior lockers right outside my room, so I am meeting a new group of kids.   The seniors are a rambunctious, loud group of kids, but they are very friendly and nice; I like them!

Universal American School – The Beginning

I am teaching 10^th grade at the Universal American School here in Kuwait.  The school is located right across the street and through a parking lot away from the apartment building (it takes me less than 5 minutes to get to school).  They are both painted two shades of blue, so you know that they are related to one another.  We tell the taxi drivers, “UAS in Hawally.  You know, the big blue box off of 3^rd Ring Road,” and they know right where to take us.  I have attached a photo of the school building for you to look at.

Inside the school, it’s a bit messed up.   I was lost there for quite awhile because I couldn’t get my bearings.  In the center part of the building is a huge staircase going around and around and around for six stories (basement to 4^th floor).  How, you might question, does a building with only four floors have six flights of stairs?   Because we have a “hidden” floor, which is called the Mezzanine that is between the ground floor and the 1^st floor.   Don’t ask me why.  The high school takes up the 3^rd and 4^th floors and my classroom is on the 4^th floor.   I do try to walk up my 5 flights of stairs at least once a day…it about kills my legs, but I figure it’s good for me. 

While the exterior of the building is bright blue, the inside is intense white.  There is white marble tile everywhere.  Let me tell you, marble is very hard on the feet!!  Standing and walking on that hard floor wears me out and makes my feet hurt by the end of the day.   I wear Birks a lot because they are comfortable, and also my tennis shoes. 

When you first get to the building, there is a small white shack in front.  This is where the guards sit around and visit, read the newspaper, and greet people.   I haven’t really seen them do much of anything, but at least they are there.  I guess they watch the BMWs, Mercedes, Bentleys, Rolls Royces, etc. that bring the kids to school….as they are watching they are probably cussing over the fact that they can’t afford any kind of a car due to low wages.

There is a receptionist at the front desk.   I have attached a photo of the desk, but this man is NOT the receptionist!  LOL   She is really beautiful.   He was just there when I had my camera ready.   I am not sure exactly what the receptionist does, as I have not seen her do anything.

From this point, you have to decide what floor you need and how to get there.  You have a choice of the stairs or the elevator.  Once you arrive at your floor, there is a choice of direction, and then there are little hallways that break off from the main ones.   It is a maze, I tell you!  I only just found my friend’s room on the 3^rd floor today.   I had been wandering around there several times trying to find him.  That’s how bad it is.

You can see what my classroom looks like from the photos.   This is before I arranged everything the way I wanted it.   White, white, white.   Well, except for the bright blue window shades!  My room was a bit disappointing when I got there.   I had a computer that didn’t work, an overhead projector (that actually belonged in the room next door and the owner came and retrieved it), no books, nothing in my desk, and nothing on the walls.  Where is the technology that I expected??   The handbook says that they are giving the students a 21^st century education, but it says nothing about giving it to them with 30-year-old equipment!  I finally got a working computer a week after school started, which was like having Christmas….with my mom who couldn’t ever get the gifts quite right.  I discovered that I had to check out a projector from the library.   I could have a podium made if I paid for it myself.  I had to move all my books and files from a room on 3^rd floor myself (I begged for a maid to help me and I got one).  Needless to say, it was a long process to get myself acclimatized and organized, but I think I’m there.

What Ramadan Means to Me

Ramadan is a holy month which includes mandatory worshipping. Not being a Muslim, Ramadan does not have any religious meaning for me, but the way it’s celebrated here definitely affects my life. Here are a few things I know about Ramadan:

1) It is a religious occasion where followers are required to fast (refraining from food, drink, and smoking) from sunup to sundown. As soon as the dusk Call to Prayer is called, families gather together to break the fast. This is a huge event! The fasting is imposed on everyone, which means that there is no eating or drinking in public. (The exceptions: babies, pregnant women, elderly, and sick.) This is hard because the temperature is 114F or so, and it is difficult to stay hydrated when we’re out and about so much. I have heard that if you are caught on the street eating or drinking (and this includes gum or breath mints), that you will be thrown in jail and/or fined! We carry bags with our water bottles in them and then go to the bathroom, lock ourselves in a stall, and have a drink!
2) In the same manner as Easter, the dates of Ramadan are determined by the phases of the moon. This year, Ramadan has been throughout the month of August, which is early. How does this affect us? Well, after Ramadan ends, there is an actual holiday called Eid al Fitr. Usually this falls somewhere in September after school starts, but this year it is early and we have our holiday right before school – actually, next week.
3) During Ramadan, businesses close down during the afternoon. I am assuming this is because they rest to conserve their energy while fasting. Not all businesses, but many. For instance, I can walk to my food co-op and get groceries, but I cannot go to the money changer. All restaurants are closed. Also, we went to a large mall one afternoon, and the majority of businesses were closed, even IKEA. All the grocery stores were open. During Ramadan, you can buy food, you just can’t eat it in public.
4) We live near a very busy commercial street and once the sun goes down, the traffic increases! People are out and about. I live in a neighborhood where computer shops, jewelry shops, and cell phone stores abound. You can find most anything you want on this street (no bookstore, darn it!). It gets lively and is a fun place to walk around and watch people. So once the sun goes down, anyone who is not with their family breaking fast is downtown having a good time!
5) And lastly, during Ramadan, the street cleaners (trash picker-uppers) have not been working and so there is trash all over the place!

Now, a few other things about Islam

1) Call to Prayer. This happens five times a day, the first being around 3:30 am. All the mosques have loudspeakers on them so it is broadcast very loudly. And since there is a mosque on every corner (this is only a slight exaggeration), no one misses the call. First, there is a short warning announcement and then about 15 minutes later is the actual prayer. Interestingly, while other places have a “recorded” call, Kuwait requires a real, live person do it. It reminds me of the old days when our churches actually rang bells. Now, the Catholic church that is near my house has recorded rings that rings on the hour and half hour.
2) "Women may choose to cover due to religious belief, tribal tradition, family expectation, or fashion trend. Women have a wide range of head coverings they may choose to wear. The hair can be covered by a colorful scarf (hijab) that matches the outfit, or a solid black hijab. There is even variety among the black hijabs, since some are plain and simple, while others are decorated. Hijabs can be short, covering only the hair, or long to cover the entire upper body. Women may also choose to cover part of all of their face with a cloth “nakab.” The black body wrap is called an abaya and may be worn with or without a hijab." This information came from our psychologist, who is married to a Kuwaiti man and is a convert to Islam. I just want to add the following: The burka that we all seem familiar with is one piece which covers the woman from head to toe. These are seldom seen here in Kuwait. They are common in the stricter, more conservative countries. Women here are free to choose what they wear.