Just Another Week in Kuwait

Walking.

This week's, on foot, exploration led me to this camel. We found him just 15 minutes from the apartments.

We discovered a fairly clean, decent length of walkable beach.  No taxi fare needed, but it did require the crossing of some highly trafficked roads. Another find was a cheap Lebanese restaurant on the route.

Coffee Confusion. 

On a typical 3 am morning, I opened up a new package of coffee and was greeted by a wretched aroma.  I had mistakenly bought coffee infused with cardamon. "No!" I've seen this option at the store and thought sometime I'd like to try it, but I was repelled by the surprising stink.  The odor was so offensive I had to toss it in the large garbage bin outside of my apartment. "No cardamom in my coffee, thank you."

After school, I went to demonstrate my coffee competence at the local super bakala (convenience store). After a much closer examination of labels, I gave my dinar to the shopkeeper. 

The following morning, I opened up to this strange sight. 

Who would have ever guessed you could purchase coffee mixed with partially hydrogenated coffee creamer. "Gross!" But I drank it. Better bad coffee than no coffee, unless it has cardamom in it.

Arab Fund Building.

We took a bus to the Arab Fund building today.

Typical bus in Kuwait. Just like the one I ride to and from school in.

This is where some of the important financial decisions for the region are made. I had coffee with our guide Osama. 

By I had coffee with, I mean he happened to sit down at our table. :)

He was fundamental in the building of this immaculate, beautiful structure. He showed me a photo of himself with President Carter. President Bush(senior) has had dinner at the center, too.

Love how they do that to the trunks.

Arabic Course.

There is only 1 more class left in the Primer Arabic course. It has went by very quickly. I am using some Language apps to practice. Memrize is a favorite.

The visuals they use help my remember the letter names. 

I've been taught how to write, identify, and pronounce all the Arabic letters. I've also been taught several common phrases and the numbers from 1-10. Now to learn it all. Our taxi driver is letting us practice with him. I'm planning to spend some time with the Primer course stuff before I continue on to the Beginners level. 

B-day in Kuwait.

I had a very full B-day in Kuwait. Emails, wall posts, gifts, videos and phone calls galore.

Sleep, Eat, Teach, Study. Repeat.

Taking Pictures and Having my Picture Taken. 

Went to Al Kout mall to do some grocery shopping and relax a bit. I took these pictures.

A ship at harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are for.

As I was snapping some of these I noticed a family taking pictures.  The husband was taking a picture of his wife with the kids and vice versa so I asked if I could take their whole family's picture.  The husband understood and said yes.  So the wife arranged her abaya, hijab and face covering and I snapped their picture.  I find it amusing that she would care if her picture was taken since you can't see her, but I could tell from her eyes that she was sweet.

Then they asked if they could take my picture. With their camera.  A little awkward, but I said sure. We wished each other a good night and I said goodbye to the loving family. And that is how I missed my opportunity to take a picture of an Arab family with their permission. I wonder if they were from somewhere besides Kuwait, because I had the impression they hadn't interacted with a westerner before.

Flax Seed Insomnia. 

Did you know Flax seed can cause insomnia? After reading about the benefit of this superfood, I ate two tablespoons of them, ground up. Then, I laid wide awake for over 5 hours.  In the morning, less than 2 1/2 hours later, I did a little research and found that Omega 3 oils, like those found in flax seeds, can cause, in some people, insomnia. I think I'm in that minority. 

If this was a health food blog I might go on about how I am also incorporating coconut oil, Apple cider vinegar and ghee into my diet. #myattempttobehealthywithoutexercising

Resolv-ing.

Not doing so well at last weeks resolve.  I spent a little less time doing school work at school but a lot more time at school. But, I think I may be moving in the right direction.

In other school news, I am using the cookie sheet that was too big for my oven (I did buy a smaller one) to create a 'Stop the Blurt' system. Each day students will get 3 blurt warnings, before they face some serious consequences like the loss of recess. I have to find some way to crack down. We are going to try this.

Foodie.

I found out they sell Lassi (the Indian yogurt drink) everywhere here. It's inexpensive, called Laban and so good. I also got a large jar of roasted eggplant today. Very good in small doses. Couscous, which has been a staple in my kitchen for some time, is really common here.  I bought a kilo today for 3 dollars. I do really like the food here.

Sleep, Eat, Teach, Study. Repeat.
Not a really noteworthy week because I was so, so busy with school, then busy with my grad classes on Friday and then with my Arabic class today, Saturday. 

On the way to the Avenues.

But I did spend the rest of today at the Avenues.  Where we saw these 24 carat gold iPhone 6 cases.

I have completed my third Arabic class. It's fun. We learn a few phrases and a few letters every week. Here is some of my homework. And my first name in Arabic.

It's E Break

Language Learning

I started a Primer Arabic class. It's the class before Beginners. Lol. So, I got my first back to front book, wrote my notes from right to left, learned 5 letters and 2 phrases including their appropriate replies. I'm taking the classes at the AWARE, Advocates for Western Arab Relations, center. I also picked up this watercolor, on a whim.

#firstdaymomento

We meet once a week for 6 weeks, but not this week. 

Staycation

It's E break or Eid. There are a few Eids, this one is Eid Al-Adha and it is a remembering/ celebrating of Abraham's willingness to, and God's provision of, a sacrifice.  I hear, it's one of the most important religious holidays.

 

I'm still feeling good about not going anywhere for break. I didn't feel like going anywhere else right now. I'm tired and I already booked my Budapest and Prague trip for December. Most of the other new teachers are having fun in Dubai, right now, though.

New Things

Food

Halloumi, cheese you can grill, is awesome. Halloumi, hummus and falafel are on my current food favs list. Yogurt, too. Thick, plain yogurt is common and inexpensive here. Tried Hawala, but it is not on that list.

Sometimes I just buy things because they seem weird. 

Hair

I got my first hair cut in Kuwait. It's hard for me to say what I want ina  hair cut anywhere, so to someone who speaks broken English, or probably more accurately just English from an Asian country, it's even more difficult. Long story short, it's fine, it's just hair.  

There is an upscale salon close to our apartment that is 20 KD for a haircut, which is 70 dollars. Most of the new teachers have just went there. Many have said that's about what they pay in the states. Well, I go to the cheap haircutting chains and pay around 15 dollars, so to me it seems steep to spend that much on my hair.  I went somewhere else and paid 3 KD. Though I paid 2 KD for a taxi ride and 1 KD for a tip.  All and all, I paid 6 KD, or 21 dollars (each Kuwaiti Dinar is worth $3.50). 

Recycling

It's ironic because I don't know of anywhere I can take things to be recycled, but I visited this park made of recycled stuff.

Tree love. My hometown is the Sandhill crane capital of the world, says one sign.
But, maybe this is a flamingo. Which would make more sense, for Kuwait.

Movie theater, mini soda cans, and a Toll House cafe.

Things I miss

Walking

Before I came, I was worried of feeling isolated because the norm for me is to go places alone and to walk outside... alone. Well I can go places alone and I don't feel too isolated because I can schedule a driver, or call one and they'll pick me up in 20 minutes. But, I do miss my walks! It's not like you can't walk to places but, you walk on garbage sprinkled sand (there are no sidewalks in our neighborhood), I get stared at and undoubtedly one of the many clusters of foreign men will try to talk to me. I've also been hearing safety warnings from different taxi drivers. Not to mention it is still over 100 degrees every day. :(

Maybe I'll get a treadmill. It won't be the same, but it would be something. If I wait, I can buy a cheap one from a teacher who is leaving. 

Fall

I miss trees and grass and fresh cool air. And I know it's fall, my favorite time of the year, in much of the world right now. Technically it is fall here, too.

Fall in Kuwait does not look like this.

Or this.

These sum up my fall, so far.

School

School has been in session for 23 days. 

After break, there will be 47.5 more school days until Christmas break (minus an in-service and parent teacher conferences). Kind of wish I hadn't figured that out. Those are kind of depressing numbers.

We Like Each Other

I still spend too much time waiting for my class to get quiet, but we like each other, we have fun and we learn stuff.

Commencing the Journey

Blogging my Experience

I'm the first to admit I'm not sure what the balance should be. What is interesting, entertaining or simply BORING? I needed to land somewhere on this issue because I am commencing the journey this morning. I have decided that this blog is mainly for me (and my dad). But I'm happy for you to follow along, too. 

I will try to not be too wordy and include lots of pictures, but no doubt I'll include unnecessary details that I, only I, find interesting. Planning to write about culture shock to Kuwait, teaching in an International school and my travels from Kuwait (on breaks from school). I'll try to post once a week. 

I won't be putting a link on FB every time I post. If you got to this blog through Facebook but you'd like to follow my journey you can "Follow by Email", which is located on the right column of the home page.

Traveling
The trip is off to a rocking start. They serve hotel Belgium waffles AND biscuits and gravy, on the same day, here at my airport shuttling hotel.

I will arrive at the airport at 8:30 am Central time, this morning, with my 5 'bags' & guitar and I'm scheduled to land in Kuwait at 12:00 pm Central time tomorrow, with the same luggage. Hoping they let me carry on my guitar, because it's not worth 200 dollars to check it. But what will I do with it if they don't let it be my carry-on?

Arrival
Kuwait is 9 hours ahead of Central time (scheduled to land at 9:00 pm local Kuwait time). So, flying out Monday morning and arriving Tuesday night.