Okay, first of all... I suck. I haven't posted in a really long time! Life gets busy. So, I figured I would do a year at a glance and hope I remember to post more often next year! Luckily I remember my passwords and everything hah.
The last time I posted was in October (yep.. I suck lol) of 2013 (and have to include the year lol). So, when it's hard to find pumpkins... you just find squash' and carve those instead! No one ever said that expats in Kuwait can't have fun! I must say, it's really nice to not be the "newbie" literally everywhere you go. It's also slightly fun to watch the current "newbies" go through exactly what you just experienced.
There are a variety of occasions that may or may not be "ministry" approved. So, sometimes when your school is having a gigantic... I think we called it... Masquerade parade.. the ministry might surprise show up. One of the many reasons why you need to live by flexibility, because inshallah.. god might will for a pause and resume to a fun and over-the-top halloween parade. (I mean Masquerade parade). haha.
The month of November was awesome because we had just had Canadian Thanksgiving and we get to celebrate American Thanksgiving. That's a lot of gooood eating! Oh, and by the way Canadians eat almost exactly what we eat so lots of turkey, potatoes, and pies! mmmm :) One of my first attempts at cooking a dish for thanksgiving turned out well, despite the propane tank running out on me mid way through. #cookinginKuwaitproblems.
In Kuwait, a lot of gatherings take place at peoples homes. We do a lot of impromptu roof top BBQ's, game nights, etc. When it's a dry country, you gotta do what you gotta do. There's also the number of occasions that happen at the embassies. These nights are NEEDED. You must try to go at least once a month (though it's pricey) in order to help maintain sanity.
Oh yes, and good news... Kuwait actually has some grass parks. They are like sweet, little hidden gems. Of course since there are like 8 million people in Kuwait.. they too, are packed.
Anyways, no need to worry.. I still commentate for my pets. Buster said he was a little nervous but ended up loving this grassy goodness... and it was quite possibly the first time he had ever seen or felt grass. Buster and Germo decided to be friends, too. They even cuddled a couple of times.
It was November 5th, 2013 and I posted on my timeline, "In 45 days, I will see my family in Dubai." Countdowns to significant events such as these can never, ever start too early. I couldn't believe that my family was actually coming out to see me in Kuwait. I felt like my worlds were going to collide and I was 100% okay with that.
Meanwhile, our AIS jazz band really started to blossom. We played for our school, and got a real gig for a christmas concert. Jazz band is the one thing that I NEED in Kuwait. It's my sanity piece that for one time every week I get to go and play with a talented group of musicians and forget about whatever stresses I've got going on with life and school. Our first gig went well and led us to others as we had hoped. When choosing our name for the band, it was between; Salmiya Swing Sensations, 3AM Schwarama and one other choice that obviously didn't get my vote lol. We call ourselves.. drum roll please..... 3AM Schwarma. If you didn't know, schwarama is a delicious and wonderful usually chicken wrap that's done perfectly arab style. If you add 3AM to that.. well I'm sure you can put it together (moonshine or real stuff too). So, the longer I live overseas.. christmas music and country music seem to hit home a lot more than ever before. In 3AM Schwarama, I get to do one more and play both of these favorite genres of mine. We play just about anything, though.
When Nelson Mandela passed, a friend posted a quote from him on facebook.
This quote really stuck with me as it pretty much sums up significant areas of my life as a human, a teacher, a learner, an expat, etc. In Kuwait, these last two years have been mostly falling (as a starting teacher, too).. but life is too short to dwell on the tough stuff. You just gotta do the best you can to get through the challenges and move forward. When absolutely everything around you seems impossible.. you move forward and you realize that you can face just about anything.
It was December 14th, 2013 when I posted, "8 days until I see my family in Dubai!!! xxx." I was more than ready.
To help pass the excitement, I had a bunch of friends over to celebrate christmas before we all left (and yes I'm going to say in my own apartment because that feeling lasts for a long time.. you know... having a home and all). I might have made the best chili in my entire life. (sorry to my future husband in advance.. if you exist) haha! Oh yes, I can't forget about the time when I got to do techinicals for a pantomime for the first time ever. Yousef and his acting friends were invited to do a Peter Pan panto for the Al Ghanim family. There are some family names in Kuwait that have big wasta (power) and the Al Ghanim family is one of them. Anyways, this birthday was for a young lady who was turning 12 and she got literally everything she asked for. Some examples include; an ice sculpture, several fancy food vendors, a private show, and so much more. They even bought a car that looked like a cab from New York City (you know.. like on broadway) and had their own adverts in the top. No pressure on me for running the techinicals for the first time, ever.. and congrats to me for only having one big mess up lol. Who needs rehearsals anyways?? On a side note, we did get paid of course so that was awesome!
It was December 22nd, and we had all made it to Dubai. Whew, I didn't realize this would be so difficult to sum up.. there is a lot to say.
This picture shows how I felt the entire time.. I'm thinking, "Hey guys... that's my family.. right back there.. yeah.. THAT'S MY FAMILY... yup.. that is my family right there!"
Jetlag doesn't get my family down.. they were troopers! While we were indulging on the start of our trip, we were also getting in our fill of "haram" things in while we could. (mostly the kind of haram things that you consume by drinking liquids haha). We got to see the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
We also saw about a million malls and cranes... maybe not a million.. but you get my point. It was a good place to visit before Kuwait in my opinion. It's a more modern city in Dubai, and it's very clean.
We all truly enjoyed our experience as first-timers in Dubai and were ready to head to Kuwait, the place I also call home. By the way, if you ever want to confuse the heck out of an expat.. ask them where they are from. (And don't be surprised if they reply with a big sigh and a lengthly response). Home is where the heart is.. well.. my heart is all over the place. How's that? lol
I was ecstatic that my family got to see my apartment (that I graciously waited a year for), my pets, my school and classroom, and all the other things that I would always tell them about. We got our fair share of malls in, in Kuwait, too. We saw the Grand Avenues, 360 Mall, Marina Mall.. and probably others too. We ate a ton of great food, which is nice to have people from my home here in the states help me describe the yummy goodness of food in Kuwait. They sure do it right there. People ask me, "What kind of food do you miss most from Kuwait and vise versa?" The answer for what I miss most from Kuwait is the bread and hummos and KDD ice cream. The answer for what I miss most from the states is bacon and beer.
One of the things I like to do on occasion to get the true Kuwait/ arab experience is to go to Souk Mabarika (the Old Souk). My family spent 7 hours there one day. They loved it. There is always so much to look at and see. Of course, I had to take them to the rug place there and the guys that work there always sit down with you and explain about the carpets. Time with these guys goes so fast and you're constantly engaged in the vast amount of knowledge that they are sharing based off of their true passion in life. They told us all about the stories that are behind the hand made carpets. Anything from what they think the age of the weaver is, to the gender, and whether they're left or right handed, and even the lifestyle of the weaver. It was fascinating.
It was strange to not be the person getting on the airplane. Either end, good-byes never get easier. We got to celebrate Christmas in Kuwait, and my dad's birthday! It was an amazing time and I look forward to Christmas in Wyoming this year.
January brings on the month of lulls. Everyone is sad that the break is over and also everyone is extremely poor this month it seems. Usually they pay us early in December so we go about a month in a half until the next paycheck. It's cold (yes, even in the desert) and most the time, people just feel like staying inside.
February is when Kuwait celebrates it's independence. We call it Kuwait Liberation holiday. I got to experience this in Kuwait this year and it was crazy! Everyone does really strange things like car surf and they all get dressed up in Kuwait's colors (red, green, black and white) and the children spray water guns (sometimes containing soap or other various substances).. all over the place. If you go down by the gulf road, you will be soaked. It's an interesting and fun time for sure. February also marks the month when I got Charlie, who's my lovely persian kitty friend.
March is usually the start of the dust season. We actually had a spring in Kuwait this year and had monarchs and lady bugs galore! It was lovely. Well, except when the kids would make a huge deal about every single lady bug they saw... hahaha. We also got a strange amount of rain this year. It wasn't like normal rain.. it would come in down pours and flood the streets. I watched an arab man dressed in a dishdasha (traditional dress) put bags over his feet and attempt to get into his car, from my apartment window. It was hilarious. We had exciting weather this last year. We even had a dust storm come through just in time to cancel parent/ teacher conferences and then clear up before they would have actually started. I also decided to concur Bahrain by myself for spring break. It was great!
Kuwait usually does a great job of creating over-the-top experiences. This year, they decided to put millions of dollars into a giant sand sculpture masterpiece. Here's a picture that will give you a slight taste in this event:
We also had our grade one assembly in March this year. It's always a lot of work and it's always worth it. Well, speaking from the whole whopping two of them I've done.
April and May are the months when both the teachers and the students are counting down to summer freedom. You're ready to move them on, but also sad because you've put so much work into them, and no matter who they are.. you know you will miss them. It's the perfect time to do our annual Bahrain drunk brunch. :)
I FINALLY got my driver's license... ask me and I'll tell you the story ;). Freedom had never felt so good. I could go or do anything whenever I wanted and just because I wanted to. I couldn't believe the difference this made in my life. The last month in Kuwait until summer, I went everywhere it seemed. I was always out driving somewhere. I even drove to Kihran to go to a chalay (fancy beach house) with some friends. It's like an hour and a half drive. I am excited to get back to Kuwait and have a home and a driver's license (complete with a car).. at the same time! I almost feel like I'll just be just getting started there, which is one tiny and minute, yet significant detail into how much longer I'll stay in Kuwait. I simply do not know where my life will go next or when it will go where it goes. Sorry for the unsatisfying answer.. but that's what I've concluded for now.
Here are some pictures of my apartment currently:
To help end the year, 3AM Schawarma put on a gig on a yacht! Now, that was fun.. schwarama included. :)
I also decided to make Buster an American. Though he has seen some grass before.. there was nothing like having an entire yard of that green stuff to himself. He LOVES it here in Wyoming.. and he will keep my parents entertained, (hopefully). Another prime example of what I mean when I say that my heart is everywhere... the most important things to me are just miles apart.
Well, my second year of teaching and living in Kuwait came to an end and as every teacher feels.. I was proud I made it. I am excited to go back for another year at least and see what happens!
Summer came and by the blink of an eye.. it's almost over already. There is nothing better than getting to spend quality time with family. It's always a game to try to see everyone that you want to see... and you just wont get to make it happen sadly enough. Being home after spending two years overseas is almost refreshing. The surprised and concerned shock is mostly settled at this point. It still happens and it doesn't bother me because I'm happy with my life choices and I'm enjoying what I do.
I got to visit my sister and her husband, Matt in Connecticut for just over a week. I enjoyed every minute that I got to spend with them. We did a lot of wine tasting, and I even found my new alto saxophone! The truly amazing thing is that three of my cousins from my dad's side were able to meet up. Like I said, there is nothing better than spending quality time with family. (and a little cornhole, bowling, and mini golfing too)
I went to Nashville for a family trip directly after being in CT. That's a total of 6 flights in less than 3 weeks for me. Maybe I am a little excessive about traveling??... nah...
It was a fun time and I felt like an all- American girl loving life on the streets of Broadway. I loved the honky tonks and how the streets sing in Nashville. It was fun to try out my new camera while traveling.
Oh, speaking of me just getting my Kuwait driver's license.. I thought I would give you a little break down of what driving is like in various locations in the world.
Kuwait: Driving- You have to approach the rule-less roads in Kuwait by thinking as if the streets are being filled with water. Everyone will take a space if it's open.
Getting Gas- You can always pay cash because it's super cheap and you pull up, do not get out of your car, let someone else fill your car for you, pay them and leave.
Connecticut: Driving- everyone... literally everyone goes usually at least 10 miles over the speed limit. I figured.. if I'm going the speed of traffic that I'm okay.
Getting Gas- You pull up to the nozzle, then you turn off the ignition, proceed to fill up your own tank, pay a fortune and leave.
Wyoming: Driving- you approach a 4- way stop and everyone is waving everyone else to go in front of them.
Getting Gas- Same as CT, you pay a fortune, fill it up yourself and leave.
Well, that's all folks... more to come inshallah! xx
The last time I posted was in October (yep.. I suck lol) of 2013 (and have to include the year lol). So, when it's hard to find pumpkins... you just find squash' and carve those instead! No one ever said that expats in Kuwait can't have fun! I must say, it's really nice to not be the "newbie" literally everywhere you go. It's also slightly fun to watch the current "newbies" go through exactly what you just experienced.
There are a variety of occasions that may or may not be "ministry" approved. So, sometimes when your school is having a gigantic... I think we called it... Masquerade parade.. the ministry might surprise show up. One of the many reasons why you need to live by flexibility, because inshallah.. god might will for a pause and resume to a fun and over-the-top halloween parade. (I mean Masquerade parade). haha.
The month of November was awesome because we had just had Canadian Thanksgiving and we get to celebrate American Thanksgiving. That's a lot of gooood eating! Oh, and by the way Canadians eat almost exactly what we eat so lots of turkey, potatoes, and pies! mmmm :) One of my first attempts at cooking a dish for thanksgiving turned out well, despite the propane tank running out on me mid way through. #cookinginKuwaitproblems.
In Kuwait, a lot of gatherings take place at peoples homes. We do a lot of impromptu roof top BBQ's, game nights, etc. When it's a dry country, you gotta do what you gotta do. There's also the number of occasions that happen at the embassies. These nights are NEEDED. You must try to go at least once a month (though it's pricey) in order to help maintain sanity.
Oh yes, and good news... Kuwait actually has some grass parks. They are like sweet, little hidden gems. Of course since there are like 8 million people in Kuwait.. they too, are packed.
It was November 5th, 2013 and I posted on my timeline, "In 45 days, I will see my family in Dubai." Countdowns to significant events such as these can never, ever start too early. I couldn't believe that my family was actually coming out to see me in Kuwait. I felt like my worlds were going to collide and I was 100% okay with that.
Meanwhile, our AIS jazz band really started to blossom. We played for our school, and got a real gig for a christmas concert. Jazz band is the one thing that I NEED in Kuwait. It's my sanity piece that for one time every week I get to go and play with a talented group of musicians and forget about whatever stresses I've got going on with life and school. Our first gig went well and led us to others as we had hoped. When choosing our name for the band, it was between; Salmiya Swing Sensations, 3AM Schwarama and one other choice that obviously didn't get my vote lol. We call ourselves.. drum roll please..... 3AM Schwarma. If you didn't know, schwarama is a delicious and wonderful usually chicken wrap that's done perfectly arab style. If you add 3AM to that.. well I'm sure you can put it together (moonshine or real stuff too). So, the longer I live overseas.. christmas music and country music seem to hit home a lot more than ever before. In 3AM Schwarama, I get to do one more and play both of these favorite genres of mine. We play just about anything, though.
When Nelson Mandela passed, a friend posted a quote from him on facebook.
It was December 14th, 2013 when I posted, "8 days until I see my family in Dubai!!! xxx." I was more than ready.
To help pass the excitement, I had a bunch of friends over to celebrate christmas before we all left (and yes I'm going to say in my own apartment because that feeling lasts for a long time.. you know... having a home and all). I might have made the best chili in my entire life. (sorry to my future husband in advance.. if you exist) haha! Oh yes, I can't forget about the time when I got to do techinicals for a pantomime for the first time ever. Yousef and his acting friends were invited to do a Peter Pan panto for the Al Ghanim family. There are some family names in Kuwait that have big wasta (power) and the Al Ghanim family is one of them. Anyways, this birthday was for a young lady who was turning 12 and she got literally everything she asked for. Some examples include; an ice sculpture, several fancy food vendors, a private show, and so much more. They even bought a car that looked like a cab from New York City (you know.. like on broadway) and had their own adverts in the top. No pressure on me for running the techinicals for the first time, ever.. and congrats to me for only having one big mess up lol. Who needs rehearsals anyways?? On a side note, we did get paid of course so that was awesome!
This picture shows how I felt the entire time.. I'm thinking, "Hey guys... that's my family.. right back there.. yeah.. THAT'S MY FAMILY... yup.. that is my family right there!"
Jetlag doesn't get my family down.. they were troopers! While we were indulging on the start of our trip, we were also getting in our fill of "haram" things in while we could. (mostly the kind of haram things that you consume by drinking liquids haha). We got to see the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
We also saw about a million malls and cranes... maybe not a million.. but you get my point. It was a good place to visit before Kuwait in my opinion. It's a more modern city in Dubai, and it's very clean.
We all truly enjoyed our experience as first-timers in Dubai and were ready to head to Kuwait, the place I also call home. By the way, if you ever want to confuse the heck out of an expat.. ask them where they are from. (And don't be surprised if they reply with a big sigh and a lengthly response). Home is where the heart is.. well.. my heart is all over the place. How's that? lol
I was ecstatic that my family got to see my apartment (that I graciously waited a year for), my pets, my school and classroom, and all the other things that I would always tell them about. We got our fair share of malls in, in Kuwait, too. We saw the Grand Avenues, 360 Mall, Marina Mall.. and probably others too. We ate a ton of great food, which is nice to have people from my home here in the states help me describe the yummy goodness of food in Kuwait. They sure do it right there. People ask me, "What kind of food do you miss most from Kuwait and vise versa?" The answer for what I miss most from Kuwait is the bread and hummos and KDD ice cream. The answer for what I miss most from the states is bacon and beer.
One of the things I like to do on occasion to get the true Kuwait/ arab experience is to go to Souk Mabarika (the Old Souk). My family spent 7 hours there one day. They loved it. There is always so much to look at and see. Of course, I had to take them to the rug place there and the guys that work there always sit down with you and explain about the carpets. Time with these guys goes so fast and you're constantly engaged in the vast amount of knowledge that they are sharing based off of their true passion in life. They told us all about the stories that are behind the hand made carpets. Anything from what they think the age of the weaver is, to the gender, and whether they're left or right handed, and even the lifestyle of the weaver. It was fascinating.
January brings on the month of lulls. Everyone is sad that the break is over and also everyone is extremely poor this month it seems. Usually they pay us early in December so we go about a month in a half until the next paycheck. It's cold (yes, even in the desert) and most the time, people just feel like staying inside.
February is when Kuwait celebrates it's independence. We call it Kuwait Liberation holiday. I got to experience this in Kuwait this year and it was crazy! Everyone does really strange things like car surf and they all get dressed up in Kuwait's colors (red, green, black and white) and the children spray water guns (sometimes containing soap or other various substances).. all over the place. If you go down by the gulf road, you will be soaked. It's an interesting and fun time for sure. February also marks the month when I got Charlie, who's my lovely persian kitty friend.
March is usually the start of the dust season. We actually had a spring in Kuwait this year and had monarchs and lady bugs galore! It was lovely. Well, except when the kids would make a huge deal about every single lady bug they saw... hahaha. We also got a strange amount of rain this year. It wasn't like normal rain.. it would come in down pours and flood the streets. I watched an arab man dressed in a dishdasha (traditional dress) put bags over his feet and attempt to get into his car, from my apartment window. It was hilarious. We had exciting weather this last year. We even had a dust storm come through just in time to cancel parent/ teacher conferences and then clear up before they would have actually started. I also decided to concur Bahrain by myself for spring break. It was great!
Kuwait usually does a great job of creating over-the-top experiences. This year, they decided to put millions of dollars into a giant sand sculpture masterpiece. Here's a picture that will give you a slight taste in this event:
We also had our grade one assembly in March this year. It's always a lot of work and it's always worth it. Well, speaking from the whole whopping two of them I've done.
April and May are the months when both the teachers and the students are counting down to summer freedom. You're ready to move them on, but also sad because you've put so much work into them, and no matter who they are.. you know you will miss them. It's the perfect time to do our annual Bahrain drunk brunch. :)
I FINALLY got my driver's license... ask me and I'll tell you the story ;). Freedom had never felt so good. I could go or do anything whenever I wanted and just because I wanted to. I couldn't believe the difference this made in my life. The last month in Kuwait until summer, I went everywhere it seemed. I was always out driving somewhere. I even drove to Kihran to go to a chalay (fancy beach house) with some friends. It's like an hour and a half drive. I am excited to get back to Kuwait and have a home and a driver's license (complete with a car).. at the same time! I almost feel like I'll just be just getting started there, which is one tiny and minute, yet significant detail into how much longer I'll stay in Kuwait. I simply do not know where my life will go next or when it will go where it goes. Sorry for the unsatisfying answer.. but that's what I've concluded for now.
Here are some pictures of my apartment currently:
To help end the year, 3AM Schawarma put on a gig on a yacht! Now, that was fun.. schwarama included. :)
I also decided to make Buster an American. Though he has seen some grass before.. there was nothing like having an entire yard of that green stuff to himself. He LOVES it here in Wyoming.. and he will keep my parents entertained, (hopefully). Another prime example of what I mean when I say that my heart is everywhere... the most important things to me are just miles apart.
Well, my second year of teaching and living in Kuwait came to an end and as every teacher feels.. I was proud I made it. I am excited to go back for another year at least and see what happens!
Summer came and by the blink of an eye.. it's almost over already. There is nothing better than getting to spend quality time with family. It's always a game to try to see everyone that you want to see... and you just wont get to make it happen sadly enough. Being home after spending two years overseas is almost refreshing. The surprised and concerned shock is mostly settled at this point. It still happens and it doesn't bother me because I'm happy with my life choices and I'm enjoying what I do.
I got to visit my sister and her husband, Matt in Connecticut for just over a week. I enjoyed every minute that I got to spend with them. We did a lot of wine tasting, and I even found my new alto saxophone! The truly amazing thing is that three of my cousins from my dad's side were able to meet up. Like I said, there is nothing better than spending quality time with family. (and a little cornhole, bowling, and mini golfing too)
I went to Nashville for a family trip directly after being in CT. That's a total of 6 flights in less than 3 weeks for me. Maybe I am a little excessive about traveling??... nah...
It was a fun time and I felt like an all- American girl loving life on the streets of Broadway. I loved the honky tonks and how the streets sing in Nashville. It was fun to try out my new camera while traveling.
Oh, speaking of me just getting my Kuwait driver's license.. I thought I would give you a little break down of what driving is like in various locations in the world.
Kuwait: Driving- You have to approach the rule-less roads in Kuwait by thinking as if the streets are being filled with water. Everyone will take a space if it's open.
Getting Gas- You can always pay cash because it's super cheap and you pull up, do not get out of your car, let someone else fill your car for you, pay them and leave.
Connecticut: Driving- everyone... literally everyone goes usually at least 10 miles over the speed limit. I figured.. if I'm going the speed of traffic that I'm okay.
Getting Gas- You pull up to the nozzle, then you turn off the ignition, proceed to fill up your own tank, pay a fortune and leave.
Wyoming: Driving- you approach a 4- way stop and everyone is waving everyone else to go in front of them.
Getting Gas- Same as CT, you pay a fortune, fill it up yourself and leave.
Well, that's all folks... more to come inshallah! xx
