Busy busy busy.
School starts tomorrow. I've been at my school on the equivalent of a Sunday, putting my room together. This would have been done on Thursday, but I was taken to have my Medical Clearnace done for my Work Visa, which was...a trip. Let me just say, that Civil Service is Civil Service everywhere. But there was a problem with my paperwork, which is why Constatin (the young PE teacher from Bucharest) (All of you guys shut up) and I ended up going as a twosome instead of a thirtysome with all the recent expats. With Constatin, I believe the reason was that they didn't like his picture. I assured him I liked it a great deal. He turned pink.
As you may or may not know, it's Ramadan. With Ramadan comes Ramadan traffic. Equivalent to trying to drive during Sturdays before Christmas. Except, in the United States they aren't fasting from Sunup to Sundown during 135 degree heat. Yes, this means no drinking water too, people.
So "the traffic is terrific". Another high point during Ramadan is the Imam cutting loose all day with his finest tunes. Usually, they just call to prayer 5 times a day. During Ramadan, it's time for Father Ahmed's Greatest Hits, no commericals. Thankfully my windows are doubled paned, and I'm quite a distance from the nearest Mosque (two blocks), but going to the Co-Op four blocks away is a journey. It's surrounded by four mosques, and catches the After Prayer crowd. This means that everyone not four wheeling in their '85 Cutlass in between buildings, is standing in line for fresh Labneh and Pepsi. SO think about how badly you want that loaf of bread, before you're willing to dodge the levitating buicks, 135 degree heat, and Jassem dropping his mic during "All I want for Ramadan is a new prayer rug."
God I hope I don't get deported.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
A little time
In a Starbucks, no other flatmates trying to go six different directions. Nowhere I have to be.
The Good News: it looks like I'll have wireless in my flat (apartment) by September 26, which means much more posting of details I forget by the time I'm in a clean, air conditioned coffee shop (like the whole country smells like gasoline). I'll be responding to your posts and emails much more quickly.
Bad news? None really. Here are the things I miss: the way the Bay Area smells during autumn; ANY sort of reasonably attractive male; being able to go, where I want to and how without mortgaging my left arm; fog; pork products; red wine. The majority of these can be had in Poland, where I will go as soon as I can if I have to walk there on my own tongue.
Other than that, it is hot, dry and boring. For the life of me, they do not have Pickled Beets here, so those of you reading this take note and buy a couple of cans to send.
I managed to find a coffee maker for 1 KD 950 fils (roughly 10 bucks) and it's been doing a mighty duty in my house. Better and better, there is a coffee and sweet shop around the corner that will provide, measure and grind it for you. This coffee is indescribable- it's like invisible lightning in your veins, or the reverse of Creeper. Drink it, and find your furniture in the foyer, having scrubbed the floors of three rooms in your apartment five hours later when you come down. Yes, all of you will get some when I get paid. I promise.
On the note of sending things- I don't have an address. The building was built less than two months ago, and the ministry will get around to registering it sometime around the Rapture and Molasses in January. Were I to give you an address, it would read something like:
Around the Ah Noor Building
Right Turn Past Creepy Oversized Baby Fujifilm Sign
Dodge Stray Dumpster
In the Middle of Three Buhkalas (Corner markets)
Left Turn at Pothole 16
Salmiya District
Kuwait
And don't get me started on dodging dumpsters. I'm a champion dumpster diver, and these smell like they've been used as morgue wagons.
Ah. More later
The Good News: it looks like I'll have wireless in my flat (apartment) by September 26, which means much more posting of details I forget by the time I'm in a clean, air conditioned coffee shop (like the whole country smells like gasoline). I'll be responding to your posts and emails much more quickly.
Bad news? None really. Here are the things I miss: the way the Bay Area smells during autumn; ANY sort of reasonably attractive male; being able to go, where I want to and how without mortgaging my left arm; fog; pork products; red wine. The majority of these can be had in Poland, where I will go as soon as I can if I have to walk there on my own tongue.
Other than that, it is hot, dry and boring. For the life of me, they do not have Pickled Beets here, so those of you reading this take note and buy a couple of cans to send.
I managed to find a coffee maker for 1 KD 950 fils (roughly 10 bucks) and it's been doing a mighty duty in my house. Better and better, there is a coffee and sweet shop around the corner that will provide, measure and grind it for you. This coffee is indescribable- it's like invisible lightning in your veins, or the reverse of Creeper. Drink it, and find your furniture in the foyer, having scrubbed the floors of three rooms in your apartment five hours later when you come down. Yes, all of you will get some when I get paid. I promise.
On the note of sending things- I don't have an address. The building was built less than two months ago, and the ministry will get around to registering it sometime around the Rapture and Molasses in January. Were I to give you an address, it would read something like:
Around the Ah Noor Building
Right Turn Past Creepy Oversized Baby Fujifilm Sign
Dodge Stray Dumpster
In the Middle of Three Buhkalas (Corner markets)
Left Turn at Pothole 16
Salmiya District
Kuwait
And don't get me started on dodging dumpsters. I'm a champion dumpster diver, and these smell like they've been used as morgue wagons.
Ah. More later
Kuwait Tour, The Gulf
The first three pictures are of where we had our Welcome Brunch. yes, you can wander down and grab a Sheesa Pipe after your meal and look at boats you might or might not already own. The rest of the pictures are of Kuwait Towers and the Fish Market. Sorry for the delay, these are from a trip last Monday.
Get a look at the things in a net bag- that's a date palm, and those are fresh dates. The reason they are in a bag is that they belong to the King, and he takes them and gives them to the poor in all the Mosques during Ramadan.
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