Halas. Finished. Enough.

I leave my last blog post from Kuwait with one of my new favorite words to incorporate into my vocabulary. I hear it interwoven into Arabic/English discussion from my students and others. I like it.

We are two hours away from a taxi taking us to the airport. It's going to be a long journey. . .Kuwait to Bahrain. . Bahrain to Amsterdam. . .Amsterdam to Atlanta. . .and finally Atlanta to Roanoke on Wednesday evening. My cell phone and iPod are charged and my bags are haphazardly packed for the return.

The last few weeks were a bit of a blur. Nothing too exciting to report. The last block of classes flew by. I loved having the comparison of teaching both male only and female only sections. Many have in fact, asked me which I prefer. Hands down. . . the boys. Girls are just too dramatic when left to themselves. They make the biggest drama out of nothing. Presentation days were always stressful. Overall they probably out performed the boys in both grades and speaking abilities, but to do it all over again, I would rather have a more laid back class. In fact, in all the rush of the last day I didn't even get a chance to take a photo and class ran a half an hour over time. I did, however, appreciate the female enlightenment I was able to experience with my class of ladies. As I've mentioned before, we talked openly about numerous topics I didn't feel comfortable engaging with the fellas on. I know I enjoyed the teaching and was always the highlight of my day at AUK. I will miss many aspects of AUK.

Overall I guess I can say I got a little lazy with the blog as time went by. I have a few noteworthy photos to post, but I've already packed my camera and cord away. I also think I got better at entertaining myself beyond my laptop. Emily has been a great roommate and we constantly find ourselves in long, meaningful and probably meaningless conversations about life, family, school, etc. We also spend hours watching my Sex and the City DVDs I brought with me. They have brought hours of enjoyment to Meredith, Emily, and myself.

Ah, the call to prayer is signaling me time to go. Seriously. It is.

I've laid awake at night the past several days realizing I have a few precious hours and days before the fall semester begins at VT. The only thing between me and graduation is researching and writing a dissertation. It's been a nice break and blessing to have some time away from the stress of school and to have had this cultural and professional experience. I leave Kuwait with some new friends and life learnings I hope to be able to share with others.

Blogging will be another story. I have a trip planned to the Czech Republic in November, so it will be a great outlet for those travels to report. Otherwise, this might serve as a venting point for grad school, a place to share my thoughts and opinions, or another entertaining procrastination tool. Either way, I plan to keep it up on some level. I hope you have enjoyed it!

On the Downhill

There hasn't been too much to report since our return from Jordan. The photo above is a view of the gulf behind me on a visit to the Kuwaiti towers.

I started teaching the second block of students, an all female section. I do note some of the differences from my male students, but in all they are a good bunch. I have noticed the girls seem to be listening more intently. Especially when it comes to making a difference in their grade. They are tuned in. I can talk more freely about "girl stuff" which makes it easier. They are known to get me off on a tangent of sorts ranging from Oprah to Twitter and singing at my college graduation.

My class of guys (with a few missing) on the last day.

We said good-bye to two of our friends we made over here, Kevin and Jeremy. Kevin will return to Texas A&M and we'll definitely see Jeremy again as we return to Virginia Tech. We spent last weekend savoring their last precious moments here in Kuwait and counting the hours until they left. I'm not going to lie, we were all a bit jealous.

I also got a raging case of food poisoning. Exactly a week ago I could not sit up in bed, nor keep anything in my system. Thank goodness this has past. It was intense, but didn't last as long as previous experiences (Morocco & Egypt 2007). Needless to say, I am OVER middle eastern food as a result. No more grilled kababs, hummus, etc. for me. At least until I get back and have a reunion at More Than Coffee (similar food in Blacksburg).

You've all heard the saying, "It's a small world", and boy have I got the epitome of that for you. When I returned from Jordan I received a forwarded message from my Dad. It was from my cousin, Scott Roney and his wife informing everyone of their recent move to Kuwait. I couldn't believe I knew anyone, let alone relatives, that might be here! I sent them and email and through several correspondences we were able to meet up last week for lunch. It was my first time to see Scott in about 6 years and the first time to meet his wife, Sarah. Such a blessing to visit with them clear across the world. They will be here several more months as Scott works on a project for his company.

As I write this, I realize there are not very many days left here in Kuwait and only 7 more class days at AUK. I'll probably have at least one more post, with some final reflections, of course.

"Life is a journey, not a destination"

Our crew in Amman: Emily, Cory, Meredith, Me, and Kevin

*I have to number this one to stay on track. It’s my organization thing. I can’t help it. Hopefully it makes this entry more reader-friendly.*

I love the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Life is a journey, not a destination”. It has always been a favorite of mine and a good approach to life, too. However, this was at times, the antithesis of my trip to Egypt via Jordan and back to Jordan again. Cory and I departed last Friday for Amman, Jordan caught another flight to the city of Aqaba, Jordan on the Red Sea, where we were able to take a ferry across the Red Sea to Taba Heights, Egypt, with our final destination as the Marriott. On Wednesday we were to travel back across the Red Sea, into Jordan, and back to Amman to meet up with our friends Meredith, Emily, and Kevin. It sounds relatively simple, right? Not so much, but a good adventure nonetheless.

Just so you know where I'm talking about and check out: http://www.visitjordan.com/Default.aspx?tabid=300

Here’s a summary of our adventures and debacles:

1. Visa line in Amman. No order. Complete chaos. Not enough customs agents to handle the influx of people trying to obtain a visa. People have no sense of order or know-how of keeping a line. Cory and I get pushed, shoved, and personal space is completely invaded. Finally, when it is our turn, the agent asks, and it is made clear to the rest of the line we are indeed, U.S. citizens (not that you couldn’t tell by looking at us). There were a few strange looks in our direction especially as he asks where we are coming from. I noticed a few puzzled looks as we answered in unison, "Kuwait". I guess that doesn't happen very often. Even with the long, crazy line I feel that our passports were put on the top of the stack and handled rather quickly with regards to all of the others. It costs 10 JD (about $15 USD) to enter Jordan. We note Jordan government officials like U.S. citizens, the rest of the common folk from the Middles East in line, probably not.

2. From Aqaba, Jordan to Taba Heights, Egypt. We catch a quick commuter flight from Amman to Aqaba, which lies on the northern end of the Red Sea. We are excited to spend a few days lying on the beach, relaxing, and soaking up some sun. The bad news is our cab driver takes us from the Aqaba airport to the marina charging us 30 JD (about $45 USD). We can’t do anything about it. We know we are being ripped off. They have no meters in their cabs. At least in Kuwait we know how to haggle and what is a decent fare. We show up to the marina/ferry that we have reserved to take us from Jordan to Egypt (avoiding Israel and thus not being rejected upon reentry to Kuwait – see side note below). The ferry company, Sinbad, has no record of our reservation even though we called 24 hours in advance and send copies of our passport via email. I’m sweating at this point. My stomach is cramping. I think there is a good chance we will not get to our destination. We’re trying only to show our “appreciative and understanding” side of our U.S. citizenry. No need to be the obnoxious, demanding Americans. Luckily about 3-4 men with cell phones and with a lot of Arabic, we are able to catch the last ferry out. It costs us another 10 JD to exit the country. My anxiety is still soaring.

*Side note: You see, the very northern end of the Red Sea encompasses three countries in very close proximity: Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. We flew into Jordan and our resort was less than 35K away, so it doesn’t seem to out of reach to get there by taxi or car. However, the tricky part lies in the fact that if we drove from Aqaba, Jordan to our resort in Taba, Egypt, we would have to drive through a fraction of Israel, thus crossing the border. This would result in an Israeli stamp in our passports. We’ve been informed that this would cause us much trouble or at worst denied entry back into Kuwait. Therefore, we had to explore other options of transportation. Our first frustration with the Arab/Israeli conflict and our U.S. Citizenship.

3. Arrival to Egypt. We exit our ferry with about 150 other European travelers who have spent the day in Petra, Jordan. Each and every individual has his or her temperature taken as we enter Egypt for fear of the infamous Swine Flu. We stand in yet, another line to obtain entry into Egypt and clear customs. Luckily, because tourism is so important to them in this part of Egypt on the Sinai peninsula our visa is free for up to 14 days. (Did I mention this was the area that experienced a terrorist bombing back in 2004? Don’t worry; it was safe beyond belief by our visit in 2009. Here is a story from when it happened: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3728436.stm ). We realize there are no taxis readily available as most people arrive with tour groups and are transported via large charter buses. Cory and I manage to locate and stumble upon another helpful Egyptian who calls a taxi on his cell phone. We truly believe at this point we are in the clear. Oh wait. We have no Egyptian money to pay the cab driver upon arrival at the Marriott. We only have Jordanian Dinar at this point. He doesn’t except money from Jordan (even though you can clearly see Jordan from our hotel across the sea). I go though security to the front desk to exchange Jordanian dinar for Egyptian pounds. No luck. The front desk doesn’t do that and their bank is closed for the night. Meanwhile, Cory is making friends and spiritual conversation with our “Christian” cab driver while they wait patiently outside. He finally agrees to take pity on us and take our JD. I like to believe he did this as a fellow sympathetic Christian, but really I think he knew it was beyond 10:00 p.m. and we were running out of options. We check into our room and at this point I’m too exhausted and my anxiety is too high to think about eating or enjoying our first drink of the summer.

A view of the Red Sea and the Marriott in the distance.

4. 4 full days in Egypt at the Marriott Taba Heights (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/tcpeg-taba-heights-marriott-beach-resort/). It was great. Sleeping in. Eating a HUGE breakfast every morning. Lying on the beach all day. Alternating swimming in the pool and the Red Sea. Reading 3 non-school related books. Having a few drinks (it’s legal here!). In all, it was what a vacation is supposed to be. Cory and I had our hopes dashed as we anxiously waited for the Mexican night at the hotel buffet for dinner. No cheese, no beans, no tortilla chips. What makes it Mexican you might ask? Fajitas in tortillas - which is not all that different from the Middle Eastern grilled meat and pita bread. Good try Marriott, but I think you need to bring over a real chef, possibly from Mexico. Other than that nothing too eventful other than some sun burned skin.

We were entertained one evening as we sat outside eating dinner by a belly dancer, local music, and my personal favorite - THE WHIRLING DERVISH!

5. Leaving Egypt for Amman, Jordan. We made sure to let our friends at Sinbad know that we would be on the return ferry on Wednesday morning. They suggested showing up at the marina at 7:00 a.m. for a 7:30 departure. No problem, or so we thought. I had dutifully arranged with the front desk for a taxi at 6:45 a.m. I confirmed as we checked out at 6:15. Soon we realized no one arranged for a taxi and the incompetence of the front desk was glaringly apparent. At 7:22 a taxi finally showed up to take us the 5 minutes to the marina. At this point you might imagine my timely-self feeling a bit anxious. The same feelings from before were returning from our initial arrival. I thought I might have to throw up in the Marriott’s fountain in front of the hotel. I would not have felt bad about this considering how much they helped us with this mess. What kind of 5-star resort doesn’t at least have a shuttle for emergencies? Apologies? Seriously. Luckily nothing runs on time in this part of the world so we hurriedly rush back through Egyptian customs and frantically make it on to the boat to Jordan. We arrive back into Aqaba and find ourselves safely back into a cab with a very American-friendly driver. He informs us that we are 3K from the Saudi border (NO THANK YOU!) and tells us Jordanians love America. Thank goodness. Keep driving the other direction. AWAY from Saudi!

Cory and I decide to get to Amman as efficiently and quickly as possible. We didn’t really wish to spend any more money and time waiting in Aqaba for our 6:00 p.m. flight. Therefore, we took a JETT bus that transported us from Aqaba to Amman in just 4 hours. In a matter of hours we had been in 2 taxis, a ferry, and now a bus. I was ready to get the next half of our Jordanian adventure. The only issue from this portion of the trip was the emergence of little red bumps all over my arms and legs. They never went away. Got worse at some points during the remainder of the trip. I still have remnants of them two days after we’ve been home. I hope it was heat rash or something non-threatening. I’m still alive, but it was a bit alarming to find them as we are trapped on a bus in a foreign country, and not knowing what the cause really was.

6. Amman. We made it safely to Amman to meet up with our friends at the hostel, or better known as the Abbasi Palace Hotel in the old part of Amman. Meredith, Emily, and our new friend Kevin from Texas A&M are joining us for Part II of the Middle Eastern vacation. I call the area of town we are staying in “crazy town” because there was so much going on and a very lively street. Definitely not the Marriott, but it was more authentic of adventuresome travel, and cheap, too! Our afternoon adventures took us to Roman ruins, a coliseum, and a modern area of town for happy hour and dinner. We truly enjoyed Rainbow Street and felt “normal” again as we sipped our beers and listened to American pop music at a local bar’s happy hour. Our restaurant for dinner that night had the most amazing rooftop view of Amman. I ate a cheeseburger. Life was good.

A view from the top of the Roman coliseum in Amman.

Our restaurant for dinner, Books@Cafe, overlooked the Amman skyline.

7. Journey to Petra. We left our hostel early from Amman to catch another JETT bus to Petra and town of Wadi Musa. I didn’t explain before, but the JETT busses are pretty cool for the traveler. They make connections to every major city in Jordan. Both locals and tourists use them, they have AC, and are a convenient way to get around. Props to JETT. In just 3 hours we are pulling up to the gates of Petra. We decide to check into our hostel, the Orient Gate Hotel, to drop off our stuff. Again, we haven’t eaten all day so we find a restaurant nearby for an early and quick lunch. I’m telling you, it was the BEST chicken shawarma (essentially marinated/roasted chicken wrapped in a pita) EVER. Just wish I could remember what the place was called so I could give it a shout out on Wikitravel or something. It’s right off the roundabout in Wadi-Musa. Good stuff.

8. Petra deserves its own entry, really. It is impossible to capture in photos, but I have tried. This ancient city is absolutely AMAZING! One of the New 7 Wonders of the World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Seven_Wonders_of_the_World) , I had no idea of its enormity. We walked miles in the sun, heat, and sand, but were thoroughly in awe. I can’t imagine being the first Western explorer to stumble across this hidden city. I knew it was coming and still couldn’t believe it. The first glimpse you get of the Treasury is thrilling. We spent all afternoon (about 6 hours) hiking, taking photos, and still didn’t get to see everything. Our hopes were to spend two days, but after one, we knew it would be too physically exhausting to try another day in the heat. I think we all got the idea. Amazingly old. Preserved city. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade worthy.

You can see the deep canyons as we enter Petra.

I tried my best to capture the Treasury at its fullest, but I guess you need a wider angle.

Taking a rest on the hike up to the Monastery.

We even showed our K-State Pride! Thanks to Emily who volunteered to step in as our "U'.

For the most part Petra was infiltrated with many tourists from all over. There are local Bedouin people offering souvenirs, trinkets, water, rides on camels, donkeys, and horses. I’m amazed at the small children abilities to speak many languages and pester tourists.

We finished our day in Petra with a lovely sunset and night view of the city from our balcony at the hostel. Very low key, we enjoyed some drinks (no glasses available, but the Nalgene’s came in handy) and listened to the music and watched fireworks from a local wedding across the way. I felt as if it was our own 4th of July in some strange way. The weather was gorgeous, we were sitting on a porch, fireworks were booming, and there were beverages. Again, another end to a great day in Jordan.

Enjoying a cool evening on the balcony at the hostel.

We enjoyed the music and fireworks from the local wedding across the way.

9. Back to Amman. Our hostel arranged for a mini-bus, not JETT this time, to take the five of us and several other backpackers to Amman early on Friday morning. It was its own adventure in itself as we proceeded to pick up local passengers alongside the road. You have 8 American/European tourists, a family with a baby, a couple of lone men in dishdashas, and our bus was complete.

10. Dead Sea. Once we arrived back in Amman, we checked back into the hostel we stayed in the first night. They helped us arrange for a driver to take us to the Dead Sea for the afternoon. A quick 1 hour drive down to the Dead Sea and we were at the lowest point on earth. Pretty crazy to think about. I had done my research, though. No shaving. Avoiding all contact with your face, mouth, and eyes. The water was super salty - 33.7% salt and 8 times that of the ocean – absolutely devoid of all plant or animal life. I didn’t even try tasting it. If you had any sort of cut or scratch, you soon felt it stinging. Also, as some learned the hard way, keep your legs together, ladies. No sudden movements. You don’t want the water getting into certain places, if you know what I mean. The water was super hot, too. It wasn’t a refreshing swim, but just enough to feel the buoyancy and take a few photos. The other big thing about the Dead Sea is supposed to be the therapeutic mud. They market it in all kinds beauty uses. It was too hot for me to even want to try it. I’ll have to take their word on it. We had paid to enter this resort to get to the beach so the rest of the time was spend in the non-salt water pool. Much better.

Emily and I kickin' it - Dead Sea Style

11. Amman to Kuwait. We left Saturday morning to catch our flight back to Kuwait. In true style we ate KFC and I bought some chocolate in duty free. It was a good feeling to be boarding our Jazeera Airline flight home. BTW, this Middle Eastern airline says/plays a prayer before every take off. It comes right after the safety piece. Never did I think I would say this, but I was glad to get back to my temporary home. To take a shower in a full size bathroom, sleep in a clean bed, and eat regular food was a welcome change from the travels.

Even in all of our travel debacles I must say that I was impressed, overall, with the hospitality of Jordanians. Numerous times people made calls for us, set up cabs, and went out of their way to accommodate or make arrangements for us. For this, I know Jordan is a great country to visit. They are more moderate in views than our current host country and I am impressed with their ability to keep peaceful in the midst and close proximity to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In our short time there I realized the impact not only on the Palestinian people, but their neighbors to the east, Jordan. There is a very strong military presence throughout the country, on the roadsides, and guards stationed outside government buildings carrying a large assault rifle. (Sorry, no photos.) I felt comfortable, relatively speaking. Most importantly, I felt no animosity toward Americans. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Queen Rania of Jordan was featured on Oprah a few years ago, but I'm guessing it goes well beyond that in the realm of international relations.

I would not hesitate at all to tell a U.S. citizen to visit Jordan. As with any country you have to be flexible and aware of your surroundings, but the benefits immensely outweigh any concerns. There are so many things we didn't get a chance to see. Plus, I didn't realize all of the biblical and religious sites to visit. Maybe next time when I can visit Israel, too. (There you have it, Brady, I've changed my mind!)

12. Back to school. Yesterday we went back to our routine and back to school. Cory and I are teaching new students (same public speaking class) in the second block of their summer courses. This time around I am teaching only female students. I can already tell a difference, no more talking about football and cars!

Insha'Allah - God Willing

I hear this term, Insha'Allah (I hope I'm spelling this right - thanks Wikipedia!) multiple times throughout the day. In the most common terms I understand it to mean "God willing".

In context: "Cory and I will make it to Egypt and back without having to cross through Israel and get a stamp in our passport so Kuwait will let us back in the country, Insha'Allah."

My students use it when referring to getting good grades. Mmmm. . . I think it has more to do with you putting in effort and studying than God's Will, but good luck just the same.

Ah the beautiful sites of Salmiya. I finally got a chance to take an 'up-close' photo of the infamous neon palm tree. We had an outing (to the coffee shop) in the middle of the week. I know. . .don't get crazy. You can see the fine pieces of dust flying about in the air. I can't figure out how to not pick that up on my camera with every photo I take here.

More cab debacles We have had some bad luck with cabs this week. After our experience at the mall, I didn't think it could get worse. Cory, Emily and I all leave the apartment each morning at 8:45 to catch a cab to school. It's never difficult to locate a cab. But, as I've said in earlier posts, you never know what might pull up. Here are two more examples:


1. Driver on Tuesday was still smoking when he pulled up. Didn't put out the cigarette. The ceiling of his cab was "pimped out" with hanging tassels. Very classy.
2. Driver on Wednesday rolled up with the windows down. He kept them down. No AC for this dude. He beeped his horn approximately every 10 seconds which prevented me from carrying on a conversation with either Emily or Cory. However, he did manage to hack a nice amount of phlegm into his throat and spit it out the window as we were speeding down the street. I had the lucky chance to be sitting right behind him.


Who knows what tomorrow might bring!


Final days of class

A student stopped by my office today to give me something. I was expecting some cookies, possibly some more chocolates. No, nothing edible. He hands me a large, full folder. Inside I find all kinds of "propaganda" on the religion of Islam. I was a little surprised. Coming from my most visibly conservative student, I should not have been. He proceeds to engage me in conversation about having a future conversation about Islam, etc. Meanwhile Cory is sitting quietly in the corner (probably trying not to laugh). I politely tell him I will be glad to read it and meet with him for discussion when I get back from Jordan. (I did manage to read the one brochure acknowledging Jesus.) I give this student credit. He wants to share his culture and something important to him, and I hope to learn more in return. I can't help but wonder if he sees me as this heathen of a liberal, Christian woman? Not going to judge his motives just yet, but will definitely keep you all posted on the future meeting.

Today was the second to last day of class. Nine of my students were giving their persuasive presentations. Being the nice teacher I am, I let them choose their own topics that didn't have to be school or academically related. I knew this would bring out the finest in their creativity and boy was I right!

Topics ranged from the conspiracy theories of "9/11 was something the U.S. Government planned" to "Man never landed on the moon". Let's say they might have been judged a bit harshly on the credibility factor, but entertainment was well worth it.

Not knowing it, I saved the best presentation for last. The topic was "Against segregation Kuwait universities". Our speaker delivered a not-so-great speech, but my oh my did the question period get heated! It was great to see my students get so passionate about something they did (or did not) believe in. I only had two who were in favor of the conservative view to segregate males and females in higher education. After about fifteen minutes of heated conversation and arguing, I took lead of the class again. In hindsight, I wonder if I should have put a cap on the discussion, but feel that it was therapeutic and healthy for them to be able to share their feelings and make their voices heard. For the first time, I felt sorry for these students. I empathize with their frustration, but yet I get to return home to a country and place where my voice and many voices have the power to be heard and the power to change something. They shared their feelings of powerlessness and lack of control over the situation and others.

Here's the thing. Most of these students choose to come to school at our university because it is based on the American model. It is more liberal than the other in the country. They are choosing how they want to pursue their education. By having mandates put upon them over the past two years (that's how long this "new" policy has been back in place - previously it was not segregated) they feel as if they are being taken a step backwards in the country's progression. * Keep in mind, please, that I am generalizing my students comments and conversations with me.* However, I am glad they feel open enough to share this with me. Not that I'm an inspirational speaker, but I did pull out my best "WLC unlocking speech" today. In sum, I told them how proud I was of them as students (of public speaking) and how I hoped they would use their skills to make a difference, speak of change, and motivate others to take action in the future.

Experiencing the culture, first hand
Our American friend Amy had us over last night for our own personal, cultural experience. She owns two abayas which are the modest dress of women in this culture. We have seen several variations of modest attire, but the abaya is most common along with the hijab which is the scarf used as a head cover.


Please note in the following photos that we are not trying to disrespect the culture in any way. We did this in the privacy of her home to get the experience of what it feels like to wear, walk around, and function in such attire. We see it EVERY DAY at school and on the streets. We were seeking to understand what these women are experiencing on an every day basis.


In my own reflection, I will say I immediately felt as if my personality had been stripped from me. I didn't realize how much of me lies in my outside or physical appearance. I never thought I would say it, but it's true. Amy and Emily couldn't read my facial expressions or see my reactions. I didn't realize how much I depended on my non-verbal communication to depict my emotions and general dialogue. As I watched Emily, it was if she wasn't really there. I could hear her, but "real Emily" with her smile and expressions was hidden. I felt as if I couldn't use my hands as much to talk and gesture. It seems cliche to say, but I felt as if I had to act more conservatively in my actions. Without too much more, I will admit I could only keep it on for 5-7 minutes at most. It was hot and hard to breathe. In sum, I now have a greater appreciation and very small understanding of the women I see here. I'm looking forward to an entire class of them as I am sure to gain an even greater perspective.

Ma as-salaamah - that means good-bye

Ah, my students are constantly entertaining me. I got after them at the end of class as we were discussing final topics for their speeches. Quite commonly they speak to one another in Arabic, which has never bothered me at all knowing sometimes it's just easier not to have to translate to English. Today, however, they were being excpetionally ornery, and were conversing quite a bit in their native tongue, and not mine. This led to me giving them a hard time about talking behind my back. Only a few were brave enough to ask why I didn't learn Arabic while I was in Kuwait? Good question, my friends, good question. I guess I would have been open to taking a short-course in the language had it been offered. I apologized to them for not knowing their language and praised them for not only learning English, but allowing themselves to be challenged by being taught in a second language. Again, it's a constant reminder to me on how ethnocentric we can be as Americans and how much attempting to learn or speak another's language goes a long way. Thus, I told them they were required to teach me a new word every day until the end of class (only 3 more days). I definitely think I will ask that, too, of my new students in the next term.

A Trip to the Mall

Not much to report from the weekend, other than a trip to The Avenues Mall (http://www.the-avenues.com/home.html). I know, most of your are probably thinking, a mall? What you might not know is that the mall, in Kuwait, is the ultimate social hot spot and gathering for young, especially our students. It's too hot to do anything outdoors and the are segregated in most other situations, so a mall allows them to feed their retail habit and mingle with others. Consequently, most of our students have been asking and pestering us to go and visit this famed Kuwaiti mall. It boasts as the largest mall in Kuwait and let's be honest, a mall with IKEA is going to be B-I-G. And it was. We managed to spend about 3.5 to 4 hours meandering through crazy-expensive stores and even some American fare, too. Forever 21, Express, Lacoste, H&M, Longchamp, Carolina Herrera, Versace, and many more.

I was shocked (and disappointed) to see that the GAP prices were twice that of what they might be back in the U.S. I wonder if they would accept the Sally Bush or friends and family discount? No worries, though. We didn't need to purchase anything but a snack and a cup of coffee to make our trip complete to the mall. Oh, but I did go ahead and buy my first souvenir. . . a Kuwait Starbucks mug.

A view of one of the numerous Starbucks in Avenues.

Crazy Cab Scare

While our time in the mall was pretty tame, it was a different story on departure. Upon leaving the mall we were able to locate a cab driver before even getting to the street. We gladly followed him to his car and piled in. As we were backing up I turned to see (and hear) a teenage boy pounding on the trunk of the car and yelling loudly in Arabic. Apparently he did not wish to let us back up before continuing on to his car in the parking lot. Our driver proceeded to roll down the passenger window (Cory's window) to yell at the "punk" kid. They started a heated angry exchange in Arabic. Next thing we know the kid is coming over to the driver's side and our driver gets out of the car. They start fighting, pushing, and choking one another. Not a pretty sight. Meanwhile, I notice the car is rolling (not in park) and we decide to make a quick exit. Unfortunately I was a bit panicked knowing that they were fighting right outside my door. Luckily, my ever logical friends encouraged me to climb across the back seat and leave through the other door. We took off quickly trying to get away from the scene. Our hearts pounding and nerves rattled we quickly found a new cab and made it safely home.

I must say that I've never witnessed a physical fight like that between two men. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think that would happen on a regular day outside of Oak Park Mall. My impression was that the kid was a total, entitled punk who didn't think he should have to wait on us before getting to his car. On the other hand, the driver (being a grown-up and all) should have ignored the punk and maybe he would have gotten his cab fare from us. I can make a lot of judgments and assumptions, but either way, it was a messed up situation we go ourselves into.

An Unconventional Pride and Prejudice

Thankfully, I have my roommate Emily to share in many of my Kuwaiti experiences and reflections. I must give her credit in this case. It was a typical Sunday night as we got home from class, made our dinners, and settled down to watch some random, off-beat American movie. One particulary caught our eye as a modern-day version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. With both Emily and I being fans of the Keira Knightly version, we knew we had to see it. (And, Oprah wasn't going to be on for at least an hour!)

We could quickly tell that this was indeed, a modern version, with its own conservative twist. All female characters were focused on getting married (not too different from the original), the attire was all too completely covering for a modern film, and one scene even featured all of the characters going to church. Hmmmm. . .something wasn't right! We began to ponder if it was not a "special" movie made for a particular set of morals. Thank goodness a quick Google search led us to our conclusion. This particular movie was its own creation of a Latter-Day Comedy, as in Latter-Day Saints. I had no idea the Mormon religion had its own movies! How fascinating! No judgement here, just pure entertainment. Here's the link to the movie's website: http://www.prideprejudice.com/.

The best was Emily's analysis, referring back to one of my earlier posts, she noted that this version of the movie was like the Saudi Arabian Oreo. So close, yet not quite. I think we might be using this similie for many other descriptions of Kuwait in the future.

Class Notes

This is the last week of class for my all-male class of public speaking. I'm glad to be wrapping up the material, but sad to leave the comfort and familiarity of the class. I was telling Andy over the weekend about my teaching and students. I shared with him how I cannot help but draw from my experience in agriculture as I share examples and testimony of my own as part of the content. Let's face it, U.S. politics, fancy cars, and soccer will only get me so far.

Just this Sunday in class I was able to draw from a recent Oprah episode I saw over the weekend on the dangers of smoking. Dr. Oz was at his finest scaring the viewers into the toxins and repricussions of smoking. I was thrilled to be able to draw from this episode as I began to lecture on persuasive speaking. As you may not know, smoking is QUITE COMMON here in Kuwait. (Maybe even more so than in Virginia.) About half of my class admitted to smoking. Consequently, my knowledge from Oprah and Dr. Oz made great fodder for the conversation with my students.

Now, back to Andy and I's conversation. I explained to him that I use examples from my own students at Virginia Tech and try to relate to them as much as possible while trying to teach them new things from U.S. culture. For instance, one day a question was, "What is a dandelion?" and today it was "What is a puppy mill?". (They read from an American textbook that uses a variety of examples, some of which they totally have no comprehension of.) In my teaching experience, I find that I routinely draw from what I know best, and that is agriculture. Talk about a foreign concept to these boys. They are an Agriculture in the Classroom program's dream audience. Always open to learning, I honestly believe they enjoy my examples from my childhood, giving project talks at 4-H, and talking about the specifics of where food comes from and how it is made. Andy has justifiably dubbed me as a, "Global Extension Agent". I will wear that title with pride, my friend. Thanks for the honor.

Dress Code

I get a lot of questions from friends and family about attire here in Kuwait. It's common to see quite a mix here on campus, but for the most part I would say at least 80% of the students I see dress in "Western" attire. No, this does not mean Wranglers and belt buckles, but rather European/U.S. modern clothes that come from large retailers (see section above on shopping in Kuwait). However, across the campus listserv came a rather interesting message regarding the dress code at school. I found it humous for a couple of reasons. First, I was thinking of how such a message would be interpreted at Virginia Tech or at an institution at home. Second, I found the wording of the message to be quite candid and straightforward, unlike any message I've ever received from administration. Here is a sample of the message. Enjoy!

*Note "wolf pack" is the school mascot*

"Good morning Wolf Pack,

It is SUMMER and I need to share some things about the dress code. Ladies, it hits us much harder than the men. Not fair but that is the way of life. Abiding by the values and traditions is also very, very subjective. No two values are exactly the same. Values are developed from background, experiences, influences, etc. As a community of learners, we must respect one another’s freedom and one’s right to interpretation. As a community of learners, we know and understand there are boundaries.

For *the campus* world, I am going to provide some dress code boundaries to keep the drama to a minimum. The campus fashion police (those on campus tasked with pulling you to the side to talk about your outfit of the day) blow their whistle for those who are blatantly over the edge. Students have not been hired to be fashion police! However, we still have rules and you wanted me to give examples. So here goes…

1. No offensive pictures or writing on your t-shirts. Mind you FCUK cuts it really close. That is about as edgy as one should get! When you wear the t-shirts that have explicit sexual references; that is unacceptable.

2. Guys, if you wear short-shorts, that in and of itself is a violation. Please don’t hurt our eyes!

3. Ladies you are wearing low-rise jeans, we do not need to see the G-string (as attractive as it may be in your opinion). This means your t-shirt or blouse must be a bit longer.

4. Guys, when you wear jeans and your Calvin’s are showing, that is unacceptable. Pull ‘em up and get a belt!

5. When you wear those cutie shorts, minis, etc. you must put on leggings. It may be HOT as the dickens and you may have fantastic legs but…

6. If you have on a shrift and when you bend over, your goodies can be seen, that is not good! Get a longer shrift (won’t be as fashionable but get a longer one or wear leggings!)

7. If your blouse is cut so low that the “girls” are noticed before your beautiful smile, it will make others frown!

8. Sleeves! Not sleeveless; tanks must have an over-shirt. Guys this goes for you too. Don’t want your pecks peeking!

The bottom line is to be modest as you define modesty. You know what your conscious (and your parents) would say about your attire. I have asked Campus Security to stop you at the gate if your dress is deemed inappropriate. If you are stopped at the gate, don’t argue or fight. Just go change your clothes!

Have a well-dressed Wolf Pack day!"

There you have it. The most recent take on campus dress code. I wonder how this might go over back at home?

Another post might come at the end of this week, but chances are I'll run out of time or experience nothing noteworthy. Cory and I are headed to Jordan and Egypt on Friday for a week in between our two 4-week blocks of teaching class. The rest of our crew will meet up with us in Amman, Jordan later for some adventures in Petra, Dead Sea, etc. So, it should definitely be a post worth looking forward to!

Where the sun is always shining. . .

I think I'm realizing that it's been about a month since I've arrived and I haven't missed the rain.  Last summer I wore out my umbrella dodging storms in D.C. on any given evening.  If you know me well, you understand that I do, in fact, LOVE the sunshine and typically find myself less than happy in days without sunshine.  (Indiana really did me in at certain points.)  I admit that more than a few days have included the dreaded dust/sand storms, but as a whole I like being able to walk outside and know the sun will warm my skin instantly.  The downside is that it burns my skin within minutes, so I usually make a break for the shade.  

So, in my book, Kuwait earns a star in the sunshine category. 

A non-traditional 4th of July celebration

With our entertainment options limited, we had been looking forward to the holiday looming ahead. . .INDEPENDENCE DAY. It was due to several reasons. 1. It took place on a weekend. 2. An excuse to eat large amounts of American food. 3. We always need something to look forward to in our monotonous existence here.

Nevertheless, we planned a pretty good party. No grills, picnics, pools, or fireworks, but still we found a way to celebrate our nation's day in the best way we could. I will admit my hopes prior to coming here included a lavish celebration at the U.S. Embassay of Kuwait, but quickly learned such an event was not open to every citizen living here. I cannot imagine why the U.S government wouldn't want to fund such an affair for every citizen abroad.  I think it would be a wise spending strategy for foreign morale.  I'm just saying.  Anyway, we had our own. The meal was "pot-luck" and included everything from pasta and fruit salad to Tostitos chips and salsa. Our burgers might have been questionable beef, but the homemade apple crisp made up for it all.

D.J. Jazzy-Jill even applied her skills to create an All-American playlist on my iPod. Folks, I have over 20 songs that include the word "America". I had to go in an add Martina McBride's Independence Day, but otherwise, it was a nice compilation of random artists singing about our beloved country. Where else can you hear Neil Diamond, Simon & Garfunkel, and Toby Keith on one playlist?

We ended the evening not with a view of spectacular fireworks, but with yes, another viewing of our favorite show, Weeds. You don't get any more American than that!

I must say that even this, the most untraditional 4th I have celebrated, will probably be one of the more memorable. Eventhough I felt a twinge of jealousy and sadness as I talked to friends and family celebrating the holiday on the Mall in D.C., watching fireworks from Melvern Lake, and spending time with those they love, I know that this experience will enhance my appreciation and patriotism for future 4th of July celebrations.

More Food

With the 4th aside, we have ventured out to get a taste of some local cuisine. Some students suggested we try a traditional Kuwait restaurant. We would never have found it on our own, so I'm glad to have insiders advice. The entrance was not visible from the main street and really wasn't well-marked. I guess you have to be a local to know such things.

Our meal consisted of appetizers including hummus and tabouli (dips) served with ultra-thin flat bread that was very much the consistency of a tortilla and less than that of a pita. My main dish was "chicken machboos" over cooked rice. Our portions were large and they served complementary "donut holes" (or at least that's what I'm naming them); imagine eating a donut hole covered with a honey glaze. Oh yeah, Justin ordered camel milk to drink. I did not partake in that. I figure if I can't handle skim milk from a cow then camel milk might put me over the edge. He didn't really care for it, but I give him props for trying! *Please note there are no photos from this excursion.  Again, everywhere we go as a large group of obvious Americans, we cause a nice viewing/spectacle.  It would have seemed a bit much to pull out the camera and begin taking photos while the entire restaurant continued to stare/watch.  We choose to and try to be as inconspicuous as possible.*  

The most recent adventure was for Meredith's 29th birthday celebration. We ate at a place called Zaatar W Zeit, specializing in Lebanese food. Again, we had to order appetizers and dips of Labneh (which is made of strained yogurt) and Halloum (baked, salty cheese) served with bread and vegetables. For those of you who know me well, you understand that I avoid eating anything remotely close to mayo, ranch dressing, or creamy spread of the like. Specifically I chose a sandwich for my main meal that did not include any of the above, or so I thought. The sandwiches came in this amazing-looking wrap of fresh, pita-like bread. Unfortunately, mine was coated, smothered, and inundated with mayo on the inside. I did my best not to ruin the eating experience for others, but found myself digging and picking out the uncontaminated meat to salvage my meal. Let's just say from here on out, I WILL be the picky tourist and ask for specifics before ordering. In true American fashion, we concluded the evening with ice cream from Baskin Robbins. Unfortunately, with all of the dairy-lovliness (yogurt, cheese, and ice cream), my stomach did not like me. Again, maybe I shouldn't try so hard to experience the culture through "taste" if it is going to make me ill.

Our crew at Zaatar W Zeit

Other adventures

As I write, I realize we have had a productive week. By far, the most entertaining story to report is that of the Aqua Park http://www.aquaparkkuwait.com/. One of Meredith's friends told her about "ladies day" at the Aqua Park each Tuesday. We needed no excuse to liberate ourselves and stroll about in our bathing suits! Sorry fellas, but no men allowed. Emily, Meredith, and I decided it would be a great way to celebrate Meredith's birthday AND experience the local novelty at the same time.

Truthfully, when we told others (locals) at work we were going, they thought we were crazy. A few warnings and possibly elaborated stories later, we were still not deterred from our day out in the sun and fun at Aqua Park! Upon arrival we couldn't believe the madhouse of women streaming into the entrance. There were signs posted warning that no cellphones and no cameras were allowed into the park. They us each go through a bag check and "pat down". They were serious about the privacy of women!

It didn't take us long to slather on the sunblock and jump in. Unfortunately, no one told us of the rule, keeping your head covered. Oopsie! No, it wasn't a cultural or religious rule, but sanitary. They claimed it would keep hair from the pools and water. I'm sorry, but a handkerchief or scarf will not keep me from shedding. Let's just say we got away with this by playing the "ignorant" card for as long as we could. Finally, Emily got fed up and tied her tanktop around her head, but Meredith and I chose not to conform, hence we soon left. The other uncomfortable factor was the pH or chemicals were quite a bit off in the water, thus my eyes began burning uncontrollably.  I was only blind for the next 45 minutes or so and my eyes swelled up, but no true harm.  I don't know if I care to relive that again.  Therefore, the Aqua Park may be a one time deal for this gal.

ENGL 108 update

As every day passes I become more and more attached to my students.  They have proven to be more conscientious and serious students over time.  Really, I think they realized after two weeks, I am not going to back down and just give them all A's.  Good effort though, fellas.  

I had one student bring me a box of Godiva chocolates one day this week.  Fortunately, he was already getting an A-average, so I didn't feel like he was bribing me.  Another day I had three of my students stay 30 minutes after class engaging me in discussions about universities in the U.S., suggestions of "things to do" in Kuwait, and other various topics.  It was my best day here, by far.  

They gave their collaborative or group presentations today and I learned a great deal.  Topics ranged from "Gulf versus Sham/Levant Countries" to "Kuwait Past to Present".  Oh, let's not forget the one about the "Swine Flu".  That was riveting!  I must add they selected their own topics (with guidance).  As I wrap up here on Thursday, I realize I only have one more week with them.  I'm actually quite sad about it.  I feel like I'm just getting to know them and now class is over.  Such a bummer.

Random thoughts

On the apartment front, it's still quite dusty no matter what we do to mop and clean.  I'm getting used to the dirt.  Embracing it, really.  The gym continues to be 30 degrees (86 Fahrenheit) of stale, stifling air smelling of dirt and smoke.  I don't know why I'm putting myself through the misery if only to catch a glimpse of Brian Williams each morning.  God love that man!  TV options are getting better or I'm just better with the remote.  Oprah comes on each night at 8:00 p.m. and I've managed to find back-to-back episodes of The Hills on MTV Arabia.  

I love traveling.  In fact, a week from tomorrow Cory and I leave for Jordan.  I'm very excited!  It's been even more rewarding to live in a country and experience the culture was a whole through sight, sound, taste, and touch. I must make a conscience choice to look for ways to enhance and deepen my time here in Kuwait.  Tomorrow I'm headed to the largest mall in Kuwait.  Here it come (insert sarcasm)!  No, really, I hope I can continue to make connections with my students, not feel ashamed to ask questions, and truly find out what makes this place unique.

Another Day, Another Dinar

We have finished our full, second week of school here at AUK. It's whizzing by a bit fast as I'm teaching a 4-week course. Personally, I find it RIDICULOUS that one might think a 16-week public speaking course can be condensed into a 4-week course. Not the same level of academic rigor folks, not the same. Regardless, I am getting paid and having a great experience outside of my own culture, both academic and personal.  In fact, I do love that my students keep calling me "Doctor".  At first I kept correcting them, telling them to call me Jill, but they insist on using such formality.  Definitely something I can get used to!  Even while grocery shopping this evening a student stopped me (in the Old El Paso aisle) to say, "Hello Doctor", and "How was my speech today?".  I tell you, I did feel kind of important.

There isn't much to report on as the academic life and summer heat regiment our daily lives.  (I realize for those of you reading both Cory and I's blogs, he shares waaaay more daily detail; you'll have to settle for my half-hearted effort.  I feel I'm essentially living the same life I would at home, just in a different place and hard to find interesting things to blog about.)  I digress. . .. Again, I still wake up during the 2:45 a.m. "call to prayer". This morning, I was lucky enough to wake up again for a different mosque's 3:20 a.m. "call", as well. My day begins each morning by heading to the gym (in our apartment building) with Emily. Really, it's a highlight as we have found a channel that conveniently shows the NBC Nighly News with Brian Williams as we plug along on the treadmill. The uncomfortable part of the workout seems to be the lack of full A.C. in the gym. (And when I say lack of full-A.C. I mean it's hotter than it should be with a well running A.C. but still cooler than if it wasn't working at all. ) Cory was so kind to look up what 28-degrees Celcius converted to in Fahrenheit and it's about 80-degrees in that room. Still, I would MUCH rather run inside with the heat (and Brian Williams) than face the sand/dust/stares of running outside in Kuwait.

Our commute to AUK is the same every morning. Emily and I make Cory "flag down" a cab and bargain for our ride to "American University". It's a new adventure everyday. So far, nothing too scary and no accidents yet. (Have I mentioned the driving is crazy here in Kuwait?!) The mantra might go something like this, "Life's like a Kuwait cab driver, you never know what you're going to get". Thanks to our American/AUK friend Amy, we have a ride home with her most afternoons on the way home from school. She's well-cultured and always has fun stories, expereinces, and advice to share with us as a single woman living in the Middle East.

I did attend a university faculty and staff meeting. The intent was to recap successes of the spring semester and look forward to goals for the fall. It was nice to see how a small, liberal arts university functions. I'm so used to the size and bureaucracy of a large university, so I very much enjoyed a view from a different perspective. The most personally satisfying moment, to me, was when the President mentioned the value visiting and short-term faculty bring to the university and its cultural diversity. That's right, I bring CULTURAL DIVERSITY for the first time in my life! It took coming to the Middle East to do it, but it happened.  My American friends tell me it's really easy to spot me in the crowded Starbucks on campus.  I'm the only one wearing a bright orange/coral shirt (thank you B Fritz) and blonde hair.  Go figure.  There is definitely no blending in for me on campus or elsewhere.

The evenings at the apartment are scarily similar. I fight off (sometimes fail) taking a nap. Emily and I find a ridiculously poor American movie to watch on TV such as, Ice Princess, Ella Enchanted, etc. We make some dinner, read our novels, and hope to catch friends and family on Skype, iChat, Facebook, or some other form of communication.

There you have it, the daily, regimented life I lead. Highlights of this week include: me cutting Cory's hair (only a slight patch was shorter than the rest), free ice cream day at AUK, our trip to the western grocery store Sultan Center tonight, and watching more episodes of Weeds. On a related note, Emily and I were sadly disappointed with the Oreos we purchased (not at the Sultan Center). Did you know formulas for Oreos are different around the globe depending on the ingredients and regional preferences? I did not know this. I naively assumed an Oreo is an Oreo. Luckily, I caught up with my personal cookie expert, Ms. Lindsey Small, who works at Kraft and knows much about this product. Unfortunately, she educated me about the variations of the recipe/formula around the globe. From now on, I'll be looking for Oreos not made in Saudi Arabia.

As most of you know, today is the last day of the work week over here. We are still formulating plans for the weekend, possibly a traditional Kuwait restaurant and our 4th of July celebration. More to come after our weekend!