One of the upcoming activities at the AWARE center.
AWARE Center:
"Etiquette when visiting Kuwaiti homes The Arabs are a proud and sensitive people whose culture is mainly derived from family, religion and language. Join us for an intrinsic look at the Kuwaiti lifestyles from within the home. It is considered a great honor to be invited into the home of a Kuwaiti. What are the customs of greeting the family members? Should a gift be presented to the host? What customs are associated with eating? Is it necessary to reciprocate the invitation? Join us for an in depth look at the Arab & Muslim lifestyle from within the home by Wad’ha Al-Shaheen on Wednesday March 30, 2011 at 7:00pm.
*Also the Arabic classes at the AWARE center start on April 24 if anyone is interested in speaking Arabic.*
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
I feel like a FREAK!!
I guess no one in Kuwait has seen a chick who messed up her foot. After 5 days I had to go back for a check up (I started off with a half cast but took it off because it sucked). We started off at Adhan hospital. We waved down a guy with a wheelchair(minus the tires) to roll me to the hospital. First step is trying to find where to go. We finally found the office and of course there's a line of people waiting. All they do is STARE! I guess I'm a little freakish with a sore ankle?
As more people gathered I knew it would end up in a fight to get in the door so I suggested we go to a private hospital and avoid the fighting. We went to Seef ( ? spelling) hospital in Salmiya. It's such a nice hospital. I got the news.....you have to have a full cast for 2 weeks! Nooooo........! I haven't had a cast since I was 10.
I got some fancy blue cast that looks like a scarf. Instead of wrapping it in bandages it was like a sock, they wet it and pulled over my leg and it hardened into a fiber glass cast. The only bad thing is it is really rough and kind of sharp. I've already scratched my other leg on it. What sucks the most is I received a job offer as a Supply Tech. Ahhhhhh this can't be happening.
If that isn't bad enough I have to start all over since I've been out of the country for more than 6 months. Nooooooooooo!!!!! I look like a total dork limping along beside my husband. With some wasta I was able to get it all done in one day. I started off giving blood. Everyone looked at my face and then straight to my foot. STOP STARING AT ME!!!!! The Indian nurse plunged that needle so hard into my arm I thought I was going to jump up and kick her with my cast. Next step off to the x-ray location. With the manager helping me along I completed that step. Finally finger prints. I love Wasta it makes so much easier to go directly to someone instead of going normally.
Stop STARING at ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I got my walking cast I got rid of my crutches. Thank God for that.
I still feel like a freakshow. My show lasts for another 13 days.
As more people gathered I knew it would end up in a fight to get in the door so I suggested we go to a private hospital and avoid the fighting. We went to Seef ( ? spelling) hospital in Salmiya. It's such a nice hospital. I got the news.....you have to have a full cast for 2 weeks! Nooooo........! I haven't had a cast since I was 10.
I got some fancy blue cast that looks like a scarf. Instead of wrapping it in bandages it was like a sock, they wet it and pulled over my leg and it hardened into a fiber glass cast. The only bad thing is it is really rough and kind of sharp. I've already scratched my other leg on it. What sucks the most is I received a job offer as a Supply Tech. Ahhhhhh this can't be happening.
If that isn't bad enough I have to start all over since I've been out of the country for more than 6 months. Nooooooooooo!!!!! I look like a total dork limping along beside my husband. With some wasta I was able to get it all done in one day. I started off giving blood. Everyone looked at my face and then straight to my foot. STOP STARING AT ME!!!!! The Indian nurse plunged that needle so hard into my arm I thought I was going to jump up and kick her with my cast. Next step off to the x-ray location. With the manager helping me along I completed that step. Finally finger prints. I love Wasta it makes so much easier to go directly to someone instead of going normally.
Stop STARING at ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I got my walking cast I got rid of my crutches. Thank God for that.
I still feel like a freakshow. My show lasts for another 13 days.
Monday, March 14, 2011
AWARE Center Program
The AWARE center has the following program scheduled for March 16.
AWARE Center:
"Knowing your Kuwaiti neighbor is a session intended for westerners, especially newcomers, who wants to understand modern-day Kuwaitis and their culture. It is essential that we look at Kuwaitis, and Arabs in general, as they are today. In this session, Dr. Ebrahim Adsani will shed lights on some important aspects of the Kuwaiti culture which may help expat to understand the culture better. Among the topics that will be addressed in this session: the basic values and religious attitude of Arabs, basic Arab self-perceptions, the concept of friends and strangers, social structure and social formalities. All are welcome on Wednesday March 16th, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
AWARE Center:
"Knowing your Kuwaiti neighbor is a session intended for westerners, especially newcomers, who wants to understand modern-day Kuwaitis and their culture. It is essential that we look at Kuwaitis, and Arabs in general, as they are today. In this session, Dr. Ebrahim Adsani will shed lights on some important aspects of the Kuwaiti culture which may help expat to understand the culture better. Among the topics that will be addressed in this session: the basic values and religious attitude of Arabs, basic Arab self-perceptions, the concept of friends and strangers, social structure and social formalities. All are welcome on Wednesday March 16th, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Back to Kuwait and Drama
The task of leaving Florida was a job in itself, disconnecting utilities, last minute doctor's appointments and packing gave me a lot of headaches. March 7 was my travel date and March 8 we arrived back to Kuwait. No more slow people following the traffic rules. Hello people trying to kill each other oh how I missed it.
The trip itself wasn't too bad. The plane was 70% full of contractors traveling from Amsterdam to Kuwait. Jet lag is rough. I had one day to get back to normal before all hell broke loose. I was in my bathroom fixing my hair when I heard the fire alarm go off. I figured it was the kids playing in the elevator or some trick. My maid went outside and saw people running down the stairs. I finally realized this was a real fire. I smelled plastic burning and took off down the stairs which were pitch black.
The one day they leave the lights off there's a fire. I couldn't see anything at all. Finally I got to the last set of stairs when I missed the last step and felt pain in my ankle as I fell. I have a high tolerance for pain but this time I sat there crying like a baby until a couple Indian ladies helped me out of the building. Intense pain and swelling followed. My husband called the ambulance but finally took me to the hospital.
We arrived to Adhan hospital in the rain. I got my x-ray, no break but a sprain which hurts like hell. I got a half cast which was wrapped up. This sucks big time. As we arrived back to the building the elevators were not working which meant we had to go to the adjoining building and travel to the 13th floor followed by a trip across the roof and finally down 3 flights of stairs. I had to hop my way across the roof in the pouring rain avoiding satellites and wires everywhere. I hadn't had time to grab a jacket or shoes which left me in my house shoes and T-shirt.
No one can ever imagine how much it sucked to hop accross the roof and go down 3 flights of stairs which were wet and covered in soot. I finally made it to my apartment after what seemed like hours. My bed never looked so nice. Now I'm left to hop around with crutches. Everything has come to a halt.
I'm pretty much home bound for now until I get this cast off. As a control freak it's so hard to sit and watch and not be able to control anything. This is pure torture. I have to guide everything from my bed. I can't leave my house either. Now I now how to torture someone just make them hop on one foot. The doctor said 10-15 days in this cast. I will officially be crazy by then.
Welcome back to Kuwait!
The trip itself wasn't too bad. The plane was 70% full of contractors traveling from Amsterdam to Kuwait. Jet lag is rough. I had one day to get back to normal before all hell broke loose. I was in my bathroom fixing my hair when I heard the fire alarm go off. I figured it was the kids playing in the elevator or some trick. My maid went outside and saw people running down the stairs. I finally realized this was a real fire. I smelled plastic burning and took off down the stairs which were pitch black.
The one day they leave the lights off there's a fire. I couldn't see anything at all. Finally I got to the last set of stairs when I missed the last step and felt pain in my ankle as I fell. I have a high tolerance for pain but this time I sat there crying like a baby until a couple Indian ladies helped me out of the building. Intense pain and swelling followed. My husband called the ambulance but finally took me to the hospital.
We arrived to Adhan hospital in the rain. I got my x-ray, no break but a sprain which hurts like hell. I got a half cast which was wrapped up. This sucks big time. As we arrived back to the building the elevators were not working which meant we had to go to the adjoining building and travel to the 13th floor followed by a trip across the roof and finally down 3 flights of stairs. I had to hop my way across the roof in the pouring rain avoiding satellites and wires everywhere. I hadn't had time to grab a jacket or shoes which left me in my house shoes and T-shirt.
No one can ever imagine how much it sucked to hop accross the roof and go down 3 flights of stairs which were wet and covered in soot. I finally made it to my apartment after what seemed like hours. My bed never looked so nice. Now I'm left to hop around with crutches. Everything has come to a halt.
I'm pretty much home bound for now until I get this cast off. As a control freak it's so hard to sit and watch and not be able to control anything. This is pure torture. I have to guide everything from my bed. I can't leave my house either. Now I now how to torture someone just make them hop on one foot. The doctor said 10-15 days in this cast. I will officially be crazy by then.
Welcome back to Kuwait!
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