Everybody's working for the weekend

Things are a little different here. Since this is a Muslim country, they have a different holy day and different weekend. While you all are used to a Saturday/Sunday off, we get Friday/Saturday. But, up until about 4 years ago, even that was different. Friday is their holy day, so that would be equivalent to our Sunday. However, since good Muslims pray five times a day (hop to it you slackers!) it doesn't quite equate to the once a week church outings for most of you. The problem arose though, that businesses, particularly banks and those who worked in international markets, were losing 2 business days to the west (in reality, they worked those days anyway to keep up). To remedy this, the Kuwaiti legislature gave up having Thursday off in favor of Saturday. This helps by continuing to allow for the holy day (changing that was definitely NOT an option) and gaining an extra business working day with the rest of the world. So, while you are all working on Friday, think of me relaxing a little, and I'll make sure I give you all a wake up call bright and early on Sunday. Plus, when I get home from work on Sunday, it will almost be time to watch pro football.

No money, no honey.

True words spoken by Abdul, our local Bangladeshi cabbie who was spinning lines of advice like Jay Z. He was mortified that I was not married, and seemed unable to wrap his brain around the fact that I should be getting laid (he chose a different word actually) constantly by some "beautiful, sexy, Arab, Kuwaiti 19 year olds." Apparently I was unaware that this rap video style life existed here in Kuwait. I was under the impression that it was much more austere culture, and when I expressed doubt about easy access to this free-wheeling sex scene, and concern for my personal safety at the hands of said 19 year old's father or brother, he simply said, "No problem!" Ah, well there you go. No problem. I was then informed that for only "10,000 or maybe 5,000 KD (Kuwaiti Dinar, about $40K-$20K US) I could get a girl and I could have many wives. Doing some quick math calculations in my head, I quickly informed Abdul that even one "girl" would be out of my budget, and that under the current circumstances I was bound to die a poor lonely hermit. "But no!" he says, "you want to get the girl, to get the wives. It is good. It is like seeing good foods that you want to eat, so you you go get the foods. You don't want the chicken, chicken, chicken everyday. Some days you want the beef, of the Lebanese, or the American... You need different girls." At this point my cab mates are seriously confused. "Are we talking about food or girls?" they ask Abdul. I have to interject on his behalf at this point since, oddly enough, I am following his high speed ramblings. "Girls," I say "you know like you get bored eating the same thing everyday, so you want to eat different things. He says why [have] one wife when you can have many." "Yes!!" Abdul interjects excitedly. "Chicken, beef, Lebanese!" I shudder as I get a mental picture of an angry father coming after me. "I don't think so Abdul," I say. "I think we need to shoot for someone a little older." He looks at me, furious and bewildered at the same time. "No. Why? Life is short. It is only money and you should enjoy. No chicken, chicken chicken..." I look up to see our building appear a couple blocks away. "Hey! Look, there's our building now. Just pull over right there and we can get out. We're all good Abdul. And, as you said, no money, no honey."

Ramadan

I landed in Kuwait smack dab in the middle of Ramadan, which, to Muslims, is their major religious event. It is a month long observance of the time Mohammed spent alone in a cave in the desert receiving the word of God. For Muslims, it is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection. They do not eat or drink during daylight hours. For me, it means that pretty much everything has shut down, and that there is not much to do. It also means that I cannot eat or drink in public during daylight hours either. Smoking is also forbidden during this time, and even gum chewing is out. I can do what I want in my own home, but to do any of the above in public would be cause for certain arrest and jail time. Since Kuwaitis are fasting, about 95% of business are closed, including all restaurants and cafes, and they open after the last prayer call at 8:00pm - though some won't open until 9:00 to give their employees time to pray. 

After that, it is on though. They gather the family and eat like it's Thanksgiving every night. So, there is not much for me to do and a lot of time to do it. My work day is short, 9-2 with an hour lunch. Ramadan ends in the 30th, and then I get an Eid (a week long religious holiday) off before school starts.

I'm looking forward to be able to eat and drink while I'm out and about during the day.

My sheets suck.

That is the first thought I had when I entered my apartment. It was not so much the color - electric pink with purple and teal flowers, I can sleep on that - it was that they stiff and scratchy. Like sleeping on plastic. The apartment is not bad though. Just very white, from the walls to the tile floor, to the exposed energy saver bulbs. Accented only by navy blue couches and a red and white striped chair. First up. Shopping for new stuff.

How is Kuwait? Hot and brown. I have gone from one end of the spectrum of the other coming from cool, green Portland. I have learned that Kuwait City is the hottest city in Africa/Middle East, which is saying something, because there are some hot places out there. You know when you are cooking and open the oven and feel that hot blast hit you in the face? That is Kuwait. Hot and dry. There is a wind that comes through most of the time, strongest in the late afternoon and early evening which only pushes the heat harder at you. As for the brown, nearly every building (save our school and apartment building) is a varietal shade. Think of being in a paint store that has a palette of thousands, but only in browns and tans. And that wind often causes dust storms that turns the sky brown.

Another stat I've heard about Kuwait. There are apparently more driving fatalities here than anywhere else in the world. driving here is a little crazy. They have all the traffic laws that we do, the just don't follow or enforce them. Lanes seem to be mere suggestions, and at times you will find five lanes worth of traffic on a four lane road. Or two lanes of traffic on an on or off ramp. Entitlement is the rule for driving in Kuwait. I deserve to be where you are. I've already nearly been in one serious accident, but that's just the way it seems to be. And when crossing the street? One word: Frogger. Be decisive and be quick. Drivers do not stop and they do not swerve to avoid you. If the change direction or speed at all it is usually toward you and faster. Head on a swivel.

I don't mean to make this sound all bad, It just is. It is different than what most of are used to. I'm ready for change and I feel like I need it. I don't think I could have asked for more change than this. Also, I don't think I've been clapped on the back by so many strangers. Certainly not in such a short time. People here can be extremely warm and friendly.

Oh, and thank you Ikea for your sheets.

... and I'm off.

Next time I step off an airplane it will be into at least the 115 degree heat of the Arabian Peninsula. As many of you are well aware of by now, I am headed to Kuwait to teach 7th grade Language Arts in an American school. I have a little time on my hands as I wait in DC for my flight to Kuwait, so I thought I'd be productive and start what I have been telling you all I will do. I have been impressed with every one's support, excitement, and curiosity about my trip, so hopefully this will be a way for people to keep up to date if they are so inclined. In Portland, we see Keep Portland Weird signs and bumper stickers everywhere, and certainly it's citizens do not disappoint, so in honor of that mantra, I thought it would be appropriate to name this blog after what many people will undoubtedly consider weird. Hopefully through this, people will come to gain an understanding of a part of the world of which we know little.

I am excited by my new adventure, and have wanted to do this for a long time. But, it has only been since this spring since I have really gotten off my ass and decided to do something to try to make it happen. I grew up as a product of the system I will now be a part of. My parents taught in international school and I can't help but feel that was a real driving factor in my wanting to try teaching abroad as well. So, after sending out 40+ applications all over the world, I am now off to Kuwait to try my hand at a new school with a different kind of student and I can't wait. So, as they call my flight I will sign off and will write more as I get settled.