Thailand

Thailand was amazing. As always.  It was great to be back home, for those of you who don't know, I grew up there.  Well, part of my growing up was there.  Some aspects of the Thai culture are so natural to me that I forget and wonder why people give me confused looks. Nice to get back to my roots.

These are just a few of the 1200+ pictures I took. Granted most of them are of my siblings, so most won't been seen on here ever.  Their mama doesn't want their pictures online, which I can understand from her point of view.  Most of us are so free with our information, we rarely stop and think of the consequences of sharing.  I completely support the right and the choice to privacy. I just wonder how long they will be able to keep their photos and their names off the internet in an age of such pervasive photographic documentation (and quick, easy sharing) of people's lives. 

Spring Break!

I am officially on Spring Break!
It has been a long three weeks over here. Carnival and everyday at school for 12 days, Quarter 3 assessments, and report cards.  Doesn't sound terrible until I really think about all the work that went into each one.
I'm off to Istanbul in a few days! Woo hop! So excited! I love traveling to a new place.

The end of the holiday

I can't believe that this break is already over.  Now, granted it was from Tuesday to Saturday, not even a full week, but STILL! I feel like I just finally got into the break.  It always takes us a few days over here to get into the holiday groove.  Now I have to get back into the school groove.  *sigh*
Things I Accomplished:
1. Cleaned - It could be better, but it is always a work in progress when the cats go careening around the house knocking things everywhere.
2. Laundry - Oh, the never ending struggle of adulthood. Thou art a heartless wench.
3.  Lost and Found my keys. I am forever losing something.  Since my keys broke, I haven't been able to do the regular routine when I come in the door.  Getting them fixed is on the list for this week.
4. General organizing - For me, one of the most difficult parts because I am definitely a chaos person. They say that the rooms you spend time in, are an outward reflection of your internal constitution (I guess that would be the word...).  Well, needless to say, my brain must be scattered in 100 different places at once with an affection for teetering piles of nonsense and sentiment.
5.  Got the cats' water fountain put together.  Don't laugh, they love it. Remi has a thing about running water anyway, maybe from the time before I adopted him when he was a Salmiya street kitty. He would stand in the shower with me for the entire time, if I let him, but I don't.  Mama needs here alone time.  Right? Right.
6. Smashbooked (that's a verb now, k?)/ Scrapbooked twice.  Not bad for 5 days. Tried to get some pictures printed out at the Titanic Mall but that was the only store closed the day we walked over there. So we became mall walkers, or as I said at the time, wall mockers.

In a very short time, like 3 weeks, I will be on the way to Istanbul. For the first time ever. So excited!

Prepare for the cute.

Ruby and Remi

Vinnie

Vinnie

Taco cat Ruby

My boys

Remi the blue eyed demon

Back Again

So I haven't written in a while.  There are many reasons for that.
Firstly, I was so stinking depressed about how living in Kuwiat was going. What was I supposed to say? Please pity me, life is so difficult? No, so I didn't say much.  Then I went on Winter Break and I am so much happier since I've been back that I have been IN life.

Some reasons for my outlook improving so dramatically.
1. I moved from Salmiya to Hawally into the same building, directly above my friend Wendy.  We share a car, so this means much less driving for me.  There were days that I spent an extra hour in the car, usually alone thinking about how much I hated the stupid people driving here. Also, I live in a more active(? maybe not the best word, more walker friendly with a greater diversity of shops and eating places).  There is so much more here.  The harris (building manager) is much nicer here, also not creepy like my other one. The building itself, not as much light in the general in the new place but the rooms are bigger and I can close off the kitchen from the cats.
2.  I think that I am really understanding my kids now.  They know the rules and I don't feel like they are losing it all the time.  That is also second semester Kinders for you.  There is such a great growth that takes place over the break.
3.  My cats are all very happy at the new place and are now spending evenings, nights, and weekends all together.  Only while I am gone to work do I put Ruby in the bedroom on her own.  They play with each other like cats, sometimes sweetly and other times like murderers. But overall, Mama doesn't have to separate them when rough housing.
4. I left Kuwait for more than a couple of hours.  I had only left during the Fall to do a visa run in November to Dubai.  I went back to Missouri and we descended on my Poppy's house.  It gave me perspective and chance to talk with people who were disillusioned with Kuwait, which can be helpful (surprise, surprise).  But honestly, my family makes life better.

My First Mensiversary

Today is my first mensiversary of being in Kuwait.  (Don't look at me like that, its a word that has apparently been around for about 200 years and has yet to catch on. I think that boat has sailed.)  Mensivesary sounds like the anniversary of menopause, or menses. Or the anniversary of a group of guys becoming men.  Example: "Bro, It's our mensiverary! Let's celebrate with pizza and football (of any variety)".  I don't think I should keep using this word..... my blog might get banned.

ANYWAY, the long way around it that I have been here in Kuwait for an entire month.  I'm like really living here, for reals. I can't figure out if it feels like I've been here forever, or I just got here yesterday.  But I think I'm leaning towards forever ago.

The other new KGers and I went to The Avenues, had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, walked, shopped, talked, walked, shopped.....

This may (or may not) have been around the time that our lovely waitress Michelle, sat down with us because someone *coughcoughwendycounghcough* may have been taking for ever to decide what to order. As the two blondes almost strangled here, lovingly, out of hunger. 

And, I was given a hijab today by Ms Ronia, a very sweet TA from next door, and my TA wrapped me. Wrapped? Is that the right verb? I don't think so, but I really doubt its hijabed me. so... 

Apparently it suits me, according to people at school. 

(ignore the pose, I have no idea why these duck arms happened)

Crafts and Obesity?

Anyway, if you are looking for yarn in Kuwait.... go no further than Bakarat in Salmiya.  They have cotton, wool, acrylics, and blends thereof. They also have supplies for needle point, cross-stitch, embroidery (which I am teaching myself), sewing, wood-working, jewlery making, and the list goes on and on.  It is an honest to goodness craft store.

I went there with another new teacher a coupe of weeks ago to get ribbon for my jellyfish which hangs so proudly in my classroom, and right below the shop, because Barakat's is on the Mezzanine level and when you're trying to find the entrance you end up walking around the place the first time, we say Lambourginis and Jags and Porsches being cleaned.  Apparently that's where some of the Kuwaiti elite take their cars to be cleaned.  We also saw this sign.

Part of me thinks this is hysterical, part of me thinks it is so sad that this is what someone is reduced to in order to find a kidney for themselves or a loved one.  

We also went to the Salmiya co-op where we found this fantastic aisle sign.

I didn't know there was a need for obesity.