Gurgiyan-a lesson

Here in the Middle East, they celebrate Gurgiyan, which is:

...a Kuwaiti tradition celebrated on the 11th day of the holy month of Ramadan. On that day, Children wear their traditional costumes and visit people in their neighborhoods singing, special Gurgiyan songs. Adults give children candy and nuts. In a way, it is similar to “Trick or Treat”.

Today I got my first Gurgiyan gift..a beautiful ceramic bowl stuffed with Candy and Nuts (huzzah!) The thought was far more precious than the gift...the student who gave it to me is sort of quiet, but always smiling. What a day brightener.

In the Karmaic (word made up?!) whole big Karma-you-get-what-you-need-from-the-universe-scheme of life, I really needed a lift today. I was feeling a little low and then, Voila! out of the sky my lil N* (name witheld for obvious privacy reasons) appeared shyly with this bag and card. Waaayyy Cool.

I got the pictures above from a former AIS teacher's blog. Ironically (Again maybe Karma?)-the young man who gave me the gift is pictured when he was a 1st grader). Tomorrow we're having a parade in the school with the lil' peeps in their costumes. My kids are 6th graders and of course "too big" to go on the full school parade. Think Halloween parade in any American elementary school. One student told me the story of how disappointed she was when she was in America. Apparently the people go WAY OUT on this holiday.
Also, it's the time of partying in the middle of the serious, thoughtful month of Ramadan. Everyone needs a little break, right?!

I'll let you know how the candy load works out...