Here is a shortened version of our Annual Christmas letter, which many of you received via email. Writing this letter is something that has been a part of my post-Thanksgiving tradition for the past 27 years. I thought I should continue, no matter where we are located.
There are visible signs of Christmas here, in fact, I enjoyed purchasing a cute little tree and ornaments just the other day. The tree is more "ornaments" than tree (okay it was only a $2.50 tree, what do you expect?!) There are even tacky decorations here, which truly makes me smile. There isn't the overwhelming commercialization, but it's still evident. I'm still looking for the "it isn't our holiday but we still want the gifts" cards. I'm sure it's out there.
Abbreviated version of this year's Christmas "Sermon" below. Ignor if you've read it. I've taken out all the real personal "stuff"--just in case there are cyber stalkers ready to find my family!! (who's paranoid)
I know, I know--put pictures on this blog.
Soon, I will get camera plugged into computer to share. Inshallah
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Greetings from the Great State of Kuwait, located strategically between Iraq and Iran on the Persian (oops, I mean ) Arabian gulf in the middle of the Middle East. I hope you accept the "electronic" version, to send letters would cost us DEARLY and who knows if you would actually receive it!!
The stress and anticipation of packing and organizing and leaving has been replaced by a calmer, almost stable life here centered around the school and our apartment and a small but growing circle of friends (“new family”). Teaching has proved to be exciting, frustrating, interesting, overwhelming, fun—all the same words that could be used to describe a new (and old?!) teaching job in the US. Our Multi-Cultural lives continue here with students from Kuwait, with a mixture of Lebanese, Syrian, Tunisian (and the occasional North American) thrown in for good measure.
Kuwait is—or was when we arrived--- extremely HOT. Like hotter than hec. I knew it would be, in fact I dreaded coming here mainly for the heat. And it was. Fortunately, when it’s that hot, you just learn to stay in air conditioning and not go very far on foot. It has cooled off now and I may actually wear a jacket for the next couple months. I will never, ever complain about a hot Minnesota summer day again, I promise.
The Kuwaiti people, for the most part, are very kind, appreciative and interesting. There is the occasional “jerk” who thinks they should be at the front of the line, or that should be louder than everyone else or who drives like a crazed lunatic, BUT these are things that can be found in North America too.
There is a tremendous amount of wealth in this country (which is probably why there are so many places to shop!) but there is also desperate poverty. Kuwait citizens make up less than 40% of the population—mainly there are people from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan (tho not many after the Invasion because they were backing the wrong guy, Saddam Hussein). These people are the service workers: maids, janitors, waiters, taxi drivers, etc. To live in Kuwait, they need a Kuwait sponsor, who charges them around 800 dollars a year. They then have the legal paperwork to work. Most make around 250 dollars per month, and most of that is sent “home” for families living there. Most work 6 days a week. Yet despite the hardship, they are thankful to be employed and for the most part are cheerful and helpful. The other expats here are Americans and lots and lots of Canadians. Suffice it to say that the Canadians keep up laughing.
The landscape is, yes brown and flat (we are in a desert) but there is occasional greenery. In fact, I have hardy respect for the plants that do make it here because they have to be really tough.
Living in a Muslim country has brought new perspective to our lives. The religion does rule the happenings in the country, which is a change for someone coming from America. We were expected to participate in Ramadan (the part where we don’t eat or drink in public from sunup to sundown, not the actual fasting itself), we wake every morning at 430 to the call to prayer broadcast loudly over the two mosque speakers in our neighborhood (we’re learning now to just go back to sleep). There is the occasional look of disgust when I pass by without my head or body covered but for the most part there is a live and let live attitude. (once we have accepted that the Muslims are in control). We’re learning that a true Muslim is a very peaceful and contemplative and part of me aches that, at least for the next generation, that the name of their religion will always be tied with the acts of a very few terrorists. I am glad that we have this opportunity to learn about the people more than just what appears on American television.
If you ever get to the Middle East, we’ve got a place for you to stay, a schwarma for you to eat and a cold glass of… water to share with you.
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