A scene from my Life in Kuwait

Living in Kuwait is an adventure. For the most part, it's a good adventure. We have chosen not to have a car so we need to depend on taxi drivers, who certainly know the city better than I could ever begin to know. And David's right. This, along with many of our adventures, certainly make for good stories. I'm reminded of a well worn saying I use: Fact is definitely stranger than anything you could make up!
Prior to moving to Kuwait, I certainly couldn't make this stuff up! Now I'm living it.
The following scene, in which no facts were changed or embellished, describes my life in Kuwait. Only the names were disguised to protect the not so innocent.

Cast of Characters:
Frustrated Teacher (FT)--played by Nadine
Taxi Driver 1 (TCD1)
Taxi Driver 2 (TCD2)
Taxi Driver 3 (TCD3)
BFF Best Friend Forever--a term I use to refer to teacher friends who have saved our sanity on more than one occasion.

Scene: Late one afternoon outside the school on a main road. Frustrated Teacher is trying to get a taxi to attend a lecture at a textile museum called the Sadu House.
After 2 minutes, Frustrated Teacher is able to hail a taxi.

FT; "I would like to go to the Sadu House"
Taxi Driver 1:Where?
FT: I don't know where it is but it's on Gulf Road.
Taxi Driver 1: Salmiya? Hawalli?
FT shakes her head indicated she doesn't know
Taxi Driver 1: I don't speak English
FT: Okay bye...
Frustrated teacher walks away from cab, looks at watch and starts down the street. She calls taxi company she knows speaks English.

FT: Hello I'd like a taxi to the Sadu House please? I'm on the road and walking towards your taxi cab place now. I'll be there in 30 seconds.
Taxi Cab Driver 2: Okay Ten Minutes
FT: No I have to be there soon, I'll get another taxi. Thank you
Frustrated teacher turns around and returns to original spot on side of road to hail another taxi. She watches in shock and amusement as a taxi cab "does a donut" right in the middle of a busy street to come back and pick her up.

FT: Do you know where the Sadu House is?
Taxi Cab Driver 3: Oh Yes
FT: Okay how much? (because she has learned that one ALWAYS asks the price of the ride before getting into the taxi)
TCD3): Where is it?
FT: I don't know exactly except that it's along Gulf Road.
TCD3: Oh wait, I know I know. I take you there.
FT: Okay but only 2.5 kd fare
TCD3: Okay Okay
FT gets into cab and they start off down the road in general direction of Sadu House.

TCD3: Now you know where it is Miss?
FT:Yes it's this way (points straight)
TCD3: But where exactly?
FT whips out handydandy cell phone and calls BFF to ask for directions to give to Taxi Cab driver. BFF laughs hard at the thought of FT calling him to ask for directions to give to taxi driver. He starts to choke. Finally, between gasps, she gets specific directions to give to TCD3.

FT: Okay it's past the Souk Sharq (mall).
TCD3: Oh yes I know exactly where it is. (pause) Where are you from Miss?
FT: America. Where are you from?
TCD3: Bangeldesh.I have 6 brothers
FT: Wow
TCD3: Can you get my brother a job in America? He needs work.
FT explains that it's hard to find a job in America right now because of the economy and besides the town she is from has only 2400 people.
TCD3: Why would anyone want to live in a town with only 2400 people?

FT explains the benefits of living in small town America knowing that someone who comes from Bangladesh, which is the seventh most populous country in the world and is among the most densely populated countries with a high poverty rate, would never understand the benefits of small town life.

Cellphone rings. FT answers and finds out that Taxi Cab Driver 2 is now at her house waiting for her. She explains to Taxi Cab Driver 2 that she already has a taxi and apologizes for the confusion, although she knows she clearly told them she was getting another cab.

TCD3: Okay Miss do you live alone?
FT: (knowing that a female NEVER tells a male in this country that she lives alone even if she does) No I live with my husband and daughter.
TCD3: Oh what do you do?
FT: I am a teacher. (she continues because she knows the taxi cab driver would ask these questions) And so is my husband. And my daughter attends school.
TCD3: How much salary do you make?
FT: (pauses while trying to figure out how to be polite in responding) Ah, in my country it is not polite to ask someone how much money they make as a salary. It's considered impolite.
TCD3: (without pausing) Okay so I met a teacher once and he told me he makes KD1000 a month.(around $3750 US) Do you make that much... or more?
FT briefly explains how teachers are paid based on their years of experience and education level and concludes by saying,
I don't make that much money.

By this time, the taxi has arrived at approximately where the Sadu House is located. FT decides to quickly change the subject and starts talking about how it should be coming up soon on the left.TCD3 quickly turns at the next intersection and says something like, it's over there, I will take shortcut.
FT goes along with it because the location looks sorta familiar. They arrive...at the Museum of Modern Art, not the Sadu House.
Looking at the bright side, FT is glad because she's wanted to visit this site for some time. However, not tonight. So FT tells TCD3 they are not at the right place while she notices that they are traveling down a dark alley with no street lights. She reaches for her weapon--a bottle of frozen water-just in case something "happens".

FT: Can we please get back on the main road? I don't like where we are.
TCD3: Oh nothing bad happens in Kuwait, you are safe. Don't worry.
FT now trying to remember if she told her husband where she was going and what she will do if someone jumps out from behind a parked car and starts to mug her. The fact that she's safe inside a car momentarily leaves her mind. FT is thinking about the fact that her daughter recently had her butt slapped while walking down the street in the broad daylight near their house. FT grabs bottle of water tigher and silently starts to pray.

Finally they arrive at the Sadu House, FT is grateful she has arrived safely in one piece at the intended destination. She overtips the driver because she doesn't have any smaller bills than KD1 and she feels bad she can't get his brother a job in America.

When she arrives home later that evening, she tells her husband the whole story with great detail expecting him to sympathize with her ordeal and say something manly and protective.
His response is:
Well, at least you've got a good story out of it.