Farewells in various degrees

Last official duty today helping out with the fifth grade transition ceremony. It went very well. Dinner this evening with a favorite student of Davids...he treated a group of us to dinner at his dads restaurant. Excellent food. Seeing things for the final time..this time. It is all becoming one big blur...

A letter home in the final days of desert life

Greetings from the desert where we find ourselves packed and ready to go with 10 days left until we depart for the last time. Leaving has proved to be bittersweet (I probably never really understood the meaning of this word until now)..I really want to go home, yet it is hard knowing there are people I will most likely never see again. One of the goals in moving overseas was to understand my SU better and why he has certain "walls" to his emotions. I clearly get it now.

We will be travelling to the US via Prague and Aachen. Ben and Jolene...as well as Dennis will be meeting up with us on June 11 in the Czech Republic. We will frolic through the city (a first for us) and then travel to Aachen to see Marion. Ben and Jolene will head south to Vienna for a belated honeymoon. We arrive back in PR on June 17th.

Moving back brings excitement and challenges...Charlie has moved back to PR (talk about circle of life) where he's living at the Good Sam. He's somewhat disgruntled with the management decision to fire all the former workers, so he's talking about moving out. I am not sure where he is thinking of landing next. We have offered to have him live with us, although we don't know if he can make it up the stairs. David is somewhat anxious to return to PRHS, he doesn't exactly know what he'll be teaching yet. He will miss teaching theatre for sure.

I'm not planning much past December as I've got a few trips (...Anyone to go to Isreal with me in October to see Anna? She's attending International School of Rothenberg in Jerusalem for fall term). I'll also be seeing New Mexico (state #50!), New York City, and possibly Alaska. Can't be bothered to think about working right now. I've got savings, we'll see how long the fun can last.

Ben and Jolene are well. He's still working at the army Air base near the airport in st Paul. Anna is interning at Duke, she arrives in NC next week. She still has yet to pass her drivers test so we'll see what she does for transportation.

As I write this i am looking at four suitcases which contain the remainder of our tangible life in Kuwait. The 36 boxes of other worldly possessions left two weeks ago. We are almost living a camping-type existence but We are safe and finding that we really don't need much to survive. A very similar experience to when we first moved here five years ago.

Today at graduation, a mom of a student that I have been working with ( and have known the family for five years) said " I cannot put what I feel into words" I know exactly how she feels. Too many emotions to process at one time.

Stay tuned for the wrap up.

Our final graduation

These "babies" were 8th graders when we first arrived. We taught quite a few of them. It was the best graduation we have witnessed in five years, which means it was more American than Arab.which isn't racist but Rather a comment on audience behavior ...Arabs love to Celebrate and Exclaim their Joy loudly! A nice one to go out on.

wherever you are, FRIENDs make your world

We were given a going away dinner last night by our closest friends last night. It was delightful, tearful and very special.

Move over MOA...you have met your match

We have QUITE the mall in Kuwait. It is the Avenues and over the five years we have lived here we have seen it expand and develop into an amazing opulent place. Kim kardashian was flown in to open up a milkshake place here ( tacky), some of the stores have "guards" so that if you don't meet criteria you can't enter, and the items in the high end stores easily cost more than I make in a month ( we are talking shoes and handbags here people). It is definitely part of the Kuwaiti culture. For sheer entertainment value, I will miss this place.

Celebration dinner

We have a tradition here at AIS when the end of the year comes. We gather for a nice meal, and talk nice about those that are leaving. I coordinate the event as a part of my job. I enjoy it, but this year was bittersweet as we are leaving. Our friend Lori gave a very nice speech for us. Here is a couple photos of the night.I am short on words because I can't quite describe what I am feeling now.

Hanging out at the beauty salon

Kuwaiti women have amazing makeup. They are always put together. Recently I asked a young Kuwaiti woman to take me to the makeup store. This is the result. it was fun, interesting, maybe a bit much for my taste, but I had a blast.
David's response when I got home was " now go wash your face". It's comforting to know he loves me for my inner beauty.