Side Effects!?!?
In computer science, a function or expression is said to have a side effect if, in addition to producing a value, it also modifies some state or has an observable interaction with calling functions or the outside world. For example, a function might modify a global or a static variable, modify one of its arguments, raise an exception, write data to a display or file, read data, call other side-effecting functions, or launch missiles. In the presence of side effects, a program’s behavior depends on history; that is, the order of evaluation matters. Because understanding an effectful program requires thinking about all possible histories, side effects often make a program harder to understand.
Side effects are essential to enable a program to interact with the outside world (people, filesystems, other computers on networks). But the degree to which side effects are used depends on the programming paradigm. Imperative programming is known for uncontrolled, promiscuous use of side effects. In functional programming, side effects are rarely used. Functional languages such as Standard ML and Scheme do not restrict side effects, but it is customary for programmers to avoid them.
I am thinking in a very non-linear way today. It could be because my sight lines have changed in the last few days. I have started to view the world from a whole different angle. It could just be because it is Thursday and I don’t usually write on a Thursday. Whatever the reason I have started to think about the concept of side effects today. Not the, “unintended but desirable consequence of medical treatment.” Not the externality effect, “an economic term for the effects of a transaction on parties who did not make the original agreement.” but more the unintended consequences of an action. “An effect that is unforeseen, regardless of type of quality.” What happens when you focus on a goal, be it work, physical, friendship or emotional? Things change and are there unintended side effects?
Does developing new relationships leave less time for the old ones? Does moving countries regularly make you a minimalist? When you take any action, no matter how well thought out, are there always unintended side effects? To stop something, to start something, to change something, to say something does it all have a side effect? Big, little, small, seen, unseen, felt, un-felt, kind or hurtful perhaps are there side effects to all your actions or in-actions? Sometimes I do wonder if true pure lifelong friendship and love without attachment or the bond of family transcends such side effects? Does the vibration of trust and honesty between two people create a space where the only side effect is happiness, acceptance, understanding and joy?
Side effects come in all shapes and sizes. When the power goes out in a city for long periods of time one of the side effects is that 9 months later a baby boom is seen. The power isn’t turned off for these reasons but it is an interesting side effect. There are lots of surprising side effects that we experience over time. Getting sick changes the way you see your body, learning a new language shapes how you interact with a world, losing a loved one changes what you deem to be important. Do side effects from the root cause lead you to paths, you might have never imagined exploring?
Why even how you find yourself reading this blog could be a side effect of looking for something else?
Some people arrive at www.travelwithoastler.com because they are looking to read my odd adventure stories or make sure I am still alive and kicking. However, just as many people find their way here because they are looking for information about something else. There journey here is just a side effect of searching for knowledge about camels, looking to read about arabic or islamic doors, trying to find out about turtles in Oman, or the plant souk in Kuwait. From Googling “dust storms” to ”the highway of death” search engines bring you here as a part of your search. With a click of a mouse you decide how long this side effect will last.
If there are side effects to all actions I think I have given up trying to manage them, instead choosing to be mindful of what is on a fundamental level most important: health, family, true friendship, love, God and lots and lots of laughter!
PS. Happy 60th Birthday MOM!!!!!
Peace, Paint and Play
“We do not quit playing because we grow old,
we grow old because we quit playing.”
-Oliver Wendell Holmes-
Yesterday I sat with a paint brush in my hands again. I listened to a creative artist share about how instead of “taking” a single picture she had painted her way across countries. I turned backwards, upside down and sideways as I listen to an inspired women connect the practice of yoga to the way we live and play.
So wonderful to sit and learn. Amazing to see how play can inspire your everyday.
Today the plane tickets and hotel got booked for an amazing city, with plenty of incredible places to play!
Start spreading the news. I’m leaving today ( Well August! )
I want to be a part of it – New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray!
Right through the very heart of it – New York, New York
I wanna wake up in a city, that doesn’t sleep.
-Frank Sinatra-
Happy Un-Birthday!
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Abraham Lincoin
This afternoon I started thinking about birthdays. In many cultures and religions birthdays are not celebrated. There are many people who for a variety of reasons chose not to celebrate their birthday. I have been to wonderful birthday parties for marvelous people that I’ve known for years, lovely birthday parties for fascinating people I have just met. Due to my travels I missed birthday parties that I wished I could have attended. I’ve left the country to celebrate my birthday with travel and I’ve enjoyed tea parties with angelic four year olds to celebrate their day. Whether you celebrate a specific day with a party, a cake, a shisha pipe, a trip to the salon or a simple dinner with friends it is always nice to know that someone thinks you are special.
Happy un-birthday!
The Greatest Day of the Year???
Christmas, New Year’s, Halloween or perhaps St. Patrick’s Day? Everyone has there favorite holiday! For me it is without a doubt a little known festivus, called the first day of summer vacation. Only a selected group of wild warriors, who are brave enough to spend 10 months of the year often out-numbered by small children or gangs of hormonal teenagers, get to experience this magical and joyous day!
This day is often filled with a sense of awe and wonder. No gifts to unwrap except the wonderful present of knowing that today nobody is going to ask you to find a pencil or call you Miss or Mister. There are no balloons and streamers but instead a peaceful and relaxing morning coffee. By mid afternoon a smile slowly spreads across your face as you realize that today is the greatest day of the year because you have the most amount of vacation time left!
A photogenic country!
From the walk along the the Muscat Corniche or the stop at the top of the giant statue of a frankincense , the country of Oman fills your camera lens with pretty pictures. Be it the Grand Mosque at night, the mountains of Nizwa, the marvelous Wadis or a classic Oman door, each part of this country seems to be more graceful. It is a country waiting to take your breath away with its beauty. Just waiting to pose, waiting to give you another perfect picture.
Shoes….
So I have been thinking about shoes today. Odd and random I know but none the less I have been thinking about shoes today. When you travel you need comfortable shoes, you have to be careful your traveling shoes don’t end up smelling so bad you get kicked out of a hostel. I watched that happen once to a guy in Belgium. It wasn’t pretty but his feet really did smell bad.
I some times think you can tell the true spirit of someone by their footwear. I have met plenty of wonderful people who seem all serious, suit and tie type people but take a look at their footwear and you soon realize they too would rather been chillaxing at the beach. All business up front and then all party in the back. Wait I think that is a mullet. Anyways I think that someone’s footwear gives you a glimpse into their soul (pun intended)!
Shoe Quote of the Day:
“Those are some pretty big shoes to fill”
“I don’t think you give your feet enough credit!”
The Ordinary and the Extraordinary!
As the weeks get busier I have quickly come to find that to keep laughing in the land of sand and camels it is important to make the ordinary extraordinary and the extraordinary seem ordinary. By this I mean that the weekend trip to the mall becomes a very civilized and delightful shopping adventure with the lovely ladies. That every once and a while an ordinary day at work is spiced up with birthday celebrations and beautiful pancakes. That flowers in your kitchen and candles in the hallway are just as important as milk for your coffee. That the walk on the sea wall always holds breath taking beauty. That the random funny text messages, emails and listening to someone share the wonders of their day is really what is important. When you start to overlook the healing power of a cup of tea or how marvelous it is that you work with people who make you laugh every day you are in trouble. The way you appreciate and celebrate the ordinary, the daily wonder brings you a sense of inner peace.
To keep that sense of inner peace sometimes the extraordinary, like wind and sand storms, bomb threats at other schools or mad Kuwait drivers need to seem ordinary. That things you never imagined would be part of your life are just the things that happen on Wednesday. That when the place you live kind of looks like pictures you have seen from Mars the best this to do is take funny photos. Living with the extraordinary can be tiring. It is much easier to think that seeing a camel is just part of your daily life rather then getting excited about every darn camel that crosses your path.
No Matter Where In the World…
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable.
It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” -
Living in the Middle East, people often ask if I feel safe living here. It is an understandable question. I wish I could just say “Yes” and be done with the discussion and the unfair stereotypes that some people have about the Arab world and the Middle East.
My hometown is Kingston, Ontario, a town that has nine prisons in the city and surrounding area. In Kingston, I grew up knowing that when someone escapes from a local prison you will hear the helicopters, perhaps see the search dogs and eventually there will be a radio announcement about the missing convict.
It brought me an odd sense of comfort to know that the escaped convict is looking to get out of town as soon as possible. If nine correctional facilities weren’t enough the city of Kingston has plenty of half way houses to help rehabilitate the men and previously the women who were recently guests of the local institutions. I used to volunteer in a homeless shelter that often helped ex-convicts. I remember a guest saying to me, ” I just got out of prison. My previous life of crime, before I got caught, paid very well. Who wants to work at 7-11 for minimum wage? It really isn’t that much of a choice to make. Crime pays. However I have enjoyed my time in Kingston. I think I will stay in the city.”
Kingston also has an active bar scene with fights and drunken Queen’s street parties that has in the past led to cars being flipped and incidents of violence. However people rarely ask the citizen of Kingston if they feel safe living there.
When I lived in Renfrew, Ontario it was a 45-minute commute to the tiny school in Denbigh, Ontario where I worked. In the winter the roads were icy and snow covered. Sometimes, even with my fantastic snow tires, I’d feel my car slip backwards. If you are looking for things to be afraid of, ice covered roads in Canada is certainly something to fear.
Driving in parts of Ontario you are prepared for the reality that one day you might hit a deer. Regardless, if you are driving in the morning fog or heading home late at night, when a deer suddenly appears in front of your car it can do a lot of damage–to you, the car and the deer!
In deer hunting season I used to wear an orange sweatshirt into work in the morning. Listening to the locals fire off their riffles in search of their big trophy buck put a special kind of fear in my heart.
For a time I also I lived and worked on a cruise ship, traveling in international waters brought about its own special challenges. Out running hurricanes, leaving a port when a government was being overthrown, waking up to Miami drug dogs searching your room and listening to safety officers talk about the hundreds of ways you could die at sea and what we needed to do to be prepared all made you appreciate your afternoon off at the beach.
My point is this. There are challenges no matter where you live. Kuwait is no different. It is a country filled with interesting people, new experiences, a lot of adventure and like every country or city around the globe it has some issues. No deer to watch out for, no threat of hurricanes and no drunken, fighting Queen’s students though.
For me the challenges living in Kuwait is that the driving here can be fast, furious and gives new meaning to the term road rage. People often drive with their lights off at night. Then when they get ridiculously close to your bumper they flash their high beams at you. Honk their horns as you move over they speed past your car coming dangerous close to side swiping you.
As well sometimes men in this country can be a little bit forward. Let me please stress–not all men and not all the time. However, like driving on snow covered roads you learn to deal with unwanted attention as a part of the country. When I walk in the city I get this look on my face that I refer to as the “Washed Out Western Women look.” It is the empty glazed over eyes. My facial expression says, “I am so not looking at you or remotely interested in you.” Without words I am trying to communicate the message that will clearly tell you,”don’t even think about telling me that you like my eyes or blond hair because I didn’t just get off the plane yesterday. I like to think of it like defensive driving, defensive walking keeps you safe before trouble occurs.
I enjoy Kuwait, the culture, the people and the new adventures. I feel just as safe here as I have felt anywhere else in the world.
A reason, a season or a lifetime?
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON . . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically,emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realise is that our need has been met, ourdesire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON . . .Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh.They may teach you something you have never done.They usually give you an unbelievable amountof joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in allother relationships and areas of your life.
When I worked on a cruiseship I think I gradually got used to the comings, and goings, the hellos and goodbyes. The pace of travel sometimes means you meet people impact your life and then just like that your plane takes off and they are gone. Now of course if you want you can make the world seem small.
Sometimes these marvolous magical people end up in your life for a lifetime and sometimes they are here for just the right time. The important thing to do is make sure you celebrate and enjoyed the time you had together.
The Stages of Travel
The Stages of Travel
The Idea or Dream to Travel
Pre-Planning
Booking Tickets Followed by the Euphoric High of My Goodness We Are Going!
Packing (Which often includes laundry)
Pure Anticipation
Airport Dread
Airport
Plane with drink in hand
Arrival
Customs
Luggage Found
Joy
Bliss
Adventure
Shopping
More Adventure
Laughter
Locals
Still More Adventure
Departure Sadness
Airport
Plane With Two Drinks in Hand (especially if you are returning to a dry country)
Customs
Making Your Way Home
Un-Packing
Sharing Stories
Getting Photos Printed
Real Life
The Idea or Dream to Travel
And the stages start all over again!
Right now I am in packing and an pure anticipation.
My Mom and Aunt are already on the plane with drink in hand!
One day till Egypt!
Failaka Island! Grand Adventure!
There are good adventures and then there are grand adventures! Today I was blessed enough to have a grand adventure, an adventure so off the standard tourist map that I might even go so are to say I witness a piece of history. In a word it was epic.
The destination for this adventure was Failaka Island.
History by Wikipedia on Failaka Island:
Failaka Island is an island that belongs to Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. The island is 20 km off the coast of Kuwait City in the Persian Gulf. It is thought the name “Failaka” is derived from the ancient Greek for outpost, “fylakio”.
During the Dilmun era (from ca. 3000 BC), which saw the establishment of neighboring Bahrain, the island of Failaka was already developing its own unique culture and religious pantheon. Worship of the sun appears to have been practiced (see Shamash). Human sacrifice may also have taken place.
In the 3rd century BC, during Alexander the Great‘s advance through the region on his way to India, the ancient Greeks colonized the island, which they named Icaria after the Greek island in the Aegean Sea and the mythical hero Icarus; apparently because they believed the island had a similar shape off its Aegean counterpart. Some elements of Greek mythology mixed with the local cults.
The island was inhabited through the seventh or eighth century AD. It is unknown when the island was settled in modern times. For recent archaeological activities at Failaka visit the website of Kuwaiti-Slovak Archaeological Mission.
Prior to the Iraqi Invasion, the island had over two thousand residents and several schools. The village of Az Zawr is situated near the middle of the northwest side of the island. It was the longest continuously inhabited location in Kuwait. During 1990 and 1991, the invading Iraqis depopulated the island, expelling all of its residents to the mainland. The Iraqi military mined the beaches and used the island’s facilities and buildings for target practice. In 1991, the allied forces forced the Iraqi army forces occupying the island to surrender through bombing and psywar operations. The sewage system was destroyed and has yet to be fully repaired. Also, many old homes continue to sit empty and decaying. Bullet holes can still be seen.
After the war, Failaka was cleared of mines, but it remains under military use. Nevertheless, Failaka Island is becoming a popular holiday destination from Kuwait City. The ferry Ikarus, which takes passengers out to the island, now symbolizes escape from the summer city heat to the pleasant evening sea breezes.
Several of the captives held in extrajudicial detention in Guantanamo faced the allegation that their name had been found on a list recovered from a hard drive of a computer of an al Qaeda terrorist suspected of involvement with an October 2002 attack on US Marines stationed on Faylaka Island.
After finding the Kuwait Public Transportation Office and determining that the local ferry was an option but would take far to long we decided to take the catamaran run by Failaka Cruises. It is important to note when you are able to go to Failaka island is determined by the tide. Low tide makes it difficult for boats to get into the shallow dock so you can only travel in and out of Failaka Island at high tide. In September you could sail in at 10:30 a.m. and leave at 4:00 p.m. Now that it is December you need to sail in at 2:00 p.m. and leave at 8:00 p.m. Unless of course you decide to spend the night!
After a lovely catamaran ride across the gulf we arrived at this island. We boarded a small cramped bus and headed to the tourist part of the island. When we got off the bus it was a little twilight zone ish. I mean you drive through this village or parts of old Kuwait buildings that are riddled with bullet holes, crumbling because of being bombed and then your arrive at a quiet beach town. So you have a small section of the island that has started to be re-developed. There is a hotel, small food and craft shops. You have camel rides, a petting zoo and a man made lake where you can rent paddle boats and kayaks. On the beach front you can arrange fishing trips or go para-sailing.
However to me the most amazing part of the island is the fact that you can rent dune buggies and go driving around to see the first hand destruction that the war caused. It was a chilling experience to look at the piles of rubble, the buildings filled with bullet holes and know that this used to be someone’s home.
I was glad to read when I got back that all mines that been cleared from the island however that is the sign of an authentic adventure when you have a conversation about if we should leave the path or if we think there might still be land minds out there. That is not a conversation you have on a Disney adventure!
The Elbow Test
When I worked on cruise ships or the world’s largest adult playgrounds I used to lie on the beach and do when I called “The Elbow Test”. It was a quick way to check if I was happy with the events or status of my life! To complete your own “Elbow Test” simple, bend you arm at a 90 degree angle, squint one eye, look down the length of you upper arm and check out the view of the world just past your elbow. Do you like what you see?
Wikipedia has
The policeman at the elbow test, also known as the irresistible impulse test, is a test used by some courts to determine whether the defendant was insane when he committed a crime. It is a variant of the M’Naghten Rules that addresses the situation in which the defendant knew that what he was going to do was wrong, but had no ability to restrain himself from doing it. The test asks whether he would have done what he did even if a policeman was standing at his elbow, hence its name.
And although the policeman elbow test may prove if you are sane or insane and may serve as a reminder to make good choices I like my elbow test because it allows you to quickly and simple assess do I like the view of my life? What do I need to change in order to ensure I am happy with what is happening off the end of my elbow.
Green Island
So here I sit at Green Island in Kuwait. Resting in comfortable in this beautiful wooden couch. I am blissfully lost in oversized pillows. The wind from the gulf is blowing in my hair as the sunlight dances across my face. I have an incredible view of the Kuwait skyline and on this Saturday morning I am truly happy.
It is a lovely 23 degrees Celsius in Kuwait today. I have turned my mobile phone off and I could truly spend the whole day curled up on this coach. Just soaking in the sunshine, reading and believing that I am on vacation, at least for the weekend.
Green Island is a concrete park with a man made lake and lots of green trees and interesting architecture. I have arrived on the Green Island before many of the Kuwait people are out and about. The peacefulness of the island is striking. For several hours I walked about without seeing another person. Just admiring the plants and peace. When I finally went to leave the families were coming into the Island, with bags and bags of food and items for picnics.
A little train runs around the island, you can ride a bike built for four or take out a paddle- boat and enjoy the sun on the lake. A lovely spot to stop, sit and enjoy a Saturday morning.
A Grand Mosque Moment!
One of the few places that require all women to be
covered is the Grand Mosque!
The Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the State of Kuwait. Located on Arabian Gulf Road opposite Seif Palace. Its area spans 45,000 square metres, out of which the building itself covers 20,000 square metres. The remaining area consists of gardens with a variety of flowers, plants, palm trees, fountains and waterfalls. On the eastern side there is a vast courtyard with a total area of six thousand five hundred square metres. The Main Prayer Hall is 72 metres wide on both sides, has 21 teakwood doors and lighting is provided by 144 windows. The Dome of the Grand Mosque is 26 metres in diametre, 43 metres high and is decorated with “Isma Al-Hosna”, the 99 attributes / names of God.
The Grand Mosque can accommodate up to 10,000 men in the Main Prayer Hall and it has a separate Daily Prayer Hall for men also. A Ladies’ Prayer Chamber is located on a level above, which can hold up to nine hundred and fifty female worshippers. There are steps and a lift for access. Its entrance gate is in the southern wall.
During Ramadan, annually, 170,000 men, women and children from Kuwait and all across the globe, attend the Grand Mosque for praying together to God (Allah) at the same time. The mosque also contains a 350 square metre library of Islamic reference books and documents.
To accommodate the large number of vehicles belonging to worshippers, the mosque also contains a 5-level car park located below the eastern courtyard, which can accommodate up to five-hundred and fifty cars, with elevators providing access to upper halls and public areas. Construction on the Grand Mosque started in 1979 and was completed in 1986.
Lemon Pancakes in the Middle East!
This is for all the Oastlers out there who will fully appreciate
the beauty of this statement!
Today I made lemon pancakes in the Middle East!
Despite the challenge of wondering if I found the right ingredients and the tricky nature of my gas oven the lemon pancakes turned out perfectly! There is something so comforting about making, eating and laughing over lemon pancakes. I had a glass of orange juice and cup of tea and after all my pancake guests left and I remembered many Oastler family functions where lemon pancakes celebrated a holiday or event. Tonight the lemon pancakes simply celebrated the fact that I have been living, teaching and traveling in the Middle East for a little less than two and half months. Which the longer I live here the more I fully appreciate how that is an achievement to be celebrate!
The 233rd Marine Corps Birthday Ball
When you get an invitation to attend the 233rd Marine Corps Birthday Ball I did what any good Canadian girl would do. I got a lovely new ball gown designed by my evil twin from Texas. After trip to the fabric souk to find perfect black material and four rows of shiny rhinestones we headed to the tailor, or the couture designer from Pakistan. With only a little drama he created a lovely black A line ball gown, suitable for any cruise ship dancing or Marine event!
Getting ready with my new diva stylist and friends was a hoot and a half. The silver princess shoes made me smile all night long! As we drove to the American Embassy the conversation turned to a trip down prom memory lane. Everyone remembering dancing the night away with there high school friends and although Dave the little red headed boy wouldn’t be there to dance to “I Swear” I had a feeling it would be a most memorable evening.
After clearing embassy security we were instructed to wait for a golf cart to pick us up and drive us 100 feet down the road. When exiting the golf cart the Marine said,” See that gate over there? Walk through it!”
Not being girls to disobey a direct order from a Marine we left the golf cart behind and walked past the tank and through the gate. It was at that point I saw a row of 6 Marine’s in full dress blues. Now I have seen Mounties and I have seen pictures and posters of Marines but to come face to face and be expected to shake hands with men who every day are prepared to face death to protect others is something else. The Marines don’t mess around when they throw a party. It was sweet and perfect when the last Marine in that line handed each women a rose and said, “Enjoy our Birthday Party!”
The palm trees were wrapped in white Christmas lights and the Embassy tennis court was turned into a giant ballroom. The speeches were chilling, the rich Marine tradition was beautiful and the food was fantastic!
The Dj and the band played till the early morning hours and it was lovely to be able to say Happy Birthday to the Marines!
You Know You’ve Been In Kuwait Too Long When….
You Know You’ve Been In Kuwait Too Long When….
By Caroline Head
- You judge the season by the color of the dishdashes;
- You no longer yield or stop at the entrance to roundabouts, you just drive and hope for the best;
- You know where all the speed cameras are located;
- 60-degree temperatures call for a scarf, hat and mittens;
- You know all the hiding places where you can have a cigarette during Ramadan and all the discreet places where you can buy food;
- Making dinner consists of choosing a restaurant from 6alabat.com and having it delivered;
- You can hum the entire call-to-prayer song on the radio;
- Having a maid is normal;
- You speak in acronyms;
- Someone being polite to you on the road is a talking point for days;
- Going to bed at 8:30 is a late night;
- You end up eating more pork products than you ever did before Kuwait because it makes you feel naughty;
- Your alcohol tolerance level has plummeted and you end up getting as drunk as you did in high school on a weekend trip to Dubai.
- You say Inshallah after every sentence;
- The definition of a nano-second is the time difference between a traffic light turning from red to green and the car behind sounding its horn;
A funny list but so very true.
If you have anymore ideas to add feel free to send them along!
Dancing at Johnny Rockets!
So when I arrived in Kuwait we went to Johnny Rockets. It was a little odd that they people at Johnny Rockets didn’t dance. Each time we went to Johnny Rockets we would ask about the dancing. On Friday morning as we walked in the door of Johnny Rockets they started to dance! It was a hoot to see! So nice to see the dancing!
A Picture Says A Thousand Words! Driving in Kuwait
So driving down the Kuwait highway this is what we saw. Road safety is still developing within Kuwait!
Sometimes
Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.
Author: Mary Schmich (USA)
First published: July 1, 1997
Copyright: Herald Tribune
Happy Thursday!
Happy Thursday!
Well what can I say but happy Thursday. It has been a busy week, with lots of ups, downs and a few you have got to be kidding me along the way. I think the most important thing is that on this journey there has been plenty of laughter. In a country where things happen or they just don’t happen at all the laughter is so important. It reminds you not to take yourself or too many things too seriously.
I had two wonderful Canadian Thanksgiving dinners here! Lots of turkey, stuffing even oranges with little cloves pushed into them, candles and cinnamon sticks. At one dinner there was even the threat of a possible out break of a whip cream fight.
As is to be predicted there are moments when you are adjusting to a new culture that you wonder what on earth am I doing here? Then there are days, like in my new book study group, when you know you came her for a reason.
As each day passes I get closer to being what I like to call a whole person in this country. I have returned my passport again and in Shallah, in a couple of days my civil id is to be in my hands, I have a land phone line now! Yahooo! And soon sort out getting internet in my house. I am steps closer to sorting out what, how and where I will travel with on my Christmas Break.
It has taken almost two months but I am at the point where perhaps I am starting to feel settled. I remember thinking in the beginning that the challenges of moving in, Ramadan, a new job, getting over my cold, etc. would pass and then it would all be cake. I feel the cake is coming soon! I’ll be happy when this phase is over and together we can all eat cake! Let them eat cake, let them eat cake I say!
UPDATE: I have received my civil ID! Yahoooo!
Power Walking or Frogger?
So the other night the Fantastic Farm Girl and I decided rather than going to the air condition, need to take a taxi to get there, gym we would go power walking near our apartment. I have had a horrible cold and also thought that perhaps the added non-air condition, not re-cycled air would help me feel better.
We put on our running shoes, okay I wore my Teva’s because all my socks were in the wash, and we headed out. Fantastic Farm Girl, always prepared, had a head lamp for the walk. I wanted to stop by the local hardware store during our walk.
After crossing the cricket pitch we turned right, towards the hardware store. Gone was the space of the desert and we hadn’t reached Gulf Road with lovely side walks so suddenly we found ourselves as real live action heros in the game of Frogger! Car to the left avoiding giant pothole, walk faster, angry driver on the right, stop moving and pray. Two cars in a power struggle to see who would get out of the parking lot first, take two steps to the right and smile. A women making wide turn to avoid fallen power line, RUN!
When we reached the side walks of Gulf Road I exhaled a sigh of relief and tried to take a deep breath. It was then we realized that perhaps the weather hadn’t cooled off as much as we thought. We also realized that all good action heros, Fantastic Farm Girl and I included, need the appropriate super hero clothing! Our eyes slightly burning from the dust we craved our superhero protective space goggles or at least a pair of sunglasses. With the Corey Heart song I wear my sunglasses at night ringing in my ears we also wished we had our super hero theme song, or at least my ipod, to block out the sound of taxi’s trying to offer of rides and young men trying to offer the super heros their beds.
Often on particular dusty days here you will see many people walking around with dust masks covering their face. Instead of having out door recess children will run across the playground to get into school to avoid the dust. So far I have never had the desire to sport a dust mask. I kind of likened the wearing of the dust mask to children who sport entire snowsuits for just one Canadian snow flake. It felt like a little much.
However as we walked along the road/desert on the way back to our apartment Dunes, I was suddenly longing for some sort of sleek and stylishly designed super hero face mask. The sand particles were flying and with each breath I could taste more grit and dust. As Fantastic Farm Girl picked up the pace I knew we were near the end of our action hero adventure. I realized I had managed to get orange sherbert home from the grocery story, another superhero like feet in itself. We debriefed, came up with a better plan for next time and enjoyed a superhero treat.
Have no fear friends and family, there will be no more Frogger in the desert for us! We are talking a cab to the place just before where the sidewalk ends!
The Great Race For …
The Great Race For ….
Clifton Fadiman once said,” When you travel remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you feel comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” As I have traveled I have often found myself in the position of having to find a specific something in a country. It is at these points that I have fully realized the validity of this quote.
When I was working on the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas as Crew Activities Manager I found myself searching the island of Belize for glow sticks and New Year’s decorations. It was a little bit like the Amazing Race. The clock was ticking, the ship would be leaving the port and the New Year’s Eve party was the next day at sea. When I finally arrived at the warehouse in the back roads of now where I remember thinking, “Who the heck would come all the way past the chickens, the cows and down the dirt road to find this huge oasis of Christmas and New Year’s decorations?” For the people of that country it wasn’t a long trip at all. This was their local back country Wall-Mart in the village.
I can recall searching for a Santa costume when I was working on the Brilliance of the Seas. The ship was in Aruba, the next day we were going to Curaçao, to give gifts to children in an orphanage, and somehow the Santa costume hadn’t arrived in Miami the day before. The port agent in Aruba had drawn me a map to find the one store that would have a Santa suit. Alas that store was closed but the guy outside the store had a clue. Well okay not a clue like the Amazing Race but he knew of another store in Aruba that might have a Santa suit. This is how the journey around Aruba for a Santa suit began. By listening to the locals I learned where they got things in the country. When I had the Santa suit in hand and knew the children of Curaçao, would see Santa the next day I too was comfortable.
I do believe without a doubt that the most Amazing Race adventure to find something that I will ever have will always be looking for un-painted Matryoshka dolls in Russia. Given what I now considered to be the worst directions ever I was told, “ Go to the The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. By that church there is a market. Find the girl named Natasha sells Matryoshka dolls. She will be able to provide you with un-painted dolls as well.” First of all by the market by the church Spilled Blood is rather large. Second of all everyone at that market sells painted Matryoshka dolls and finally there are a lot of women in St. Petersburg, Russia named Natasha! The Amazing Race for things isn’t about the struggle to find the thing it is really about the victory of finding the thing at the end. Of feeling like you now know something the locals know. So I happy to write that after hours of chatting with people in that market I found the right Natasha! Taking 150 un-painted Matryoshka dolls through customs is a whole other story. Let’s just say that when the Russian custom official wanted me to open all 6 pieces of all 150 dolls, I opened 5 dolls and then I found a new appreciation and willingness for bribery in Russia.
So I am now in the desert of Kuwait. I have found an oasis of water in the gulf and suddenly I find myself looking for great flippers, a snorkel and a mask. I have come to the land of camels. I am slowly becoming local and found the comfort of water. I even went Kayaking yesterday but now I need to search for the comfort of water sport equipment. Oh yes and a set of non puffy fabric makers too. I will keep you posted on how this race turns out!
Community at the Dunes!
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines community as, “ a group of people with a common background or with shared interests within society.” I live in the Dunes community, which is the nickname for our 15 floor two story apartment complex in the desert.
As I have mentioned before that Kuwait is a country that is quickly expanding. By the Salmiyah water front they are trucking in sand to turn the water into more land. Mahbullah, the area I live, is a sub division that this rapidly under rapid fire construction. In almost every direction you look from our apartments you can see buildings being put up. Fast food restaurants have arrived to join the local bakala (the Kuwait version of the Mac’s Milk or scaled down 7-11).
I feel that one day I will be coming home and instead of telling the driver to take the sand dune on the right, turn left just past the soccer net head for the palm trees I will have to start using different street names. Hummm…thinking of that does make me wonder what the theme of the street names could be in this area. I’ve seen streets based after fruit, Disney characters, historically famous people and bodies of water. Regardless it is certainly a community that is under change as the buildings and infrastructure develop around us.
I quite enjoy living in a community of so many people who all seem to share similar interests; education, travel, fun and making life as pleasant as possible in the desert. Often it is the little simple things that are priceless in a community, from someone covering your cab fare when you have no cash on you, to another person cat sitting for you when you go to Bahrain or baby-sitting when you just need a night out. The little things you do in a community to just help someone’s day improve are important to the success of a strong community. It is nice to know that if you forget your running shorts on the living room floor there is someone you can call who will pick them up and bring them to school. It is quite wonderful to realize that the talents of others in the community will be shared. As a person who doesn’t greatly enjoy cooking it has been fantastic to realize all the people in this community that do enjoy cooking. From the night I realized that cooked the right way I do like eggplant to tasting fresh cooked pasta again or enjoying the world’s best sandwich it is nice to be a part of a community that cooks.
As well it is somewhat comforting to know that as you go through the challenges of moving to a new country, school and basically change your world as you once knew it there are people who are facing those same challenges. In a community it is nice to find the people who can laugh with you when you are sad that you don’t have a land phone line and can’t get internet even though 90% of the rest of the community can. It is comforting to find others who understand that it is frustrating to walk across a desert to get to Starbucks but that is what you have to do to stay in contact with your friends and family. It is nice to know that you have other people around you who understand what it is like to not have your mobile number memorized or who appreciate your confused face when you are asked for the first time how do we get to your apartments.
That’s a little bit about the community and life at the Dunes!
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!
