Two days ago, I was showing an American visitor around Kuwait and we ended up at the National Museum of Kuwait. If you haven't been there, definitely make a point to go it's a lot of fun.
In the museum's heritage building, where you walk around "old Kuwait" (1940's pre-oil) with the different stores, then you enter a home, then the hall turns into an exhibition display of items, clothing and other things.
I've always been interested in history but have found ours less than exciting, walking through the museum, Kuwait's relative youth really sunk in. I mean, there are people alive who remember this pretty well. My parents, both born in the late 50's, came only 10 years after oil was discovered!
This realization struck a chord in me. I mean, I've known all along that we're young and don't really have a wealth of political experience/tradition either but, we're really really really young!
Things that piqued my interested at the museum:
Shoes:
At the Kharraz (the Cobbler)'s shop, where a mannequin of a cobbler was making shoes with his tools around him, we noticed that the men's footwear was made of comfortable leather like the ones seen here. The womens' shoes on the other hand, the gubgab, were made of wood. A wooden bottom, and a tiny leather strap on top.
If ever we need evidence that shoes are a tool of the patriarchy all around the world. Whether it's foot binding or having to wear extremely uncomfortable shoes, it's all meant to keep women barefoot and pregnant.
As we walked along to the photography exhibition that had pictures from 1942, I noticed that all the women in the pictures were barefoot. Some of the men wore shoes but none of the ladies did. (Of course, in my mind, they all refused to wear these ridiculous shoes as an act of protest not because they were too poor to buy them.)
Documents/documentation:
On display where several official handwritten documents of pearl divers, licenses and such, with photos and fingerprints on them. It's amazing how juvenile they seem today.
One of the placards by a display of old cameras mentioned that there weren't any cameras around so Kuwaitis would have to go get their official pictures taken at the British Consulate. Unfortunately, not all placards had Arabic and English explanations on them and often the Arabic explanation was more informative, which was an inconvenience to my non-Arabic speaking guest.
On corporal punishment:
In the kitab, the Qura'an school where young boys learned basic Arabic through Qura'an and arithmetic, there was a boy standing in a corner with his hands raised above his head as punishment for doing something wrong. I loved that they added that in there!
Trade routes/wealth:
Looking at a trade route map on the wall, from India and Eastern Africa to Kuwait and back, I couldn't help but contemplate the relationship between wealth, slavery (economic or literal), and sophistication.
To think that less than 70 years ago, women my age would've been illiterate, barefoot, and probably had several children was quite breathtaking. To think that from my grandmother's time we've gone from basic literacy to PhD's and being fluent in not one but two languages. From having slaves at home, to well....
We've come a loooooooong way.
Or have we?
I wonder what the next 66 years will bring.
Showing posts with label around town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label around town. Show all posts
12 November 2008
06 May 2008
Faisal Al-Hajji: BITE ME!
This is NOT okay.
Al-Qabas (May 6,2009)
«
المسيلة» ضاحية سالم الصباح
قال وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء فيصل الحجي ان سمو أمير البلاد، تقديراً للدور المهم والجهود المخلصة التي قام بها المغفور له الشيخ سالم الصباح في مختلف المجالات والميادين في خدمة الوطن والمواطنين من مختلف المواقع التي تقلدها طيلة فترة عمله، أمر بتسمية منطقة «المسيلة» باسم ضاحية سالم الصباح.
(Almessila to be renamed "Salem Al-Sabah" Area)
One more area renamed after a Shaikh. I have no problems with our Shyookh, but renaming areas seems like something invaders do and YOU ARE NOT INVADING US.
It's hostile, it's eradicating and rewriting history. Sure, our areas have some pretty crazy names (Mahboola?!)...but this is our history (somehow) and we want to keep it!
I barely recognize the names in my country anymore!
There's going to be more roads, areas, highways, schools, hospitals built in the next five years (atleast we hope!). Why can't you wait till something actually needs a name to name it?!
Guess what! you can lead a horse to water....
I'm still calling Om AlHaiman, Om AlHaiman and '3arb (West) Mishref is always gonna be West Mishref to me.
And when someone tells me to go to Sabah Al-Nasser or Jaber Al-Ali I say...where the !@#$ is that..??!!!
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? IT'S NOT ABOUT HONORING THE PEOPLE...(I'm soo flipping pissed I could bite Faisal Al-Hajji)
I'm sick of not recognizing my country anymore. I'm sick of this crap you're pulling...
I'm outraged.
Al-Qabas (May 6,2009)
«
المسيلة» ضاحية سالم الصباح
قال وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء فيصل الحجي ان سمو أمير البلاد، تقديراً للدور المهم والجهود المخلصة التي قام بها المغفور له الشيخ سالم الصباح في مختلف المجالات والميادين في خدمة الوطن والمواطنين من مختلف المواقع التي تقلدها طيلة فترة عمله، أمر بتسمية منطقة «المسيلة» باسم ضاحية سالم الصباح.
(Almessila to be renamed "Salem Al-Sabah" Area)
One more area renamed after a Shaikh. I have no problems with our Shyookh, but renaming areas seems like something invaders do and YOU ARE NOT INVADING US.
It's hostile, it's eradicating and rewriting history. Sure, our areas have some pretty crazy names (Mahboola?!)...but this is our history (somehow) and we want to keep it!
I barely recognize the names in my country anymore!
There's going to be more roads, areas, highways, schools, hospitals built in the next five years (atleast we hope!). Why can't you wait till something actually needs a name to name it?!
Guess what! you can lead a horse to water....
I'm still calling Om AlHaiman, Om AlHaiman and '3arb (West) Mishref is always gonna be West Mishref to me.
And when someone tells me to go to Sabah Al-Nasser or Jaber Al-Ali I say...where the !@#$ is that..??!!!
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? IT'S NOT ABOUT HONORING THE PEOPLE...(I'm soo flipping pissed I could bite Faisal Al-Hajji)
I'm sick of not recognizing my country anymore. I'm sick of this crap you're pulling...
I'm outraged.
15 April 2008
Can you hear me now? Equality and Bedou
NOTE: I included tribe's names in the post. It's not meant to offend or belittle anyone. It just reads more authentic with then when I wrote it without. Tribes names were not changed. No bedou/7athar, Sunna or Shi3a were harmed in writing in this post.
Last night, I was at a friend's monthly girl diwaniya. Meeting new people is a lot of fun.
Minor problem, several girls were saying things that made me extremely uncomfortable:
On elections:
"Mako wayed i3yal 3awayil nazleen bilinti5abat, a'3labhum..." she then makes a squirming face and a belittling hand gesture. (translation: there aren't that many candidates from large families i.e."Sunni, non-bedou, rich people" running)
On the freak storm:
"Bricks from our neighbor's house fell onto their covered garage and damaged their cars," upon expressing our sympathies, she adds, "3adi, 3awazim." (translation:it's okay they're from _a certain tribe_.)
On family:
I asked a girl who her mother is (she started it!) and she says "Al-Ajmi, bes moo bedou wallah." It turns out her uncle was a co-worker of mine and I know his family well; they are bedou.
The same girl turns to a girl sitting between us (who, like me, happens to have a tribal last name) and asks her about her mother, upon hearing the last name (a common but unfamiliar name) she goes, "Ee ya3ni zaineen." (translation: "yeah they're okay.") (awkward.)
We say a lot when we think we're in a safe setting.
Equality, my bunions.
Upon getting ready to leave, I pulled out my folded abaya and hijab and unraveled them while talking to one of the girls. She gasped, "you wear hijab?!" The other six girls sitting around chimed in, "I didn't expect that." "I didn't imagine...you don't look like the type!"
What was that about? I'm taking it as a compliment that my hair wasn't flat.
There's a hijab-wearing type?
27 February 2008
Updates and announcements
1) The Autism Center's walk-a-thon is this Saturday. If you haven't signed up already, get off your lumpy butt and sign up. (For more information Call the center at 251-6192 or email at kwautism-AT-qualitynet-DOT-com.)
2) Nothing to do with the reminders but read today's Al-Qabas's editorial opening (in Arabic). It' s all I want to say about the salary hikes as well as the diwaniya's on public property issue. (Someday soon, I hope the paper will understand that the online edition needs to be presented in a reader friendly format; right now it just sort of exists online in a not very eye-friendly format.)
3) I'm still looking for a job, so if you have any tips, job leads, or words of encouragement (heck, even if you're gonna mock me) please do share.
4) I quit working out daily. I lost waaaaaaaaaay too much weight during the first two weeks of February, my clothes are falling off. Not so flattering. (Sorry dieting people, I have roadrunner speed metabolism.)
5) It's a two-day work week. The best kind. Enjoy.
2) Nothing to do with the reminders but read today's Al-Qabas's editorial opening (in Arabic). It' s all I want to say about the salary hikes as well as the diwaniya's on public property issue. (Someday soon, I hope the paper will understand that the online edition needs to be presented in a reader friendly format; right now it just sort of exists online in a not very eye-friendly format.)
3) I'm still looking for a job, so if you have any tips, job leads, or words of encouragement (heck, even if you're gonna mock me) please do share.
4) I quit working out daily. I lost waaaaaaaaaay too much weight during the first two weeks of February, my clothes are falling off. Not so flattering. (Sorry dieting people, I have roadrunner speed metabolism.)
5) It's a two-day work week. The best kind. Enjoy.
06 February 2008
Dr. Heba's gonna be in town!!!
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
Dr. Heba Raouf is gonna be in town soon!
I'm soooo excited!! She's going to be speaking at Hawalli Park (in the banquet hall) on Saturday. Her lecture is about "women's freedoms in Islam between reality and aspirations". It's at 9 p.m.
I'm uber-excited!
Did I mention already how enamored I am with this woman? She's such an inspiration! (This is who I want to be when I grow up.)
I can hardly contain myself!
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Oh. and I didn't work out today. But I did go to the Kuwait Fairgrounds and parked faaaaaaaaar away (does that count?!) I'm not gonna worry about it 'cause I've done well, very well, so far.
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01 February 2008
I gotta get moving
It's February! Awhile back I decided that during this year I'm going to pick a month to exercise every single day no excuses.
I chose the shortest one: February (I didn't realize it was a leap year...dang it!). Now it's here. And I have to exercise.
On the bright side, February's a great month weather-wise in Kuwait so I could exercise outside. YAY me!
This is gonna be great I tell you, great!!(Now I'm off to exercise.)
--------------------------------------------
(Insert spiffy transition...I got nothing)
On March 1, 2008 (a Saturday) the Kuwait Center for Autism is marking the Arab Autism Day with a walk-athon. The walk-athon kicks off at 9:30 a.m. from the Swimming Pools complex to the Green Island.
They have booths set up for registration evenings only (5:30-9:30 p.m.) at Marina Mall starting tomorrow till the 22nd, at Soug Sharg from February 24-26 , and at the Avenues Mall on the 27th. For more information Call the center at 251-6192 or email at kwautism-AT-qualitynet-DOT-om.
It's a good cause and hopefully the weather will still be nice. More people, more more press coverage, more money, more awareness...and then maybe someday we'll stop hearing people say "he was so beautiful when he was two that people gave him the evil eye and he became autistic." Seriously.
(This time, I'm off to exercise for real.)
(photo "Don't Exercise Too Hard!" courtesy legolam, flickr)
29 January 2008
Trash your heart*
After a long sleepless night morning, I decided to go to Marina Crescent and take a walk in the wee morning hours (okay...it was 8 a.m. but its still wee morning to me).
And I think I saw a sign! A divine message encrypted on a wall that only I could understand.
"Trash your heart," a stamp on the wall said. And that I will.
Internets, I thank you for your support but "Marina World" apparently's got my back. Big Elk and Mountain Thunder, I salute you.
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* Alternate titles: dump your loved ones, love your trash can, "can" the love at Marina seafronts? Seriously, though what the hell is that?!
And I think I saw a sign! A divine message encrypted on a wall that only I could understand.
"Trash your heart," a stamp on the wall said. And that I will.
Internets, I thank you for your support but "Marina World" apparently's got my back. Big Elk and Mountain Thunder, I salute you.
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* Alternate titles: dump your loved ones, love your trash can, "can" the love at Marina seafronts? Seriously, though what the hell is that?!
27 January 2008
I live two streets down from mint chocolate chip. Yum.
Our neighborhood's gone insane. We need a color intervention.
A few blocks down from my house our neighbors are painting their house a very bright green color. For some reason it reminds me of "mint chocolate chip", my favorite ice-cream flavor. Yummy in the tummy, not so much on the street.
Across the street from us, a Spanish style house's exterior is being painted grey...like concrete only uglier. But why? 5alti you have such good taste why would u do that..?!(They also have my dream car(s)..Allah ihaneeehum.)
Two streets away from us, there's a blue house. A blue house that shimmers. Ding dong, Madonna called, she wants her 80's eyeshadow back. And I can't make this crap up, they have a matching car parked outside at all times (I'm not kidding, its an older Mercedes Benz).
Anyway I'm convinced the two freshly painted houses are painted with primers only and a top coat will happen soon. My father disagrees, he thinks the ugly is the topcoat.
No matter which way I choose exit my area, I get the urge to poke my eyes out. Lord grant me patience (and an ipod and eternal bliss..).
We need us some color Po'lice. "Sir step away from the house and put your paintbrush down. You have the right to paint your house with non-nasty colors, any bright color you use will be held against you in the court of public opinion. If you cannot afford to buy eye-pleasing colors your neighbors will buy some for you." (wai3 ilmala8a..ur still reading..?! u deserve eternal bliss for putting up with my crap.)
I kid. Everyone's entitled to having a hideous colored house if that's what they really want. At the rate real estate prices in Kuwait are increasing, if I were ever to be lucky enough to own a house in Kuwait I'd paint it all the colors of the spectrum just 'cause I can.
(A house across the street from my parents is going for a little under $2 million, it hasn't been lived in for 15 years or more. So you're paying over one million dollars for a heap of trash.)
So no I don't see any rainbow colored houses in the near future.
Hey look what I found!
"Colourful House In Sandringham Road London E8" (courtesy Calistobreeze, flickr).
A few blocks down from my house our neighbors are painting their house a very bright green color. For some reason it reminds me of "mint chocolate chip", my favorite ice-cream flavor. Yummy in the tummy, not so much on the street.
Across the street from us, a Spanish style house's exterior is being painted grey...like concrete only uglier. But why? 5alti you have such good taste why would u do that..?!(They also have my dream car(s)..Allah ihaneeehum.)
Two streets away from us, there's a blue house. A blue house that shimmers. Ding dong, Madonna called, she wants her 80's eyeshadow back. And I can't make this crap up, they have a matching car parked outside at all times (I'm not kidding, its an older Mercedes Benz).
Anyway I'm convinced the two freshly painted houses are painted with primers only and a top coat will happen soon. My father disagrees, he thinks the ugly is the topcoat.
No matter which way I choose exit my area, I get the urge to poke my eyes out. Lord grant me patience (and an ipod and eternal bliss..).
We need us some color Po'lice. "Sir step away from the house and put your paintbrush down. You have the right to paint your house with non-nasty colors, any bright color you use will be held against you in the court of public opinion. If you cannot afford to buy eye-pleasing colors your neighbors will buy some for you." (wai3 ilmala8a..ur still reading..?! u deserve eternal bliss for putting up with my crap.)
I kid. Everyone's entitled to having a hideous colored house if that's what they really want. At the rate real estate prices in Kuwait are increasing, if I were ever to be lucky enough to own a house in Kuwait I'd paint it all the colors of the spectrum just 'cause I can.
(A house across the street from my parents is going for a little under $2 million, it hasn't been lived in for 15 years or more. So you're paying over one million dollars for a heap of trash.)
So no I don't see any rainbow colored houses in the near future.
Hey look what I found!
"Colourful House In Sandringham Road London E8" (courtesy Calistobreeze, flickr).
09 January 2008
ramble # 7487
I'm known to have ridiculous dreams therefore I never believed in dream interpretation or anything of that sort. Examples of crazy dreams:
I'm at my brother's wedding and this annoying girl I know was sitting in the bride's seat. Before my brother comes in I ask her to get out of the bride's seat (there was no bride) insisting that she wasn't my brother's bride. I beat her up at the wedding right before my father and brother "crash" the wedding in ATV's. Creative huh?!
Last night, MP Adel Al-Saraawi...this guy:
yup..that Adel...was my conscience. Now I like Adel, no problem with him whatsoever and I think he's a great politician if there ever was one, but what the hell is he doing being my conscience in my dreams..? I was having a conversation with him--in the dream--and I go...u look like 3adel Al9ar3awi...he replies I am 3adel al9ar3awi...but I knew he was my conscience...
Don't you hate it in dreams when you're in an airplane but you know its your school in the dream...but visually its an airplane..? No. Shut up, I know you do.
In other passing useless thoughts, I get really annoyed at people who assume you're doing something "wrong" whenever you're alone. Like a few years ago I went to a movie on my own, it was during the day I was off of work none of my friends could go and I really wanted to see it, anyway...my sister's friend who saw me leaving the theater alone told her that I was imwa3da but my dude stood me up. I don't know what offended me more that fact that she thought I was imwa3da or the fact that she thought my 9a7ib would ditch me.
Which brings us to today...the weather was really nice in the afternoon so I decided to hang out on a bench outside Soug Sharg as I waited for my friend to show up. Of course every other car that would pass by...I was sitting at the edge of the parking lot so lots of passing cars...would scream something at me. What really got to me was when I got up to head into the mall an older guy goes "ha 7abooba imwa3da..?" Of course, i'm a man-ignoring machine (truly, I amaze myself sometimes) so I didn't react in anyway but he ticked me off.
and yesterday i remembered i have a blog. so now u get to hear all about my interesting life. lucky you!
Oh yeah..and what's up with sales here...I found a cute top today that was "on sale" it used to be 31 KD and now its 29 KD. sale my pinky toe! that's false advertising!
I'm at my brother's wedding and this annoying girl I know was sitting in the bride's seat. Before my brother comes in I ask her to get out of the bride's seat (there was no bride) insisting that she wasn't my brother's bride. I beat her up at the wedding right before my father and brother "crash" the wedding in ATV's. Creative huh?!
Last night, MP Adel Al-Saraawi...this guy:
yup..that Adel...was my conscience. Now I like Adel, no problem with him whatsoever and I think he's a great politician if there ever was one, but what the hell is he doing being my conscience in my dreams..? I was having a conversation with him--in the dream--and I go...u look like 3adel Al9ar3awi...he replies I am 3adel al9ar3awi...but I knew he was my conscience...
Don't you hate it in dreams when you're in an airplane but you know its your school in the dream...but visually its an airplane..? No. Shut up, I know you do.
In other passing useless thoughts, I get really annoyed at people who assume you're doing something "wrong" whenever you're alone. Like a few years ago I went to a movie on my own, it was during the day I was off of work none of my friends could go and I really wanted to see it, anyway...my sister's friend who saw me leaving the theater alone told her that I was imwa3da but my dude stood me up. I don't know what offended me more that fact that she thought I was imwa3da or the fact that she thought my 9a7ib would ditch me.
Which brings us to today...the weather was really nice in the afternoon so I decided to hang out on a bench outside Soug Sharg as I waited for my friend to show up. Of course every other car that would pass by...I was sitting at the edge of the parking lot so lots of passing cars...would scream something at me. What really got to me was when I got up to head into the mall an older guy goes "ha 7abooba imwa3da..?" Of course, i'm a man-ignoring machine (truly, I amaze myself sometimes) so I didn't react in anyway but he ticked me off.
and yesterday i remembered i have a blog. so now u get to hear all about my interesting life. lucky you!
Oh yeah..and what's up with sales here...I found a cute top today that was "on sale" it used to be 31 KD and now its 29 KD. sale my pinky toe! that's false advertising!
13 November 2007
Honey! I'm home....and I'm off to the beach!
(images courtesy radiant guy, Abdullah Al-Qadeeri, flickr)
I had the best time of my life today between these two places. The weather was insane and the sights incredible! Although I love going out with family and friends, going out alone allows for a more fulfilling experience. I really get to take in my surroundings when I'm alone. It's peaceful.
Whenever the weather and time allows, I like to walk between the KPC/KNPC building (which is it?!) and Sief Palace, I've been doing it for a couple of years now. I usually go an hour before ma'3rib (sunset) which gives me plenty of time to drive back home to pray ma'3rib.
Today, the weather was sooo inviting I decided to hangout on a bench right at the water with a book of course.
Kuwait's vibe has been increasingly negative for the past few months --and so has mine for that matter-- that its refreshing to just see people, normal everyday people from all over the place, enjoy themselves.
It's really nice to see diversity, older people in wheelchairs, people exercising, families with children, people with their pets (a guy was walking around with a green parrot perched on his shoulder...how cute is that?!I really wanted to get him an eye-patch!). Sometimes, I get stuck into going to stuffy snobby places with my friends where everyone there is the same (mainly, people who are wearing so many labels they might have forgotten their own names) that just seeing people who are older/younger than the "hip crowd" is refreshing. I remembered how nice it is to be able to kick back in sweats and trainers* and "take back the beach".
All along the horizon there are these buoys with green or red lights on them bobbing in the water (like a national day parade except less tacky...I'm telling you it was great!) I'm guessing they're for fishing boats 'cause there are docks where you can lower fishing boats into the water nearby but I'm not certain.
Of course this is still Kuwait and a girl on her own at the beach with a book (gasp!) can cause a stir. There was this kid who stood around by the light post behind my bench and kept talking to the bad of my head. Apparently (hend!), the bad of my covered head really is ">ridiculous!
It was quite entertaining until I turned around as I was getting to ready to leave and realized he's in his 50's...creepy! (Dude seriously...have your middle-age crisis and cigarette away from me please!)
For the couple of hours that I was out there my life seemed perfect, regardless of the fact that I still have no answers and/or plans for my life. Between the view of the lit KNPC building, the Kuwait City skyline and the water it was complete despite the "stuck" feeling I've been inundated with.
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Today's Lesson: خير جليس في الأنام كتاب ...or I need better friends :/
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* If this statement sounds funny...you've obviously never lived in GCC countries where people are always dressed "up", image-conscious to a fault and stiff.
25 August 2007
First Golden Khalalah Award!
Because of the negative and slightly political nature of my last few posts, this post is is my way of 'repenting'. (I don't think any of us need anymore darkness in our lives.)
In an effort to bring more positivity and yumminess to Kuwaiti blogs I'm proud to present Green Eggs and Balalee6's First Golden Khalalah (غولدن خلالة) Award to the people at We Love Kuwait.com
I love the people at http://www.welovekuwait.com for caring enough about our children to make a difference.
One of my favorite posts on their site
talks about something I strongly believe: the way we spend our money says more about our values better than almost anything ever does.
'Put your money where your kid's mouth is and quit feeding them McDonald's' is kinda the thought.
The blog's format is difficult to read because of the inserts of Jumanah's articles in Al-Nadha (I think!) but the posts written are worth reading because there clearly is passion behind them.
In an effort to bring more positivity and yumminess to Kuwaiti blogs I'm proud to present Green Eggs and Balalee6's First Golden Khalalah (غولدن خلالة) Award to the people at We Love Kuwait.com
I love the people at http://www.welovekuwait.com for caring enough about our children to make a difference.
One of my favorite posts on their site
talks about something I strongly believe: the way we spend our money says more about our values better than almost anything ever does.
'Put your money where your kid's mouth is and quit feeding them McDonald's' is kinda the thought.
The blog's format is difficult to read because of the inserts of Jumanah's articles in Al-Nadha (I think!) but the posts written are worth reading because there clearly is passion behind them.
20 August 2007
طلال and سعود
طلال السعيد
... يتباكى على حال الوطن
If you haven't heard former MP Talal Al-Saed's qaseeda where he 'cries' at Kuwait's current situation yet, consider yourself lucky. (It's obvious he has a personal thing with Sharar aka Al-Mustashar)Not because it's a bad qaseeda, although I'm not completely convinced of his شاعرية, I'm kinda insulted by his lame attempt.
Talal, where were you when you were enjoyed a seat in parliament and the cabinet's generosity? You were a puppet. Now that no one in government gives a rat's ass what you do and no one's paying you to put your arm up in the air, you're crying over what we've come to?..Oh what a patriot! Get a life!
سعود صاهودالمطيري
If I hear his name one more time I'm going to scream! The guy is a self-made billionaire apparently, a Kuwaiti real-estate mogul. In the past couple of months, the dude's mug has been plastered all over the papers and it seems like he's all people talk about.
A self-made millionaire; anywhere else on the planet people would be looking up to him. In Kuwait, people are digging, he's into money-laundering, he's backed by Shyookh... where else did he get his money from?!
I have no idea whether his money is 'clean' or not and honestly I don't care. If he's corrupt, he's not the only one, and he doesn't seem to be doing the country much harm. (Maybe I think this way due to ignorance.) But this fascination with صاهود must come to an end soon. (I also think he's being a media puppy at the moment...he's gonna be on CNBC tomorrow I think...hopefully that'll be the end of him.)
My family has been talking about him at lunch for over a week now. Please stop talking about سعود صاهود pass the دقوس!
... يتباكى على حال الوطن
If you haven't heard former MP Talal Al-Saed's qaseeda where he 'cries' at Kuwait's current situation yet, consider yourself lucky. (It's obvious he has a personal thing with Sharar aka Al-Mustashar)Not because it's a bad qaseeda, although I'm not completely convinced of his شاعرية, I'm kinda insulted by his lame attempt.
Talal, where were you when you were enjoyed a seat in parliament and the cabinet's generosity? You were a puppet. Now that no one in government gives a rat's ass what you do and no one's paying you to put your arm up in the air, you're crying over what we've come to?..Oh what a patriot! Get a life!
سعود صاهودالمطيري
If I hear his name one more time I'm going to scream! The guy is a self-made billionaire apparently, a Kuwaiti real-estate mogul. In the past couple of months, the dude's mug has been plastered all over the papers and it seems like he's all people talk about.
A self-made millionaire; anywhere else on the planet people would be looking up to him. In Kuwait, people are digging, he's into money-laundering, he's backed by Shyookh... where else did he get his money from?!
I have no idea whether his money is 'clean' or not and honestly I don't care. If he's corrupt, he's not the only one, and he doesn't seem to be doing the country much harm. (Maybe I think this way due to ignorance.) But this fascination with صاهود must come to an end soon. (I also think he's being a media puppy at the moment...he's gonna be on CNBC tomorrow I think...hopefully that'll be the end of him.)
My family has been talking about him at lunch for over a week now. Please stop talking about سعود صاهود pass the دقوس!
19 August 2007
10 things I vow never to do
How did all these things become acceptable to us? (By us I mean 5aleeji's in general not just Kuwaitis...although some are more Kuwait-specific than others).
10 things I vow never to do*:
1) Wear a denim jacket in the summer. (This is a few years too late as that was ‘in’ a couple of years ago but be sure...if that trend comes around I will not be joining the masses.)
2) Have a stupid post-delivery baby reception at the hospital a.k.a. Isti8bal (Istihbal). Spending hundreds of dinars to impress people you barely know immediately after you’ve had a baby..? Oh how fun!
3) Buy a car that costs three times what I make in a year to drive around Kuwait’s streets. Can you spell S-U-C-K-E-R?
4) Pick a woman out of a line-up to live with my family, and then leave my children alone with her for a specified amount of time each day. That’s what daycare’s for, cheapskate.
5) Marry someone for their money, their last name, or their mother.
6) Go to the same restaurant every week. (Maki, anyone?)
7) Grow a second head in my hijab. (Gives new meaning to Fergie’s “My humps”)
8) Paint a face that doesn’t resemble my face on my face. Oh I should add this one here, shave off all or part of my eyebrows and color them in. (“Chinese” eyebrows anyone?)
9) Scam the government to get undeserved money ‘cause I’m poor (related to #3).
10) Get one of those “ba6ala mu8ana3a” jobs, where you punch a time card sit around, eat, gossip, and leave (see #9, #3).
* subject to change at any moment.
10 things I vow never to do*:
1) Wear a denim jacket in the summer. (This is a few years too late as that was ‘in’ a couple of years ago but be sure...if that trend comes around I will not be joining the masses.)
2) Have a stupid post-delivery baby reception at the hospital a.k.a. Isti8bal (Istihbal). Spending hundreds of dinars to impress people you barely know immediately after you’ve had a baby..? Oh how fun!
3) Buy a car that costs three times what I make in a year to drive around Kuwait’s streets. Can you spell S-U-C-K-E-R?
4) Pick a woman out of a line-up to live with my family, and then leave my children alone with her for a specified amount of time each day. That’s what daycare’s for, cheapskate.
5) Marry someone for their money, their last name, or their mother.
6) Go to the same restaurant every week. (Maki, anyone?)
7) Grow a second head in my hijab. (Gives new meaning to Fergie’s “My humps”)
8) Paint a face that doesn’t resemble my face on my face. Oh I should add this one here, shave off all or part of my eyebrows and color them in. (“Chinese” eyebrows anyone?)
9) Scam the government to get undeserved money ‘cause I’m poor (related to #3).
10) Get one of those “ba6ala mu8ana3a” jobs, where you punch a time card sit around, eat, gossip, and leave (see #9, #3).
* subject to change at any moment.
14 August 2007
The shiny invades Kuwait
I’m not really sure when or how it happened as it slowly crept upon us.
But if you're not staying up nights over this already you should be...(Kimora Lee Simmons, I blame you for destroying the Kuwaiti aesthetic.)
"Strass" (Rhinestones) have invaded Kuwait... I’ve been cooped up inside for sometime now so I’ve been out of the ‘loop’…a couple of days ago I decided to drive around the ‘loop’ just to blow off some steam and clear my mind…and I spotted it all over Kuwait.
What? Is shiny the new black?! Am I missing out on something here?!
I’m very confused…first it showed up on hijabs and that was cute and all… for the first 10 minutes. Then it just got tacky! But anyhow on a hijab it does give a certain éclat to a girl’s face, as a Lebanese-wannabe acquaintance of mine would say.
Then it showed up on cell phones which was deeply disturbing because my eyes are very sensitive to light and these shine-bombs were very…well…shiny.
Shiny and cheap…I mean you’re calling attention to your cell phone because…? it’s special…how? Not to mention it quite impractical as it scratches your face when you’re using the cell. Nonetheless, I figured let them be… to each their own right..?
But now I see it on cars and that’s just beyond disgusting (once again this is my personal opinion…Please don’t comment or send me emails saying “well I think it’s cute”).
I mean seriously!…I was driving on
Then I noticed the trend …many many cars along
Now listen up Kuwait…
If you’re a guy there are only two good reasons for your car to be blingy:
1) You’re a rapper (which you’re not…even if you’re black and you think you can rap…you are not and you can’t).
2) You’re gay.
Kuwaiti girls you also get two reasons:
1) You have ridiculously bad taste.
2) You’re an idiot who would do anything other Kuwaitis do.
Why do I care?
I don’t.
I really could care less what people did to their cars.
But this is a problem...if it was one car I’d let it go, but a whole fleet of cars…we have to do something about this because:
a) it’s a hebba (“trend”) and you know how those can get out of hand around here...(think: would you like it if your neighbor's house was plastered with strass).
b) more importantly, its a national pandemic…and it’s really pathetic.
At this point I won’t be surprised if Kuwait’s official emblem was pimped out with shiny little crystals as well. (Make that image go away!)
Today’s lesson: Blinged up Kuwaitis need a life! And no you’re not cute!
شكر وعرفان
Because gratitude is a virtue...
...and I can't always thank people when I want to...
Thank you Kuwaiti man with little boy wearing blue t-shirt for not cutting in line at the Soug Sharg main entrance Starbucks when the guy at the cashier completely ignored me and asked for your order.
Thank you man in green--I think, it was dark-- Toyota SUV who stopped behind me at a stoplight for turning your headlights off. It was very thoughtful and my eyes really appreciated it. (Don't worry safety-first people, he turned them back on as soon as it turned green.)
Thank you abaya wearing young lady who smiled back at me when I smiled as I was passing by her.
All of you give me hope. We're not all rotten eggs.
I love Kuwait.
...and I can't always thank people when I want to...
Thank you Kuwaiti man with little boy wearing blue t-shirt for not cutting in line at the Soug Sharg main entrance Starbucks when the guy at the cashier completely ignored me and asked for your order.
Thank you man in green--I think, it was dark-- Toyota SUV who stopped behind me at a stoplight for turning your headlights off. It was very thoughtful and my eyes really appreciated it. (Don't worry safety-first people, he turned them back on as soon as it turned green.)
Thank you abaya wearing young lady who smiled back at me when I smiled as I was passing by her.
All of you give me hope. We're not all rotten eggs.
I love Kuwait.
The decider who keeps on fallin'
You know that dream where u fall off a cliff and get that weird feeling in your gut but u always wake up before you hit the ground. I've been on that bottomless tumble for awhile now. It feels like I keep on fallin'.
I broke down. Yep that's right! Just like the sheets of parched sand I stomped around in as a kid in Mena Abdullah's chalets, I'm starting to crumble...all at once and bit by bit. I wore diamonds to a hospital. Granted its not really a hospital, Royal Hayat is more a fancy shmancy maternity hospital and spa I guess than a real hospital.
Nevertheless, I cracked. Two years ago I vowed that I would not be one of those people that got dressed to the nine's to visit someone at the hospital. Anyway, a relatives' istihbal/isti8bal (post-delivery baby reception) brought that promise to myself crashing down. I'm still wandering around in the debris searching for pieces of myself.** Oh well. It wasn't so bad, I don't think, it just scared me that I did it without thinking twice. Sure, I feel guilty about it now but as I was getting dressed it felt right.
On a more cheerful note, I quit my job a few days back. No, I have nothing lined up but I'm currently looking for a job. I woke up one day two weeks after writing a pro/con list about my job (the con list was two pages long; the pro list had two items) and decided that I need to take back my life. I kept thinking "I am the decider" as I walked into my boss's office.*** Receipt in hand, I returned my soul from the oil-rich devil and I've never felt better. Honestly though, I need a job.
I've wondered around here before about how one goes about doing that? Some tell me that emailing your resume to companies is a little desperate and no one really pays attention. Others tell me to cold call companies I'm interested in and ask to talk to someone and email my resume that particular person. I should start doing something pretty soon.
**I love drama sooo much I could be a 5aleeji soap star.
*** It's strange how Bush's words can be a source of motivation in my life.
Today's lesson: Productivity is over-rated; being a bum is quite rewarding.
I broke down. Yep that's right! Just like the sheets of parched sand I stomped around in as a kid in Mena Abdullah's chalets, I'm starting to crumble...all at once and bit by bit. I wore diamonds to a hospital. Granted its not really a hospital, Royal Hayat is more a fancy shmancy maternity hospital and spa I guess than a real hospital.
Nevertheless, I cracked. Two years ago I vowed that I would not be one of those people that got dressed to the nine's to visit someone at the hospital. Anyway, a relatives' istihbal/isti8bal (post-delivery baby reception) brought that promise to myself crashing down. I'm still wandering around in the debris searching for pieces of myself.** Oh well. It wasn't so bad, I don't think, it just scared me that I did it without thinking twice. Sure, I feel guilty about it now but as I was getting dressed it felt right.
On a more cheerful note, I quit my job a few days back. No, I have nothing lined up but I'm currently looking for a job. I woke up one day two weeks after writing a pro/con list about my job (the con list was two pages long; the pro list had two items) and decided that I need to take back my life. I kept thinking "I am the decider" as I walked into my boss's office.*** Receipt in hand, I returned my soul from the oil-rich devil and I've never felt better. Honestly though, I need a job.
I've wondered around here before about how one goes about doing that? Some tell me that emailing your resume to companies is a little desperate and no one really pays attention. Others tell me to cold call companies I'm interested in and ask to talk to someone and email my resume that particular person. I should start doing something pretty soon.
**I love drama sooo much I could be a 5aleeji soap star.
*** It's strange how Bush's words can be a source of motivation in my life.
Today's lesson: Productivity is over-rated; being a bum is quite rewarding.
31 July 2007
Hello.
It's Tuesday already.
Time flies when you think about dousing your hair with government-subsidized gasoline and lighting it on fire.
Speaking of fire, there's a free two-day "first aid" class offered by the Patient's Helping Fund (صندوق إعانة المرضى) --they need a new name, really-- in August. I wonder if its worth the time or more of the stop, drop, and roll stuff.
Moving on. I've been deeply disturbed by a sight a saw a couple of days ago at a mall.
I walk into a toilet, with my pregnant friend who seems to be more interested in the mall's toilets than the stores, and I notice three girls standing around the sink areas. Two of the girls, not older than 14, looked like hookers. I'm sorry they really did! (The third girl was a young kid ,probably no more than 7 years old, hadn't lost the baby fat yet, and had a strand of peroxide-blond hair --one streak--on one side of her head! These girls looked like they were working!! how disgusting!)
Back to the 'older' ones; one of them was wearing a tight knee-length black dress that was rouched around her curves (well, where her curves would be if she was old enough to have any). With her hair all done up and the berry colored lip gloss she had on, her look was very fitting for a cocktail party. If only she was going to one. Mind you it was around 7 p.m. at a shopping mall.
The other girl was wearing tight yellow capri pants, a tight t-shirt with a slit down the back which she was wearing a tank top underneath it.
They both had teased updo's on their heads embellished with fancy shmancy hair accessories. They looked like they were going clubbing, or to a wedding, only we were at a mall...AND THEY'RE 14!!!!
So of course, they're primping at the mirror putting more lip-crap on...(bright colored lip crap) and I'm just standing there... staring at them, disgusted, amused and in shock. They gave me quite a few dirty looks, which I probably deserved seeing as to how I was staring at them since I walked in.
Another lady, who was there since I walked in, was looking at me and smirking and looking back at them...sort of saying "look at them..."
A few minutes later, as I continue to stare at the child prostitute wannabe's, a lady steps out of a stall, approaches the sink to wash her hands (thankfully) and asks the cocktail-dress girl a question. The lady, wearing a pink hijab and cakey makeup, gives me a look, as of course I'm still staring at the girls. The girl answers.
"La Yuma..." Her mother! My whole body stiffened up...Her freggin' mother! An electric charge jolted up and down my spine...Her @#$%^^& mother!!!!
Now, I understand that everyone's free to wear whatever, and trust me it wouldn't have bothered me one bit if these were older women making a conscious decision about the way they would like to represent themselves visually...it's their body, it's their choice...but these 14 year olds can't tell their backside from their frontside...and they're dressed like prostitutes! That's not a matter of choice and expressing themselves through what they wear.
And I try to not be too quick to judge the parent because I understand that teenagers can be difficult...but my God you're a parent!!! As a parent you must draw a line somewhere... and that line isn't forcing hijab or anything crazy like that, heck it's not even about religion, but decency and protecting children from themselves.
You have to know that something is wrong when when your baby looks like a hooker. (I'm not even talking about the peroxide blond strand the 7 year old was sporting.) It's sickening.
I know there 's probably much more to these people than what I got to see in the the few minutes I spent around these girls...and I'm wrong to judge a parent by looking at a few seconds of her life...but the image I saw was sickening.
I wonder in a few years' time, like when they're 16 or 21, what they're gonna look like. My heart goes out to children and the mother as enraged as I am at her.
Of course, I didn't say anything to the mother and we waited a few minutes after they left the bathroom to leave. I've seen enough as it was.
I've thought of them many many times since.
It's Tuesday already.
Time flies when you think about dousing your hair with government-subsidized gasoline and lighting it on fire.
Speaking of fire, there's a free two-day "first aid" class offered by the Patient's Helping Fund (صندوق إعانة المرضى) --they need a new name, really-- in August. I wonder if its worth the time or more of the stop, drop, and roll stuff.
Moving on. I've been deeply disturbed by a sight a saw a couple of days ago at a mall.
I walk into a toilet, with my pregnant friend who seems to be more interested in the mall's toilets than the stores, and I notice three girls standing around the sink areas. Two of the girls, not older than 14, looked like hookers. I'm sorry they really did! (The third girl was a young kid ,probably no more than 7 years old, hadn't lost the baby fat yet, and had a strand of peroxide-blond hair --one streak--on one side of her head! These girls looked like they were working!! how disgusting!)
Back to the 'older' ones; one of them was wearing a tight knee-length black dress that was rouched around her curves (well, where her curves would be if she was old enough to have any). With her hair all done up and the berry colored lip gloss she had on, her look was very fitting for a cocktail party. If only she was going to one. Mind you it was around 7 p.m. at a shopping mall.
The other girl was wearing tight yellow capri pants, a tight t-shirt with a slit down the back which she was wearing a tank top underneath it.
They both had teased updo's on their heads embellished with fancy shmancy hair accessories. They looked like they were going clubbing, or to a wedding, only we were at a mall...AND THEY'RE 14!!!!
So of course, they're primping at the mirror putting more lip-crap on...(bright colored lip crap) and I'm just standing there... staring at them, disgusted, amused and in shock. They gave me quite a few dirty looks, which I probably deserved seeing as to how I was staring at them since I walked in.
Another lady, who was there since I walked in, was looking at me and smirking and looking back at them...sort of saying "look at them..."
A few minutes later, as I continue to stare at the child prostitute wannabe's, a lady steps out of a stall, approaches the sink to wash her hands (thankfully) and asks the cocktail-dress girl a question. The lady, wearing a pink hijab and cakey makeup, gives me a look, as of course I'm still staring at the girls. The girl answers.
"La Yuma..." Her mother! My whole body stiffened up...Her freggin' mother! An electric charge jolted up and down my spine...Her @#$%^^& mother!!!!
Now, I understand that everyone's free to wear whatever, and trust me it wouldn't have bothered me one bit if these were older women making a conscious decision about the way they would like to represent themselves visually...it's their body, it's their choice...but these 14 year olds can't tell their backside from their frontside...and they're dressed like prostitutes! That's not a matter of choice and expressing themselves through what they wear.
And I try to not be too quick to judge the parent because I understand that teenagers can be difficult...but my God you're a parent!!! As a parent you must draw a line somewhere... and that line isn't forcing hijab or anything crazy like that, heck it's not even about religion, but decency and protecting children from themselves.
You have to know that something is wrong when when your baby looks like a hooker. (I'm not even talking about the peroxide blond strand the 7 year old was sporting.) It's sickening.
I know there 's probably much more to these people than what I got to see in the the few minutes I spent around these girls...and I'm wrong to judge a parent by looking at a few seconds of her life...but the image I saw was sickening.
I wonder in a few years' time, like when they're 16 or 21, what they're gonna look like. My heart goes out to children and the mother as enraged as I am at her.
Of course, I didn't say anything to the mother and we waited a few minutes after they left the bathroom to leave. I've seen enough as it was.
I've thought of them many many times since.
27 July 2007
Kuwaiti Geisha's and Arab Fish
Last night I went to another play, حلم السمك العربي (Dreams of Arab Fish) performed by the جيل الواعي troupe. I've seen a different one of their productions a while back (I can't remember the name) but they were both pretty cool.
The play was a free-event at the Jamal AbdelNasser Park in Al-Rawdha. I thought there would be a stage set up in the middle of the park and my friend and I were willing to brave the heat to see it. We thought, based on the production we'd seen before, that it would probably be worth spending two hours in the crazy weather (and it was humid yesterday...which is quite rare in July here) and of course we felt we had to support these people who are doing something 'different' by Kuwaiti standards with their lives.
Anyway, to our relief it turns out that the production was actually being held in a small building in the park ( I wonder if a patch of yellow dried up grass with lonely looking palm trees qualifies as a park...but anyway, I digress.).
For more information about the troupe please checkout www.jeelwa3i.com
I'm always surprised by the audiences who show up at these events. They're always a mismatched sample of Kuwaitis. There were quite a few dayin people around (I guess by looks we could be considered part of that population.), then there were obviously shia'a looking people, guys in their early twenties that cannot be labeled but as Marina rangers (in reference to Marina Mall), and the girls sitting next to me.
Girls sitting next to me, if you're reading this please don't take it personally.
Ahh! The girls sitting next to me were definitely a class of their own. They were really dressed up, yeah even by Kuwait's standards! (And we were in a shack in an all but deserted park--on a humid night.) I was kind of amazed, as I always am, at the care and dedication it takes to be soo dolled up all the time. Their outifits were very matchy-matchy (the shoes were the exact shade of pink the lipstick and hair clip were...isn't that amazing!) and their faces were painted like Geisha's. Henceforth the girls' sitting next to me shall be named KG's or Kuwaiti Geisha's.
I wonder if, like Geisha's, they step into character when they have their face-paint on. (Although if last night was any judge of the character they step into...rudely chewing gum, talking on their cellphones and texting, leaving and coming back atleast three times--we had aisle seats and they were in our row...their character's are really annoying!) If war paint is supposed to make a warrior feel more powerful and dehumanize him/her--i read that somewhere--what's the KG's makeup about?
Do KG's really thing that their makeup makes them look good? Or do they really feel horrible without the makeup that even though they stop looking human with it on they still look better with it than without it? Or is a mask they hide behind? (I can keep going on forever with the philosophical/psychological questions.)
But more importantly, (since I did admit my slight admiration for them) I wonder how much money the spend on makeup--because it really can get quite expensive. Do they use the cheap eyeshadow, the huge cases with 900 colors that are probably full of carcinogens? And how does it keep from melting away in the heat..is that due to technique or product? Do they sleep with their makeup on? Do their significant others/family see them without it? How long does it take them to put it on? what happens when they need wudu'u in public? (coz taking it off always takes longer than putting it on) or do they only go out at night?
I'd love to one day interview a KG to delve into her psyche and uncover any myths. But till then I'll still chuckle every time I see one and continue to wonder.
The play was a free-event at the Jamal AbdelNasser Park in Al-Rawdha. I thought there would be a stage set up in the middle of the park and my friend and I were willing to brave the heat to see it. We thought, based on the production we'd seen before, that it would probably be worth spending two hours in the crazy weather (and it was humid yesterday...which is quite rare in July here) and of course we felt we had to support these people who are doing something 'different' by Kuwaiti standards with their lives.
Anyway, to our relief it turns out that the production was actually being held in a small building in the park ( I wonder if a patch of yellow dried up grass with lonely looking palm trees qualifies as a park...but anyway, I digress.).
For more information about the troupe please checkout www.jeelwa3i.com
I'm always surprised by the audiences who show up at these events. They're always a mismatched sample of Kuwaitis. There were quite a few dayin people around (I guess by looks we could be considered part of that population.), then there were obviously shia'a looking people, guys in their early twenties that cannot be labeled but as Marina rangers (in reference to Marina Mall), and the girls sitting next to me.
Girls sitting next to me, if you're reading this please don't take it personally.
Ahh! The girls sitting next to me were definitely a class of their own. They were really dressed up, yeah even by Kuwait's standards! (And we were in a shack in an all but deserted park--on a humid night.) I was kind of amazed, as I always am, at the care and dedication it takes to be soo dolled up all the time. Their outifits were very matchy-matchy (the shoes were the exact shade of pink the lipstick and hair clip were...isn't that amazing!) and their faces were painted like Geisha's. Henceforth the girls' sitting next to me shall be named KG's or Kuwaiti Geisha's.
I wonder if, like Geisha's, they step into character when they have their face-paint on. (Although if last night was any judge of the character they step into...rudely chewing gum, talking on their cellphones and texting, leaving and coming back atleast three times--we had aisle seats and they were in our row...their character's are really annoying!) If war paint is supposed to make a warrior feel more powerful and dehumanize him/her--i read that somewhere--what's the KG's makeup about?
Do KG's really thing that their makeup makes them look good? Or do they really feel horrible without the makeup that even though they stop looking human with it on they still look better with it than without it? Or is a mask they hide behind? (I can keep going on forever with the philosophical/psychological questions.)
But more importantly, (since I did admit my slight admiration for them) I wonder how much money the spend on makeup--because it really can get quite expensive. Do they use the cheap eyeshadow, the huge cases with 900 colors that are probably full of carcinogens? And how does it keep from melting away in the heat..is that due to technique or product? Do they sleep with their makeup on? Do their significant others/family see them without it? How long does it take them to put it on? what happens when they need wudu'u in public? (coz taking it off always takes longer than putting it on) or do they only go out at night?
I'd love to one day interview a KG to delve into her psyche and uncover any myths. But till then I'll still chuckle every time I see one and continue to wonder.
19 July 2007
Around town: plays, hooligans, and friends
I went to see Loyac's summer production, Galatia, tonight at the Abdulaziz Hussein cultural center. I was quite impressed that 1) the play was actually in Classical Arabic and the Kuwaiti actors didn't butcher it*; 2) the actors took themselves seriously. Of course the depressing part was that as soon as the director finished telling the audience to hold their applause to the very end and to shut off their cell phones, the crowd started cheering like hooligans in a soccer field. How sad is that?! I was mostly annoyed but somewhat amused by how silly the audience was acting; the girls next to me were calling out "Go Hussa!"; Hussa was playing the ivory statue at the center of the story. Did they really expect Hussa to acknowledge their screams?! There needs to be more culture in Kuwait as most people, myself included, are waaaay under-exposed!! Anyway, congratulations Hussa and the rest of the cast on a job well done!
Its really nice to be able to do something different in Kuwait. As I'm not a big fan of commercial theater I don't attend very many plays; although I do enjoy amateur troupes' productions. (A couple of months ago, I saw a production by Al-Jeel il-Wa3id...if my memory serves me...it was quite good as well.) Anyway, I try to do my part to "support the arts" by going to events like photography exhibitions, theater, and film screenings around town. The problem is I usually don't find very many people willing to go with me, I've been wanting to go to the Tareq Rajab Museum's Calligraphy exhibition for sometime now (I don't know if its still on...but I think/hope it is). I'm still kinda bummed I didn't find anyone to go to the Jazz Festival with me a couple of months ago, that would've been fun.
Today's lesson: I need more interesting friends.
*butchered Arabic always brings the old time cartoon Adnan w'Lena to mind. (I must say the song is worse than I remember.)
Its really nice to be able to do something different in Kuwait. As I'm not a big fan of commercial theater I don't attend very many plays; although I do enjoy amateur troupes' productions. (A couple of months ago, I saw a production by Al-Jeel il-Wa3id...if my memory serves me...it was quite good as well.) Anyway, I try to do my part to "support the arts" by going to events like photography exhibitions, theater, and film screenings around town. The problem is I usually don't find very many people willing to go with me, I've been wanting to go to the Tareq Rajab Museum's Calligraphy exhibition for sometime now (I don't know if its still on...but I think/hope it is). I'm still kinda bummed I didn't find anyone to go to the Jazz Festival with me a couple of months ago, that would've been fun.
Today's lesson: I need more interesting friends.
*butchered Arabic always brings the old time cartoon Adnan w'Lena to mind. (I must say the song is worse than I remember.)
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