The Niqab

Oct. 20th There has been much strife in the news about women being fully veiled. Britain has taken a beating for their outspoken thoughts on how many people feel about women being covered. A teacher’s assistant was fired when the school board found out she was in class completely covered. Apparently it hadn’t been a problem with the students but now it was a problem with the administration and she was let go. This incident and politicians voices has prompted a lot of debate again and more women than ever are deciding to veil up now in response to all the negative press.

I thought it timely that I had just purchased my first full veil traditional dress. I actually bought two full sets because once I started looking more closely at all of the choices for abayas (long outer dress covering), hijab (headscarf) and niqab (face cover), I found all kinds of beautiful designs and choices. One simply was not enough and besides I need company when I go out.
On Friday night after Survivor, my friend Tucky and I dressed up, put on the appropriately needed eye makeup and pushed off into the night around 10pm. Prime time for mingling with the crowded Marina Mall and crescent area full of restaurants and shops. Driving proved not to be that difficult with only my eyes showing. The great thing is no one stares at you in your car and bothers you. We parked away from the mall so we could walk along the corniche and get used to our new look. I can’t say that it ever felt comfortable and although no one should have been looking at us, I felt like everyone was! The temperature was a comfortable 30ishC. plus a slight breeze. After doing a cruise along the crescent and going inside where it is brightly lit, we decided to walk back to the car and discard the outerwear. We were getting quite hot underneath all the material and although we felt quite protected hidden away by black, it was slightly claustrophobic. I think if it is something you grow up with, you would feel naked without it if that is all you have known.

EID AL FITR Holiday

I actually wrote this on Oct. 18th, it is now November 14th and I am at the school library tonight so I can publish this. At the start of the Eid holiday we discovered, as did many teachers that our phone lines went dead. We all went into a panic some more than others, especially those of us who were staying behind and hoping to do some holiday research etc. on the internet. How does a family of 4 with 2 burgeoning teenagers manage in an apt. for 10 days without their computer vices. Not easy. Scary but true, we are addicted to the wireless world. Unfortunately, we are still without a phone line. this I will save for another story as I'm tired of battling it out with the ministry and the lack of working infrastructure around us.


Oct. 18th This day marks the first night of our Eid Al Fitr holiday. The local newspapers were writing articles saying that Eid would most likely be declared on Sunday 22nd instead of Monday so they (ministry) were going to declare Sunday as an official holiday as well. This meant that only Saturday 21st would be a day back at school/work and then 4 days off for the rest of the week. After much anticipation and waiting from the school admin/director, a letter finally came out on Tuesday 16th saying we will have off Saturday and Sunday as well along with our other 3 days (Monday-Wednesday). Wow, this means 9 days off in a row! And no trip planned. How I’d love to hop on a plane to Oman or Jordan again, but we are saving funds for winter break. This will be our opportunity to hang out in Kuwait for the longest stretch ever without working and get in all of the sights we never seem to get around to.
Marina Hotel Iftar. As a follow up to being shut out of our club because of the Brazilian soccer team, we had complementary Iftar dinner tickets for the Atlantis restaurant at the hotel where our club is. Since September blew by in a flurry along with our 15th! anniversary and both our birthdays, we marked the moments at the Atlantis with a toast of the finest water. We initially had wanted to sit around by the poolside being entertained with music, shisha, and food, but my requests for this were continually misunderstood. By the poolside is something different and happens between 9:30pm – 3:30am, Iftar dinner is between 5:00-7:00pm formally. It appeared impossible to get down by the poolside so we took the Atlantis offer. Arriving at 5:00pm is so early for dinner, especially if you haven’t been fasting all day. We opted for 6:00ish and arrived at 6:15 only to find half the place empty and although there was still plenty of food, buffet style, you could sense the end was near. By 7:00 the place had cleared out except for us. The servers very politely offered us coffees, a last round of desert and then politely ushered us out by 7:30pm. It was a short and sweet dinner complete with all the trimmings of a full Middle Eastern buffet – chicken paella, various rice dishes, lamb, deep fried shrimp/veg rolls, hummus, baba ghanoush, pita, olives, and of course the starters to break the fast – dates and laban (a type of plain yogurt drink). After weeks into Ramadan, if you are not on the country’s prayer, sleeping and eating, schedule, you feel like a fish out of water when trying to do anything according to your regular waking/sleeping schedule.

Arab Fund Development Building

Oct.12th Last year we toured the Arab Fund building in February when my mom was here and jumped on another opportunity to see it again when Mona organized a tour for the school staff. This is the most impressive building in Kuwait I believe. It is a collection of the finest and most exquisite workmanship from all of the countries in the Middle East. I love the feeling inside; the air is incredibly clean; there are so many huge plants that are healthy and green. It’s very refreshing to be around greenery and a place that is so well tended to. The pictures speak for themselves. I will include more in an online album.