Friday, August 16, 2013

Kuwait Through the Eyes of a Newcomer

Helloooo Out There!!
So, my compadres and I have made it safely to Kuwait! (Can we get a rounda'plawse!?!) :) Well, actually, we have been here for 3 days and in that short time I have managed to catch a stomach virus. We will talk about That a little later... But anywho... In the short time I've been here, Ive managed to see, experience, and "observe" quite a few interesting things! Here is a short list of what I can think of at the moment:

* It is acceptable to back up at a high rate of speed in the middle of oncoming traffic!
* A group of ladies walking = EVERY taxi in smelling distance honking at you and driving up onto the sidewalk (where you are walking) to give you a ride!
* Smiling and making eye contact means I want you. Literally. Yeah, I gotta work on that one... Y'all know I'm a smiler and a hugger! (Note to self... mean mug strangers.)
* I can become a legal Kuwaiti citizen in 5 years if I know (well... marry) the right person... As in a Kuwaiti citizen, but it is impossible for a foreign man to become a Kuwaiti citizen.
* With that being said, Kuwaiti citizens get money from the government for EVERYTHING. Minimum wage for a Kuwaiti citizen is around $50K USD... and they get it just for being alive. Ummm USA, y'all slipping!
* Apparently the hot water is cold water and the cold water is hot water in the summer because the cold water tanks are on the roof... where its 119°, well, at least that's what we were told... I had to search for a few hours for my hot water switch to turn it on. Yeah, I just turned on every switch in the house and prayed it was one of those... it was. No more "warm" showers for me.
* There are no electrical outlets in the bathrooms... or behind my dresser. Blow drying and flat ironing are going to be QUITE interesting!
* I often have to open the patio door to "let the cold air out"... Can you say AC on steroids!!
* The women here really DO remind you of the ones from Sex in the City II in Abu Dhabi! They are decked out in their full abayas and burqas, along with Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Fendi and Burberry bags and shoes! They are so FLY!
* You can buy anything under the sun at the souk! Even Easter baskets!!
* There is NO crime in Kuwait because it is punished by death! So the justice system is used for divorce and disputes.
* A suitable breakfast consists of baked beans and some porridge that looks like oatmeal but tastes like some kind of mashed kidney bean/meat combination.
* I live on a construction site. LITERALLY. Any window I look out I see construction and dust.
* I miss grass.
* I am happy I brought a 5lb. bag of grits!
* Of allll the American channels under the sun, I have CNN, Bloomberg, and MTV. Yes, MTV.
* To cross the street you have to play Frogger! They don't slow down, even IF you are in a crosswalk!
* I might be getting a kitten! 

I can definitely think of a few more, but I will save them for next time! Tomorrow we are going to Carrefour (which is supposed to be like Super Walmart on steroids!) That should be fun! Let's pray my stomach holds it together for that trip... because I need more than eggs bread, orange juice, and water in my house. Well my fine friends, I must bid you adieu, and I will be back with more interesting facts about living in Kuwait and pictures, Insha'allah! (Something else I learned!)

Until Next Time,
Love, Peace, and Souuuul

Monday, August 12, 2013

Bout That Time....

Ok Kiddos!
It's Bout That Time... Today is the day I head out to Kuwait! I am feeling a plethora of emotions right now, excitement, nervousness, sadness, happiness, joy... to sum it all up, I have bats (not butterflies) in my tummy... and they are flapping their wings hard, like you see when a bunch of them fly out of the cave at night! I have my life narrowed down to 3 suitcases and an action packer and I'm laying here looking around at a gazillion things I could still take with me. I'm going to miss so much here in the A! 
Things I'll Miss:
My Mommy     My bathroom and kitchen        My church        Pinky (I really wish I could bring her)       Chou Lee's           Walmart in the middle of the night           Pigging out at Mary Mac's with my mom and cousin        After church QT with my mom over lunch         ALLLLL of my favorite stores where everybody knows my name          Laughing for hours over the most stupid stuff with Adam              My Poodah (Kennedi)      Complaining about the rain,.. then about the heat (Yeah, I know I'm moving into heat like Satan's farts)           Watching My babies grow up at my old school.....  OF COURSE I could go on and on and on... but I'll stop for now.

Here's my route... I leave ATL  and go to Chicago then to Abu Dhabi then to Kuwait... should take juuust about a whole day (20+ hrs)! SO, I will bid you adieu and I will catch you on the flip side! <3