Check out this article on Christianity. Are they spot on?
In other news - our winter break has officially started! No more school, no more books! No more giving dirty looks!
On Monday morning I'll be leaving on a jet plane for Istanbul in Turkey. Who knows what I'll be doing - I haven't figured that out yet. But I do know that I'm meeting a friend, and we'll be renting mopeds at some point. And I will return to Bahrain after about 2 1/2 weeks. Fun will be had by all.
And what about Christmas? I'm not sure yet. I'm sure I'll be in some po-dunk hostel somewhere in Lycia eating pb&j drinking bottled water. I'm not even sure anyone will be celebrating Christmas. Most people are either Muslim or Orthadox Christian.
To be honest, I don't even feel like I'll be missing Christmas, mostly because there are no cues. Now, a few of the stores are selling Christmassy items - like Santa Clauses or wreaths or something. But the city isn't in winter decoration, tv stations aren't bombarded with adds for the latest Christmas sale, and most importantly - there's no snow. I still feel like its september. BUT - it has been getting colder. So while the kids are bundled up in winter gear, they look in awe as I walk around in my regular shirt and tie. "This is a warm summer day for me!" The best thing is, they believe me.
Dec 15, 2006
Dec 7, 2006
Bling Bling
So I was walking around Seef Mall the other day and came across this beauty:
BD is the currency (Bahraini Dinar). BD1 = $2.67
That, my friends, is a $21,800 cell phone. If you choose to buy the platinum plated phone (as opposed to this gold plated one), it will only cost you around $5,000.
BD is the currency (Bahraini Dinar). BD1 = $2.67
That, my friends, is a $21,800 cell phone. If you choose to buy the platinum plated phone (as opposed to this gold plated one), it will only cost you around $5,000.
Dec 2, 2006
An Introduction to the Next Three Posts
My regular reader will have noticed that it has been quite a while since I’ve posted. I would like to blame it on merely two things – large amounts of lesson planning and unreliable internet at my apartment – but I must be honest and say that even I cannot resist Jack Bauer. "I don't have time for this!"
So below are new posts regarding things that need to be addressed: the recent elections (this will be less boring than you think) and the recent rain storm and thanksgiving. Exciting? Depends on how much you care about me (ok, that was unfair – I take that back). Please, don’t feel you need to read them all at once. Tackle this book in chunks.
So below are new posts regarding things that need to be addressed: the recent elections (this will be less boring than you think) and the recent rain storm and thanksgiving. Exciting? Depends on how much you care about me (ok, that was unfair – I take that back). Please, don’t feel you need to read them all at once. Tackle this book in chunks.
Thanksgiving in Bahrain
One of the great things about Bahrain is that there are so many expats (ex-patriots) here. Thus, when thanksgiving rolled around, I had an awesome time with a bunch of Americans (and some non-Americans) from church.
Now, I wasn’t expecting anything all that fancy, but it was awesome. I wish I could show you pictures. There were about 30 people at this house, sitting at this massive table (which was really multiple tables put together), with all of the traditional thanksgiving favorites. Green Bean casserole, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce. They even scoured the island for two REAL turkeys – I’m not quite sure where they got them from. We then watched a hilarious production put on by the kids – a charming story about an inept maid who puts the repairman in the toilet, scrubs the floor with butter and cooks the baby (it was kind of morbid at the end).
Now, I wasn’t expecting anything all that fancy, but it was awesome. I wish I could show you pictures. There were about 30 people at this house, sitting at this massive table (which was really multiple tables put together), with all of the traditional thanksgiving favorites. Green Bean casserole, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce. They even scoured the island for two REAL turkeys – I’m not quite sure where they got them from. We then watched a hilarious production put on by the kids – a charming story about an inept maid who puts the repairman in the toilet, scrubs the floor with butter and cooks the baby (it was kind of morbid at the end).
Elections
On Friday, November 24th, there was an eerie calm throughout my neighborhood. For the last month or so there had been a busyness about a few select areas, where political candidates set up tents and spent the evening schmoozing voters, drinking tea and making good conversation. I took the opportunity to visit one of the election tents with a friend from church, where we quickly made friends with the candidate and his staff, exchanging numbers and promises to visit and learn/teach Arabic. Conversation ranged from the basics of Bahrain Government, to the candidates chances of being elected, to the differences between Christianity and Islam.
But on Friday, it was the calm before the storm. There was, in my mind at least, a certain uneasiness. You see, this is only the second time in the history of Bahrain that elections were taking place. In 2002, the new constitution came into effect, allowing for a congress-like assembly to be elected by the population. However, there were lots of protests, including a large portion of the public who refrained from voting.
Would this year be the same?
On Election Day, Saturday, I took a taxi to the mall. On the way, I started asking the driver about the elections and whether or not he had voted. He immediately showed his cynicism at the “elections”. And not without reason. Little tangible progress can be seen in the last four years. But the taxi soon got stuck in traffic. The driver quickly started to maneuver through the side streets, attempting to bypass the snarled traffic. But it was to no avail. People were out voting in large numbers.
As we drove by the nearby polling place, I saw a vast array of people. But what struck me most was a man who proudly walked out of the building, a small boy trying to keep up. He was dressed in a suit, which was shabby at best. But pride radiated out of him as he walked tall away from the election booths. He had cast his vote and was deciding his own fate.
Cynicism rooted in the past vs. hope reaching for the future. Bitterness grown from legitimate experiences contrasted with joy in what might be.
By that evening, I had been to the mall, done some shopping and taken a much needed nap. I was awakened around 7:30pm to a throng of honking car horns and an army of shouting voices. I immediately went to the window, wondering if I would find partiers or protesters. As I gazed out, I saw a line of 50-some cars filled with people, honking horns and shouting for joy, I assume because their candidate won. They held the political advertisements their candidate had posted and proudly displayed them for all to see.
For now, at least, Hope had replaced Cynicism. In tangible terms, only a small step has been made. But the hurdle of having peaceful elections is one that few countries have jumped so painlessly.
However, anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to American politics will know that it doesn’t take long to become bitter and jaded towards the political system. And as long as politics is run by man, the system will continue to cause bitterness and apathy.
Hopefully the wisdom of the elders will help direct the relentless, sometimes aimless, energy of the young. And hopefully the drive and hope of the young will not be deterred by the lack of enthusiasm of the cynical. Maybe, for a while at least, strides will be made in the system, postponing for a while the apathy that politics eventually brings.
As if on cue, as I write this at 11:39 pm on Sunday night, another makeshift parade of honking cars and enthusiastic voters are now passing my apartment complex, letting every one know that they are happy. Hopefully my loss of sleep the last few nights will not grow bitterness in me.
But on Friday, it was the calm before the storm. There was, in my mind at least, a certain uneasiness. You see, this is only the second time in the history of Bahrain that elections were taking place. In 2002, the new constitution came into effect, allowing for a congress-like assembly to be elected by the population. However, there were lots of protests, including a large portion of the public who refrained from voting.
Would this year be the same?
On Election Day, Saturday, I took a taxi to the mall. On the way, I started asking the driver about the elections and whether or not he had voted. He immediately showed his cynicism at the “elections”. And not without reason. Little tangible progress can be seen in the last four years. But the taxi soon got stuck in traffic. The driver quickly started to maneuver through the side streets, attempting to bypass the snarled traffic. But it was to no avail. People were out voting in large numbers.
As we drove by the nearby polling place, I saw a vast array of people. But what struck me most was a man who proudly walked out of the building, a small boy trying to keep up. He was dressed in a suit, which was shabby at best. But pride radiated out of him as he walked tall away from the election booths. He had cast his vote and was deciding his own fate.
Cynicism rooted in the past vs. hope reaching for the future. Bitterness grown from legitimate experiences contrasted with joy in what might be.
By that evening, I had been to the mall, done some shopping and taken a much needed nap. I was awakened around 7:30pm to a throng of honking car horns and an army of shouting voices. I immediately went to the window, wondering if I would find partiers or protesters. As I gazed out, I saw a line of 50-some cars filled with people, honking horns and shouting for joy, I assume because their candidate won. They held the political advertisements their candidate had posted and proudly displayed them for all to see.
For now, at least, Hope had replaced Cynicism. In tangible terms, only a small step has been made. But the hurdle of having peaceful elections is one that few countries have jumped so painlessly.
However, anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to American politics will know that it doesn’t take long to become bitter and jaded towards the political system. And as long as politics is run by man, the system will continue to cause bitterness and apathy.
Hopefully the wisdom of the elders will help direct the relentless, sometimes aimless, energy of the young. And hopefully the drive and hope of the young will not be deterred by the lack of enthusiasm of the cynical. Maybe, for a while at least, strides will be made in the system, postponing for a while the apathy that politics eventually brings.
As if on cue, as I write this at 11:39 pm on Sunday night, another makeshift parade of honking cars and enthusiastic voters are now passing my apartment complex, letting every one know that they are happy. Hopefully my loss of sleep the last few nights will not grow bitterness in me.
A Bit of Rain
I used to make fun of southern cities in the United States for shutting down when they were tormented by an inch of snow. My friends – I have witnessed the unthinkable. Mild rain, it seems, can shut a place down as well.
Last weekend, the rains started falling, harder than they have here in Bahrain in over 5 years. I would consider it mildly heavy, by Minnesota standards. The type of stuff where you need your wipers on full blast and running from your house to your car will give you a thorough soaking. However, as a mostly desert country, Bahrain is not prepared for this type of rain.
My ride to school, which is usually about 10 minutes, took 1 hour, because of traffic. As I arrived at school, many students had not shown up, as it would take them a few hours to reach school. Some people just didn’t come. The buildings are not prepared for this kind of rain, either. Many rooms at school were leaking. Combined with student absences, school was canceled for the day. As we tried to drive home, there were massive puddles, and some cars stuck in the new ponds. I realized that a climate like this has no need for drainage systems.
When we got home, my roommates and I realized that our windows are not rain proof either. Our whole living room was filled with water. Now, this wasn’t a big deal, as its all tile, but it was still a pain in the butt to clean up.
However, for all the problems and inconveniences, the rain has been awesome. It’s getting cool now, enough for a light jacket, and the rain is relaxing. I’m also realizing that there is such a thing as too much sunshine. I’m all about the cloudy, stormy days every once in a while. About once a week, or so.
Last weekend, the rains started falling, harder than they have here in Bahrain in over 5 years. I would consider it mildly heavy, by Minnesota standards. The type of stuff where you need your wipers on full blast and running from your house to your car will give you a thorough soaking. However, as a mostly desert country, Bahrain is not prepared for this type of rain.
My ride to school, which is usually about 10 minutes, took 1 hour, because of traffic. As I arrived at school, many students had not shown up, as it would take them a few hours to reach school. Some people just didn’t come. The buildings are not prepared for this kind of rain, either. Many rooms at school were leaking. Combined with student absences, school was canceled for the day. As we tried to drive home, there were massive puddles, and some cars stuck in the new ponds. I realized that a climate like this has no need for drainage systems.
When we got home, my roommates and I realized that our windows are not rain proof either. Our whole living room was filled with water. Now, this wasn’t a big deal, as its all tile, but it was still a pain in the butt to clean up.
However, for all the problems and inconveniences, the rain has been awesome. It’s getting cool now, enough for a light jacket, and the rain is relaxing. I’m also realizing that there is such a thing as too much sunshine. I’m all about the cloudy, stormy days every once in a while. About once a week, or so.
Oct 28, 2006
A Few Thoughts
The Break is Over
I am now on my last day of a weeklong break from school. For the most part I feel rested and relaxed and ready to start school again tomorrow. During the break, I was able to spend some time with friends from school and church – including a bbq in the desert and visiting a few of Bahrain’s sites. I visited, for the first time, the local Starbucks (which is even more expensive here!) and went to a concert – an Iranian group who played traditional persian music.
I even ventured to get my hair cut for the first time here, with success for the most part. I need to work on my Arabic. However, part of the haircut is an amazing head massage. I will definitely be returning (armed with a few more relevant vocabulary).
While it was nice to have a break from teaching, this week has had provided a moment for me to look back and see how the first 7 weeks of teaching has gone. All in all – I’ve survived. Hopefully I’ll have a better report at the holiday break in December. The learning curve is steep, and to be honest, I’ve learned more in 7 weeks here – both about teaching and myself as a teacher – than I would have if I were teaching in the states.
For the Visual Learners
I have a place to post pictures.
Update #3 - "His Still Quiet Voice"
My brother David's film did very well in the San Antonio Film Festival. He was a finalist in his category - Young Filmmaker - which means his was one of the top 4 films in that grouping. He is already planning his next project, and will begin production very soon.
My idea for his next movie: "Bahrain Witch Project". There is a legend (believed by many people, actually) that there is an old woman who wanders around the desert in the southern part of the island. She apparently haunts the Tree of Life - a random tree growing in the middle of the desert.
Oct 5, 2006
Mr. Joshua: Teacher, Traffic Director, Firefighter
I am many things to many people. Mostly, I am a teacher. But please, don't put me in some sort of box. I have many skills.
My new favorite activity is standing in the afternoon desert heat. In pants and long sleeves and a tie. After school every day, parents come to pick up their kids and attempt to wade through the sea of cars within the narrow, narrow street. Teachers are always outside turning this street into a one way road (which the neighborhood residents don't appreciate). I have traffic duty twice a week.
However, this week, I added a new job to my list: firefighter.
I was standing near my room watching students move to and fro during their break. I can see down the hallway and outside, and as I'm staring blankly down this hallway, a student runs in, grabs the fire extinguisher, and runs away. Mischief was in the air.
As I tore off after the punk, the kids are saying to me, "Mr. Joshua, there's a fire!" And I was thinking in my head, "I'm sure there is. Go to class." As I follow our little thief around the building, I see smoke billowing from the bushes at the back of the school. As I got nearer, I saw the flames. We're not talking about small flamelets. I'm talking about large LARGE flames. Large enough for about 30 people to roast marshmallows on. Of course, I started freaking out.
I grabbed the fire extinguisher and got in as close as I could and started spraying it. I soon finished that one and before I was done putting out the fire, about 4 fire extinguishers had been used up. I didn't even know we had four fire extinguishers at the school. My clothes wreaked of campfire smoke for the rest of the day.
What caused the fire, you're probably wondering. I'm wondering, too. Student mischief comes to mind, but I don't know.
What matters is that I win this week's "hero award".
My new favorite activity is standing in the afternoon desert heat. In pants and long sleeves and a tie. After school every day, parents come to pick up their kids and attempt to wade through the sea of cars within the narrow, narrow street. Teachers are always outside turning this street into a one way road (which the neighborhood residents don't appreciate). I have traffic duty twice a week.
However, this week, I added a new job to my list: firefighter.
I was standing near my room watching students move to and fro during their break. I can see down the hallway and outside, and as I'm staring blankly down this hallway, a student runs in, grabs the fire extinguisher, and runs away. Mischief was in the air.
As I tore off after the punk, the kids are saying to me, "Mr. Joshua, there's a fire!" And I was thinking in my head, "I'm sure there is. Go to class." As I follow our little thief around the building, I see smoke billowing from the bushes at the back of the school. As I got nearer, I saw the flames. We're not talking about small flamelets. I'm talking about large LARGE flames. Large enough for about 30 people to roast marshmallows on. Of course, I started freaking out.
I grabbed the fire extinguisher and got in as close as I could and started spraying it. I soon finished that one and before I was done putting out the fire, about 4 fire extinguishers had been used up. I didn't even know we had four fire extinguishers at the school. My clothes wreaked of campfire smoke for the rest of the day.
What caused the fire, you're probably wondering. I'm wondering, too. Student mischief comes to mind, but I don't know.
What matters is that I win this week's "hero award".
Sep 29, 2006
"His Still Quiet Voice" Update #2
I have some very exciting news. My wee brother David entered a film he directed and produced in a film competition in San Antonio, TX. Some may remember the blog entry from a few months ago.He (finally) found out today that he has made it as a semi-finalist in the film competition! He is now in the running for a $10,000 cash prize. Check out "His Still Quiet Voice" on the festival's website.
David will be traveling to San Antonio on October 19-21 with my parents to attend the festival, which also includes workshops on film production.
Check back here for updates on the film festival progress. Promoting the film is the least I can do, as I was the only family member not to appear in the film...
j/k David. I'll be in the next one. Maybe. If you do a documentary on Bahrain.
Sep 28, 2006
Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Water Heater
This past week, I have been without hot water. You wouldn't think this would be a problem - I mean, I live in a fairly hot climate. Either the water is already hot or a cool shower would be refreshing.
However, we have our air conditioning on so blasted high that we open up our freezer to defrost our kitchen. So its imparitive to have hot water in the morning. Yet, we have suffered.
My roomate, Steven, went to our landlord, asking him to come up to take a look at our water heater. He thus came up, and as I followed him into the laundry room, he began to stare hard at our broken machine. He then started to walk slowly away. I bordered on being annoyed - he hadnt' even touched the water heater, much less fixed anything.
He went to the wall opposite the heater, and headed for a switch on the wall - the switch to the light that was out in that room. He flipped the switch and gave me a satisfied smile that said "I fixed everything." (His English is limited, and Arabic certainly isn't my first language).
I was confused. Not only had he forgotten about the water heater, but he obviously hadn't fixed the broken light, either. "What about the water heater?"
"Fixed." He pointed to the heater hanging from the ceiling. A sly smile creeped onto his face.
I up behind me and saw a little red light at the bottom of the heater that I had never seen before. And then it dawned on me. The water heater is turned on and off by that switch. And the light in the laundry room - nope, its not broken. There's actually another light switch in the room.
Just be happy I'm not teaching YOUR kids.
However, we have our air conditioning on so blasted high that we open up our freezer to defrost our kitchen. So its imparitive to have hot water in the morning. Yet, we have suffered.
My roomate, Steven, went to our landlord, asking him to come up to take a look at our water heater. He thus came up, and as I followed him into the laundry room, he began to stare hard at our broken machine. He then started to walk slowly away. I bordered on being annoyed - he hadnt' even touched the water heater, much less fixed anything.
He went to the wall opposite the heater, and headed for a switch on the wall - the switch to the light that was out in that room. He flipped the switch and gave me a satisfied smile that said "I fixed everything." (His English is limited, and Arabic certainly isn't my first language).
I was confused. Not only had he forgotten about the water heater, but he obviously hadn't fixed the broken light, either. "What about the water heater?"
"Fixed." He pointed to the heater hanging from the ceiling. A sly smile creeped onto his face.
I up behind me and saw a little red light at the bottom of the heater that I had never seen before. And then it dawned on me. The water heater is turned on and off by that switch. And the light in the laundry room - nope, its not broken. There's actually another light switch in the room.
Just be happy I'm not teaching YOUR kids.
Sep 23, 2006
Ramadan
In a few hours, Ramadan will start.
Ramadan is the month in the Islamic calendar in which the Prophet Mohamed received his visions from the angel Gabriel, which are written in the Qur'an. During this time, muslims fast from sun-up till sun-down. They will wake up around 4:30 every morning to eat before the sunrise. The rest of the day, they don't eat or drink anything. Once the sun has gone down, they will gather with family and friends to break the fast for the evening. In Bahrain, it is against the law to eat or drink in public. Restaurants are closed until nighttime, but are open all night.
The fasting is a tangible way to cleanse the body, and an act in which Muslims seek to become closer to God and to know His will.
Typically, school goes from 7am till 3pm. During Ramadan, school will only go from 8am till 1pm. Most students will be tired and worn out from the fasting and late nights, as will many teachers.
Ramadan ends in mid-October with the Eid ul-Fitr festival (and marks the beginning of the following month).
Ramadan is the month in the Islamic calendar in which the Prophet Mohamed received his visions from the angel Gabriel, which are written in the Qur'an. During this time, muslims fast from sun-up till sun-down. They will wake up around 4:30 every morning to eat before the sunrise. The rest of the day, they don't eat or drink anything. Once the sun has gone down, they will gather with family and friends to break the fast for the evening. In Bahrain, it is against the law to eat or drink in public. Restaurants are closed until nighttime, but are open all night.
The fasting is a tangible way to cleanse the body, and an act in which Muslims seek to become closer to God and to know His will.
Typically, school goes from 7am till 3pm. During Ramadan, school will only go from 8am till 1pm. Most students will be tired and worn out from the fasting and late nights, as will many teachers.
Ramadan ends in mid-October with the Eid ul-Fitr festival (and marks the beginning of the following month).
Sep 15, 2006
A Fundraiser Downtown
I just returned from the Coral Beach Hotel in downtown Manama (the capital city of Bahrain). There, the Lebonese embassy put on a fundraiser to help purchase medical supplies for children hurt in Lebanon. There is at least one family in our apartment complex who has family in Lebabnon, and was there when the war started. As they were selling tickets to the event, I decided to buy one. Many of the people in our apartment complex went, so it was also a good oportunity to meet some of the people around me.
Even though I like political intrigue and world events, they often seem very distant, abstract and like an interesting story in a book. But the rubber has met the road in the last few weeks as I have met countless lebanese - some of them my students (and even a few who are at this school as a result of the war) and some my neighbors, all who have family and friends in the areas of Lebanon affected. Politics and foreign policy - which sometimes make things like this too abstract and a mere mental exercise - get put into the backseat as I see faces that try to show steele, but are betrayed by the fear and uncertainty washing about behind their eyes.
And so once again, life gets put into perspective. School will be hard this year - but not that hard. Living in a new culture, with new norms and values, and new ways of doing things will be frustrating - but things could be worse. Much worse. And I would do well to remember that.
Even though I like political intrigue and world events, they often seem very distant, abstract and like an interesting story in a book. But the rubber has met the road in the last few weeks as I have met countless lebanese - some of them my students (and even a few who are at this school as a result of the war) and some my neighbors, all who have family and friends in the areas of Lebanon affected. Politics and foreign policy - which sometimes make things like this too abstract and a mere mental exercise - get put into the backseat as I see faces that try to show steele, but are betrayed by the fear and uncertainty washing about behind their eyes.
And so once again, life gets put into perspective. School will be hard this year - but not that hard. Living in a new culture, with new norms and values, and new ways of doing things will be frustrating - but things could be worse. Much worse. And I would do well to remember that.
Sep 11, 2006
And Life Goes On
I have now finished the first week of school. It went well. I met the kids, did some teaching, and started to get into the groove of life. I wake up at 5:30, leave for school by 6:30 and start by 7. School right now goes till about three o'clock. So its a long day, but during Ramadan, one of the major muslim holidays, school will only go from 8am till 1. And that's a month long.
I have been having a grand time in the neighborhood, too. I have met a few of the local shopkeepers, bought an abundance of groceries from them, and askd them for help as I get more settled in.
As I type this, the call to prayer can be heard throughout the neighborhood. It is broadcast over a loudspeaker from the local mosque. I can also hear it at about 4:30 every morning. As you can imagine, most of the people in my neighborhood are muslims.
However, with being in the middle east, in a different climate, in a different culture, with a different religion, things are not as different and exotic as I imagined. Life has been strangly normal and I'm waiting for that "aha" momment when I am all the sudden I realize that, toto, we're not in kansas anymore.
Someday, but not today.
And back to the lesson planning I'll go - my life for this year.
I have been having a grand time in the neighborhood, too. I have met a few of the local shopkeepers, bought an abundance of groceries from them, and askd them for help as I get more settled in.
As I type this, the call to prayer can be heard throughout the neighborhood. It is broadcast over a loudspeaker from the local mosque. I can also hear it at about 4:30 every morning. As you can imagine, most of the people in my neighborhood are muslims.
However, with being in the middle east, in a different climate, in a different culture, with a different religion, things are not as different and exotic as I imagined. Life has been strangly normal and I'm waiting for that "aha" momment when I am all the sudden I realize that, toto, we're not in kansas anymore.
Someday, but not today.
And back to the lesson planning I'll go - my life for this year.
Sep 2, 2006
1st Day of School
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tomorrow is the first official day of school. It should be good. Hopefully. But you know how those first days are...
I thought I'd give you an idea of what its like at my school through the nationalities presented. Here are some of the ones I can remember:
Canada
United States (that would be me)
Bahrain
Morrocco
Tunisia
Zambia
South Africa (Johanesburg Area)
England
Ireland
France
Ukrane
India
Philipines
Oman
Jordan
Lebanon
I think that most of the students are from Bahrain, but who knows. Apparently, there was an American kid there last year, but we'll see. In my neighborhood, in the villiage of Diraz, there are quite a few Indians, a few packistani's, and then a few Nepalese. I'm sure there are other nationalities I don't know about, too.
So far, the heat hasn't killed me. I'm even getting used to it. I had to sleep with the covers over me the other nigth because I was getting cold!
To be honest, there is so much to write, but so little time (and so few internet connections). Maybe some day soon I'll write something of substance on here. But lets not get our hopes up.
Tomorrow is the first official day of school. It should be good. Hopefully. But you know how those first days are...
I thought I'd give you an idea of what its like at my school through the nationalities presented. Here are some of the ones I can remember:
Canada
United States (that would be me)
Bahrain
Morrocco
Tunisia
Zambia
South Africa (Johanesburg Area)
England
Ireland
France
Ukrane
India
Philipines
Oman
Jordan
Lebanon
I think that most of the students are from Bahrain, but who knows. Apparently, there was an American kid there last year, but we'll see. In my neighborhood, in the villiage of Diraz, there are quite a few Indians, a few packistani's, and then a few Nepalese. I'm sure there are other nationalities I don't know about, too.
So far, the heat hasn't killed me. I'm even getting used to it. I had to sleep with the covers over me the other nigth because I was getting cold!
To be honest, there is so much to write, but so little time (and so few internet connections). Maybe some day soon I'll write something of substance on here. But lets not get our hopes up.
Aug 14, 2006
August 24, 2006 - Departure Has Arrived
Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis is leaving the building. I finally got the date for my departure, a scant two weeks before the actual date. To be honest, I was starting to get a tad nervous. I even had a dream a few days ago that I got my ticket merely two hours before my flight left. I was scrambling to get my things together before my flight left.
Now that the departure date is real, this whole thing is starting to feel a little bit more real. And that means doing a little more studying, a little more lesson planning (or, maybe starting lesson planning), and starting to create a list of things I need to bring.
But lets be honest. Most nights I go to bed and tell myself - I need to start lesson planning tomorrow. Most mornings I wake up and... watch star trek (yes, for those of you unware, I am a trekkie). But what can I say? The last season of Deep Space 9 is fascinating, being modeled after World War II!!
But with a mere 11 days before I leave (holy crap!) I'll be working a smidge more diligently. After that I'll be on a plane to Amsterdam, spend nine hours there, and catch a 6 hour flight to Manama, the capital city of Bahrain.
Now that the departure date is real, this whole thing is starting to feel a little bit more real. And that means doing a little more studying, a little more lesson planning (or, maybe starting lesson planning), and starting to create a list of things I need to bring.
But lets be honest. Most nights I go to bed and tell myself - I need to start lesson planning tomorrow. Most mornings I wake up and... watch star trek (yes, for those of you unware, I am a trekkie). But what can I say? The last season of Deep Space 9 is fascinating, being modeled after World War II!!
But with a mere 11 days before I leave (holy crap!) I'll be working a smidge more diligently. After that I'll be on a plane to Amsterdam, spend nine hours there, and catch a 6 hour flight to Manama, the capital city of Bahrain.
Aug 7, 2006
A Director is Born
I have told some of you about the film project that my little brother was working on. Here is what a movie poster would look like if there was one. He has been workin on this movie, "His Quiet Voice" for about 8 months now. The script is based on a book my dad wrote, but David did all the film work. He and my dad found actors in the church to donate time, the largest hospital in Houston let them film the emergency room and hospital scenes in their facilities, people let him borrow professional grade cameras, lighting equipment and sound equipment, and he used professional grade film editing software in the post production. My mom and other brother, stephen, did the music. I, however, win the award for "most likely to be left out of a family production".
The final product was really good. About 250 people came to the release party we had last night. People really liked it. The story really forces people to come to terms with death, loneliness and bitterness.
He has sent this film into a christian film festival in San Antonio, and he'll know in September if he made it in or not. I'd be surprised if he didn't.
Someday, when he's famous, you can pull out this sweet movie trivia and say "I know David Perkins' first film." People will be astounded at your depth of knowledge. And then you can say, "I know his brother". People will be amazed at your connections.
Aug 1, 2006
Journey 1 (of 2)
If you would direction your attention to the right, you will notice a map detailing my drive from Minnesota to Houston, TX.Travel info according to Google Maps:
1258 miles
22 hours, 20 minutes
no known detours
Actual Travel info:
1320 miles
23 hours, 15 minutes
1 detour (apparently I DON'T know more than
the map)
I left around 2am on Wednesday morning from Woodbury, and drove for 23 hour strait. I arrived at my parents house around 1:15 am on Thursday morning. Yes, I was nuts. Yes, it was long. I listened to books on tape ("A wrinkle in time", "109 East Palace Dr"), which made it seem like a 6 hour drive.
I was fine for the most part. Once the sun came up, I didn't feel too tired. However, around hour 22, things got... interesting.
As I was driving through Houston, I saw a large tree branch in the middle of the highway, in my lane. I stared harder, trying to decide if it was really there, and I become more and more convinced. At the last second, I swirved out of the branch AND IT DISAPPEARED!! I was starting to hallucinate. This happened two more times. It was at this point that I started to think it would have been better to call my parents to have them pick me up and drive the rest of the way (I was only 20 minutes away).
But that's what a SISSY would have done. So I decided to man it up and drive the rest of the way. My masculinity was saved once again.
Don't try this at home, kids.
Jul 29, 2006
"Lady in the Water" Review
Great movie, though many people will tell you otherwise. I think a lot of people were going into it thinking it was 1) a horror/thriller or 2) have the trademark Shamalan twist at the end. It was neither of these. If you go in with a blank slate (which means stop reading here, if you haven't seen the movie) and with the idea hearing a good story, I think you'll enjoy it.
Warning - spoiler below
I read one review that said it was too much of a bed time story. Well, it is a bed time story. It is originally a bed time story he told his kids, which made its way into a childrens book. Most movies either draw you into a total fantasy world, or they are in the 'real' world. I think this movie does a good job of bringing the two together.
The movie is just a good story. Shyamalan is also a master of subtleties. On of my favorite parts of the move is the types of characters that help Story. Unassimilated immigrants (the spanish and asian families), the angry old man, the crazy cat lady, a dejected former doctor, a child with too much imagnation - in some form or another, they are all the people who are not neccessarily the conventional 'heroes'. But here, it is the ordinary, the disinherited, who do something important for the world. They are the ones important for humanity.
He goes about telling the story of the rescue of Story in a fascinating way. I guess you could say his trademarke "twist" is there. Halfway through the movie, Shyamalan leads you to believe you've figured it out - Cleveland has found all the pieces to helping Story, but they all turn out to be wrong. In the end, the clues are there, but he overpowered them with the wrong clues to mislead the viewer.
I personally enjoyed the fairy tale-ness of the movie, but call me a sucker for legends and stories that harken back to the days when science and logical thought did not kill a good story.
Ok, so maybe I should change all the "you's" throughout this to "I's". I'm sure there are enough people who will challenge me on any of the above. So I will acquiese and call it 'opinion'. But it's all opinion anyway.
Jul 17, 2006
The Trick to Getting a Date (compliments of a dear friend)
1. Go over seas.That one's easy. I'll be leaving for the great country of Bahrain somewhere between August 16 -19, and I will be over there till at least June 2007. The school I will be at, Sanabil Private School, pays for my airfare back to the states for the summer. Sweet candy cracker!
2. Contract a disease.
Ok, so this one probably won't be as fun, but sometimes sacrifices need to be made. It may be a tough one, too. Bahrain is a fairly modern and western country, and while the Center for Disease Control lists several diseases and subsequent precautionary measures for travelers to take, the actual danger is pretty low.
So I'll have to work extra hard on this step.
3. Come back to the states and wait for the women to flock to me.
Since I'm gone for about 10 months, I'll need to time this one just right. But I've observed that when one is sick, the individual will be asked on dates and given phone numbers left and right.
As my father once said, "Once you are out of college, it becomes much harder to find a wife." (and as my former roomate countered - "So once I've left college I'm home free?") Now that I have graduated from Northwestern College, I need all the help I can get.
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But I guess my focus on finding a wife can wait. For now I am working on curriculum development, attempting to figure out international finances, and waiting for my plane tickets and work visa to arrive. But I'll talk about that another time. For now, I'll let you digest the three steps to getting a date.
Jul 10, 2006
Bahrain? Huh?
Unsure of where Bahrain is? Here's a map. In the larger portion, the dark dot in the center is Bahrain. I wasn't kidding when I said it was small. Its just off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. Kuwait and Iraq are northwest and Iran is directly to the north.The whole country is 25 miles north to south, and 15 miles wide at its widest.
During the summer (April - October), temperatures hover around 100-120 degrees, with 90 percent humidity. During the winters, things cool off, getting down to 60 degrees, highs in the 80's. There are no in between seasons, such as fall or spring. Its just hot or scalding.
