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.
