A Day in the Desert

"Flight Without Wings"

It was a gorgeous Saturday in March.  Three forty-five passenger buses took off from the Aware Center in Kuwait.  The further we got out of the city, the terrain became more and more desolate. Only hard scrabble earth and power lines as far as the eye could see.  We were on our way to the Ajmal Arabian Stud Farm.  About ninety minutes later we turned into an oasis of lovely palms and manicured grounds, and of course, the horses.  And not just any horses.  Egyptian Arabians.  I'm not a "horse person" by any means, but it doesn't take an equine expert to appreciate the exquisite exotic beauty of the Arabian. The Arabian is one of the oldest and purest of breeds.  It has been said that King Solomon and George Washington both owned Arabians.  These horses are highly prized for their beauty and intelligence as well as their endurance.  It is not uncommon for them to run up to one hundred miles in a single day.  They have been bred to run fast and hard in this hot, arid climate and harsh terrain.  The Arabian is the horse of the Bedouin.  It was the ideal war horse, yet gentle around humans. Sandstorms are common on the Arabian Peninsula.  These animals would be brought into the tent for protection and sleep along side their owners which is why to this day this breed is known for its friendly and loving nature. That was very evident on the day of our visit.

They led us to an arena where the mares and their foals were brought out.  They pranced and danced around the ring.  Their wild beauty and proud demeanor very much in evidence.  The stallions were brought out last.  They were the royalty in the ring, prancing about, snorting and pawing the ground; showing the mares who was king. What a day for this small town girl from Iowa!

After we saw the Arabians, we were free to wander the grounds and the barns.  We were even invited into the villa of Mr. Mohammad Al Marzouk, the owner of Ajmal Arabian Stud.  You will never find a more gracious host.  We were then treated to a wonderful lunch under a tent, then it was time for the group picture all of us surrounding one of the mares and her foal.  The gentleness of these intelligent animals, the beauty of the farm and villa are pictures in my mind that will be precious memories of a magical day in the desert of Kuwait.

One of the beautiful mares at the Ajmal Arabian Stud Farm

"Flight Without Wings"

They were so gentle

So very sweet.

Very attached to their handlers.

Beauty and elegance.

A shot of the grounds.

Sunken living room in the villa.  

Me and our gracious host, Mr. Mohammed Al Marzouk, owner of Ajmal Arabian Stud.

Mother's Day in the Middle East

Mothers's Day is is celebrated March 21 in the Middle East.  This holiday is taken very seriously here, as it should everywhere there are mothers!  The difference for me here in Kuwait is that children bring flowers and gifts to their teachers. I was in the middle of a fourth grade music class when we heard a tentative knock on the door.  I answered the door and here is this adorable little preschool boy with three red roses in his hand.  His name is Turki Al Turki.  What a cutie!  

KG Concert

KG 2

Thursday was morning was the KG "Spring Show."  Fifteen classes divided into seven sets; roughly about 220 children under the age of five.  Had I fully understood this small nugget of information before I stepped on the airplane in August of 2013, I'm not quite sure I could have summoned the courage not turn and head for the hills!  Never underestimate your capabilities when confronted with life's little challenges!  I managed to survive my second KG Spring Show.  We only had to carry off one weeping three year old.  Not too bad for a day's work!

Nursery

Skidamarink "I Love You!"  Singing from their hearts!

I've been reflecting on the cultural differences of music programs here and back in the states. The night before this program I took the time to make sure I could correctly pronounce all the names of the teachers and their assistants and then I did a few google searches regarding the songs and themes I chose.  I carefully practiced my little speeches so I wouldn't stumble over my words like I did last year.  Always room for improvement.  Well, when the curtain was parted and the parents got a good look at their little ones on stage, the iPhones and video cameras were came out and hands were waving wildly (parents, not the kids) like they were long last pals!  I continued with my well polished speech, but I might as well have been talking to the wall!  Oh well, out little ones performed well and everybody went home happy and proud of their children's accomplishments.  We all have hopes and dreams for the future.  That is evident back home as well as here in Kuwait.  Children are the best part of the culture here in the Middle East and all around the world.  I am blessed.  

National and Liberation Day 2015

A shot of the Kuwait Towers located along Arabian Gulf Road.

Kuwait National and Liberation Day is celebrated on the 25th and 26th of February.  National Day celebrates Kuwait as an independent nation, no longer a protectorate of Great Britain. Liberation Day commemorates the liberation of Kuwait from seven months of traumatic Iraqi occupation.  The holidays are punctuated by heavily clogged traffic, kids lining Gulf Road with waterguns, families out and about dressed in the colors of Kuwait, and an impressive display of fireworks at night.  The Arab staff creates a spectacular show of dance and song.  It is always impressive.  

Originally named the Kuwait Communications Tower, it was half finished when Iraq invaded Kuwait.  It was left undamaged during the invasion.  When it was finally completerd in 1993, it was renamed Liberation Tower, symbolizing Kuwait's liberation fom Iraq.

The city is lit up wherever you go.

A miniature of the Kuwait Towers covered in lights.

Even the Mubarakia is decked out in lights.

The Grand Finale at the National Day Show put on by the Arabic staff

Always a feast of colors and movement.

Truly dazzeling!

The day before the big holiday everyone comes dressed in their national day colors.

These little cuties are dressed up for the big parade.

They are the stars of the show, of course!

So handsome!

Check out the mini me on the left!

I have to thank my friend, Penny, for this shot of the Kuwait Towers and the one at the top of the page.  It is truly breathtaking to stand at the base of the towers and watch the kaleioscope of colors.  

I don't generally do selfies, but once in a while......

Expat Donald Ytzen

Here is Don in his AD office.  We share space in the basemet floor of UAS.

Donald Ytzen is the high school AD here at UAS.  UAS offers many sports; men and women's volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field, and also badminton.  In the US, badminton isn't one of the mainstream sports, but it is becoming popular in the west coast, Minnesota, Illinois,  and New York and Florida.  The sport is hugely popular in Europe and Asia.  It has been an Olympic sport since 1992.  Enough about badminton!

Don is the only fellow Iowan here at UAS.  He was originally from Chicago, but his family moved to Creston when he was in elementary school.  He attended Southwest Community College for two years.  From there he studied at Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri, where he became interested in anthropology. Tarkio College offered a semester of study in Egypt so he traveled to the Middle East and spent a semester in Alexandria.  He returned to the states to obtain his teaching endorsement at Luther College.  He graduated with a degree in anthropology and history and a minor in sociology.  

He began his career in the small town of Ossian, Iowa, which is located just outside of Decorah.  Then he received a call from an administrator he knew from his semester in Egypt.  That began his tenure at the Schutz American School in Alexandria, Egypt.  After seventeen years in Egypt, he switched gears and came to UAS here in Kuwait where he has taught History I and II, American History, and International Relations.  He has also coached volleyball, basketball, tennis, track and field, and soccer.  He has been the athletic director here the last two years and has been at UAS for the past fourteen years.

Coaching in the Middle East has its own set of challenges.  Although UAS is one of the largest international schools in the world, the number of students participating in a sport is disproportionately low.  As you might expect, soccer is the most popular sport.  The level of ability is not what you would experience as a coach in the US due to the fact that most schools in the Middle East do not offer competitive sports until 7th or 8th grade.  Soccer is the only club sport offered in the city and that is for boys only.  The students play with equal enthusiasm and heart as their American and European counterparts, but competitive sports are not highly valued as part of their culture.  It is not unusual to find just a tiny handful of parents at a home game.

Since the parents take such a casual interest in the extra-curricular sports their children play, the coaches rarely have to deal with the "helicopter parents" who constantly harass them regarding playing time and other coaching decisions.  Another perk of coaching internationally is being able to travel to different countries to participate in tournaments.  Every sport has its tournaments, so if you are out for a team sport, travel in inevitable unless the tournament is held here in Kuwait.

As you might expect, Don is an avid traveler.  The list of countries Don has visited is impressive!  Besides Egypt and Kuwait, he has explored Abu Dhabi, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.  On the continent of Europe, he has visited Greece, Italy, England, and Germany.  He has been to much of Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Canary Islands.  I'm sure I left something out, but I would say that is a pretty impressive list, and you can easily guess why Don has spent most of his career teaching here in the Middle East.

My Quilting Addiction

"Sing With Your Heart, Listen With Your Soul"

I'm afraid I have not lost my love for quilting while here in Kuwait.  It does present a bit of a problem in my tiny apartment.  When I've completed a project, I find strings allover the place.

Thank goodness the apartment came with a vacuum cleaner!

For those of you who care about such things, The fabric was already printed. I rearranged the picture a bit and added the borders and the blocks inside, then set to work quilting it.

I thank mygood friend, Pat Follett, who blessed me with the intersting piece of fabric.  It was fun to put together and now hangs proudly in my classroom.  I love adding a generous splash of color on my white walls!

Blessings to you from Kuwait!