Arab Organization Headquarters Building
A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the the Arab Fund Organization Building. It was one of those blistering hot days of 120 degrees plus heat and I was tempted to stay home, but I'm so glad I went. The outside of the building didn't look all that unusual, but when I stepped inside, I knew that I was looking at a building where every space was filled with a perfect blend of the old and new in the Arab world and I was about to be amazed.
The following is a quote from the Arab Organization Building website; arabfund.org/aohq
"The Arab Organization Headquarters Building, situated outside Kuwait City in Shuwaik, blends modern architectural techniques with traditional artisan crafts. Completed in 1994, it is home to four major Arab organizations: the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, OAPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries), the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation and the Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company.
Considered one of the most acclaimed buildings in the Middle East, it draws thousands of visitors from across the globe."
When I stepped through the massive front doors my eyes were immediately drawn to the Moroccan water wall. The perfection and beauty of the intricate tile work reminded me of the tile-work I saw on the walls of the Grand Mosque. Water is gently cascading down the back wall into the pool below.
We walked into the library through this wonderful intricately carved screen. There was so much to see in the library to tell you about, but what really caught my eye was this spiral staircase. The workmanship is remarkable.
The Tunisian room was beautiful; ceramic tile panels and decorative wood and stone patterns that repeat the design,Tunisian carved stone walls and columns and arches cut from Jordanian stone.
On the next level we walked onto an atrium nine stories high. The Egyptian Mashrabiya towers over the the entire nine stories. There were huge potted trees, a suspended glass wall and a Syrian fountain.
I could write a book about all the wonders of this desert oasis located in the outskirts Kuwait, but if you are truly interested in discovering more about the innovative architecture you can find in the Middle East and traditional Arabic Artisan skills, I encourage you to go to their website and take a virtual tour. Besides, their pictures are much better than mine!
Detail of hand painted door from Morocco
A Baby Quilt
Besides teaching music, I have two passions. One is gardening, which is almost impossible to do here in Kuwait. The other is making quilts, which I most definitely can do over here, although it gets a bit messy in my little apartment. One thing I have a lot more of here in Kuwait is time. I used to spend almost two hours a day commuting and in the winter that could easily double when the roads were bad. There's nothing more relaxing for me than coming home after a long day at school than pushing a needle in and out of the layers of a quilt.
This quilt was made for my granddaughter, Julia. Her mother picked out the double pinwheel design and the colors, so I can't take full credit for the design, but I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. I pieced the top last spring and started quilting it in July. I finally put in the last few stitches a week ago. I can't wait to give it to Julia when I get home this Christmas.
Second Grade Program
We had our first program of the school year a couple of weeks ago. Since it was in October, I chose a Halloween theme. You would think there would be lots of Halloween songs out there, but it was a challenge to find enough Halloween songs and fingerplays to fill a half hour program with two groups of classes (five sections). So I filled in with "The Good Ship Lollipop" which I thought was relevant because the song is all about candy and a Raffi song called "One Light One Sun." Raffi is all about creating a world of peace, so his music always plays well here in Kuwait.
Working their little tails off during rehearsal!
Our programs are always in the afternoon, which is pretty nice for me since I live just across the parking lot from the school and I can just put up my feet and relax after a long day at school, but unfortunately, for about one quarter of my students, their parents aren't able to get away to watch their children perform. I'm used to small town Iowa where nearly the entire town shows up to watch the kids put on the yearly Christmas and Spring programs. People come to those programs who don't even have children performing. Back in Baxter, Iowa, the attendance got so large, we had to divide the programs into two parts so we could accommodate everyone who wanted to come, and that was in a large high school gym. Our auditorium here at UAS is somewhat small, but we haven't quite managed to fill it yet. Our students are drawn from a city of about four million people. As you can well imagine, traffic is a huge issue. Traffic on the main thorough fares at night is terrible, so I understand why our programs are scheduled during the day, but I have to say I do miss small town USA where the most exciting event of the year might be seeing your little one shine as she sings her heart out on yet another rendition of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer."
This first quarter was much smoother sailing than a year ago. There was so much to learn about this culture and how I fit into the greater scheme of things here at UAS. I'm still learning and there is never a dull moment, that is guarranteed! One thing I did learn is that I never want to spend another Christmas in a desert in Kuwait, so my neighbors here on the third floor will probably get tired of hearing me sing, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" because I booked my flight for United Airlines back in January and Des Moines International Airport here I come!
Soooo interesting! Hope to see you when you are "Home for Christmas".
ReplyDeletehugs,
Karen