My Journey to Egypt

I never had a bucket list.  Four years ago I just assumed I would continue teaching music in Baxter, Iowa, until I retired to "Grandmaland" and that would be how my life would unroll.  I have since learned to never assume anything and because life doesn't necessarily play out in the way you would imagine.  "Life happens" as they say, and there you are one day, broken and bewildered because you have no idea why you were singled out to have your life turn upside down.  Thankfully, I was not alone.  God was right there at my side and incredibly I came to realize that His plans are far better than I could ever dream on my own. So here I am four years into my journey in this amazing part of the world they call the Middle East.  I teach music to our tiny little three year olds up through grade four.  The teaching part isn't all that different (other than the fact that until I came here I had never taught below Kindergarten level) but the day to day life took a little getting used to and that is a whole other blog!  But one of the perks of life in this part world is being able to travel.

I didn't necessarily regard traveling as a perk.  Traveling was pretty terrifying at first. I could barely make out the information on my first plane ticket. The thought of having to navigate O'Hare on my own was bad enough. When I realized I would have to find this train that would transport me to a different gate, I almost had a panic attack.  People back in Iowa think I'm so adventurous.  It really wasn't that so much as the fact that I had no other skills other than teaching music.  As far as I could make out, it seemed like Kuwait was the only place on the planet that was hiring middle aged women to teach elementary music and I wasn't ready to start living out of my car!  So I was on my way to a different world.  

My first year I didn't travel at all until I was on my way home after that first school year.  I met my daughter in Portugal, a place she had visited when she was in college, and she and I shared a magical week in Lisbon. I spent both Christmas and spring break in my tiny apartment in Kuwait.  I couldn't imagine actually traveling on my own.  Since that first year I have grown to like traveling, but I don't really love it.  It's great once I get to my destination, but the whole process of booking tickets and hotel rooms and navigating strange airports I find pretty stressful.  But it's getting easier and now I find myself actually contemplating where I will travel next.  A person can sit and stare at four walls for only so long before you begin to think there are better ways to spend your time. So here I am, four years later writing a blog about a solo trip to Egypt.  So come along for the ride!

According to Wikipedia, The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is thought to be built for the Egyptian Pharaoh Khafre.  The most widely held theory states that the Sphinx was built to serve the cult of the dead king and the sun god, Re.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities 

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo houses the most valuable collection of its kind.  The museum was founded by Egyptologist Auguste Mariette in 1858 and moved to its present site in 1902.  It houses over 120,000 items in the museum including some 1700 items from the tomb of Tutankhamen.

The Gold Mask of Tutankhamen.  I didn't want to take my eyes off of it.

Tourists are not permitted to photograph the mask.  I heard an American walk up to a guard and offer him 150 USD to take a picture.  The answer was a firm NO!  I downloaded this picture from Wikipedia. This mask weighs 24 pounds.

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Canopic jars used for the burial of internal organs of the deceased.  Each was protected by one of the four sons of Horas whose heads are seen on the lids of the jars.

Statuette of a nobleman, his wife and son.

Statue of King Chephren, the builder of the second pyramid.

They have so many mummies in this museum that they have to stack them on top of each other!

A gold chariot belonging to Tutankhamen.  One of many chariots found in his tomb.

This is King Seqenere.  He was not having a good day!  He was about 40 years old when he died of dramatic battle wounds while fighting to liberate Egypt from foreign invaders.

This is the head of the statue of Kaaper, the chief lector priest in charge of reciting prayers for the deceased in temples and and funerary chapels.  My guide told me an interesting story regarding the discovery of this statue.  Apparently, one of the workers peered through a window in the door of the room where this statue was placed.  It looked so lifelike that the worker ran all the way back to his village to get help because he was convinced that there was a man locked in the room.  The statue is indeed a masterpiece.  The eyes that are so lifelike are inlaid with rock crystal and Quartz.

It has been a challenge to decide which of my many, many pictures to select for this blog.  I love museums, in fact, I returned a second day because we got there too late to see the mummy room and I wasn't about to leave Egypt until I laid my eyes on a real bonafied Egyptian mummy!

More on my trip in a couple of weeks!

Bits and Pieces from Kuwait

Hamad Al Fuzia Museum for Antiques

Last October I had the opportunity to pay a visit to the Hamad Al Fuzia Museum for Antiques.  The owner of this collection of family antiques has them displayed in the basement of his home and is happy to arrange personal tours.  He had a story for every object on display and it was very interesting to hear him weave the stories of old Kuwait as he described the relics and antiques from his families' past.

Hamad's lovely granddaughters posing in their National Day attire in front of a hand carved antique door commonly found in Kuwait at the turn of the nineteenth century.

A very unique museum.  

Take a peak into the wedding chamber!

Expat Kent Ewing

Kent's family....Scott, Jackie, Mary, and Kent

Last fall I had a conversation with Kent Ewing who was beginning his second year at UAS.  Kent is one of the high school English teachers here on our staff.  In addition to teaching at UAS, he is also a free lance journalist for the Hong Kong Free Press.

Kent grew up in Kansas City, Kansas.  Kent decided that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in the Midwest, so when he graduated from high school, he enrolled in Northeastern University in Boston, where he majored in journalism and English.  He graduated in 1978 and was hired at Fryeburg Academy in Freyburg, Maine.  In 1981 he received his MA in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin.  In 1986, Ken decided he wanted to take a different direction in his life and accepted a position teaching English at the International School of Kenya.  He found more than adventure in his new life in Kenya.  It was in Kenya that he was introduced to the love of his life, Mary.  She was working for an international organization in Nairobi.  They met at a wedding of mutual friends and it wasn't long before they decided that marriage would be in their future.  

In 1990 the couple decided it was time to experience life in another part of the world, so they set off for Hong Kong where Kent taught English at Hong Kong International School.  Soon after they arrived in Hong Kong, they discovered that they were going to be parents.  Their son, Scott, was born in 1991 and daughter, Jackie soon followed in 1993.  

In 2014, with both offspring out of the nest, Kent and Mary decided it was time to make another move.  Kent found a position here at UAS, hoping his wife could also obtain a visa.  Before that could happen, Mary was offered an a opportunity to become an administrator at a new school in Hong Kong that was just opening its doors.  They decided that this was an opportunity she should take, so for now, they are living apart.  They spend Christmas and summers together and save their future.  They will one day retire in Kenya where they are building a home in the beautiful coastal city of Mombasa.  Sounds like plan well worth waiting for!

UAS Singers

UAS Singers getting ready to sing with the UAS band

I organized UAS Singers when I started teaching at Universal American School in 2013.  I work with these energetic fourth graders every Sunday after school in the fall preparing for the Christmas shows we do with the high school band.  Every group has their own personality and this group was no exception.  It is fun to work with children who love to sing and a joy to watch their progress from shaky beginnings in the fall to confident performers by December. 

They love to mug for the camera!

                                                     'Sing Galing Duo'

Hedy Menendez and I were two of four judges for the Sing Galing Duo contest

Here I am being presented with my certificate of appreciation from the Philipine ambassador and his wife.  No event is complete without a certificate!

Among the more unusual things I've been asked to do in this country was a request to judge a vocal duet contest organized by Pinoy Arabia FM - advertised as the "most listened to internet based community service radio station catering to Filipinos in Kuwait, the Middle East and across the globe."  By the way, only 31% of the approximately thirty million people who live in Kuwait are Kuwaiti.  According to the latest census figures, Filipinos comprise 4.4% of the population coming in third after after India and Egypt.  They play a vital role in the service and hospitality industry and many Filipinos are employed as nurses in private and public hospitals.  They work very hard here in Kuwait so as to provide for their loved ones and families back home.

News clipping that appeared in the Kuwait Times

Music plays an important part of the culture in the Philippines, which is why these

local talent contests are so popular.  We had sixteen couples to judge.  We rated them based on vocal quality (30%), blending and coordination (40%), consistency and vibrancy (40%), dynamics (10%), and showmanship (10%).  It was very entertaining to watch all these couples compete.  Like any contest, some contestants were outstanding and some could use a little more work.  But they all were winners in the "give it your all" category and I give them all major respect for their performances.  There is a lot of musical talent talent in the Filipino community and I was honored to be asked to judge the 2016 'Sing Galing Duo.'

The winning couple received 500 KD and a two way ticket home to the Pholipines from Philipine Airlines

A beautiful view of the Arabian Gulf from a lovely Lebanese restaurant called Burj Al Hamman

Hidden Treasures in Kuwait: The House of Mirrors

It wasn't difficult to figure out which home was the House of mirrors!

Kuwait may not be a tourist destination, but if you take the time to do a little digging, you may come up with a few unexpected gems.  I'd heard about the House of Mirrors, but I hadn't taken the time to really check it out.  I'm going on my fourth year here in Kuwait, so I thought it was about time!

Lidia was there to meet us at the door.  You couldn't find a more gracious hostess.

Even the courtyard was adorned with her beautiful work.

It didn't take us long to get there.  It was actually in a typical Kuwaiti neighborhood.  I remember thinking that I hoped we wouldn't drive right by trying to find the address.  There was no need to worry about that.  The entire exterior of the home is covered with mirror mosaics.  There was no question that we had found the right place.  We were met at the door by this diminutive Italian woman, Lidia Qattan.  Lidia Qattan is the artist who created The House of Mirrors.  She actually lives inside of her masterpiece.  Amazing!  She is close to eighty years old.  She tells a fascinating narrative about what inspired her to cover her entire home inside and out with mirrors.  We began our tour in her living room where she served us this lovely lemon ginger tea and little sweets.  There were about twelve of us in her living room.  It was cozy and pleasant, then the journey began.

Here you see her inspiration is the mysterious world under the sea.

An ordinary kitchen is no longer so ordinary!

I didn't know mirrors came in so many colors.

You knew this was coming...even the toilet was transformed!

Steps leading to the art galleries of Khalifa and Lidia Qattan 

Apparently, the entire project began as a result of her little daughter breaking a mirror.  As is typical of creative people, she took the problem of a cracked mirror and repurposed it into a beautiful mosaic on an ordinary cabinet.  When her husband went  on a business trip, she took the opportunity to transform the living room into a piece of art with more mosaics.  He loved the result and encouraged her to continue.  Soon the entire house became a living and breathing piece of art.  Then the unthinkable happened.  In 1985, six years after completion, she discovered that termites had been busy eating her house from the inside out.  She then began the arduous work of stripping down the entire house and completely redoing her mosaics.  This time she changed her technique and not only did she cover the walls, the floors also became a canvas for her unique artistic expression.  Each room has a theme.  Lidia takes you on a journey into her world, a world you will not soon forget.

The journey ended here with a psychedelic light show and a glimpse into the cosmos. 

Year Number Four in Kuwait

Who would have thought that when I signed that first two year contract, four years later I would still be at UAS?  Well, two years turned into three, then three into four and I'm still here.  I haven't been kidnapped or blown to pieces by terrorists.  Not that I'm speaking lightly of any of those events.  We are not living in peaceful times anywhere.  No one is entirely safe from the evil that has always been a part of our lives.  I don't think there is a person on earth who can tell anyone how to be completely safe.  When I signed that first contract I was besieged with doubt.  I hoped and prayed I had made the right decision.  I guess this is where living your faith and trusting in the Lord comes in.  I knew that even if this tiny corner of the world called Kuwait turned out to be a bad choice, that God would have my back like He has had time and again.  So it has been a good place for me.  I've grown in my profession (who knew that I would actually come to love my little three year olds?), seen a few corners of the world that I never dreamed I would see, made dear forever friends with people from all over the USA not to mention the world, and renewed my faith in God.  This school and this country has been good to me.  That's why I'm still here.

A little glimpse into my world....my summer garden in Union, Iowa

Kuwait Towers

The Kuwait Towers lit up against the night sky

Recently my friend, Linda, invited me to an InterNations event at the Kuwait Towers.  It has been closed since 2012 so I was excited to go.  We had a beautiful buffet supper and then we took the elevator up to the top to see a panoramic view of the city and the Persian Gulf.  The view on the top of this 614 foot tower was breathtaking.  This top deck has a revolving platform which makes makes a complete 360° turn every thirty minutes.  This was definitely one of those times that I wish I had a better camera!

A view of the Kuwait skyline from inside the dome

The Kuwait Towers were built in the seventies and officially inaugurated in 1979.  The Kuwait Towers symbolize the opulence and prosperity of this tiny country that has become one of the ten richest countries per capita in the world. The main tower has two spheres.  The lower sphere is divided into two parts.  The top part holds the restaurant, a cafe, a lounge, and a reception area.  The bottom half of the sphere contains a water tank of 4,500 cubic meters.  The second smaller tower serves as a water reservoir and the third tower houses equipment to illuminate the two larger towers.

Our buffet in the round.

A view of the lower dome through the glass

Saddam Hussein's army nearly destroyed these iconic structures during the Gulf War in 1990.  Iraqi soldiers deliberately shattered the towers' electrical facilities and wrecked the interior and exterior with gunfire and shrapnel.  The damage was estimated to be nearly 75% of the facility.  Repairs were made at a cost estimate of about 6.5 million dollars.  By December 26 of 1992, it was officially reopened to the public

There aren't a lot of tourist destinations in Kuwait, but this was one that was well worth the visit.  

Joshi!

Here is Joshi leading her little Kindergarten charges to their graduation.

One of the real pleasures of teaching overseas is getting to know people from  different cultures.  We have teachers here from many parts of the world.  Joshi is from India.  I think the first thing I noticed about Joshi was her beautiful scarves and colorful, flowing abayas.  Her warm smile lights up a room.  She is a kindergarten teacher here at UAS.  She started out as an assistant in 1998 and was hired as a teacher in 2007.

Joshi and her handsome husband, Bishara

Joshila Bishara was born in India in 1976 and came to Kuwait as a young bride in 1997.  She attended Farook College where she received a bachelor's degree in commerce.  In 2009 she completed her Master's in Education and Curriculum Instruction from the University of Phoenix.  Joshi and her husband Bishara have been happily married for nineteen years and have two young daughters; Rasha who is fifteen and Khadija who is ten.  I asked her how she met her husband and then I learned some very interesting details about marriage in the Muslim culture.  Joshi never met her husband, Bishara, until a week before they were married!  Bishara's cousin was a friend of Joshila's.  She and his cousin both attended college together.  He asked his cousin to ask Joshi if she would consider marrying him.  She agreed, then the families were contacted and consented to the marriage.  Young Muslims do not date.  The families either arrange a marriage or in Joshi's case, families are contacted through a second party and the marriage is either agreed to or rejected.  I can't imagine my parents selecting my future mate, much less my daughter trusting me and her father to find her the perfect match, but speaking as a divorcee, who am I to criticize someone in an arranged marriage for nineteen years who is perfectly happy?  It would be an interesting study to compare the level of happiness between the marriages of those who chose their own spouses and those who are in an arranged marriage.  Living overseas certainly can broaden your prospective and make you rethink about how we live our lives in western culture.  

Older daughter, Rasha, with her doodle art

Another interesting aspect of Muslim culture is the matter of dress.  Some women wear the traditional hijab or what the western world would describe as a headscarf and some do not.  Some always wear an abaya while others choose to wear more westernized clothing.  Joshi has been covered since her first daughter was born.  She explained to me that the decision to wear a hijab was a very personal one.  A woman who has decided to cover is expressing her heartfelt faith as a pious Muslim woman.  She must never again go out in public without her hijab and only her husband and male members of her immediate family can see her hair.  Joshi wears a hijab with style grace.  I don't think I've ever seen her wear the same scarf twice!  A sweeter and kinder person you will never find.  

Joshi's ten year old daughter enjoying nature on a visit home to India 

I asked Joshi to talk about her faith so my readers could have a better understanding of what it means to be a Muslim.  We hear so much about jihadists and caliphates, it's difficult and confusing to sort out the truth from propaganda.  Joshi explained that Isis and groups like them have used the Muslim faith to seek power and influence and anyone who kills in the name of the Muslim faith is not a true believer.  

Social conduct is very important in Islam because Muslims must work to earn Paradise in this world.  Islam teaches that each of us must be the best human possible within our capacity.  Be conscious that Allah is  always watching you.  Muslims need to talk politely, act with kindness, be humble, do not be arrogant, do not argue, stay calm, and control their anger.  No matter how religious you are, if you have a bad temper our Prophet says you are a Muslim in name only.  You need to talk calmly with your family and out of practice you then automatically talk nicely to others outside the house including your neighbor's who are non-Muslims.  Prophet said that a person who is not very religious but with the best social conduct might be a person standing next to Prophet on the day of judgement.  When one dies, if all the people knew the dead says he was a nice person then that might be enough for Allah to grant him or her Paradise.  

Charity is an important facet of Islam.  There is an important mandatory charity called called Zakat that every Muslim must give during Ramadan.  Zakat is 2.5% of your total assets which include jewelry, properties and bank balance.  The Prophet taught that even a smile is charity. A poor should give Zakat with what he has, even if that is just a small piece of date.

Lastly, Joshi would like you to understand that not all Muslim men with a beard or Muslim women who are covered are terrorists.  There are good and bad people in Islam just like any other religions.  It is mentioned in the Quran that you preach your religion and let others preach theirs.  Do not be judgmental.  Our Creator will judge each one, but we should not judge each other.  

Enjoying a final moment with her class before graduation

Final Thoughts

Another year gone by here in Kuwait.  It's like anything, when you are in the midst of it, it seems like time moves at glacial pace.  When you look back, it seems like time has flown by.  I think the important thing to do is to try to savor each moment.  Rejoice in the good and learn from the bad. Continue to move forward.  That's what I have tried to do.  Writing this blog has been a big part of that effort.  Much thanks to all of you who have responded with encouragement and kind words.  It's what keeps 

my "pen" busy with you, my readers always in the back of my mind.  

One of my third grade classes at our final concert.  They were SO excited because they were allowed to wear dress clothes for the program.

Adorable pictures from a thank you card from one of the third grade classes.  Thank you, Joan!

This was given to me by a group of fourth grade girls.  The nicest compliment I have ever received.

Thank you 4-1 girls for reminding me why I do what I do.