I miss..

Dance Parties with Jamie Spiro (they sure make the world go round)...

This morning I listened to Jim Iroquois, and Michael Jackson, on ARABIAN MTV.... music has helped motivate me, as I try a more structured lifestyle.

Kyle and I work in the afternoons from 2-8:30 pm. Meaning the whole morning can be wasted if not careful. If you know me, then you know that I HATE micro-managing. However, this seems to do the trick as I try to get the most of my time here. Today, I woke up, made a healthy breakfast, sat (sounds prodoctive right?), read, prayed, exercized, cleaned, and prepared for classes. All of this mostly accomplished while listening to some old time music (thanks for the zune).

Doesn't sound impressive? Well, you should see me most of the time, I can spend hours

Sleeping

Thinking, and

Organizing.

I have a lot to learn.

Some of our favorites.

1) Favorite food as of late- A delicious blend of veggies, and spice: Sahawik. For dinner almost every night, I soak, wash, peel, and rinse tomatoes, cilantro, chilli peppers, and garlic, blend them together with some yogurt...and there you have it: a delicious dip, or sauce for anything and everything.


2) Favorite pastime - playing table tennis downstairs with our dear neighbors. I am improving I must say - however there is plenty of good competition. And as for Kyle - he is just always a winner. But he sucks at ping pong.


3) Favorite piece of advice - In order to avoid Malaria.... don't eat off the street. (THANKS!)


4) Favorite joke - So a man walks into a bar... well, a Lebanese restaurant to order food. Before the meal, the waiter brings out a plate of clean veggies: a head of lettuce, a cucumber, a tomato, a green pepper, and a lemon. Kyle says, "Oh thanks for washing our vegetables, now could you bring us a cleaver and a cutting board? Thanks..." (*Brie, this ever happen to you?)


5) Favorite thing about teaching -

(Is there is any possible way to explain your way out of this?)

That and - the flattery, "Oh teacher, you are so beautiful, so smart...oh really, I learn so much from you, thank you, never forget me." Not so fast... you missed a spot.

6) Funniest new friend - A fellow teacher, but with experiences to trump us all - He has been there and done everything - By the way, he also befriended a stray cat who is innocently coerced into his home with the promise of food, and instead is given a bath. But sadly, the cat still wanted out. Clean-furred and sopping wet, he returns back to the filfth pit from whence he came. And then our friend remembers - well I guess cats usually clean themselves don't they? Ah well...
( Kyle says this is hard to enjoy without a visual. For a visual aid picture my dad...with a cat...)

7) Favorite new discovery - fresh kiwi juice. bomb.

8) Favorite thing about Yemeni living - the wrap around couches...and having nothing better to do than couch all day.

9) Favorite new word: Shoof (arabic for look) which quickly became shoof-a-loof, our phrase of choice for just about anything.

10) Favorite thing about Kyle - He is always right; it just takes me all day to realize it. And he has got a great since of humor! Who you do life with makes all the difference. I must be the luckiest girl in the world.

Big for anyone's Burjes

Kyle and I got the opportunity to travel to Dubai for a few days. Well what can i say. It has it's fame for the biggest, tallest, first, best and, richest everythings. I felt I was in a Las Vegas sort of Disney Land.

*Burj is the word for tower in arabic

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

We ENzOYed a Wonderful New Years party last night -and much to our delight the jumble continues on.




It just keeps on getting better. This story brings Kyle and I to tears (of laughter). We were invited to an incredible heart warming New Years party. On our way over we bot a small box of chocolates for the family. The cashier wished us a merry Christmas.









We arrive at the home of a Yemeni family with Indian Origin (They have Christmas themes because of their Christian heritage), and much to our surprise we are surrounded by a winter wonderland, Santa and the reindeer.




We pass the Hot potato nativity pillow, take pictures in front of the Christmas tree, receive gifts, and dance the Christmas congo. What a New Years party.



The Cherry to top the night, was a little after midnight. The family fumbled around with the cassett tape player searching for the new year song- Auld Lang Syne - Between the power going on and off, and the cassett not playing the crowd broke out in (* sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne) May La La La La La La la and Never La La La. For la la la la la la, and days of la la la.

We are sincerely grateful to our dear new friends who invited us to enjoy his family's holiday party. We had one of the best nights we have ever had during our stay here. We were impressed by the welcoming disposition of their family, and truely had a wonderful holiday away from home. We are ever so Thankful.