tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43611130392360102502011-10-08T06:48:51.302+07:00Here I post the tales from my journey, items that inspire, and commentary on our world.Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-13403412712575591522011-09-01T20:36:00.009+07:002011-09-03T19:19:45.577+07:00

This story could happen anywhere. It could happen in Japan, Singapore or India. It could happen in Egypt, the United States or Brazil. Today it just happened to have happened here, in Viet Nam. If you have lived in a country where labor is cheap, and things are taken care of for you, then you know very well that if you have someone come to fix something in your home, you're more often than not

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-39870514275110400182011-07-31T07:48:00.005+07:002011-08-31T12:11:12.566+07:00

I am thirty-two, married and pregnant. I began the Global Muse when I was twenty-nine, single and embarking on the adventures of living overseas. Then, I was moving to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Now, I am sitting in a hotel room after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) three days ago. Three years ago today I was concerned about packing enough cosmetics, condoms, and clothing. Today,

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-7686152247289252212010-01-06T21:25:00.005+07:002010-02-18T21:40:39.720+07:00

"Being human is itself difficult, and therefore all kinds of settlements (except dream cities) have problems." - Jane JacobsDubai is not an easy place to live, nor is it an easy place to defend. But at this time, it warrants such. "The Soulless City", the "city without a soul," gets a big, bad rep because of a small number of people. The country, the United Arab Emirates, and those who here who

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-15604441349167243902009-12-22T20:56:00.013+07:002009-12-30T01:06:34.736+07:00

"The mere possession of a vision is not the same as living it, nor can we encourage others with it if we do not, ourselves, understand and follow its truths. The pattern of the Great Spirit is over us all, but if we follow our own spirits from within, our pattern becomes clearer. For centuries, others have sought their visions. They prepare themselves, so that if the Creator desires them to know

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-42207213703736724002009-12-19T12:58:00.015+07:002009-12-19T23:23:12.007+07:00

"For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-52598430524740748312009-12-09T20:31:00.011+07:002009-12-18T00:43:03.398+07:00

"When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities." - David Hume I don't mean to panic, but I will withdraw my money tomorrow. All of it. Most likely, by the time I actually publish this, I will have withdrawn my money. That would be the "smart" thing to do.I will

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-74848243999590458342009-12-05T01:29:00.004+07:002009-12-05T03:31:00.532+07:00

"Great restaurants are, of course, nothing but mouth-brothels. There is no point in going to them if one intends to keep one's belt buckled." ~Frederic RaphaelThe ever-helpful lonely planet Turkey includes Dubb in its list of places to eat – for Indian food. I love Indian food, and during my week in Istanbul I was loving Turkish food just as much if not more. But once I noticed the quaint house

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-25393075992139272712009-12-03T17:21:00.014+07:002009-12-19T18:32:44.553+07:00

"We might find this division into positive and negative poles childishly simple except for one difficulty: which one is positive, weight or lightness?Parmenides responded: lightness is positive, weight negative.Was he correct or not? That is the question. The only certainty is: the lightness/weight opposition is the most mysterious, most ambiguous of all." - Milan Kundera, The Unbearable

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-64686712843144906472009-07-20T07:19:00.022+07:002009-12-19T18:31:28.413+07:00

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. — The First Amendment to the U.S. ConstitutionI remember almost every room in Carroll Hall, the home of the UNC School of

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-49167807474948861092009-07-16T04:01:00.007+07:002009-07-16T10:53:31.112+07:00

"Each of us has the right and responsibility to assess the road which lie ahead and those over which we have traveled, and if the feature road looms ominous or unpromising, and the road back uninviting-inviting, then we need to gather our resolve and carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction. If the new choice is unpalatable, without embarrassment, we must be

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-87645565682909076082009-07-06T02:31:00.007+07:002009-07-06T05:13:29.667+07:00

"Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room." ~Harriet Beecher StoweI don't know where home is anymore. Supposedly, I am here now. But I occasionally think, with absurd ambivalence, that I want to go home. And when I think I want to go home - for that tumultuous, turgid fifteen or thirty minutes or sixty

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-47511786624715644502009-05-24T02:24:00.004+07:002009-05-24T04:05:14.687+07:00

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring." - Oscar WildeFor me, May 24 is the longest day of the year. Forget the Summer Solstice. While I do love both the Summer Solstice and the Winter, neither compares in importance to May 24. For

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-49351036812879566122009-05-22T21:29:00.004+07:002009-05-23T00:23:44.644+07:00

"We are all connected to everyone and everything in the universe. Therefore, everything one does as an individual affects the whole. All thoughts, words, images, prayers, blessings, and deeds are listened to by all that is." - Serge Kahili KingI came home yesterday and the cleaning woman was here. I had just been rollerblading at Jumeirah Beach. Approximately 41 degrees Celsius. Simultaneous

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-34163195311032399162009-04-17T16:46:00.005+07:002009-04-17T17:27:58.113+07:00

Nowadays most men lead lives of noisy desperation. ~James ThurberI wake up to the sound of drilling or hammering or some sort of other construction on most weekends here in Dubai. I am not joking when I say I live in a construction zone. Whether within the building or outside, some sort of tearing down or building up is occurring. Lately the tearing down has been coming from upstairs.My

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-26000690025913304092009-04-08T01:24:00.005+07:002009-04-08T02:12:12.759+07:00

The Metro47 different Khimar1 sun hat1 pair sunglasses1 banana clipThe girls' club.All in Hijab.Yellow and Indigo and Blue and Purple and Violet and Green and Pink and Aqua.Brown and black and white and lavender and turquoise and olive.It's packed.Door-to-door-and-side-to-sideBabies, girls, women, ladies.The ladies' car.Beautiful eyes everywhere - each telling a different story.Uninhibited

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-8695386233229314502009-04-06T03:59:00.009+07:002009-04-13T12:14:30.837+07:00

I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighbourhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets. ~Henry Wadsworth LongfellowFor the first time since I was in India, I just heard sirens from my abode. This is a wonderful, homey sound – the sound of sirens rushing down the road amid the honking and yelling and barking. I can hear it all - a heady mix of city and life

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-58523988981951864122009-04-06T01:45:00.006+07:002009-04-06T02:51:18.680+07:00

A city is a large community where people are lonesome together. ~Herbert ProchnowBig cities are loud. They combine the cacophony of life in all of its most radiant and defiant forms and mix it up and spit it out with a roar we define always in the present as living. Some cities, particularly the most urbane, are even louder than loud. Cairo, for instance, in Egypt, was identified by The New York

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-2909835495077060152009-04-05T23:44:00.006+07:002009-04-06T01:45:10.614+07:00

"All cities are mad: but the madness is gallant. All cities are beautiful: but the beauty is grim." ~Christopher Morley, Where the Blue BeginsTuesday evening, Matt and I were wandering around the Colaba Causeway looking for a restaurant he had read about in our ever-faithful Lonely Planet guide. We walked down the street stopping selectively at various vendors in the rare instance we had

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-19476487165941052252008-12-17T19:36:00.004+07:002009-02-10T23:44:39.035+07:00

"It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today." - Barack Obama“Barack Obama?”These words are just as often posed as a question as they are formed as

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-37154094655290577212008-12-17T00:12:00.006+07:002008-12-17T00:37:03.570+07:00

"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844On my second day in India, me and Matt’s first full day in Munnar, we went for a long walk through tea plantations. We traveled into the home of TATA tea and one of their estates. From up high, we could see two small villages below, probably the homes of the tea pickers.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-45415857800215613202008-12-16T19:24:00.005+07:002008-12-16T19:47:36.822+07:00

"Banganga Tank is a precinct of serene temples, bathing pilgrims, meandering, traffic-free streets and picturesque old dharamsalas (pilgrims rest houses). The wooden pole in the centre of the tank is the centre of the earth - according to legend Lord Ram created the tank by piercing the earth with his arrow." South India, lonely planetThis morning, I decided to head down Banganga Tank. I'd read

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-66822966011975403642008-12-16T19:07:00.005+07:002008-12-16T19:21:52.705+07:00

Since I arrived in India, I have been fascinated with taxicab bling. Each cab, from the auto rickshaws in Munnar to the black and yellow taxis in Mumbai, has a little decoration on the back window.I have seen both Hindu and Christian window bling, and I hope to capture some on camera before leaving.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-18498942336241509562008-12-16T18:38:00.005+07:002008-12-16T20:06:13.569+07:00

"Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's." ~Billy WilderI arrived in Mumbai and stopped at the two most important locations in the airport at that moment – the ladies room and the currency exchange. I changed my last US Dollars for rupees. I would need to use my entire remaining allowance for the trip, but that was OK with me because I would

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-23980324509940773722008-12-16T02:33:00.003+07:002008-12-16T02:50:13.042+07:00

The Sri Meenakshi Temple, which pays homage to Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati or Meenakshi, depending on her incarnation, is in Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu. When we arrived, the towers of the temple were covered because they are being renovated. They have been undergoing renovation for the past year or so.This holy tree is where Hindus may come and ask the Lord Shiva for a blessing,

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-16803663471016739852008-12-16T02:03:00.004+07:002008-12-16T02:21:13.055+07:00

The tea trees in the plantations of Munnar, Kerala, mostly taken over by Tata Tea (which also makes Tetley), appear to be trimmed to perfect height for picking tea standing up - because they are. They are well-manicured because the women pick tea by hand.Christianity spread throughout Kerala, and supposedly Thomas the Apostle traveled here. On this tea estate in Munnar, there is a Christian

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-697885317447533632008-12-15T23:35:00.006+07:002008-12-16T02:23:02.057+07:00

"ALWAYS give an autograph when somebody asks you." - Tommy LasordaI landed at the airport in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and for a large part of the day I felt famous. The majority of my companions on the plane had been males, which I was used to since the ratio of men to women in Dubai is approximately 75 percent. I was dressed in the customary all-black uniform, a classic for traveling as I did not

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-11831013937380521862008-12-15T23:21:00.002+07:002008-12-15T23:25:36.129+07:00

"Childhood is that wonderful time of life when all you need to do to lose weight is take a bath." - Richard ZeraI am a germ-o-phobe. I do not know that I have met anyone who likes to wash her hands as often as I do. Before I left Dubai to come to India, I was told several things, mainly to bring toilet paper, to bring Pepto and to bring Imodium. Matt also told me to bring hand sanitizer since

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-13600934669873560892008-12-15T22:55:00.003+07:002008-12-19T13:53:29.890+07:00

"Know safety, no injury. No safety, know injury." ~Author UnknownAfter I first arrived in Dubai and had my stove installed, I was a little wary of cooking. I had bought a gas stove, and at the time, I was not aware that that required having a gas canister installed in my apartment - but it did, so that’s what I got. Although there is a safety on the stove, a button to turn on the stove and a

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-46354008230565511002008-11-06T01:23:00.006+07:002008-11-06T10:46:42.133+07:00

I love the quote "Black is the new president" for its play on words and its cleverness. I love Colin Powell's statement that Barack Obama is our new president "who happens to be black" for its accuracy.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-86903756631215408642008-11-05T20:07:00.005+07:002008-11-13T16:54:36.260+07:00

"And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments to palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand." - President-Elect Barack ObamaI left the high school around 7:45 this morning to run an errand at the elementary school. It was

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-84652471462876178962008-10-25T15:21:00.004+07:002008-10-25T15:35:47.837+07:00

"Let’s wash our hands Let’s wash our hands For the children to stay healthy For the uncles to stay healthy For the mothers to stay healthy We build latrines" - MassukosAs most of you have observed, I have not much time to write these days. I will when I can, and I look forward to a time when I can dedicate more to this blog and my writing...think somewhere between December and February

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-24630453488003268912008-10-03T01:01:00.007+07:002008-10-03T15:39:48.615+07:00

"He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak." - Michel de MontaigneIt is 5:00 a.m. Erika and I just arrived at her friend Mary Beth's house. It is still dark outside. We are equipped with our tea and coffee. We are here to watch the vice presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. We left our building at 4:45.We did this last

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-36468477143576747922008-09-27T16:02:00.005+07:002008-09-28T02:09:42.626+07:00

"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living." - Anais NinI was chatting with YG online one morning when I first arrived (actually is seems it was about two weeks ago, but it feels like much longer...).How is dubai U like?7:15 PM me: i do...but it's a little too western...i'll probably only stay 3

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-34428916575149559512008-09-25T20:36:00.007+07:002008-09-27T16:01:34.265+07:00

Dubai: All educational institutions in the UAE will remain closed for one week including Sunday, September 28, which is a working day for the public and private sectors, the Ministry of Education announced. - The Gulf NewsIt is the last week of Ramadan. On our calendar, we were scheduled to have our last day of school on the 29th of September, and to resume on the 5th of October; the students

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-4948435638943673582008-09-12T21:27:00.007+07:002008-09-13T00:29:42.422+07:00

"Club GAIA aims to promote Global Awareness Inner Awakening through profound respect and appreciation for our Planet Earth and protecting its natural resources. We hope to encourage and promote the habits of reducing, re-using and re-cycling in our daily lives. Our aim is to educate our children to be wise with water usage, to reduce our individual carbon footprint and to save our trees. No

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-66469006630628764842008-09-11T20:25:00.010+07:002008-09-12T01:25:55.399+07:00

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness." James ThurberThis morning, at 8:10 local time, our school held a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11. We are an American school, therefore, I suppose, it is appropriate. My students and I sat quietly during our moment of silence, and a few of us teared up, but once it was over we moved on with class and did not

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-34092021738947247402008-09-10T23:01:00.002+07:002008-09-10T23:30:55.970+07:00

" All things have second birth; The earthquake is not satisfied at once."- William WordsworthToday there was an earthquake in Iran. It measured between 6 and 8 points on the Richter scale, depending on which article in the paper you read. According to The Gulf News, the tremors were felt here in Dubai at 3:08 pm, our time. I had no idea.I just opened YG's blog, and there was the headline "UAE hit

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-64403709728804199532008-09-07T22:04:00.004+07:002008-09-07T22:20:45.916+07:00

i miss upcoming hurricanesthe impending doomand the hope for days stuck ini miss sex and the citywatching from bedand the colbert reporti miss weekend trips to DCthe row housesthe sunshine and the highwayi miss ditty's storiesand highway 40and targetit's not much,but it's a littleand it's the first time so it's nice to have something amiss.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-71518979978504563282008-09-07T21:33:00.007+07:002008-09-07T22:55:39.994+07:00

“Sure, where there is a will, there is a way. Too bad there is construction going on on my way.” - Loejse (Dutch Fictional Character)My first week in Dubai I knew I would never be late for work. At least, not because I overslept.The first morning I awoke in my bed in Dubai, it was approximately four in the morning. I looked out from my bed straight into the distance where I can see the lights of

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-35259330163538685842008-09-03T23:55:00.013+07:002008-09-06T03:57:06.423+07:00

"The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance," 1841My first car was a 1998 Honda CRV. It was silver. I loved that car. It was my first. It had a picnic table in the back, over the spare tire. It had four cup holders and space for my purse in between the two seats up front. It cost less than $20.00 to fill up the tank.I knew my CRV

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-28368533102527919642008-09-03T23:17:00.009+07:002008-09-06T03:56:39.694+07:00

After awhile, getting sand in between my toes before I'd even arrived at work, was a little more than frustrating. There were times when I would glance down at my pants, and there would be dust on them, in more places than one - the aftereffects of a truck driving by us, as we trekked through the sand, hoping to catch a cab at 6:35 in the morning. Not all the roads and parking lots are paved yet

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-48037484206928460282008-09-02T12:59:00.014+07:002009-02-10T23:56:11.722+07:00

"Sarah is a zealot, but she’s a fun zealot. She has a beehive and sexy shoes, and the day she’s named she goes shopping with McCain in Ohio for a cheerleader outfit for her daughter." Maureen Dowd, The New York TimesThere is nothing more American than the 2008 presidential race. First off, let's look at the cast of characters: we have Mr. Obama, a black man whose mother is from Kansas and his

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-19428909039268336962008-09-01T20:42:00.003+07:002008-09-01T23:54:52.845+07:00

I can only guess that being called a Turkwhen one is an Armenianis as heinous as being calledEthiopian, when one is Aretrean.Apparently being called a Turkwhen one is Lebanesedespite how much Turkish bloodone actually has,is as despicable as being calledGermanif one is a Polish Jew.And seemingly deplorableto name a Palestinian, Israeliand a Honduran, Salvadorana Serb, a Croat.My experience was in

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-86763136054542813552008-08-31T21:59:00.005+07:002008-09-01T23:56:15.971+07:00

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life." - Chinese ProverbFor the past week, my colleagues and I have referred only to two points in time as of any importance. Before Ramadan and After Ramadan.Ramadan is the month of the lunar calendar in which the Qu'ran was said to be revealed. For this reason, Muslims fast for the 29.5 days in

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-39855473979786400562008-08-30T23:16:00.009+07:002009-02-10T23:50:30.381+07:00

"Satire - trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly." - Merriam-Webster's Online DictionaryI am officially Dubai. I have my residence visa, a sweet, pink, little card inserted in my passport. It will be considered null and void only if and when I leave the country and do not return for six months. If that happened I would also lose my job, thereby eliminating

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-89622583723155865752008-08-25T23:31:00.003+07:002008-09-06T03:57:54.403+07:00

This divides my closet and water closet area from my bedroom. I like that.Each bedroom has closets like these. In the spare bedroom, (not pictured) they are on the left as one enters the room, across from the blue bathroom.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-8292233901823082032008-08-25T23:02:00.006+07:002008-09-06T03:58:32.630+07:00

"Peace - that was the other name for home." ~Kathleen NorrisDespite the technical issues, my flat is actually delightful. The layout is very neat, which is important to me in this situation. Walk in the front door into a foyer. (3rd picture down) To the left is a hallway which leads to the green bathroom. Next on the left is my great room. From the great room, off the living room side, is a

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-66442810499045101632008-08-25T00:01:00.005+07:002008-08-25T23:02:05.218+07:00

I also have grown fond of my new stove. Since last week, I have made lamb tikka with coconut rice, cream dory in lemon pepper marinade with coconut rice, and shark fillet with (you guessed it) lemon pepper marinade, pasta and homemade Alfredo sauce. Delightful.We checked out prices at every store with appliances before we went back to the first, Carrefour and bought them there. Carrefour is a

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-63917848282036220562008-08-24T23:53:00.004+07:002008-09-06T03:58:56.056+07:00

Could not live without the looJoyful there are three,Green, pink and blue!

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-3358060789084121352008-08-24T23:48:00.004+07:002008-08-25T20:41:25.950+07:00

My great room was not as large as I expected. It is however, perfect for me. I bought a dinette with a fold down side. And since I am currently "underfurnished," the stools come in handy in other areas of the house.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-88102631232174055442008-08-24T21:47:00.001+07:002008-08-24T21:48:49.388+07:00

"She knew well the great architectural secret of decorating her constructions, and never condescended to construct a decoration." Anthony TrollopeThe first week we arrived we were obsessed with furniture. We had nothing else and that was our focus. I bought all that I liked that week, but decided not to settle on anything else I did not.As soon as school began, my focus switched from textiles to

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-31047274863840380442008-08-24T21:45:00.004+07:002008-08-24T21:55:20.898+07:00

Rainy days awaitMy decadent happy chaisePerfect for reading

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-15550485581675148632008-08-23T21:15:00.003+07:002008-08-23T21:36:40.261+07:00

"He stands not just for Black people, but all people." - We ARe the OnesThursday in AP US History, my co-worker introduced the students to the Yes, We Can videos. ( And yes, they did look at other campaign media as well.) When they arrived in my class they were in awe."Miss, have you seen the 'Yes, We Can' videos?" They asked. "They're awesome."I was surprised they had not seen the videos

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-64378574466316386732008-08-23T16:39:00.004+07:002008-08-23T16:56:04.325+07:00

"A toilet is something of a feng shui hazard. Flush it and great amounts of ch'i, quite literally, go down the drain." Karen Farrington, Feng Shui: A Practical Guide to Health, Wealth, and HappinessThis is the first time in my adult life that I have lived in a “complex” style apartment. Prior to this I have always rented apartments in houses, duplexes, or other such non-conformist dwellings.

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-27513063547189549982008-08-21T01:42:00.004+07:002008-08-21T09:59:48.808+07:00

I am now a resident of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Today, when I arrived home, Binu told me the pink bathroom is fixed.* Today, by approximately 7:30 am, Etisalat installed wireless Internet in my flat. It works. Today, I got my Dubai driver's license. It expires in 2018. Today, I ordered my car. It should arrive in approximately 10 days, assuming all the paperwork is fine. Promised

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-29086962498733697202008-08-19T23:42:00.007+07:002008-08-23T16:56:32.718+07:00

"Al Barsha!" -Ann Laros-Weaver and Grant WeaverFinola Pinto is the woman who was in charge of our shipments from the Dubai side. One week after our arrival, all of the new teachers from my building still did not have our shipments. Most of us sent them in June. One was even coming from as close as the Philippines.We discussed Finola everyday. So much so, that one of my coworkers' children, who

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-76499435305992502532008-08-19T19:28:00.009+07:002008-09-06T03:59:59.637+07:00

"She knew well the great architectural secret of decorating her constructions, and never condescended to construct a decoration." Anthony TrollopeThe first week we arrived we were obsessed with furniture. We had nothing else and that was our focus. I bought all that I liked that week, but decided not to settle on anything else I did not.As soon as school began, my focus switched from textiles

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-74541724365573688202008-08-15T18:19:00.006+07:002008-08-23T16:57:38.996+07:00

“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it." Lao Tzu.I had a slight problem our first week in Dubai. We live in the desert. Although the transformation

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-63485059865119374312008-08-15T18:18:00.005+07:002008-08-23T16:57:04.934+07:00

"Filthy water cannot be washed." ~African ProverbI arrived home yesterday at 4:30. Even though this morning was a disaster, this evening held promise. My shipment had arrived and had been cleared through customs. The delivery men were on their way to my flat. The last of my new furniture, at least for awhile, would be delivered tonight. I walked in, and I went to check on the situation in the

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-47696581656620991292008-08-14T00:48:00.009+07:002008-08-15T19:14:32.890+07:00

"The welcome ever smiles, and farewell goes out sighing." William ShakespeareThe Marhaba ladies were my first introduction to life in Dubai. The administrators from my school had given us very detailed instructions for arrival, so when I got off the plane, I knew to look for the Marhaba ladies; but I did not really know what they were. They would be wearing bright yellow-ish jackets and I

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361113039236010250.post-3147840464057579582008-08-10T12:00:00.006+07:002008-12-21T16:19:49.317+07:00

"The modern airplane creates a new geographical dimension. A navigable ocean of air blankets the whole surface of the globe. There are no distant places any longer: the world is small and the world is one." ~Wendell WillkieI was bloody lucky. My row mates on the plane were brilliant - they could not have been better. I got to know them well enough since the lights, tele and anything else

Lexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16379170935514224041noreply@blogger.com1