The girth of America

Ever since the cancellation of private vehicles on base people have been taking the bus from park and ride area. I can say that the average waisteline of the American people has expanded significantly. How did these people pass CRC? They have to realize we are riding on little Indian made buses which are not very big in the first place.

Yes, big people need love too and so forth but come on we all want to ride comfortably on the bus without having to worry about someone's butt cheek laying on top of you. Also for all of you heavy smokers eww! It's such a lovely aroma of ashtrays on the small bus. I had a woman sit beside me and her left butt cheek molded around my leg and elbow. BMI index anyone?

For all of you guys out there who think it's ok to push people in order to get on the bus you suck. The second night catching the bus left 40 or more people waiting to get on. It was a mad rush to the bus and grown men were pushing and shoving. Really guys? Chivalry is dead on Camp Arifjan.

So tonight we loaded up the bus because the driver said we would go to the park and ride. Even though I thought it was the wrong bus I also thought he was helping us out because we had been waiting in the dust for a bus. WRONG! He took us to the parking lot of the FN gate which is NO where near the park and ride. Thank goodness there was a line of buses going out so we caught a ride with one of the company buses. Damnit why do they shake their head yes when they have no idea what's going on?

The guys wanted to kick his butt but I just wanted to go home. The good ole' days of getting off at 6:30 are gone. Thanks FN guys for whining and complaining now we have to be late as hell to get home. I drive 180 and get home late so I can only imagine what time the bus riders get home. Long days of contracting.........

My Fellow American - Teaser

I was sent this link by one of my viewers, it brings Muslim awareness to people everywhere. I think it's a really cool video and so true. There are several videos and you can find the movement on facebook also.

Great job!




Here are some of their links:

http://www.myfellowamerican.us/ and facebook.com/MyFellowAmericanProject

Thanks for the hard work and effort!

Last Day of Work Adventures..

Yesterday was the last day of my job and Monday will be the new one woohoo. The day was hot and slow until someone ran through the BLK yelling fire! fire! so I had to go check out the situation. It seems a diesel fuel truck was on fire right outside the door. As he was filling the generators a spark set the engine on fire. The next yell was evacuate! evacuate! so we all took off running. You don't have to tell me twice.

As we evacuated we went to check on our guys out in the lot and as we came up the MPs raced in front of us. A soldier had passed out and was in the ambulance. Wow what a day! We were allowed to go back in later on and all was well.

I've noticed that there are a lot of non-Western expats on base now. I know they are cheap labor but should foreigners have so much access to military information? We have FNs working on the vehicles, driving the vehicles and knowing everything about the military fleet. Some people think Americans might be replaced by cheap labor. There are a lot of Americans in the states that would be willing to work just to have a job. If cheap labor is needed I'm sure some people who are not working would take any decent amount so they can put food on the table.

Time will tell.

IHOP coming to Kuwait???

Thanks guys for the congrats. I'm looking forward to being back indoors. So my mom calls me and tells me IHOP might be coming to Kuwait within a year or so? Has anyone heard that rumor?


*update* I just read about it in the Arab Times. IHOP is supposed to come to the Middle East within the next 5 years they are supposed to open in Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Lebanon, Egypt and some other countries. I prefer Waffle House or Denny's but it's a start. If Wal Mart would come then I wouldn't have to leave Kuwait.

New Job.. Yessssss!

Goodbye crappy job, hello new job! I got my greenlight today and start my new job on Monday woohoo. I really have neglected my blog but 12 hours a day/6 days a week cuts off creativity. It's so freaking hot and dusty and unfortunately we have to work out in it as no one really cares about our department. I got sand blasted today and it really hurt as well as getting sand in my gum. I'm so glad to go.

Are people really that ignorant?

Ahhh finally a day off. Well sort of, I have to do medical for my new job but at least no visa run like last week. Whe I sit and think about the people I work with I just can't believe the way they actually think about the Middle East, Islam and Arab people. When I try to explain to them they gang up on me and start a debate.

I was asked about Islam and something in particular about the Prophet (PBUH). There are a couple guys who converted to Islam but still don't know details so I answered the guy's question. He proceeded to rant and rave about he couldn't understand why and so on. I just gave up. People who are ignorant and don't expand their horizons just want to make an argument not understand.

Yesterday some of the guys, mind you I work with 12 guys from different backgrounds but none worldly educated. There are the ones who have just arrived to Kuwait, the new guy who brags about his Chinese hookers, the weirdo who reads his book upside down and the couple guys who are Muslim, one married to a bedoon and one married to a Kuwaiti. Anyhoo the guys started talking about the "Kuwaiti taxi drivers" I was like no, not every man you see outside is Kuwaiti.

The majority you deal with are Asian expats. There are also different kinds of Arabs from different places. His answer was "they're all the same to me, I can't tell the difference." WTH? You people are serious? It's all I can do to listen to them talk about bs. If I say anything to educate them they want to argue or make fun. I can see why the world has so many problems. People in the states can't tell the difference between Asians and Arabs so they just put them all together as one. It reminds me of when I lived in California, I knew a guy who was from El Salvador and he would get pissed off and fight with someone if they called him Mexican. The same applies here as Lebanese for example would not like to be called Kuwaiti as they are totally and completely different.

Ignorance is the reason for so many problems. If people would learn about other nationalities and religions there wouldn't be so many problems. I just try to bite my tongue and just listen to the stupid things the guys at work say. I can't wait to get to my new job and leave them behind.

I think during their inprocessing they should give a lesson on the different kinds of people who live in Kuwait. Anything to help stop the ignorance.

House of Mirrors Tour

I did a post about the house of mirrors and now you can visit the home with the AWARE center. They will be hosting a tour of the house on June 13. Please see the post with more information.

AWARE Center:

"Artful Afternoon Tea at House of Mirrors 13 Jun 2011, 5:30 pm

Enjoy a cup of tea, an artful snack and a guided tour of the splendors of the Kuwaiti home which has earned its title as the 'House of Mirrors'. Fee 4KD The first floor houses separate art galleries for both Lidia?s and her late husband Khalifa?s work. Many people in Kuwait call her home the „House of Mirrors? But for Lidia her home holds greater meaning, “I call it the fulfillment of a dream.” Sumayya Meehan, MMNS, Middle East."


I have yet to visit but if anyone goes please let me know how it was.

AWARE Center Activities

Since the heat has hit Kuwait it's time for some indoor activities. The AWARE center is a perfect place for monthly activities and every week they hold a dwaniya or gathering at their center discussing various topics pertaining to Kuwait or the Middle East. If you are interested in learning about cultural differences than you might be interested in the following date.

AWARE Center:
"Diwaniya: Westerners and Arabs:
Viewing one Another Tuesday, June 7 , 7p by Sharifa Carlo
Cultural differences do exist between Arabs and westerners. Westerners adopt direct communication, emphasize action and value function whereas Arabs prefer indirect communication, emphasize relationships, & value form. Understanding & acknowledging these differences is a step towards positive co-existence and cooperation. Shariffa is an English Instructor teaching at the COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES, Kuwait."

You can contact the AWARE center via my blog link. Enjoy!

The joy of working with my Company

Yesterday went pretty good considering the generator was out so the people who work with me got to go to the warehouse woohoo! It was better than being out in the 120+ degree weather. I liked the warehouse way better than the hot azz desert. I'm still recovering from my burns I got on the first day of work. I hope I don't get skin cancer or something. Around 3:30 we got an evacuation notice from the military and all civilians must leave the base because a sand storm was coming.Yessssssss! Going home early and getting paid is the best.

I woke up this morning to really bad weather. I was hoping we would get to base and get to go home. No such luck. We got stuck in the desert in the wind and sand. I don't think it made a lot of sense to be evacuated because a storm was coming only to come to work the next day and work right in the middle of it. Needless to say it was really bad. I have an inch of dust covering me from head to toe. My newly colored hair feels like straw. I am so close to quitting but I'm trying to pay off some bills so that's what keeps me going every day. I did get an e-mail with some good news, hopefully a good-bye to the sand and hello to admin! Thank God, I really didn't know how much more heat I could take without killing over.

I can't wait to tell the bosses to take this job and shove it!