HAPPY NEW YEAR!

S.

The Bullets Are Proof

A beautiful song. The perfect melody to start off the new year with.

2010. What a year. 

Where does one begin? Is there even a beginning, or end for that matter, to all the wonderful and horrible things that have happened this year? 

The Good

• For the longest time, I truly believed I would never find like-minded people with whom I could identify. I'm not ashamed to say I'm very proud I was wrong. I hope to remain wrong for as long as it feels right. While we should all be able to go it alone, it's healthy to realize that even someone as awesome as The Expatess can get lonely (from time to time). It's not weakness, it's a sign we're alive. Because, you know, heart beats are faulty.

• I finally got my act together, taking my medication like clockwork, getting my 2.0L of water a day and feeling better than ever. My illness? High school. Once I graduated, life improved drastically. So if you're reading this and are miserable (and in hell school), let me tell you... It gets better. It'll be over before you know it. Hey, I made it out alive! 

• Speaking of quality of life, 2010 taught me many things. It crushed my foolish and unnecessary pride, handed me back my dignity and left me with a pretty good head on my shoulders. Traumatic? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

• Scoring a 6 (OUT OF 7) on my HIGH LEVEL IB English course. I don't generally toot my own horn, but I'm very proud of this acheivement. As one of about 25 (give or take) students who took IB English in ACA, I beat all the girls AND THE BOYS. I got the highest mark! Okay, I'll stop abusing the Caps button.... NOW.  

• Got my fashion game together. I feel compelled to say it's a little bit military, androgynous, James Dean and a whole lot neutral. What can I say? I dress in shades of gray so my colorful words can really POP! 

• So, um... Apparently not all straight guys are evil. This? News to me. 

• I ended up in Kuwait University. 

The Bad (Here's where it gets funny)

• Working with my PreCal teacher (During high school) in order to pass her class. Which I did, albeit by a measly 1%... Not one of my better accomplishments. Looking back, I think she was more stressed about it than I was. I maintain, to this day, that the numbers were racist against Canadians. You laugh, but you know it's true (Or not). Also, I do not care about Sine/Cosine/Tan waves. Like, at all.

• Having no one believe I'm Kuwaiti, so just giving up and telling everyone I'm from Bahrain. I'm kidding. Or am I? 

• Walking into the boys washroom (BY ACCIDENT!) (Maybe) three times in my first two weeks of school. Thank goodness no one actually uses them. Well, other than to smoke in. And call their girlfriends. Oh, have I said too much?

• I'm going to dedicate one simple bullet to the lack of (fashion) inspiration I faced this year. I'll just say that I'm grateful for eyeliner, fashion blogs and my hard-working Father's money... and we'll leave it at that. See, this is what happens when you don't have an older sister and/or a Gay brother. Ugh). Thank goodness I cleaned up my act. 

• Realizing KU's library doesn't have any interesting books to read. Like, not a single book. One can only look for typos in various volumes of Sharia law books for so long.

• On a slightly more somber note, I faced many emotional hurdles this year. I know I'll continue to face many more in the years to come (it's part of this thing called "life"), but with help and hope given to me by a few amazing rocks in my life, I made it through. I still have those pebble-kicking kind of days, but I've got boulders supporting my castles in the sky. For that, I am so unbelievably grateful. (You guys know who you are. I love you all so much).

• I ended up in Kuwait University.    

Here's to the end of this decade, and to the beginning of everything (and anything) else. Here's to you, to me, to Kuwait, to him, to her and to anyone else with a decent internet connection. 

I'll leave you with some words from my boy Billy: 

“Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.” - Shakespeare 

2010... You made a woman out of me. 

Toasting the year in which my only love sprung from my only hate,

S.

PS - Any thoughts or hopes for 2011? Please share, I love reading these types of things.

PPS - Last treat of the year? A Twix bar.

But Do You "Like" Like Me?

Poked? That's just disgusting. Feel free to lick.. err.. I mean, LIKE me.

This is a momentous day for The Expatess. I almost have more followers than I do fingers (one hand though), and I've decided the branch out and uh.... Join Facebook. Yes, you read that correctly. 

I joined Facebook. I went viral. Again. (This blog counts, right?)

LIKE ME!

The Expat Files on that digital book with all the pretty faces. Or, my Facebook Page for short. 

Also, a huge THANK YOU goes out to all who helped (Cookie monsters unite!), and this is me spreading the love by sharing some links they feel should get some exposure:

• http://www.kuwaitpaperdump.com
• http://www.7achy.com  
• http://www.sweetcravingskw.com/
  

The things I do for you punks. All four of you.

Digging through her old social graveyard,

S.

PS - Like me! (Shameless, I know).

Seriously? No, SERIOUSLY?

 

KU is crazy, and not the "good" kind either.

I just got a text from the Elmeeya girls, the political party that runs my campus, (#Represent!) (Don't. Seriously.) informing me about a field trip they're planning to Shaab Park tomorrow. There are several things wrong with this scenario:

• It's a field trip. I'm a freshman. In UNIVERSITY.
• It's a field trip. To a punk ass amusement park.
• It's a field trip. 
• Shaab Park.
• It's a field trip.

This is where they want to take us. Take me. The Expatess. I wish I was joking.

I did my research before I started my first semester at KU, and let me tell you this... KU is NOTHING like what I thought it would be like. The lipstick isn't nearly bright (neon?) enough, the ghutras are nowhere near as starched as I hoped they'd be and don't even get me started on the SEVERE deficit of sequins our student body is facing. Liberace is rolling in his grave as I type this. Of that, I'm sure.  (Do KUers even know who Liberace is?)

In case you were wondering while I got sidetracked there, no, I am NOT going on the field trip. I understand the girls are attempting to create some fun for the freshmen, but no, Shaab Park is not the way to do that. It's like they're not even trying to entertain me. Or piss me off. Both would work. I'm not overly picky.  

In short? KU is letting me down, and this field trip was just the tip of the sand dune. It's just so... boring. The field trips are boring. The exhibitions are boring. The classes are boring. Dare I say it, the people are pretty boring as well. Yeah, I'm a picky elitist loner, but seriously... SHAAB PARK? 

Praying for glitter,

S. 
 
PS - What's your least favorite thing/memory about university?

Just For Kicks

Because I love my blog, and miss having something cohesive to write, I've decided I shall try to get out of this current funk I'm in by dusting off some obscure blog tag and doing it just for kicks. An added bonus? You might just learn a thing or two about The Expatess in the process. 

Enjoy. 

 

Lasts:
 

Last birthday? February 19th, 2010.  I turned 18.
Last meal? Some Syrian dish my Mom made with a salad. (No, NOT tabbouleh).

Last spending splurge? A Julien McDonald dress 3 weeks ago. (I love it).

Last time you cried? Last week.
Last career? Haven't carved one out yet. I'm a student.
Last website visited? cbc.ca
Last person you spoke to? My mother.
Last song you listened to? Bloodstream - Stateless

Last book you read? 1984.
Last TV show watched? 30 Rock.
Last person you texted? One of my best friends, Fatima.
Last word you said? Okay.

I tag: Anyone and everyone. Respond on your blog and link me, or just respond in the comments below. I love hearing from anyone who reads this thing.

Boys Boys Boys

Embody everything mentioned in this song, and I'll meet you at the aisle... 

No lengthy intro today; I read this, found it amusing and then decided that as a Feminist trying to create equality in Kuwait, I should compile my own version of this list. Here goes:

Real Guys: These guys are your buddies; gender does not exist around these guys because they're your friends. Laughs, jokes and advice are the bread and butter of these relationships. They'll always make you smile. I love them like family, and adore them like a schoolgirl.

The Bell Boys: Very sweet, overly kind and considerate. They'll carry your books, pick up pens you've dropped and more. All these things make it even more difficult to let them know there's no future there. Be careful not to use them to simply tend to your ego or boost your own self-esteem. People are not meant to be used like toys. I'm a bad person, and so I try to protect these people from myself, because they don't deserve to deal with my issues.

The Untouchables: These are guys you respect and admire, but there's really nothing like that there. Take in their wisdom, and learn what you can from them. They're something of a one-way road, so don't over think things. These guys confuse me, end of story.

The Smoking Guns: Last but not least, we have them. Oh yes, these guys are dangerous in every sense of the word. They'll change the way you think, the way you see the world. Speaking to them will be a rush, only matched by the intensity in which they keep up intellectually. At first glance, they're not your "type", but they'll make themselves your type. Be wary of them, or they'll wear you down. Also,  they are very, very rare so think carefully about where you want to take things with them.

Suffice to say, human relationships both fascinate and confuse me. Also, I love boys. Do you see my dilemma?

Taking aim at her (alleged) intimacy issues,

S.

PS - Comment and below and let me know what you think. Recognize anyone off the list, perhaps yourself?

**Don't take this post too seriously, we still live in Kuwait. If you did, then let me be the first to tell you, you are a douche.**

The Good Stuff

You can do it Kuwait!

Today, October 15th is Blog Action Day. The international community of bloggers will be coming together and participating in this event where they all write about a united topic. This time around the topic is water.

Unfortunately, this has been one hell of a busy week with university and so I didn't have a chance to prepare a lengthy, self-righteous and most-likely obnoxious post in which I would shame you all for choosing to drink Evian and not caring enough about the droughts around the world. 'Tis life, and so all I really have to offer on this day is a bit of insight, some advice and maybe leave you with a few questions you should ask yourself next time you are privileged enough to have a drink of clean water. 

Living in Kuwait, most are well aware of how precious clean drinking water is. We are lucky enough to have a government that has access to enough resources to provide us with this elixir that sustains all life. However, many nations are not so fortunate. A myriad of reasons keep water out of hands of those who need it the most, and it often boils down to money and politics. Pun intended. 

Our planet being what it is, we should all aim to try our best in putting forth and effort when it comes to preserving the water we do have. Below are some tips you could consider adding to your daily routine:

1. A "Navy-style" shower: Turning on the water, getting wet, and then turning it off while you scrub down and lather up your hair. Once you're ready to rinse, turn on the water and zoom!!! You'll avoid wasting precious water in those minutes you're not actually using it. Also, try to keep it UNDER 10 minutes in length, and the planet will thank you.
2. Thoughtful Brushing: Similar to the previous tip, turning off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth. It may not seem like much, but it makes a difference when you consider the fact most people brush their teeth for 3-5 minutes a day, twice a day. 
3. Fancy Pants Water? No thanks! Instead of using up an endless stream of plastic water bottles and harming the environment, consider buying a cute and colorful reusable bottle. It'll brighten up your day, and help you monitor how much of the good stuff you are taking in, so you'll avoid unintentional dehydration and stay on top of your health.

For further inquiries into this matter, look no further than the site itself, which you can visit by clicking here. 

For a mind opening article about the devious business behind water companies (written by a modern day Rocker!), click here.
From one of Kuwait's own, an informative set of facts and a deeper look into the political aspect of this topic can be found here. 

I hope I've given you something to think about and some useful tips you can implement in your day-to-day life. I know sometimes we, regular people, can feel fairly helpless when it comes to big serious issues like the global demand for water, but any small step taken brings us that much closer to a more just world.
For further reading (and let's be honest, better posts), visit the site which i've linked above and empower yourself to make a difference.


Putting her generation's digital age to use,

S.

Tell me if you participated in the even or your thought about this topic in the comments below. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Time Flies, Drives, Drinks, and Smokes

And drag races in the desert.... Wait no, that's just me when I pretend I'm a free bachelor in Kuwait. *Sigh*

Anyways, today (September 21) is my two-year anniversary since moving to Kuwait. Realizing I've actually been here two years started my day off on a depressing note (I miss Canada), but I got over it quickly enough when the housekeeper handed me my freshly ironed clothes for the day. It's the little things in life people, the little things....
Here's a list of things I thought were true when I first came to Kuwait:

**Disclaimer: It gets worse as you go down the list. I was young. Well, younger. **

• Any guy who is nice, courteous and well-groomed MUST be gay - There's nothing wrong with being gay,  but it's just ignorant to make assumptions. 

Favorite show as a kid.

• Everyone is related to everyone else - It's still kind of true. Don't deny it. 

Kuwaiti families are *slightly* larger.

• Nobody buys anything from Kuwait - Anytime I'd ask a girl where she got something (top, purse, etc.), the answer would be "Lundun".*Cue Eye Roll*

These were EVERYWHERE in high school. Ugh.

• Everyone is filthy rich - My bad?

Somewhere, in some desert, near some oil-well, this is real.

• We're all famous - In one way or another, everyone has an uncle in the National Assembly. Seriously?

Someday....

• Marina Prison - I used to think only convicts hung out at Marina. Again, not entirely wrong...

Reminiscing, cringing and  regretting a couple of things,

S.

PS - Tell me about anything you once believed was true, only to have time prove you wrong. 

Summer's One Hell Of A Season

How beautiful and serene.

After much deep contemplation and personal reflection, I have decided to approach life from a new angle.

As the this summer draws to an end, I find myself spending lengthy amounts of time reflecting on everything that has taken place, all the way back from June 2, 2010 up to today, September 16, 2010. I can say with all honesty that this has been the strangest summer of my life. Graduating from high school, starting several long-term projects, beginning drafting a novel that I know will never get published.... The list goes on and on. Having spent so much time repeating the same mundane activities over and over again, I feel like something of a zombie. I look alive, I seem alive, but in actuality I really am quite dead.

Kuwait and it's good folk are notorious for their love of leisure, and the summer breaks here run quite a length of time. As of today, I have been in holiday for about 16 weeks, give or take a few. Math was never my strong point. Overall, 16 weeks translates into about four months, and let me tell you it definitely feels like it's been four months. I suppose it has to do with my childhood and growing up (We moved a lot), but now that I finally feel as though I have some stability in my life, I find myself feeling nothing short of stagnant.

Since I know no other methods, I have decided on doing something of a spiritual withdrawal. I plan on avoiding music, my iPod, television and to limit my internet use for the next month. I began this new plan this morning, and I'm doing superbly as evident from this post. Right.

Before I run off for a quickie bout of peaceful meditation, well as peaceful as it can get living in downtown Kuwait, I want you to tell me what you do when you begin to feel out of place or washed out. Do you pray, turn to music, maybe perhaps plan a weekend getaway? Let me know in the comments below, as I am in dire need of inspiration.

 Oohing and aahing whilst stretchming and yawning,

S.

When Two Worlds Collide

Does anyone else see the uncanny resemblence between M.I.A and Kuwaiti actress Maram Al-Bloushi?
Images of Arabic celebrities aren't always easily obtained, but I found one that supports my point.

Maram

M.I.A

I've Got A Bun In The Oven!

KIDDING!

I could however explain to you in (utterly boring) detail the process with which bread is made. See, it's quite simple really, it's all about the fermentation process. The fluffy, light texture you're likely to associate with bread is directly linked to the production of carbon dioxide as the heat from an oven activates the yeast that is vital to this process...Bored yet?
I'll fill you in on a slice of my life before you throw me in an oven; today I got news that I have been accepted in KU into the Biology program! Really...the applause isn't necessary.
To make a long story short, I'm going to be attending KU for the next year, and if everything goes well, I'll be jetting off to Ireland next year to learn the art of healing. Expect many posts, pictures (with inappropriate captions, of course) and funny tales from what I hope is going to be an amazing, educational and all out fun year.

Sharpening my wit and dulling my senses,

S.

PS - If you hear angry villagers, and see smoke and pitch-forks come September 26, don't worry...it'll just be my first day.