Sway

Reality Check: Most of the people that enter your life won't.

When I was a young child in Sweden, I remember that Sundays were relatively dull. In North America, Sundays were set aside for Christians, and so most of the shops and libraries would be closed. While things were similar in Sweden, the truth is that save for a few holidays, the Swedes just aren't all that religious. I'm going off on a tangent here, but what I mean to say is that Sunday was the day most people would do laundry and nurse their red wine hangovers. It was a quiet and calm, if not a bit depressing, day.

After I'd read all I could read, finished all my homework and played outside, I would watch these amazing television shows that would air specifically on Sundays. As a child growing up in the late Nineties and early 2000s, I was fairly sheltered. The resources I had access to was vast thanks to libraries, but it wasn't immediate and in-your-face. However, I digress; back to the topic at hand. Now, these shows were so much fun to watch. Everyone featured was energetic, attractive and full of life. They were amusing, and endearing. The commitment they showed their craft was truly inspiring. I would be entertained for hours on end, and Sunday would slip by unnoticed, leaving room for another exciting week of school and life to take it's place. 

Fast forward a few years, and in set cultural preconceptions, the bitter truth and the Internet.

What did I discover? 

Those shows that held me captive every Sunday morning and made me laugh and smile were nothing more than cheesy and insincere infomercials. The people featured in them weren't happy; they were tacky and ridiculous. The products were bizarre, the deals a rip-off and the hosts and guests paid actors.

This is what growing up does to you. It strips away the magic and wonder from everything, forcing you to see the world for what it is: a disgusting and cruel place. The harder you try, the more you realize there's no point in trying. There's simply no winning. Everyone opposes you, and those who don't often remain silent, which is just as bad (if not worse) than the former. You put all this (imaginary?) pressure on yourself trying to be a better person, trying to convince those around you to do the same and yet it's a futile effort. A lost war, if you will. The apathetic remain that way, the ignorant loud, and the masses misinformed. You quickly realize you're wasting your life trying to make the world a better place, if only in the tiniest way possible, but you can't even do that. You wake up one day and realize that you have been alive, without living. You give up, and move on.  

That, ladies and gentleman, is how you grow to be jaded.

Vibin'

It's almost February, and foam is illegal this year. We'll see about that...

As you all know, I'm currently on winter break from KU and so I've been taking it easy for the past few days. You know the drill: eat, sleep, cry about your life, eat some more, go to the gym and repeat. What can I say? I'm a party animal. Also, if Kuwait had clubs, I feel fairly confident in saying they couldn't handle me.

However awesome whatever I just implied may be, I digress...

Let's get down to business, and by business I mean let's pick apart the finer points of our Kuwaiti society. (When I blog about Kuwait in a harsh manner, I include myself in the pronouns used. Genius? Yeah, I'd like to think so. I'm still an outsider though).  

Today's target: Wataniya. 

Before I move forth with this social crusade, I'd like to make a few things clear:

• I am Wataniya customer myself, so I have earned the right to talk smack about them. 

• I own neither a BB nor an iPhone. My phone is one of those awesome 5KD phones that doubles as a weapon. Blunt force trauma is your friend.

• Despite how ridiculous this chat culture has gotten, I neither judge nor condemn those who use it. It is pretty lame if that's how you hook up with people though. Like, whatever happened to Marina mall? Remember that place? Romance is just dead these days...   

The other day I was just laying on my bed and in the midst of a fierce staring contest with my ceiling, I was rudely interrupted by my phone. I had just received a sext text. Me, being the social hermit that I am, there were really only two possibilites as to why someone would text me:

• Friends want to go out for brunch (RARE).
• Wataniya sending me another promo SMS (Not so rare.... All the while reminding me how little of a life I have).

Anyways, I received the following twexts (Twext: When you receive more than 1 text at a time. Think obsessive boyfriend... Or Wataniya. Copyright pending):

First in Arabic (You have no idea how long it took to type this up. The things I do for you punks... Also, it's slightly jumbled because of format, but you get the picture.)

دردش على راحتك و تواصل مع أصدقاء جدد مع WCHAT ارسل "دردش" الى 1666 او اشترك عن طريق الواب من موبايلك. للمزيد اتصل على 122.

Then in English (this is where shit gets good),

Be anyone, and chat with everyone anonymously with WChat! To join now, send "WCHAT" to 1666 or login via WAP from your mobile phone. Call 121 for details.

HOLD THE PHONE KUWAIT.

So, what I am to understand from this is that it's NOT okay to socialize with the opposite sex without social stigma, BUT it's TOTALLY cool if I want to spend an entire night talking to strangers? Oh, talking to strangers ANONYMOUSLY? The fact that the "anonymous" angle is the selling point for Kuwaitis is disgusting. The fact that this company supports this disgusts me. The fact that Kuwait is sold as being an "Islamic Nation", despite the blatant bullshit I see everyday disgusts me. 

Seen outside my chemistry class in KU. Ironic? Yes.

Honestly, I don't blame the youth here for being so strange and bizarre. How are they supposed to develop like normal human beings when everything with the opposite sex is stigmatized? (Well, unless it's anonymous and being pushed forth by your phone service provider). I don't give a shit what the Salaf say, interest in the other (or same) sex is normal. What's not normal is oppressing generation after generation of young people, until you're left with nothing but an entire country of sadistic and sexually confused people. All this bullshit, and people wonder why Kuwait's social structure is crumbling underneath its own weight? 

Wataniya, keeping you socially connected and emotionally isolated since 1999.

Feeling the frustration,

S.

PS - How do you feel about Kuwait's "conservative" society being so transparent?

She A'aight, Sunn.

Why not? Exactly.

(I know this isn't a topic that is usually spoken about, at least not publicly, but this is my blog and what I'm writing today is not being written with the intent to hurt, offend or marginalize anyone. I'm trying out this "honest" approach to writing, and if I can educate or help someone out in the process, then cool. If not, I hope we can agree to disagree with respect and peace.)

Recently, I've been at a writing standstill of sorts. What generally happens is that I'll hear or read about something I find to be relevant to Kuwait, and then I'll want to blog about it. Sounds simple, right? WRONG. Every time I try to sit down and come up with something that is cohesive, poignant and informative, I fall terribly short. One of the primary reasons for this goes back to my fluency (or lack thereof) in Arabic. Long story short, I'm lacking in resources that I can actually use, and it's frustrating to say the least. 

So, since I can't blog about some of these more "relevant" topics from a purely factual point (to which I would then add my educated opinion on the matter), I've decided I'll try something new, something a bit more... vulnerable? I'm not entirely sure if that last word is an accurate description of this new angle I'm going for, but we'll see. My new approach will see me discussing my interpretation of current topics, how I've come across them and what they are to me. Simple? I hope so. 

Today's topic has to do with something I regrettably felt while reading a fellow blogger's post about recent events that occurred in Kuwait. The post was lengthy, but written very well, so I was engrossed, to say the least. Towards the end of the post, there was mention of Shi'ite MPs, and the blogger discussed some of this sect's history and what not. It wasn't a major component of article, but it was there. It was enough, as they say. Enough to... irritate me.

I don't have words that can describe how disgusted I am with myself as I write this... For no apparent reason, and certainly without good cause, I slowly but surely began to feel a small bubble of animosity rise in me as I read the few sentences that mentioned Shi'ites. I was caught off guard; growing up, my parents never instilled any "We are Sunna, they are Shi'ite" mentality in me. In fact, religion was rarely ever brought up, apart from the standard basics: prayer, Ramadan, reading from the Quran on Fridays.... that was pretty much it. Both my parents are medical professionals; neutrality is the name of their game. That got me thinking: if these feelings of hostility weren't got from my background or upbringing, then where did they come from? I just found it so surprising that I, The Expatess, a politically correct Canadian (It's what we're famous for) with agnostic tendencies had these feelings within her. The worst part was that they came up without any real cause. Just the mention of the "other sect" of Islam was enough to stir up these very alarming emotions. I was, and still am, dissappointed in myself for that momentary (albeit subconscious?) loathing. A strong word, but I'm trying to be honest here in hopes I'm raising awareness about prejudice most of us don't realize we have. From the reflection I've done on the matter, I believe that while it's not explicitly said out loud, there is enough of a whisper about Shi'ites in the Sunna communities to be heard. While it won't affect daily interactions or (hopefully) friendships and relationships, I worry about its effect on a macroscopic level. Were I any less of a person, I would have possibly embraced this silly hatred. Then someday, when I've grown up and found myself in a position of power, my subconcious bias WILL affect decisions I make, decisions that could affect many people.  Decisions that could harm many people, for no reason other than their beliefs. My subconscious could easily override my conscience, and crimes against humanity could occur. This is how injustice is bred; slowly, surely and quietly. 

It's a scary thought.  

Wondering if you can hear her now,

S. 

PS - The floor is yours, I'd love for some feedback on this from anyone and everyone. 

PPS - On a lighter note, my Mom thinks I wrote this post because I have a crush on a Shi'ite guy. Mothers... :p

WE WON!!11!!!Eleven!!!!111

This would look AWESOME in a dewaniya.

Our boys (Hands off the one in gray).

S.

PS - Number 22, Al Khaldi? Call me.

Sunny Side Up

He whips it back & forth, real hard.

(I find this article's summary of the game very... humorous.)

While I'm over the moon about tonight's victory, I feel as though I need to point out that it was only the semi-finals. Not that the people outside my window seem to care; from all the honking I hear, Kuwait is definitely counting their chickens a bit early. Oh well. Who am I to begrudge people a little fun? The cops should make a killing with tickets tonight, so I guess there is a silver lining to all this. Hold those street hooligans accountable!

Iraq played well, but our boys definitely turned things up after an hour into the game. That's pretty much all I can say about the game. I'm still new to this watching-sports-willingly thing. I'm surprised to say this, but since catching World Cup fever back in June, I've really taken to watching soccer. Maybe it's because it makes me feel like a part of something., and it's something both my family and I enjoy. Or maybe it's because soccer players are hot. Either or. 

Speaking of hot, I want to add that Fahad Al Anizi's hair is awesome. I'm dead serious. I think I'm going to call into Marina FM and dedicate Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" to him as soon as I'm over this cold. Speaking of which, is not fun. Every 6-8 weeks, I'm hit with a crippling bout of the flu and this round has been particularly horrid. I've even lost my voice, which would have been tragic except for the fact I've also lost my phone, so the universe has taken care of things for me. It's all about the cosmic balance folks...

 

Iraq, The Expatess' thoughts are with you and your team. Well played and you've done the Middle East proud. Better luck next time mates. 

Always and forever kickin' it her way,

S.

PS - Can someone tell me exactly why our national team's color is blue? Seriously confused about this one.

Oh! Canada.. (Really?)

Forget recycling; this is patriotism folks. THIS.

 "إنت و اخوك على على ولد عمك, إنت و ولد عمك على الغريب"

Now, it's no big secret that Canada (and Canadians) are often taken lightly. Our (yes, OUR) culture and identity are frequently mocked, ridiculed and degraded by just about anyone. Today, I found myself in the midst of an all too familiar scenario: Several people talking smack about Canada around me.  Me, The Expatess, a fiercely loyal Canadian (if only in spirit these days). Without any substantial argument made, all my Kuwaiti peeps could really do was refer back to how "lame" Canada was. How we are insignificant, lacking in a bloody history of unwarranted wars, how we don't own any weapons of mass destruction, how we pronounce it "Aboot".... All I can say is, REALLY? This is why you don't like Canada? Or maybe, it's just fun to make Canadians fume when you ridicule their country? 

I don't mind the jokes and ridicule; Canada's history speaks for itself, and our identity as a fair and just nation is well-known and irrefutable. Therefore, whenever ever people feel the need to wage a war of words against my true love, Canada, I am more than well armed. But the thing is, my problem with this has nothing to do with Canada. Opponents of Canada gain momentum by pointing out the things Canada ISN'T. If I were to point out the things Kuwait IS, I'd be facing a hoard of very angry (and rather hypocritical) Kuwaitis.The same Kuwaitis who mock other Kuwaitis, who mock their own culture, their own youth, their own people. Okay.

Lesson of the day: We'll mock you, but you can't mock us. Unless you're one of us. Preferably a first class citizen. Literally.

Keeping her mouth shut for the sake of maple syrup,

S.

PS - Any thoughts?

Last Laughs

Today is a sad day for comedy, Kuwait and The Expatess. It was reported that Kuwaiti comedian Ghanem Al Saleh passed away early this morning in London after losing his battle to cancer. You can read more about the details in this article here, as it would be dull and redundant for me to merely regurgitate what is already floating around the internet at this point.

I'm not writing this post in a bid to say my few words of Arabic condolences, or to try to submerge myself in what's happening in Kuwaiti culture. I'm writing this post because as a young girl growing up abroad, the only (small) window I had into Kuwait was the television. While we all know that the portrayals of Kuwaitis in the numerous soaps that circulate all the MBCs, ARTs and Orbits are not an accurate reflection of life in Kuwait or its fine folk, it was the only real link I had to my roots while  living out a childhood in North America during the Nineties. I'm not going to go into detail as to why I wasn't more "aware" of my Kuwaiti background growing up (That's for another more appropriate time), but I'm thankful Mr. Al Saleh was a part of my life. I'm thankful he made me laugh during many Ramadans. He taught me how to furiously flip a ghutra, how to express outrage in a deliciously melodramatic way only an Arab man can. He showed off the hilarity of Khaleejis in foreign vacation spots, and made us all laugh at own cultural missteps. He founded a theater troupe, was a pioneer of his time, brought joy to many hearts, educated dozens and will be missed greatly.

For all the laughs, all the nasfas and all the memories, I wish you peace and happiness where ever you may now be Ghanem.

Bidding London one last bye bye,

S. 

Standing In Lines

Random update: Currently craving this. Deal with it.

It's about 11:00 a.m. and I'm stuck in KU's library with nothing better to do than attemtp to get some work done/entertain myself with their beyond crippled internet connection. I am so bored right now that I decided I should take this pent-up frustration I have and blog. To add insult to injury, I get to blog about my disdain for KU from the university itself. At this point, it's little victories like this that help me get through each day...Well that and diet coke but that's less to do with my boredom and more to do with my caffiene addiction. *Cue eye twitch*

When I made my blog, I had originally intended to use it to spread a message of sorts, but now after almost three months since I started it I've lost track of what the message was meant to be. I am in the midst of something of an identity crisis at the moment, and it's frustrating trying to distinguish the inner root of my problem from the apparent root, which would seemingly be KU. I say this because I never wanted this blog to be a viral dedication to my life, a digital diary if you will. I wanted to stir up controvery and create social change, a legacy I would leave behind once I got all the credits I need to transfer to Ireland for medical school....I had plans. 

These days, I find myself in something of a dilemma. I am able to see a future for myself that extends beyond next month, but day-to-day I have no idea what to do with myself. Whether it's the lack of interest in my subjects, the dullness of KU or the sad reality that their library has not a single work of fiction, I don't know. All I know is that I'm somewhat lost these days.

In other news, Scope TV was under attack a few days ago, and I'm interested to see how things play out and what story the media will come up with to explain away this little "incident".

Killing time in this punk-ass library,

S.

PS - Let me know in the comments below how you've been feeling these days and let's toast to our united disillusionment.

It's Funny Because It's True. And Sad.

**Disclaimer: This a REAL conversation that ACTUALLY took place. You can't make this shit up unless you're an Arab version of Tina Fey.***

My Brother: "Where can I buy work-out gloves from? You know for weights and stuff.."

Me: "You should go to that huge sports supply store in Hawalli, what's it called? Oh! Naif's Sport Supply."

Brother: "You mean Nasser's Sport's Supply store?"

Me: "No, you're thinking of Nasser's Chicken. Sheesh, and you call yourself a Kuwaiti..." 

Packing my bags as we speak,

S. 

PS - I'm sick today, and therefore miserable, so if you read this comment and let me know how your life is worse than mine at the moment. If possible.

Sit The Hell Down

Let's pretend they use these in KU

And listen to my rant. Please & thank you in advance.

Kuwait University opens it's Hell gates in 4 days and counting. Do you see the problem with this? I am not prepared. As I type this, my heart is racing and my head is pounding. I'm playing out several awkward social scenarios in my head on loop, anticipating hellish professors and trying to figure out how far I can make it out of Kuwait before my parents realize that S. isn't home. My guess? Not very far. Kuwait is stupidly small country, with an even stupider and smaller society. Your next door neighbor got a haircut? Check your phone, because I already sent you a text about it yesterday. News spreads that fast in Kuwait. So that means even if I do make it to Bahrain (Which is, let's admit it, an extension of Salmiya), they'll have dragged me back home in time for my first lecture. Great.

Seeing as how I can't escape this social apocalypse, here's my plan for the (HOPEFULLY) one year I will spend as a student at KU. It hurts just typing that last bit.

1. Speak to no one
2. Only listen to someone with the power to grade my papers
3. Play dumb and deaf between classes
4. Drink 8 glasses of water a day
5. Get a BlackBerry so I can log onto Twitter in between and after classes. Oh, who am I kidding? During class too.  

This system has never failed me. Yet.

Averting her gaze from the almighty coneheads,

S.

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. 

The Ugly Truth

Despite the fact I did my very best to try and deny I was (part) Kuwaiti, it remains that I have always known this truth. While I will forever be Canadian and loyal to the country that gave me more than I could ever give it, I feel that now that they have Justin Beiber I can avert my gaze and focus on trying to shake up things in Kuwait.
My revolutionary plans aside, I've spent some time reflecting upon my childhood and have compiled a list of the clues I so desperately tried to ignore. It seems that you can leave Kuwait, but Kuwait will never leave you. I would know, as I've tried. Ahem.

Top Clues That You're a Kuwaitiya:

• My childhood fascination with Cabaret and Drag Queens - A little known fact about me is that I've always been very much into makeup and glamor, and I still am to this day.

Cabaret stage makeup

"Kuwaiti-style" Makeup. Yikes.

• The inner Diva in us ALL - I am, and always have been, a very strong woman. My non-Kuwaiti Mother claims I get it from my Dad's side of the family. The Kuwaiti side of the family. Coincidence?

We are all Oprah, and Oprah is us.

• The glamor of Chai - The last five years have seen a marked rise in the popularity of a drink I have always been aware existed. Hipster S. was sipping on Chai before it was the "It" thing worldwide.

Use you imagination. Google has its limits.

• Peter the Patriot - It's a very Kuwaiti thing to be patriotic, and while I do share your passion, I am unfortunately loyal to Canada. But, hey, let's all hold hands and sing national songs okay? 

 Can I have both?

 Canadian, Kuwaiti and confused,

S.

Let me know in the comments below if you've ever noticed some overlap between Kuwait and any other cultures you've been a part of.

Shaken or Stirred?

Either way, some things should not mix. Take for example, fire and lighter fluid or how about drinking and driving? Both situations can often lead to grisly outcomes, which takes me to my main point: dubbed TV series and/or movies. You know the ones I'm talking about. 

Look, three years ago the whole "Mohaned & Nour" thing was cute and I  played along because I thought the craze would fade away on its own. However, like that one really old plant we all have, this movement just won't die. I know this for a fact because I tried shooting it in the face, and...well I'm not allowed to discuss any details ahead of the trial. Yeah...

Laughs and such aside, I'm serious. What happened to books and reading? Reading seems to have been tossed aside, along with manners and grammar. These shows and movies are stupid, low brow and a waste of airtime. As if it wasn't bad enough they were dubbing Turkish shows in a Syrian dialect, they are now making them with Egyptian dialects. That's just cruel. 

The worst part of this whole craze is that these shows aren't even popular in their native Turkey. Before I continue, let me just say that I don't think Arabic shows are any better. Unless they're made by Naif Al-Rashed (Don't ask). On the other hand, the Bollywood movies are slightly easier to stomach (Read: Less gag-worthy) because at least they're kitschy. They may lack quality, but the Khaleeji dialect they're dubbed in makes them humorous. Well, more humorous.

If we are to indulge in anything related to Bollywood, I find this to be the only acceptable form. 

Dancing around a lone palm tree,

S.

Bad Drivers

I miss the snow back home.

(I didn't even bother coming up with a catchy or clever title for this post. That's how unamused I am.)

Kuwait, you have some of the worst drivers I have ever seen in my life. For a group of people that live in a country where alcohol is prohibited, it's just inspiring to witness the dedication some people (read: GUYS) have to horrendous driving. Seriously? Six-lane highways and a decent infrastructure should mean driving in Kuwait = EASY and maybe perhaps FUN? 

Yeah. Right. 

Racing the yellow light and endangering the lives of others,

S. 

What is your least favorite thing about the roads and/or driving in "El Deera"?

Taking The Cake

I'm not actually going to talk about brownies, or anything to do with baking for that matter. This is just a sneaky ploy attempted at attracting readers' attention.
In my time spent studying Kuwait and it's inhabitants, I've noticed something. Kuwaitis (Read: All Arabs) really, really like to eat. The love they express towards food is almost sacred. I mean, I enjoy eating. I like to look at pretty food. I'm a disaster in the kitchen, but that's alright as I don't really plan on cooking for anyone...anytime soon. I have a career to chase. However, I digress. What really I want to say is that it would be so beautiful if for just one day, one tiny particle in space and time, we were all as sweet to each other as those brownies are. I mean being kind to everyone. To our annoying siblings, our trying company, our tired maids, even to the freaks you go to school with. You never know, maybe that freak will someday grow up and start a blog. I don't know about you, but I'd love an honorable mention. Because I love attention like that.

If you were to be remembered for one thing, what would you want it to be?

Lacing up my metaphorical sneakers,

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

Mechanical Hearts

(I am really loving this song right now. So should you. Enjoy.)

You're very cute Kuwait. I like you, I think. I can't help myself. *Blushes*

When I first set foot in Kuwait's airport two years ago, the first thought that sprang into my head (Well, the second. The first was "Oh, they have a Cartier store here? How nice!") was "Two years, and then I'm outta here. Two years and then I'm back home!"
That was all fine and dandy until I woke up one day and realized that I was happy. Here. Yes, you read that correctly. Don't get me wrong, the bad often outweighs the good in Kuwait. The weight is evenly distributed between neon makeup and Bedazzled Hummers. The traffic is atrocious. Hawalli is an eyesore. There isn't always much to do, other than go out to a restaurant or bum it out with friends in a mall.
However, and I highly stress this point, there are some magnificent people in Kuwait. I've met some of the kindest, funniest, most outrageous people here. I'm lucky enough to call them friends, and even luckier that I decided to defrost my attitude enough to allow friendship to take root. Plus, the fact that having been raised in Canada has given me something of an "exotic" edge it just truly ironic. Canada is many things. Exotic is most definitely not one of them.

To wrap up this post, I want you to tell me about a spot in the world you've visited that turned out to be different than you imagined. I remember driving around Parisians suburbs and thinking that this was the farthest thing from glamorous. It was too much for me, and we hurriedly zoomed back to our hotel. Much glamorous fun was had that vacation.

Sighing somewhere in a galaxy far,

S.

Fun Times

In my regular McChicken fashion, I am going to wish everyone Ramadan mubarak! (That's how we say it in Canada). This is my *FIRST* Ramadan in Kuwait, and my first one with all the lovely people I've met over the past two years and so naturally I am very excited. Another added bonus is I'm working on getting my driver's license, so that's another highlight to look forward to this month.

Without rambling on forever, I once again wish everyone a fabulous and righteous month. Spread the joy, share the love and pass the laban!

Trying to fix this case cotton mouth by drooling at the thought of Eid cash,

S.

I've Got A (Sick?) Obsession

(Go ahead, drum your fingers along to this song...you know you love it.)

To quote Ke$ha, "I've got a sick obsession...". No, I'm not addicted to drawing on my face like the Pop princess. If I have markers in my hand, we all lose. What I mean to say is that these past two years have found me becoming obsessed with all things Kuwait. From the fashions, to the vernacular to the social "rituals" (Starbucks mating game...yeah, I know about that), Kuwait has me held captive with its buzzing fluorescent culture. The cherry on top of this situation must be how seamlessly the Kuwaiti youth have incorporated stereotypically North American tokens of Pop Culture and reinvented them as their own. Sheik Ray Ban anyone?
Myself, I'm a very dramatic figure, which is perhaps why I find myself fascinated with the overly trendy culture the general Kuwaiti youth identify with. With the neon accessories and matte phones, I find myself left with plenty to look at and analyze.

Buffing my Ray Bans to a royal shine,
S.

What's In A Name?

If you cast a quick glance at the address bar on the top of your browser (I'm a Safari girl myself), you'll see I've chosen "The Expatess" as the moniker under which my blog will exist. The genesis for this name is either dull or interesting, depending on your taste. In any case, I'll elaborate and allow you to play judge to my crime in taste.

One aspect of Kuwaiti culture I've always been well acquainted with is the ritual-like consumption of tea. As a child, I recall my Father drinking tea (mixed with condensed milk) at breakfast every morning. I would vigorously lie to myself , and pretend that his preferred morning beverage was an emulation of the Brits' affinity for tea. Sadly, time passed and fantasies faded; I realized that my Dad wasn't merely being posh, he was also being his Kuwaiti self.
Before I continue to digress all the way into oblivion, I'll explain the name. As a kid with skinned knees, I recall many stormy nights spent watching The X-Files, completely enthralled with the eerie adventures of Mulder and Scully (Fact: I will always love David Duchovny). Recently teased as being an "expatriate" in my own country, I lopped off the latter half of the word, added the female suffix of "-ess" and here we are today. Seeing as how I plan on filing all my otherworldly university experience in this virtual cabinet, I thought my little play on words was appropriate. That explains the name of the blog. What it doesn't explain is why I don't have an estikana in my hand.

Running to the sound of the kettle screeching,

S.