I'm glad I'm here. Thankfully more and more this seems to be the thought I have. Here are some recent things that make me glad to be here.
Where did you see the news announcing Mubarak leaving? Well I was here in the Middle East, watching Al Jazeera, with an Egyptian. Kinda hard to beat that for really being in the moment. He had to be my translator to let me know what was going on.
Then last week here is some of what my week looked like:
Tuesday morning invited to a friends home for tea, snacks, coffee, and conversation. Got the chance to hear his perspective on a variety of issues that usually I only hear from one side. Found this gentlemen to be well read, thoughtful, and generous. What a gift to ask questions and listen.
Wednesday night my roommates and I had friends over and we got the chance to play host. It was a great night. Had about 7 guys in our place talking, joking, discussing and my roommate and I trying our best to match Arab hospitality.
Then Thursday morning myself and two other American's were walking in downtown. The sweet grassy taste of whole sugar cane ground into an "interesting" drink. The heavy aroma in spice shop crowded with bags and bags of pure ground spices and flavorings. Then we were greeted by a man on the street who worked at a local barber shop. We soon found ourselves inside the shop greeting his customers and coworker and sitting down for tea with cinnamon bark. We stayed a short while sipping tea and talking between their broken English and our broken Arabic.
Lots of times I experience things and I am like, "That wouldn't ever happen in America." I think often times these are the things I came for.
Where did you see the news announcing Mubarak leaving? Well I was here in the Middle East, watching Al Jazeera, with an Egyptian. Kinda hard to beat that for really being in the moment. He had to be my translator to let me know what was going on.
Then last week here is some of what my week looked like:
Tuesday morning invited to a friends home for tea, snacks, coffee, and conversation. Got the chance to hear his perspective on a variety of issues that usually I only hear from one side. Found this gentlemen to be well read, thoughtful, and generous. What a gift to ask questions and listen.
Wednesday night my roommates and I had friends over and we got the chance to play host. It was a great night. Had about 7 guys in our place talking, joking, discussing and my roommate and I trying our best to match Arab hospitality.
Then Thursday morning myself and two other American's were walking in downtown. The sweet grassy taste of whole sugar cane ground into an "interesting" drink. The heavy aroma in spice shop crowded with bags and bags of pure ground spices and flavorings. Then we were greeted by a man on the street who worked at a local barber shop. We soon found ourselves inside the shop greeting his customers and coworker and sitting down for tea with cinnamon bark. We stayed a short while sipping tea and talking between their broken English and our broken Arabic.
Lots of times I experience things and I am like, "That wouldn't ever happen in America." I think often times these are the things I came for.
No comments:
Post a Comment