"BUT, IS IT A GOOD LIFE??"

How would you feel if this was your kitchen?  

This is what you cook on. 
This is what you cook with.
What are the first words you think of when you see this???   "what is that??"  "nice campground".

Years ago when Mike and Jen went back to the US for a visit someone came to Jen after they were sharing about our lives here and asked her this question, "But, is it a good life?"  This question has stuck with me for all these years.  Shortly after I heard this question I was able to go on a trip... it is one of my TOP 10 adventures of my life, so far.  I had a friend that took me to visit some of her friends living in remote lands around here, ie.. desert.   They live where there is a water supply and are nomadic people.  I will never forget how we got up early in the morning and drove for a couple hours, then just suddenly took our SUV off road and started driving in which seemed like to me an aimless direction.  Then, out of NOWHERE we found people... they were scurrying away to hide.  A couple children recognized the car and they ALL came out running towards us.  It was an amazing sight!  We got out of the car and we were surrounded by women and children giving us hugs and kisses.  I love the memory of being completely taken with these little ones.    The older women were so precious and you could tell they had been in the sun their whole lives.  THey were all weathered and their skin was all prune-like.  They wore gold on their ears, necks and wrists, but their clothes were thread barren.   They were all smiles.  It had been a long time since my friend had seen them and they needed to catch up.   They took us to their mats and sat us down.  They served us Arabic bread, dates and coffee, their staples, what they lived on.  An older woman took some dates and smooshed them between their fingers and placed it on bread to serve it to us.  Then they told stories of who had gotten married, who had died, how they started their children in school for the first time EVER that fall. Then they mentioned how in the fall they caught chicken pox.  The camp never had experienced this common childhood illness before and it terrified them.  They had no idea what it was.  It was at that moment that I realized what a *bubble* they live in.  Even though it is out in the middle of nowhere and they live in conditions that I wouldn't even camp in, they were not exposed to things you  or I normally are, because they have never left their environment, until now and that was only via their children.  People didn't really come visit them and share the common cold from the outside.  This was fascinating to me.  
It was then I started to ask the question about this life that was playing out in front of me.  "But, is this a good life?" 
I was overwhelmed as I sat there wondering why I was born with a roof over my head and this little child, I was holding, was born out here in the wilderness.  I tried to picture myself having a baby out here and wondering how I would protect it or keep it clean.  I tried imaging how I would sleep out here day in and day out, trying to picture every little bug that could possibly exist out there as I lay on the ground.  All the way home I pondered all that I saw.... tasted... smelled...asking the question, "Is this a good life??"   
These people seemed happy, content, they seemed to experience all of what relationships bring us in life, they experienced death and new life being born into this tribe.  So, it begs the question," what makes a good life"???  "Who determines what a good life is"? 
HMMM... We all have one life and we are all given it to live to the fullest.  I believe the women, young men and children I saw there that day were all enjoying life,  some more than others, but they were living the life the best they knew how.  The thing I loved about observing their life, compared to mine, it did not seem to be entangled with the cares of everyday life.  But, I am almost sure it had it's own own entanglements.  It was then that I realized I will never fully understand how God scattered his creation and placed them in this place or that, for this particular time and for this particular purpose.  I did understand a little more what that person was asking Jen years ago...here I was asking the same question,"But, God is it a good life"?  I do believe he answered me that day.  I know that this time with these people, that He created, was a significant turning point in my perspective and changed my thinking forever as to how I view the world.  He continues to change that perspective, and I am grateful for that.  There were many more things that happened that day... this by far was the most significant lesson I learned. 

One last bit... when Hannah and I got home that night we got horribly sick... we were sick for three days!  I found it kind of ironic that we entered their world and caught a bug.  That was probably the only time when I was sick that I was happy all at the same time. I It was a small price to pay for such a rich experience. 

HANNAH WITH A 100 YEAR OLD DOWRY ON HER NECK










HANNAH WITH SAFFRON ON HER FACE A TRADITIONAL BEDU BEAUTY TRICK

It is really happening

I see a trend here... coffee shop, chai tea, blog.  I think it is my only place to think quiet thoughts.
My environment is surrounded once again by men in white robes, really, they are a great stare.  The men have a way of relating to one another that is dramatic to me.  I wonder sometimes how we look to them.
Anyway... enough of them....
Well, what has been on my mind the last few days has been numerous things.  I am doing my *signature* sigh pretty much all day long.  My sigh is not a bad sigh, it is more a sigh that helps me breath as I take in all these new thoughts and ideas.  How many out there can picture me as a "metropolitan girl"??   Yah, I am having a bit of a hard time myself.  You know that saying, "bloom where your planted", well I am looking forward to seeing how I bloom in this big city.   I am actually getting really excited to see what unfolds on the other side.  He has led so clearly and we have grown in this new place of watching and anticipating... it is going to be exciting to walk this next path.  Now, don't hear me say I am expecting a cake walk... I am truly anticipating a bit of pain, but I know now from walking here that the pain is temporary compared to what is on the other side of what he wants to teach us. 

We went to pick up Marlen, he is back now... when he arrived in Dubai I realized he encompassed all of *my reality* and he was home to put in motion what our next steps would be and it burst *my world of denial*.  I must say just the sight of him was somewhat, a myriad of emotions.  He was filled with many new thoughts, ideas, and places he looked at for housing, information on schools and neighborhoods.  So that is where I (we) have been emotionally since he came home.  We have these incredible friends here that have hooked us up with with incredible people there that are helping us find our way long distance through the streets, schools, metro stops and all via pictures and google maps.  Marlen also got his official offer this week and we have started seriously looking for houses... he is planning to go on the first week in May to start his job.  That means we have 2 weeks to get the house packed, sold, and cleaned.  I actually am staying through the end of the month.  We are moving into Al Ain until we leave, the border is just getting to stressful and hard to cross these days.  Two days ago they were turning women around that were not accompanied by their hubby's.  The new rule states that if you are without your man you are not allowed to enter the Emirates unless you have written permission from him.  There is some more things you need too, but I won't bore you.   I went through the day this rule went into effect... I saw some women getting turned around, but I got through.  Crazy times we live in.
This morning I started placing stuff in boxes to be shipped... It is really happening.

MORE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM....

okay one more tonight... You know by now that I love signs.  

Marlen and I saw this one outside of McD's the other day... it makes me smile every time I read it and ponder what a bedspacer is. 
 

MEN IN WHITE ROBES

I am hiding today in a little corner of a coffee shop.  I am waiting for someone to join me to have a long talk.  The sky has clouds today and I am on cloud nine. (I totally know that is corny to say, but I am just giddy today!!)  I went to bed last night at 8:30 and at 11:30 my phone rang and once again ... my world changed forever.  It was my brilliant guy calling to tell me he is packing us up and moving us to Washington DC because he got THE JOB.  After 5 months of unemployment and after walking this path... that has been so amazing and wonderful and hard and sometimes seemingly never ending... We have direction!!  I know this sounds so crazy, but it is so true... I wouldn't trade these past months for anything... at the same time not wish them on any one either. What an incredible way to leave a place that I have grown to love and call home. 

All that to say, the processing continues and I think I need to pick up the pace!  I think I am leaving sooner than I want to.  So, this post is about Men in white robes... or better known around here as disdashas.  I know the one thing I am going to miss is the diversity of dress.  I love how free people are here to express themselves in their cultural dress.  I love how you know where a person is from by the way they dress.  I remember feeling so out of place when I first began to walk around in this sea of black and white.  The women of course in their abayas and all black... and the men in their white robes with different colored styles of head wraps/hats.  So, while I am sitting in my hiding place I am observing the very essence of an Emirati man... His face is well manicured, He likes coffee, He likes his buddies, He likes his smokes, He is always wearing shades and he is always, always, always fixing his head wrap.  : ) Oh and one more thing.. he loves his PHONE!!!

I was remembering the times I went to Dubai to this particular shopping area.  They had a DOME cafe' in the center of the mall.  Seriously, EVERYTIME, I have gone, I've seen these same men sitting in the cafe', in a group of about 8 Emiratis talking, smoking and drinking coffee.  I don't know why but I loved seeing this over and over again.  It was something that was so consistent that it became a familiar thing to me.  I took numerous mental pictures of this one older man... I thought he would be a great subject for a photo shoot.  I often wondered what they found to talk about each and everyday they met.  
The other thing I was thinking a lot about through my years here is how do cultures get their style??? Seriously... how did this region pick the abaya and dishdasha when the Pakistanis and Afghanis picked these long shirts with baggy pants under them??? How did jeans become a staple in America??  What made them think that this was more comfortable than pants???  Also, how did the guys get the pick of the lighter colors?? Things that make you go HMMMMM.....

I am going to MISS walking in this sea of black and white... and watching them fuss over themselves looking just right.

THE MYSTERY OF HISTORY

This place is new for me but very familiar already.  I love it out here. Hannah and I have used it as a backdrop for some of our photography shoots and she has also used it  for some film work.  There are people that still live on the outer edges of these ruins. Most of the building in the area are barren and falling down.  There are some really awesome goats that run free out there.  One day when we were out there this car stopped and this British man, told us a bit of the history.  According to him, the whole place was closed off to the public until recent years.  This was the main market area about 50 years ago.  It is actually where they sold slaves.  He also mentioned that Hamasa was famous for an uprising here in the 50's.  There continues to be bits and pieces that are coming out of what took place there...I still would like to get the real scoop before I leave.  Recently, I met an Omani man that has lived there all his life.  How cool is that??? I have seen him a couple times since and he is going to let Hannah and photograph him under the tree where he played.  This is one thing on my list that I am pursuing...hopefully I will have another post that says the mystery is solved.  : ) 

          a home in Hamasa 

 

A Walk through the Souq

 

Inside this gate lies an array of fruits, veggies and Omani treasures.  The other day Jen and I and some new friends sauntered through and took in all the smells, colors and their version of taste testing.  

 

 But inside this  treasure trove the thing that is most intriguing are the people.  There are those that wave their prize tomatoes at you or tempt you with dates. Most likely you won't come out of there unscathed.  You will have in your hands bags full giving into the temptation to take home.  My favorite part of all is watching the locals shop.  I am always amazed (and so are shopkeepers) when I want only 5 carrots and they take out a whole bushel bag full. I ask for a few bananas and they take home a whole branch!  But, I also enjoy watching the men shop for their wives and families.  Most of the time the majority of shoppers are men.  Occasionally, there are a few women. The day we went there was this old man shopping for dates.  When I think of an older Omani man, he is what I think of... he was smiling, joking and very amiable.  I asked to take his picture and he hammed it up for me.  His camel cane, white dishdasha, guhtra and his Arab sandals are all the outer things that remind me of who these people are... but their is something about the Omani people whether you meet them on the street or in their homes a warmth and friendliness exudes from them... and I remember why I enjoy them so much.  

 

RACING CAMELS AT SUNSET

One of my favorite places in Al Ain is the camel race track at sunset.  It is so peaceful out there, with the only sounds coming from camel hoofs pounding the sand track and the Toyota Land Cruisers following along side them. I could sit out there and watch these racing beasts for hours. There is this whole *other* culture out at the track.  It feels very beduoin with a handful of farms scattered in the dunes. There quite a few people milling around out there, most of them are workers from other countries training the camels.

A racing camel with the little electronic jockey on his back.

I DID IT!!

Now there are certain things here in our area, that whether we see them once or a zillion times, we still comment on the oddity it is to us.  Something that was on my list that I wanted to do before I leave was to take a picture of this sign in front of this specific mosque on the way back to Al Ain from Abu Dhabi.  Today, as Jen and I made our way back home she indulged my photographic need to take this particular picture...  I was thrilled!!  It has been on my list of pictures to take for years now.  CHECK!

NOTE:  I took it in a rush as to not get either of us in trouble...  I know it could of been better, but hey I have the picture on record for posterity sake.  Jen is that little speck laying by the mosque, under the window. : ) 

CHECK

RAH RAH SIS BOOM BAH


I have made a list of things that I or our family would like to see. taste. experience before we leave this amazing land.
One of the things that came to mind for all of us was that we wanted to go quad biking out in the dunes. Our friend Brad, took us to this cheap little place with Made in China bikes. The thing we said at the end was, "Why didn't we do this sooner???" Isn't that what you always say in these situations? But, the evening was amazing... beautiful sunset. untouched sand with ripples that remind me of untouched snow. lots of laughter. lots of bikes getting stuck. conquering my fear of large dunes and learning from Amy how to take on a dune with grace and ease. letting Ally (4 yrs old) take me on the ride of my life. and last but not least redemption for all cheerleaders!!!!

LEAVING WELL...

How does one start one of these blogs???
I have started, erased. Started, erased about 5 times now.
The reason for starting this particular blog came from a need to process. I have contemplated how it would be best to say goodbye to Oman and the UAE and begin to walk this new path. We were with friends recently and the subject of conversation was HOW TO SAY GOODBYE WELL, leaving a place that we have embraced mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually over the last 8 years. They suggested that we begin by picturing a suitcase. Then, asking ourselves what we want to take with us on our journey, but also, what we want to leave behind. Then, there is that pile of stuff that can go either way ... if there is room take it, if not leave it behind. I think it is quite easy to do that with many physical things. Walking around the house ... Our bed...take it. Legos... take them. Desk... leave it. You get my point. But, it is the emotional things I think it will take time to sort through and thankfully I have already started.
I find myself looking out the window as Marlen is driving trying to imprint pictures that I love to take mentally over and over again that makes this place home. There is a woman that sits in her yard and sometimes outside the fence on the sidewalk. She is beduoin and she is pretty old. I look for her every time we drive by. Some in my family would call this stalking. I beg to differ. She lives in this old run down delapidated home for Al Ain standards. She has the main street coming into Al Ain out side her front door. She is always dressed in her abaya and her shayla. I can almost picture her hands all wrinkly and *prune-like* from the years of being in the sun. I love how she seemingly does the same simple things each day. Her life seems so uncomplicated. I wish I could just sit and listen to her tell stories of how she has watched Al Ain grow and change in size and culture.
It is things like this that I am contemplating. It is moments like this that I am savoring. I want to CELEBRATE what He has given us in these last 8 years and I want you to come along and enjoy them too! That is why I have started this blog.