The Adventures of Grover and Tylene...August 20, 2008

Well, I've never written a blog before, so I shall do my best to keep you all entertained as you read about my experiences here in Kuwait. I will be sure to post pictures, but currently I am running Internet from a dial-up connection, so such things will have to wait until I have high speed!



After way too long on way too many airplanes, I arrived in Kuwait.



Mom and Aunty Lynn saw me off at the Saskatoon airport. I must admit goodbye was a difficult thing to do. There was a brief moment when I was waiting for the security people to clear my carry on luggage that I thought, "nah, I'm gonna stay!" However, once I made my way to the waiting area, I calmed down and got ready for a most adventurous flight.



First, my little plane (and I do mean little) from Saskatoon was certainly...special. It was a twin engine...twin propeller engine. You know that machine that mixes paint cans...well, that's kind of how the whole flight felt.



The next part of my journey was to be a stop over in Calgary and a visit with a friend. It wasn't as easy as one might think, however. As a travel hint to all of you, if you are in Calgary, and even if you have six and a half hours at the airport, and EVEN if your destination is no more than 30 minutes from the airport, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT leave the airport. As it turned out, it appeared that every northbound road had massive traffic jams as a result of numerous traffic accidents. It took about 1.5 hours, but we did make it to the airport, I was allowed through security and the airline hadn't quite latched the door when I arrived. I even had time to switch seats so I could sit beside Jenny once we were on the plane. CRAZINESS.



The next leg of the flight was exhausting. Unfortunately, there was very little sleep. However I quite enjoyed my own personal television set and watched a few movies and television shows to pass the time.



Our arrival in Frankfurt couldn't have come at a better time. When one is unwilling to use the "facilities" on the airplane, one is quite glad to arrive at the airport! We had about 4 hours to spend in Germany. For fear of missing our connecting plane, we of course, just remained in the airport. Unfortunately, the Frankfurt airport is not the most exciting place for two women who are beyond pooped and have little energy for shopping.



Finally the flight to Kuwait was boarded and it was anything but boring. I had my first exposure to Middle Eastern culture on the plane. One thing that I can tell you is that family is of the utmost importance. And factors such as packed airplanes and busy aisles do not prevent the party.



Arrival in Kuwait was an eye opener. I was quite nervous about clearing customs. Despite having all the documentation that I needed, I was still nervous that there would be something missing. The customs agent looked at my passport and gave me a stamp. Piece of cake.



Then it came time for all of my luggage (all 6 bags) to go though the security check. Perhaps it was the other 20 teachers with copious amounts of luggage, or perhaps it's just luck of the draw, I don't think the security dude even looked up to inspect my bags as they passed through the x-ray machine.



Next, the school was waiting for us with water, fruit and all the tags we needed to label our luggage. They also hired porters to help us with our bags and so once I arrived in Kuwait, there wasn't much I had to do to take care of my luggage. We spent about an hour waiting for all the staff to clear customs and get their luggage before heading to our apartments.



Bags arrived at our homes quite a while after we did, so after unpacking a little so that my next morning could be functional, I was off to bed. And so ends Sunday night.



Sunday morning we began our transition to Kuwait. We met at the school around 8:30...a 10 minute walk from my apartment. Since then, we have visited the Sultan Centre (a huge grocery/department store that has everything you could possibly want...and then some); City Centre (another grocery/department store), traditional Kuwaiti markets (in a not so traditional air conditioned mall...loverly) and of course, IKEA.



We've reviewed Harry Wong's "First Days of School" and have learned about the Primary Years Programme of the IBO. We've done icebreaker activities and have gotten to know the other new staff. We've shared meals, fears and laughs. We've learned about Kuwaiti and Islamic culture, and the holy month of Ramadan. Despite all that I've learned, I feel that it's only scratched the surface. I can't wait to continue to experience life in Kuwait. It's going to be a wonderful journey that I am looking forward to sharing with each and everyone of you!



In closing, the heat is manageable (aside from days like today when, in addition to heat we have humidity...yuck!). The drivers are crazy...I can't believe the number of "close calls" that I've witnessed. The school is terrific (an amazing staff who are going above and beyond to help us adjust to not only a completely different curriculum, but also to life in Kuwait). The people are great. Grover and I are definitely safe and sound. My biggest danger is crossing the street in front of my building before and after school. But I learned the "look both ways" lesson many moons ago, so I'm not at all worried.



Until next time...



G & T