Here we are - hump day of another week. And all in all, the week has been grand. I am having a great time in Damascus. I have yet to see some of the most popular sights here, but I figure that I have some time to get it all in. I enjoy Damascus so much that it might possibly be home for a while.
The last week has been a busy one. You know how it is, a shortened school week always takes more out of you than a regular school week. Maybe it's the mentality that we need to get through everything that we'd normally get through in a week. Maybe it's the fun and exciting things that happen during long weekends. Maybe it's a little bit of both. Regardless I feel like I'm playing catch up this week in terms of sleep and such - not that life is overly exciting and adventurous...just exhausting - in a good way.
Upon my return from Kuwait I settled back into life in Damascus rather well. I'm enjoying my treasures that I brought back with me - my dvds that Jessie had been storing, candles from Ikea, hanging hooks so I can start to make my apartment a little More homey. It's been great. I can use the PS2 that my brothers gave me to watch all my favorite tv shows that I have on DVD. I didn't realize having a television could be so much fun. Mohammed, one of the workers at the school who takes care of, well, everything keeps asking me why I haven't submitted the repair order for my satellite - it seems silly to him to have all these channels and not be watching anything. He keeps throwing out the fact that there is a great cooking channel here - I guess I will get that work order in eventually.
Other things keeping me busy include choir. I attended the second rehearsal last night - all Christmas music. It makes my heart leap. I would leap more if it wasn't so difficult to sing and if it didn't hurt my throat. So far it's been good, just getting used to singing again. I remain cautiously optimistic that I will indeed learn to sing again - might not be a soprano, but I'll sing!
School is going very well. Since the arrival of my shipment one thing after another gets put up no my walls or in my classroom. I have so much furniture at home that I brought things to school to use here. It's been really helpful. I have this really nice storage box that used to sit at the foot of my bed. It has a roll top lid. I'm now using it as my borrow box. It's probably the nicest (and best stocked) borrow box in the history of borrow boxes.
I also hope to go to the Barada club this evening to check out what they call "Body Combat" and "Body Pump". I'm skeptical that it's actually the combat and pump that I've grown to love, but I'm going to see just in case it is. If that is the case, I will be blissfully happy (and a little bit broke - gyms here, like in Kuwait are rather expensive) but oh so worth it if it's really combat and pump!
I've decided this weekend will be bread and bun baking weekend. I've found real yeast. I've bought loaf pans (I already have the cookie sheets for buns) and I'm all set to go. I'm looking forward to the adventure. Maybe with enough practice they will not only look as good as mom's but they will also taste as good. Last week I cooked and baked up a storm. I made apple spice muffins, granola bars, mushroom and chicken risotto and beef stew. The Mushroom and chicken risotto was more like chicken and rice than risotto - not sure what I did wrong there, but will try it again. The beef stew was DEADLY. Sirloin steak instead of stewing beef makes for a loverly stew, let me tell you!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner which means I'll be planning for my annual Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm the only Canadian on staff here, so I've decided some fun Canadian trivia is also necessary. If you'd like to contribute some fun Canadian facts, please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.
And on that note, I best be spell checking, publishing my post and signing off. Grover is doing well. He's quite content now that he's returned to the classroom. I guess his agitation stemmed from being in the apartment all day with the kitties. Grover and Ella have a very strained relationship - she picks on him often.
Take care and see you in about 86 days...I'm not counting because I don't like it here - I'm counting because that's the countdown to Christmas holidays on my students' website - they like to know things like that.
Oooh, one last thing. Our director Jim asked me to accompany him to the Remembrance Day Services at the Canadian Embassy. He also said he will contact the embassy so that we can have poppies at school. Such a special place that I am working :)
Love and peace to each and all
Tylene
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