Wow. It's so annoying how FLABBERGASTED I still am at the RIDICULOUSNESS of this place! It's like the rest of the world is Type A, and this area is the annoying, laid back, easy going guy, who maybe we all wish we could be, but we know that nothing gets done and rules don't get followed if we do.
So, as you know, I have my license now. Wow, it should have been entitled licensed to drive in a DANGER slash DEATH ZONE. Supposedly the cops here are really strict, and I think they are about speeding and crashes and things, BUT there are basically no rules here it feels like. People just swerve in and out as they please, indicating if they feel like it, but mostly not. You have to be mean sometimes and not let someone in. They EDGE in towards the lane because they know people won't be nice enough to let them in! So, when you're driving here, that's what you have to do! You're on a four lane busy "motorway" (oh the Brits), and you have to get all the way over. So, you basically put yourself in danger as you shove your car into the next lane, because that is mostly the only way people will stop for you. There are so many roundabouts here, and one night my friend and I were driving our friends to go out and watch the Patriots game (Yay, something American!). I was following her. She got lost and went to one side on the packed roundabout and exited, but had to make a U-turn, to return to the roundabout and cross like 4 lanes. At one point, I wasn't even in a lane on the roundabout. Cars were coming towards either side of me, their car horns were going mad; it was insane. Now I feel ready for anything (haha). Yesterday on the way home from school, I almost got smooshed but a bus, because we both wanted to get into a one lane, and I wanted to beat it. (Plus I didn't realize it wanted to go there because there was no INDICATION. I hope this gives you a little taste of what it's like to drive here.
I went to get my Saudi Arabia visa yesterday. I feel as if I've been in so many weird and different and sometimes awkward situations in my life that I have no more dignity left, and the part of me that feels awkward is barely there anymore. A good thing about this place is it makes you go, "Ah, whatever." I go in, and wait to be called. I go talk to the lady, and it went pretty smoothly. I give her my passport photos, and she's like, "No white background?" I said no. She goes, "We need white background." I said, "I didn't know there was a background preference." She said, "It was mentioned on the paper I had." Darn it!!! I'm turning into one of my students. Great. That's my constant rule: READ THE DIRECTIONS! Here I am, sitting in hypocrisy. So, I had to get my photo taken. The guy takes me around to a white hallway where no one is, and puts the camera right in my face as I awkwardly stand smiling. He showed me and I just said, "Fine." It's official, everyone, I have beaten the world record for the WORST PICTURE I HAVE EVER TAKEN OF ALL TIME. And I have taken some bad ones in my life, folks. The lighting was very scientificy, and it didn't do me any favours. So, I didn't have the cash to pay for the pictures, so I had to go out to the ATM in the mall across the way, get some, and come back. I came outside into the perfect picture of Sharjah. Let me paint it for you now. I exited the building, and on my left was a group of Pakistani men, just chilling, some in their full outfits with the long shirts and loose pants, and some in a weird assortment of strange adidas labeled clothing (like sweat capris, etc.). All of them had the ugliest sandals on in the world. I can't stand men in sandals. Especially leather or shiny ones that have a special loop over the big toe. Anyway, I'm walking along. I am wearing black pants with a long sleeved shirt. Yeah, I know. But it was my school outfit. Over here, you need to get used to feeling DISGUSTING and hot (not in a good way) everyday. I'm walking along in my sandals. Cars are zooming past, as I make my way across the road. Sand and (other unknown particles!) are getting into my shoes. Now, I get the whole foot washing thing with Jesus. Feet are never clean here. I couldn't find the ATM, so I'm wandering along, wondering who to ask. I pass the dumpsters that are randomly sprawled across Sharjah. I spy a cat walking next to me that had two furry ball things coming out of its butt. The dumpsters smelled AWFUL, but it was the smell I've smelled many a time before.
I go back to the building to ask about the ATM, and the lady directs me to the mall across the street. I return and see the pack of men standing and smoking and chatting. It's 4 in the afternoon, people, what are you doing?
I find the ATM. Someone's using it. I'm right behind him. He finishes. I go to put my card in. As, soon as I do, the screen says, Sorry, this ATM is out of order. Really? Oh shock and surprise. Had to find another one and return to the lady to pay my fee. Anyway, that's all sorted. I leave the building a little while later, and the pack of men is still there! I wanted to yell at them, "Please disperse! Find something to do!"
Later, I told my friend they should just scrap Sharjah and start again. It's a dumpster spot, mutant cat home, but luckily I live in the "nicer" part of it which is closer to Dubai. Anyway, that's enough of my rants for now!
My class is very endearing and fun, but they are hyper and chatty, and I had to pull out my big strong teacher voice on some people the other day. I find myself very odd if I think about me watching myself teaching. I feel like I do weird things. I dance and sing and show the kids yoga moves when we do our stretching time (when I feel them getting sick of sitting). I cheer for them when we do well and say, "Ms. Keri's going to go home and have a dance party because this worked very well." What?? I've got a lot of affectionate ones who come and give me hugs, so that makes everything all worth it. They're very sweet, but they can really cream my corn sometimes! Hopefully all continues to go well! On to the next! Oh, by the way, I will be visiting three countries in the next few weeks. We're going to a desert safari in Oman for my roommate's birthday, and then we're flying to Bahrain for the weekend because some of my friends have a Gaelic football tournament there, and I'm flying to Saudi Arabia over my October break to go see Katie and Matt! This is quite the life. Wish me luck!
