Back Up and Running

The Kuwait Towers

I felt so lost that week I was without the internet. The internet is my lifeline to the world and it was hard not to be able to skype, blog, e-mail, or facebook. I love the internet! Now that I am back up and running I am still trying to play catch-up! Most of the pictures should belong on my post from a couple weeks ago, but blogger wasn't cooperating. So, the pictures are from the night I went to Hard Rock Cafe, my last night of my class, and the water drinking contest we had. Anyway, I’ll try to spin you up on the happenings the past two weeks. Last Saturday night, 7 Feb, I ventured past my exit and drove more into “downtown”. I was told that it was a pretty easy drive that day. I would hate to see a normal or crazy drive, because on the “easy” day I still almost got hit 4 times- no big deal! Anyway, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Jonny Corinos and then I made my way home. I discovered that if you exit the freeway and need to turn left, don’t get in the far left lane, oh no, because that will force you to go right back on the freeway heading the other way! Nice! I also discovered that there are many bus stops along the way on the freeway. So, every time I thought it was the next exit where I could turn around and get heading the right way again… it was only a pull out for a bus stop! I’m sure the car that was behind me thought I was crazy as I kept “exiting” and getting right back on in front of them. Too funny! On Wednesday, 11 Feb, I experienced my first sand storm. It was pretty cool looking actually. It was not super windy, but extremely dusty. It was like it was super foggy, yet with a bright orange glow because of all the sand in the air. At any rate they sent us home early so we could drive home while it was still light out. There is low visibility anyway, so after dark it can be very dangerous. I didn’t mind getting home early :^). From what I hear this was a baby storm compared to what they can be. If they get really bad they will shut the place down and if you don’t leave in time… well, let’s just hope you have a blanket, because you will be sleeping in the office!

I attended another brief overview class on the culture here. The instructor brought up a good point… he said why is it that in order to promote peace you need a bigger gun? He said, look at a bouncer at a club… he is there to keep the peace, right? He is the biggest, toughest guy there! Kind of ironic! The class again just taught me how everyone is the same with a few different traditions and ways of doing things. It is sad how media almost forces you to believe that a culture is a certain way because they never show you the good people who are the majority- that would be boring and doesn’t make exiting news. So, instead we base an entire culture off what the news is showing us about a few extremists. You don’t hear the stories that if someone is lost in the desert and knocks on the door and asks for help that they will take that individual in and will clothe him and feed him- not just give him any food, but will kill a new calf and present only the finest, best food for their guest. Oh, and not to mention that person must stay for 3 days with them. No, you don’t hear about that… that would be too boring I guess. You don’t hear about the families that go camping in the desert and take their four wheelers and have a great time socializing, singing, and making ‘smores. Again, that is way too boring! No, the news would never tell you about the guy who gave his wife a hug in public (and got in trouble for it since there is no PDA with the opposite sex allowed in public) because they just learned that they got the house they wanted. That is way too much like everyday life and way too boring I suppose. It is kind of scary to me how powerful the media is in influencing how everyone perceives the world. It is hard to separate which story is a rare, extreme case or to know if that is that is the norm.

This is my instructor from the two week class I took- I passed! :^)

Last Sunday I had to speak in church. I always enjoy preparing talks, but I really hate giving them. I am not very good at the delivery and even though people always say they really enjoyed my talk, I often wonder if that is because they are simply being nice. I spoke on the Precious Fruits of the First Vision- good stuff! I am looking forward to next week when Elder Holland is here!

A few weeks ago I learned that I have a second cousin who also lives here. Small world! I was able to meet up with her and her family yesterday and enjoyed some Baskin Robins Ice-cream while we visited. Cute kids and great people- I am going to dinner at their house next Sunday, so I’ll share more then (and hopefully have pictures).

Here are a few funny things I’ve seen over the past couple weeks (I seriously don’t make this stuff up, I’m not that creative!)… First, I can now say I have seen a bus go off-roading! So random! Here we were just cruising down a street and all of sudden the bus signals to make a right hand turn. Well there was no road right there, but nevertheless, the bus jumps the curb and starts heading across the dirt field. Where it was going? I have no idea, but it made me laugh!

Second story is one of patience. Some of the traffic signals here last forever, or so it seems. Each direction lasts a minute to two minutes… so even waiting 4 minutes seems like an eternity! Well, Mr. SUV decided he was not about to wait the looonnnggg time so he jumps the curb and cruises down the sidewalk and makes a right hand turn. Seriously?

Third story is also one of patience that got the guy nowhere. As I was cruising down the 3 lane freeway in the far left lane in a good amount of traffic, there came a very impatient car behind me who wanted me to get over. There was nowhere to go and besides I was following someone and didn’t want to lose them, so I didn’t move. Anyway, the car was very impatient and decides to get into the middle lane to see if that would be faster. Well, in the middle lane there was a car that wasn’t moving as fast as he wanted, so he decides to pass that car on the right. The car got back into the middle lane after overtaking the car, but at this point there was a truck hanging out in the middle lane that was moving pretty slow. So, what does this impatient car do? The only thing it could do which was to get right behind me – right where it started! I laughed at the fact that the reckless driving got him really far!

That is a lot of water to drink between 7:00am-5:30pm in one day!

A new game we play is counting sweepers and super sweepers… in other words, how many vehicles turn left from a non-left turn lane. If there is a left turn lane, and if a car in the lane just to the right of the real left turn lane turns left they get the title of “sweeper”. If a car in the lane just to the right of the sweeper lane turns left they are deemed “super sweepers”. It’s a fun game!

My Rose Plant

Well, that pretty much covers my fun stories. I was very happy to hear from Annie and Steve and to learn that my rose plant bloomed for Valentine’s Day- Perfect Timing! Thanks Annie for sharing and taking good care of my plants! Love you all.