Alexandria

It has been one busy month at school so I was especially grateful to change up my environment for a weekend.  Back in July, I was invited to Alexandria, Egypt by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).  The campus is located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but in wanting to reach out to the counselors in the western part of the region (in which we are the furthest east), they held the session here.   I have been excited about the opportunity to go to this Mediterranean port city for months.

                                                    

The university took care of all of the flight and hotel arrangements and flew me in a half day before the conference started.  We arrived in the late morning on Thursday to the airport one hour to the west of the city.  We arrived quite literally in the middle of the desert, and I felt like I had never left Kuwait.  The group’s travel agent met me and with another woman from Kuwait (who works at the nearby English Academy), and whisked us through customs and immigration.  That was fantastic.  We drove through the beige corridor and finally along the coast which brought us to this ancient seaport.  It was not a triumphant entry.  Although teeming with character, the city looked rundown and dirty.  The streets were swarming with black and yellow early model Fiats and there seemed to be an urgency to everyday life here.  Lovely beaches, ideal temperatures, and charming outdoor cafes must be the reason why most of Cairo and the surrounding area still comes here in the hot months. 

The hour drive brought us to the doorstep of The Four Seasons, a palatial hotel furnished in a blue and yellow French Provence décor.  After collapsing with complete joy in settling into my spacious and opulent room overlooking the water, I went down to the Italian café for lunch.  I was the only person in the restaurant but had three people taking care of me.  During my entire stay, I did not see one Western tourist, and was later told that the country suffers from 90% unemployment for people under the age of 30.  So those three people were the lucky ones who seemed relieved that someone showed up. 

Noting that I was American, the waiter was keen to know my impressions of the people and the country, which I interpreted as “don’t judge us by what you see on the news”.  What I told him truthfully is how nice it was to meet so many helpful and friendly people, a distinct change from Kuwait.  He suggested a large Tucson salad with bruschetta for lunch accompanied by a light Egyptian rosé, and followed by a lemon sorbet.  Perfect.  He asked what I wanted to see in the city and wrote out directions for a taxi to take me to Kom al-Dikka, the oldest Roman ruins in Africa.  I had thought those were in Libya but that’s what the Lonely Planet said anyway.  Another man at the hotel arranged for a taxi driver who deftly navigated the crowded streets.  In other words, we survived the traffic.  Arriving downtown, the small complex of columns, arches and rubble was significantly less impressive than the National Geographic book described.  I was resigned to walk around the gated enclosure, because I could not find anyone at the ticket area.  So I took a few photos and walked through the streets filled with stores and vendors.  The bustling souk showcased gorgeous fruits and everyday wares at significantly cheaper prices than in Kuwait.

I caught a taxi back to the hotel.  The weather was at least twenty degrees cooler than I was used to in Kuwait, but still rather warm in the sun.  None of the taxis were air conditioned so I was ready for a swim in the lovely terrace pool and stayed around to watch the sun set.

Abi, my colleague from Kuwait, invited me to dinner and we chose a more formal dining room in the hotel.  Alexandria is known for its fish, and I had mussels and clams in a tomato-based broth, antipasti, and a different wine from the same vineyard in Upper Egypt.  Originally from the UK, Abi and her husband have been in Kuwait for ten years and they seem to enjoy it.  We had lovely conversation and shared an affinity for dessert which we naturally indulged in.

NYU certainly fed us well.  A sumptuous buffet awaited us twelve hours later in the airy breakfast room and the conference ensued.  While we had a light schedule in the morning that allowed me to sit and read on the beach for forty-five minutes, the afternoon sessions lasted nine hours, culminating in a late dinner at the hotel’s Lebanese restaurant.   There was a short hour break in the late afternoon schedule, and I thought I could peak into the Bibliotheca down the street.  This modern version of Alexandria’s fabled library was rumored to be spectacular, but when I arrived it had already closed which was more than a minor disappointment. 

Gone already is the Lighthouse and two or three obelisks, but it still would have been nice to see some of the other landmarks that the city  can boast – Pompey’s Pillar, the Catacombs, and statue of Cleopatra.  It would be nice to say “next time”, but I don’t see the possibility of another trip here.

The whirlwind journey lasted forty-eight hours as we were up at 3:15 am to catch a taxi to the airport for a 7:15 departure.  That of course gave us more than ample time and we were stuck at the tiny smoky airport for a time much longer than necessary, in a minor state of delirium from lack of sleep.

It wasn’t until I got back to Kuwait that I realized how much I had needed the break.  I met some fascinating people, got some good information, and had a lovely getaway.  Hopefully that will buoy me in what will be another hectic week ahead. 

Mahboula Fine

It has been one week since the launching of Mahboula Fine, our latest venture in making wine.  Last Thursday, Russ introduced three different varieties of white table wine ranging from light  and slightly dry to very dry to one with smooth fruity overtones.  We have sold nearly the entire batch of 50 bottles made from white grape juice, and he is getting ready to rack another batch this weekend.

Reviews have been outstanding and we have already had repeat customers. 

One of the highest praises came from a Kiwi colleague Chris Roberts, who was an airline chef in another lifetime.  He is generally considered the resident purveyor of fine foods and drink. He offered on the first batch ..."pleasant nose, nicely dry, no excessive yeast overtones, some pleasant citrus fruits coming through, nice clean finish on the palate.  Amazing quality considering base product!  Quite high alcohol levels (14-15%).   Perfect wine to have with salmon or other oily fish."

Of course we don’t have many oily fish options, but do eat Norwegian salmon on a regular basis.

There was a much humbler opinion from a new young teacher.  When she and a few friends came over for a tasting, she exclaimed “wow, and you don’t have to cut it with Sprite!”, a common practice with homebrews which taste mostly awful.

Russ has created a label which shows our apartments with a vista of vineyards stretching out into the Kuwaiti desert.  His description reads "Crafted by a third generation maker of spirited liquids. Made right here in your picturesque neighborhood from the finest local and imported ingredients available. Absolutely nothing is organic. Aged for at least a week near a peace of oak in the same ‘Made in China’ plastic containers you can get anywhere in the world."   He sends out fliers, and hosts an exclusive email address (MahboulaFine@yahoo.com) from which he sends out messages to our customers.  

While Russ creates the wine, my role is two-fold.  First, I help with the bottling process which completely takes over our kitchen.  Second, I talk it up.   I invite people over for tastings and talk with them about what they think of the wines.  It’s the whole setup – crackers and water to cleanse the palate in a comfortable atmosphere.  First however is the tour of the facility which has taken over one room in our apartment.  We have starter and finishing containers, hoses, siphons, taps, racks, and a vast array of enzymes, acids, yeasts, and tannins.  Russ constructed a separate washing and drying area.  The scientific aspect of winemaking naturally appeals to him.

Ignoring the obvious question of “Isn’t this illegal?”, people in our apartment complex seem grateful for having something decent to drink with dinner or after a long day of school. And what happens in the complex, stays in the complex.

Russ will be racking another batch of wine this weekend so we’ll have a one-week reprieve before the flurry of social activity starts all over again.

 

 

Finally, Friday

It's been quite a day at the end of long week.  In the twelve hours since Russ has been up, we...

watched the Bears/Packers game live (technically, I was still sleeping but Russ and Justin caught the last quarter)
went grocery shopping at Lulu with Justin and his kids.  Scored on some amazing looking veggies and lettuce.
came home to discover that the mouse has been in the kitchen cupboards.
spent two hours at church, which was a particularly good service.
ate leftovers from a dinner party we had last night.  Vegetable curry over rice.
cleaned the cupboards thoroughly.  Threw away a fair amount of food.  So gross.
read up about the protests again the US embassies.   The word around here is they are directed at the embassies,
     not American individuals.  There have been no alerts, and the furor is expected to die down soon.
bottled our first batch of wine.  Sampled it and the result is pretty darn good.  Well done, Russ! 

Long days at school over the past three weeks - easily nine hours a day of going straight out and that does not include work at home.  We are both sleeping well enough though.

We found out our dear friend Zane died on Monday night.  So thankful that we could spend time with him in April but we are still feeling sad.  He is at peace now in glory.  Another friend lost her father also on Monday, and my heart goes out to her. 

Hard to reach out to people when our internet is down.  Today is the first decent signal after six days.

We are now members of the Canadians in Kuwait, which is a great social group open to all.  They have monthly happy hours and it was a fun outing in the middle of the week.  Switched up the routine a little.

Looking forward to a fairly low-key weekend ahead.

Insight two weeks in

After two weeks in Kuwait and our first week of school, here are some thoughts about being back here:

Coming back for year two is already infinitely easier than being a newbie.  Even though I was scheduling a record number of new juniors and seniors, things went rather smoothly.  Interestingly, several of the students are Kuwaiti foreign service kids who are returning to Kuwait after living most of their lives abroad. What a shock ahead for them.  Even my bunch of severely credit deficient students are off to a fairly promising start.

The value of a/c (to battle the heat) and someone to help clean (to battle the dust) cannot be overestimated.

We live and work with some great people.  It's been wonderful reconnecting with them.  Tonight there is bbq at the pool and tomorrow night a smaller potluck with friends.  Like at home, food is a focal point.

There is a serious sticker shock going back into the grocery stores here. But we can find most everything we need.  Unfortunately that does not extend to decent leaf lettuce which is hit and miss (we are 1 for 4).

Love our Lebanese dinners - the variety of olives, breads, hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, and stuffed grape leaves is satisfying and a familiar comfort food from last year.

Since we got the AFN cable box last spring, we are watching more television than we ever did in the US.  Well we don't need to be martyrs, do we?  Awfully nice watching NFL, morning news shows, the Colbert Report - all on tape delay, which in our case is probably for the best.

Never minding that it is the first week of school, our thoughts drift to vacations ahead.  We have the Islamic calendar to thank for the numerous monthly breaks this year.  Finally bought our tickets to Oman when mom and dad are here in October..  There is much chatter on the morning bus about who is planning to go where for Christmas (already).  Ethipia? Bangkok? Egypt?  I think some people back home think that all teachers do here is travel, but it's a work-hard-play-hard sort of thing.  Not that we play hard much anymore because we are exhausted by the time vacation rolls around.  Anyway, it's all fun to think about and we are completely undecided on where we can go on our budget.

Professional development for me at least has taken new shape.  I am going to Alexandria for a counselor workshop at the end of the month, and speaking at an international conference in Monaco come November; both trips are free for me!  Oh the joys of working at a proprietary private school in the oil-rich Gulf!  It gives me something to look forward to and that will make the year inevitably go by quicker.

We have reached the point in our lives when working out is a vital part of our daily schedule.  We are completely off-balance when it doesn't happen.  We missed it this summer but we had so many other wonderful distractions.  Here still, there is not much else to do, so that has worked nicely for us.

I do find that I tend to write about the same sort of things in most blogs.  Maybe something new will happen, but basically we are back in the groove here and that feels good.