Dreaming of going home, dreaming of staying here

I’m slowly (but surely!) going through my bookmarks and catching up on the lives of my internet loved ones.

I’m still in Bahrain. I’m actually having a pretty awesome time. I love that I get to spend so much time with the kids and I think Baby Girl is going to have a much easier time transitioning because I was here. She’s so damn adorable. When you ask her what her name is, she says, "Baby Girl Punzel." And I’m not using "Baby Girl" as a placeholder… Her name is Madilyn and she will respond to it, but if you ask her what her name is she really will say "Baby Girl." Only she’s recently added the "Punzel" or sometimes "Princess" to her name, as well. "Punzel" comes from Tangled. She’s fallen in love with Eugene so she’s dubbed herself Rapunzel!

I’m amazed by how westernized it is out here. There’s a little strip a few blocks from here that features tons of 24-hour American food joints like and the mall shows American movies with Arabic subtitles. The Sister and I went to see Crazy, Stupid, Love. I’d already seen it once in the states, but my combined love for both Ryan Gosling and Josh Groban proved to be too much and I just *had* to see it on two continents. They edited out a few scenes, which I thought was interesting.

Almost everyone here speaks English, which I find to be a relief. I have ventured out on my own and have had no trouble getting around with taxis and whatnot. Even if they don’t speak much English, I can still get the message across about where I’m trying to go. The only time things have gotten hairy is when I was at the souk (a skeezy outdoor shopping place that reminded me a lot of the bazaar in Aladdin, but with actual buildings instead of stands). I was on my way out (thankfully) and I noticed a guy following me. It wasn’t the first time it happened, not even the first time that hour, but he was the first to actually say anything. He was aggressively pursuing me as I walked straight toward the roundabout where the cabs waited. I can’t remember everything he said, but a few things stick out: "Do you want friendship?" "What, I am not good enough for you?" ANDDDD….. "I love you long time." Oh god, that last line almost made the whole encounter worth it. Actually, you know what? It DID make the whole encounter worth it. He never laid a hand on me so it never became anything more serious than harassment, which means I escaped completely unscathed. A small price to pay to hear someone deliver that line with a complete lack of irony.

Also, I bought an abaya while at the souk. So that you don’t have to run to Google, I can tell you it’s the long black dress that many women in Muslim countries wear over their clothes. I always thought being covered like that was so oppressive and sad, but I have to admit I love it. I find it liberating. I feel safe when I put it on. But the scarf is still something I’m working with. I haven’t mastered the art of the hijab. I can’t pin it properly so it never really stays put. If I had it just sorta draped and part of my hair showing, it wouldn’t be a big deal to have it fall down. But I’ve been wearing it in the religious style (everything covered, just my face showing) so when I was out in public recently and my pin fell out, revealing my hair… Well, I may as well have been flashing my tits. Was not a good move and I bolted as soon as I could. I haven’t put it back in the religious style since.

I think that covers the basics for now. I’m really enjoying my time here, looking forward to studying Arabic (including reading and writing, which I’m told is exceptionally difficult), and thankful that we’ve been safe. There was a riot the first night we were here and gun shots rang out last night and some creepazoid in a car followed The Sister and the kids and I to the store a few nights ago, but other than that… We’re good. Everyone is safe and I’m gobbling up all the love I can.