Some thoughts I have had...

I hope that everything is going well for you back at home. I wrote this a few days ago, and I decided to post it. I probably will post more threads like this, along with other cultural points. PLEASE give me suggestions of topics to write about, or any questions that you have for me. I need suggestions too, because I sometimes don't know what to post about!! :-)

Alright, so here it goes...

I am looking out the door of my cyber. It is open about halfway, and I can hear the sound of a large cameo (think dump truck) purring out the door. I am next door to my brother's Hanut (think small small small store), and the cameo is picking up the empty butagas (propane tanks) containers and delivering a fresh load of new ones, that way families can cook their foods and have cous-cous today... because in fact every friday tends to me a cous-cous friday for some reason.

I see a little girl about 7, cute as a button, walking and talking to a boy down the row. I know this little girl by her face, and the fact she stops at the Hanut a few times a day, in order to pick up some sort of candy items, maybe a gummi treat, or flavored marshmellows (LHlwa n Lponj... which translates literally into candy of the sofa). She sometimes giggles when I talk to her, or just looks at me in silence and a bit of awe.

The sun is shining now somewhere through the newly formed clouds. It is probably a bit hot in the sunlight, but when the shade returns it is a bit chilly. This morning it was all sun, but the weather report last night said we would be getting 34 degrees today but also rain and thunderstorms possibly. So at the day goes on, the mountains in the distance uplift the air pockets and cools them, forming the clouds I am currently seeing. It probably will rain this afternoon, I hope it is thunderstorms.

I see the north face of the mountains (Jebel Masker) in the distance topped by pockets of snow. They will probably be there until June or so, and it looks like it may be raining on the mountain top. It is a great site, and I feel lucky to be here... all the while donkeys and horses with carts come by, along with cars or trucks. It is mix of old and new.

I see the mosque, it's tower painted a light yellow, and trimmed with sea green. It is this very mosque that sometimes wakes me up at 5 in the morning, as the call to prayer is being said, or a portion of the Koran is read. The five times a day of loudspeakers blaring is a constant reminder of where I am, and the beliefs of the people and or the country.

I see people walking by wearing Jellabas, and headwraps, and women carrying weeds for their animals. Little boys are playing some sort of card game, maybe dealing with soccer type cards that my Hanut sells. The humorous part is that like many things at the Hanut, they are old, and in fact these cards are from EURO CUP 1996. Many of the children with them were not even born at the time let alone remember any of the players. I remember watching the Euro Cup and rooting for the Netherlands, in the comfort of my own home for 18 years, sitting in front of a large TV wasting my summer away. There were probably dreams of playing soccer in Europe, of traveling to Europe, at least I hope that is what was being thought.

A few girls walk by, on their way to school I presume, and stare at me. This is common, and I still don't know what sort of way to feel about girls who are of marrying age (15 or so) here staring at me in this sort of way. Sometimes they will talk to me, say Bonjour, and I will speak in Tam to them back. Sometimes they are surprised, sometimes they just laugh and say nothing else. The reaction that I get kind of reminds me of some of the Korean ESL students, and the sorts of giggles and looks that they gave me.

The Little girl is back again, with her hooded red shirt and her blue jeans and little light blue plaid type shoes. She dashes off, and seems very happy with the world around her. Innocence like this is seen everywhere here, and sometimes this lack of world knowledge, this ignorance is what makes people content and happy. Sometimes, I envy for this feeling, as I know that there are better ways of living than the way some live here.

FINISHED

Hope you enjoy.

Much Love,
ME!