Far West Asia

We've been here for a little under two days. I'd like to share a few cultural experiences we've had along the way.

Their keyboard is slightly different than ours. Instead of a period, it's a capital squiggly C and in place of the 'i' is an 'i' without the dot. I learned that the non-dotted 'i' is pronounced 'uh' and the dotted version is 'ee'.

They like to point at you and call you a foreigner. I remember our friend PVA regaled us with a story one time of how a little boy was walking by with his mother and pointed at him saying "Foreigner! Forgeigner!" He shot back at him with "East Asian! East Asian!" I wanted to do this, but I don't know the Far Western equivalent.

Yesterday when we went to have a picnic on the waterfront, an old convertible came past with a guy banging a drum and the driver honking the horn. Seated in the middle, in the place of honor, was a young boy, probably ten years of age, in a white robe with a white hat upon his head. The occassion? Circumcision. It's common for boys 7-14. I believe I can speak on behalf of all mankind when I cringe and say OUCH!

Kids are adored here. Not like they are in the states with the grandparents. Everbody loves kids. Especially pale ones with blonde hair. It's not uncommon for high school boys to come up to kids and want to hold them. Tonight, two gents came up to S after we got ice cream and water and gave her the ole coochie-coo. I could feel C's skin crawl as they did it. I've been with her long enough that I did the same. She suggested that we Purell her face.

Beating the heat: Today was 100 and it's going to be the coolest day of the week. Kabob says 107 is in the forecast for later this week. It plumb wore us out today. It really hit M hard, especially after her and Chickpea were up till midnight last night before falling asleep in Chick's room. We were eating dinner and Kabob noticed her starting to nod off. I excused her and she left the room. I thought she might be playing in Chick's room quietly like she has several times. But when C went to look for her, this is what she found in our room. Poor sweetheart. She even fell back asleep after S woke her up when we put her down.

I consulted my fact-checking team and she confirmed this is the first time M has ever fallen asleep before S. Both girls asleep by 8:30. We can actually have a significant amount of adult interaction with our hosts!