Thursday, March 31, 2011
Hannah Saves the Earth
It's eco-week at Compass International School, and while we're not yet at the full-Glee production stage, we do love our singing. We walk around singing this a lot...all the time...like morning and night...like it's stuck in my head...omg.
Dear John,
I know that when we sold 1/2 of our possessions and moved 8,000 away, I promised to simplify life and that part of simplifying life was not (oops, Freudian slip) taking a hiatus from the "Kitchen Appliance of the Month" club that I founded.
However, since you've left me for two weeks of bacon, Koppe Bridge, Tex-Mex, and a trip to NOLA, I've had an unfortunate relapse.
But see, now I can make SUSHI RICE!
Plus it has "artificial intelligence control," and I could use any supplemental intelligence I can get.
Love,
You Know Who
PS: Study the new rice cooker very carefully, cause then you won't notice the new coffee pot...
However, since you've left me for two weeks of bacon, Koppe Bridge, Tex-Mex, and a trip to NOLA, I've had a
But see, now I can make SUSHI RICE!
Plus it has "artificial intelligence control," and I could use any supplemental intelligence I can get.
Love,
You Know Who
PS: Study the new rice cooker very carefully, cause then you won't notice the new coffee pot...
Sushi Lessons!
One of Hannah's classmates, Shiho, is from Japan, and her Mom (Aki, also Japanese) is a talented cook. As one way of raising money help with tsunami relief efforts, Aki offered basic sushi lessons. So I took this morning all to myself and went. First, I couldn't find the house. The map was perfectly good, but I was just being clueless. Sigh. Sweet Aki drove to a nearby landmark and helped me get there...30 minutes late. I felt awful, but everyone was beyond kind and patient. Aki had a Japanese friend, Rika, helping her, and there were three "students," Hsin-Tai from Taiwan, Adderi from Malaysia, and me.
I'll confess that I really had no intention that I would be precise or talented enough to make sushi. I really signed up to see someone make it homemade and to eat some of it! But I have to tell you, it was one of my favorite days in Doha so far. What a beautiful group of ladies. Here they are after we finished.
And here are a few photos from our lesson...
First Aki made an omelette of just basic scrambled egg and a tiny bit of salt. The pan she made it in was rectangular, and she gently rolled the omelette as it formed. The end result was this "block" of egg--light and fluffy inside. And she did all this with nothing by a non-stick pan and a pair of chopsticks. The other early preparation was the sushi rice--she mixed the freshly cooked rice with a special vingar, sugar, and a little salt. Then it cooled on the counter for may 10 minutes.
On the left, is the table with the rolling mats, the nori (seaweed outer wrapper), and other freshly cut vegetables, shrimp, smoked salmon, and cream cheese. Adderi and I were the two crazy photographers, stopping every few minutes to grab a photo--she's taking one of her nori with her cell phone. On the right is my "Futomaki" roll in process. That's a strip of the egg, some crab, cucumber, and avocade. Adderi had never eaten avocado, and Hsin-Tai had only eaten it starting when she moved to Doha. The world needs more avocados, people!
Really, I think the major trick with sushi is in proper preparation of the rice. You stir it and spread it by using cutting motions with the paddle--it is, indeed, very sticky, but you don't want to smash it on the nori because really the smashing/sticking happens after you create the roll. The rolling action, when done right (which is not the way I do it :)), is smooth and fast, to catch up all the good stuff and keep it where it's supposed to be. Then you give it a good squeeeeeeeze. Mine turned out okay, but I probably didn't use quite enough rice. After rolling, you let it sit for 10 minutes or so before cutting, so everything has a chance to bond together.
We made four types of sushi--the Futomaki above, smaller tuna/rice, inside-out American cream cheese and salmon sushi, and Temari sushi. Get ready, because this is where the giddy started.
For Temari, you don't use the rolling mat. Instead, you just use some plastic wrap. We placed a small cooked/peeled shrimp in the center, covered it with a thin sheet of salmon, and then put a scoop of rice on top. Then you gather the plastic wrap and twist it, forcing the contents into a ball shape. Take the plastic off and Wa'allah! (Or Wallah!), you have this perfect little rice ball covered in salmon with a shrimp embedded on top. Now this, I can do!
Here's a shot below of what we created. Did you know that you're not supposed to refrigerate sushi? That dries out the rice. Of course, if you need to make it more than a couple of hours early, then that could be a problem...I guess you could set the tray on ice? Those little tiny bottles are of soy sauce. At home, I had some wasabi paste, which I love. It's hot, but in an up-your-nose sort of way instead of in a sweat-your-brains-out-and-charbroil-your-mouth sort of way (like curries can be). It was funny--Adderi loves those hot curries but can take the wasabi heat. I am more the opposite.
And then, to finish this perfect morning, our hostesses served green tea and a traditional Japanese dessert. It is hard to describe, but it is like thick pieces of jellatin (like gummy fish, only larger and not quite as chewy) but then rolled in this delicious flavored powder and drizzled with a brown-sugar based syrup. It was fantastic.
To top this all of, our teachers gave us each a color-printed cookbook. Here's the front page.
Notice that Aki has indicated where to buy each item (Lulu, Carrefour, different aisles) and she's included pictures!
We students decided that Aki and Rika need to (1) make an expanded cook book and (2) offer a new lesson each month. This was a special treat, and I am so grateful to have had their company and their expertise.
I'll confess that I really had no intention that I would be precise or talented enough to make sushi. I really signed up to see someone make it homemade and to eat some of it! But I have to tell you, it was one of my favorite days in Doha so far. What a beautiful group of ladies. Here they are after we finished.
On the left, is the table with the rolling mats, the nori (seaweed outer wrapper), and other freshly cut vegetables, shrimp, smoked salmon, and cream cheese. Adderi and I were the two crazy photographers, stopping every few minutes to grab a photo--she's taking one of her nori with her cell phone. On the right is my "Futomaki" roll in process. That's a strip of the egg, some crab, cucumber, and avocade. Adderi had never eaten avocado, and Hsin-Tai had only eaten it starting when she moved to Doha. The world needs more avocados, people!
Really, I think the major trick with sushi is in proper preparation of the rice. You stir it and spread it by using cutting motions with the paddle--it is, indeed, very sticky, but you don't want to smash it on the nori because really the smashing/sticking happens after you create the roll. The rolling action, when done right (which is not the way I do it :)), is smooth and fast, to catch up all the good stuff and keep it where it's supposed to be. Then you give it a good squeeeeeeeze. Mine turned out okay, but I probably didn't use quite enough rice. After rolling, you let it sit for 10 minutes or so before cutting, so everything has a chance to bond together.
We made four types of sushi--the Futomaki above, smaller tuna/rice, inside-out American cream cheese and salmon sushi, and Temari sushi. Get ready, because this is where the giddy started.
For Temari, you don't use the rolling mat. Instead, you just use some plastic wrap. We placed a small cooked/peeled shrimp in the center, covered it with a thin sheet of salmon, and then put a scoop of rice on top. Then you gather the plastic wrap and twist it, forcing the contents into a ball shape. Take the plastic off and Wa'allah! (Or Wallah!), you have this perfect little rice ball covered in salmon with a shrimp embedded on top. Now this, I can do!
Here's a shot below of what we created. Did you know that you're not supposed to refrigerate sushi? That dries out the rice. Of course, if you need to make it more than a couple of hours early, then that could be a problem...I guess you could set the tray on ice? Those little tiny bottles are of soy sauce. At home, I had some wasabi paste, which I love. It's hot, but in an up-your-nose sort of way instead of in a sweat-your-brains-out-and-charbroil-your-mouth sort of way (like curries can be). It was funny--Adderi loves those hot curries but can take the wasabi heat. I am more the opposite.
And then, to finish this perfect morning, our hostesses served green tea and a traditional Japanese dessert. It is hard to describe, but it is like thick pieces of jellatin (like gummy fish, only larger and not quite as chewy) but then rolled in this delicious flavored powder and drizzled with a brown-sugar based syrup. It was fantastic.
To top this all of, our teachers gave us each a color-printed cookbook. Here's the front page.
Notice that Aki has indicated where to buy each item (Lulu, Carrefour, different aisles) and she's included pictures!
We students decided that Aki and Rika need to (1) make an expanded cook book and (2) offer a new lesson each month. This was a special treat, and I am so grateful to have had their company and their expertise.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
"It's Like a Hair Couch with a Pink Bow!"
Just a couple more quick pictures from this morning.We bought two bows at the party last night. Hannah wanted a pony tail where the final band wrap isn't pulled all the way through, making sort of a loop of hair. (I do this to keep my hair off my neck). So we got her fixed up for school this morning...she looked in the mirror and exclaimed with joy, "Mom! I love it! It's like a hair couch with a pink bow on top of it." Okey dokey.
This is what the henna looks like after it dries and the crust falls off. It should last about two weeks, but swimming will probably make it fade sooner.
Arabian Night
I'm only fairly successful at attending school events. By the evening, I'm tired and, let's face it, feeling zero motivation for anything except pajamas and bed. Many school events seem to take place when I have to be in the classroom, so on the scale of "good active school Moms," I am probably somewhere around a 3.
So when we received the sign-up slip (and fees for tickets) to Arabian Night at CIS, I hesitated for a moment...5-8 PM on a school night, when we then wake up at 5:30 AM? But then my good-ol-dependable Mama Guilt kicked in and we decided to go. And I am so glad we did. This was a great show of local cultural stuff and it was just the right "scale" so we had some adventure but then also left by 6:45 PM. Here are some pictures.
On one side of the school grounds, a big Bedouin tent was set up. These carpets are covering the grass. Such carpet covering (and yes, they are all individual carpets) are absolutely common for outdoor parties here, and you can see why this is a direct outgrowth of the Bedouin tradition. Unfortunately, when I see the carpets, all I think of is how much dust/sneezing would commence upon picking them up and how long it would take me to vacuum them all and how much gum and other crap kids are tracking all over them. And then that makes me remember how much I loved my purple Dyson, and I have to weep a little.
Hannah insisted on bringing her Crayola Magic Princess Coloring book with her (the kind where the markers don't write on anything but the magic paper but somehow when they get shipped in a container across the world most of the markers seem to dry out and the paper doesn't work exactly right anymore...so very odd). So the first stop was to see the principal (black shirt) and demonstrate our coloring skills. Hannah literally ran over to her. This principal is really sweet and I love that high voiced British accent.
So the first thing we did was spend 45 minutes waiting in line...but you'll see in a moment why the wait was worth it. Actually, I waited in line while Hannah socialized and ran free. This is Su-Ha, a precious little beautiful child...from Japan, I think, but because I'm not a better "education Mom," I am not as well versed on Hannah's classmates' nationalities as I should be. We were also standing in line with Kohei, a little boy who is from Japan. He and his family were due to return home the same week of the tsunami. I'm not sure what region of Japan they are from, but they have not been able to return yet (and I think are unsure if they will get to return for a long time). This puts one little real personal face on the tsunami tragedy and makes me feel sad. But then Su-Ha's cuteness and sweetness makes me want to smile all day long.
Next to the line were a group of regional ladies cooking "traditional" foods. I say "regional" because these ladies are most likely not Qatari. Most likely, these ladies are from surrounding nations. The one with everything but her face covered is Filipino, I think--she was helping the woman on her left. These fantastic cooks were making things like the crepes explained in a previous post. I didn't get a chance to sample the little pancakes you can see at the bottom of the picture. Those little fried balls of dough in the next pot up are dipped in a honey/sugar syrup...yummmmm....
Those griddles are incredibly hot. I think about the physical strain of sitting on the ground for that long, the heat, and the danger of the oil and gas, and I have great respect for these "local chefs." Such food preparation is very common in the evenings at Souq Waqif, so I'm thankful to know where to go to get my fix...
Besides the cream cheese crepes in the earlier post, they were making Nutella crepes. As you can imagine, those were a big hit.
So that food preparation was to the left. On my right was another table with traditional, home-prepared foods. The lady who had brought these spoke no English, and I am so awful with my Arabic that only limited communication was achieved. She served local tea with milk, stewed chickpeas, and some sort of bean-type mash (John...is this "foul" or "fall" or "fool" or whatever? It as gummy and had a very mild, light beany-type flavor). These things were good but not spicy--the basic Arabic food here is not heavily seasoned. With all respect to the traditions and the cook, we need a little cuisine fusion...some jalapenos, red onion, and cilantro would have been a fantastic addition to those chickpeas.
This was a weaving demonstration without a weaver. The loom was set up to show how the local fabric--which is then used for everything from tent decorations to camel blankets to wall hangings to rugs--is created. This so very much reminds me of the Native American weaving demonstrations I've seen.
As I was standing in line, Hannah spied this lady weaving baskets and mats. What commenced was an inter-cultural flirting, with Hannah running over, stopping 10 feet short, smiling, the lady smiling back and beckoning Hannah, and Hannah running back to me. I told Hannah to go give that Grandma a hug, which she finally did, and then was invited to sit right next to the lady and watch/hang out. I spent a few minutes with her later, and she showed me how the palm leaves are braided into a sort of rope, and then that braid is formed into baskets (for holding clothes and other things) or into round mats (~18 inches across) for eating. This is another Bedouin traditional craft. Can you imagine the hardship of living with the heat, sand, and lack of water? I think it's amazing and humbling.
I also love the way that--with almost no speech, as again, communication had to overcome language barriers--Hannah can encompass with absolute innocence that complicated cultural dance of getting beyond the "strange otherness." Yes, this Grandma wore a niqab (full face veil), but she is a Grandma nonetheless...you could see it in her twinkling smiling brown eyes and in her beautiful hands.
Who is to say that this Grandma should not cover her face and hair, when it is part of how she knows the world to be? I pray that she covers because she believes in it and not because she feels hindered by it.
For a good TV show segment on the issues of the hair wrap (hijab) and veil (niqab), go to this video: Everywoman: The Veil Part 1 and Part 2. An important sidenote though: these are young Egyptian women. Just like Christians come in a huge range of beliefs and commitments, so do Muslims. What is true for these young women cannot be blindly generalized to even young women in Qatar. Then you have generational differences, too. Okay, thank you for considering my tangent...back to the Arabian Night.
There were a few arts and crafts tables set up, with some homemade things and some "trinkets" (typically plastic stuff). I love the face modeling the golden veil here.
But the reason we stood in line so long was to get our hands hennaed. If you want to see some amazing henna, check out this blog posting. And of course, here's our friend wikipedia on henna dyes and customs. Scroll down to the section on "Traditions of henna as body art."
The lady doing Hannah's henna (?!?) is Persian--her family is from Iran, but she was "burned here." When she said that, she totally understood her faux pax, and she started laughing a lot. I told her we are all burned here from July through September. She has being practicing henna art since she was six years old. I asked her if her hands would be tired after three hours of this, and she said no, but her eyes would be very tired. Watching her work was like watching someone do Chinese calligraphy. Amazing.
Hannah and I each had our right hand done. It's like thick paste (almost like mud) when it first goes on, and it looks very black. The biggest challenge at this point, obviously, is not smearing it all over yourself or someone else. So we were very careful. Hannah did a great job! I think she and I will both become henna addicts. I may be foreseeing a fifth birthday party involving pedis and henna for the guests...plus a princess tea party. Yes, the birthday is in June, people. Never to early to start planning. After all, Hannah's been asking "how many days until my next birthday?" for about four months now.
After the course or an hour or so, the henna dries up and begins to flake off. An important sidenote, however, is that for those operating at the "advanced blackbelt level of runway model posing," henna protection maneuvers are no problem, and posing for photos can continue as normal, including the requisite hand on the hip.
That takes us to another major highlight of the evening: the camel. After the henna was applied, we went over to where a musical performance was being put on--costumes and singing and dancing about cultures, the culmination of a couple of months of after school enrichment activity practice. (Hannah has participate in a legos class, Jack did Arabic arts, and Hank continues violin, so none of the small children were singing and dancing...we save that for random moments in the Villagio Mall.)
Not 25 feet from the stage full of singers, this most precious and patient creature on God's Earth was parked. I'm sure he was rope-hobbled, but I also wonder if he was hobbled in a way to keep him kneeling down. He didn't seem uncomfortable, but he was literally in the midst of the whole loud party, with what must have seemed like an endless supply of tall and short people wanting to pet him. You know camels spit big looooogies, right? He looked deeply into my eyes, as if to consider me a viable target. In fact, I was quite sure that as other people scratched and tugged, I would get the face full of dromedary drool, but it never happened. And I even gave him a little scratch behind the ear. He felt, exactly like you would imagine, incredible soft and a little course, like sheep's wool (where his fur was longer).
I really really wanted to grab those soft loose lips and rub my cheek against them, but of course I am no fool. Well, maybe on occasion some instinct helps me limit my foolishness. Check out the eyelashes. What a creature!
Typically, as I am blessed by these adventures, I want to have you here to smell and taste and ponder with me. But this evening, I really wished you had been there to listen. Beyond the regional music in the background, what I heard around me was the world full of accents...Japanese, English, Australian, Dutch, Scottish, Indian, Arabian, Persian, Texan, and more that I'm sure I am neither smart enough to recognize nor awake enough to remember. Almost no one sounded "like us" and almost no one sounded the same as others around them. That, for some reason, made it an even more exceptional night.
Now, he's going to be mad at me, but I just had to post this...I've worried about Hank being shy and reticent to make friends. He's happy and swears that all is good, but it's hard just taking his word for it. But then, when we arrived at CIS, he immediately spotted three guys his age (from the other "half" of year 8) and took off to go hang out with him. I knew there was no way I could purposefully get a photo of them, so I stood a ways away and took one anyway. It's like a photo-safari documenting a 12 year old!
So when we received the sign-up slip (and fees for tickets) to Arabian Night at CIS, I hesitated for a moment...5-8 PM on a school night, when we then wake up at 5:30 AM? But then my good-ol-dependable Mama Guilt kicked in and we decided to go. And I am so glad we did. This was a great show of local cultural stuff and it was just the right "scale" so we had some adventure but then also left by 6:45 PM. Here are some pictures.
On one side of the school grounds, a big Bedouin tent was set up. These carpets are covering the grass. Such carpet covering (and yes, they are all individual carpets) are absolutely common for outdoor parties here, and you can see why this is a direct outgrowth of the Bedouin tradition. Unfortunately, when I see the carpets, all I think of is how much dust/sneezing would commence upon picking them up and how long it would take me to vacuum them all and how much gum and other crap kids are tracking all over them. And then that makes me remember how much I loved my purple Dyson, and I have to weep a little. 
Hannah insisted on bringing her Crayola Magic Princess Coloring book with her (the kind where the markers don't write on anything but the magic paper but somehow when they get shipped in a container across the world most of the markers seem to dry out and the paper doesn't work exactly right anymore...so very odd). So the first stop was to see the principal (black shirt) and demonstrate our coloring skills. Hannah literally ran over to her. This principal is really sweet and I love that high voiced British accent.
So the first thing we did was spend 45 minutes waiting in line...but you'll see in a moment why the wait was worth it. Actually, I waited in line while Hannah socialized and ran free. This is Su-Ha, a precious little beautiful child...from Japan, I think, but because I'm not a better "education Mom," I am not as well versed on Hannah's classmates' nationalities as I should be. We were also standing in line with Kohei, a little boy who is from Japan. He and his family were due to return home the same week of the tsunami. I'm not sure what region of Japan they are from, but they have not been able to return yet (and I think are unsure if they will get to return for a long time). This puts one little real personal face on the tsunami tragedy and makes me feel sad. But then Su-Ha's cuteness and sweetness makes me want to smile all day long.
Next to the line were a group of regional ladies cooking "traditional" foods. I say "regional" because these ladies are most likely not Qatari. Most likely, these ladies are from surrounding nations. The one with everything but her face covered is Filipino, I think--she was helping the woman on her left. These fantastic cooks were making things like the crepes explained in a previous post. I didn't get a chance to sample the little pancakes you can see at the bottom of the picture. Those little fried balls of dough in the next pot up are dipped in a honey/sugar syrup...yummmmm....Those griddles are incredibly hot. I think about the physical strain of sitting on the ground for that long, the heat, and the danger of the oil and gas, and I have great respect for these "local chefs." Such food preparation is very common in the evenings at Souq Waqif, so I'm thankful to know where to go to get my fix...
Besides the cream cheese crepes in the earlier post, they were making Nutella crepes. As you can imagine, those were a big hit.
So that food preparation was to the left. On my right was another table with traditional, home-prepared foods. The lady who had brought these spoke no English, and I am so awful with my Arabic that only limited communication was achieved. She served local tea with milk, stewed chickpeas, and some sort of bean-type mash (John...is this "foul" or "fall" or "fool" or whatever? It as gummy and had a very mild, light beany-type flavor). These things were good but not spicy--the basic Arabic food here is not heavily seasoned. With all respect to the traditions and the cook, we need a little cuisine fusion...some jalapenos, red onion, and cilantro would have been a fantastic addition to those chickpeas.
This was a weaving demonstration without a weaver. The loom was set up to show how the local fabric--which is then used for everything from tent decorations to camel blankets to wall hangings to rugs--is created. This so very much reminds me of the Native American weaving demonstrations I've seen.
As I was standing in line, Hannah spied this lady weaving baskets and mats. What commenced was an inter-cultural flirting, with Hannah running over, stopping 10 feet short, smiling, the lady smiling back and beckoning Hannah, and Hannah running back to me. I told Hannah to go give that Grandma a hug, which she finally did, and then was invited to sit right next to the lady and watch/hang out. I spent a few minutes with her later, and she showed me how the palm leaves are braided into a sort of rope, and then that braid is formed into baskets (for holding clothes and other things) or into round mats (~18 inches across) for eating. This is another Bedouin traditional craft. Can you imagine the hardship of living with the heat, sand, and lack of water? I think it's amazing and humbling.
I also love the way that--with almost no speech, as again, communication had to overcome language barriers--Hannah can encompass with absolute innocence that complicated cultural dance of getting beyond the "strange otherness." Yes, this Grandma wore a niqab (full face veil), but she is a Grandma nonetheless...you could see it in her twinkling smiling brown eyes and in her beautiful hands.
Who is to say that this Grandma should not cover her face and hair, when it is part of how she knows the world to be? I pray that she covers because she believes in it and not because she feels hindered by it.
For a good TV show segment on the issues of the hair wrap (hijab) and veil (niqab), go to this video: Everywoman: The Veil Part 1 and Part 2. An important sidenote though: these are young Egyptian women. Just like Christians come in a huge range of beliefs and commitments, so do Muslims. What is true for these young women cannot be blindly generalized to even young women in Qatar. Then you have generational differences, too. Okay, thank you for considering my tangent...back to the Arabian Night.
There were a few arts and crafts tables set up, with some homemade things and some "trinkets" (typically plastic stuff). I love the face modeling the golden veil here.
But the reason we stood in line so long was to get our hands hennaed. If you want to see some amazing henna, check out this blog posting. And of course, here's our friend wikipedia on henna dyes and customs. Scroll down to the section on "Traditions of henna as body art."
The lady doing Hannah's henna (?!?) is Persian--her family is from Iran, but she was "burned here." When she said that, she totally understood her faux pax, and she started laughing a lot. I told her we are all burned here from July through September. She has being practicing henna art since she was six years old. I asked her if her hands would be tired after three hours of this, and she said no, but her eyes would be very tired. Watching her work was like watching someone do Chinese calligraphy. Amazing.
Hannah and I each had our right hand done. It's like thick paste (almost like mud) when it first goes on, and it looks very black. The biggest challenge at this point, obviously, is not smearing it all over yourself or someone else. So we were very careful. Hannah did a great job! I think she and I will both become henna addicts. I may be foreseeing a fifth birthday party involving pedis and henna for the guests...plus a princess tea party. Yes, the birthday is in June, people. Never to early to start planning. After all, Hannah's been asking "how many days until my next birthday?" for about four months now.After the course or an hour or so, the henna dries up and begins to flake off. An important sidenote, however, is that for those operating at the "advanced blackbelt level of runway model posing," henna protection maneuvers are no problem, and posing for photos can continue as normal, including the requisite hand on the hip.
That takes us to another major highlight of the evening: the camel. After the henna was applied, we went over to where a musical performance was being put on--costumes and singing and dancing about cultures, the culmination of a couple of months of after school enrichment activity practice. (Hannah has participate in a legos class, Jack did Arabic arts, and Hank continues violin, so none of the small children were singing and dancing...we save that for random moments in the Villagio Mall.)
Not 25 feet from the stage full of singers, this most precious and patient creature on God's Earth was parked. I'm sure he was rope-hobbled, but I also wonder if he was hobbled in a way to keep him kneeling down. He didn't seem uncomfortable, but he was literally in the midst of the whole loud party, with what must have seemed like an endless supply of tall and short people wanting to pet him. You know camels spit big looooogies, right? He looked deeply into my eyes, as if to consider me a viable target. In fact, I was quite sure that as other people scratched and tugged, I would get the face full of dromedary drool, but it never happened. And I even gave him a little scratch behind the ear. He felt, exactly like you would imagine, incredible soft and a little course, like sheep's wool (where his fur was longer). I really really wanted to grab those soft loose lips and rub my cheek against them, but of course I am no fool. Well, maybe on occasion some instinct helps me limit my foolishness. Check out the eyelashes. What a creature!
Typically, as I am blessed by these adventures, I want to have you here to smell and taste and ponder with me. But this evening, I really wished you had been there to listen. Beyond the regional music in the background, what I heard around me was the world full of accents...Japanese, English, Australian, Dutch, Scottish, Indian, Arabian, Persian, Texan, and more that I'm sure I am neither smart enough to recognize nor awake enough to remember. Almost no one sounded "like us" and almost no one sounded the same as others around them. That, for some reason, made it an even more exceptional night.
Now, he's going to be mad at me, but I just had to post this...I've worried about Hank being shy and reticent to make friends. He's happy and swears that all is good, but it's hard just taking his word for it. But then, when we arrived at CIS, he immediately spotted three guys his age (from the other "half" of year 8) and took off to go hang out with him. I knew there was no way I could purposefully get a photo of them, so I stood a ways away and took one anyway. It's like a photo-safari documenting a 12 year old!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Three Steps Away from &
Many Braincells Ahead of
Elly May Clampett
It's "Wear Your National Costume Day" at Compass International School.
What exactly would you expect?
Don't mind that wet spot in the middle of her shirt--that comes from being a little too short to reach the sink when brushing one's teeth and will be dry in just a few minutes.
Aggies, baseball, the colors and stars of the American flag, Levi's with "diamonds" on the booty, and cowboy boots. For a Mom who never thinks of anything until the last minute...and often, that is too late...I am proud of this achievement. All she needed was a tattoo and a cameo on Jerry Springer.
I'd also like to mention that their lunches contain "Texas Sushi" (turkey/cheese rolled up in soft flour tortillas and then cut into pieces, like sushi). No one else will notice that, so just for the record.
What exactly would you expect?
I'd also like to mention that their lunches contain "Texas Sushi" (turkey/cheese rolled up in soft flour tortillas and then cut into pieces, like sushi). No one else will notice that, so just for the record.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Hank--Presentation of Learning, "Year 8" (7th grade)
Compass has each child do a "presentation of learning" to showcase class projects. Hank chose which classes to discuss (this is four out of his 8 subjects), decided what to say about each, and prepared his PowerPoint presentation. We watched it as a family at the school last week, but then Hank was also sweet enough to record it to show family online.
Hank in the actual presentation--he did a great job!
A recording/re-presentation recorded in his pajamas Friday (our Sunday) morning.
If you find that the video stops a lot to load, then try pausing it and letting it fully download (the red bar across the bottom should move all the way from left to right).
Jack--Presentatation of Learning for "Year 6" (5th Grade)
Jack's presentation of learning was a full PowerPoint in front of his whole class plus four sets of parents. He chose to discuss computer technology class, French, math, and English.
He was nervous and said that he could do a great job in front of either his family or his classmates but that both at once was just too much.
He was nervous and said that he could do a great job in front of either his family or his classmates but that both at once was just too much.
Jack being the sweet little man that he is.
A bit of video, thanks to John and his iPhone.
The sound on this video is rather low---the kids were just speaking in soft voices. If you find that the video stops a lot to load, then try pausing it and letting it fully download (the red bar across the bottom should move all the way from left to right).
Hannah--Presentation of Learning, "Early Years 2" (Pre-K)
Hannah's presentation of learning was about 10 days ago, our first one. She "presented" on these things:
This is an older photo from the day Hannah's class went to the plant souq to buy flowers. A bunch of cuties, these are!
And finally, here's a little bit of video. Hannah decided, in her nervous state, to stick her fingers in her mouth. I love to hear all the accents! Her teacher is Australian; she is sitting with students who are Danish, Liberian, and British; kids in the audience are Asian, Arab, and European (no other Americans, although some students have lived in America for short stretches).
The sound on this video is rather low---the kids were just speaking in soft voices. If you find that the video stops a lot to load, then try pausing it and letting it fully download (the red bar across the bottom should move all the way from left to right).
- Writing her name on the board.
- What she likes about drawing pictures and "writing stories."
- How a seed she planted grew.
Her resulting plant had blown over in the wind yesterday, so it was a sad little dead and withered thing. She was a good sport about it though. - What happens when you "take away" some parts from a whole.
This is an older photo from the day Hannah's class went to the plant souq to buy flowers. A bunch of cuties, these are!
And finally, here's a little bit of video. Hannah decided, in her nervous state, to stick her fingers in her mouth. I love to hear all the accents! Her teacher is Australian; she is sitting with students who are Danish, Liberian, and British; kids in the audience are Asian, Arab, and European (no other Americans, although some students have lived in America for short stretches).
The sound on this video is rather low---the kids were just speaking in soft voices. If you find that the video stops a lot to load, then try pausing it and letting it fully download (the red bar across the bottom should move all the way from left to right).
Thoughtfulness Beyond Measure: Gifts from Medina
Describing this is difficult, because it's one of those things where seeing the region and meeting the people is really necessary to "picture" what people are like here. I mean this in terms of the native Qataris, the other Arab cultures, the Persian cultures, the Filipino, Nepalese, Indian, Egyptian, and many others. In my own experience, what I have seen on TV of these "exotic" cultures is nothing but a shadow of reality--this is what this adventure is teaching me.
This week, I read on Facebook and in the local newspaper about a speaker on the university campus in Texas making hateful comments about Muslims. We also hear a lot in sectors of the American media about Islam being a religion of violence. Not everyone says this--but it is common enough not the be deniable. Many Americans are scared of Muslims.
I am in no position to change the world, but I am in a position to tell you about my own personal experiences. I don't think my experiences are overly special--I think there are many other people doing kind things for one another and finding commonalities rather than differences among the ways they view life. These meeting points--the points where we can smile and see that we are both the same and different and that we can exist peacefully and perhaps in a rich, interesting world--these are a major source of joy for me. Looking for these meeting points is why I even wanted to come here at all.
So when John brought home these gifts, I felt blessed beyond measure.
Our friend Khalid, whose beautiful Mother (Um Khalid) sent me the dressing gown and sent John the tea pot, has been no less than a true cultural ambassador for our family. He and his fiance (Balsam) answer all our crazy questions with patience, good humor, and love. When we visit, we laugh a lot and we are able to ask each other questions about cultures and "how things work" and we are able to ponder they why's and how's of not only the other culture but also of our own cultures as we try to "make sense" of them.
This spring, Khalid took a holy trip to Medina. Please read more about Medina here. To say this trip is "important" for a practicing Muslim is to demonstrate my lack of understanding--I don't know of a right word to explain its deep meaning. Called a "hajj," it's described in some nice detail again on Wikipedia. From my perspective, I would think that this trip must be highly personal. It is certainly a sacred trip for a Muslim. Here's a nice blog posting about one pilgrim's trip. And what did Khalid do while he was there? While he was concentrating on his own faith and the meaning of this journey? He also thought of the Small family. He brought us back these beautiful gifts.
This is a small plastic camera that is a gift many pilgrims bring back to their children (who don't go on the hajj). The camera is a tiny "View Master." Look into the view finder, and you see photos of Medina. Push the button, and a new picture appears. Below, you can see one of the photos--I held the gift up to the outside light and focused my own digital camera "inside" it. So the photo isn't great, but you can see that it's golden dome on top of a mosque.
I don't want to surely make a fool of myself by wrongly saying which holy building this golden dome belongs to, but I can say that other photos inside the camera are of the Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (the sacred Mosque) and of the cube-shaped Kaaba (one of the holiest sites in the Islamic world), as well as of people praying. I can see how these photos would hold an air of mystery and excitement for the pilgrim's sons and daughters. Khalid brought each of our kids a camera, and we will treasure these.
He also brought a translation of the Qur'an to John and me. Translation of the Qu'ran into English is serious business. The Qur'an is considered the literal word of God--the Prophet was a sort of "channel," and God spoke through him (though the Prophet was illiterate he was able spontaneously to write God's words, which are described as beautiful poetry). This makes accuracy in translation crucial. Khalid told John that this is known to be the best translation.
He brought this to us because we have asked questions about Islam and have welcomed questions about Christianity as John and I know it. Khalid is not trying to change us, and we are not trying to change Khalid. What we have is a friendship of mutual care and respect. We want to know more about each other so we can find those similarities and appreciate those differences I mentioned above.
What an incredibly special kindness and a humbling demonstration of the thoughtfulness of our friends and hosts. If I had taken a spiritually-centered trip, to Bethlehem at Chrismas, for example, would I have thought to bring something back to my Muslim friends? I am not sure I would have been this thoughtful. I thank Khalid, Balsam, their families, my students, and many of my colleagues for helping me reflect and learn these lessons.
This week, I read on Facebook and in the local newspaper about a speaker on the university campus in Texas making hateful comments about Muslims. We also hear a lot in sectors of the American media about Islam being a religion of violence. Not everyone says this--but it is common enough not the be deniable. Many Americans are scared of Muslims.
I am in no position to change the world, but I am in a position to tell you about my own personal experiences. I don't think my experiences are overly special--I think there are many other people doing kind things for one another and finding commonalities rather than differences among the ways they view life. These meeting points--the points where we can smile and see that we are both the same and different and that we can exist peacefully and perhaps in a rich, interesting world--these are a major source of joy for me. Looking for these meeting points is why I even wanted to come here at all.
So when John brought home these gifts, I felt blessed beyond measure.
Our friend Khalid, whose beautiful Mother (Um Khalid) sent me the dressing gown and sent John the tea pot, has been no less than a true cultural ambassador for our family. He and his fiance (Balsam) answer all our crazy questions with patience, good humor, and love. When we visit, we laugh a lot and we are able to ask each other questions about cultures and "how things work" and we are able to ponder they why's and how's of not only the other culture but also of our own cultures as we try to "make sense" of them.
This spring, Khalid took a holy trip to Medina. Please read more about Medina here. To say this trip is "important" for a practicing Muslim is to demonstrate my lack of understanding--I don't know of a right word to explain its deep meaning. Called a "hajj," it's described in some nice detail again on Wikipedia. From my perspective, I would think that this trip must be highly personal. It is certainly a sacred trip for a Muslim. Here's a nice blog posting about one pilgrim's trip. And what did Khalid do while he was there? While he was concentrating on his own faith and the meaning of this journey? He also thought of the Small family. He brought us back these beautiful gifts.
This is a small plastic camera that is a gift many pilgrims bring back to their children (who don't go on the hajj). The camera is a tiny "View Master." Look into the view finder, and you see photos of Medina. Push the button, and a new picture appears. Below, you can see one of the photos--I held the gift up to the outside light and focused my own digital camera "inside" it. So the photo isn't great, but you can see that it's golden dome on top of a mosque.
I don't want to surely make a fool of myself by wrongly saying which holy building this golden dome belongs to, but I can say that other photos inside the camera are of the Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (the sacred Mosque) and of the cube-shaped Kaaba (one of the holiest sites in the Islamic world), as well as of people praying. I can see how these photos would hold an air of mystery and excitement for the pilgrim's sons and daughters. Khalid brought each of our kids a camera, and we will treasure these.
He also brought a translation of the Qur'an to John and me. Translation of the Qu'ran into English is serious business. The Qur'an is considered the literal word of God--the Prophet was a sort of "channel," and God spoke through him (though the Prophet was illiterate he was able spontaneously to write God's words, which are described as beautiful poetry). This makes accuracy in translation crucial. Khalid told John that this is known to be the best translation.
He brought this to us because we have asked questions about Islam and have welcomed questions about Christianity as John and I know it. Khalid is not trying to change us, and we are not trying to change Khalid. What we have is a friendship of mutual care and respect. We want to know more about each other so we can find those similarities and appreciate those differences I mentioned above.
What an incredibly special kindness and a humbling demonstration of the thoughtfulness of our friends and hosts. If I had taken a spiritually-centered trip, to Bethlehem at Chrismas, for example, would I have thought to bring something back to my Muslim friends? I am not sure I would have been this thoughtful. I thank Khalid, Balsam, their families, my students, and many of my colleagues for helping me reflect and learn these lessons.
"Crepes" at the Souq
Oh boy oh boy oh boy. Let me tell you what is good: going to Souq Waqif in the evening and eating something made by an Arab Mama. Now, I'm assuming they are Mama's...they can certainly cook like Mamas.These photos show a lady making a crepe-like sandwich thingy. It's not a crepe--the batter that she spreads on first is too thick, but she uses a spatula to make it very thin on the gas-fired griddle. After it cooks for a few minutes, she then spreads a creamy processed cheese product (similar to cream cheese) on top.
Next, you can add hot sauce (like Tabasco) or spices (maybe a thyme/oregano mix?) or a fish sauce. I haven't tried the fish sauce and have heard mixed things about it (some love, some hate). The hot sauce is my favorite.
After it has finished cooking, she folds it over. The crepe is a little toasted and is actually light and crisp. Absolutely delicious--and this is just one of many options of "home made" food at the souq.I can't take photos of the lady's face--she may or may not care about having her picture made, but language barriers make the request difficult. The faces here are beautiful--lots of character in the smiles and eyes. Kind and very sweet people, who live by a sort of quiet politeness that isn't as common anymore in the US. It's still there in the US--lots of real ladies and gentlemen, but you just don't see the same level of it in basic public places.
Here then is the version John has developed at home:
The base is a "roti paratha" from the grocery store freezer section. It's shaped like a tortilla but is much flakier and richer. He then tops it with a very spreadable cream cheese we call "cow cheese," fries an egg and adds that to the top. We finish it off with lots of garlic Tabasco. And maybe some bubbly grape juice type beverage... :)
The Jack Witch Project
This is one of Jack's school projects. Remember earlier when I said that I struggle between teaching my children autonomy and hovering? Maybe I should hover a little more...
The Hannahdinburg
As of Monday, Hannah will be "4 and 3/4" years old. She is very excited to reach this milestone and asks me daily how much longer. I'm not sure what sort of celebratory marking this requires?
When I was a little girl, my brother, sister, and parents often called me "Talky," because I talked all. the. time.
Now, as is to be expected, life has brought this karma home to roost. Jack talked non-stop from about 7 seconds after he was born until only recently. He still talks but just not 100% of his waking moments.
One reason he doesn't talk as much? Because Hannah has now taken over that role. She talks every moment that she's not asleep or watching a video...and she doesn't really like to watch videos/TV. So mainly, she just talks and talk and talks. Thank god we have the part across the street. This child never stops going from the moment she wakes up (6 AM) until the moment she passes out at night (7-8 PM).
These are just fun pictures of...
When I was a little girl, my brother, sister, and parents often called me "Talky," because I talked all. the. time.
Now, as is to be expected, life has brought this karma home to roost. Jack talked non-stop from about 7 seconds after he was born until only recently. He still talks but just not 100% of his waking moments.
One reason he doesn't talk as much? Because Hannah has now taken over that role. She talks every moment that she's not asleep or watching a video...and she doesn't really like to watch videos/TV. So mainly, she just talks and talk and talks. Thank god we have the part across the street. This child never stops going from the moment she wakes up (6 AM) until the moment she passes out at night (7-8 PM).
These are just fun pictures of...
how she floats.
and how she crashes.
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