Weekend? What Weekend??

I’m getting a much later start than I would if we were in the office, but I’ve got a full day of work ahead of me. There’s too much to do to really take a day off – but since “Pirates of the Caribbean” is on The Movie Channel, I think I’ll start after it’s over. Johnny Depp, as some of you may know, was my first true love, and I think that I had *excellent* taste as a 12-year old. At the very least, my taste in that particular area is remarkably consistent with my taste as a 29-year old. (Fortunately, my taste in other areas has changed substantially. Can you even find banana clips or acid-washed jeans anymore?)

I had grand plans for yesterday, once we got back to the hotel. I really and truly had every intention of getting a good bit of work done that afternoon. Instead, as I was reading, I fell stone cold asleep. Woke up around 8 pm, went down to dinner with TL and S, then S and I watched a movie and stayed up quite late talking. Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening, but it does rather leave me behind the proverbial eight ball. (“Will I be up obscenely late working?” [shake, shake, shake] “All signs point to ‘yes’.”)

Ah well – it builds character, yes?

More bathtub laundry today, but it works and gets my clothes nice and clean, even if I did scald my hands a little (that tap water can get very hot). I’m going to head down for the gym later for a mid-day break – although is it really considered a break if you still haven’t started the activity from which you are supposedly taking a break? Hmm… In any case, it will be good for me to get off my posterior. And as I sit here, with my nice, hot mug of Cup-A-Soup steaming up my glasses, the clouds are parting a little on some of the work I have to do. TL gave me some good suggested revisions for what I’ve already written, and once I figure out the best way to put them into action, I have a feeling that I will have a much stronger chapter that I can then put aside until final report editing. I hope. So for today, things are okay over here in Yemeni Frontier House…

A Few More Pictures

Here are a few more pictures from our trip around the old town and market yesterday, in addition to the copious ones posted below. Just click on any of them to enlarge them. Enjoy!

My New Best Friend

TL, when he was out running some errands, bought me a new heating coil! This makes me extremely happy, I have to say. (The fact that it cost $1.50 is also nice. Even if I have to buy a new one for every week I have left here, that’s okay.) So, in light of my very, very down mood lately, this is a nice little thing to have come along.

More good news (I’ll take it where I can find it) is that I was able to run about twice as long last night as the night before. So, apparently my body is remembering that it used to be pretty decent at this. I’m hoping that running while blasting “grrr” music into my ears until I’m exhausted will help burn off some of the frustration and (unsettling) aggression that can build up as days here go by.

S and I went with Widget (my new name for the young female architect in our office – Archie was too confusing) to the old part of town, including the old market. First, we went up to Al Qahera, the castle on the hill that I posted pictures of from my first trip. The view down onto the city is amazing. When we were up there, we saw a bunch of people just hanging out and enjoying the view, and groups of men enjoying the favored Yemeni afternoon activity – chewing qat. Qat is perfectly legal, and it’s a plant that people chew. It gives you a buzz of sorts, I’m told – so people are kind of mellow and stoned in the afternoons. You can easily spot the people chewing qat, as they have this Dizzy Gillespie-like bulge in their cheeks. They’re often also sprawled out somewhere, because…well, I guess that’s what you do when you’re stoned. I think they also sell Doritos here, so maybe there’s a connection.

The market is really interesting, though – all kinds of fabrics and accessories and spices and foods you can buy. It’s not like the big, indoor markets that you see in Vietnam, rather these markets are long, winding streets, flanked with shops with turquoise metal doors, flung open to give you a glimpse at whatever they’re selling, whether it’s the riot of color in the fabric shops or the glinting metal of the shops selling water pipes and jambias, the elaborate belts with the large, curved daggers. My favorite part, by far, was when a camel cart came plodding down the street. It’s a little weird, but I love camels – something about the way they walk just makes me laugh. So, I was all kinds of excited to see one. As we were walking and driving through the streets, we were the object of some attention, as you might imagine, and little kids were gathering around, wanting us to take their pictures and laughing hysterically at seeing their own images. This is the oldest part of the city, and you can believe that it’s 1,000 years old in some parts – even though the antiquity is often brought into sharp relief, as the modern world seems to penetrate in one way or another.

We went back up to Al Ashrafia mosque, which is over 600 years old. I’d been past it earlier and taken a few pictures, but this time we got out and were actually allowed inside . We couldn’t go into the sanctuary, but we were allowed to poke our heads in and take a few photos from the doorway. Widget, since she’s Muslim, was allowed inside, and she took some more pictures for us. It was really beautiful with very intricate painting, tile work, and plaster work, There were some tombs inside that we were allowed to go see as well. I’m also fairly certain that it was an opportunity I'm not likely to have again any time soon, so I was very grateful to have it.

So, for every lousy experience I’ve had here, there are a lot of interesting and unique ones, too. I am trying to enjoy everything I can about being here, because if someone asks me what Yemen was like, I don’t want to say “well, I don’t know because I never left my hotel room”. I want to have stories about something other than creepy random phone calls and burned-out heating coils, because I think it would be really sad if that’s all I had to say at the end of 3 ½ months.

And The Beat Goes On...

Well, it’s true that I finished the first chapter I needed to work on. What’s also true is that I have so very much more to work on. And so it continues.

My boss wrote back to my “wha da fa???” e-mail about my return here and said that once this is over, he will keep me off international assignments until I tell him that I’m ready to go out again. So that’s good. He also said that he was very surprised that my return here appeared to be a foregone conclusion. Well, like I said – I’m working on making the changes I need to make for my own sanity. The fact that he appears to be supportive of this is helpful.

Speaking of things that contribute to my sanity, on my parents’ suggestion (quite a good one), I have asked the hotel if they have a small coffee maker or electric kettle that I can keep in my room. I don’t know if they actually do, but at the least they’ve said that they’ll be happy to bring up a pot of boiling water if I need it. We have an electric kettle here at the office that I am welcome to borrow, but a closer look at the box revealed that it requires 2000 watts. I stared dumbly at the box for a minute, thinking that had to be a typo. I don’t even think the treadmill in the gym requires 2000 watts. My goodness. I had visions of plugging the kettle in, and shorting out my entire room. Or having something blow up – neither of which was what I would call a “preferred scenario”. The upshot of this little ramble is, however, that I should once again be able to reconstitute vittles with ease. So hurrah for properly re-hydrated food! (Heh…I said “vittles”.)

(As a p.s. – it turns out that a coffee maker or electric kettle in my room would, not only blow the fuses, but would also SET OFF AN ALARM. So I guess they’ll be bringing me boiling water until I can find another heating coil.)

Let me state for the record that I do NOT think it’s remotely funny that Gerald Ford is in the hospital due to poor health. He seems like a nice man, and I wouldn’t wish illness on anyone anyway. HOWEVER, I can’t help but think of that Saturday Night Live bit with Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw. I would imagine that I’m not the only person who has thought of this. But I’m fairly sure that I’m the only person in Yemen who has thought of this.

Apparently, Mab is so happy with the work we’re doing here, he’s going to recommend that we take over the job that’s being done in another city here. TL mentioned it to me, and although we were laughing and jokey-jokey and having a very pleasant conversation, I flatly refused to even consider coming back for a longer period of time to work in another part of the country – all while smiling sweetly. He may have been joking, but just in case… Now, I don’t wish to be giving Yemen a bad rap, although I realize that I probably have – it really is a very beautiful and interesting country. My personal thoughts on my particular existence here are a very separate thing. My refusal stems from two main things – first of all, I have been away from home for way too long, and second of all, I have to be honest – I still don’t really feel safe here. And it’s not like I’m in Liberia or something, where there’s a substantial amount of generalized unrest – not that I want to make light of the political situation there, either. Here, it’s not so much that there’s so much unrest as very strong anti-Western feeling, and a quick glance at me would easily lead someone to conclude that I am Western. So it’s a particular, not generalized, uneasiness. If that makes any sense.

But I digress. I have tons of work to do, and, as was the case when I first arrived, not much time in which to do it. But at least I can still avoid ending sentences with prepositions.

So, I went to the gym again and was heading back up to my room, wearing a big ol’ t-shirt and leggings – aka: my workout clothes. I was also all sweaty and nasty, and just wanted to get back to my room and clean up. There was an older guy waiting for the elevator, and we both got in. He pushed the “2” button, which is also my floor. He asked me something, gesturing to the panel of buttons, so I said something about how I was on the second floor.

Then he asked me what room I was in.

Right. Because I’m going to tell you, you revolting, creepy man. I looked at him and said “um, on the second floor…” when what I should have done was told him off, or said “the same room as my husband”. Not that he would have understood. He then said something in Arabic, to which I shook my head to indicate that I didn’t understand him, and hurried toward my room as soon as the door opened. Keep in mind that, as creepy and nasty as this would be in the US, in this culture, what he did was so much more incredibly insulting and inappropriate.

Once again, for those of you in the back who didn’t hear it the first time – all American women are whores, so feel free to treat them like that when you’re out and about. They love it.

So Glad...

I told TL that I needed the day, uninterrupted, to write, and he actually agreed – he was very good about it, really. So hurrah for that. I’m waiting on some maps and data, but apart from that, it’s in good shape. Finally. Now I can start helping S on some of the other things she’s working on – and of course taking on the responsibilities of my “new” role… Overall, it’s been a good day. What’s more, we’re all committed to going to the gym tonight for a little exercise, so that’s good. I’ve been doing Pilates in my room every other day, which has been really fun, actually, but I need to move a little more than that. So I think it’s time to put some Foo Fighters in my CD-player (yes, I’m the last person on earth without an iPod, but I really don’t care), head down to the Ladies’ Gym, and go to town. S is going swimming, the brave girl. She said that the last time she went, there were men camped out there, staring at her – which is exactly why I didn’t bring my swimsuit. It made her quite uncomfortable, which I can understand, having been the object of some fascination for the pool boys at the Karachi American School myself, but I think she’s going to go anyway.

Turns out S didn’t end up going swimming – too uncomfortable. I can’t say I blame her at all. I made it down to the gym and did a combination of walking and running. I was pretty disappointed, since I was walking partially because my knee was still a little tender, but mostly because I haven’t run in so long that I’m feeling out of shape. It’s okay, though – the good thing about that is that it’s easy enough to change, I just need to get off my rear end on a consistent basis.

The best part of my day, by far, happened as we were getting ready to leave the office. I had gotten a phone call at about 2 am last night, and got another one this evening. Fortunately, TL was around, so I called him over and put him on the phone. To give you an idea of this scenario, TL has a booming and imposing voice, which he can really use to great effect if he’s so inclined. Given that the only voice this guy had ever heard on the phone was mine, this must have represented quite a change, especially since TL, who is French, is of Middle Eastern origins and is therefore fluent in Arabic. I would imagine he was startled, because he hung up. TL then decided to call him back, courtesy of caller ID, and tell him, in detail, what was inappropriate about his behavior. Or, as he would say, “I shooted on him.” I think this must be a European phrase of some sort, as both TL, who is French, and Franz, who is German, will both talk about “shooting on” someone. It makes me think of The Princess Bride. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

In any case, TL said that if he calls again, he’ll just pass his telephone number on to the police. I believe he told Creepy McCreeperson, my caller, the very same tidbit of information. For all his occasionally ill-timed loquaciousness, TL is, if I haven’t mentioned it before, a very good and decent sort of man, and a nice guy as well – so he’s good to have around much more often than not. He also appears to think highly of me, which is part of the reason why he gets so chatty with me. He’s “passing down his wisdom.”

But I think it’s because he, or someone in my company, is assuming that I want to be a Team Leader on these sorts of projects. Ah…that would be the big flaw in their logic.

Goodness!

I’ve had to wake up early so that I can actually get some work done, because TL is incessantly calling me into his office, when I don’t need to be there, and I just *sit* there, for far longer than necessary. I spent three hours yesterday morning sitting in his office, when we could have covered everything in less than one hour. I sat there for 30 minutes just watching him fiddle with a GPS, wanting desperately to get back to my desk but being told “wait just a minute…” every time I tried to leave. I’m going to have to do some laying down of the law on that one. It’ll be interesting, and I have a feeling that it will go in one ear and out the other.

He spoke to the staff yesterday about the whole “showing up late, if at all” thing, so hopefully that will be resolved. S and I are continuing movie nights, which is good – makes things feel a little more normal to be able to hang out and watch a movie with a girlfriend. Since I keep getting interrupted by TL, she’s having to do most of the work so far on the chapters we’re supposed to be writing together, because I’m still trying to finish my first one, about which I feel bad. (Oh, and TL said that he was just as good at editing in English as me…um, that’s not true, but if he’d prefer to do the final editing himself, I’m certainly not going to stop him.)

We went to a grocery store yesterday, so I picked up a couple of things – milk, cereal, crackers, a little bag of cashews – just staples, for the most part. It’s nice to have a few more options, I suppose. Maybe I’ll see if L can find me an electric kettle or something, since (although I haven’t tried it recently) I assume my heating coil is still busted.

Yesterday morning, while waiting for TL to get out to the car, I took a few pictures. Being so high up, the clouds have been hanging down into the mountains lately, making for some really beautiful views. I didn’t notice this the first time I was here, so either I was oblivious, or it’s a seasonal thing that just started. Either way – it’s a nice view to have in the mornings.

Now, some more of trying desperately to get this frickin’ chapter done. (I’ve been up since 5 am.)

Things That Have Made Me (Almost) Cry Recently

I have to come back here from March 11 - April 15th.

To say that I don't want to would be an understatement. To say that my company is seriously pushing it is also an understatement.

Apparently this is TL's idea, so I can experience a project from start to finish - he spoke so highly of me in Paris that they agreed that I should stick around. (I'd like to feel flattered but I don't. They're training me for a position I don't want, but no one has bothered to ask me.) TL will take off for a week or two of vacation once I get here, but will return to finish things up. I told him very bluntly that him not coming back and leaving me here by myself would be a catastrophe. The good news is that it doesn't seem as though that is in anyone's game plan.

I just about started crying - I haven't felt this depressed since...well, since the first time I found out I had to come here.

P.S. It also sucks that the Pats lost to the Broncos. I'm trying to keep some perspective.
(It's okay Tom Brady, you're still my NFL boyfriend...)

Things That Have Made Me Laugh Recently

1. While watching another atrocious countdown show on E! (and one day someone will have to explain to me why E! is one of the few English-language channels I can get here), they showed a clip from one of those dating shows that starts off with a man or a woman, and three or four members of the opposite sex, where people get kicked off over the course of the date until it’s a one-to-one match – apparently, this usually happens after much writhing around in hot tubs and things like that.

As a side note, who really goes on these shows? I mean, have you ever seen a couple, married or otherwise, lovingly coo “oh…we met on Elimidate…”

So anyway, it was down to two women who were vying for one guy, and apparently the smack talk started flowing freely. This then dissolved into one woman throwing her drink on the other. The throw-ee came back with the following gem:

“Is your welfare check going to pay for my dry cleaning, you crack whore from Long Beach???”

You really just can’t make that stuff up. I snorted. I can admit that.

2. I realized that the 5-minute loop of music (or should I say “Muzak®”) that plays incessantly in the hotel lobby is a version of “Ebony and Ivory”. Oh, the irony.

3. S and I decided to actually go down to the restaurant in the hotel to get some dinner last night, instead of just ordering room service. There was a guy downstairs doing face painting for little kids. Don’t really know what the occasion was, but there you go. As we were leaving, S noticed that he was working on something and went to go see what it was. Apparently, he was painting our portrait while we were sitting there having dinner. You’ll have to use your imagination a smidge, because S looks like something from “The Elephant Man”, and I look like I belong in a Bon Jovi video from the “Slippery When Wet” era. That, or like the lost member of KISS. I also look as though someone stuck an air hose in my shirt. He gave us this master work, painted on the bottom of a tissue box, and it is now resting safely in my suitcase.
Who says you can’t find great art at a bargain price??

Stef – since you’ve been turning into quite the art expert these days, what do you think?? Do you think it could fetch a pretty penny at home?

TL is arriving in town shortly, S and I are going to go meet him for lunch, and he is heading back to the hotel to collapse. I can’t say I blame him – the flights from Paris to here are kind of brutal and involve a 7-hour overnight layover in Dubai, with no nice little hotel voucher. S and I are happy because it gives us both the day to continue working before he gets into high gear. We’ve been watching “Pride and Prejudice” and are determined to finish it up tonight, before the proverbial storm hits.

I’m going to be really bummed out when she leaves, let me tell you.