Today I watched a commoner become a princess. Talk about a huge transition! We leave Bahrain in seven weeks. Talk about an even greater transition! Sorry Kate, moving constantly is a little more difficult than becoming a princess, in my opinion! One thing I've learned being a military spouse is that moving every two years is not easy. It's not just the packing and unpacking. It's mostly the feeling of leaving "home" so often. Once we're settled, Boom! we're moving again. New home, new job, new friends, new doctor, new dentist, new grocer, new everything. I have so much respect for those that have done this for twenty or more years (including Scott). Fortunately for me, if all goes as planned, it will only be a six year experience for me.The situation has calmed down here the last few weeks. There are still little uprising
s but mainly in villages far from where we are. Life is pretty much back to normal here. We're out and about more, but still not like we used to be. We are focusing on all the things we need to get accomplished before our big pack out scheduled for May 11th. We've been to the Manama Souq a few times. Scott and his friend, Ralph, are having custom suits made by a tailor. Scott has had four suits and a sports jacket made. I am really proud of him. The guy hates shopping, but I think he has finally out shopped me! The tailor shop is run by two brothers (either Indian or Pakistani). They make all the suits. You choose the fabric, they measure you and within a week or less a perfect suit is made for $100. You really can't beat a deal like that.
s but mainly in villages far from where we are. Life is pretty much back to normal here. We're out and about more, but still not like we used to be. We are focusing on all the things we need to get accomplished before our big pack out scheduled for May 11th. We've been to the Manama Souq a few times. Scott and his friend, Ralph, are having custom suits made by a tailor. Scott has had four suits and a sports jacket made. I am really proud of him. The guy hates shopping, but I think he has finally out shopped me! The tailor shop is run by two brothers (either Indian or Pakistani). They make all the suits. You choose the fabric, they measure you and within a week or less a perfect suit is made for $100. You really can't beat a deal like that.My work is great. T
he kids continue to crack me up and drive me absolutely crazy on a daily basis. They are all so happy to be back in school and to be able to go out and do things again. I know for a fact that their parents are thrilled to have them out of the house and back in school. We have been learning about different cultures of the world in Social Studies the past two weeks. Most of my students treat the foreign nationals (Indians, Pakistanis mainly) who are the laborers here in Bahrain pretty badly. To be honest, they completely disrespect them! So, I started a campaign to explain to them the proper way to treat people from any country. I also used this as a chance to explain how to show respect to people from different cultures and how to also respect and properly treat people with disabilities. The theme here......embracing diversity! Being a speech pathologist and working with so many children and adults with disabilities, this is something I consider very important. Our class discussion was fabulous and the days following our discussion the majority of my students shared how they actually "talked" to their nanny, housekeeper and/or house watchman. They also reported every disabled person they saw and shared what they did to help them. That was a great feeling. Hopefully they will carry these acts on into their adulthood.
he kids continue to crack me up and drive me absolutely crazy on a daily basis. They are all so happy to be back in school and to be able to go out and do things again. I know for a fact that their parents are thrilled to have them out of the house and back in school. We have been learning about different cultures of the world in Social Studies the past two weeks. Most of my students treat the foreign nationals (Indians, Pakistanis mainly) who are the laborers here in Bahrain pretty badly. To be honest, they completely disrespect them! So, I started a campaign to explain to them the proper way to treat people from any country. I also used this as a chance to explain how to show respect to people from different cultures and how to also respect and properly treat people with disabilities. The theme here......embracing diversity! Being a speech pathologist and working with so many children and adults with disabilities, this is something I consider very important. Our class discussion was fabulous and the days following our discussion the majority of my students shared how they actually "talked" to their nanny, housekeeper and/or house watchman. They also reported every disabled person they saw and shared what they did to help them. That was a great feeling. Hopefully they will carry these acts on into their adulthood.Scott's fine. He's got his usual busy stuff at work. If all goes as planned, we leave here on his birthday, June 23rd. What a great birthday present! He's taken charge of this upcoming move. He spends most of his free time making lists and/or organizing all our stuff. He's also doing all the paperwork and running around. Moving from an overseas location back to the states is pretty hectic. We also have to schedule having our stuff moved to California from storage in Memphis. Who knows what condition that stuff will be in. What a job ahead of us.
Benny is his usual nutty self. The heat is rising here again, so today he went for 
a nice dip in the pool. He loves spending as much time as possible in the front courtyard barking at these three young boys on bikes that harass the heck out of him daily. There's also a British man that walks his cat on a leash and has the cat stop right in front of our front gate. Why the leash and why stopping in front of our gate? I have no answer for any of that! Benny has been a little stressed watching us go through everything preparing for the packers. Just as he can tell when Scott and/or I will be traveling, he seems to know when we're getting ready to move. He dealt with two moves in Memphis and three moves here in Bahrain. We've been in this villa the longest and Benny pretty much owns this place. This is his house. Poor guy! Good thing he adapts well. As long as he has a tennis ball, actually, he's a happy guy. Needless to say, we have a few dozen!
a nice dip in the pool. He loves spending as much time as possible in the front courtyard barking at these three young boys on bikes that harass the heck out of him daily. There's also a British man that walks his cat on a leash and has the cat stop right in front of our front gate. Why the leash and why stopping in front of our gate? I have no answer for any of that! Benny has been a little stressed watching us go through everything preparing for the packers. Just as he can tell when Scott and/or I will be traveling, he seems to know when we're getting ready to move. He dealt with two moves in Memphis and three moves here in Bahrain. We've been in this villa the longest and Benny pretty much owns this place. This is his house. Poor guy! Good thing he adapts well. As long as he has a tennis ball, actually, he's a happy guy. Needless to say, we have a few dozen!
