Henna Party

I haven't written a blog in a very long time! Ooops! To be honest, interesting stuff stopped happening to  me, I forgot, and I got lazy. 

My latest adventure was a Henna Party. Of course going into it, I had no idea what it was (can you blame me?). My friend Hussban, who is half Egyptian and half Saudi, invited me. She has a lot of fun parties so I figured it was a casual party and we would all get henna tattoos. WRONG!

I showed up around 8:30 pm. Hussban had texted me saying the show would be at 10. I had no idea what that meant, and Badr didn't either, so I just rolled with it. When I called Hussban to say that I was there and please let me in, she said "The bride isn't supposed to show herself, my sister will let you in." Immediately, I knew I was underdressed in my skinny green pants, sandals, piko top, and big necklace. 

I walked in and started talking to the only 2 girls who were there. One was wearing a cocktail dress, and the other was wearing a floor length dress, and both were wearing heels. I knew it would be an interesting night. 

As more people showed up in their formal attire, I figured out what was going to happen. Hussban would make a grand entrance at 10 and get a henna tattoo in front of us. It is traditional to do this in Jeddah or Madinah the day before the wedding to make yourself more beautiful for your husband. I did something similar before my wedding, but it was acrylic nails. Hussban is getting married in Egypt, so her timeline is different. I was able to see some girls from my previous job, and that was very fun. 
While we waited for Hussban, a maid came around serving Arabic coffee. 

They were blasting Arabic music and Hussban came out. Someone was in front of her throwing flower petals; she was dressed in a traditional Saudi dress. Hussban danced for a while and then left for an outfit change. Her next outfit was more Egyptian, it had those metal coins on the outside for a nice sound when you shake it (like a belly dancing outfit). She danced like an Egyptian woman would, shaking her hips back and forth, and then left again for an outfit change. Her last outfit was a long dress and she had a long matching veil that went on the top of her head and then around her shoulder. A few girls entered the room with sparklers and she followed. After she danced more, she sat down on her thrown-like seat and got her tattoo. 

At this time, there was the option to get a henna tattoo for yourself, and there was also dancing. I took advantage of the tattoo. Around 12:30, dinner was served. It was traditional chicken, rice, and other Arabic delights. 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to see what a Bridal Shower is like here. Of course I got some stares and I felt underdressed, but it was ok. I'm used to being the odd one in the crowd. 

12 things you probably didn't know about Saudi

1.     Tissues for everything! At work and at people’s homes, everyone uses tissues after they wash their hands. They also use tissues during meals in place of napkins

2.     Sock it up. Badr’s sisters and mom and aunt told me I need to wear socks or I’ll get sick. I don’t like wearing socks in the summer but they say the tile will make my feet too cold

3.     What’s your number? When Saudi’s give you their number, instead of saying “050-222-1688” they will say “050- triple two- 16 double 8” 

4.     Perfume me. Saudi’s LOVE perfume and cologne. I constantly walk past people and find myself in a cloud of good smell. I don’t know how they manage to make it that strong but it’s really nice

5.     Can I try this on? Saudi malls and stores do not offer dressing rooms. The common knowledge is that you buy the item, try it on in the bathroom, and return it if it doesn’t fit

6.     It’s a boy! If you have a baby, YOU are the one who brings treats to work. A guy I work with had a baby and he brought a big dish of nice chocolates for us to enjoy

7.     Cats rule and dogs drool. Saudi mostly don’t like dogs. They are either deathly afraid of them or just think that they are dirty. Cats are the animal of choice

8.     Where do I park my car? I have yet to see a garage here. People park outside under a tent like cover

9.     Let’s go to the gym. Everything is separate here. Gyms are entirely men or entirely women. They don’t even have separate floors. Just “Men’s Gym” or “Women’s Gym”

10. Where’s the kitchen? Most kitchens are entirely closed off. In the States, the kitchen is open usually to the living room. Here, the kitchen is closed off by a door. I think it is because the smell of food is unwanted in the living room and the rest of the house. My kitchen is a unique exception

11. I’m starving. Dinner on a school night is frequently served at 10 pm. During Ramadan when everything is done at night, it is normal to eat dinner at 1 a.m. and then sleep until 3 or 4 p.m.

12. Can I have water? At restaurants here, when you order water, you pay for it. It comes in a plastic or glass bottle. I usually order soda because it is CHEAPER than water

dubai

Last weekend we went to Dubai; it was so much fun! We stayed there 3 nights in a hotel that was connected to the largest mall in the Middle East. This mall had every store you can imagine, from Forever 21 (of course I went there) to Sephora to Nike to Gucci and Prada. It also offered a wide selection of restaurants including IHOP (went there too), Red Lobster, Chili’s, Cheesecake Factory, Rainforest Café, and lots of others.

We took a taxi from the airport and there was a Muslim woman as our driver! Our hotel room wasn’t ready so we went to the mall with our backpacks (Badr’s being the huge camping backpack) and got a couple stares.

After we checked into our room, we just explored! We went to the Waterfront and got to see the water fountain show with music. We walked and walked and walked. I thought my kneecap was going to fall off because it started hurting a great deal. Our first choice in restaurant heaven: Texas Roadhouse. It was glorious.

The next day we just did the mall. We started the morning with a breakfast of champions: IHOP. I was so darn excited. I got my favorite stuffed French toast; it was incredible.

Another cool thing about this mall is it had a huge (2 story I think) aquarium in the middle of it. We walked by and it had sharks and sting rays and a bunch of other boring fish. The mall also had a 3 story waterfall fountain with metal men diving down it.

We went out of the mall and found traditional Arabic stores. One store was just full of camel stuff. We also found a market where we bought snacks and water. In the hotel, the “mini bar” offered an 8-ounce Red Bull for only $10. The market had a 12 ouncer for $2, so that’s what we went with. Badr and I are addicted to Red Bull.

We took the Metro to a different district and did more walking. We went to the Marina where there is a body of water in the middle (part of the ocean? Not sure) surrounded completely by skyscrapers. And people are in the water on speedboats blasting music. It was a great area.

We also walked to the beach and sat down so my kneecaps could rest. When it got dark we walked back and had dinner by the water at an Italian restaurant. We were trying to enjoy it but were angry about the prices (we are exactly the same sometimes).

We took the Metro back and had dessert at Paul; they are famous for their pastries and coffee (that’s what Badr said but I’ve never heard of them).

The next day we circled around the mall some more. We grabbed lunch at Shake Shack. The lady asked for my name and I said Gibson. Depending on the race of the asker, Badr and I either go with Gibson or Alasem (it’s easier that way). The receipt she printed said “Lipson” and we couldn’t stop laughing. Badr told me that they only have them in New York and Dubai. It was glorious.

The desert safari started at 4 and we were picked up at our hotel. They took us out to a place and we all sat down and the whole convoy (like 17 cars worth of people) watched a Falcon show. It was lame to be honest, but I think Badr enjoyed it. I hate birds. Then we got back into our cars and hit the dunes. The dunes were really narrow in some areas and really steep. They intentionally drive crazy for the joy of the ride. They would drive really fast or cut a corner really sharp. If I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, my head would have hit the ceiling many times. We stopped a couple times to get a pic in the desert and a pic of the sunset.

Then it was traditional Arabic camp time. We got to ride a camel, (my dream come true) but only in a quick circle and he had a muzzle on his mouth. Poor thing. Then I got a henna tattoo.

The camp was set up with carpets and cushions and you sit on the ground to eat. They had a traditional Arabic dinner buffet and dessert. Plus, you could smoke hookah if you wanted. You could also get a picture in traditional Arabic clothes, but we were like “We wear that everyday so…”

Badr and I sat with the people who were in our car. John was a married businessman who was alone in Dubai for a business trip. He was from Hong Kong. The others were a married couple with a child from Italy. We had a great time.

At the end of dinner, the Italian guy (Daniel) said to the group “I’m going to smoke hookah if anyone wants to come.” I was like, “ok!”

Badr, Daniel, and I sat down waiting for the hookah. It was one of those moments I’ll never forget. Sitting in an Arabic camp with Badr and Daniel, looking up at the stars and smoking double apple sheesha. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little.

When the night ended, I was sad. The driver had a CD with old rap songs that I listened to in high school that I found humorous. When we got back to the hotel, we got a piece of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

The next day we just took one more trip to the mall, packed up our things and left. Badr and I had like $4 worth of Dirhams left so we bought a few candy bars. It was a great trip. 

the desert

I have to admit, since I have been back from Christmas break, I have been really lazy with this blog.

A long time ago, January, Badr’s whole family packed up and headed to the desert with us. I had no idea what to expect when I got in the car. I wore jeans, combat boots, and a cat shirt (because you can never go wrong with a cat shirt). I also brought my face veil (necab) because I had a little photo shoot in mind.

When we drove out, we went through this mini grand canyon looking area. Tall canyon-like rocks that were cut with water (and possibly thousands/millions of years) and we steadily drove downward.

Upon arrival, I realized how secluded it was. Badr’s sisters and mom took off their veils and abayas. They quickly unpacked their whole house from the car. They brought 3 rugs, wood for a fire, a huge plate of rice, chicken, hot sauce, Cokes, salads, tissues, coffee, tea, water, and probably more than that! We ate Saudi style around one huge dish (I was offered my own plate and swiftly declined).

After we ate our giant meal, the kids (26 and younger) ventured into the desert. There was this really steep hill that you climbed and once you were at the top, you looked out and saw nothing but desert. I took this time to have a photo shoot with Maryam. Later on I realized I should have worn something cooler because it was really hot. I couldn’t believe it, “it’s January!” I kept thinking. 

We spent most of the day sitting in the sand, sipping coffee and tea and just relaxing. It was a nice, new experience for me. We had a great time and I'd love to go back sometime!

little thoughts

I follow Texas Husky Rescue on Facebook, and it is the saddest thing to me! No one owns dogs here. I have this huge dog shaped hole in my heart. So if anyone can adopt a beautiful new husky or shelter dog, I will be a partial owner in spirit. I haven't seen Max in 6 days and I'm dying! Dogs are just the best thing. 

Also, Badr's friend and groomsman Fawaz just married a spicy Costa Rican girl (Milena) and they landed here just a couple days ago. I seriously can't wait to meet her! She is maybe the only person in the world (that I know of) who can completely understand where I'm coming from and the whole situation. I think we will be best friends here. Trying not to drive her crazy; I received her phone number and I don't want to bother her but I'm also really eager to meet her. Keep an eye out for some pics. 

vacation's all i ever wanted

          "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss

           No joke, I had been looking forward to my Christmas vacation from July and on. I had planned out the whole thing, had a countdown going on in my phone and on Facebook, planned out my family’s gifts, and thought about it probably every single day at work. It was probably the most I’ve ever enjoyed the United States and simple things were so much sweeter.

            When I landed, we made a huge scene in the airport. I basically ran when I saw my family. I hugged my dad, sister, mom, brother, aunt, uncle, and cousins; we took up so much room we were asked to move over. We cried. Then 5 of my cell girls were there at the bottom of the escalator with signs. It was the most overwhelmingly awesome feeling. I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome home.

            The 12 degree weather was a real shock, but I love cold weather. Max the Husky was so excited to see us when we came in the door that he peed on the floor.

            Christmas was amazing. I had bought all the gifts in Saudi so long ago that I was dying for my family to see them. Mom cooked the traditional Christmas breakfast I was used to, and the peppermint mocha coffee creamer was better than I had remembered.

            I was so happy just to be with my family, joke with them, tell them stories, show them videos, and hug my grandma. I got to see my family in Jonesboro, and still be home for New Years. We spent New Years Eve with my parents’ friends (who are super cool) and Joe’s girlfriend, Miranda, who built a killer tent in the downstairs.

Hit up the mall with my girl Gran to find some quality sales, including $80 Gianni Bini shoes that I paid $22 for. Aunt Sara found me a great $10 dress, and Gran was a rascal the whole time. I spent 2 straight hours catching up with one of my oldest friends Falon. (You know the feeling when it has been a long time, but you feel like nothing changed?) 

Let’s see what else?? Sleepover at Gran’s house with the cousins and my brother and sister. Guess who threw me a surprise birthday party?? Gran! I enjoyed stuffing my face with all of my favorite foods. AND it snowed!!

So many people showed me how much they care! I was constantly getting asked when I was free to hang out. Nicole flew from Cleveland to see me! Julie drove from Memphis, Cary Beth from Little Rock, and the ice got in the way of Elizabeth and I meeting in Tulsa (but we still made it happen in Dallas). Did I mention Julie bought me a Monster cookie from Rick’s? It was just like the old days in college (and high school).

My sister and I made a great Instagram video of how to make snowcream. My family went to Genghis Grill (one of the best places ever!) I went to a movie and got the giant popcorn. And my mom finally made those famous lemon cookies. Sarah and Sam from my old cell group had dinner with me at Jose’s. Sam doesn’t like Mexican so she got a burger! Haha. Bethany Craft chased me down more than once to hang out :)

We all got sad towards the end. Dad, Natalie, and Gran asked off of work. Joe skipped cell group, chapter, and discipleship to stay home for the last couple of days. My mom was off the whole time! My uncle and aunt had us over. It was just a perfect 3 ½ weeks. It wasn't goodbye, it was "until next time" as my grandma said.

I couldn’t be more blessed!