Day 12 - Kuwait
Today the wind was blowing rather well by my classroom.
Every flagpole I walked past had a perfectly extended flag fluttering at the top. The sand and the dust picked up and left a thin coating on vehicles, buildings and yes, my teeth during the lunch smoothie. Sand was everywhere, and in everything. Visibilty was greatly reduced. As I placed my hand on my head there was a noticeable grittiness to the sweat as the dust stuck to it.
I've been told that this year was a dry year, which in turn makes the dust bad. Apparently twice a year (spring and fall), a good rainstorm comes through for a few days and floods parts of the region. The effect of the massive amounts of rain that fall is not only does the dust get compacted and stay closer to the ground, but small plants grow bigger which helps to trap more of the sand from blowing around. The rains didn't come as they normally do, and thus the higher incidence of dust blowing around.
The other day I saw a mini-twister of dust moving across. These little "dust devils" can really hurt if you happen to be in its path. While it looks like a miniature tornado, it's not likely to pick up cattle and fling them across the field. And not just because there are no cows wandering around, but they're relatively tiny. On average they're four to six feet wide but they are a funnel cloud nonetheless. I remember when I was working in construction in the summer of 1985 that one of those dust devils came across the construction site. We didn't have much time to get out of the way, and when it came by the sand pelted my face and neck like a hundred little pins hitting me all at once. It's more of a nuisance than anything, but you do get a story to tell.
As I got in my car and started driving home, I saw a fellow standing by the taxi waiting area. He had a University of Michigan baseball cap on, so I offered him a ride home. It turns out that his apartment is less than a mile up the road from my hotel, and of all things he's from the Eastside of Detroit. Over six thousand miles away and the guy I pick up knows where Farmington Hills is! It was great having Delando for the 30 minute drive as our conversation made the commute much more enjoyable. We talked about all kinds of topics, from work to weather to the state of the City of Detroit. We're both saddened by what's happening in the city, knowing that it could be so much more if people would heed the exhortation of Philippians 2:4, "Each of you should look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others." Looking after others is as important as looking after yourself and your own. God help us to find the balance we need to be responsible individuals and compassionate community dwellers. We exchanged numbers and agreed to meet for coffee while I'm here.
Back in the hotel room I called home and we chatted for a bit. Still no progress on the audio piece, but we'll get there eventually. Afterwards I changed into my shorts and t-shirt and headed down to the tennis court. While I showed some improvement from yesterday, my serve is still an "area of concern." Tonight's score: 2-6, 1-6. Hey, it's a 50% improvement over last night's score and best of all, I got my t-shirt sweaty. Since the tennis crew won't be meeting tomorrow I have the day off to play basketball, do weight training (try not to laugh too hard imagining that one) or soak in the hot tub. Maybe I'll try for two of those...
I'm hopping into the shower. No sense bringing the desert to bed with me. Take care!
