The Power of Positivity

To family and friends around the world...

I am one very fortunate person. Having landed back in India, back in Karnataka, back in Banglaore (aka Bengaluru), back in Sahakar Nagar, back at my old school, I do not believe I have not stepped back in time at all; I believe that I am moving forward and growing personally and professionally.

This was not totally my own personal decision. But circumstances, happenstances, or whatever you want to call it, created an opportunity to move. I have landed forward, I am moving forward, and for the first time in a long time, I am experiencing the power of positivity in my life.

What has caused this drastic U turn? I am not sure if it was a psychological, physical, spiritual, social or emotional change; perhaps it has been a combination of these influences. Perhaps it is because I am at the beginning of a week long holiday, but I am grateful today to write that I am feeling so much better!

At the end of this post you will find informationa about the India holiday Dussehra. All I can tell you now is that it is very quiet here in my apartment block. Usually on a Saturday afternoon such as this the play area outside my flat full of children noisily having a grand time. But today, not so much.

I LOVE Science

Perhaps it was the week that was. Many exciting things are happening at our school these days. This past week was a celebration of Science, culminating in a school-wide science exhibition whereby almost every student created a unique project having something to so with science. There were models, displays, experiments, and many "ah ha" moments for me. I totally enjoyed peeking at the projects and speaking with the young scientists. The event was for only 2.5 hours, and would have taken the whole day to see and appreciate everyone's efforts. All in all a great success. 

Jem

My state of happiness might have be caused by some of the regular conversations, chats, and communications that have been happening online over the past month. People like Jem (Kuwait) on WhatsApp and Messenger, and Em, and Lindsay, and The Glue (all in Kuwait) on Instagram, my brother (Ottawa) on Twitter, my sister from Florida on Messenger, my husband, my son and grandchildren (all in Canada) on Skype, my friend Carole Ann((Ontario) on Facebook, or even Cheryl (Clarksburg), my sister Karen (Missisauga), and Edith (Maberly) on email, Sarah, Tom, Anne and Anthony, and  Linda from Vietnam, and Lina from Sri Lanka. And these are only a few of the connections I have heard from over the past week. It is indeed a joy to connect, and I am grateful to everyone for staying in touch. 

A symbol for who keeps me steady

I have to admit that my anchor point is the daily chat on Skype with my husband, who has elected to stay behind in Ontario for the first four months of my stay in India. His cheerful face on voice on Skype is a delight to my eyes and ears. I am very much looking foward to his coming to spend time here during the cold winter months. 

Probably the biggest news is that I am going to have to move in the next couple of months. The apartment where I am living is called a "service apartment" reserved for people who are working at the building. Fortunately I have been able to stay here for as long as I have, but the school is now actively looking for another place, perhaps even closer to the school and the pool. So I am looking forward to that. 

And also to the Dussehra holiday which is upon us now. Here is a little bit of information about this festive time of the year in many parts of India. Enjoy the read!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

When is Dussehra?

How long until Dussehra?
This holiday next takes place in 7 Days.
Duration
1 Day
Summary
The festival of Dusseha symbolizes the triumph of good over evil in the legend of Rama and Ravana
Dates of Dussehra
Year	Weekday	Date
2019	Tuesday	October 8th
2018	Friday	October 19th
2017	Saturday	September 30th
2017	Friday	September 29th
2016	Tuesday	October 11th
Regions where Dussehra is a holiday
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Madhya pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal

On this day, many of your colleagues in India will celebrate the culmination of the ten day Dussehra festival.

It may be known in some regions as Vijayadashami and in parts of southern India, it is known as Dasara. Other regional spellings include Dashera and Dussera.

As this is a ten day festival based on a lunar date with many important days and also because it has many different names in the various regions on India, it is difficult to determine when each region has a holiday. On this site, we show the date of the tenth day and you can assume that most regions will observe this a public holiday.

Traditions of Dussehra

In India, the festival of Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The festival traditionally represents the legend of Rama and Ravana. Ravana, the demon king, abducted the beloved Princess of India, Sita. The Lord Rama rescued the Princess, proving victorious over the powerful and evil King Ravana.

The Dussehra festival is ten days long, culminating on the tenth day, the Dussehra holiday.

On the day of Dussehra, large statues of Ravana are constructed and brought into open fields.

These effigies are burned and with them the evil they represent, so that the people are allowed to follow the path of virtue and goodness throughout the year.

Ayudha Puja

On the ninth day of Dussehra, Ayudha Puja is celebrated in several regions of India. Celebrations may involve many common and seemingly mundane tooo and implements used in everyday life, such as computers, books, cars, or kitchen tools.

The aim is to see the divine in everything, notably those things used in one's livelihood. It is believed that this day is also a blessed one for any new venture to start on.

In 2017, Ayudha Puja is a holiday in Tamil Nadu.

Navaratri

In the southern India states, this festival is called Navaratri ('nine nights') and revolves around the worship of the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Lakshmi is associated with good luck and wealth, and Sarasvati is linked with wisdom and fertility.

The festival is a time for visiting friends and relatives, and houses are decorated with colourful displays of toys and images of gods. In Gujarat there are nine days of music and dancing..

Source: http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/india/dusserhra.php

A Busy Week!

My experience with international teaching has taught me a lot. One of the take-aways for me is how quickly time flies by, especially when one is busy. This past week was no exception. Minutes turned to hours, hours to days, days to nights, and suddenly another week is gone. It's mid September and while teachers in Canada have been back to school for a week or two, here in India, our staff members have been working since late July, and I have just completed my first six weeks at a job that I am totally enjoying, despite the challenges.

So on Monday I started to create a bulletin board to show appreciation to students, staff, parents, and anyone else that someone would like to demonstrate their thanks. This was a challenge in that there was no large paper to place as a background for the bright coloured letters. What you see here is the flip side of a piece of cotton material that was lying beneath another layer of faded and stained bristol board. Although not completed in this picture, it turned out bright and cheery, just waiting for stars to light up the green background.

Monday's bulletin board- Show your appreciation with a star!

 On Tuesday, a new friend sent me a message asking me to drop in for tea, as I had ordered some cloth grocery bags as a fund raiser for one of the organizations with which she is associated. After a lovely cup of tea (with biscuits or cookies as I call them in Canada, she showed me these very beautiful hand made greeting cards. Here is but one of the assortment she had in her possession. At the same time my friends at The Glue in Kuwait have just come out with some nifty greeting cards. I will have to do some fancy calculating to find out which ones are more cost efficient! Shout out to the Glue for the next phase in your business venture!

Hand made greeting card with real petals and leaves

Speaking about flowers...I believe that India must have more flowers per capita than any other country in the world. A day does not go by when I don't walk by a new blossom somewhere on my 15 minute stroll to work. As well, one can buy fresh flowers almost on any street corner. The odours are marvellous. 

Blooms on a bush

Later in the week we had a guest story teller from London, England come by for a hilarious morning of exaggerated stories, music, drama, and fun. All of the students in the Primary division of the school got a taste of what storytelling can be when creativity plays a role in its design. This young man travels around the world sharing his stories. We were very fortunate to have him come to spend a few hours with our children. 

Craig Jenkins performs live at our school- delightful

On Thursday after school I presented my first PD session for the primary school staff. The presentation was about differentiation in the classroom, or meeting individual needs of our learners. 

It was a great opportunity for me to share some of the information I have gleaned over my years of teaching, plus some online resources. 

A summary of Carol Ann Tomlinson's theory of differentiated instruction, with thanks to the author

As I wrote before, I am enjoying the challenges of this non-teaching position. Every day is different, I am meeting many new people, and living a simple lifestyle here in Sahakar Nagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

A Month in the Life of Bee

This is an example of the WhatsApp messages I receive every morning from a colleague!

It hardly seems possible that over one month ago I boarded the plane in Ottawa, flew to Frankfort, made the connection to Bangalore, was met at the airport by a driver, was dropped off at my new apartment (or flat), and started a new position as Primary Coordinator at a school where I once worked (four years ago).

The learning curve has been steep, and I am still learning the names of all of the teachers, their teaching assistants, the shadow teachers, the school administrations, and of course, the students. At the same time I have noticed some changes here in India, and also was reminded some of the joyful inconveniences of living abroad.

School- Then and Now 
The school has grown. When I left in 2013, there were eight smallish classes. Now there is one each of the Nursery, Grade 4 and Grade 5. But at the other levels, there are two classes of each grade, with a total of 13 classes, and many of these classes are full. Every class has a teacher and teaching assistant who work together to provide a positive learning environment. Hence, the classrooms are busier, and the cafeteria has expanded into part of the staff lunch room and the old library. The new and improved library has moved to the high school building. There are new basketball courts outside, as well as a swimming pool, complete with a wading pool for the younger children.

When I was at the school four years ago, the teaching and learning was based on the British National Curriculum, while today the primary school is working toward PYP accreditation, which is part of the IB program. this is a new program for me, and I am learning more about it as each day passes.

I was the Primary Coordinator during the last six months of my previous stay in India, while at the same time teaching in a classroom full time. Now I do not have my own class, but feel welcome in all of the homerooms, and in each of of the Specialist classrooms, including ICT, Art, Music, Drama, and Modern Foreign Languages. In addition to coordinating most of the activities excluding academics, I have also taken on the role of coordinating the PE staff, so they can facilitate try outs, practices, and competitions. Thus, I am busy as a bee!

There are many new faces at the school, along with several familiar faces, reminding me of other staff members and students who have moved on to other schools and even different countries. The staff are dedicated and work hard, as do the children. There is a noticeable level of mutual respect within the teaching and learning community, by students, staff members, parents, and administrators. For the opportunity to meet and work with these new and not-so-new people, I am grateful.

While the value of the Indian rupee has gone down in recent years, the cost of living has gone up. Instead of multiplying  by five (as in Kuwait) to convert to Canadian dollars, to calculate the cost of an item in rupees, one has to divide by 50, or multiply by .20. Still, the prices of specific items are overall less than in Canada or Kuwait, so the rupee goes farther.

The fly over is completed, enabling traffic to disperse in some spots, however at certain times the roads are jammed, as the infrastructure has not kept up with the growth in population and the increasing affluence. Four years ago people travelled by bicycle, motorcycle and auto-rickshaw. Today there are more cars on the road including Uber and its counterpart, Ola. Rides are reasonably inexpensive and much more convenient than a few years back.

9:30 am on the road to the FRRO

Like most other places on Earth, the weather here is changing. September has been rainy season, with daily storms and some flooding in the school basement at times. They tell me that the weather is also much warmer. Daily highs in August and September have ranged between 23 and 28 C, while at night it cools to 20C. The rains, heat and humidity provide a perfect environment for gardens to grow, and our area of Bangalore (aka Bengaluru) does not disappoint in the foilage department.

Sunrise around 6 am

Fortunately I am living in the same apartment building as four years ago, and though in a different section, I am now away from the temple bell, which rings at all hours, My three balconies look out over the basketball court, badminton area (aka soccer pitch) and play area for the children. The pleasant sound of children playing permeates the air from the time I return home from work until bed time.

Bangalore itself is developing and building is all around. I smile when I see the old ways of building blending with more modern technology. It is always interesting to stop and watch the changing skyline.

One adventure I had conveniently forgotten was the trip to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office, located about 30 minutes away from area where I am living. This was my second Ola experience (the first one was to church, about 15 minutes away). I found out that one is not able to fetch a taxi  between 8 and 11 in the morning, nor between 6 and 10 in the evening. The trip at 9:00 am took no less than an hour and a half, while going by 7 am, the trip is only 20-30 minutes (yes, I had to go twice!)

The best news is that I was able to join the local club, which has as a 20 metre indoor swimming pool. It is clean, clear, cool, and on the way to work. I am actually swimming four or five times a week, and loving the convenience and regular exercise. The only challenge there is that people swim lengths and widths at the same time, which can interfere with one's focus. However, I have found a time that works well on most days. I have met new people at the pool as there is a small group that gathers at 6 am to swim lengths.

Some cautions about India- you don't drink the tap water. For about a dollar, you can have a large jug of water delivered to your flat, which lasts over a week. I imagine the consumption will increase when my husband joins me here in November. Another concern is walking on the same street as the cows. Keeping your eyes open for cow patties is recommended, as is avoiding the wild dog droppings. During the rainy season, it is a good idea to walk around the puddles, because sometimes they are deep!

In India there are many celebrations, and hence a number of holidays throughout the school year. That explains why school starts in early August here. Since my arrival, there have been at least two school holidays, with a week off at the end of September. Teacher's Day was on 5 September, and the school organized a very nice assembly honouring all of the staff at the school. We each received a rose, chocolate, a card and a mug emblazoned with the school logo.

The cook staff

I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers in India. It is rare that a person does not return a cheerful good morning, or stop to ask where I am from. One day while swimming at the pool a woman asked me how long I had been swimming. We got talking, and she invited me into her home for lunch. It was such a lovely surprise!

In India people live simply. Children play in the street, Adults walk in the park. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists live side by side in harmony. It doesn't matter the colour of your skin or hair or eyes. All people are treated with respect. It is the joy of living that fascinates me, and has drawn me back to this country.

I look forward to more adventures, more blog posts, and communication with friends and family around the world. Every day I am thankful for the circumstances surrounding my relocation, the opportunity to serve others in my role at school, and for my husband's return to better health.

I am far removed from the fires in the west of North America, the hurricanes of the south east, including Florida, Georgia, and Saint Maarten, where we lived for one year, and the flooding in Texas. My heart goes out to all who have been affected.

I spent over an hour downloading pictures to put on the blog. However, I must have saved them somewhere in cyberspace, because they all flipped the wrong way. For example, here is the cow picture...

No the cow was not sideways, but my phone was! 

So with that flip flop I am going to sign off and hope that my knowledge of technology improves by my next post.

Until then stay safe, be well,  and hug your family and friends, But most of all,

Bee Rich



  

Did I mention I'm in India?

Message from a friend...to you!

Incredible India. Challenging, yet changing. Hard work, plus an abundance of holidays. Beautiful Bangalore-the city of gardens, rainy days, and beautiful people. I have landed in a familiar country, and I couldn't be more grateful.

After three years in Kuwait, a hot and dusty country, I have moved back to India, to my previous school, and a cooler, more humid, and wetter climate. It is a  place of potholes, motorcycles, auto-rickshaws, cars, trucks, buses, and cows all sharing the road as people travel throughout the city. It is a place that can be frustrating, but at the same time joyful.

The view from here...

The main reasons that I am back in India are simple- the work, and the people. I am working as the Primary Coordinator, along side an old friend who is the PYP (Primary Years Program) Coordinator. She is a very patient person who is showing me new strands of the ropes each and every day. Together we are working towards accreditation as a PYP school. It is going to be a challenge, but we are up for it! 

I am new to the IB program, but so far have found it to be refreshing and in line with my teaching and learning philosophy. I can't wait to learn more. The teachers, administration, and students are my teachers, as well as some online courses and workshops. 

My role so far is "everything except curriculum", so I am still figuring out exactly what it all entails. Things like approving field trips and teacher leaves, scheduling (which was all done in June!), solving challenges, and tying up loose ends. 

Here are just a few pictures to give you an idea of the location and some of the people here. Until next time, know that all is well here in India, but I am missing home...

The cafeteria servers- great Indian food for breakfast, lunch and snack

The Grade 5 class- leading the way with the first class assembly about tolerance

A huge tree outside the high school building

Walk to work traffic!  Moove over, people

The school's auditorium

A typical August day in Bengaluru (Bangalore)

Until I write again,

Bee Rich

Love, Laughter and Life- They Said I Do!

Just twelve days ago we were overcome with joy at the wedding of our daughter to the man of her dreams. I am not a big fairy tale fan; however, the day was fairytale-like.
The day was Thursday, August 3, 2017.

The setting was Boals Farm near Mount Pleasant (which is near Charleston), South Carolina.
The main characters included Sara and the love of her life, Kristian, as well as his daughter, Kodi.

The Bride

The Groom

The Groom's Daughter (with the Bride's brother and family)

The supporting characters were the well wishers, several very close friends, and two extremely happy and proud families, who had all travelled great distances to join in the celebration.

As well,  numerous local vendors were present  to create one magical afternoon and evening.

My husband and I traveled by car (approximately 16 hours) to arrive on the Saturday before the wedding. Kristian's family, including his mom, daughter, brother and his wife drove from Oklahoma City, which was an even longer trip, and arrived early on Monday morning.

The next few days were a whirlwind of wedding preparations, balanced with some tourist activities (including the beach, the aquarium, local restaurants, and swimming in the hotel pool).

As the guests arrived, including our son and two grandchildren, we combined efforts to check to-do items off Sara's many lists. It was delightful helping out and getting to know friends and family from across the USA and Canada.

I could go on and on because too much happened during the days prior to the big event. Highlights included a wonderful rehearsal dinner, hosted by Kristian's mom, where almost all of the guests gathered in anticipation of this lovely destination wedding.

You have to understand that Sara and Kristian live in North Dakota where they are working and studying. The entire event was planned on-line so that part of our activities included checking out the venue (Boals Farm), tasting the food from the restaurant of the caterer (Sticky Fingers), and listening to the bluegrass band (Dallas Baker and Friends) at a local pub. More than once it was said, "we're three for three" with big happy smiles.

The "Day Of" Coordinator, Christy, put it all together for the wedding (she was also the officiant), and reception. Together with the hosts at Boals Farm, she worked her magic on the day of the wedding, and we barely had to lift a finger. It was pure FUN for us.

So fast forward to the wedding. I will let the pictures by the photographer, Red Shutter Studio, tell the rest of the story.

The Fruit Cake (homemade in Canada by
the Bride's Dad, my husband

The Groom and his beautiful Mom

The Tables 

The Bride and her Parents

The Guest Sign-in 

The Guest Favours- Canadian Maple Syrup

The Newlyweds and Their Guests

Enjoying the Moment

The Rope Swing

The Family 

The Dessert Caterer- Mini Pearl

The Sioux Girls- Sara's Swimming Friends from UND

The Wedding Dinner and Dance

The Band

The Venue- the end to a perfectly lovely wedding day, forever in our memories!

Wishing Sara and Kristian a Happy Life Together!
Love,
Mom

Until next time, 

Bee Rich 

Back to Blogging

Six months ago I wrote my last post. As they say in Kuwait, too much time has passed. It seems a lifetime ago. I was living in Kuwait, away from my family in North America, working at BBS, teaching a cute little Grade 1 class. I was happily employed by the school plus working as a tutor for several families. I fully intended on teaching for one more year in Kuwait, and then possibly retiring to a more settled lifestyle at home in Canada.

Sometimes the universe creates situations that mess up intentions. Just after the Family Day weekend in February, when my son visited by husband, the word from home was that my husband was not well. His symptoms were severe and included muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. He was not himself, and because he had been bitten by a tick in early November, he suspected that he might have Lyme disease.

It is a very long story. According to www.cdc.gov,

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of the black legged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash....If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms...and the possibility of exposure to ticks. Laboratory testing is helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods, Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics.

What the CDC does not say is that some doctors are reluctant to diagnose Lyme, lab tests are often inaccurate, and the symptoms vary among individuals. Hence, to make a very long story short, my husband's illness was not formally diagnosed until April, and then only after several trips to emergency, many different diagnoses, and obtaining a second opinion.

The good news is that once the diagnosis was made by a competent doctor, antibiotics were prescribed, and my husband began to feel better. In fact by the time I arrived home in mid-June for the summer, most of his pain had subsided. Today he is feeling almost himself again, except for the need for frequent naps.

Here is a little more information about the tick from the National Geographic website:

The "loathsome" black-legged tick! 

"The loathsome deer tick, now known as the black-legged tick, is defined more by the disease it  spreads than by its own characteristics....These blood - sucking members of the arachnid family were vaulted into the public consciousness in the mid-1970s when it was discovered that they are the primary (and possibly only) transmitters...for Lyme disease...a debilitating, though rarely fatal, infection that is often misdiagnosed....Victims usually have a slowly-spreading bull's-eye-shaped rash where the tick is attached, but not always. If untreated by antibiotics, patients can develop a variety of health problems,including facial paralysis, heart palpitations, arthritis, severe headaches, and neurological disorders. Lyme disease is currently one of the fasted growing vector-born disease in the United States. More than 14,000 cases are reported annually, but ...scientists estimate as many as nine out of ten cases go unreported." (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/d/deer-tick/)

So, it appears that we are very fortunate to have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, including approximately six months of antibiotics, and that he can now move forward with a more normal lifestyle.

Before the actual diagnosis in April, I chose to be at home, so consequently resigned from my position in Kuwait. Fortunately, with my husband's improvement, I have once again decided to look for teaching positions internationally. Another long, long, long story made short, I have been hired by a previous school in India as the Primary Coordinator, and have now relocated to Bangalore. The best news is that my husband will be joining me for the winter months. For this I am very grateful, a little nervous, and of course, excited!

Here we are at our daughter's wedding- the subject of my next post! 

It can be said that with the bad comes the good, every cloud has a silver lining, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, or whatever the weather, we will weather the weather, and all are true. My motto lately is:  "It is what it is." So, turn that frown upside down because there are always sunny skies ahead, with the possibility of rainbows.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Courage Dear Heart- finally, an update!

Helping Others - Give us courageous hearts to bear the distress of our times.

February 3-The past week has been a roller coaster of emotions,from high happiness to low points of quiet desperation, and everything in between. My mood has decided to do some back flips.I have been trying to live a healthy lifestyle, with adequate exercise, rest, and nutrition, daily meditation and prayer, and keeping in touch friends and family. 

Perhaps it is the weather. It has been unseasonably cold this week, with a strong north wind blowing in Siberian air. Brrr. Yesterday, the children at school did not go out for recess because of "the very cold weather." This meant an extra 75 minutes of in-class supervision. Although it has been chillier than usual, the skies are blue and sunny, so I don't believe that the weather is to blame. 

February 15- Since writing the above two paragraphs, two weeks have passed. It is now mid-February. Several interesting events have occurred, but writing them down has been on the back burner of my mind. Now it is 2 am and I have been awake for over an hour. Likely because I fell asleep last night just after 6 pm.

I am recovering from a seasonal cold. Apparently, the entire country of Kuwait suffers this condition twice a year. Once in the Fall, when the weather changes from warm to cold, and then again in the Spring, as the temperatures rise. Suddenly we are no longer wearing layers of clothing (shirts, sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves, and jackets), and digging through drawers and closets to find cooler and lighter materials. Fortunately, the virus has been short-lived by taking a couple of days off work, and refocusing on a healthy lifestyle.

Fortunately the doctor did not prescribe antibiotics. Rest, plenty of liquids, Advil, nasal spray, a decongestant, and cough suppressant were all recommended. My Sri Lankan friends suggested ginger tea with lemon and honey.And yes, it does work well.

February 20- Five more days have passed and you could say that we are in the middle of the February blahs. Or, as one of my Associate Teacher called it, "Farch- you know those unending days of February and March- when Winter is still in our midst, but it feels like it should be Spring."

Yes- Farch it is...today is Family Day in Ontario, President's Day in the USA, and soon to be Liberation and National Days in Kuwait. Just in time it will be a three day weekend. I have very exciting news!  A friend from teaching in India, who is now in Oman, is coming for a visit this weekend, and I am looking forward to a relaxing couple of days. 

Happy National Day aka Independence Day

February 23- As you can see I have been procrastinating writing this blog. As it is now a long weekend here in Kuwait (Happy National Day and Liberation Day!), I am determined to finish and publish today before a friend comes from Oman for the weekend. Fortunately we had an early dismissal day and was able to come home early this afternoon.

It is a busy weekend in Kuwait. A lot of people stay at home because of the traffic jams and water guns. The tradition is that people spray others with water guns to celebrate, but there are also fireworks and other events happening. We will have to go to Avenues, and perhaps a walk at Al Shaheed Park, a visit to the Souk, or maybe even a walk along the sea.

On the homefront, some more exciting news- our daughter is getting married in August! I am really looking forward to that day! She is in North Dakota going to school, so she has a pretty busy time ahead of her.

My daughter and her beau at the top-
her friend Lisa and her beau at the bottom.
Puppy included, too!

Finally, the best news is that the blues have lifted. The cold is gone and I will resume swimming this weekend. Even though it was a rainy day in Kuwait, the children's spirits were high, creating an air of excitement at school this morning. I did take loads of pictures; however, the phone is not dead, and uploading them is not possible at the moment. Stay tuned for the next installment, Hopefully, inshallah, before another month passes.

Until then,

Bee Rich

The Kuwait Towers during the celebration!