I never imagined I'd end up in the Middle East, but here I am. It's been three weeks now, and I feel like I'm settling in. This seems to be a country of many contradictions. For example, when I look out my bedroom window, I see an old, falling down house with one of the only remaining wind towers; directly behind that are the very modern looking, steel structures known as the Bahrain World Trade Center. I guess the clash of tradition and progress is universal.
My apartment is spacious and furnished and just a few blocks from the school. It's only a few minutes walk, which is nice because I tend to be the type of person who runs late in the morning. School starts at 7:15 and ends by 1:40, leaving plenty of time for my afternoon nap. I could definitely get used to this schedule! I'm teaching English to three sections of energetic seventh graders. Some days are quite challenging, but I enjoy them. The school week runs from Sunday to Thursday, Friday we go to church, and Saturday is the day off.
We've (when I say we, I mean the other volunteers and I) met some great people from church who have been showing us around town a bit. Last weekend we drove out to the desert to see the tree of life, which is essentially the only tree in the middle of vast nothingness. Supposedly the tree has been there for hundreds or possibly thousands of years and now has become somewhat of a hangout. I enjoyed it.
The tree of life.
the desert
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