Today was a funny day (in retrospect). I started a bit of a controversy in school because yesterday I had asked the father of one of the kids to come in with his mother to hang in my class and see why his kid is not doing so well so that we can all find out how to help the child. Well, one of the VP's came into my class and asked me to walk up front with him. He asked, "Did you say that a mother could come into the school and into your classroom?" I told him that I did and this dude said, "But brother, do you know that she is a woman?" I had to stifle a laugh but I said that, even though I didn't see her yet that I assumed that she was, in fact, a female.
I got read the riot act on how women are not allowed in sections where men are and that this is not a school rule but a national rule. I laughed and said that I didn't realize that. No harm done, but it's a shame because this chick was so decked out that she looked like a friggin' ninja with her black clothes and her dark, bug-shaped sunglasses.
Oh well, it is not a Muslim rule, just a Saudi Arabian culture rule. Every country has their fair share of rules, and some of them may seem ridiculous to an outsider, but we all have several rules that we cannot stand in our own countries. This is just something that I have to get used to.
I took a nap after school for a few hours until it got dark (I usually do this because it's hot) and then I took a walk to my new apartment. It's less than a kilometer away so it is walking distance during the day... I'll know that for next time. Anyway, I bought a broom on the way there so that I could sweep out the new place before the exterminator gets there tomorrow, then I'll clean the rest of the apartment after they're gone. I am sweeping for no more than ten minutes when there is a knock on my door. My first guests? It's the haris (the groundskeeper) and he asks if I'd like for him to clean my apartment. Um, no, I'm an American, I do these things for myself. I kick him out so that I can keep cleaning because it's a fairly big place and I don't want to be there all night. I was there all night.
I have a pile of garbage that I want to throw out. Now, I took my shirt off because it was friggin' hot. I went outside and the haris and his friend are looking at me like "what is this shirtless American doing out here holding all that garbage in his hands?" Hmm. So, with my lack of conversational Arabic, I try asking him where the garbage is. He no speakee English. He tries asking me what I want. I no speakee Arabic.
I knew this would be fun.
I start saying "garbage" in every language that I can think of except Arabic, because that's the one language that I need right now. He's still looking at me like I have two heads. I'm making hand gestures of throwing something away, he doesn't get it. I show him what is obviously a handful of garbage, he just stares at me. What does he thing I want to do with this trash; cook it? I huff and I make the gesture again and now it clicks. He says the word, but I can't get it through his thick Moroccan accent, and points down the block about thirty meters. I thank him (I know how to say that) and try to walk but he grabs my arm and gestures and says something that basically means that he will take my trash out? I asked "Why?" and proceeded to throw out my trash.
I go back in and finish sweeping and I realize that I didn't bring a dustpan. Oops. So I sweep the dirt out to the vestibule and down the three stairs and onto the walkway and around the ben and to the gate where the haris and his friend are. The haris sees me and walks up, again indicating that he wants to do this.He doesn't take the hint very well because he tries grabbing my broom. Um, dude, this is my broom, get your own. So I have like 12 more sweeps before I'm finished and this little dude is trying to take my broom and sweep my dirt and I'm trying to get around this non-hint-taking-Moroccan when he accidentily pushes the broom right into the side of my eye. Ouch. Just ouch.
Of course I didn't say ouch, I yelled and held my eye and punched the wall next to me and the haris jumps back and his friend yelps and I turn around, this huge, shirtless American with a broom and a squinty eye and I yell "Just back-off man!!!" Yeah, now he got the hint. I toweled-off and replaced my shirt and when back out to see them by the gate (were they a little nervous?) and try to explain that things are different in America. I needed some time to get used to someone trying to do things for me, and the idea of me trusting someone else to do what I want done the right way. This isn't the military, there aren't any consequences for someone failing me, so I'd rather just do things on my own. At least until I ask for help.
By-the-way, my eye is fine.
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