Language, PLEASE!!

I have been so busy getting oriented to the way things are here that I haven't had a lot of time to work on my Arabic.  I plan to make a focused effort as soon as I can.  Today my patient's son told me he wanted to learn more English.  I told him I wanted to learn Arabic.  Now we have a game going (and his sister joined in as well).  He speaks to me in English and I respond in Arabic.  He says I am doing pretty well but I have a funny accent (LOL!!!).  I told him he should be glad I am not from Queens! :-)  He is doing very well speaking English!  I have a book I bought at Al Jiri bookstore that was written by an American doctor who worked here for many years.  It lists lots of medical terms and short phrases English speakers can use to explain things to patients.  it was written in Saudi Arabic which is slightly different from other Arabic.  I asked some of the Lebanese staff here if there was a large difference and they told me there is.  An Egyptian can make himself understood here as well as Lebanese but others would have trouble.

It is absolutely beautiful here!  I was a little sad I was missing autumn back home because it is my favorite season!  Well it is in the 70's and 80's here now (60's at night) and the sky is so clear I just stare at the stars as I walk home from work!  There are also a lot of flowers blooming now.  Haj is next week and even if you are not Muslim you get Haj days to add to your vacation time (we get Ramadan days as well).  I'm planning (with a little help from my friends) a big Thanksgiving day bash and since our cable has 16 sports channels I am sure we can find a football game (though it may be the English variety).  I have to work my King shift on Christmas Day but since I have worked Christmas Day ever since my children have been grown it feels like the tradition continues.  We cannot openly celebrate Christmas here but right now in the Al Quisse Center there are little kiosks with brightly colored decorations that look suspiciously like the Arab version of Christmas ornaments ;-)  Ho Ho Ho!!

Masaalama!

Christine xx