I love reading restaurant reviews, and was an avid reader of Tom Sietsema’s reviews in the Washington Post of the various dining establishments in and around Washington DC. But since I got to Yemen, reading those reviews just makes me sad that I don’t get to eat all that delicious food so I stopped reading. […]
Month: October 2012
I’ll Drink to That
There a certain magical hour at U.S. embassy in Sana’a that occurs exactly once a week. During this hour, the desks of the Americans are empty and hope and anticipation hover invisibly in the air. The Americans are gathered, like eager children on the first day of school, or like the feral cats perched on […]
It’s Always Sunny in Sana’a
I like to sleep with the shades pulled shut, blocking out even the tiniest slivers of light. Every morning when I get up, I throw them open and yell “Top O’ the Morning to You, World!” with a big ol’ grin on my face. Ha, yeah right. That’s Mr.YemenEm , who is the in other […]
Where the Livin’ is Easy
A Yemeni asked me recently what the U.S. is like. Of all the adjectives that appeared in my head: “fun,” “beautiful,” “amazing,” and some word that would encapsulate the fact that you could pick two random people from the U.S. and they could very well have completely opposite views on politics, religion, and social justice […]
The Transition to Government
Working for the government takes some getting used to, and it’s not just because the microchip they planted in my arm keeps getting infected. Despite living in the most bureaucratic city in the world (Washington DC, not Sana’a) I managed to avoid being too engrossed in the inner workings of the government. I’ve been working […]
A Post in Which I Overuse the Term “Passion”
My biggest fear about moving to Yemen — a fear bigger that what I’d wear, eat, and whether I’d get blown up — was whether I’d be sacrificing a piece of myself. After all, it was Mr. YemenEm’s goal to work in Yemen, and I just came along for the ride. One thing I knew […]
The Next Dinner Party 