Some people seem naturally adept at learning new languages. Like Mr.YemenEm who speaks French, Spanish, Arabic and a little Chinese. He’s always had a passion for languages, began learning Spanish in middle school, wanted to be a Foreign Service Officer since high school, and majored in Romance languages in college. He even lived in Spain, […]
Author: The Next Dinner Party
House Beautiful
I read somewhere once that Tauruses (the Zodiac sign, not the car) are especially keen on material possessions, in particular luxuries like good food and wine, and having a cozy, comfortable house filled with things that he or she considers beautiful. While I may not possess all of the other qualities of a Taurus, (for […]
Honeymoon Redux
Hello to my handful of readers, and sorry for the lack of blog posts. Mr.YemenEm and I were on our delayed honeymoon in SE Asia which didn’t leave much time for blogging. A summary of the highlights of the trip before I return to my regular Yemen-themed postings: Thailand: First stop on the vacay of […]
On Vacation!
Happy New Year from Thailand, where Mr.YemenEm and I are are enjoying a delayed honeymoon. It’s been great to get out of Yemen for a bit and travel to a place where we can eat to our hearts’ content, where we are free to walk around wherever we wish (and you, know, to a place […]
Fall Traditions in America
I recently gave a talk to Yemeni teenagers who are learning English as part of a scholarship language program that Mr. YemenEm works closely with. To be a part of the program, students need to commit to coming to the language center every day after school. While most things in Yemen are gender segregated (school, […]
Kitchen Claustrophobic
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. The other night, I made brownies that turned out a bit dry. (This high-altitude baking thing is difficult to figure out, especially for someone who has only a moderate interest in baking). Anyways, I figured I could top them with some homemade whipped cream and they’d suddenly be […]
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…Except if You’re in Yemen
So apparently, it’s the holiday season, but I wouldn’t really know it. In Yemen, it’s 70 degrees every day; “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” hasn’t played once on the radio; and there are no commercials indicating that Mr.YemenEm should go to Jared or buy me a Mercedes with a red bow and deliver it […]
The Dog Dilema
As a lifelong animal lover, vegetarian since adolescence, a one-time dog, hamster, and degu owner, and several times cat-owner, I have a soft spot for animals. Had my life taken a different trajectory, and I hadn’t moved to a big city full of small apartments, I could see me still living in Michigan with several […]
Medical Tourism in Istanbul
I’ve worn glasses since I was eight and contact lenses since I was 12. They don’t normally give contacts to 12-year-olds, but since that was the same year I got braces, I wasn’t about to be that girl with glasses and braces. Luckily my dad helped me convince my optometrist that I was an especially mature 12-year-old […]
The Middle Eats
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. […]
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