I'm not quite sure where four weeks have gone. One month of living and settling in to Kuwait and I'm only just sitting down to write now.
As one can imagine, a lot of things happen when you move and start a new job. Add in bonus points when that move is 7,000 miles away and your job requires continued navigation of the work visa and civil ID process.
When I drove myself to the airport four weeks ago I didn't feel strange. I wondered how I was going to lug around 4 giant bags when I only had two hands, but beyond that I felt like I was just getting on a plane. Perhaps I imagined it to feel more surreal but, to be honest, I probably didn't think too much about it on purpose. Because moving to a different country is scary. Moving anywhere new can be scary. Even when it's what you want. There are so many what if's and unknowns that sometimes the best thing you can do is get on your ten hour plane ride with a good book and work it all out a little at a time.
I arrived in Kuwait City at about ten o'clock in the evening, was collected by my school and brought to my accommodation. I rolled into bed at midnight but not before setting an alarm for 5:10 in the morning because, as my guide had informed me: the bus comes at 06:00. I'd missed the first day of school and I would be teaching on the second in full force.
I think the best thing that happened in those first 24 hours was that I went to school that day. It knocked any jet lag right out of me. And now my shout out to Ithaca College as I spent that school day improvising lessons and teaching all with zero information but 100% confidence. I was able to do that because of the experiences and tools I had obtained at school.
As a general picture I have to say first that I'm happy. I'm thrilled to be living my dream, even when, sometimes, things are far from perfect. The city is, as one of my friends so eloquently put: "all the same color" (sand colored), but full of life, activities, food, and a lot of huge shopping malls.
I know my safety was a huge (though often silent) concern of many of my friends and family. I feel very safe here, and, unfortunately, with the tragedies that I've heard about coming from home, it only further solidifies my belief that you should not stop yourself from seeing the world based on fear. Bad things happen any and everywhere and if we are to make the world a better place we need to stop being afraid of it and get out there.
It's been such a comfort to meet so many genuine people since arriving. My flat mates have been friends, lifesavers, and support systems since day one. The same goes for my teachers at the branch I work at and my teammates on my Gaelic football team (I'll get to all that later).
While I'm still getting a routine down I'm confident that where I am is where I'm meant to be right now. Sometimes I think about how I can't imagine being in the States, working and living there . It's not what I needed and I'm glad I trudged through an anxiety filled summer to be able to be here now.
As you can imagine, there's too much to really get in for one post. Though it is my own fault for falling behind the game plan is that every three days I'll be publishing another post based on a specific part of being here in Kuwait:
Work
Living/Culture
Social Happenings
This will provide some more detail and insight into how life is going so far. Then I'll be back to more normal posting and format like during my time in Milano.
So many thoughts, love, and prayers to everyone back home.
~Shannon