sand

There was a fairly brutal sand storm that blew across the city a few days ago. It blotted out the sun and made life generally miserable. I had a funny experience when I realized that I was being the new guy that I used to find so amusing. When I worked in Boston the restaurant had a bunch of Portuguese cooks and this time of year it would be the first snow for the city. Whenever it happened word would spread that it was snowing and inevitably one of the new cooks would leave his station and go stand out back looking up at the snow. He or she had never seen the stuff before. I always had a good laugh at that because in a few weeks they would be cursing the snow for all the hardships it causes. Well as I got into work I stepped out of the taxi and as the college is north of the city it usually offers a fairly good view of the downtown in the distance. However as there was a sand storm the visibility was down to less than a block and it was all sort of cafe con leche from the ground to the sky. I just stood there looking at it, i knew i was in it but it didnt matter it was so unique so different from other weather I had been in. A few of the students looked at me like I was insane and I am sure had a good laugh inside at the new guy that if this keeps up will be cursing the trouble the sandstorms cause. But for now I am glad I got to see it and I hope next time I have a camera to get a picture, it was truly incredible.

weight weight

So I went and bought a set of weights to work out with. Nothing heavy just some dumbbells and a few kilos of weight to toss around in the afternoon when i get home. It is getting pretty boring here so I have to find some way to entertain myself. I did walk around the other day and it rained on me. It actually rained, in the Kingdom is amazing. And it rained on me. I asked some of my students if they had seen it and they told me it never rained in KSA. So I got to see something that never happens. It was a mere 3 minutes but still what a thing to see. Life smiles at those who look and are about to experience it.