Last Entry from Bahrain

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Today is our final day working here; I’m really going to miss it! I’m starting to get to know the kids better since we have a lot of regulars that come through, and it helps that there seems to be a very limited number of names in circulation. I’m also getting a little less self conscious about speaking in Arabic but still most of my communication goes something like this, “Hi! Do you want to do this? Sit here. This is a card. (plunk materials down in front of them) Same like this one. (point at example in the middle of the table) Like this: one here, then this and three this in the middle. (mime steps) make it (hand them glue stick and pen) after that write in here or draw a picture ok?” But with horrible pronunciation, and in a sort of twisted mix of dialect, which I have no idea how to conjugate, and al fussha. My other continuously repeated phrases include, “all finished?” “You want a bag?” very good! Beautiful!” Regardless of how broken most of them seem to understand (or at least nod along and agree, “ok” with me and some of them even chatter at me in Arabic and stick to Arabic when they ask me questions or demand a new marker but it feels like for every time I’m overjoyed that I got my point across there’s an equal number of times I get laughed at by the parent hovering behind her kid or have the kid look up at me and state, “I don’t speak English.” You twerp, I thought I was speaking in Arabic! Oh well, I guess you got to start somewhere. The Japanese corner is now set up in the tent since we’ve left and we got a chance to meet them on our last day at the tent. Who would have thought I’d get a chance to break out a little bit of Japanese while in the Middle East? It’s insane that we’re really done working here, the month has flown by and it’s getting to be really sad now that we’ve had to start saying goodbye! The tent was totally hectic and chaotic but it was still a ton of fun and I’m going really to miss everybody here. Saying goodbye was especially sad, since it wasn’t goodbye until you get back from your trip, or we’re done working together but I’ll see you around town or even goodbye until next summer, it was goodbye forever since I doubt I’ll ever return to Bahrain. Depressing. So now I’m leaving my unbelievably plush 5 star hotel room with a personal driver and heading to Jordan where I’ll be living in a Bedouin camp for the next several weeks. Hm, talk about a new experience. But as sad as it is to say goodbye to everyone I’m excited for my next adventure!

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