Deciding to Blog

As has been the case in my life for the past ten years or so, I am on yet again another adventure. I find myself in a foreign land---not just any land mind you but an Arab land. A land that most Americans only know by myths and legends and half-truths. My desire to share this experience with all whom I know and share my life with these days (either via facebook, in person, or email) has become an overwhelming task. I hate to use the word task as sharing my life experiences is not a chore or a job but such a pleasure that I do not find the right word to define it.

With all of this said......I decided to start a blog in an effort to share my daily joys, challenges, laughs, and little frustrations of living in a foreign land. The only way I know to do that is to start a journal of sorts and blogging seems to be the answer. Some of you may find this all a bore and some of you may truly want to share the experience in whatever way you can. I only wish I knew about blogging when we lived in Italy. I have so many, many stories of those days and they are not written down. I mean to preserve this experience.

I must begin this journal by saying that I am truly a blessed person to have the opportunity to share in the customs and traditions of a society with so much rich history. The history of this region is truly amazing and so overwhelming. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life(beyond comprehension wealth; dirt, dirt poor; educated and illeriate; high class and lower class) ; so many different religions (Muslim; Hindu; Christian; Buddist) and find that we are all basicly the same. We all worship a God of righteousness and justice; we all want to be loved and accepted; we all want to be treated humanely; we all are devoted to our families and friends; and most importantly---we have a love for our fellow man. The human soul is the same worldwide. The UAE has recorded 208 different nationalities living together in harmony. That's pretty phenomenal.

I find it hard to describe to everyone exactly what it is like here. Amazing is all I can say. Comical at times. Once when we traveled on a vacation to Egypt, John stated to me as we walked through the airport at Sharmel Sheikh, "welcome to the land of the not quite right." How true, how true. With all the technological advances, with all the education, with all the political awareness, with all the money that enriches this land, it is often just "not quite right." They've almost got it but not quite there on some things. As you read my blog over time, you will begin to understand this saying. It is not meant as an insult or any way to disparage the people around me. Some things are almost like ours but not quite. And it is often quite comical.

So, I hope you want to take this ride with me.....I truly want you to share this experience with me. Check in daily, weekly, or monthly. Whenever you have the time take a few moments to come with me on this journey. I think you will enjoy it. Remember you will be seeing this through my eyes. I hope my sight is crystal clear!