Mr.YemenEm woke me up out of a deep sleep Tuesday morning by telling me “There was a terrorist attack at the finish line of Boston Marathon.” First, I just heard “there was a terrorist attack” and assumed it was in Yemen, possibly near the U.S. Embassy, our place of work. Then I processed the secondContinue reading “A Rude Awakening”
Category Archives: Cultural Differences
What I Think of Yemen
“So, what do you think of Yemen?” is a question I’m commonly asked by Yemenis. My usual response is that I haven’t seen enough of the country to form a strong opinion. I live in a hotel, and I work at the embassy, and I see very little in between (not to mention, I prettyContinue reading “What I Think of Yemen”
Getting Schooled
One day in high school, it dawned on me that was time to apply for college. I walked down the guidance counselor’s office and waited in line for my assigned counselor, who was tasked with seeing students with last names L-Z, which equaled about 2,500 students at my particularly large suburban high school. I hadContinue reading “Getting Schooled”
What’s That? A Diplomat?
Before I met Mr.YemenEm, I don’t think I knew what a diplomat was. I probably grouped diplomat with words like plutocrat, Argonaut, and Gangnam Style that I’d read and meant to look up, but never got around to. After I learned that a diplomat is a person who represents their country abroad, I still didn’tContinue reading “What’s That? A Diplomat?”
Potty Talk
Last weekend, Mr.YemenEm organized a volleyball tournament at the hotel for Yemeni high school students who recently returned from doing exchange programs in the U.S Every student desperately hoped they’d be placed in a a high rise apartment in New York City, but instead, they were placed in some really random places. (Albeit places thatContinue reading “Potty Talk”
What a View
This week I actually got to leave the confines of Sana’a to venture to a neighboring governorate (that’s what the different regions, kind of like states, are called here). Granted, I was in a car and wasn’t exactly rollerskating down the open road feeling the wind flow through my hair. But it was a certainContinue reading “What a View”
Gotta Run
I detest running. It’s probably my least favorite activity. I like it even less than doing dishes or watching football on TV or dancing in public before I’ve had three drinks. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how anyone can enjoy long distance running, because I find it tedious, painful, and self-flagellating. The only instanceContinue reading “Gotta Run”
The Language Barrier
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,Continue reading “The Language Barrier”
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,Continue reading “Fall Traditions in America”
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 itContinue reading “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…Except if You’re in Yemen”