Savory Sunday: Potato Salad

Back Window Wisdom

I gather a wealth of wisdom off the back windows of pimped out cars. Most of them are Kias or Lancers {yes, those really fast ones}. There seems to be this trend among young men to put inspiring quotes in their back car windows using big window cling stickers. Usually in flowery writing. Some in Arabic. Some venture out in English. These are the ones that really changed my life this week:

Dream Nice. Hit Your Target.

King of the Rood

Oh Brother, You Are My Heart

Lovely Heart. What Dreams Are From. 

But the one that wins it all this week:

Looks like we all have two options...

I Love/Hate This Place

Well, here we are again...with major world news unfolding before our eyes.

And here I sit again.

Wondering why I decided to write a blog about humorous things I find in the Middle East when the last few months have been a little less than humorous around here.

The other day {it had been one of those days!} I had to force myself to make a list of all the things I love about living here. {Anyone ever have those days?} I'll share some highlights:

• school uniforms {never any clothes drama in the morning!!}
• fresh squeezed lemon with mint drink
• seeing religion play an important role in everyday lives
• sea side living - slow pace
• sun almost every day of the year
• the people I work with whose lives are being changed
• friends from around the world {our gatherings look like a session of the U.N.}
• the lack of temptation for consumerism  {because there is not a whole lot to buy here!}
• nutella {it literally tastes good on anything}

okay - so a lot of my list has to do with food

but there are many more things...trust me!

Now unlike the picture my happy happy funny funny blog portrays, I also hate living here in many ways. You wanna hear them? {tell Pollyanna to go in another room for a minute}

• we live under constant stress and anxiety because of language, and culture, and raising kids in a foreign land, and driving, and working, and terrorists, and...
• recent world events have torn our hearts out, infuriated us, built up compassion, and made us want to puke all at the same time
• we will never understand all the nuances of the culture we live in
• we always miss our friends and family
• cryptic warning messages from the State Department {which all became clear last night}
• we have suitcases and stuff and houses all around the world {I must be part sheepdog as I exhaust myself trying to herd everything all the time}
• and the biggest one this week: Will and Kate postponed their honeymoon! Is there no end to the bad news on BBC? She was going to be my best friend. Boo.

Well, this has been a long ramble. And if you are still with me, you probably expect me to end this with some great quote about how trials and struggles build character and wisdom {which they do and I know they will}.

But I have no such quote.

My only solution right now is to try to find the best thing in my pantry to spread nutella on and have a little feast. Gotta run!