glamorous.

that's the kuwaiti life. the five us often joke that we feel like we are teaching at some 90210 meets the hills kind of university. it's a high class fashion show five days a week. and i should have known. seriously, if students dress like runway models at university then how will they dress for a party? well, last night i found out. one word: glamorous.

i had the pleasure of accompanying mona to a family friend's graduation party. the party was held in their house--a modest flat from the outside but a marble filled palace inside. the first observation: this party was only for women (as many parties are gender-segregated). the second observation: the clothes and jewelry. first, let me tell you, every piece of it was real. second, the diamonds were huge enough to feed entire nations, i am sure of it. now, onto the clothes. think ridiculously nice cocktail dress to black-tie wedding apparel (and there i was in my favorite little skirt from my favorite thrift store in san fran). oh, and the most perplexing thing--these dresses weren't necessarily what you'd call 'modest' (even by u.s. standards).

the party, and especially the dancing, was fabulous (especially the palestinian dancing, of which there was much of). it was a strange feeling to be there in the presence with people where clearly i was 'the other.' but this is always a good feeling--to remember how uncomfortable, despite generous hospitality, that feels. the party continued on until almost midnight--replete with dancing, conversation, and food.

then it was time to leave--the most interesting part of the night. all of a sudden i saw women who were dressed, if i might say, quite scantily clad cover themselves again. first came hijab and then the abaya and off they went. you probably would have never guessed it. neither would i. i'm not sure what we think women wear under their abayas-but sometimes it's not what we'd think.

--

p.s. sorry i don't have any pics of the night. given my outsider status it would have been less than appropriate.