the end.

today i fly home, in 12 hours to be exact. the other day my mom asked if i was glad i came back to kuwait. well, that's a tough question. on a day-to-day basis the answer would probably be no. but as an overall life experience and chance to travel more in this region of the world, a resounding yes. and so, after two summers in kuwait, i don't claim to have all the answers, nor even many of them, but i do have a few observations. about myself, life, and humanity. in no particular order...

-socialization. we are products of our environment. i am more and more convinced of this each passing day (good thing considering i'm a sociologist). we are often so quick to judge others who live differently than us and fail to see that chances are, if we were raised in that environment, we'd probably be doing the same thing.

-equality. it's essential. across gender, race, class, sexual orientation, nationality origins. the united states still has a long way to go on this one, but i will give the good ol' u.s. of a some credit after living in kuwait.

-workers rights. i have no idea how people can so blatantly dehumanize others on the basis of their nationality. this has been the most disturbing facet of my two summers here.

-cultural relativism. has its limits. i do believe there are certain things that are 'right' and others that are 'wrong.' (see above two statements on equality and workers rights).

-appearances. you cannot judge on the basis of them. at all. covering (wearing a hijab or a burqa) is just as much a cultural representation as it is a religious one. all women who do so are not ignorant and unknowing.

- freedom. i've started to understand what it really means to have it. and why we need it. and why its a privilege. but not why we should go starting wars in the name of it.

-comfort. i see why people cling to it. i often desire it, yet also often find myself in situations that offer little of it. kuwait isn't the most difficult place i've lived (that honor belongs to oakland), but it has been difficult. in the end, however, i do believe the more fulfilling life is that of adventure and risk.

-privilege. wow, do i have it. when asked if i'll return to kuwait, i believe my initial response was, "please let me unemployed in the u.s. before returning to kuwait." hello privilege. you think everyone in kuwait wants to be here?

-self. i've had a bit too much time with it lately. i'm not as independent as you may think. and far more fearful and negative than i'd like to admit. but also, i have realized, so incredibly thankful for amazing people to live my life with. you, by far, make me a better person and my life more enjoyable.

and once again, many thanks for your support, skype calls, emails, facebook messages, throughout the summer. it's made it seem like i wasn't so far away. can't wait for the reunion. see you very soon!

the american.

i'm pretty sure this is how i'll be remembered forever in marsa alam, egypt. well first, apparently not many americans travel to egypt (such a loss), so for many of the hotel staff, i was the first american they'd ever met. and the most common response i got to being american? some praise for obama! that's right. people around the world are stoked for obama (plus, seriously, his policies for the MENA [middle east north africa] region couldn't possibly get any worse than bush).

biggest highlight of the vacation: i went scuba diving. and it was phenomenal! well, i was not phenomenal at it, but the experience itself was. so, a brief synopsis. i decide i'm gonna go diving (thanks to a fantastic birthday present from shauna and joe). i show up at 2 pm to get a brief intro to diving. i am following somewhat, and yet, also distracted by the attractiveness of my diving instructor. ok, so then we go out to the house reef and lagoon. on our walk out we talked about politics and certain people hating others (i was amazed how people responded to be being 'american' without knowing anything else about me). walid gave an example. apparently he was robbed in the town he lives in, but not is from. he said, of course, i don't hate all the people from that town, just the man that robbed me. exactly. at the time, it seemed so painfully obvious. of course you don't generalize your dislike to a whole group of people based on an experience with one of them. yet, how many of us do that consistently? ok, let the diving proceed. i practice breathing and equalizing and all these other terms i don't really understand. and then, let the dive begin. i tell walid, said attractive diving instructor, that i completely trust him, but not myself. and if i were on the oprah show, i think it'd be some 'ah-ha moment.' i trust this man i just met one hour ago but not myself who i have now known for some 29 years. good meredith. ok, so we dive. it's a bit crazy. i freak out a couple more times and we have to surface. walid is laughing. we're joking the whole time. he tells me this is his most memorable first dive (probably cause it's the most difficult). when we finally surface we're talking to another diving guide on the jetty. he asks how it was. i said good, but i was scared. and then, another 'ah-ha moment.' he says, yes, americans are always afraid for no reason--it's difficult to teach them to do anything. seriously.

this vacation was perfect. i was definitely sad to leave, although i realized that leaving meant that many hours closer to flying home. i do believe the countdown is now at 36 hours. can't wait to see many of you soon!