A Lesson Learned While Sitting in a Car

Mosque parking lot....you've been warned

When we first arrive at a foreign posting, the learning curve is very steep. There are customs and culture to explore, faux pas to commit and most imporantly, hairdressers to find.
We are given books to read like "How to Bloom in the Desert" and "Don't they Know it is Friday". It doesn't matter how long I am here or how many books I read, I will never learn it all. Every day that I am here in Abu Dhabi I continue to learn new things....those lessons keep finding me whether I want them to or not and often in the most unexpected places.

Example of recent knowledge gained: If you are driving around looking for a place to park so you can go have some Lebanese food, don't be tempted by that space in front of the mosque next door. If you park in front of a mosque during prayer time, it is assumed you are there to pray. It is also assumed that since you will be there praying, it is okay to park behind you and block you in. You then get to spend 30 minutes sitting in your car with your leftover tabouli, watching the devout fellows walk up to the mosque, take off their shoes, wash and pray. The mosque that I got to observe so closely was one that seemed to be frequented by Pakistani men. I could peek inside a bit and it seemed like some were praying inside and some on the patio. Not sure why. Some were just lounging around chit chating...they probably knew they were blocked-in too. A triple-XL Arab kid walks by holding an American football...hmmm, interesting. All in all, not a bad way to spend a half hour.

On another note, I've been enjoying my jet lag sunrises. I really love being a morning person.

Sunrise from kitchen window