My last entry was April 2011 and today it is March 20, 2012, the first day of spring. No longer am in Jordan or the USA or roaming the world aimlessly. I think I am done with roaming for a while.
Last April I signed a contract to teach in Sur, Oman. The location has been ideal for me and the job is going well. It is break time again and decided to spend it in Istanbul to walk around the city and do what I want when I want. And, to eat something besides Indian food.
Speaking of eating Indian food, I was at my favorite hole-in-the-wall vegetarian place in the souq (they serve south Indian food) and ended up sitting by an Indian family. They are from Mumbai and lived in Dubai for 11 years. This piqued my interest because what could he be doing here in such a small podunk little town such as Sur. Turns out he works for Coke Cola but Coke is not big in Oman because the locals like "Dew" as the gentleman put it. I chatted with the family while we waited for food. The food was followed by, you guessed it, coke. They brought me a bottle too and I felt like I was on the Amazing Race or Fear Factor because now I had to drink this and I have not had a coke in years and didn't want to change that fact. Can't even put a number on how many years it has been and that is a hard thing for a mathematician not to do - quantifying.
On the way back home by taxi, the taxi driver I use on and off mostly off because he shows up 30 min to 45 min later than requested, told me he is about to get married in about 3 months and until then he can be a "snake" going this way and that way. But once he is married he says, "I will go straight". Then he asked me if I was a deer. Not sure what that meant until he spelled it as "dear". At least I wasn't a deer anymore. I asked for another hint and he said "habibi" - an affectionate word for dear, loved one, sweetheart, etc. He wanted to know if I was married. He was shocked and even a little horrified I was not and to have no children seemed to be a bigger sin. I thought we were going to drive off the road when he turned around to look at me to make sure I was not lying or joking about the no kids / no husband fact. Then comes the "why" questions.
I see it is past my bed time. Will be writing more here on a regular basis.
