Rainy Day

“Yalla! Nour!”

“INZAIN! DEGEEGA!”

Thunder hits, and all of a sudden strong waters land on the floor. In Kuwait, when people sight two drops of supposed rain, they pray. I look at the rain here and know that if I stood in it for a few seconds, I probably won't have to shower tonight. We wait an hour but still, strong waters land on the floor. I think about how my brother, Ismail, stole my Superman shirt because he was too cheap to buy his own at the Virgin Mega-store for 8 KD. I also thought about how chewing gum in the US taste different than home. It's softer. I have a stack of gum, with each package containing at least ten packs. I am happy about chewing gum here. The hand soap is different. It takes me a lot longer to remove the soap here when I wash my hands. It's a little annoying, but I suppose I will get used to it. What else is this rain making me think about? The incredible amount of black people. The incredible amount of blonde people. The sad fact that the price you see on an item is not the final price you pay. What are taxes, anyway? Strangers smile at you, and hold the door too, how interesting is that! Subtle differences that manage to create a mind-blowing experience the first time I am confronted with these new changes. Well, time to integrate. First order of business: buy an umbrella, but be aware the additional tax.