Eid
I wasn't on LJ for three days because while one major religion celebrates Thanksgiving, Islam celebrates Eid this year at the same time. It was Eid Al'adha. Now, since I just remembered that this is a blog and that I should...blog...things, here is a few stuff I did.
Short summery of my experience:
Day 1: Friday morning:
Dad bought us a ram. It was about 1600 Riyals, (450 US dollars) down from an original price of 2000 Riyals (533 $). It was home-slaughtered. I helped, and it was quite an experience. It was very irritating when I had to lift the body unto one of our palm trees to let the bad blood out, since my shirt got all soaked and my hands stunk with fat, but hey. I ran to a nearby market to get a few plastic bags, and we had a short breakfast, before driving out to Alhasa.
Friday noon:
Driving to Alhasa behind my father. The road was almost half an hour long and my feet killed me. I used my IPhone to play some tunes, but it soon warned me it was almost out of juice. I shut it quickly, because I forgot I didn't bring an IPhone charger. >.<
Friday afternoon: I arrived at my father's family-house. Most of my uncles were there as well as their sons. I sat with TEH MEN because it's a tradition for men to sit with other men. I ate a bit (wasn't really hungry). My father's family isn't really as close to us as our mom's...figures, since my elder-uncle really hates the look of my dad acting like a real father.
"He doesn't know his way around Al-hasa? Let him learn the hard way! He should learn by trial and error!"
Al-hasa is a city. That house is in the middle of the city. He wants me to die...don't forget, my IPhone was almost out of juice.
So we then left after a few hours, and then we headed to my other grandfather's estate. My mother's father has a grand farm there he keeps renovating, so I figured that it beat staying close to my eldest uncle (though the others are much nicer).
Friday evening: We reached our (other) grandfather's estate, and boy were they happy to see us. We saw a lot of people from my mother's side, and we had a blast.
Few things, since my IPhone died that minute and I wasn't able to get many pictures.
That particular farm has an exterior pool and a hot tub. Both run with reservoir water (which is pretty warm around the year). I didn't take a bath in it, though.
So I worked around the farm--running after the chickens, weeding, working around the house--even installing the home theater (a farm with a pool and a theater...that's weird).
Friday night: I hang around my aunts (they're all really cool) and soon slept.
Saturday morn: It was really cold. I woke up before dawn (since it's prayer time), but found that the water didn't run. I had to perform ablution in pool water. I was shaking like a damn bird. >< I didn't think of warming up some water, but that's just the part of my brain that works.
We watched TV until more guests came. We talked...a lot. The kids stepped into the hot tub. The people rejoiced...etc etc etc. Family reunions. Can you really describe them?
I thought we'd be back home by Saturday evening, but since I can't tell my way around Al-hasa if it kills me, I had to wait until someone was heading to Al-Dhahran so I'll follow them. None came, so I...well, we, stayed another night.
Cue same cold problem. I was lucky I didn't have to wash myself in the pool, since the pipes work now.
Another day of pure joy, with a lot of tomfoolery from my part and very little internet (save for a minute of e-mail opening), since my grandfather doesn't stay a lot in the farm enough to justify installing a WiFi.
I noticed a few things: I'm a family person. I can crack jokes like this and that, but I can't work with kids who I'm not used to.
I mean...I used to threaten my own brothers by dangling them above the toilet until they apologize for stepping on my feet. It did make them turn out great kids, yeah, but it's funny how they want me to use my child-raising techniques on other kids. It's like...taking vengeance on the world or something. I want to know where the limit is to raising. Is it smacking a kid or emotional manipulation? Does the greater good justify doing weird things, if it's done by a good heart and with a sound plan?
But hey, this is just me rambling. Of course I'm ramble-y. That's what makes me who I am.
Thankfully, there are also a few celebrations near my house, now that I'm back. I can really enjoy this.
Oh. I forgot.
I told a lot of relatives some "really cool" stories (according to them). They don't know I'm telling them the history of Anoria so far. It's rife with betrayal, loyalty and the scary pings of nation-wide paranoia.
I've also been given a kina (a really old and very formal counterpart for nicknames): It's Abu Saif.
Oh, which reminds me. I have a confession to make. See Saif from Forgotten Paths? The whiny one? He was supposed to be my own Authorial Insert. The new Saif is not very much like me.
Happy Eid.
Short summery of my experience:
Day 1: Friday morning:
Dad bought us a ram. It was about 1600 Riyals, (450 US dollars) down from an original price of 2000 Riyals (533 $). It was home-slaughtered. I helped, and it was quite an experience. It was very irritating when I had to lift the body unto one of our palm trees to let the bad blood out, since my shirt got all soaked and my hands stunk with fat, but hey. I ran to a nearby market to get a few plastic bags, and we had a short breakfast, before driving out to Alhasa.
Friday noon:
Driving to Alhasa behind my father. The road was almost half an hour long and my feet killed me. I used my IPhone to play some tunes, but it soon warned me it was almost out of juice. I shut it quickly, because I forgot I didn't bring an IPhone charger. >.<
Friday afternoon: I arrived at my father's family-house. Most of my uncles were there as well as their sons. I sat with TEH MEN because it's a tradition for men to sit with other men. I ate a bit (wasn't really hungry). My father's family isn't really as close to us as our mom's...figures, since my elder-uncle really hates the look of my dad acting like a real father.
"He doesn't know his way around Al-hasa? Let him learn the hard way! He should learn by trial and error!"
Al-hasa is a city. That house is in the middle of the city. He wants me to die...don't forget, my IPhone was almost out of juice.
So we then left after a few hours, and then we headed to my other grandfather's estate. My mother's father has a grand farm there he keeps renovating, so I figured that it beat staying close to my eldest uncle (though the others are much nicer).
Friday evening: We reached our (other) grandfather's estate, and boy were they happy to see us. We saw a lot of people from my mother's side, and we had a blast.
Few things, since my IPhone died that minute and I wasn't able to get many pictures.
That particular farm has an exterior pool and a hot tub. Both run with reservoir water (which is pretty warm around the year). I didn't take a bath in it, though.
So I worked around the farm--running after the chickens, weeding, working around the house--even installing the home theater (a farm with a pool and a theater...that's weird).
Friday night: I hang around my aunts (they're all really cool) and soon slept.
Saturday morn: It was really cold. I woke up before dawn (since it's prayer time), but found that the water didn't run. I had to perform ablution in pool water. I was shaking like a damn bird. >< I didn't think of warming up some water, but that's just the part of my brain that works.
We watched TV until more guests came. We talked...a lot. The kids stepped into the hot tub. The people rejoiced...etc etc etc. Family reunions. Can you really describe them?
I thought we'd be back home by Saturday evening, but since I can't tell my way around Al-hasa if it kills me, I had to wait until someone was heading to Al-Dhahran so I'll follow them. None came, so I...well, we, stayed another night.
Cue same cold problem. I was lucky I didn't have to wash myself in the pool, since the pipes work now.
Another day of pure joy, with a lot of tomfoolery from my part and very little internet (save for a minute of e-mail opening), since my grandfather doesn't stay a lot in the farm enough to justify installing a WiFi.
I noticed a few things: I'm a family person. I can crack jokes like this and that, but I can't work with kids who I'm not used to.
I mean...I used to threaten my own brothers by dangling them above the toilet until they apologize for stepping on my feet. It did make them turn out great kids, yeah, but it's funny how they want me to use my child-raising techniques on other kids. It's like...taking vengeance on the world or something. I want to know where the limit is to raising. Is it smacking a kid or emotional manipulation? Does the greater good justify doing weird things, if it's done by a good heart and with a sound plan?
But hey, this is just me rambling. Of course I'm ramble-y. That's what makes me who I am.
Thankfully, there are also a few celebrations near my house, now that I'm back. I can really enjoy this.
Oh. I forgot.
I told a lot of relatives some "really cool" stories (according to them). They don't know I'm telling them the history of Anoria so far. It's rife with betrayal, loyalty and the scary pings of nation-wide paranoia.
I've also been given a kina (a really old and very formal counterpart for nicknames): It's Abu Saif.
Oh, which reminds me. I have a confession to make. See Saif from Forgotten Paths? The whiny one? He was supposed to be my own Authorial Insert. The new Saif is not very much like me.
Happy Eid.