As I am writing this post we are leaving in 10 hours with a couple of super awesome friends, and headed to Colombo, Sri Lanka. After we spend 12 days in Sri Lanka we will hop on another plane and head down to the Maldives. Pinch me, I am pretty sure I am dreaming! When we decided to move to the Middle East I immediately started looking up plane tickets from Kuwait City to anywhere I could think of that would be within an 8 hour plane ride. Before we even left the states I made a list of my dream travel destinations and both Sri Lanka and the Maldives made that list. Once we arrived in Kuwait and started talking to returning teachers, who have traveled a ton, we kept hearing how awesome Sri Lanka was. So the deal was sealed and the plane tickets were purchased. Since we were going to be so close to the Maldives we decided to add that on to our trip as well. Sri Lanka is an island off the southeast corner of India. 
Our plan when we get to Sri Lanka is relax on the beach, check out some temples, and head to a national park where we hope to spot elephants and leopards while out on safari. If those three goals are achieved I will leave Sri Lanka a very happy lady. After our Sri Lankan adventure we will head 470 miles away to the Maldives which is a conglomeration of 1,190 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. 
The Maldives basis for tourism is the fact that they are made up of some pretty spectacular islands. The Maldives is a water destination. The plans are to swim, snorkel, and maybe head out on a submarine. So many activities of the Maldives are based around water because so much of the islands are literally a small step away from the water. The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with the highest point being below eight feet over sea level. 
So there you have it, the plans on our first overseas Christmas. The only thing that is helping my homesickness over not being with our family for the holidays is knowing we get to go and explore these destinations, that weren’t even in the realm of possibility in our old life style. I am so grateful for a supportive spouse, awesome friends to travel with, a family that understands our love for exploring, and FaceTime!
Friends
Mitch’s Monday Happy Hour – December 8
Cheers, let’s go to happy hour! If we were back home, we’d meet at Buffalo Wild Wings. I’d be drinking a big ass glass of Blue Moon on tap with 12 boneless buffalo wings! (1/2 mild & 1/2 parmesan garlic if you were wondering). Holy smokes, my mouth is watering so much right now! I’ve been craving Buffalo Wild Wings for the last 3 months. Here’s what’s going on with us this week:
- We had an absolute blast last weekend in Dubai for the Rugby 7s tournament! It was a quick trip, but a great way to re-energize before these next two weeks of work prior to Christmas Break. We went with some great friends and had a ton of fun meeting and celebrating our weekend with people from all over the world. We also got a good dose of beer and pork ribs (both of which are prohibited here in Kuwait) during our vacation. It was awesome! We’ll post more info and pictures from our weekend soon. In the meantime, here is a quick pic of the main stadium at the tournament.
The picture looked good on my iPhone 4 when I took it over the weekend. However now that I am sober, I’m realizing that my sight must have been a bit blurry from all of the Heinekens I was drinking.
- I used to hate Mondays. It was that stupid day after Sunday, that would ruin every weekend. However in Kuwait, I think it’s my new favorite day of the week! Our work week here is Sunday-Thursday, so it no longer ruins our weekends anymore. I also like it because it’s the day our maid comes! Her name is Lily and she comes once a week. We leave for work and our house is a complete disaster. When we get home . . . . VIOLA!!! All of our dishes, laundry, ironing, cleaning, and everything else is done. It is so fun to drive home from work on Mondays, with the anticipation of walking into a spotless apartment!
- For the last couple of months, Rachel has been teaching an iMovie Club to a group of students at school. The school offers a ton of different after school activities for kids, and they meet once a week. She basically taught them how to use iMovie on Apple devices, and showed them some tricks and tips they could use to make some fun videos. She had a great group of about 10 kids from grades 3-5. Apparently she was the only one who didn’t own the new iPhone 6, and the kids couldn’t believe that her antique phone (iPhone 5) still worked because it was soooo old!
- For about the last month, I’ve been searching for a jar of Miracle Whip (mayonnaise). Everyday for lunch
Imy wife makes me turkey sandwiches with Miracle Whip. Not only is it my favorite, it is also the ONLY kind that I like. When we first moved here in August, we found some at one of the grocery stores. However since then, I haven’t found it anywhere! I’ve tried a couple of different “local” brands, and they taste almost sour or something. NASTY! We’re slowly realizing that when you see a product you like at the grocery store, it’s best to buy about a dozen of them because you never know if they will ever have it again. In case you are wondering, I still haven’t found another jar of Miracle Whip, therefore I have no idea what i’m eating for lunch tomorrow!
I’m still daydreaming of a Blue Moon and boneless chicken wings from Buffalo Wild Wings! See you guys next week.
It’s a Big World Out There, But Yet Small Too
You often hear the phrase, “what a small world.” Usually you hear it when you meet a friend-of-a-friend or a similar situation. In all actuality, the world is HUGE! There are so many cool places out there and so many interesting people to meet. After just a couple of months in Kuwait, we are quickly realizing that the world is even larger than we ever imagined it. We work with people from every continent in the world (except Antarctica) and they have all been to so many far corners of the world. Well today, for the first time since we’ve been in Kuwait, I had a “wow, what a small world” moment.
I’ve started umpiring for the local Little League Baseball Association here, and we had our first games of the season today (I had a ton of fun, and will definitely share more details about my experiences in a future blog post). Before the game, I introduced myself to my field ump for the game. He was a nice young man, about 15 years old, named Mohammed. We got to chatting, and I started asking him all sorts of questions. During our conversation he mentioned that he has lived in Kuwait his entire life, but his mother is from America. I asked him, “where in America?” and he replied, “a state called Minnesota.” I thought to myself, awesome! Our conversation continued like this:
- Me: “No kidding, thats where i’m from!”
- His eyes got big and the look on his face said “really?”
- Him: “Have you ever heard of a town called Minneapolis?”
- I chuckled
- Me: “Ya, that’s where I live”
- Him: “Reallllly? Have you ever heard of Coon Rapids?”
We shared a laugh and I informed him that I had family from Coon Rapids (shoutout to the Barnes Family!) and that I have spent lots of time in Coon Rapids. I told him I lived in a suburb called Minnetonka, and he about hit the floor. He told me he bought his new baseball bat at the Dick’s Sporting Goods in Minnetonka last summer, and that it was his favorite store in the entire world (literally)! He was in complete disbelief that I frequently shop at the same store, and that I would leave the city that has the coolest sporting goods store (in the world) to move to Kuwait! It sounds like he goes back to Minnesota every other year to visit his family there. He was a great kid, and I look forward to umpiring some more games with him in the future.
My second “what a small world” moment came a few hours later, after I was done umpiring my game. I stopped over at the t-ball field to watch one of my 1st grade students play in his first game. I quickly spotted his parents, and introduced myself. His family was wonderful and we had a great conversation. During our chat, when I informed his father that I was from Minnesota, he replied with “oh cool, I’ve been there.” He went on and told me that he worked for a company called Emerson Process Management (shoutout to the Vacek boys!) located in a city called Chanhassen. I laughed-out-loud and told him that is the same city that I worked in for the last 6 years. We shared some fun stories about the area, like what our favorite restaurants to eat at were in Chanhassen. The highlight of my day though was when my little first grader noticed me after the game was over. He had the biggest smile you have ever seen, and called out, “Mr. Mitch, what are you doing here!?!” He followed it up with a monstrous high-five, and made my day!
It was a great day at the ballpark, and I’m fortunate to have made a few new friends there. Ultimately though, it just proves that when you travel halfway around the world, submersed in a new culture, you will still find people with things in common. Like shopping at the HUGE Dick’s Sporting Goods in Minnetonka, Minnesota or eating at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Chanhassen, Minnesota!
Kuwaiti Happy Hour
Kuwait is a dry country.
No beer with pizza.
No wine with cheese.
No Thirsty Thursdays.
No Happy Hours.
No nothing.
So on Thursday night when we headed downtown with a few of our friends, Happy Hour looked a bit different. Instead of 2 for 1 cocktails, we ordered Shisha. Shisha is a flavored tobacco that is smoked out of a Hookah.
Since it was our time trying Shisha, the manager recommended that we try a variety of flavors. We ended up with three different kinds: lemon/mint, apple, and grape/mint. Mitch and I both chose lemon/mint as our favorite and a few of our friends really liked the grape/mint, but the apple went virtually untouched.
Shisha lounges are located everywhere in Kuwait, but on the recommendation of another expat who has been in Kuwait for a few years, we headed to an area right along the Persian Gulf called Shaab. I don’t think we could have found a more beautiful location to spend a few hours and watch the sunset!
Check out the Kuwaiti towers in the background. We will be back for you someday soon jet skis!
…because what is funnier than watching other people take selfies.
All in all I think that a Kuwaiti Happy Hour got the same results as Happy Hour state side, we got together with great friends, had tons of laughs, and woke up the next morning with a headache.
*Sorry for the crappy iPhone pictures….it is still too hot to venture out with the big camera.
The Things Mitch Misses Most – Volume I
We have officially been in Kuwait City now for about a week, and it doesn’t really seem real yet that this is our permanent residence for the next 2 years! It still seems like we are just here on vacation, and will be back in Minnesota in the next week or so. Before we departed the States, we talked about each of us doing a blog post about what we will miss most about living there. Well, I apparently came up with a good enough excuse not to complete my part of that post. So instead, I’ve decided to do a quick version of what I miss thus far since we have been in Kuwait.
1. 80 Degree Weather
On the lake, and wearing long sleeve shirts. Perfect weather!
I cannot begin to describe how freaking hot it is here in Kuwait City! The temperatures that last few days have ranged from about 109-119 degrees Fahrenheit. Frankly though, anything over 90 degrees to a Minnesotan is unbearably hot. Before we left, we joked with friends that it was a “dry heat” in Kuwait. However when we arrived to the airport, the members of the school who were there to greet us, informed everyone that a wave of humidity moved into the area and it would be a few days before it moved out. Lucky for us, the temperature Gods provided a little welcome gift for us! Regardless of the humidity, it is smoking hot here. The other day there was a slight breeze off of the Gulf, and it was not pleasant like one would think. It felt like when you are sitting in a sauna and someone blows a small stream of hot air at you, but instead it was over your entire body!
2. Green Grass
Green Grass, Green Trees, & Green Bushes
From the color of the buildings to the ground, everything in Kuwait is brown. In kind of reminds me of some of the new residential neighborhoods in the suburbs of Minnesota, where all of the houses are one of three shades of tan. It’s hard here to tell the taxi driver, “drive down the street, and my house is the brown one on the left,” because everything is brown! There are a few palm trees and other green plants around some of the neighborhoods and freeways, but they are far and few between. At the school though, we are lucky enough to have 3 beautiful outdoor courtyards. They are covered with trees, bushes, vines and other lush green plants and foliage. It is a great place to have lunch or just gather to enjoy the colors.
3. iPhone
I heart my iPhone
I never thought I would be the kind of guy who would admit that they miss their iPhone, but I officially think I have become one. A few days before we left the States, my phone was shut off, so I have gone about a week and a half without it. I don’t miss the access to email, Facebook, or Twitter, but rather the ability of having a map showing my location or the internet accessibility to find the answer to a simple question. As soon as Rachel gets her Civilian ID in October, we will be able to get a cell phone package with iPhones.
4. Mountain Dew
I think I miss Mountain Dew more than booze!
More than missing the ability to drink booze, I miss drinking Mountain Dew even more! A couple of times a week, usually about 3pm in the afternoon when I would hit a wall, a 12 oz can of Mountain Dew is all I needed to perk up for the rest of the night. The thought of its refreshing taste and carbonation is making my mouth water as I type this. Multiple times over the years, I have tried giving up pop with zero success, however maybe this trip to Kuwait is all I need to make it a reality.
5. Friends & Family
Our Little Triplet Nieces & Nephew
It has to be a given, that I miss our family and friends. We have been able to connect with a few people over FaceTime so far, but its definitely not the same as a face-to-face conversation, or the simplicity of sending a quick text message. Wherever we are in the world, we will miss them dearly, however knowing that they support our decision to move overseas, we feel their love wherever we are!
Long Minnesota Goodbye: Kiddo Addition
Because one day at the lake just isn’t enough….and the pictures are just too good not to share.
We quickly accepted another invitation from our friends Heidi and Brannon to spend another day out on their boat. This time though they invited all the kiddos. 
Our friends seriously have the sweetest kids. I don’t know what their parents have done but they are all so much fun and easy to be around. 
The little kids waited while the big kids played. 
Henry watched with some serious concern, he kept thinking we were going to leave his Mom or Dad just floating in the water. 
The older kiddos entertained the littlest ones. 
Then Hailey girl showed us her stuff! She has been wake boarding for a couple summers and is getting up and outside of the wake now!
Tyler could have wake boarded all night. 
A couple more years for you little buddy…
You know you are getting older when the cup holders no longer are holding beer bottles but rather sippy cups. 
Long Minnesota Goodbye: Scenic Sisters Addition
Our long Minnesota goodbye continued the other night with an awesome evening of boating with my work friends and their hubbies. It was the kind of night Minnesotans dream about during the winter months when the temperatures can reach 40 degrees below zero. The lake was calm, the water was warm, and the sunset was amazeballs.
Apparently tubing is one of those things in life that continues to get better with age.
This picture continues to get funnier the longer I look at my own face.
However, flipping the tube back over does not continue to get better with age.
Heidi & Katie
Show-offs 🙂
Mitch surfing
Whoooo hoooo, she’s got it
Love that expression
Katie’s turn
Sarah won the award for most persistence
I also really enjoy this series of pictures
I love that she is smiling on her way down
I also love that all you can see in this picture are her feet
Brannon got to surf on gold that night…the light was amazing!
This picture won the award of favorite shot of the night, Minnesota sunsets never get old.
Never
Thank you Heidi and Brannon for a great night! Thank you Steve, Katie, Josh, & Sarah for coming out, I will miss you ladies more than words can express. Your friendship has brought so much fun and laughter to my life.
Long Minnesota Goodbye: Bemidji Edition
Bemidji has such a special place in my heart. I went to college there, met awesome friends there, met Mitch there, and got engaged there. We have so many awesome memories there and love that we still have friends that are in the area so we can create even more. While we were in Walker with Mitch’s family we knew we had to carve out some time to hang out with these awesome people. Mother Nature and the Work Gods were pulling in our favor as it was a gorgeous day on Friday and our friends were either able to take the day off of work or sneak out after a half day. We dropped the boat in the water early in the afternoon and stayed out till the sun went down.
Saying goodbye has never been so much fun!
Selling
Part of our decision to move to the Middle East was that we have very little holding us back.
- No kids
- No dog
- No plants….seriously, we don’t have any, I killed them all already
It seemed like such an easy and carefree time in our lives to make a decision like this, we just had one large item we needed to take care of before we really had zero responsibility, our house.
We needed a plan, it had to be rented or sold before August. So we did what anyone would do in our situation when they found out they were moving to the other side of the world; we avoided it. We did nothing to get ready for this in February, March or April and all of a sudden it was May 1st and we had a mini panic attack that we needed to make some decisions with our house.
So we met with a rental agency and a couple different realtors and decided selling was the best way to go for us.
So we took a long hard look at our house and decided that we had to some work to do. So we called family and friends and got to work.
That is how our house went from looking like this….
To this….
The Might as Wellers 
