Tea parties...

One thing that is true of living cross culturally is that you have unexpected moments of cultural surprises. I have learned, assimilated, changed but then out of no-where : bam. everything feels so foriegn and you move emotions and language and heart attitudes to adapt. 

As the girls imagined and pretended their hearts away in a tea party, i was struck with how cute their ideas sound and conversations come across. and i loved that they were trying to be mammas. 

 

 and in the same stroke, i see my own heart trying to be more lebanese, or syrian, or jordanian. sometimes it is sooo hard. sometimes it is sooo funny...sometimes it is a thrill. 

 I was sitting with two kind,quiet, gorgeous syrian women in a tiny tent. One looks like Mary ( the oldest daughter in downton abbey) more than anyone i have ever seen. I am talking to them and asking if they are relatives..and they tell me they are wives of the same man. everything screeches to a halt for me. 

this was my face at some points in this conversation =)

   I ask them if they are all staying with their 4 kids between them in the same tent. they nod and giggle. we talk about the awkwardness and the normalness of this arrangement for them. I lovingly ask lots of questions and their eyes are sparkling cause they see little american blowing fuses in her brain. seriously. can’t imagine. 

  They ask about my marriage and my husband and if he loves me. I think that question was so...important to them...does he love me? so i sip tea and talk with these two gorgeous women about love. wow. 

  another fun cultural moment was the sisterhood coming together with a fun jordanian friend and making a traditional arab meal. we brought all our kids ( 5 between us) and cooked from 8 am- 1pm. we then cleaned and then sat down for our meal at 2:15...o.m.g.

let me shoot your straight. 

    I signed up to do this little cooking experience out of love for my friend, not for the inner chef in me. the labor was extensive. rolling up rice stuffing inside leaves... 4 women working for a couple hours. 

   our kids needed potty assistance and mediating. we turned on videos and gave them suggestions. back and forth my hands went from thinking chair, changing diapers, settling little ones, helping toddlers with the toilets, and then of course to rolling leaves. my heart conclusion: not a meal that mammas of babes should make. 

 so...i was a little in over my head. so the meal took WAY longer than i thought. so there were a few moments i had to smile and push through the desire to stop rolling.  it was a cultural moment, that is for sure. 

   the end result was a feast and the men oooohed and awed over our work.

learning and growing...

smiling and enjoying the moments...