This is Dubai... in the morning!!! :)

Sorry for the delay on the news.. but we got our visas renewed! woo hoo!!!

blessings,

ktb*

Visa Run!!!

Hey guys!

Our first visa run is today to the Oman boarder!!! Just wondering if you could pray for this to be a safe and smooth process!

Thanks!
ktb*

New Foods!

Hey guys!





so my computer is on the blink. NOT GOOD.. and I'm using the Families right now... so yeah.. so that is a prayer concern.. BUT the reason for writing is to update you on a new food that I tried called (drum roll....)


MANGOSTEEN fruit


From: Thailand

Eaten: raw

Skin: purple, fairly smooth (like an apple)

Size: tangerine size +/-

Stem: looks like a tomato top, only it has rounded edges

Preperation: rise off outside, cut around middle through the peel, but not the rest of the pulp
You will end up with two halves, one half has no inside and is just the peel, the other will have all of the inside and the other half of the peel. It's really pretty b/c the inside is white and sectioned off like an orange (this is the part that you eat!) and then the peeling is purple.. pretty sweet!

Taste: no pun intended.. but it is sweet on the inside, kind of mushy (but I've only eated one of mine yet), the 'sections' have seeds that you can eat, others do not. The taste quality is like a kiwi, it's mild.

Overall opinion: I like them, but I'm not sure that I will buy them again.

haha.. sorry this isn't really about life, but I thought that it would be fun for you all to know about it! :)

tty soon!

ktb*

Hello All!!
Life here is settling into a rhythm… slowly. It still feels a little bit like one of those pieces of music that you only see the base cords but you have no idea what the melody line or accents are going to be!

One really cool thing that happened was that I went to an ARABIC WEDDING!!! Haha… I tell you.. being in a room with around 1,000 other traditionally Arabic women was intense. B/c it was very traditional we were not allowed to take pictures either...sorry! The men and women were in seperate rooms and the bride sat up on this platform on a big couch all ordained in rhinestones and silk like a queen. They had very loud music booming the whole time, and everyone was seated at tables with food. I went with a friend that I met here who was not local herself but knew the sister of the bride! I had to put my outfit together rather quickly…. And most of the dresses there would have shamed the ones that people wear to prom.. but I got my hair done at a salon… and wore more make-up then I have ever worn in my life, wore a black floor-length dress, and rhinestones….. and I was still underdressed!!!! Crazy! Coolest part of the wedding was when the groom got to come collect his bride… he came with a couple of close members of the family and they threw out money while they walked up the stage-like thing and the children and nannies were able to collect it! Most terrifying part: when me and the person I went with were invited to dance with like the only other 15 people, and then went up to see the bride. Overall: I hope I get invited to another wedding!! It was fun!!

I’m really enjoying the church that I’m going to called Redeemer. It’s a church plant that is just starting! So there is a lot of energy and some really solid people in it! Also, I’m participating in a Bible study on the book of Romans with other college students from the area. The first meeting for that went really well and I really enjoyed it! It’s great to be with people who are my age and study the Word with them.

Work is going well! I get to ‘test the machines’ while I’m at work so it has usually consisted of me going to work, working-out, talking to people and then maybe doing a little bit of paper work…then coming home!! Hard stuff... I know!

But…. It will get harder. School is starting, and so that means that I’m going to have to start being motivated and actually work! Well… that’s all for right now! I’ll write more later!
p.s. the picture is of Heather (one of the girl’s that is staying for the semester) and me riding a camel over the J-term trip!! :)

The Details of my Life...

Dear Family and Friends,

Welcome to my blog!! So.. I don’t know how much all of you know about me yet or what is going on so I thought that I should fill some of you in! I am currently living in Dubai, UAE (that is right between Saudi Arabia and Iraq/Iran) Don’t worry... This is a very religiously tolerant and safe place to be! I'm not super good at writing or staying in touch but I will do my best! :)

On December 28th a team of 14 people left from Cornerstone University at O’Hare airport to go to the UAE for a Business Experience Course. This lasted two weeks and was wonderful but very busy… but I got a lot of photos, made new friends, and got closer to some old ones!!

Heather and Jenna are two girls that stayed on with me in the UAE and are studying here for the semester= great! They are such a blessing!!! They are doing and internship together at another business and live on the other side of the city ( a region called Mirdif) but we still get to see eachother! :)

I am now living at a very large villa, called the Baluch house. Most of the family has already left for the States and are going to school there, except for Mr. Baluch who will be here on and off during business visits. It will be very nice to see him every so often! Out back of the house is another house where another intern lives named Rachelle, and then Mr. Baluch’s daughter Sara (who is currently in the States having a baby but will be back soon), husband, and daughter live there also.

The Baluch’s have tow businesses running out of their basement… one is Kindermusix. This is a children’s music program that should start soon (it was off b/c of the holidays) and is very popular with people. The second is where I am interning at called Hypoxi Therapy. If you want to check out their web site to learn more about this please do so… www.hypoxitherapy.com! sooooo… yeah.

This is just kinda a snap-shot of my life details. Today was my first day of work and it is all very good! I’m excited for what is happening… however, I am feeling a bit homesick. Will write more later!

Blessings,
Ktb*