by Natasha Tynes | Jun 19, 2005 | Life as a Virginian
I never liked shopping. For me, shopping had always been this tedious process of hopping between shops, trying on clothes, negotiating with vendors (in some cases) and in many instances being hit on by some low-life sleazeballs in the process (especially when wandering the streets of Sweifieh). I always dreaded upcoming shopping trips. And, almost always, I had to have a companion with me to console me, giving me words of encouragement to help me through this challenging process. In many cases that companion was my sister, Tania, the fashion expert. Then, after I got married, my shopping escort became my husband, who naturally has more tolerance than me for this tiring procedure.
But now, as we are living in the center of capitalism, things have changed drastically. To my utter and complete surprise I’m loving the whole idea of the shopping spree. I mean how can you not love it with all the great deals that are put in front of you? I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when I first went shopping here. I could actually afford buying brands like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren among others.
How could you not love shopping here when you get up to a 70% discount on some of the most beautiful items you ever laid eyes on? Words like capitalism and consumerism really did not mean much to me before coming here. Now I understand. It is all about satisfying the consumer so the country’s economic gears keep churning. But really, give me a break. How can you not be an ardent consumer here with all the mind-boggling deals? Yes, I’m being sucked into it. But can I really help it? I’m a new immigrant after all.
On the other hand, seeing all of these great deals is making me somehow angry … angry at all the time and loads of money I spent back in Jordan on mediocre products simply because I had no other alternative. Why is it in Jordan, where the minimum salary is 85 JD (about $119 US dollars) a month, people have to pay double — even triple — the price for the same products you find here. It is just so unfair. Think of it: Besides all of the political instability, social pressure and economic stagnation, the Jordanian consumer is always screwed. Okay, I’m very angry now. Gotta go do some shopping.
by Natasha Tynes | Jun 15, 2005 | Life as a Virginian, Shutterbug
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Probably one of the coolest things that we have done here so far was our trip last weekend back into the 1850’s, when the whole of downtown Harrisonburg, VA was made to look much as it did in the 19th century during the "Court Days Festival." The whole place went back in time, from the old costumes worn by locals that volunteered to become a character from the era, to the carriages and local crafts of that period. The event was one of a kind, to me at least.
We also got to watch a play that took place in the city’s old courthouse. The play was based upon two real court cases that took place during the era. I enjoyed it tremendously.
We wrapped up the evening by attending, as spectators, a period grand ball where men dressed in tuxedos and women in beautiful period gowns while they danced skillfully to music of the 19th century.
I had a truly memorable time. The picture here speaks for itself.
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by Natasha Tynes | Jun 1, 2005 | Life as a Virginian, Shutterbug, Travel
For the past four days or so we have been touring around Virginia with Dad and Mom T and I must say I have laid eyes on some of the most beautiful sights in nature that I have ever seen. The Shenandoah Valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains are just stunning. Everything looks like a postcard. I really couldn’t believe I was actually walking around amongst these extremely beautiful sights.
And yes I’m still seeing and experiencing new things on a daily basis and I love it. Here is my list of observations for this post:
For those residing in the US, can anyone answer this little dilemma of mine? Why are public bathroom doors so short? I mean, why does everyone have to see my legs when I’m doing whatever I choose to do behind those closed doors? I feel it is an invasion of my bathroom privacy somehow. Am I the only one bothered by this? I wonder.
As I understand it, any trip to the US is not complete without a visit to the one and only Wal-Mart. On my first visit I saw some things with which I was unfamiliar. First was an almost blatant display of obesity. Oh my God! I have never seen people that obese in my whole life. I kept looking at one woman while trying to decipher what I witnessing. Then I decided to stop before I made a fool of myself. I saw people packing extra weight in places I never knew people could carry fat, like on their back for example. Somehow, this made me feel good about my weight.
Another interesting sight was the Mennonites. When I first saw a woman with a small cap on her head I thought it was some form of fashion statement. But when I saw a second woman with the same white hat, I knew something was going on. Luckily, the husband was there to provide me with the answer.
I’m now in the process of Americanizing my accent. While in London I spent some effort Anglicizing it but it didn’t really work out. Let’s see if my efforts pay off this time. The first thing I’m working on is pronouncing the word "water." Instead of saying "wa-ter," which I guess is the British pronunciation, I’m trying to say it the American way: "wa-der." I guess I still sound weird but I will keep trying none-the-less.
That’s all for now. More to come as time allows.
For those residing in the US, can anyone answer this little dilemma of mine? Why are public bathroom doors so short? I mean, why does everyone have to see my legs when I’m doing whatever I choose to do behind those closed doors? I feel it is an invasion of my bathroom privacy somehow. Am I the only one bothered by this? I wonder.