Kabul Beauty School

I know that this entry should be in the "Book Reviews" section, and I'll include one in there as well. But this book provoked so much strong emotion in me that I felt something should be stated about it. The title of the book is Kabul Beauty School, and the author is Deborah Rodgriguez. It deals with Deborah leaving Michigan to visit Afghanistan as a relief worker. She's a hairdresser and finds herself feeling not as useful as the other relief workers in her group (who are all doctors,nurses,etc...) However, that soon changes when she discovers fellow relief workers who are in dire need of getting a haircut,pedicure, manicure,etc. This, along with the realization that beauty salons were banned by the Taliban, causes a chain of events to result. She opened up the Kabul Beauty School (with the help of donations by Paul Mitchell's company as well as many others). This school empowers women to learn professional skills to flourish in life---rather than remain a prisoner in their own homes. What provoked me so much in this book was the idea that the majority of women in this area are not revered. Instead, they are persecuted for being female. Their marriages are arranged, which isn't too bad, unless the man turns out to be abusive or extremely old. Then that's just plain horrid! Women are imprisoned for being raped, fighting back against abusive husbands, or for being abandoned by a husband!

Now I do know that not ALL men in Afghanistan mistreat women. Deborah Rodriguez (the author) married an Afghan native, and they are living happily together.And I'm sure that there are many more examples of happy couples in this country. But, in this book, the ratio of good relationships to bad relationships was staggering!

I kept trying to place myself in the shoes of the women in this story, and I found myself wanting to cause an uprising because I couldn't even fathom such a situation! Imagine not being able to enjoy the town market in the daytime unless you wear a burqa (and even then you'd very few, if any women!) Imagine not being able to laugh out loud with a group of your girlfriends in a beauty salon because it might draw attention from outside sources! Imagine not being allowed to be walking in town after 3:30! Imagine having your child taken away from you just because you are divorcing an abusive husband!

That lack of freedom makes me shudder. However, the women who have experienced these conditions are strong individuals because they've seen or lived through traumatic events, yet the are resilient. They rise above it all in their own way, and they are to be commended for that. I do hope that the Kabul Beauty School continues to empower their students with knowledge and compassion.

Hope

This sums up the song "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" by Oasis. It's finding the spark of life even when you are in the midst of feeling despondent about it all.

Today Leigh and I went grocery shopping, and then we went out for a lovely dinner by the seaside. It felt peaceful being right by the bay. I wish we could live right by it someday.

Stop Crying Your Heart Out

The workshop we attended today made most of us feel overwhelmed, anxious, and more stressed out. What a combination! Lol! At this meeting, we learnt that we will have to turn in 6-12 additional lesson plans along with the other plans we turn in weekly. YIKES! I know that we can get it done. The task is finding the sparse time we have left in the week to actually do it (without losing an adequate dose of sleep, that is). Anyway, our grade level has decided to band together and help each other out as well as be available on speed dial if necessary. So that's helped alleviate our worries (somewhat).
This, along with having a certain individual ask us to sign a document that goes against a friend of mine, made the day seem a bit nervewrecking. However, I told the person that I would do NO SUCH THING because I refuse to be a party to such a situation. The audacity of even being asked got me even more nettled. But, then again, that same individual tried to tape record me when I was being interviewed about the person in question. I flat out said that that was against my rights, and I didn't want to be recorded.
It angered me that people still try to manipulate others through such sneaky means.
As for my friend, I couldn't betray her. If others could do so, then that's their prerogative and they'll have to live with that decision. But, I could not. She isn't guilty of anything (except other than being ill due to medical reasons).
Seeing her in this light brought back a flood of heartwrenching memories that were experienced with Mom while she went through that rough patch of being committed to the hospital for two weeks in Corpus. The guilt you feel while trying to help someone never goes away. It stays hidden under the layers of yourself until a similar situation reminds you of it. Then the wound grows fresh once again. And the emotional pain resurfaces. The following song is simulataneously sad and beautiful, and it's song that I can relate to so much lately. Here's Oasis singing "Stop Crying Your Heart Out":

Oasis Lyrics

Bizarre Day

Still trying to make sense of the day, but it's been a bit puzzling. However, I will not even try to understand why people behave in certain ways. Assumptions are dangerous things to make. Most of the time you're either partially right, dead wrong, or strangely correct. Either way, it takes too much energy and too much time. So there's no use in wasting any of it.

As for the remainder of the day, I had a workshop all day long, and it was mentally draining. (Most tend to be...lol.) But it was informative, and we'll be having one more day of training tomorrow.

Nothing much has gone on today (other than me getting home too late just so that I can do some more school-related work!) But, my intentions were to get it all done tonight so that I can hopefully have a free weekend to spend with Leigh. However, we'll see if that happens. I hope so because we can both do with a recreational weekend. I'd love to be taken to the cinema to see Nights in Rodanthe starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere. MAJOR CHICK FLICK! Either that or go bowling,fishing,etc...

Morning Serenade (sighhhh!)

Vicente Fernandez still keeps his fans amazed with his genius talent of singing the song "Para Siempre":

I just love this song!!!! I woke up to the sweet sound of this song this morning (now that I got the hang of using my iPhone alarm clock/dock station. I actually stayed in bed for the duration of the song just so that I could hear it in its entirety. I tell you one thing. Waking up to beautiful music beats the annoying blare of an alarm clock anyday!

Hearing Vicente Fernandez's voice makes me think of the nostalgic weekends (generally Saturdays) of when we'd pack up the truck (or car) to go to a drive-inn movie theatre with my family. The movies we'd watch featured artists like Vicente Fernandez (my mom's favorite singer and actor), Antonio Aguilar, Pedrito Fernandez,and many other noteworthy actors/actresses from Mexico who'd lead you into their world of innocence, hatred, love, and melancholy with the storylines. That's one of my most favorite childhood memories.

Getting Ready for Another Six Weeks Term....

Today was a day full of paperwork. We worked on perusing our lessons for the upcoming six weeks term , and we started making copies of everything we need for the next grade period. Now, all I need to do is find photos of churches, buildings, grain elevators,etc... since in Social Studies we will be examing the physical environment (both man-made and natural). Sounds like I'm going to be busy trying to accumulate all of these photos.

Here's one that caught my eye...it's located in Ireland.

Cat-in-the-Box

It's been a long day, but it's what I expected it to be. I didn't get home till after 6 p.m., and even then I hadn't completed all that I needed to do for tomorrow. I'm still lacking a few things, but hopefully I'll do so after Boston Legal. Yes, one has to draw the line somewhere..lol. Blame it on Denny Crane...haha. Anyway, I am off to watch tv but I wanted to share some pics of Theo, who can be so cute and fuzzy and then exasperating at times with his antics. He is full of love when he grows sleepy and wants cuddly comfort, yet when he is wide awake, he wreaks havoc on everyone and everything. Broken candleholders, flying potted plants, and my scattered paperwork are prime examples of his jaunts around the house. Arghhhh...lol! Never a dull moment!