PRAYER
It
only took 105 days before I got down right tired of the prayer call! If you
remember reading my initial post; day 2, 3, 4 my arrival in Doha, you will recall
how spiritually awakened I felt by the call to prayer….yeah well now it’s just
annoying rotfl (with all due respect).
The prayer call wakes me up in the morning at 4:15am (about an hour
before I actually need to get up) and then is heard four more times throughout
the day. Now don’t get me wrong I still
think there is something moving and dedicated
about people who pray five times a day religiously. Im just feeling like why does the prayer
song/call have to happen five times a day publicly….especially in the wee hours
of the morning IF every Muslim knows
that they are mandated to pray 5 times. I mean how can they forget if it is in
their religion….and why do they need a loud ass reminder that lasts about 3
minutes every single day? Im just sayin’
THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving was exceptionally challenging this year. Within the last few years, I came to the realization that I am a family person and most holidays I would rather spend with my family/friends than to do anything else. I enjoy the random arguments, the catching up on each other’s lives, recalling precious family memories, and simply loving each other for our differences. This year I skyped with my WHOLE family and it almost tricked me into feeling like I was at home. The smiling faces, the supportive phrases, and the endless jokes showed me how much I was missed…. the 40 minutes of skyping was worth it. I’m in a new country surrounded by palm trees, a different language, and no family but I decided it didn’t mean that I had to give up on tradition. Amanda and Mike made the best Thanksgiving dinner I could have asked for being away from homeJ I was surrounded by supportive people who just like me, were thankful to be alive and healthy another year.
This year I am Thankful for friends: Friends are people in our lives that never falter, leave us, or give up on us. Their mere presence in our lives can give us the much-needed boost, strength, and self-esteem to keep going. Without them, perhaps our lives will be pretty dull, boring, and uninteresting.
LIFE
Life
is not guaranteed….not a question but a statement. After facing a very unfortunate event this past
week overseas, I find myself questioning why things happen to seemingly
incident people. I realize I’m not God
and cant possibly explain how, why, or when things will happen, but it really does
make you think about the type of people who live in the world in general. This is the best quote that I could find to
sum up my feelings…..“Be grateful
for all you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you
need.”
NEXT HOLIDAY
My
Christmas trip to Sri Lanka is 20 days away!
After lots of research here are the top things to do…PLEASE feel free to
add to my list if you’ve visited before, I appreciate any and all tipsJ
1.
Surf….I
hear Sri Lanka is the beginner Surfers paradise and I intend to find out
2.
Adams Peak is Sri Lanka’s most sacred
site. I will pay homage to the first
place that Adam stepped foot on earth when he was cast down from Heaven.
3.
Ride the Train. I hear Sri
Lanka’s trains are like stepping back in time. They are said to chug slowly
along through hills and valleys. I’m excited for a slow journey through
the country.
4.
Yala National
Park. Who doesn’t want to see leopards?
5.
Ride
in a Tuk Tuk taxi and hopefully see an Elephant and Leopard
well my dear niece you are missed and i know you miss us but God is with you and you are truly an inspiration to all who love you. i love you always auntie
ReplyDeletehey dear. its always good to hear whats going on. enjoy your trip and see you soon! Dont forget....you are the wedding planner!!!! lol
ReplyDeleteIn Sri Lanka...
ReplyDelete1) Surfing - there are lots of places in the south, but I've been to Mirissa and know there are some super-nice guys down there that can teach you (and you can whale-watch from there too!). I'm pretty sure Carly took lessons there, ask her.
2) Don't know much about Adam's peak other than I think it is on (or not too far from) the train route from Kandy (HIGHLY recommended or culture) to Ella (also recommended for mountain vistas that brought tears to my eyes and tea plantations that look like they were designed by Dr. Seuss). The only thing is, there is some sort of holiday/pilgrimage around Christmas/New Year that clogs up the train system in the area pretty badly. I had a hard time getting on a train at all, but it was TOTALLY worth it.
3) The train - NOT to be missed. Best through the mountains in the interior, as described above, and there are a few seats in the first class car but I never got a straight answer on how to book them - and they go fast. I sat in the doorway of one of the cars with my feet swinging over the tracks, at times the land dropping away hundreds of feet and sweeping away to a distant waterfall shrouded by cool mist. Utterly magical. Went through something like 40 tunnels, too. You can also take the train from Colombo to Kandy when you arrive but I think it only departs in the morning, and in my experience it was nothing compared to Kandy-Ella.
4) Yala - a must-see, and it's possible to pass through there on the way to Mirissa. I can give you details if you want them, there's some neat stuff to see on the way. Elephants are practically guaranteed, as far as I know, but leopards are a little more elusive - I wasn't that lucky.
5) Finally, no worried on the tuk-tuk, they are EVERYWHERE. You will be addicted, they're much more fun than cabs.
In case you can't tell, Sri Lanka is my favorite place in the world and when I went there a year ago was the best trip of my life. I have 3 albums on FB if you want to take a look. And I'm happy to answer any other questions you may have!
Shannon