This was the COLDEST day I have ever seen in my life. I woke up at 7 am and I had lots of things to plan. I wanted to buy a bus/train subscription, look for a mosque to pray the Friday prayer and go to the Office of the Registrar because it was the last work day before I started my clerkship in Monday. The problem: MSNBC Weather's website said that it was -11C and felt like -22C. -22 Celsius!!! Our freezer back at home is not that good.
So, I took a leap of faith and went outside, and man, it was cold. You felt like your clothes had needles in them. I think that I have fried my anterior spinothalamic tracts from the huge influx of pain impulses. I walked with my back arched and my hands inside my gloves inside my coat pockets and my head tucked into my coat collar as deep as possible. It was like a 2-footed tortoise walking. When I was walking, I discovered the ultimate truth about Google Maps, which is a thing that I can confirm is true: not everything they say is true. It's not intentional, but some businesses close and this doesn't get updated on the map. So, I walked trying to look for one of 2 cashier/money wire transfer offices that also sold tickets for the bus. I couldn't find either from the get go. One was no where to be found, and the other had a different building number. But in the end, I was successful, thank God.
Next, I used the notes I wrote in my quest list, err, I mean my notebook and took the bus trying to reach the mosque. The bus was something to behold. There were 2 varieties of buses, a regular one and an extra long one. I, ultimately, tried both, but for my first time, I rode a regular one. This one had 2 doors. People could leave the bus from any door but you should only get on from the front door. There was no conductor. Next to the driver, there was a machine that had a slot for magnetized tickets (weekly or monthly tickets, like mine), a scanner for CharlieCards (prepaid cards that you can add money to) and a slot to add either $1 bills or 25 cents coins. And that's it. Everyone was polite and no one skipped this electronic conductor.
Now, here was the thing: the bus only stopped in bus stops. There was no "on your right, Yasta". The bus has GPS and you get both a written notification on screens in the bus (one in front and one in the back, along with 3 other screens on the exterior that show the number of the bus and its pathway) and a computerized voice. Should you want to get down on the next stop, you should press on large yellow tapes that were strategically located throughout the bus and this would be notified with a "stop requested" written and spoken through the speakers. Not only that, but the computerized voice was also responsible for some ads and some notifications, like "Report any suspicious behaviour or unattended bags to the driver." 1984-style.
I went down after a while and lost my way. Finally, I reached a small zawya after asking a nice old lady in the street. The person in charge there directed me to the large mosque in the area. He was from Panama and spoke very little Arabic. I followed his direction and went to the large mosque. It was really huge. Inside, it was like a regular building with a dedicated part that resembles the mosques we all know. I mean, the entrance had an office, a cafe, etc. There was a notice on the door regarding shoe policy inside. It stated that in certain places inside you must take off your shoes. Inside, there was a nice ablation section that was separate for both men and women. They had hot water! The first and only mosque I have seen that had this. And not only that, they had paper napkins to dry yourself afterward.
The praying area is not that large. I noticed upper floors, but I didn't see anyone praying in them. I arrived at 11.45 am and according to an electronic board they had (Courtesy of Kuwait) the Zuhr prayer was at noon. But they didn't start until 1 pm. I asked after the prayers and I was told that they start the Friday prayer at this time regardless of the season to make it constant. Smart thing, but I would have liked it to be at noon, so as to coincide with the lunch break here. The imam was from Egypt. I knew it from his accent in both Arabic and English. I was always curious about how non-Arab Muslims (80% of Muslims) give the Friday sermon. He used both Arabic and English with a great ability. I think he had an Azhar education. You can always tell! The sermon was great too, one of the best I have heard in a long time. Man, I need to change the mosque I pray in, I almost memorized what the imam had to say.
Afterward I started the great tour... I managed to get on a bus and asked the driver, Egyptian-style, if he passed by Brigham and Women's Hospital (from now on, I will refer to it as they do here, Brigham). And he said that he did. I went into uncharted territories. I wanted to take pictures, but the cold was unbearable. From my research on Google Maps, I knew that Harvard Medical School was a street or two behind. But, as you can expect, I was lost. I asked around until I managed to go to the building, only to discover that I got the wrong entrance and the correct one was a street behind. The view of the main building was incredible. And this is a fact that I have noticed in most buildings here. Building here have a character in them. They are not just made of expensive marble or glass, they are designed uniquely, and at the same time have a similar thing that links it with other buildings of the same institution or the neighbourhood. At the registrar's office, I got my confirmation letter in letterhead.
Afterwards, I wanted to do something. I wanted to visit the local RadioShack to change the phone I bought earlier. I used info from Google Maps. And this time, I totally lost my way. I mean, after some time, I had no more orientation with where I was. I stopped and asked someone in the street. While we were talking, he looked behind me and told me that someone was calling for me. The first thing that I thought of was "WHAT?". I mean, I don't know anyone here. It was a car that was honking its horn to me. And guess who that was. Well, there is only one guy who can be the driver. It was John! He was heading to buy some groceries from a shop called Trader Joe's which was like Sainsbury's when it was operational in Egypt. I mean, what was the possibility of that happening! Not only did I get a free ride (and I dare to say, a medevac! I was freezing), I actually went with to the shop and bought some groceries for myself. Inside the shop, it was like wonderland! Most of the stuff sold there I had no idea what it was!!! So, I asked for his help and told him what I wanted and we got it together.
During the long walk in the freezer, I had a Snickers bar in my pocket that actually froze. My camera was stone cold. The tears in my eye from the wind froze on my eyelashes! And in this arctic circle, there were some volunteers from Amnesty International standing in the cold asking people for donations to end violence against women. Later on, I met similar volunteers from other organizations. They are volunteers: they are not getting paid. The get credit for it though. And this kind of credit is needed for colleges and schools here. People are encouraged to volunteer for any kind of social work here.
I went home afterwards, after I had known what cold really meant...
The praying area is not that large. I noticed upper floors, but I didn't see anyone praying in them. I arrived at 11.45 am and according to an electronic board they had (Courtesy of Kuwait) the Zuhr prayer was at noon. But they didn't start until 1 pm. I asked after the prayers and I was told that they start the Friday prayer at this time regardless of the season to make it constant. Smart thing, but I would have liked it to be at noon, so as to coincide with the lunch break here. The imam was from Egypt. I knew it from his accent in both Arabic and English. I was always curious about how non-Arab Muslims (80% of Muslims) give the Friday sermon. He used both Arabic and English with a great ability. I think he had an Azhar education. You can always tell! The sermon was great too, one of the best I have heard in a long time. Man, I need to change the mosque I pray in, I almost memorized what the imam had to say.
Afterward I started the great tour... I managed to get on a bus and asked the driver, Egyptian-style, if he passed by Brigham and Women's Hospital (from now on, I will refer to it as they do here, Brigham). And he said that he did. I went into uncharted territories. I wanted to take pictures, but the cold was unbearable. From my research on Google Maps, I knew that Harvard Medical School was a street or two behind. But, as you can expect, I was lost. I asked around until I managed to go to the building, only to discover that I got the wrong entrance and the correct one was a street behind. The view of the main building was incredible. And this is a fact that I have noticed in most buildings here. Building here have a character in them. They are not just made of expensive marble or glass, they are designed uniquely, and at the same time have a similar thing that links it with other buildings of the same institution or the neighbourhood. At the registrar's office, I got my confirmation letter in letterhead.
Afterwards, I wanted to do something. I wanted to visit the local RadioShack to change the phone I bought earlier. I used info from Google Maps. And this time, I totally lost my way. I mean, after some time, I had no more orientation with where I was. I stopped and asked someone in the street. While we were talking, he looked behind me and told me that someone was calling for me. The first thing that I thought of was "WHAT?". I mean, I don't know anyone here. It was a car that was honking its horn to me. And guess who that was. Well, there is only one guy who can be the driver. It was John! He was heading to buy some groceries from a shop called Trader Joe's which was like Sainsbury's when it was operational in Egypt. I mean, what was the possibility of that happening! Not only did I get a free ride (and I dare to say, a medevac! I was freezing), I actually went with to the shop and bought some groceries for myself. Inside the shop, it was like wonderland! Most of the stuff sold there I had no idea what it was!!! So, I asked for his help and told him what I wanted and we got it together.
During the long walk in the freezer, I had a Snickers bar in my pocket that actually froze. My camera was stone cold. The tears in my eye from the wind froze on my eyelashes! And in this arctic circle, there were some volunteers from Amnesty International standing in the cold asking people for donations to end violence against women. Later on, I met similar volunteers from other organizations. They are volunteers: they are not getting paid. The get credit for it though. And this kind of credit is needed for colleges and schools here. People are encouraged to volunteer for any kind of social work here.
I went home afterwards, after I had known what cold really meant...
1 comment:
Wow. this post has been long overdue. but none the less great to read your adventures. looking forward to your return soon isa.
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