Bahrain (part 2)

I'm pleased to report days two and three were much less eventful...thank you Jesus.

Tina and I were on our walk back to the Embassy by 9:15am, and stopped to take a few pictures of the beautiful architecture...

We turned in our cell phones and IDs again, and entered the Embassy to be greeted by a VERY full waiting room. While awaiting our turn to go to the (one and only) window, I got to chatting with some of the people there. (I can't help it...it's what I've always done. My parents used to say growing up that I'd never met a stranger...=) )
Turns out several of them had been there two+ weeks waiting for their Visa stamps. Eek. Their stamps kept getting denied for one reason or another, or they'd been simply told to "come back tomorrow" for days on end.
On a scale of one to ten my anxiety level went from about a six to about a 28.
When it was our turn, we approached the window and paid our $67.50BD and were told "thank you, come back at 1:00pm"
Ok then.
"Will that be the end of these proceedings?" Tina inquired as politely as possible... 
"Inshallah"

Inshallah is an Arabic phrase meaning "if God wills it", and I've heard it both used as an incredibly reverent offer of sacrifice and surrender of ones future to God, and used as a way to deflect from giving an actual answer...;)

With that, we had nothing left to do but go back to the hotel and worry. Luckily, we had lovely surroundings to worry in...

Hookah is very common in Middle Eastern Countries, but I think for men only. 

At 1:00pm we walked into the Embassy - this time the security at the gate did not collect our phones or IDs, I guess they realized we weren't looking to do an Expose for Dateline afterall- and were surprised and thrilled to be handed ALL our paperwork, properly stamped, and our passports back! 

That was it! We were done!

We made fools of ourselves thanking the employee profusely, and it was not lost on the both of us that we'd have been much less grateful had we been jumping through these hoops in the US. Had we been on our own turf, speaking our own language, we would have likely demanded answers and expressed annoyance. 

But when you are at the mercy of another Country, and their culture and language, you have little footing to stand on and demand they give you straight answers and then hold them to it, and having met so many people earlier that day who had traveled from Kuwait for the same reason we had, and had been there for weeks, we knew we were lucky to have completed our tasks within two days.

Off we went, back to the hotel to celebrate with a late buffet lunch and another celebratory drink =).

I headed up to our room, where my little family killed time for the afternoon. 

I was happy to find Ellen on TV...

While the kids watched a movie on the laptop...

...and stayed entertained by weighing themselves on the room's scale...

...and catching up on their correspondence with the hotel stationary...

We enjoyed some buffet at the hotel restaurant for dinner...

And before we knew it, it was time for bed again. The second night proved slightly more challenging for all four of us to sleep in one king sized bed, as we were less exhausted than the night prior.

Our flight didn't leave until 7pm that third day, so we were blessed with a day to just relax and enjoy Bahrain.

We spent a the majority of our day poolside, playing with our new friends, Melissa and her mom Visal, who had been there 12 days awaiting their Tourist Visa stamps so they could return to Kuwait. 

L took a little rest poolside...

The eating area in the hotel...

Two cheesy kiddos killing time back in the hotel room...

Later that evening we made our way to the airport, learned our flight was delayed, and played in the airport shops...

...experienced our first Pit Toilets...

...and bought some small souvenirs to remember our time in Bahrain... 

Finally it was time to board, and our obedient cherubs dutifully read their flight safety pamphlets as instructed by the flight attendant =)  

And there you have it: trip to Bahrain on the books =)

It was a strange mix of stressing and relaxing, and above all I'm so grateful my family was able to come with me, and that the college paid for everything!

I had to do the very same tests here again this week in Kuwait, but that's a post for another time. 

Hopefully (*knocks on wood*) I've completed my final tasks and can finally receive my Civil ID. It was a strange week, to be attempting to obtain this illusive Civil ID here as an expat in a foreign country, while watching our World face such a refugee crisis. I have a million words to say on such an experience, but have to make sense of them in my head and heart before I can put them on page. 

Until next time =),