It was an interesting day in the Middle East yesterday. The kids came home from school totally spooked. Son1 burst through the door, wailing “Nooooooooo! He won!” His face looked strained, worried. I wondered how much he knew about the election, and it turned out a lot more than I thought.
Son2, only eight, was jittery and hyped up– much of this rubbing off from the adults around him, of course, but he had so many questions about what had happened, his mind racing with frightening images of walls and Muslims being banned.
Eyes to the sky: Pondering a seismic political event with global implications
Kudos to the teachers, for sorting the fact from the fiction and for dealing with all the questions: But why does he want to ban Muslims? (some of the young Muslim kids were crying after an awful rumour went round that I’m not going to repeat). Why does he want to build a wall? Who voted for him? Will he ban Halloween too? (!!!)
Son1 was worried for his friend Ali, Son2 for his little friend Ibrahim. Growing up in the multicultural melting pot that is Dubai, they know people are different and that different is good.
After it all calmed down, I sat for a while and watched the big sky over our desert bubble, hoping, just hoping, that it will all work out okay, somehow. And if it doesn’t, well Son2 has the answer: “I’m going to put Donald Trump in my squashing machine!”
Never stop writing your blogs they often brighten my day, sad to read your latest one re Trump he has no idea who his remarks affect. Have a good day.
Thank you so much Pat. So happy to hear you enjoy the blog! I will definitely keep on writing – your encouragement is really motivating and inspires me to carry on. Enjoy your day xx
I spend the day watching the news instead of even trying to pretend that I’m working. I was up till 2am and then again up at 5 hoping that the numbers were wrong somehow. I work in a international school and there were chants of HILLARY pretty much right throughout the day. It’s sad that this is what we have come to.
I still can’t quite believe it! Feels like it was all a joke? Absolutely surreal!
I always knew Son#2 was a budding genius. Please let me know when he’s perfected the squasher and is seeking investors.xx
That just made me laugh out loud! Thanks for the big smile! The squasher was actually quite thought-out, with spikes and everything and details I thought I’d better not put on the blog as they were too gruesome. Trump wouldn’t stand a chance! xxx