After leaving Thailand we headed to Jordan on Kuwait Airways, along with the Kuwait men's ice hockey team.... yep, ice hockey.... who knew? Our first step in the Middle East was on the tarmac of the Kuwait Airport where we stopped for a short layover. It was evident we were no longer in the lush tropics of Southeast Asia as shades of brown stretched across the horizon.
Inside the airport, I realized my ignorance of the culture. Smile or don't smile? Eye contact isn't appropriate here, right? Who can I talk to? Men in long white robes and matching head scarves swelled the crowd while women floated in and out wearing western clothes or floor-length black robes. Although their presence was expected, I felt compelled to stare and drink in the new culture until it became second nature to me. But, I figured staring is inappropriate in any culture and I'd rather not make a poor first impression so I reduced my curious staring to covert glances.
Traditional Arab dress
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