Because of this, schools and work have shorter days, and little gets done. We look forward to experiencing Ramadan and celebrating the feasts afterward. One Kuwaiti family has already made us promise that we will celebrate at their house on the most important day of the eid. Although many people here speak English, we have been learning Arabic, which is a rich but difficult language. Even knowing a small amount is greatly appreciated in our daily interactions.
Social life is very important here, and hospitality is highly prized.
I have had the chance to visit several diwaniyyas, which are male social gatherings where friends gather to talk and drink tea and Arabic coffee. My wife, Diane, has had the chance to develop friendships with Kuwaiti women, some of whose faces I will never see, since they wear facial veils in the presence of men.