الراكون

Meetup.com had an interesting visit about a month ago. A woman posted on our site, saying that she ran a program hosting visiting high school students, and some of them were from Arabic countries, and had to do community service, and wanted to teach Arabic. I contacted her, on the longshot that there might be someone who could help me learn the Yemeni dialect better. Surprisingly, there was. Even more surprisingly, I learned that this exchange program has a kick-off celebration every year, and rents out space from my church!

I just came back from my first session, which was fun, and interesting. A very sweet young girl in hijab, asking me questions in Arabic, struggling through my Moroccan dialect, and reteaching me the Yemeni dialect. It was a bit...unusual. Normally, I wouldn't meet with an Arabic girl, but insist on a guy, because of the culture and religious standards. But we met with other people present, there are no Yemeni guys in the program, this is free, and I very much want to learn the Yemeni dialect.

Afterwards I joined her and her host family for f'tur, the breaking of the fast, and made my way home. It's a long ways home from West Seattle, and it appeared that the surprises had not ended for the night. As I walked 0.4 miles to the busstop, I heard a large rustling in the weeds of the drainage ditch next to me. There was this gentleman in the weeds, staring at me

intently. I carefully put my briefcase down, and pulled out my camera. He was generous enough not to move as I inched closer to him, contemplating the latest Office and the possibilities of rabies- for this guys was the size of a bull mastiff, and if he had charged, there would have been little I could do. But it was as if he were a model, posing for the shot.

After a few pictures, I thanked Brother Coon for his patience, and wended my way home.