Exam technique

Poor Olivia is exhausted. She has been sitting SATs tests all week. It all seems a bit harsh for six year olds.

As a concerned and interested parent, I passed on a few pearls of exam technique wisdom to her.  "Make sure you read the questions" I cautioned. "Don't rush. And try to answer everything. If there is no answer, they can't give you a mark."

Olivia has clearly taken this advice to heart. Yesterday was the English comprehension assessment and she could answer all but one question. 

"But," she told me proudly,"I didn't leave it blank."

"Well done!" I said. "You took a guess then?"

"No," she replied. "I wrote: I am sorry, I just do not know the answer."

Camels

The King of Bahrain has a hobby - camel breeding. He keeps the camels on a farm near the girls' school. He currently has over 400. As we had a friend in town over the weekend, we went to visit them.

According to Olivia, camels:

1. Smell.

2. Have bad teeth.

3. Are really grumpy.

She was persuaded to pat this week old baby though.

More Enid

This is Enid.

She is definitely a she and is about 5 weeks old.

She is eating well and being loved to death by both the girls.

Beware of overspending......

A Saudi judge has told a seminar on domestic violence that it is OK for a man to slap his wife for lavish spending. 

According to the judge, if a wife buys an expensive abaya with money given to her by her husband and if the husband smacks her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment.

I knew there was a reason I don't show Ian the credit card bills. 

Divine intervention and Enid

We spent Friday afternoon at the Yacht Club where the girls collected crabs in a bucket and then begged to be allowed to take them home as pets.

They were persuaded to return them to the sea, but the whole pet debate was reignited as a result - my stance has always been that we travel too much to have a pet. Truth be told, I'm just not that much of an animal lover.

Isabelle spent the journey home wishing, wishing, wishing for a dog. Olivia wanted a cat, dog, hamster - anything which could be negotiated really.

On our return home, a moment of divine intervention. A little black bundle of fur shot into the garage, mieowed loudly and refused to leave.

And so Enid (after Ms Blyton) came into our lives. At least we think she's a she. If not, Olivia has chosen the name Bernard (?!)

She's off to the vet tomorrow for a once over and gender confirmation.

Alcohol ban

Tuesday was a bad day for boozers.

The Kingdom's MPs have voted unanimously in favour of a proposed blanket ban on alcohol. Under the proposal, bars and restaurants will be banned from serving alcohol. Hotel guests may only be served alcohol in their rooms.

We will still be allowed to drink at home, but will only be able to buy booze from specially licensed home delivery companies.

Hotel and restaurant owners are in uproar. The Adliya area, where we live, houses many of the Kingdom's top restaurants and has recently undergone a massive facelift. It'll all be a complete waste of money if no-one uses the restaurants any more.

Nearly a quarter of the country's working population is apparently employed in the hospitality industry, so the ban, if imposed, will have massive repurcussions. Foreign investment will also be affected with what many now see as as the increasing "Islamicism" of the country.

One leading Bahraini businessman was quoted as saying that although Bahrain was an Islamic country, it was also part of the global village and should not impose Islamic views on all. "It's all about mutual respect", he said.

The MPs have other ideas. According to them , alcohol is fuelling the vice trade and turning the whole country into a brothel. A quote from one of them: "We will accept failure in the economy if alcohol is banned..."

They may have to.

The proposal must now go to the Cabinet, which has the power to reject it. It remains to be seen whether or not they will.

In the meantime, I'm off for a glass of vino ...........CHEERS!

Chastity Saudi style

Saudi Arabia's top cleric has called on Saudi girls to remain chaste in the face of liberals who want to westernise Saudi lifestyles.

"They want her to be unveiled, moving about and travelling on her own, getting involved in relationships with whoever she wants and calling whoever she wants to start up friendships with whoever she wants" the Grand Mufti was quoted as saying.

Anyone interested in an account of how young women in Saudi manage to get over such repressive restrictions should pick up a copy of the novel "Girls of Riyadh" by Rajaa Alsanea. It's certainly an illuminating read.