Ok so I left last night on time from Edmonton just past midnight. The flight to Toronto was great as I was blessed to be sitting next to a Christian couple from Newfoundland who prayed with me for my journey. What a blessing! I was able to meet my parents in the Toronto airport for an hour before boarding the flight to London. The plane was mostly empty (AMEN!) and I was able to spread out and get some sleep which is helping me stay awake now since I am officially one day ahead now finally in Bahrain. I am pleased to say that I will hopefully only experience a flight like that from Heathrow to Bahrain once more in my life as it was not overly pleasant. I have to say that the culture started to hit as soon as I was in line to board the plane (if you can call it a line, it was more like mass chaos). I quickly realized how much of a minority I was, and how much personal space was no longer something that was regarded as necessary. Even as I sit here right now and I have my violin on the seat next to me, I have been getting several people staring at me with the "how dare you not have your head covered and take up an extra seat for your violin" - look. (if that is even a look you can depict). Generally speaking though people keep to themselves, and no one has approached me. Although I am constantly stared at, especially by the men, since 99% of the women here are completely and totally covered, head to toe, not even the eyes showing. They are draped in black, and it is hard to believe that the culture is so present here when this is an International airport. I think I have seen about 1 or 2 other women "like me" so that is a shocker. I have a few pictures but nothing grand. I feel awkward taking pictures since I already stand out so much as someone who doesn't "belong."

I received an email from my contact at the school and it looks like she will be there to meet me. Her exact words were a bit funny too "I will be the only other short white girl." It's not meant in a racist way at all, but more of a reality over here.

I am looking forward to getting some more cultural dresses, since I find the more colorful ones to be quite pretty. I have been told that in Dhaka the women do not wear the head dresses but are rather dressed mainly in sari's (not sure how to spell).

I will update again when I get there, Lord willing there will be some free internet signals around my apartment. I am looking forward to unpacking, and possibly boiling some water to drink.

I miss you all, it is very lonely traveling by yourself. Many times you want to lean over and say "hey did you see that?" to someone, only to realize that you are left quietly to your thoughts, hoping to jot them down at some point, and hoping even further that someone back in Canada will care to read them. I figure if I am noticing this now that it will only become more evident as time goes on. Perhaps the busy-ness of a new job will kick in.

Talk to you all soon, please feel free to email or comment, I can read them and hopefully respond when I have a chance. Of course, letters are welcome.