Patience is not a Virtue

A person can only virtuous when it is a CHOICE. Being GOOD by default, -- because one is faced with a situation he is forced to handle without having frequent conniptions doesn't automatically make him GOOD or VIRTUOUS.

Of course there is the issue of nature... which I wont get into right now.

Ive had a hellish morning. I got in to a car accident last night. Ive had serious car issues this morning. All of them just a series of unfortunate events.

The traffic flow in Oman is based on roundabouts, circles if you will. It means that every intersection is a constant flow of yielding. Preventing accidents becomes a matter of the 'careful driver' I prefer traffic lights. GO AND STOP. Roundabouts carry the risk of someone reckless to take chances, and drive faster. The roundabout trusts that people are going to be cautious when entering and leaving. Sometimes, they ARE NOT.

Last night a subdued young lady driving a pearl white Lexus hit me. I cant draw the diagram of how it happened. But it happened. My VW Polo GTI is fine. Im fine. I spun in a half circle while braking. I thought that the rear end of my car was totaled. It wasn't, there are dents. and cracks on the bottom spoiler. Its a sports edition. cute car. no prob to fix. Everything that happened next is what drove me to utter impatience.

Usually, when an accident occurs and you are the driver- you GET OUT OF THE CAR and take a look, maybe start talking to the other driver, maybe start screaming, I dunno!! I just know that I felt completely exploited walking out of my car, because first. I'm a woman. second, because the other car with two women. just sat there. didn't get out at all. Either they don't know how to take charge, or they are just used to everyone taking care of things for them. I'm assuming because they are driving a 2008 Lexus- that they have maids, and drivers, and cooks. and and and.

A guy in another car stopped and started taking care of everything. This is just such a male dominated country. UAE- not as much.

My US passport saved me. It was easy to play the incoherent foreigner who knows little arabic. I couldn't understand the police men-- whom are literally kids. Bedouins. dressed in uniform like they are something special. Call me bitter!

They were nice to me. After some time explaining what happened. I got handed the phone of someone who speaks English and can tell me what to do. Welcome to Oman. you are our visitor he says. don't worry about anything. :O

I can understand and speak Arabic very fluently. Sometimes - Omanis get tricky and start speaking Swahili. Or they talk so fast in Arabic, I need to slow down and speak English.

I went to the station. The other girls in the car came, I asked if they were OK, yes. they were OK, I didn't hear their voice.- and they didn't ask me if I was OK either.

I took off this morning from work to go to the insurance company. After about 30 min of trying to explain to them that I am allowed to drive in Oman with an American license for up to three months, they just went on with the process. All the officialism here are dealt and confirmed by simple word of mouth. Not by facts. So ive learned the game and played that card.

I payed $250 bucks to the company to fix the car. Apparently its my fault. As on other occasions Ive had with the law here, Ive learned to let it go. Mashil 7al.

I left. I needed cash. went to an ATM, and lo and behold, as I'm locking the car door, the key gets stuck in the door. After an hour of security guards and dismantling my door, they got it out.

Ive had horrible luck today. As I left, I got lost and because the roads don't allow you to exit frequently, I had to drive faaar in the direction of Dubai in order to turn back around again. Silly British road construction influence.

I left my father totally innocent of all these happenings. If you had an Iraqi father- you would know why ;)


Love,
MY