Nice Wicked Witches

"They're creepy and they're kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They're all together ooky" - Theme Song

One of the things that has taken some getting used to while living over here in the United Arab Emirates is the different holidays.  It is nice to get some time off of work for holidays that you have never heard of or do not understand. But, on the flip side, it can disappointing to have to go to work on American holidays that we are used to having free.  Last year I worked on Thanksgiving.  We lucked out because Christmas was on a Saturday, but I had to work on the 26th (my birthday).  I will be working this year on Thanksgiving day also.

It means some adjustments.  Some of those can be fun and interesting as we learn about and celebrate different holidays.  At the same time, we try and do what we can to celebrate the American holidays too.

Halloween is not a holiday here, but fortunately, there is a large expat community.  Right up the road from where I work is the American University of Sharjah.  They have a large campus that includes housing for their faculty.  We have several friends that work there and were kind enough to invite us to join them for trick-or-treating on their campus.  Not all the faculty are Americans, but many are.  So, they have devised a system where those who welcome trick-or-treaters place decorations on their door so that all the little ghouls know where to go.

We had a lot of fun.  Our kids have been excited about Halloween for weeks and decided long ago that they wanted to be a family of witches.  I had to chuckle a little bit that the girls biggest desire was to dress up basically like most of the local women here do everyday (see here).  I guess, when in Rome.... errr.... celebrate your own holiday dressed like the Romans :).

I should mention that our girls would want to clarify that they are not "mean" or "bad" wicked witches, but that they are "nice wicked witches"... again, I have to chuckle that they do not say "good witches".  Funny kids