Last Weekend

Last weekend I was so excited to be invited to my neighbors Engagement Party!

You can see the tent - ready for the party!  This was set up in the small empty plot beside my building I was so excited to see it put together! When we arrived at the party music was playing and guest had begun to sit around the edge.  I was thrilled that several ladies came over to meet me and chat.  It is so fun to be at parties with friends and meet new ladies.  There was lots of food involved such as fruit, tea,  coffee and a meal of meat and rice.  Then the bride came in and sat on the platform.  Special gifts from her fiancee (clothes and gold) were shown to all the guest.  We also were given more cookies and perfume and incense was passed around the room.  Then the groom finally arrived and excitement was in the air!  Lots of family pictures and then cake.  Cause it's not a party until there is cake.

 My tour guides - these girls know everything about me and would spend every afternoon in my apartment playing games, teaching me Arabic and drinking tea.  Love them so much! (There is a third but she wasn't there when we took these pictures - sad.)

A couple days before the party I was able to go with the girls and get henna done in a salon.  These beautiful hands belong to one of my neighbors  - we got the same design done.

Did I mention how much tea and coffee I consumed in approximately 5 hours?  It was great!  This picture was snapped by one of the neighbor boys.  He is much calmer than his sisters and so I let him take my camera for a bit (I am not usually so trusting with my camera).