Arrival in Sana'a

Just a quick note:

After a miserable last two days in Oman--not wanting to leave, feeling rushed and stressed and overwhelmed but most of all sad--I left Muscat yesterday morning, Dec. 13. As there are no direct flights to Yemen, despite their shared border, my flight transferred in Bahrain. A group of Saudi women on their way to a pilgrimage site in Iran struck up a conversation with me, half in Arabic, half English. They gave me food, helped me with Arabic, and took my picture, explaining that as an American I could not take pictures of them.
Then the flight to Sana'a...where I met my wonderful Arabic teacher Sultan and his wife Samira and their two little boys in the customs line. We knew that we might cross paths as they continued on to Samira's family in Aden; seeing them helped me feel at home.

Because Yemen is nothing like Oman. I have heard them described, in comparison to each other, as "macho" and "queer": just coming into the airport terminal, people immediately seemed more assertive, less genteel...I should stop making generalizations, but the change was abrupt.
And Yemen itself looks and feels completely different from the moneyed Gulf states of the GCC...as a city it reminds me a bit of Sarajevo, although much more beautiful. the architecture is amazing...
I hopefully will have time fo rmore of this later, but to finish:
Was picked up at the airport by a Yemeni driver and American Matthew from the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies, where I am staying.
Matt gave me a brief summary of the College, life in Sana'a, and told me he would help me connect with potential NGO's for the Fulbright proposal, (which i won't hear about until April).
We then went directly to a qat chew with a few people connected to the college, two Yemenis, and fortunately for me, this year's Fulbright scholars. (qat is the leaf that bulges the cheek of countless Yemeni men, women and foreginers. A qat chew is sitting around together chewing it, drinking water or something sweet, as it's a bit bitter, and talking. It felt like sharing a festive meal, but with little prep or cleanup). Qat itself didn't seem to have much affect on me, (it is classified as a "mild stimulant" though of course the US government calls it a narcotic), but had a great time talking with everyone.
Today was invited on a trip outside of Sana'a led by the College.
More later, and pictures, insha'allah. (Sana'a is tied with Istanbul as the most beautiful city i have ever seen.)