Ali Bahar
(1960-2011) was a Bahraini musician who rose to fame in the 90's with his band
Al Ekhwa (The Brothers), arguably the most
famous Bahrain has produced. He was called the Bob Marley of the Gulf and also
the ambassador of Bahraini music. He died at a tragically young age, but his
music lives on here. Listen to one of his pieces while you read -
Arrival. Adjustments. Attraction.
When we look back on anything - any relationship, the current state of it feels perpetual, but that's often incorrect, we are experts at cherry picking stuff to suit us. At least I am, shouldn't really be speaking for anyone else. Looking back at 20 years in the MENA, I can't seem to remember a time I was not interested in Arab culture. But of course that's rubbish. It takes time to fall under a spell, whether a person, a land or a culture, barring a few rare cases of love at first sight...
The
first couple of years in Bahrain were spent being somewhat clingy – rereading old
books and working out how to keep cultural headspaces intact in this avalanche
of new experiences. Of a totally different language being added to my
environment. Adjusting to traffic on the right, to a sky that hardly ever
rained, to being a trailing spouse - which was the biggest lifestyle change of all. My childhood shot at being a trailing
daughter stood me in good stead. No panic attacks, lots of cable TV, coffee, piles of books and long
letters home - telephone calls were way too expensive if I converted the
currency.
