A few weeks ago, we had a sand storm that lasted for days. The situation made me claustrophobic. The sand was closing in — making it hard to see, drive and breathe. I felt panicky enough to take a tiny dose of Xanax, a medication I no longer seem to need on airplanes. (Though that may…

It’s 10:10 p.m. and I’m wide awake. What could possibly keep me up passed my regularly scheduled bedtime of 8:30 p.m.? Only one thing. A swimming pool. Tonight, I had the great joy of coaching a dozen female students from Khalifa University — although I had not anticipated joy being part of the equation. Actually,…

March 21 is Mother’s Day in the Middle East! And 11 years ago today I became a mother to David Beauregard Nicholls. It was the first day of Spring, yet it was snowing in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The doctor delivering him was born in the Philippines, just like me. After David’s lunch party today, all the…