accidental yemeni bride

Tonight was, undoubtedly, the strangest night I've had so far in Yemen. It actually started with the night before, when the neighbors invited us to their house for dinner, or so Nate thought. 6:00 rolled around, and as we were preparing to head out, they showed up at our home with plates of food: fenugreek salta (with kidney??), samboukas, boiled potatoes, bread, Yemeni coffee, and juice. The meal was delicious.

After dinner, around 9:00, it was then determined, we were to head to their house to hang out. Their son came to get us, promptly at 9:00, but as the three of us began the walk to their home (just around the corner from our apartment), the son informed us that Nate was not invited. So alone, with my limited Arabic, I went to spend the evening with a group of strangers. I arrived at the house and was escorted to a small room on the 4th floor, filled with a large mattress, armoire, t.v, three adult women, and several small children. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries the ladies set into what was to be the main topic of our evening: babies. Did I have babies? Did I have a baby inside of me? When was I going to have babies? How many babies did I want to have? Deciding that perhaps if I was made up like a Yemeni bride Nate would be more likely to "give me a baby," the ladies set in with makeup. Lots of makeup. Turquoise eyeshadow, several shades of eyeliner, large circles of fuscia blush, coral lipstick, and a fake mole. Happy with the makeup, the ladies then began to dress me. Out came colorful scarves and bridal jewelry (beaded headwrap and necklaces). Once dressed, they began the henna, covering the entirety of both arms, and another faux mole on my face (which, mind you, I'm told takes at least 2 weeks to fade. Awesome.) All dolled up, the ladies continued to press me about babies, and then religion. Was I Muslim or Christian? Christian, I told them. This response was satisfactory to the ladies, although they then requested that I demonstrate for them how I pray. My mind raced back to Catholic High School and the order of crossing yourself (up, down, left, right?). In addition to the makeup, the night also included qat (the mildly narcotic leaf chewed socially here). I'm not a big fan. It didn't induce any sort of fun, hazy state, and it tastes just horrible (really bitter). You're not supposed to swallow it, either, but the ladies forced me to drink an endless cup of tea, and I found it impossible to not swallow the qat with the tea. I'm sure my stomach will love me tomorrow! Some 3 1/2 hours later (now past midnight), I finally announced that I had to return home to sleep. And so my night came to and end, and I sit here with arms that itch like poison ivy (I've heard the black henna, which I have, often causes severe skin reactions), and makeup that will not seem to come off no matter how much I make Nate scrub at my face (I can't get my hands wet or else the henna will smear and cause even more of a semi-permanent disaster).