5 months in Aden = 4.5 months too long in Aden

Yesterday was my five-month anniversary in good ‘ol yems, making it practically the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place. I’m getting antsy. I’m in a new stage- One which is not nearly as exciting- it has become very real that I’m here for a long time. I figured about a month in or so I’d have a break down, some nice culture shock, some deep homesickness. But its been five and I haven’t broken down so much as become weary. Weary of the weather, the location, the job- there’s really just not a lot going on here. And by “not a lot” I actually mean nothing at all. There are no sports, no bars, no coffee shops, no cinemas, no parks, no social hang outs, no stadiums, no amusement parks, no clubs, no gyms, no libraries, no place for young people, its socially stifling. Shisha and qat are the main activities. How healthy, nicotine and narcotics. Once again, well done Yemen. The problem for me is location. Aden is a total waste of a town. The economic capital of Yemen, and the center of action in the South, Aden’s unique history gives it quite a singular spot in Yemen. Formerly a communist holding, and then occupied for years and years by the British, Aden is now a past-its-prime port town meshing the worst of the Middle east with the worst of middle America. It’s a poor, volatile, dissenting city with a truly terrible climate. Also, there is no native culture or architecture or tradition, the towns are overrun with an influx of cheap, Chinese goods, and western imitation products. Sanitation and garbage disposal is sorely lacking, there is an extreme refugee problem, and recycling and resource conservation is an utterly foreign concept. Which is not surprising I guess in a place that uses more than 70% of its yearly water resources on the cultivation of qat.
Now that all sounds rather harsh- it’s not Yemen that’s the problem (though certainly riddled with imperfections) it’s this town that I have issue with. I distinctly remember towards the end of my first week here realizing with a sinking feeling that I had, in three days, just done and seen every single activity that Aden had to offer.
I find the people here to be completely fantastic- I love my colleagues ( I prefer to call them colleagues as opposed to coworkers, I just think it sounds so much more professional!) my boss, my students, my friends. Everyone is warm and welcoming and encouraging and the sense of hospitality and generosity found here is unparalleled. But this isn’t enough to make up for the complete and total lack of an outlet for my pent up energy and suppressed personality.
In order to mesh with social norms I dress, talk, and act in a different manner than my personality reflects- which is an exhausting charade to uphold. I find myself spending more and more time in my apartment enjoying my solitude and air conditioning and getting exactly nothing out of being here in Yemen. I could maintain the exact same routine in any town back home. I’m very much hoping for a transfer soon- in the next month or two- I’ve bummed around other parts of Yemen, stunningly beautiful which is a necessary component to my overall quality of life and feelings of well being.