http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/Inshallah.html
You need no fluency whatsoever in Arabic to discern that expression, embedded frequently in the spoken word through the Middle East. My apartment is an ongoing drama of the insh'allah factor in these parts.
First, the water in the kitchen ran a bit orange once the tap had been engaged for several minutes - most noticeable when doing dishes. The engineer didn't do much about it when I went to the trouble of demonstrating the issue and then I sent the Sales Manager to look at it, who didn't run the water long enough to see it turn orange and concluded that I was mad. Then I dragged him up again, one week later, avoiding all contact with that water source in the interim as if it was public safety protocol, and convinced him that the heating mechanism in the water heater serving the kitchen was corroded and therefore giving off that color. I then got a new one.
Fast forward a few weeks to the cold water resolution in the master bathroom (see previous post), which then turned into a steady drip on the toilet seat. Once the drip was fixed, the water started running faintly orange in the tub; the water color being ironic because the furnished apartment includes two ultrasuede couches in the most insipid shade of coral on the color wheel.
The place is owned by two Muslim brothers - one a devout follower that refuses to strike the liquor license and serve alcohol in the restaurant as he considers that revenue dirty money. I say he give it up and take the buckets of income such a provision would net and clean the bloody windows. And this, reminder to all, is considered a luxury hotel residence adjacent to the water with views to the skyline, which would be stellar, if they would wash the windows.
It's Thanksgiving in 2+ days and I am surely one of many Americans that have been putting off obtaining a liquor permit until a crisis moment; my crisis being two-fold with the travails of the apartment and the bottle of Pinot Noir I need to make my world famous cranberry sauce for Thursday. I expect an hour-long line out the door in addressing this urgent matter of personal administration and haven't yet checked to see if they sell cranberries in the Middle East. Insh'allah.
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