Australia Part 1

I arrived in Melbourne as a weary traveler on Thursday December 22 at around 11:00 am.  I made it through customs despite the fact that I didn't have Natalie's address.  The dog didn't find any contraband items in my luggage so I was able to walk through quite quickly.  I met Sean, Nicole's husband, at the exit of customs and walked to the car.  Once at the car I instinctivally walked to the right of the car to get in the passenger's side only to be told from Sean that I need to get in on the other side unless I wanted to drive.  I definitely did not want to drive so I switched to the left, passenger side in Australia, and got in.  The drive to their house wasn't bad, only about 1/2 an hour.  As soon as I got there I took a shower.  I felt super slimy and disgusting.  After the shower came a good tooth brushing.  Once I felt better I took a quick nap, about 1 hour, before the girls got home from school.  Then it was time to meet the family.  Natalie lives with her daughter, Nicole, son-in-law, Sean, and two granddaughters, Ashleigh (9) and Caitlyn (8).  When Natalie came home from work we went shopping for a bit but I didn't last all that long and was in bed by 8:00.  I was exhausted after my 16 hour flight.

Friday 12/23

being processed at the
Old Watch House

After getting about 12 hours sleep we - Natalie, Ashleigh, Caitlyn, and I - headed into the city for a day of sight seeing.  We went to the Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail) and I learned a lot about Ned Kelly.  He is the Asutralian version of Robin Hood.  The jail was pretty interesting as they had death masks of many of the prisoners and the acutal gallows that were used to hang Ned Kelly.  After the jail we walked down the road to the Old Watch House and had a tour of that.  The tour was run as if we were prisoners being processed.  It was neat.  We were treated as they would have treated prisoners before they closed in 1984.  We were processed and sent to a cell where they turned off all the lights and it was pitch black.  Just a little bit of light was filtering in through the crack between the floor and the door.  Ashleigh and Caitlyn were the hit of the tour as the Sargeant really liked them and used them in various demonstrations.  It was a nice bit of Australian history.

flying cow

After the tour of the Jail and the Watch House we went to the Docklands and had a nice lunch and walk on the pier.  It was nice to be near water!  I miss it living in Al Ain.  At the Docklands I saw the flying cow, one of Melbourne's random art pieces.  We walked around for a bit and then headed home.  It was getting hot and near dinner time and I think I was still recovering from a bit of jetlag.

Friday night at the house is take out fish 'n chips night.  So we had a
nice meal of somewhat soggy take out fish 'n chips and then I was in bed.

Christmas Eve Saturday 12/24

Saturday morning was a pretty quiet morning.  Natalie had some last minute shopping and wrapping to do so I got some laundry done.  After I had the laundry started, Sean, the kids, and I went for a walk in the park by their house to look for kangaroos.  I actually saw some out in the field, but they were too far away to get a good picture.  Sean suggested that we walk closer, but I was wearing sandals and the grass was wet and long and I didn't want to walk through it.  Plus I had been warned about there being snakes in the park and I didn't want to come across one of those in sandals.  So I just watched them for a bit and then we continued our walk. 

In the afternoon there was a block party followed by a billy cart race.  What's a billy cart race you ask?  It's a soap box derby.  All the neighborhood kids had made a billy cart and they were going to race down the hill.  Thing is the parents were a bit worrked about their children's safety so all the dads rode the billy carts down the hill.  It was hillarious!  Grown men climbing on a billy cart/soap box car and "speeding" down the hill!  A couple of carts got ruined and 2 of the dads, Sean included, picked up their cart and ran to the finish line!  Trophies were awarded and Santa arrived to give presents to the kids and then we had dinner.  We stayed at the party for a while and then headed home to watch Carols by Candelight.

Evidently this is a tradition in this neighborhood.  Well not the billy cart race but the block party.  They, meaning Australians, don't celebrate too much on Christmas Eve like we do. 

Christmas Day Sunday 12/25

Christmas in the summer is just odd!  It's not warm like in Florida it's sunny and hot.  Just different.  Natalie had planned to take me to church for a 9:00 service so I was up and ready to go by 8:00.  The girls were ready as well, ready to open their presents.  They were told that they couldn't come out of their rooms until 8:00.  They waited very patiently and then they had to wait some more because Natalie and I left for church.  They were allowed to open one present before we left.  So we get to church and there's a big sign by the door that says Sunday services 10:00 am.  There were only 2 cars in the parking lot so we figured that the service wasn't until 10:00 even though Natalie checked online and it said 9:00, so we left.  We got back and the girls opened a couple more presents and I tried to Skype with Mark and the rest of the family for their big Christmas Eve dinner and present opening time.  They didn't answer:(  Oh well, I knew they were home and I was planning on trying again when we got back from church.  We left about 9:30 and get to the church and there are a bunch of cars there.  Good sign.  I walk in and the service is already in progress!  What?  I thought it didn't start until 10:00.  So I come back out and see a blue poster that says Christmas Eve Service 9:00 am!!  Where was that when we went the first time?!  Where were all the cars the first time?  All of that to say that I didn't end up going to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas.  Quite disappointing.  We get back home a little after 10:00 and I try Skype again and was successfull.  It was great to see my family!  Unfortunately they had finished opening presents so I didn't get to see any of the excitement like I did last year.  Mason was quite talkative about some toy that he got and Alexa was busy having a tea party with Brenna.  It was just good to see the family on Christmas Day.

After I finished Skyping, the girls opened the rest of their presents and Nicole got ready for Christmas dinner.  Natalie's parents, sister, and nieces came over around 3 for lunch and more presents for the girls.  We had a very fancy dinner with appetizers followed by salad and then the entree which was turkey or ham. 

I was able to have a nice family Christmas and that made it easier to be away from my family on Christmas.

After dinner Natalie and I were going to head to Lygon Street (where the guy I was sitting next to on the plane told me I had to go for the best pizza and coffee) for pizza, coffee, and a movie.   Before we went to Lygon Street we had to stop at Natalie's parents to drop off some trash.  On the way there it started pouring and we decided that we didn't need to be walking in that kind of weather so we were going to throw the trash away and then head home for a nice evening at home.  Thing is when we got there we immediately had to take cover under one of the covered parking areas because it started hailing.  The hailstorm lasted a good 5-10 minutes and covered the ground in white and ruined many cars and houses.  Thankfully Nicole and Sean's house was fine, but their cars are a bit dented.  Melbourne doesn't typically get weather like this so this will definitely be a Christmas to remember.  This will be a Christmas for me to remember as well, because not only was in Australia I was there for a "white" Christmas!!

More to come later.

Dubai and Australia Departure and Arrival

Thursday, December 15th, at school, was yet another day before a holiday.  And that meant that no, or very few, kids showed up.  There were enough students to make one class of each grade level and they assigned the teachers to one period.  I got to "babysit" period 5 so I worked got a lot done during the day.  I got my cleaning and organizing done along with finally finishing my mapping and grading.  I also had time to socialize and have fun.  Period 5 arrived and I went to get the kids from the room and took them to my room.  They were settled on the carpet getting ready to play the games when Alanoud says "go home."  I wasn't sure so I sent her to go find out and sure enough it was time to go home!  Yeah!  No "babysitting" for me!  The girls left around 12:00 and I got to leave at 1:00.  That was great news!  I left school and got some errands done and got home just a little after I normally do.  It was nice.

I still had a lot to do before I left for Dubai and then Australia so I got busy with laundry and cleaning.  When I was in Dubai a few weekends ago I found this super cool mop!  I know mop and super cool shouldn't go in the same sentence but just wait.  It's like a Swiffer, only better because the pads are washable instead of disposable.  So I can mop now!!!  Exciting stuff!  Really it is, maybe I won't have to have Safeer come clean anymore?!  I got the apartment cleaned, finished laundry, and finished packing and I was on my way by 7:30.  A little later than I wanted, but it got me there before 10:00 so that was fine. 

Final product!

Saturday Cindy and I worked on cookies for the cookie exchange.  We made the candy cane cookies and cut out cookies.  Two very time consuming cookies to make.  But, she did help figure out how to make the candy cane cookies.  Even though they turned out very good, I still like mom's better.  These are too soft and mom's are nice and crunchy but not burned.  Yummy!  The neighbor kids, Aisha and Hamdan, came over to help make the cut out cookies.  I must admit they did a fairly good job.  That is until Hamdan threw a bunch of frosting at Aisha!  I missed that as I was Skyping with my family.  Anyway we got the 2 hardest cookies done and Sarah finished on Sunday.

So the cookie exchange.  How do I explain this?  It turned out to be a mess.  The problem was Khulood, Cindy's neighbor, wanted to have a birthday party for the kids the same day so the party was combined with the cookie exchanged.  Well, that was the thought anyway.  What actually happened was the birthday party kind of took over.  Arabic birthday parties are something else.  Loud music, adults dancing, kids running around, poppers, tons of food, and gifts (real gifts) for everyone.  It was completely chaotic.  After cake was served Sarah suggested that we move the cookie exchange back to their house and we finally got around to doing that.  Once there things settled down and we talked and had cookies.  Lots of cookies were made; some from Germany, England, UAE, and Scotland.  It was nice!  I am glad that the cookie exchange was brought back to the house because I don't think it would have went over in the party hall.

On Tuesday we went to the Dubai Mall to see the Dubai Fountain.  Although I have seen this many times during the day I had yet to see it at night when it is much better.  Craig decided to fix that and we spent the evening at the mall.  I got to see the show 2 times and it was different each time.  It was pretty cool.  I guess just like any other dancing fountain that you may have seen, other than the fact that the water goes pretty high.  I thought that they colored the water, but I didn't see any of that.  I did enjoy the show and am looking forward to taking my parents and Amy when they come in March.

Wednesday was departure day.  The Wilson's live close to the airport so I didn't have to leave that early.  I got to the airport around 7:30 for my 9:30 flight.  Enough time to eat breakfast and relax for a bit.  Actually enough time to eat breakfast and walk around because I didn't want to sit any longer than I had to.  Unfortunately there were no exit row seats available, but I did get an aisle seat.  Small consolation I guess.  The flight was fine, once we took off.  We were delayed because there was a sick person on board and the medics were called on.  Not sure what they did because the medics didn't leave with anyone so I am assuming that the sick person got better?  Our late departure out of Dubai meant a late arrival in Singapore so I only had about 45 minutes, instead of 2 hours, to walk around and stretch my legs.  I was just thankful that I got to get off the plane and stretch.  The flight from Singapore was good as well.  No major issues other than terribly long and I think I may have slept for 1 hour on the entire trip. 

As we are nearing Australia we watch this video about the strict quarantine laws that they have.  You are not allowed to bring any food, or plant/wood material into Australia.  Well you can't bring any animals either, but somehow I don't think that should be necessary to say.  So we watch this video where I think they are trying to scare you about trying to sneak in items and then I had to fill out a visa form.  Thing is I didn't know Natalie's address so I just put Natalie Lim Melbourne.  I didn't know what to do.  She gave me her number, but I didn't have it written down because I can't make international calls on my phone.  I didn't think it would be an issue.  Well, I was wrong.  That and the fact that I didn't put my middle name on the form caused a problem.  The guy had to call someone to fix the form.  Really, all I needed to do was add my middle name.  Then I tried to explain that I didn't have any contact information for Natalie and he looked at me like I was crazy.  I guess that is sort of crazy; going to visit someone without any contact information.  But since I had my phone number and email on there he decided that it would be ok and he stamped my passport and let me through the passport control line.  Then it was onto customs where a dog sniffed my bags for any contraband items.  Of course he/she didn't find anything because all I was bringing was clothes and books.  No problems there.

Sean, Nichole's (Natalie's daughter) husband picked me up at the airport and we drove back to their place.  Driving on the wrong side of the road is just weird.  I don't think I'd be able to do it.  The first thing I did when I got here was take a shower and brush my teeth.  I felt disgusting.  Then I took a little nap, really little; maybe 1 hour.  It was nice to lay down though.  I tried to make it going out shopping but I was too tired so we went back home.  I was in bed by 8:00 and woke up at 7:30 Friday morning.

I will write an Australia post when I return.  Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Candy Cane Cookies

Just a quick update to my last blog entry.  The candy cane cookies are successfully made!  And they are delicious.  Although they are delicious, they are not as good as mom's but nothing really ever is.  So this is what we (Cindy and I) ended up doing: oven at 170 C, parchment paper to prevent them from sticking, and only baking them for 7 minutes.  I am so glad that we got it figured out and they are finished.  We made cut out cookies as well today.  Those are also pretty labor intensive, but they turned out good.

I think I'm done with cookie making for a while!

70 degrees at 8:30

Amazing Week Plus Some Baking Frustrations

The last week of school for 2011!!  One term down; two more to go! 

The last week of school before a break is always hectic and chaotic with a lot of reviewing and not much planned.  Those of you who know me, know that typically I do not handle lack of structure and chaos very well.  And I knew that was what was going to happen this week due to the fact that I wanted to get assessments done in grade 3 and I needed to individually edit letters with grade 4.  That meant a lot of time for "independent" work for the students.  They don't handle that all that well, which in turn means that I get frustrated and angry.  So I prayed about it.  I prayed for God's peace to be with me and in the classroom.  And guess what?  He was so faithful!  The girls were very well behaved and worked quite well at their centers!  I got most of my assessments done and most of the pen pal letters edited!  Chaos did not reign in my class; it was very peaceful!  I will continue to keep this in prayer and hope that it continues in 2012!!

Thursday being the day before the break meant that not many girls showed up.  They combined all the grades, so there were only 5 classes, and each teacher had to teach one period.  I was scheduled to teach period 5 so I got a lot of work done in the morning.  I went to get the girls and got them settled in the classroom with games when Alanoud tells me "go home."  I had no idea what was going on so I had her go check and sure enough it was time to go home.  So the girls cleaned up and left.  I "babysat" for 5 minutes and then they left.  I got to go home at 1:00; which was a wonderful thing because I had so much to do before leaving for Dubai for the week and then heading to Australia.

Baking Frustrations

Cindy is hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday and I was planning on making candy cane cookies (my favorite Christmas cookie) and fudge.  I found a recipe for fudge on allrecipes.com but I didn't like how it turned out so I got my mom's recipe.  I love my mom's fudge!  The only issue was that it calls for marshmallow creme and they don't sell that here so I had to find a recipe to make it.  It's really easy to make; just egg whites, confectioners sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup.  OK I shouldn't say really easy because you have to beat it for 10 minutes until it gets "thick" and that's a lot of beating!   I got the creme made and began to make the fudge.  According to my mom's recipe you have to bring part of the ingredients to a quick boil so bubbles appear all over the top, all the while stirring constantly.  More stirring!!  Well, I stirred and stirred and stirred some more.  I stirred for about 15-20 minutes and discovered that it was burning!  Thing is, it hadn't boiled yet!  I didn't think 15-20 minutes constitued "quick" so I gave up.  Obviously I did something wrong.  My mom has never had this problem.  Arabic heat must not be high enough to boil, but high enough to burn?!  OK so no fudge just candy cane cookies.  No problem.

Well, it was a problem.  I love candy cane cookies!  I love them even more when I don't have to make them!  They require sooooo much work.  I made the first dozen and burned them.  I made a second cookie sheet and burned those as well.  The third cookie sheet turned out wonderfully, only I broke them trying to get them off the cookie sheet.  By the fourth cookie sheetI thought I had figured out the changes I needed to make: grease the cookie sheet, turn down the heat, and only 7-8 minutes.  I eventually got 21 cookies out of the whole night's process:(  Not good and not nearly enough for a cookie exchange.  I was going to have to make more the following night; which meant another trip to LuLu for candy canes and vanilla. 

Night 2 turned out to be just as frustrating.  Plus the dough was really sticky and I kept adding more flour but it kept sticking to the counter when I was making the candy canes.  I burned 2 more sheets of cookies and broke more canes before I finally gave up.  I still had dough left over, but I was so frustrated and, I must admit, near tears.  I was going to cry over cookies!  No way!  I was NOT going to cry over cookies!!  I called Cindy and told her that I was soooo frustrated and near tears and she said I could make them over there.  Hopefully she'll be able to help.  Really, I just need my mom to come and make them!!!  They'll taste much better if she makes them:) 

I can't figure out if it's the ingredients here, the oven/stove, or just my plain lack of baking skill.  Whatever it is I have no cookies to take to Dubai with me.

I am getting ready to leave for Dubai for 5 days before I head to Australia for 13 days!!  Although I am going to miss celebrating Christmas with my family I am looking forward to Christmas and New Years in Australia!  It will be quite interesting to be one of the first people to celebrated 2012!

67 degrees at 6:30.

عيد الاتحاد - National Day

Well, a lot has happened since I have last posted 2 weeks ago.  I'm going to start with National Day and work my way backwards.

National Day was Dec. 2nd.  The UAE is 40 years old!  What a young country.  Sheikh Zayed joined all the emirates, minus Ras Al Khaimah, in 1971.  RAK joined in 1972.  I just found that out.  Interesting.  Even though RAK joined in 1972 they still celebrate, they're just a year behind.  The amount of celebration that goes on in this young country makes me wonder if our founding fathers celebrated when the USA was only 40 years old.  Did they decorate their horse and buggies?  Did they have parades?  Did they decorate their houses?  Did they get off work for a 2 day celebration?  Interesting thoughts and questions! 

My National Day celebrations began at school with our day long assembly/party.  We celebrated on Tuesday 11/29 due to a parade for the older students on Wednesday and no school on Thursday.  It was actually much better than last year.  I think it's because I sort of knew what to expect.  The girls looked amazing in their fancy dresses and make-up.  There were some that didn't get all fancied up, they just wore "play clothes" and I thought they looked cuter than the ones in the fancy dresses and make-up.  There was lots of singing, dancing, and hair flinging (national dance).  The 4th graders sang the song that Andrea wrote for them.  They did a good job even though everyone wasn't in attendance.  I also had 2 students read a paragraph that they wrote about National Day.  I was very proud of all my 4th graders, but I didn't want to have them all read when I knew that no one would be paying attention.  Hessa Mohammed and Fatima Saif wrote with lots of details and did a wonderful job reading their paragraph.  They, all of them, have come so far in their English abilities.

Since I had Thursday off of school I headed to Dubai early in the morning.  Well, not too early.  I actually left later than I wanted to and didn't arrive until 11:45.  I wanted to be there at 11:00.  Oh well.  I slept in!  I guess I needed it!  Thursday was a nice day hanging out with Cindy and helping her get ready to teach the 5 and 6 year olds at church on Friday.

Friday December 2nd was National Day.  After church we: Cindy, Sarah, Merle (Sarah's friend) and I went to Khulood's (Cindy's neighbor) house and got prepared for what was going to happen.  We foudn out that we were going to be driving on Jumeriah Beach road and it was like a huge party atmosphere.  We didn't feel all that prepared!  Oh well.  We all piled into Khulood's car, and Aysha her 7 year old daughter sat on Sarah's lap.  It was a crammed car.  As soon as we got to Jumeriah Beach Road the traffic picked up.  We were riding in the car parade.  She didn't really tell us this part.  I thought we were going to go to a party somewhere.  The car parade turned out to be sooooo much fun!  People decorate their cars and drive up and down the road.  There are also men/boys out running around spraying silly string, snow foam, shaving cream, and water at/in passing cars.  If you had your window down there was a huge chance that you were going to get creamed with something!  It happend quite frequently.  As much as I didn't want to get sprayed with shaving cream and silly string I wanted to!  Weird!  Plus it was fun taunting them to see if they could get me before I got the window up.  There was one man that actually opened the door and sprayed me with snow foam!  From that moment on we kept the doors locked.  A few even put their arms in the open window to prevent it from going up!  Too funny!  We were laughing and shrieking the whole time!  Unfortunately we didn't have anything to fight back with, but I ended up grabbing someone's can of snow foam and using it on him.  It was hillarious!  I think our car got targeted quite a bit because there were only girls in the car.  Khulood's husband went to Abu Dhabi with her sons, so it was just a girls' night. 

The night didn't actually turn out as I had imagined.  Aysha began crying when the windshield got so covered with shaving cream.  She thought her mom wasn't able to see and was going to get in an accident.  Then the fumes got to me and I couldn't stop coughing.  It was terrible.  The windows were up so we wouldn't get sprayed, but they needed to be down so I could get some fresh air, but when we put the windows down we got attacked more.  Not good.  Khulood ended up pulling over so I could get out and walk around.  It took me quite a while to get calmed down and stop coughing enough so I could breath.  I was coughing so much I thought I was going to get sick and my throat was so raw.  By this time Aysha was pretty tired and still upset so we decided to go home and drop her off.  I thought it best to stay at home as well, as much as I wanted to go back out and have fun I didn't want to have another fit.  When we got home I kept coughing uncontrollably and Cindy gave me her inhaler, some cough medicine, tea, and honey and I ended up sitting in the bathroom with the hot water running.  I eventually stopped coughing and tried to read, but I was exhausted so I ended up in bed by 9:30.  Not sure if it was the combination of the medicine or all the coughing but I couldn't stay up.  I thought I would be up all night coughing, but that wasn't the case.  I didn't even hear them come home and take showers.  I woke up Sat. morning thinking that they weren't home because it was so quiet.  They actually got home at about 1:15 in the morning, but I didn't hear a thing.  Cindy said that they weren't all that quiet either.

I was able to wake up early today and leave Dubai before noon.  I had so much to do that I couldn't stay even though I wanted to.  I talked with Cindy for a while and then had to head home so I could go shopping, do laundry, do lesson plans, post pictures on Fb, do this blog, do grades and check papers.  I still have to do grades and check papers and finish this blog!

Flashback to last weekend.  That was the Thanksgiving celebration.  I was in Dubai for Thanksgiving, but since I had already celebrated Thanksgiving with the Wilson's we didn't do anything until Saturday.  Thanksgiving was actually Sarah's 19th birthday and Cindy and her neighbor had planned a surprise party for her.  So that's what we did Thursday night.  She was totally surprised and it was a lot of fun.  So Thanksgiving was celebrated on Saturday.  We went to the same lady's house that hosted the German feast to celebrate an international Thanksgiving.  Angela, the German lady (although it's not really Angela but she said that's what we can call her), has an American friend who wanted to have a Thanksgiving dinner but her house wasn't big enough so Angela agreed to host it.  It was an international Thanksgiving because the only Americans there were Cindy, Sarah, me, and Betty.  There were people from Panama, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, England, and India.  It was fun!  All the Thanksgiving trimmings were there, plus some other things.  It was a very different Thanksgiving and one that I will always remember!

I am still coughing a little, but not nearly as much as last night.

10 days left of school and 18 days till I leave for Australia!

81 degrees at 6:00pm.

Cooler Temperatures and Flies

Weird title, I know, but they go together here.  When the temperature drops the flies come out.  And they come out in droves!  They are annoying and persistent.  We joke that even the flies are Emirati!  They don't care if you swat at them, they just keep coming back to get what they want!  What makes the flies extra difficult to deal with is the fact that my school is outside and I have to keep my door open.  So they just keep coming in.  It's very annoying when I'm teaching and a fly is buzzing around my head!!  Funny, but annoying!  The flies come out from November till about February or March, then it gets too hot for them!

The flies aren't the only thing that comes out when it gets cooler.  The sweaters, fur coats, hats, and boots come out as well!  It is so funny seeing the girls dress for winter!  They truly have no idea of cold.  They start by wearing their sweater, which evolves into a jacket and then out come out the coats, hats, gloves, and boots.  You'd think they were going to go play in the snow!  Right now most of them are just wearing a sweater or a light fall jacket.  Winter in the UAE!

So the week after Eid when we were supposed to come back to school for Wed. and Thurs. was very different.  I had 6 girls in 4th grade and 9 girls in 3rd grade.  So they combined 1st and 3rd, 4th and 5th, and since 2nd had the most they left them alone, and put them in 3 different rooms.  The teachers took one period to "babysit" and then had the rest of the day off.  Everyone got sent home at 12:00.  That was Wed.  Fewer kids showed up on Thurs and the car riders were sent home when they got out of the car.  It was only the bus kids that stayed.  And only one bus did its route.  The same situation took place, except there were only 2 groups instead of 3, and we all left at 12:00.  Hopefully ADEC has figured out their mistake; you don't mess with Eid!

Friday after church I went to a German families' house and learned how to cook German food.  The lady goes to the same church and invited the women and their daughters over.  Since Cindy was going I went (I'm practically Cindy's daughter anyway, although she is too young to be my mother:).  Anyway the food was very sour.  I could taste and smell the vinegar in everything.  The meat was marinating in vinegar water for 3 days and she used that same marinade to cook the meat and vegetables.  She made this bread thing that resembled stuffing until it was baked and then it looked like meat loaf.  It didn't taste like meat loaf though.  I can't tell you if it tasted like stuffing since I don't eat stuffing, but I can tell you that I didn't like it.  I'm not really sure what it tasted like, but that was about the only dish that I couldn't taste the vinegar.  Even though I didn't like what was offered my mother taught me well enough to try everything and eat it.  OK I didn't have the mashed potates, but other than that I tried everything else!  The desert was delicious!  It was like black forest cake, only in a pudding.  Chocolate, cherries, and cake, you can't go wrong!  We are going over to this same house for a late Thanksgiving meal on Sat.  That should be yummy, but there will be no stuffing or mashed potates for me!

Next weekend is National Day and it's a big one; 40!  The decorations are coming out and the cars are getting all decked out.  Ashley and I were wondering if the people who were around when the USA was only 40 years old decorated and made a big deal out of the fact that their country is 40?  We figured they probably decorated their horse and buggy!!  I will be celebrating with a local family that lives next door to Cindy.  It will be really interesting!  That'll be my next blog.

88 degrees at 4:00pm

عيد مبارك - Eid Mubarak!

Eid was celebrated this past week in the Muslim world.  Due to this holiday I got 3 days off work!  Here's a bit of information regarding the holiday and then I'll tell you what I did to celebrate my time off work.

Eid Al adha is celebrated to give thanks and praise to Allah for providing the sacrifical ram so Ibrahim (Abraham) didn't have to sacrifice his son Isaac.  Many Muslims celebrate this by sacrificing a sheep.  If they cannot afford a sheep they will sacrifice a goat.  This is a 3 day festival, kind of like Christmas.  There is gift giving and spending time with family.  I guess the main difference is the sacrifice of the sheep!  Everyone has the 3 days off, but there are some that have the entire week off.

Another bit aspect of this Eid is the Haj.  This is when Muslims travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.  In Mecca is the Kabba which Muslims walk around 7 times chanting الله أكبر - Allah alakbar (Allah is the greatest) among other things.  In addition to walking around the Kabba 7 times they walk between two mountains 7 times.  This is to remember what Hagar did when she was in the wilderness with Ishmael.   Muslims believe she needed water so she walked between the two mountains 7 times and Allah provided her with water.  Haj is one of the 5 pillars (shahadah - professing faith in one God; not 3 like Chritianity Father, Son, and Spirit, Salat - pray 5 times daily, Sawm - fasting during Ramadan, Zakat - giving 2.5 % of your wealth to charity, and Haj) of the Islamic faith.  By meeting the 5 pillars you are able to enter heaven.

There's your Islamic lesson for the day.

I went to Dubai and spent the Eid holiday with the Wilson's.  I had a good time in Dubai and the surrounding emirates.

الشارقة - Sharjah (although it technically should be pronounced Sharqah)

Friday afternoon we loaded into the SUV and headed out to Sharjah to meet up with Cindy and Craig's small group from church.  We were going to have a campfire in the desert.  I was looking forward to this since I haven't really been "in" the desert yet.  We rendezvoused with the rest of the group at a local gas station and then made our way into the desert.  True dune bashing was happening!  This would have been fun, but I got sick.  I get carsick and all the bouncing and turning made me quite nauseous.  I didn't actually throw up, but I certainly felt like it.  Even though we stopped a few times to get out and look at the scenery, which was beautiful especially with the sunset, my tummy was still shaky.  I didn't even take any pictures:(  By the time my tummy settled down enough for me to even think of taking pictures it was way too dark out.  I missed the sunset:(  I guess that's just an excuse to go back into the desert!  Once I wasn't feeling so nauseous I had a good time sitting around the campfire and talking.  I even had to wear a sweatshirt!!  Some of the group was planning on camping, but we left.  I would love to camp in the desert!  Maybe next time.

راس الخيمة - Ras Al Khaimah (RAK)

Saturday we took a road trip along the coast of the UAE to RAK.  There is not much in RAK except the beach, but it is beautiful.  The pictures don't really do it justice.  The water was a crystal clear greenish blue and it was absolutely beautiful with the sun glistening on the surface.  I walked along the beach for a while looking for shells since the beach was littered with them.  Most of them were broken creating this white sand.  It was pretty amazing.  There was white sand and then the typical sand colored sand started.  Pretty interesting.  Although I didn't find any shells, Sarah and her friend found a sand dollar, a starfish, and a fin.  I guess they were looking harder than I was!

Differnt colors of the sand



Rocky "beach" at RAK

أم القيوين - Umm Al Qwain (UAQ)

After our time at the beach in RAK we travelled to UAQ to look for more shells.  Cindy and Craig know of a great location to find shells so that's where we went.  Unfortunately when we showed up there were tons of Arabic men around and the 4 of us girls just got quite uncomfortable being stared at so we didn't stay all that long.  We did look for some shells, but didn't really find anything too interesting.    I climbed between two boulders looking in the sand and sponges for anything interesting, but I'm just too tall to see way down in the sand!  And my knees can't take squatting so I had to use my toes to move the stuff around.  Not a very effective means of finding anything interesting!

دبي - Dubai (no silly abbreviation for this one:)

Monday we had Thanksgiving dinner!  It was delicious.  We celebrated early because Craig won't be in town, he is leaving for Saudi tomorrow and won't be back until the beginning of Dec.  So Cindy and I spent the day in the kitchen preparing.  I made the pumpkin pie and helped with the potatoes.  I love Cindy's mashed potatoes.  She leaves the skin on them so they're not looking like they're supposed to be smooth and then a lump shows up.  I know the lumps are going to be there so I don't get grossed out when I eat one!  We had all the typical Thanksgiving dishes; turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (don't like these) green beans, cranberry sauce (which I still don't like), corn, and pumpkin pie.  Yummy!

While we were waiting for the food to cook Cindy and I went driving around to look at houses.  I finally took the pictures of the houses for my dad!  Granted these are in Dubai, but you get the idea.  They are huge and ugly!  We had a blast driving up and down the streets laughing and pointing out the gaudy houses!  They just don't know how to do huge tastefully.  Check out Facebook for more pictures.

75 degrees with 53% humidity at 7:50pm.  It's wonderful:)  I have my windows open!  Loving it!  2 day work week then back to Dubai. 

حديقة الحيوانات - Zoo (literally animal park)

Another surprise field trip.  Well, the first for this year, but it reminded me of last year's surprise trip to the zoo.  I had no idea I was going until this morning.  I found out the girls were going yesterday, but I wasn't sure I was going.  I didn't know what would happen since I teach both 3rd and 4th grade.  I had to go and ask Hamda, the social worker, and she said that I was going and that we would be back in time for me to teach 5th period.  Oh yay!  I would get to go to the zoo and teach!  I was quite excited!  Notice the sarcasm?!

The zoo wasn't that bad, other than the heat.  We got there and the girls went to the education center and had the same presentation on teeth as last year.  Interestingly enough I didn't understand any more of it this year than I did last year.  I guess I did know the animal names, but that's about it.  The woman doing the presentation showed the girls some skulls and they thought they all were lion skulls.  I must tell you that one was kind of small, it was a skull of a leopard.  But they wanted it to be a lion.  She showed us a zebra skull and the girls fist guessed lion and then someone guessed frog!!  That got a laugh! 

After the presentation we boarded the train for the tour of the zoo.  The girls excitedly pointed out every animal as we drove past it.  There are tons of monkeys and gazelles.  The white lion was quite interesting, but we didn't stay long enough to really see it well.  The zoo is supposed to be getting a white tiger, but right now just the lion.  We walked around the bird house and then had about 10 minutes for breakfast.  A breakfast that consisted of chips, candy, chocolate, cotton candy, and ice cream.  Yummy!  It's a wonder these girls have teeth (although some don't) and aren't extemely over weight.  Diabetes is a huge problem here though.  The girls scarfed down their "nutritious" breakfast and then we headed over to the bird show.  This was interesting.  They had some very well trained birds.  One played basketball, one matched colors, one picked up trash, and one flew through a hoop (ok that one wasn't all that impressive, but the others were neat).  The bird show ended and we went outside for playtime.  There was a jungle gym type thing and a bunch of bouncey houses that the girls could play on.  By the time it was time to go the girls were hot, sweaty, tired, and thirsty.  So we stopped at the concession stand where they could buy water.  But did they get water?  No, they got more junk!  Surprised?  Not me, not anymore.  We boarded the bus and I heard more complaints of "Miss hot, want water!"  Well of course you want water you just played outside in the sun and then bought candy.  Oh well.

We arrived back at school to find the gate closed and locked.  So we sat there on the bus while the driver honked and honked waiting for someone to come and open the gate.  We must have waited there for about 10 minutes.  All the while I was thinking there are many other solutions to this problem.  1. Use the other entrance.  2. Let me off the bus and I will walk around and get someone to open the gate.  3. Call the school and have someone open the gate.  4. Call the security guard to open the gate.  But that's a main issue with the people in this country; they don't know how to think.  There is only one way to do something and if you can't do it that way you have to wait.  Terribly frustrating. 

The rest of the school day was fine.  4th grade was waiting patiently with a bus lady for me to get back.  I only had them for 2 1/2 periods so we didn't get much accomplished.  Well, honestly we don't get much accomplished in the afternoon anyway. 

Eid break is coming up, just one more day.  I found out yesterday that we only get 3 days off instead of the entire week.  Not a very nice birthday present.  I'm not sure why we only get 3 days off, every other emirate is giving the entire week off.  I'll be anxious to see how many students and Arabic teachers show up.  I know there are a lot of LTs that have vacation plans for the entire week, so they won't be back, but none of us at Ammoryiah are going away for Eid. 

My birthday was yesterday.  I didn't do anything.  I celebrated in Dubai last weekend and I'll be going to Dubai again this weekend.  It's not good when your birthday falls in the middle of the week.

It's 3:30 and I am exhausted.  That's what happens when you spend the day out in the sun and heat.  I need a nap, but I know if I lay down I won't be able to sleep tonight.  It will be an early bedtime for me tonight.

91 degrees with 29% humidity yuck:(

Dubai x 2

Two weeks since my last post means 2 trips to Dubai!  Last weekend I went up to visit Cindy.  She used to live in Al Ain and I met her at the Al Ain Evangelical Church (AAEC), but she moved to Dubai over the summer.  So I hadn't seen her since before I left for the States in August.  I had a great visit and it was wonderful to be able to see Cindy (who has been like a mom to me since I've been here) and the rest of her family.  Cindy doesn't really live in the city of Dubai, she lives in Mirdif.  Which is in the Emirate of Dubai, but it's like a suburb of the city of Dubai.  Make sense?  So even though I went to the Emirate of Dubai I didn't do any of the typical Dubai type things since I spent the time in Mirdif.  We didn't really do anything all that exciting, but I did get to go to church.  I haven't been to church here in a long time.  There really isn't much choice and AAEC (where I was going) is not doing very well.  The only other option is the Catholic Church.  I tried it, but it's not a good fit for me.  Not what I'm looking for.  Anyway, it was a nice relaxing weekend after a long and stressful week. 

Last week at school the new LT finally arrived!  She teaches 4th grade, so that means I could stop going in twice a week to teach science.  Although I did enjoy seeing the other 4th graders I didn't get much done in my classes.  I have to keep that in mind because I don't really like her.  She's not at all friendly and very difficult to work with.  And I have to work with her because we're both 4th grade.  I'll have to make it work and be extra thankful that she's here so I don't have to teach extra classes.

In addition to the new LT arriving I had a rough Wed. afternoon with my 4th graders.  Afternoons are hard, and I know this, but I still expect certain things.  Like putting your assignment in the blue basket instead of waving it in my face.  I know it sounds trivial but when you get it from just about every student after you have made a point of asking them where to put their work when they finish and they tell you "put it in the blue basket" it's just frustrating.  Funny thing I should be thankful about in the whole situation is that with all my repeating "blue basket" they have stopped calling it "basket blue." At least in that one situation they learned that adjective come before nouns in English!  I really think that was just the straw that broke the camel's back that day.  So I got upset.  I wanted to know why they wouldn't just put it in the blue basket.  So I asked them.  They didn't have an answer.  I asked them if they do that (wave their paper in her face) to Ms. Hibba (their Arabic homeroom teacher) when they are finished with an assignment.  They said no they would never do that.  I asked why, and I was told that they don't listen to me because I am from America.  Shocking.  I honestly thought I was past this with my students.  We had a discussion, or I should say lecture, about how disrespectful that is and they need to respect everyone regardless of where they're from.  I'm not sure how much they got out of it, but they knew I was mad so they were very well behaved for the rest of the day.  I know they're hearing it from their parents and I don't really know what to do about it. 

Last week was a good week!  Uneventful and not very stressful at all.  The girls were pretty well behaved, not as much paper waving last week.  It didn't all go away, but at least it wasn't a majority of the students.  I'm not really sure why this bothers me more with 4th grade than with 3rd grade.  I guess it could be because most of them had me for a teacher last year and they should know better.  I'm still training 3rd grade.  Anyway, we had a good week!  Quite thankful:) 

This weekend I went to Dubai with Susan because she had a friend who was travelling from Afghanistan back to the States and she had a layover in Dubai.  Susan wanted me to meet her friend so we left Thursday after work and stayed at the InterCon.  I love that hotel and I have to take advantage of it because once I leave I doubt I'll be staying there ever again.  Susan went to Mirdif City Center Mall on Friday while I went to church and then out with Cindy and her family.  Side note - I have decided that I will be going to Dubai every weekend for church.  Cindy has said that I can stay with them if I need to spend the night.  So I'll leave every Thursday after work and spend the night with them.  So thankful!  After Susan and I met up back at the hotel we had a nice dinner and then I walked along the creek.  It was beautiful!  The weather is getting much nicer and being on the water there was a nice breeze.  Not many stars in the sky and no moon, but it was nice to walk along the water on a clear night.  It's still hot during the day, but the mornings and nights are quite pleasant.

Saturday started out quite stressful.  We needed to pick Elinor up at the Holiday Inn Express near the airport.  I put Holidy Inn Express into my GPS and got one in Jumeria.  I had no idea if that was near the airport so we went there.  Wrong one.  Jumeria isn't near the airport.  Only thing is that was the only Holiday Inn Express in the GPS so I put in the airport and we eventually got to the airpot.  I mean literally to the airport.  I didn't want to go to the airport, I just wanted to go in the general direction.  Thing is I could see the hotel, I just couldn't get to it.  So frustrating.  I called the hotel, but no one answered.  So I called Craig, Cindy's husband, and he didn't answer.  So I called Cindy.  She answered, but I had a hard time telling her where I was and where the hotel was since I don't know Dubai and I am totally directionally challenged.  I drove around the airport getting more and more frustrated and pretty near tears.  I do not like getting lost and I was getting pretty scared.  I had no idea where I was.  I shouldn't have been that scared because I do have a GPS and I could get home, but I had to get to the hotel to pick up Elinor.  I ended up driving through a parking garage and got out on the road to the hotel.  Thank God!  We drove to Dubai Mall and had a nice lunch and did some shopping.  Turns out Elinor is from Grand Rapids and she graduated from MSU!  And she lived in Holden, which is right by Wonders where I lived for 2 years.  No way!  Small world.   So, we had a nice discussion about how well the Spartans are doing this year!  The afternoon was nice and Susan and I headed back to Al Ain at about 3.

Just one more week and then Eid!  Oh funny story about Eid.  It's an Islamic holiday and I'm not saying it right when I say it Eid, but I can't pronounce the letter that it starts with (same one as Al Ain).  We're doing letter writing in 4th grade and as I was modeling writing a letter I wrote that I was excited about Eid because I would be out of school for a week.  One of my students raised her hand (yes, she actually raised her hand!!!) and asked "What is this Eid?"  I just had to laugh.  Not at her, but at my pronounciation.  One of the other students said the word in Arabic and she totally understood what I was talking about.  It was quite funny!  We had a nice discussion about how I can't say that letter, just like they can't say /p/.  So I practiced for a bit, like I make them practice /p/, but I can't get it.  I got it once last year in the word for honey, which I forgot, but I can't do it often.  I am looking forward to the week off!  I don't think I'll be travelling anywhere, other than Dubai, since I need to save for Australia.  It will be nice to have the week off regardless.  I can go to the Rotana and sit by the pool since it's not that hot.

90 degrees at 8:30.

خريف في العين - Fall in Al Ain

So, it's October and that means fall.  Leaves are changing color.  I'm going to cider mills and eating fresh picked apples.  The smell of cider and pumpkins and leaves is in the air!  OK so only in my dreams, but still it is fall.  I was at LuLu Hypermarket (kind of like Walmart) doing my grocery shopping and there in the produce section (which I absolutely hate going to) were red delicious apples from USA.  I guess that's what brought this whole topic on.  Oh how I crave a fresh picked red delicious apple.  I didn't buy one because I am very picky about my apples.  They have to be crisp and juicy and I just couldn't take the chance that it would be soft and mushy.  That would ruin everything.  So I walked by and got my fresh cut pineapple from the Philippines, cucumbers from Oman, peppers from Egypt, and a peach from Turkey.  I do think it is kind of weird that they tell you where your produce is coming from, but it is interesting to know that I am eating a peach that was grown in Turkey.  So back to fall.  I got some cider smelling candles at Bath and Body Works (which is opening up in the Al Ain Mall extension so I'll be able to go much more frequently) in Dubai and I have them lit so there really is the smell of fall in the air in my living room.  I have a pot of chili simmering on the stove, which is adding a nice aroma to the apartment.  It is getting cooler (93 at 7pm) and it is actually quite pleasant in the mornings and evenings.  The afternoons are still hot, but not hot like in August and September.  So I guess fall is really coming:) 
The rain on Wed. was heavenly!  It wasn't just a few sprinkles like usual.  It was a nice rain shower.  Thunder and lightning included.  I opened my window and stuck my head out to enjoy the cool breeze and the drops of rain.  If I wasn't in the middle of lesson planning in my pjs I probably would have been out running in the rain!

Things are changing at school.  Last week marked the first week that I had to go into the other 4th grade classes to teach science.  We are still short an LT and parents are complaining so the principal reached this solution: I will teach science twice a week, Andrea will teach English twice a week, and Haila (an Arabic teacher) will teach math twice a week.  Not a great solution if you ask me, but I guess it's better than what they were getting.  Hopefully Terry (the LT we are supposed to have) will come soon, although she's not going to be welcomed very nicely by either the LTs or the Arabic teachers.  Going in the other classes and teaching is no problem it's the leaving my classes that creates the issues.  They get all riled up and want to know who's coming and what they're going to do and I don't know the answers to those questions.  Then there's the fact that the Arabic teachers don't make them clean up so the room is left a mess.  Because I guess what happened is they sent a bus lady in to watch them and she let them play and then the bell rang for fussha (recess) or dismissal and the girls left.  Not much I can do about that.

In addition to that, the Arabic teachers are now coming into LT's rooms.  That should be a good thing because that means the Arabic teachers will get some sort of teaching on how to teach, but it just requires extra work for me.  Then there's the fact that they come in during the lesson and leave just as soon as I get the girls ready to do their assignment.  That's when I need the help.  I don't need someone to observe.  They are supposed to be helping in addition to observing.  Baby steps I guess.

Then there's the fact that lots of university students are coming to observe.  Another good thing, I guess, but they have tons of questions that they ask during the lesson/class so I really have to multi-task.  I had one on Thursday tell me that I needed to teach a new lesson.  A university student telling me what I need to teach.  I don't think so.  I really wasn't planning on teaching a lesson anyway.  They were finishing up their writing from Wednesday.  I told this to the student and she said that she needed to see a new lesson.  Oh well honey.  Not today!

I did find out that all the Arabic teachers like me.  They did not tell me this, Ashley told me.  Reason they like me:  I'm quiet.  Kind of funny because they kicked us out of the teachers' lounge for being too loud!!!  They didn't tell me I could stay because I was quiet.  Honestly I didn't think that was one of my better qualities!

Time for dinner.  The chili smells delicious.  Enjoy the fall!

Time to go

OK, I know, it's been a while since I've posted.  Sorry to my readers.  But, in my defense, I did go almost a week without Internet.  Kind of makes it hard to update a blog without Internet.

I guess the biggest news would be that I have come to a decision.  I CANNOT and WILL NOT be back here next year.  I have to find somewhere else to work.  As of right now I'm kind of thinking Alaska.  Who knows.  I'll definitely be looking in and around MI, but I'm also exploring other options.  I came to this decision last week and it was mostly based on the fact that I don't like my job.   Or at least I don't like where I have to do my job.  I am tired of all the ridiculously high and unrealistic expections for LTs and students, I am tired of the discrimination between the Emirati teachers and the LTs, I'm tired of the fact that the LTs are expected to do so much while the Emirati teachers aren't expected to change, and this program is not working and that's kind of sad to say that I'm working for something that will fail.  Yes, the money is good and I am able to do a lot of things that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise like travel, live in a nice apartment, spend the day at the pool, see amazing sights and meet lots of new people, but it has to be more than just that.  I'm really not happy here.  So I am praying that I will find a job.  Please keep your eyes and ears open for anything and pass the word along. 

We are allowed back in the teachers' lounge.  The other teachers, not Shamsa and the other one who started the whole thing, realized that they did something wrong and have welcomed us back in.  Although I have yet to eat in there.  I guess I know I should since it was only 2 people who kicked us out, but I feel as if they made their point clear.  I've also been quite busy in the room so I've been able to use that as an excuse.

Water is still iffy, as usual, but they haven't cancelled anymore school.  Which leaves me still wondering why that one day in September?

Eid is coming up in a month and I think I am just going to do something local so I can save money for my trip to Australia, which is going to be expensive.  I won't have to pay for a hotel, but the flight is about 1/2 of a month's salary.  It will be worth it though.  Kisha and I have been talking about going to Fujeriah, one of the other Emirates.  I guess since I plan on leaving in 9 1/2 months I need to see the rest of this country!!!

I have gotten more organized in the classroom, which is helping.  I bought a shelf so I can have 3rd grade stuff ready on one shelf and 4th grade stuff on the other.  I am still loving 4th grade.  Although I did get quite angry with them Wednesday afternoon when it took us more than 40 minutes to do one page in their science book which consisted of 3 questions!!  They had been bothering me to go to the bathroom and I told them that we would go when the bell rings, like we usually do.  So the bell rang and we weren't finished with science yet (I was hoping we would be finished by then) and I got very frustrated and said "We're not even finished with science yet and it's only 3 questions.  We have 40 minutes for science and you won't stop talking so we can get it finished.  Go to the bathroom and we'll finish when you get back and you better stop talking!!"  I think they got my message because it was very quiet and math went quite smoothly!  At the end of the day we have closing circle and I ask them what they did "What did you do today besides drive Miss Sara crazy?!"  Now if only the same would work for 3rd grade!!  They are still a nightmare.  Well, not really a nightmare because that was last years 3/1, but they are much worse than 4th grade.  I spend a lot more time waiting for them and we have to take more breaks because I have them in the afternoon and they drive me crazy.  I don't feel as if I get as much done with them as I do in 4th grade. 

I have worn my abayah to school a few times and I must admit it isn't any hotter than all the layers I have to wear.  It's comfortable and I like just wearing shorts and a tank top underneath.  I got a lot of compliments from teachers and students and Salha (a teahcer) even said that I was now Emirati!  Horror of horrors!!!  I was relating this story to Susan and she asked if I was getting Emirati privileges and pay as well!!  I wish!

So I guess that's about it.  Hopefully I'll be better about posting.

106 degrees at 4:30, it's getting cooler!!!

لا ماء - No Water

I'm not sure if I have explained the water situation at my school yet or not.  I guess to "inconsistent" is a good word for it.  Some days we have some, and then there are other days when we have none.  Not a very sanitary situation if you ask me, but I'm not in charge here.  I just can't imagine children going to school without water in the States.  And, I don't just mean drinking water!! 

Today marked the beginning of the actual school year.  The girls had to stay at school until 2:00, unlike last week when they got to leave at 1:00.  At 1:50 the dismissal bell rang!  I was so not ready for this.  I had just gotten the girls started on their math assignment and was giving stickers.  The girls weren't ready either and when that happens things get chaotic.  They threw their sticker card at me, grabbed their stuff, and ran out of the room.  I wasn't even going to try to fight this battle. 

Why the 10 minute early dismissal?  I'm thinking Salema just pushed the button early.  It happens sometimes, but granted never 10 minutes early (unless of course it's the end of break).  I was headed back from the bathroom when Alice tells me that Ms. Salama (assistant principal) told everyone to go home because there was no water!  When Ms. Salama tells you to go home, you don't argue.  I wasn't about to tell her that I just came from the bathroom and flushed the toilet and washed my hands with a good amount of water!  I just grabbed my stuff and left!

So, I must ask, why today?  Why was it ok to have school all last week without water, but today it's not?  I'm not even going to mention all the times last year that we didn't have water, that's way in the past.  But, what changed?

The teachers' lounge was very quiet when I went in at breakfast/lunch time today.  No wonder, all the LTs weren't there!!  Just kidding.  I think the Arabic teachers realized they made a huge mistake and they weren't talking to us.  Maybe I should say I "hope" the Arabic teachers realized they made a huge mistake.  I grabbed my lunch, filled up my water bottle, and quietly left the room.  I did find out that they changed their mind and if you pay for the breakfast you can eat in the room.  I don't pay for the breakfast anymore so that still excludes me.  Not that I would eat in there if I did pay for it.  I'm just sick of it. 

This teaching 2 grade levels is going to take a lot of time to get used to.  I need to come up with a way to stay organized in the classroom.  Unfortunately that probably means I will have to buy something.  It's like I need 2 desks; one for 3rd grade and one for 4th grade.  I have the 2 cabinets in the closet, but I need to organize what I'm using each day in the classroom so I don't always have to be running back to the closet and getting what I need.  I'm super organized so I'll come up with something! 

First Week of School

There definitely is a difference between year 1 and year 2.  Although the girls are not anywhere near where I would expect them to be in the States it's much better than last year.  The girls are still chatty, but I know to expect that and I can compare it to last year when they were completely disrespectful and didn't listen at all.  So far, that is not happening this year.  The girls know me and I think that helps.  Although I think it's just that I have something to compare it to now and they were really awful last year.  I think it also helps that my expectations have dropped, just a bit.  Unfortuantely that's a neccessity here.

We really haven't been doing anything too formal yet, just a lot of procedure stuff.  They are getting better at talking quietly during centers and cleaning up when they're done.  The fourth graders chattiness seems to have dropped as well.  Moza left!!  She was in my class for a few days and it was chaos, like she usually causes.  Now that she's gone things were quieter these past 2 days.  Like I said, I just hope it continues!!

Acadmeically, I am really trying to work on rhyming words, but they don't get it.  They seem to understand better when I write the words down, but then I have some girls that will just add on to the word to make it a compound word and they think that's rhyming.  They'll get it.  In math we've been doing a lot of counting; by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s.  Most of the third graders get messed up on what comes after 49 (they say 40 10).  Next week starts the real lesson plans.

Remember how I said last week that I felt like I belonged?  Well, that's changed.  As of today we (LTs) are no longer allowed in the teachers' room.  We have to eat in our rooms.  We make too much noise.  Funny thing is that the noise comes from the Arabic teachers.  If you were to walk in the teachers' room you would hear Arabic not English.  There are just more Arabic teachers and they are loud.  Anyway it was just a clear sign that we're not wanted here.  So now the school is going to be more segregated than it already is.  Why did the principal think this was a good idea?  Does she not realize, or care, how this makes us as LTs feel?  I have to walk in on Sunday acting like nothing is different.  I have to get my lunch and full up my water bottle and then leave.  I am just waiting for one of the other teachers to ask me to sit down and eat, so I can reply "I can't.  I'm not allowed to eat in this room anymore."  It's just another clear reminder of my actual place in this country; I'm not Emirati therefore I don't belong and I'm not as good as them.  I came here for a "once in a lifetime experience" and I believe this qualifies.  I have never been kicked out of a teachers' lounge before and I am almost 100% sure it will never happen again.  A true "once in a lifetime experience!"

In other news:

1. I joined the Rotana this year.  The Rotana is a hotel and I joined the gym.  I have been going about 3 times a week to use the gym and then relax in the pool.  I should have gone today!!!
2. Don't try to go the other way at a gas station.  You know how gas stations in the States have a pump on either side and you can approach the pump from either direction?  Well, there are pumps on both sides but you can only approach from one direction.  Beware of the shooters!!!  Evidently there are police watching who will shoot you or the workers.  Yes, I actually tried this and was told that I couldn't because of the shooters.  I just didn't want to wait in the line when there was an avaiable pump right on the other side.  How frustrating.
3. Dr. Mugheer (Ministry of Education head guy) said that the country was spending too much money on expat teachers.  Yikes!  Thanks so much Dr. Mugheer.  That's just what we all needed to hear.

بداية - Beginning

My 2nd year teaching in Abu Dhabi began quite nicely!  There weren't any major issues and the day went fairly smooth.

It was great seeing my old students!  They seemed quite happy to see me and came to give me hugs, hand shakes, and say hi.  It was nice!  My girls from last year looked so much older today; 4th graders have to wear a shaylah (head scarf).  It was weird seeing them wear it, but it made them look so much older.  That plus the fact that they had grown over the summer (as all kids tend to do:). 

After greeting my students I went to my room, 3/3, to try to get ready for the day but discovered that I couldn't get much done because parents and students kept coming in to see which class they/or their daughter were in.  I had one mom who wanted her daughter put in my class and asked if I could do that.  I told her she needed to talk to modeera (principal).  We'll see.  Anyway since I wasn't getting anything done I left and went and chatted with the other LTs. 

Everyone seemed ready to start just unsure of how to exactly start.  There was no morning assembly which is why we were all confused.  The students were told their homeroom (not really sure what this is as their homeroom teacher may not be their Arabic teacher), and then they went to their class. 

Once the girls got situated in their class I arrived and began introducing myself to these little 3rd graders.  We had a productive morning going over rules and routines.  We did some letter games and number games and they made a name tag.  I am really going to spend a lot of time going over the rules and routines this year; I do not want the problems I had last year.  I had a good morning with about 15 3rd graders.  I have some that don't know all their letters and can't count.  But that is to be expected.  As of right now I'm just not sure how many there are.  From the informal assessments I did today with the letter and number games I identified 3 already.  They either don't know or they froze, so technically I guess I'll have to wait and see. 

I had grade 3 for 3 periods and then it was time for fussha (break).  The only issue here was that the girls wouldn't/shouldn't be coming back to the classroom but I didn't know where they would/should be going.  So I told them to leave their bags outside.  Imagine my surprise when I came back in the room and saw their bags by their desks and chairs pulled out.  I know we had pushed them all in before we left!  Evidently their Arabic teacher was going to have class in my room, but changed her mind or was told otherwise because the students weren't there.  They came back for period 5, but I was supposed to have 4/1.  So I had to figure out what to do with these 3rd graders while I tried to supervise the 4th graders in their room (4/1).  I had a student go to the teacher room to try to figure out where they needed to be.  After 3 tries Fatima finally had a solution.  Miss. Nowayer was going to come get them and take them where they needed to be.  So I went and told 4/1 that they would be coming over to 3/3 in a minute and gave them instructions (they were chatty, I'll have to stop that).  Once we got the whole thing straightened out I had 45 minutes with 4/1 before it was time to go.

I thought I would have a huge problem with the shaylah's, as the girls and women tend to take them off and put them on all the time, in essence play with them, but I didn't.   The girls just wore them around their neck.  That was nice.  I really didn't have any huge problems with this class, but they were chattier than the 3rd graders.  I think that comes from the fact that most of them knew me from last year, there were only 6 that I didn't have last year.  The administration did a good job of separating 3/1 from last year so hopefully I won't have as many problems.  I just know that I will have to work on the talking.  I should have started today, but I only had 45 minutes with them.  I'll see them tomorrow morning so we'll definitely be going over rules and routines then.  Before I knew it, it was time to go home.

I noticed a huge difference in English ability between the 3rd and 4th graders.  I had the 4th graders coming up with rules for the classroom in complete sentences, whereas the 3rd graders told me read, math, and science.   The 4th graders also gave me complete sentences when we went over the calendar, whereas the 3rd graders just told me the day.  I know the 4th graders are a year older, but they both have had English for 2 years now.  I will bring this new group of 3rd graders to where the 4th graders are now.  I did it last year, there's no reason I can't do it again!!

All in all I had a very good first day.  I just hope and pray that it continues and doesn't go downhill once the honeymoon period is over!!

First Week

I survived my first week being back in the UAE and back to work!  How many more to go?!  Just kidding, I can't start counting down now!  Not sure if I can count that high!!

I suppose that first sentence should be read literally since I am pretty sure that I had heat stroke on Tuesday.  I had no idea it was heat stroke until Wednesday when Ashley told me that's what I had.  Here's what happened.  I was dressed in my ankle length skirt and long sleeve sweater (typical attire) and I guess I was just doing too much work.  I began moving, unpacking, and walking around from room to room to find people and stuff that I needed.  All of a sudden I got very very hot and dizzy.  I thought it was one of my dizzy/low blood sugar spells, but this was different.  The dizziness went away but my body temperature didn't come down.  I was so HOT.  HOT on the inside and outside.  I stopped working and sat down in the office (one of the cooler places in the school) and drank water and put a water bottle on my forehead.  I was still HOT.  I couldn't cool off.  The strangest thing was that I wasn't sweating (come to find out this is a sign of heat stroke), I was just sweltering.  Andrea and Salha finally decided that I needed to go home and Alice took me home.  I didn't think I should drive.  I finally cooled off when I layed down in my bedroom (the coolest room in my apt).  The whole episode started around 9 and I didn't get cooled down until around 11:30.  I guess the cool MI temperatures made me forget the desert heat.  I'm fine now and I survived the unpacking today.  No worries.

Other than that the week was kind of boring.  A boring meeting in Abu Dhabi, trying to get my classroom set up for Sunday (which by the way it is not), and a boring meeting with Andrea. 

I will be slowly working on getting the classroom in order next week.  The girls only have to come from 8-1 instead of 8-2 so I'll have an hour to begin organizing and putting up posters and stuff.  Right now they have desks and chairs and books in the reading corner.  I guess that's all that's needed.  I'm going to make do!  I am not going to go in on the weekend to set up my room.  I'm just not doing that anymore.  It will get done.  This is hard for me due to my perfectionist tendencies, but I'm trying to let go and not work all the time.   It will get done when it gets done and I'm not stressing over it.  Help!!

No class list or schedule yet.  They will come on Sunday and we'll see how many additions or changes need to be made before the final ones come out!  Par for the course here:)  Ready or not the girls come Sunday morning!

109 at 7:00pm

Here we go Again!

Expect nothing except change!  That should be the motto here.  I know that, yet the change is still frustrating.  Here I am only 2 days into the new year and I have already had to move my classroom!!  At least I wasn't unpacked or anything, but I had moved into my classroom (4/4) at the end of last year.  Which meant that I had to unload both my cabinets so they could be moved to the new room and then reload them so I could have everything locked up over the summer.  Lucky me, now I get to do it again!!  I am moving to 3/3 which is just around the corner, but still.  So today I unloaded my cabinet and took the boxes and stuff to my new room, the cleaners will move the cabinet later (hopefully!).  Then I had to take down all the Arabic stuff in 3/3.  Mind you I already did this in 4/4 in July.  The Arabic teachers just don't take down their stuff or move anything.  How would anything get done if we weren't here?!

Oh one ironic thing: I am now in the room that I began in last year!!!  I have gone full circle!

So, how many times do you think I'll have to move my classroom this year?!

Welcome Back!

Year 2 has started.  It was a nice beginning to the year; a good way to ease into going back to work.  Really I didn't do anything work related today.  It was a wasted day and I must admit I was a little bored.

Setting my alarm, getting up early, and getting dressed in a long skirt and a sweater ugh!  Putting the sweater on this morning was terrible.  I had gotten quite used to wearing whatever I wanted, and man is it HOT!  I can tolerate the skirt, it's the sweater that is awful. 

I didn't know when to show up at school since no one had told us an official time so I assumed we needed to be there by 8:00 like during the school year.  So, I got there at 8:00.  Not many other teachers did.  It was kind of a "come whenever you want" kind of day.  Although we did have to stay until 1:00.  I was hoping for noon.

As I compare my first day last year to today there are many differences.  The main one being I knew everyone!  That really helps.  Last year all the Arabic teachers were kissing (cheek kisses) and hugging on the first day and they just said hi to me.  Well this year I was included in the kissing and hugging!  Boy oh boy was there a lot of kissing and hugging.  Which meant there was a lot of standing up and then sitting back down.   And since everyone didn't come at the same time it's like the greetings never ended.  Someone would come in and we would all stand up wait for our turn with the kissing and hugging.  The issue with the kissing is that I would never know how many to give.  Sometimes it was three (that seemed to be the most common) but other times it was five or more.  It all depended on the person giving them and how well they liked me.  The number of kisses you get is basically determined by how much they like you.  So if someone gives you only 3 kisses, that's just a standard greeting, but if someone gives you five or six kisses that means they really like you!  Hard to figure out and a bit awkward.  There were a few times when I would stop the kissing but the other person wanted to continue so I would lean back in and give/get a few more kisses.  That was pretty much it for the day.  We just chatted and kissed and hugged. 

Another big difference this year was that I wasn't nervous and I felt like I belonged; like I was actually wanted there.  I was actually a bit excited to go back.  To see the people that I met last year and talk and laugh with them.  I didn't feel out of place this year!  The second year is already starting off better!!

Unfortunately Andrea is still there:(  She is still the same.  I swear if I hear her say "you need to go in with a face like a candle snuffer" one more time I'm going to scream.  I just can't not smile and be mean.  She did inform us that we have to have lesson plans for next week!!  Really!  What am I going to be doing?  Let's see.... assessments, procedures, and rules.  Nothing that warrants a lesson plan.  I don't think I've ever done a lesson plan for the first week of school.  Oh well.  If she wants a lesson plan I'll give her a lesson plan but it's going to be short.    Hopefully she'll be a bit preoccupied with the new LTs so she'll leave me alone. 

One of the new LTs showed up this morning.  We're supposed to be getting 2, so we'll meet one tomorrow.  She seems nice.  A bit overwhelmed.  Man, I can relate!  We all tried to tell her it's normal and things will settle down.  

Back tomorrow and hopefully I'll work in MY classroom and get some stuff done!  Just 4 more short days until the girls come!

108 degrees with 15% humidity at 3:05

Back to the UAE

Traveling sucks!  Unless of course you happen to be traveling for a vacation.  I guess I should explain.

I left my parents' house at 2:30 Wed. afternoon and arrived at the Detroit airport around 3:15.  No problem for my 5:00 flight.  Checking in was terrible and extremely slow.  They only had 2 people working at the American Airlines check in when I got there.  I waited in line for quite some time before a lady asked me if I already had my boarding pass.  I told her no, and she told me to use one of the kiosks to check in.  I tried to explain that I couldn't but she wanted to know why.  I had tried to check in online on Wed. morning but I wasn't allowed.  The computer told me to check in with an attendant at the airport. Instead of arguing I went to an available kiosk and tried.  It didn't come as a surprise when I was told to see an attendant.  So I waited in the first class line (I wished I was traveling first class) and spoke to the lady there.  She checked me in.   I think it had something to do with the international flight being a different carrier, although I didn't think that should have been a problem since Etihad and American are partners.  Oh well.  I got checked in.  Mom and Dad came with me and they wanted to go to the gate like they did last year, but the lady wouldn't let them.  She said they could only go to the gate if I was in the military or under 12.  New rule evidently, or just a rule for American since they came back last year.  She wasn't really that nice.  Mom tried to explain that I was going to Abu Dhabi for a year, but she didn't care.  So Mom and Dad talked to a couple of TSA agents and they both said that if they could get a gate pass they could come back and that getting a gate pass was up to the individual airline.  Stupid American Airlines!  We ended up waiting out in the lobby for a while before I had to go through security.  Saying good-bye was hard, but I know that I will see them in March.  That made it a bit easier.  Security and the flight to Chicago we very easy.  The flight left at 5pm and I arrived in Chicago at 4:58.  Weird!  That's really 5:58 since Chicago is an hour behind Detroit. 

Once in Chicago I made my way to the international terminal and checked in with Etihad.  I asked for exit row seats, but unfortunately there weren't any avaiable.  So I tried my second option which was getting an aisle seat.  Those weren't available either.  I was stuck in the middle.  The guy was really nice though and he kept looking and trying to find me something.  He did move me up to the front of the plane and into a row with only 3 people instead of 4 and he told me to check at the gate because something may open up.  I thanked him for trying and headed to find something to eat prior to going through security.  Once you go through security at the international terminal there is nothing but a few kiosks and all the gates.  I stopped at the food court and had a sandwich and lemonade.  I made it through security and to my gate at 6:30, an hour before my scheduled boarding time, 2 hours before take off.  When the gate crew arrived, one of the members was the same man that was doing the check in, I went to see if any seats had become available.  No luck, but he did say that he would let me know.  I guess I just wasn't meant to be comfortable on the 14 hour flight because nothing became available.  I squeezed into my middle seat and tried to stretch my legs as best I could.  I knew I was going to have to get up many times during this flight.  Oh well to the guy sitting next to me, I'd just have to bother him.

Turns out I was sitting next to a lady going over to be a school psychologist and across from a lady who was returning for her 2nd year.  We chatted about school and our vacations and that helped the time to go by quicker than last year.  I think I may have slept more than I did last year, but not much maybe like 4-6 hours total.  I finished reading a book, watched Water for Elephants (great movie:), and chatted with the people sitting next to and across from me.  I did get up every 2-3 hours to stretch and walk. 

We were supposed to arrive Thursday at 7:25 and I thought we were going to be late since we left Chicago late, but we got to Abu Dhabi at 6:30.  We could have been there even earlier if we didn't leave late!  I made it through passport control and security without any hassles and I went to claim my luggage.  The only issue with being early was I had arranged for a taxi to come and get me at 8:30 and I was ready at 7:30 so he sent a friend and I made it back to Al Ain by 9:15.  I guess traveling sucks because it was a day and a half affair.  That's too long to be on an airplane and in a car.  Other than that though everything was fine and I arrived exhausted and slept for 11 1/2 hours!

School starts Sunday for teachers so I have 1 day to relax and recover from any jet-lag (right now I'm not feeling anything) and 1 day to do errands (shopping and get my car).  Then it's back to reality.  Who knows what this year will bring, but it can only be better than last year.  Right?  I mean I already know what to expect at school (which really isn't much), the students, the school, the teachers, where I live, where to shop, and all that other settling in nonsense that I had to deal with last year.

Check back on Sunday for an update about school!

102 degrees at 1:15.  I am not ready for this heat!!!  It was in the mid to upper 70s when I left and now I'm back to 3 digit temperatures:(  At least the humidity isn't that bad!

Ludington 2011

Most people have a favorite place and my favorite place is Ludington MI.  I have been going to Ludington for as long as I can remember.  We used to go every year as a family and spend the time at Aunt Alice's house and the Ludington beach where we could enjoy swimming in Lake MI.  I try to get there every year and this year was no exception.  The only difference was we rented a house on Hamlin Lake, about 8 miles from Lake MI.  Well that and a couple of cool kids came with us as well.

Ann, Alexa, and I loaded up her CRV and headed up to Ludington Friday evening.  We survived the ride, despite all the chattering from Alexa.  It wasn't that bad of a drive.  The biggest problem was finding the house.  It was pitch black with no street lights and very confusing directions.  At one point Alexa said "we're lost in the woods and I want my Mommy and Daddy."  We were lost in the woods.  OK not really in the woods and I guess we weren't really lost because we drove past the house a couple of times just not realizing it.  Once we discovered the house we unpacked, explored, and then waited for Mom, Dad, Amy, and Mason to join us.  Ann was able to lead them in so they didn't have any problems finding the house.  Then it was time to unload the van.  I think we packed enough to last a month instead of only 3 1/2 days.  Lots of bags and food to unload.  Since we didn't get to the house until after 10pm there wasn't much time for anything other than bed.  I got to sleep with Alexa!

Beach house

 Saturday morning began quite early.  I wasn't going to get much sleep sharing a bed with a 4 year old.  We had breakfast and then Ann and I had to do some errands and we met everyone else for lunch at the Ludington City Park.  When we arrived Alexa was already playing in the water and Mason was playing in the sand.  Mason wasn't too keen about the big waves on the Lake so he just played in the sand and ran away from the water.  We decided it was time for lunch so we claimed a picnic table in the shade, where it was kind of chilly, and had our picnic.  After lunch we walked the pier.  It was a gorgeous day, the water was nice, and the walk to the lighthouse was wonderful.  Then it was back to the house for naps.  While everyone else napped Ann, Amy, and I headed to the Ludington State Park to do some hiking.  We found a nice trail around Hamlin Lake and enjoyed the greenery of the woods and the sparkling clear water.  We finished our walk and headed home for dinner and S'mores.  Ann found a recipe for S'mores where you have to preassemble the S'mores and then wrap them in foil and put them on the grill for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  If you do it right the final product is a fully melted marshmallow and chocolate piece and nice and toasty graham crackers.  Yummy!

The whole gang at the lighthouse

Ann, Amy, and Mason were leaving on Sunday and we wanted to do something different so we headed back to the State Park.  I have never actually been to the Ludington State Park for anything other than the walk we did yesterday.  We would always just park along side the road and walk down the sand dunes to the beach.  We spent the day at the Hamlin Lake beach where the water wasn't so rough so Mason actually went in the water.  He had a good time splashing and running in and out of the water.  He loved the sand too, although we had to try to prevent him from eating too much of it!Although the water was very nice the beach wasn't as nice as the beach at the Ludington City Park, there were lots of rocks and sticks on the beach and I stepped on something and really hurt the arch of my foot; makes walking very difficult and painful.  After the afternoon at the beach it was back to the house for dinner and then back to the Ludington for ice cream at The House of Flavors (best ice cream in the world!) and then to the City Park for a beautiful sunset!  No  nap for Alexa so she went to bed after we returned from watching the sun go down.

Monday was our last day in Ludington, so of course we went back to the beach!  Prior to the heading to the beach Dad and I took Alexa to the park and then to play in the sand and the waves at the beach.  She enjoyed playing in the sand but wanted to change into her bathing suit.  We weren't planning on staying that long since we had to go home for lunch and to pick up Mom so she just got wet in her shorts.  No problem!  Lunch was leftovers so we could clean out the refrigerator and then we went
putt-putting.  I had difficulty walking due to my injury so I didn't play the entire game, but 1/2 of it was fun!  Putt-putting is hard work so we went back to The House of Flavors for ice cream!  Since Alexa was unable to go swimming when we went to the beach earlier we went back and allowed her to change into her bathing suit.  The water was freezing, but she had a good time.  Then it was back for dinner.  We stayed up late tonight so we could make S'mores.  Dad made a fire in the grill and we waited for it to get a little dark then headed outside to make the ooey gooey treats. 

Tuesday was the day to leave and of course we had to drive past the Lake and say good-bye.  Just another family tradition!  I just found out that my parents used to tell us that the road ended and we had to drive by the Lake.  Silly!  The ride home was uneventful.   Alexa slept for most of it!  We stopped at Olive Garden for lunch, one more thing crossed off my list.  We made it back home by 3pm so I could do laundry and put the finishing touches on my packing.

Now today is Wednesday and it's almost time to return to Al Ain.  I will be leaving for the Detroit airport in about an hour.  My flight leaves from Detroit at 5:00pm and I arrive in Chicago at 5:15pm (Chicago time, 6:15 local time).  My flight to Abu Dhabi leaves at 8:30pm and I will land in Abu Dhabi at 7:25pm (11:25am) Thursday 9/1.  I have a taxi picking me up and I hope to be back at Hili by 11:30pm at the latest, sooner would be nice.  I am still not ready to go.  Well I'm packed, but not ready.  I'm pretty sure it will be tough, but once I get there hopefully I'll adjust emotionally.  I don't have much time to recover from jet-lag since I start work on Sunday so hopefully I won't experience too much.  I don't think I had any jet-lag last year, or it could just be that I was excited to be in a new place that I didn't notice.  Who knows.  All I know is that I only have a few days to get back on Abu Dhabi time before I have to go to work.

It's been a great month!  I've had a fabulous time spending time with my family and friends.  I'm so glad that I was able to spend the month in MI and NC. I wish it could have been longer, but it's time to get back to work.

See you in Al Ain!