Update

So, I am getting hounded by my mother to update my blog.  It's been a while because not much has been happening.  But I will fill you in on my life in the UAE.

School

It's been two weeks since vacation and I have a very long time to go until I get another break.  We have a break in Feb. for the Prophet's birthday, but it's only one day in the middle of the week.  The next long break comes at the end of March. 

I thought the girls would have forgotten a lot of English and classroom routines over the long break, but they didn't!  We settled back into the routine very easily and I even started guided reading!  Now, there's no way I am able to do it like at home, but it's something.  I am able to meet with one group a day for about 10-15 minutes.  Not much at all, but it has to be better than nothing.  Amazingly the girls are doing very well with the process.  I added a reading corner to both rooms and that's what they do when they're finished with their assignment so I can work with a small group.  We still have to work on talking quietly and not bothering me when I'm in a group, but I had to work on those back home as well.

This week was a very emotional and stressful week at school.  It started out fine, but by the time Mon. came around things had changed, and it wasn't the kids.  We have professional development everyday after school for an hour and Andrea has been talking to the principal to let us have Wed. off so we can plan in our rooms.  She had not been having any success, so I told her that I would ask the principal.  My reasoning was that if she wants quality teachers and quality lessons and activities, she should give us time to prepare that.  I was all set to do just that on Tues. morning, but Andrea told us during our PD that she had talked to the principal and she gave us Wed. for planning.  She then told us that the reason she gave us Wed. was because she told her that I was going to leave if I didn't get Wed. for planning!  I never said such a thing, nor would I ever do that!  I was furious and very worried because who knows what the principal thinks of me now.  I told her that she shouldn't have said that and I was very mad.  So I was planning on talking to the principal on Tues. about not having planning on Wed. and that conversation needed to be changed to clear up what Andrea caused.  Well, it turns out that Andrea was only joking, only she didn't tell me until she called at 9:00pm.  What a horrible joke!  It was not funny at all, and I told her that.

Tues. was ok, and then came Wed. the day that we're supposed to be able to plan after school.  Andrea tells us during lunch that we have an emergency meeting during 4th period.  Well, I have class during 4th period so the meeting was changed to after school.  It was a meeting for just the LTs.  The assistant principal, social workers, and 2 other English speaking Arabic teachers were there.  We were informed that there have been parent complaints about our treatment of the students.  Let me say that our treatment is not bad at all.  We may send a child back to her seat if she can't sit and listen during the lesson, we may send a child to another classroom if she is being totally disruprive, we may have a child stand for time out for a couple of minutes, or we may make a child wait for 5 mintues in the classroom before heading to breakfast/break.  No big deal and things that would be done anywhere with no problem at all.  Well, evidently that's not ok here.  So, we were told that we are no longer allowed to punish the children in any way at all.  There are to be no consequences!  We are only allowed to use positive reinforcement (which by the way I totally agree with, but sometimes consequences are necessary).  This is a direct quote here "Get the girls to love you, when they love you they will do what you want them to do".  What nonsense is that?!  I love my parents, but I'm sure that I didn't always do what they wanted me to do.  I can honestly say that Wed. I was so ready to leave.  I just could not take it anymore.  Stupidity and the fact that the children and parents have more control than I do.  Oh yeah, the Arabic teachers are willing to help us by giving us some words that the girls know which will help them listen to us.  Come on!  They know sit down, be quiet, stop talking, and no.  We're not asking them to do ridiculous things in English, just to listen.  So, now we're all terrified to do anything.  So, I'm just going to wait.  Wait for them to stop talking.  Wait for them to listen.  Wait for them to do their assignment.  If the principal comes in while I'm waiting, I'm just going to explain that I cannot teach while they are talking and there is nothing I can do so I must wait for them to be ready to learn.  We'll see how much I cover next week.

Arabic

She liked my paragraph!  There were plenty of mistakes, but she said that it was good.  The mistakes were mostly in making the nouns and adjectives agree.  I think I have that now.  So, now she's making me read.  She gave me this article from a 5th grade book.   It's about computers and it's 1 3/4 pages long.  She wants me to read it and not worry about understanding.  No problem, other than the fact that it took me 55 minutes to read it the first time!  I was horrified!  That's a long time.  That was a week ago and I have gotten my time down to 31 minutes!  When I get to 15 minutes, I have to read it to her.  Not sure if I'll ever get there, I'm having a hard time breaking the 1/2 hour mark.  I've been right around 1/2 an hour for the last 3 days.

She also told me that I need to work on conversation.  I know this.  So, for the next couple of classes that's all that we're going to do.  All Arabic for 2 hours!!!!  Scary!  I don't think I know enough to have a 2 hour conversation with someone.  I have a hard enough time having a 2 hour conversation in English!  It will be simple conversation, but still.  2 hours in Arabic and she talks so fast that it's difficult to understand her.  Hopefully a lot of the time will be spent with me figuring out what to say and how to say it and her correcting my pronounciation!!  Lots of thinking!

Other stuff

Really not much else has been going on.  I've been pretty much working and studying.  I go out with Susan and Cassie on Thurs. for dinner.  Last week we went to Family Restaurant and both Susan and I got sick.  No more Family Restaurant for us:(  Sad:(  Cassie and I tried to go to a movie last Thurs, but I got sick as soon as we got to the mall so we turned around and came home.  It was Papa Johns this week and again we tried to go to a movie, but nothing interesting was playing.  We wanted to see the animated one about the turtles, but the last showing was at 6pm and it was after 9 when we finished eating and chatting. Fridays are usually spent with church then cleaning and laundry.  Nothing too exciting!  Safeer came to clean today!!!  I was so happy:)  He comes once a month and really cleans the place.  I touch up the other 3 weeks, but he mops and scrubs.  I pay him 200dhs, which I don't think is too bad for a thorough cleaning.  I try to get out on Saturdays and do something interesting, but it hasn't happened.  I may head to an oasis tomorrow and just walk around. 

It is winter in the UAE!  Yes, winter!  I made beef stew for dinner tonight (thanks mom!).  It was delicious!  And, I didn't have to share the dumplings or meat with anyone!!!  That was the best part.   I also made tea
(شاي shai), (thanks Najwa!) today.  I don't like tea, but her tea is delicious.  She uses fresh sage and she gave me some on Wed. so I had to buy a teapot and try to make it.  Now, it didn't taste like hers, but it was pretty good.  I have to experiment with the right amount of tea, sugar, and sage. 

My car is ok.  I love being able to drive, but I can't find anything without help from Freida (GPS) or Ashley (we work together and I drive while she directs:).  I am still planning on buying a used one.  Najwa's son and Cindy from church are helping me find a relatively cheap one that is in good condition.  Najwa is so funny!  Her son showed me a car the other day and she didn't approve of the car.  She told me I could do better and she wanted me to have a better safer car!  I have 2 moms in the UAE!!!  It's sweet:)

Najwa and I spent one evening after class discussing Islam.  I asked for her to explain her religion to me since as a Christian I really don't know much and I feel like I should since I am living here.  She is very knowledgeable about Islam and Christianity and very passionate about Islam.  The biggest difference is the fact that Muslims don't believe in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all being God; there being 1 God, yet 3 different forms).  I must admit that is very difficult to explain, so unfortunately I didn't say anything.  I just listened.  They also don't believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He was crucified and rose from the dead.  She gave me a booklet to read, which I am reading now and I will go back and read again and find evidence in the Bible that proves what I believe.

I guess that's about it.  I am going to go read and hopefully get under 1/2 an hour!!