Today is my 37th birthday! Can't believe I'm 37. How did I celebrate, you ask? My students threw me a surprise party!!
OK let me back up here. We're not supposed to tell the students when our birthdays are because they will bring gifts (which they did and which I'm technically not supposed to accept) and they will bring sweets (which they did and which aren't allowed either). So I had no intention of telling them when my birthday was. That was until a lot of them started asking. I mean a lot, not just one or two, and it wasn't just the girls either. So figured that since they wanted to know I would tell them. This was before Eid and no one mentioned it until yesterday so I assumed they forgot over the break.
Wrong! It was all they could talk about yesterday. They told me they were going to give me a party and bring me a cake. I told them not do that because it's not allowed at ENS. The subject was dropped for a while and then after their afternoon break Shamsa told me that she needed to talk to the class but I wasn't allowed to hear. Fatima suggested that they talk in Arabic, but Shamsa reminded her that I know some Arabic so I might be able to understand what they were saying. OK, not really but I'm glad they think that!! Anyway I let them have 5 minutes to talk (actually they were screaming at each other like they usually do; everyone trying to talk at the same time). They turned off the lights and hid and when I came back in they jumped up and sang Happy Birthday! Very sweet and I thought that was the end of it. Wrong again; so wrong!
Mohammed Rashed and Saeed came in the class early this morning with a cake and a present. No problem here I thought something simple. When the rest of the students arrived Saleh was carrying a cake and various other students had bags of stuff. I was again kicked out of my classroom as the planned something. I got Jennifer and had her supervise. She called me in about 5 minutes later and I was greeted by another surprise singing of Happy Birthday along with the two cakes, lots of chocolate and presents on my desk!! Aww how sweet they threw me a surprise party! I really had no idea. I thought it was over when they sang on Wednesday. So we had this party at 8:00 am! Not the best timing, but what could I do, they had it all set up. They were eating candy while I was trying to find a knife to cut one of the cakes. Saeed had brought plates and forks but no knife. I told them that the party would just continue during their golden time (reward time) at the end of the day; which is a much better time for a party anyway. They were ok with that so long as they got to continue eating their candy and chips. No problem. I thought we would just have a little party at 2:00, no big deal. During their Arabic lesson I went to put the cakes in the fridge and then tried to resume a normal day afterwards.
All I can say is chaos. They were so distracted by when they would have cake that I couldn't get much of anything out of them. We make it to their afternoon break and I went to get the cake out of the fridge. That's when I found out how terribly overboard they went. The parent communication officers told me that there were 4 cakes and lots of other sweets in their office. Yes, 4 cakes! I told them I already had 2 what did I need with 4 more. They had gotten permission from the principal to let me have all the cakes since it's considered terribly terribly rude to refuse something (even if it's not allowed). So all the junk food was brought to my classroom. I cut the cake that Saeed brought (it was the only one that was rectangular and easy to cut) while the nannies kept bringing bag after bag after box of junk into my classroom. In total there were 5 cakes, 24 individual cakes, 2 dozen donuts, a box of cupcakes, cookies, juice boxes, soda, and tons and tons of candy. We had enough to provide a treat to all the teachers and a lot of the staff along with leftovers. I gave one whole cake to Gursharn (she had some sort of function that she needed a cake for) and the cleaner and I took one home. I gave a bunch of other stuff to the cleaner as well. I saved a lot of the candy for a later time, like maybe when they are actually behaving. Maybe I'll use that as a reward. I'm sure there will be a reminder email on Sunday about not having parties or sweets at school. But in my defense I really truly did not know that they were going to do all of that.
In addition to having the party they brought presents. I got a nice sweater, 5 bottles of perfume (Coco Noir by Chanel, Very Irresistible by Givenchy, Manifesto by Yves St. Laurent and 2 ones that I have never heard of) , a teddy bear, roses, 2 homemade necklaces, and one really really nice necklace. Lots of very nice gifts that I'm not supposed to accept. I am going to talk to the parent communication officers about the necklace because I'm sure it was quite expensive.
So that is how you celebrate a birthday ENS style!
I'm going out to dinner with Deborah tonight and tomorrow Kirstie has something planned. I have to wear a dress!
90 degrees at 6:15pm
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Eid Al Adha
What a great break! It was a much needed restful 6 days off of work. I can't believe I have to go back tomorrow. I'm not ready!!
Wednesday I spent the day in Dubai with Cindy. We just went to the mall and walked around for a bit before heading back to the hotel (where she and Craig are staying) to wait for Craig to come home from work. We spent the time catching up and sharing while we were waiting. Craig was supposed to come at 1:00, but that turned in to 3:00, which turned into 4:30 and he eventually arrived around 4:45. No big deal, but kind of funny. When Craig got there we headed back to the mall for dinner and some more window shopping. Dinner was good and then it was time to say good-bye. They would be leaving for Qatar on Saturday. It was nice to be able to spend the day with them because who knows when I'll see them again.
After I left the mall I tried to go see Kristie but traffic was horrible. Not moving at all. So I called her and told her that I'd see her on Friday at church. We were talking about her coming home with me and spending Thursday in Al Ain, but she had things that she needed to do in Dubai on Thursday so we'll plan it for some other day.
Thursday was a nice day out. I went to the zoo with Deborah and Sophia (her 1 1/2 year old). It was nice to be there with a kid! We got to the zoo when it opened at 10 and left around 1:30. When we got there it wasn't too hot or too crowded. By the time we left it was exactly the opposite. At one point I forgot what country I lived it as the zoo was packed with Indian men and families. I think I only saw 1 Arabic family. Yes, I know they are a minority here, but still. Some of the animals were quite active and I really enjoyed watching the baby rhino run after its mom! The white tiger was just getting up from its nap when we got there so it was cool to see him stretch and yawn and move around. Much more than I have seen in the past. The white lion was just laying around, but at least he was in the sun and I was able to see him. The gazelles were running and jumping and the giraffes were too busy eating to be bothered by the bell that was calling them over so some kids could feed them! All in all it was a nice day at the zoo. I'm not sure how much Sophia got out of it, but she was in a good mood and enjoyed walking around.
After the zoo I did some cleaning and then headed to the Hilton for a workout followed by dinner at the pool. A very nice and relaxing way to end the day.
Friday was spent in Dubai with friends from church. Kisha made the trip from Abu Dhabi via bus so she could attend the worship service. That was her second time and I hope she continues. It's nice how that friendship is being rekindled after being away for awhile. I spent the morning teaching the 2-4 year olds about how God chooses people by telling the story of Jacob and Esau. God was amazingly faithful and answered my prayer for focus for the kids and strength for me as I taught. The kids sat through the story time AND sang songs AND even participated by answering some questions! That's the best they've ever been. It was a nice morning with them. I then headed upstairs to meet Kristie and Kisha. Kristie, Vanny, and I typically have lunch together and Kisha came along with us and we were joined by Jane and Lizah (a new attender to the church). We had a nice lunch at IKEA and then we headed to the Dubai Mall so Kisha and I could go to the organic store. Oh the parking! That mall is huge and so is the parking garage, but I didn't think I'd ever find a place to park. I ended up going on the roof and was greeted by many open spaces! What a nice view up there though. We joked that they needed to put a coffee shop on the roof of the parking garage. You could have coffee and see the sights at the same time. Maybe we'll have to open one! We did our organic shopping and then Kisha headed home while Jane, Kristie and I walked around and fought the crowds of Saudi's that were there for 24 hour shopping! We wanted to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (newly opened), but the mafia looking men standing outside informed us that you needed a reservation. Oh well. Maybe when they've been there for a while we'll be able to get in without a reservation. So we headed to some French cafe and had sandwiches. I know not exactly The Cheesecake Factory, but it was still good. We had had enough of the crowds so we made our way back to the roof and headed to Bur Dubai to go shoe shopping. Kristie knew of a store that sells size 11 shoes so I was intrigued. Sure enough they do, but they all have high heels or platforms. Bummer. I tried a pair on just for fun and we all got a good laugh at how tall I had become! Oh well I'll just have to do my shoe shopping when I get home. After an exhausting day of "shopping" it was time to head back to Al Ain and fall in bed.
Saturday was a PJ day!! I haven't had one of those in forever. Well, I can't really say it was a full PJ day because I did get dressed and do some grocery shopping, but after that I was home in my PJs. I did some laundry and that's about it. Reading, watching TV, and playing games occupied my day. Very restful and relaxing and much needed.
Sunday I had lunch with Mary at Bawadi Mall; it was good to see her. Since she's not doing the Bible study anymore I haven't seen her in a few weeks. Good times catching up. I also looked for some shoes at Bawadi Mall. They have "Ecco" and I can typically find shoes there. They had sandals in my size just not shoes; I really need shoes. Disappointing, but kind of expected. Then it was off to the gym followed by another relaxing evening at home. I did get my new seating chart made, but that was the extent of the school work that I did!
Monday (today) I went to Alexandra's for lunch (or rather tea). It was nice to visit with her outside of school. She teaches 3rd grade and is from South Africa. We have been wanting to get together since the beginning of the year and it has finally happened. After visiting for a while I left with the promise of having her, along with Jenn and Linda, over to my place for dinner one night before Christmas break. Then it was back to the gym for a workout and more pool time. I didn't really do much swimming just sun bathing by the pool. I wanted lunch, but I couldn't find anyone to give me a menu or take my order so I just sat and read for a bit.
As I was getting ready to leave the gym I got a call from the post office. My birthday package had arrived!! Happy Birthday to me! I got exactly what I asked for, Cheezits and Jif creamy peanut butter, and more! I got a nice long sleeved blouse and some kitchen towels along with makeup. What a nice birthday box!! Alexa's kindergarten picture was also in the box and she looks like she's 17 (minus the fact that she has 2 missing front teeth:).
Now it's time for my break to end:( Back to work tomorrow. Yes, I'm thankful that I have a job, but I have really enjoyed this time off. I looked at the calendar and it's a nice 7ish weeks until Christmas break. Two and a half weeks and then a day off for Islamic New Year, two weeks and then 2 days off for National Day, two weeks and then 3 weeks off for Christmas!! I can make it!!!!
93 degrees at 5:30 and it sounds like we're having a sandstorm of sorts out there! Glad I'm not at the pool!!
Oh side note. I've been having to wear my sweatshirt at night. I know crazy, but it's chilly here. Maybe if I turned off my air conditioning in the bedroom it wouldn't be so cold, but I need it on so it's cold when I go to sleep. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to survive winter in MI at my parents' house!!
Wednesday I spent the day in Dubai with Cindy. We just went to the mall and walked around for a bit before heading back to the hotel (where she and Craig are staying) to wait for Craig to come home from work. We spent the time catching up and sharing while we were waiting. Craig was supposed to come at 1:00, but that turned in to 3:00, which turned into 4:30 and he eventually arrived around 4:45. No big deal, but kind of funny. When Craig got there we headed back to the mall for dinner and some more window shopping. Dinner was good and then it was time to say good-bye. They would be leaving for Qatar on Saturday. It was nice to be able to spend the day with them because who knows when I'll see them again.
After I left the mall I tried to go see Kristie but traffic was horrible. Not moving at all. So I called her and told her that I'd see her on Friday at church. We were talking about her coming home with me and spending Thursday in Al Ain, but she had things that she needed to do in Dubai on Thursday so we'll plan it for some other day.
Thursday was a nice day out. I went to the zoo with Deborah and Sophia (her 1 1/2 year old). It was nice to be there with a kid! We got to the zoo when it opened at 10 and left around 1:30. When we got there it wasn't too hot or too crowded. By the time we left it was exactly the opposite. At one point I forgot what country I lived it as the zoo was packed with Indian men and families. I think I only saw 1 Arabic family. Yes, I know they are a minority here, but still. Some of the animals were quite active and I really enjoyed watching the baby rhino run after its mom! The white tiger was just getting up from its nap when we got there so it was cool to see him stretch and yawn and move around. Much more than I have seen in the past. The white lion was just laying around, but at least he was in the sun and I was able to see him. The gazelles were running and jumping and the giraffes were too busy eating to be bothered by the bell that was calling them over so some kids could feed them! All in all it was a nice day at the zoo. I'm not sure how much Sophia got out of it, but she was in a good mood and enjoyed walking around.
After the zoo I did some cleaning and then headed to the Hilton for a workout followed by dinner at the pool. A very nice and relaxing way to end the day.
Friday was spent in Dubai with friends from church. Kisha made the trip from Abu Dhabi via bus so she could attend the worship service. That was her second time and I hope she continues. It's nice how that friendship is being rekindled after being away for awhile. I spent the morning teaching the 2-4 year olds about how God chooses people by telling the story of Jacob and Esau. God was amazingly faithful and answered my prayer for focus for the kids and strength for me as I taught. The kids sat through the story time AND sang songs AND even participated by answering some questions! That's the best they've ever been. It was a nice morning with them. I then headed upstairs to meet Kristie and Kisha. Kristie, Vanny, and I typically have lunch together and Kisha came along with us and we were joined by Jane and Lizah (a new attender to the church). We had a nice lunch at IKEA and then we headed to the Dubai Mall so Kisha and I could go to the organic store. Oh the parking! That mall is huge and so is the parking garage, but I didn't think I'd ever find a place to park. I ended up going on the roof and was greeted by many open spaces! What a nice view up there though. We joked that they needed to put a coffee shop on the roof of the parking garage. You could have coffee and see the sights at the same time. Maybe we'll have to open one! We did our organic shopping and then Kisha headed home while Jane, Kristie and I walked around and fought the crowds of Saudi's that were there for 24 hour shopping! We wanted to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (newly opened), but the mafia looking men standing outside informed us that you needed a reservation. Oh well. Maybe when they've been there for a while we'll be able to get in without a reservation. So we headed to some French cafe and had sandwiches. I know not exactly The Cheesecake Factory, but it was still good. We had had enough of the crowds so we made our way back to the roof and headed to Bur Dubai to go shoe shopping. Kristie knew of a store that sells size 11 shoes so I was intrigued. Sure enough they do, but they all have high heels or platforms. Bummer. I tried a pair on just for fun and we all got a good laugh at how tall I had become! Oh well I'll just have to do my shoe shopping when I get home. After an exhausting day of "shopping" it was time to head back to Al Ain and fall in bed.
Saturday was a PJ day!! I haven't had one of those in forever. Well, I can't really say it was a full PJ day because I did get dressed and do some grocery shopping, but after that I was home in my PJs. I did some laundry and that's about it. Reading, watching TV, and playing games occupied my day. Very restful and relaxing and much needed.
Sunday I had lunch with Mary at Bawadi Mall; it was good to see her. Since she's not doing the Bible study anymore I haven't seen her in a few weeks. Good times catching up. I also looked for some shoes at Bawadi Mall. They have "Ecco" and I can typically find shoes there. They had sandals in my size just not shoes; I really need shoes. Disappointing, but kind of expected. Then it was off to the gym followed by another relaxing evening at home. I did get my new seating chart made, but that was the extent of the school work that I did!
Monday (today) I went to Alexandra's for lunch (or rather tea). It was nice to visit with her outside of school. She teaches 3rd grade and is from South Africa. We have been wanting to get together since the beginning of the year and it has finally happened. After visiting for a while I left with the promise of having her, along with Jenn and Linda, over to my place for dinner one night before Christmas break. Then it was back to the gym for a workout and more pool time. I didn't really do much swimming just sun bathing by the pool. I wanted lunch, but I couldn't find anyone to give me a menu or take my order so I just sat and read for a bit.
As I was getting ready to leave the gym I got a call from the post office. My birthday package had arrived!! Happy Birthday to me! I got exactly what I asked for, Cheezits and Jif creamy peanut butter, and more! I got a nice long sleeved blouse and some kitchen towels along with makeup. What a nice birthday box!! Alexa's kindergarten picture was also in the box and she looks like she's 17 (minus the fact that she has 2 missing front teeth:).
Now it's time for my break to end:( Back to work tomorrow. Yes, I'm thankful that I have a job, but I have really enjoyed this time off. I looked at the calendar and it's a nice 7ish weeks until Christmas break. Two and a half weeks and then a day off for Islamic New Year, two weeks and then 2 days off for National Day, two weeks and then 3 weeks off for Christmas!! I can make it!!!!
93 degrees at 5:30 and it sounds like we're having a sandstorm of sorts out there! Glad I'm not at the pool!!
Oh side note. I've been having to wear my sweatshirt at night. I know crazy, but it's chilly here. Maybe if I turned off my air conditioning in the bedroom it wouldn't be so cold, but I need it on so it's cold when I go to sleep. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to survive winter in MI at my parents' house!!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Update
I know it's been quite some time since I have posted, but that's basically because not much has been going on. But, I do apologize for leaving a lot of people hanging about the medical issues. I figured since I posted it on Facebook that would be enough, but evidently there are people out there that read this blog that aren't my friends on Facebook. So this is for you!
The FNA came back totally clear of any cancerous cells! Praise the Lord! I just have to sort of monitor my neck and if I notice anything I have to go back to get it rechecked. So far so good. There was just one week when I thought that the lump had returned, but that was all psychological.
With that medical issue being taken care of I could focus on the fact that I kept coughing and it never went away. Turns out I had chronic bronchitis! Or at least that's what Dr. Shirley diagnosed me with since my cough had lasted for almost 2 months. She gave me some cough syrup and told me if it doesn't go away we would schedule a chest x-ray. Well, it's been 8 days and the cough is gone! Another praise! I think I may be on the road to recovery.
That's what I thought until Wednesday when I had one of my dizzy spells (at work). Very scary. I was standing in the pod for assembly and I felt like I was going to fall over. This happened right during the national anthem (that's when you're not supposed to move or anything), not good timing. So I leaned against the pole and when the national anthem was over I asked Jennifer to get me some juice. She brought the juice (which usually works) and Kevin got me a chair. I sat down and drank my juice and then Gursharn walked me to the nurse where she checked my blood sugar. It was fine, which I knew it would be because I do not have low blood sugar. Although I get the symptoms of it relatively frequently. I sat in the nurse's office for a while and then went back to class. Probably shouldn't have, but they don't have subs and the kids just get split up and put into the other 4th grade classes where they sit on the floor and do nothing all day (at least they are supervised, unlike at Ammoryiah). So I went back to class and did my best job of "teaching" that day. Although I must say that the kids were great! I think I should be sick all the time!!! A couple of times I heard one of the girls say "Miss mareedah!" (Miss is sick) to the class and that got them to behave and settle down. I left when the kids left at 2:45 and Jennifer took me to Oasis Hospital (I didn't think I should drive, even though I was feeling a bit better). I didn't have an appointment so I knew I was going to be waiting quite some time, but I needed to try to find out what was happening. I waited 2 1/2 hours only to be told there was nothing that they could do since I had blood work done in Sept. they couldn't do it again (there is a 3 month turn around period before you can have blood work done again). Who knew. So I left with some Panadol (tylenol); 50 dirham Panadol mind you. That is some expensive Panadol. Not very happy. I have decided that I will go for a general physical in December when I can have blood work done.
That brings you up to date with my health issues.
School. Not really much to tell you here. I am just trying to figure it all out. Trying to see how all the "programs" fit together. I think they have too many. They are trying to be IB certified (which is all about inquiry and letting the kids pick what they want to learn) and they have Common Core Standards and ADEC Standards. Too many things and it's causing a lot of stress and headaches as we try to figure it all out. Then they also have the PYP program which is character based education and I have to try to work that in my lessons as well. Can you say headache?!!
When I took the day off to go to the doctor for my cough I stopped by Ammoryiah. What a nice visit I had. It was great to be welcomed by all the teachers and students. Lots and lots of cheek kisses and hugs. Ousha was the best! "Shoo fe Sara, habibti!!" (what's up Sara baby!!). I definitely miss seeing Ousha and Moza and it was great to be able to spend a bit of time with them. The girls were quite surprised to see me and they could not leave me alone! There was a big circle of girls around me and they walked me to my car begging me to stay. Broke my heart! They were sooooo sweet. They actually thought I came back to teach them because they are short a teacher. I'm thanking God that I was loved and appreciated there and I hope that I impacted their lives for the better. I miss them and honestly some days I don't know if I made the right decision. But I am at ENS now and God can use me there for His glory.
Eid starts on Wednesday; Tuesday is my last day of work this week and I don't go back until the following Tuesday. It will be nice to have a long break. Everyone needs it! As of right now I don't have any plans other than going to Dubai. I'll be going on Wednesday to see Cindy and Craig. They really are leaving (tickets are booked and everything). They are leaving for Qatar on Saturday afternoon, but I won't be able to see them Thursday or Friday because they are spending Eid with Mohammed and Khuloud so I am going Wednesday to see them before they leave. Other than that I think I'll just play it some what low key. Kristie has talked about wanting to come to Al Ain so that may happen, but I'm not sure.
The weather is getting to be quite nice now! I love this time of year. Not too hot and not too cold (I know you must think I'm crazy saying it's cold in the desert, but it can really get cold especially in the mornings:).
In less than 2 months I'll be home for Ann's wedding and Christmas. Can't wait! Not sure how I'm going to handle the REAL COLD of MI (better find my winter coat - hint, hint!!).
I think that's about a month's worth of news. Really not much going on. Too busy trying to figure out ENS!!
86 degrees at 10:00pm.
The FNA came back totally clear of any cancerous cells! Praise the Lord! I just have to sort of monitor my neck and if I notice anything I have to go back to get it rechecked. So far so good. There was just one week when I thought that the lump had returned, but that was all psychological.
With that medical issue being taken care of I could focus on the fact that I kept coughing and it never went away. Turns out I had chronic bronchitis! Or at least that's what Dr. Shirley diagnosed me with since my cough had lasted for almost 2 months. She gave me some cough syrup and told me if it doesn't go away we would schedule a chest x-ray. Well, it's been 8 days and the cough is gone! Another praise! I think I may be on the road to recovery.
That's what I thought until Wednesday when I had one of my dizzy spells (at work). Very scary. I was standing in the pod for assembly and I felt like I was going to fall over. This happened right during the national anthem (that's when you're not supposed to move or anything), not good timing. So I leaned against the pole and when the national anthem was over I asked Jennifer to get me some juice. She brought the juice (which usually works) and Kevin got me a chair. I sat down and drank my juice and then Gursharn walked me to the nurse where she checked my blood sugar. It was fine, which I knew it would be because I do not have low blood sugar. Although I get the symptoms of it relatively frequently. I sat in the nurse's office for a while and then went back to class. Probably shouldn't have, but they don't have subs and the kids just get split up and put into the other 4th grade classes where they sit on the floor and do nothing all day (at least they are supervised, unlike at Ammoryiah). So I went back to class and did my best job of "teaching" that day. Although I must say that the kids were great! I think I should be sick all the time!!! A couple of times I heard one of the girls say "Miss mareedah!" (Miss is sick) to the class and that got them to behave and settle down. I left when the kids left at 2:45 and Jennifer took me to Oasis Hospital (I didn't think I should drive, even though I was feeling a bit better). I didn't have an appointment so I knew I was going to be waiting quite some time, but I needed to try to find out what was happening. I waited 2 1/2 hours only to be told there was nothing that they could do since I had blood work done in Sept. they couldn't do it again (there is a 3 month turn around period before you can have blood work done again). Who knew. So I left with some Panadol (tylenol); 50 dirham Panadol mind you. That is some expensive Panadol. Not very happy. I have decided that I will go for a general physical in December when I can have blood work done.
That brings you up to date with my health issues.
School. Not really much to tell you here. I am just trying to figure it all out. Trying to see how all the "programs" fit together. I think they have too many. They are trying to be IB certified (which is all about inquiry and letting the kids pick what they want to learn) and they have Common Core Standards and ADEC Standards. Too many things and it's causing a lot of stress and headaches as we try to figure it all out. Then they also have the PYP program which is character based education and I have to try to work that in my lessons as well. Can you say headache?!!
When I took the day off to go to the doctor for my cough I stopped by Ammoryiah. What a nice visit I had. It was great to be welcomed by all the teachers and students. Lots and lots of cheek kisses and hugs. Ousha was the best! "Shoo fe Sara, habibti!!" (what's up Sara baby!!). I definitely miss seeing Ousha and Moza and it was great to be able to spend a bit of time with them. The girls were quite surprised to see me and they could not leave me alone! There was a big circle of girls around me and they walked me to my car begging me to stay. Broke my heart! They were sooooo sweet. They actually thought I came back to teach them because they are short a teacher. I'm thanking God that I was loved and appreciated there and I hope that I impacted their lives for the better. I miss them and honestly some days I don't know if I made the right decision. But I am at ENS now and God can use me there for His glory.
Eid starts on Wednesday; Tuesday is my last day of work this week and I don't go back until the following Tuesday. It will be nice to have a long break. Everyone needs it! As of right now I don't have any plans other than going to Dubai. I'll be going on Wednesday to see Cindy and Craig. They really are leaving (tickets are booked and everything). They are leaving for Qatar on Saturday afternoon, but I won't be able to see them Thursday or Friday because they are spending Eid with Mohammed and Khuloud so I am going Wednesday to see them before they leave. Other than that I think I'll just play it some what low key. Kristie has talked about wanting to come to Al Ain so that may happen, but I'm not sure.
The weather is getting to be quite nice now! I love this time of year. Not too hot and not too cold (I know you must think I'm crazy saying it's cold in the desert, but it can really get cold especially in the mornings:).
In less than 2 months I'll be home for Ann's wedding and Christmas. Can't wait! Not sure how I'm going to handle the REAL COLD of MI (better find my winter coat - hint, hint!!).
I think that's about a month's worth of news. Really not much going on. Too busy trying to figure out ENS!!
86 degrees at 10:00pm.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Medical Issues
Just a quick blog about my current medical situation.
Ever since I arrived back in this country I was sick. It was like 3 weeks of a cold. I eventually got my medical card and headed to the doctor. Not due to the cold, but the lump on my throat. The ultrasound revealed that it was on my thyroid and filled with fluid, which is a good thing. It's much better being filled with fluid instead of being solid. Easier to drain and figure out what is going on. In addition to having the ultrasound I had blood work to check my thyroid and iron levels. Every thing is fine with my thyroid! My iron levels are low, which might explain why I have been exhausted, so I am taking iron supplements. After they found out that the lump was filled with liquid they needed to schedule the fine needle aspiration (FNA). The procedure had to be approved by my insurance company. I was totally surprised by how fast that went! I mean I thought I would have to wait at least a week. I know how this country works! But it was approved the following day and my ultrasound was scheduled for that same weekend!! Wow! See, they can do it if they want to:)
Fara, my neighbor and passenger to and from school, went with me for the FNA. I wasn't sure how I would feel, or how much pain I would be in afterwards. Deborah drove us. It was really nice that they were both so concerned about me. Very supportive. We got to the hospital and I found out I had to go to checkout (I was told that I just needed to go directly to the imaging department). OK no problem. I went there, but I'm not really sure why. They just looked at my paper and sent me back. Weird. But, that is how things work here! The longest part of the whole thing was waiting. My appointment was at 2:00, but I didn't see the doctor until about 3:00. He told me what to expect: a stick with a needle and that's it. No anesthetic was offered and I didn't ask. He said it would be very quick. And it was. Although it wasn't just a needle stick. He had to do it twice. He couldn't get anything out from where he put the needle the first time so he had to try again. It was painful. Not the needle going in; it was the pressure and him digging around in my neck with a needle. At one point he asked me if something was the matter and I didn't respond. I didn't think I could. I just shut my eyes and grit my teeth and stiffened up. You know what you do when something hurts: you go all tense. Well, that's what I did. It didn't last long though, maybe 10 minutes at the most. He showed me what he got out of it and it was some chunky yellow-reddish liquid substance. Disgusting!! He was able to drain all of it and the lump is totally gone! Now I just have to wait for the results. Hopefully I will get them sometime this week.
Still 97 degrees 15 minutes later than my last post!
Ever since I arrived back in this country I was sick. It was like 3 weeks of a cold. I eventually got my medical card and headed to the doctor. Not due to the cold, but the lump on my throat. The ultrasound revealed that it was on my thyroid and filled with fluid, which is a good thing. It's much better being filled with fluid instead of being solid. Easier to drain and figure out what is going on. In addition to having the ultrasound I had blood work to check my thyroid and iron levels. Every thing is fine with my thyroid! My iron levels are low, which might explain why I have been exhausted, so I am taking iron supplements. After they found out that the lump was filled with liquid they needed to schedule the fine needle aspiration (FNA). The procedure had to be approved by my insurance company. I was totally surprised by how fast that went! I mean I thought I would have to wait at least a week. I know how this country works! But it was approved the following day and my ultrasound was scheduled for that same weekend!! Wow! See, they can do it if they want to:)
Fara, my neighbor and passenger to and from school, went with me for the FNA. I wasn't sure how I would feel, or how much pain I would be in afterwards. Deborah drove us. It was really nice that they were both so concerned about me. Very supportive. We got to the hospital and I found out I had to go to checkout (I was told that I just needed to go directly to the imaging department). OK no problem. I went there, but I'm not really sure why. They just looked at my paper and sent me back. Weird. But, that is how things work here! The longest part of the whole thing was waiting. My appointment was at 2:00, but I didn't see the doctor until about 3:00. He told me what to expect: a stick with a needle and that's it. No anesthetic was offered and I didn't ask. He said it would be very quick. And it was. Although it wasn't just a needle stick. He had to do it twice. He couldn't get anything out from where he put the needle the first time so he had to try again. It was painful. Not the needle going in; it was the pressure and him digging around in my neck with a needle. At one point he asked me if something was the matter and I didn't respond. I didn't think I could. I just shut my eyes and grit my teeth and stiffened up. You know what you do when something hurts: you go all tense. Well, that's what I did. It didn't last long though, maybe 10 minutes at the most. He showed me what he got out of it and it was some chunky yellow-reddish liquid substance. Disgusting!! He was able to drain all of it and the lump is totally gone! Now I just have to wait for the results. Hopefully I will get them sometime this week.
Still 97 degrees 15 minutes later than my last post!
Same Same, Yet Different
So, it's been 2 weeks since I've been at ENS and I guess it's time to fill you in on the new school. The first week started out relatively slow and easy. I began the week with 12 students and ended with 18. Nice way to start other than the fact that we could never really get into a routine with structure. It felt like I was starting over everyday due to the fact that new kids just kept coming in. Other than that, it was great and I loved it!
The next week was totally different. All 24 showed up. Really starting over. It was a tough week. Kind of like my first year at Ammoryiah. Things will get better. I know that and I'm not as stressed about it as I was 2 years ago. It just requires me to be someone that I'm not. I am having to be strict and "mean" and that really isn't me. It's not just Saeed's shirt either! I have taken to letting that slide because he has many other bigger problems that need to be dealt with. You know; pick your battles! I will enforce it if another teacher tells him to do it, but in the classroom, whatever. I'm more concerned about the fact that he doesn't sit still or stop talking and the fact that every time he walks by Saleh he hits his head. See much bigger issues than a silly shirt! Anyway, that's besides the point. I'm supposed to be talking about how the fact that ENS is still the same, yet slightly different.
Differences:
Similarities:
It's getting cooler:) Only 97 degrees at 8:53pm! It will soon be nice out; I can't wait:)
The next week was totally different. All 24 showed up. Really starting over. It was a tough week. Kind of like my first year at Ammoryiah. Things will get better. I know that and I'm not as stressed about it as I was 2 years ago. It just requires me to be someone that I'm not. I am having to be strict and "mean" and that really isn't me. It's not just Saeed's shirt either! I have taken to letting that slide because he has many other bigger problems that need to be dealt with. You know; pick your battles! I will enforce it if another teacher tells him to do it, but in the classroom, whatever. I'm more concerned about the fact that he doesn't sit still or stop talking and the fact that every time he walks by Saleh he hits his head. See much bigger issues than a silly shirt! Anyway, that's besides the point. I'm supposed to be talking about how the fact that ENS is still the same, yet slightly different.
Differences:
- Technology! I love it and the kids love it! They love using the Smartboard and when I find a video on You Tube.
- BOYS!! Maybe that's all I need to say here. Boys are boys and Emirati boys are a special case
- Duties. I have to do playground duty. No biggy. It's only 20 minutes and really I just chat with the girls. It's funny because I have a hard time figuring out if the boys are playing or fighting. Boys being boys I guess:) Oh I have to do cafeteria duty once a week and it's disgusting!! They eat with their hands. Everything. Not just sandwiches. Noodles and rice. It's so gross. Makes my stomach turn:( At least it's only 20 minutes once a week!
- Teaching time. I have less total teaching time each week!! There are two days when I only teach 4 out of 10 periods! Most days it's 6, but I love the days that it's only 4.
- Longer days. Even though I have less teaching time than at Ammoryiah the days are much longer. The school day for students is 7:30-2:45 except on Tuesday when they leave at 12:30. Now that would be a good thing if that were my day, but sadly it is not. I get there around 7:00 and leave between 3:00 and 4:30 depending on the day. Tuesdays are my longest day as I have to work until 4:30 which means I don't get home until nearly 5:00.
- English level. These kids are at least one year above my brightest students from Ammoryiah. Most of them are about where Ashwaq (she was my highest) was at the end of the year. That's a good thing! I can do a lot more with them! They are capable of understanding a lot more, their reading is better, and so is their writing.
- It's inside! OK I'll say it just one more time. I love the fact that I don't have a layer of sand covering all the desks and papers! It's great being able to stick stuff to the wall knowing that it won't get covered in sand and fall down! I love not having dirty feet everyday! It's not hot. Although, my AC has stopped working for the time being:(
- Assembly. It's quiet! No yelling! It's amazingly different and SHORT!! All they do is sing the national anthem and 2 kids recite the Quran; not the whole school. No silly PE to Jingle Bells. No constant shouting of some sort of Emirate thing after the national anthem. Oh, I will say that I think they say the same thing that the girls SHOUTED at Ammoryiah, but they do it in English (I wish I could have videotaped the assembly for you all to see, but it wasn't allowed).
- Involved Principal. Brian (the principal) has been in my classroom at least two times each week. He even stopped them in the hall to help get them to walk in a line. He's there at assembly and during dismissal.
- Breaks. The students have two 40 minute breaks instead of just one. That's a good thing. They need the time to run and get their energy out. During the second break (lunch 1:15-2:00) they have to pray as well. They have some sort of weird rotation where the boys eat, pray, then play while the girls pray, eat, then play. It's mixed with the 3rd grade which makes it even more confusing. So during the 2nd break they really only get about 15 minutes to play but it's better than nothing!
- Clothing. I can wear pants and short sleeves!
- I only have 1 class instead of 2. That's 24 students instead of 50. That basically cuts my job in 1/2!!
Similarities:
- Meetings. There are still a ton of them.
- Talking. The kids still love to talk. That's a cultural thing though. Well, maybe it's just a kid thing!!!
- Ridiculously high expectations. Yep still here. They don't understand that these kids are learning a new language and that they don't use it at home or out on the playground.
- Not enough time to teach. I know that sounds silly especially when I just said that I have less total teaching time. But you really need more than 40 minutes a day to teach English and math. It's just not enough time. They have so many things that they have to do during the day that 40-45 minutes is all they can squeeze in for each subject. Granted there are a few days when I can manage to get 2 periods of English or math, but it's not all that often.
- Testing. They have MAP testing, which should be sometime in October. They do it 3 times a year. Once at the beginning to get a baseline and then to see growth. I think that's a good way to do it.
- Lage class size. I have 24 students. That's just too many English language learners.
- Small classroom. Too small with too many students. We're crowded. The school is huge, but the classrooms are small.
It's getting cooler:) Only 97 degrees at 8:53pm! It will soon be nice out; I can't wait:)
Sunday, September 2, 2012
First Day of School
After a long weekend putting the final preparations on my classroom and getting ready the first day finally arrived. You know, "ready or not here they come!"
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| Nice shot of the 4 student computers |
Before I tell about the first day, here are a few pictures of my new "indoor" school and classroom.
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| Entrance to the Primary School |
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| My SmartBoard
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| Indoor play area called the Quad/Pod |
The building is super nice with lots of modern facilities including a swimming pool! I just hope it's more than a nice campus.
Sunday September 2nd marked the beginning of the school year. I got to school a bit past 7 and students were already there. Typically the assembly starts at 7:30, but we won't be having an assembly until Wednesday. So, at 7:30 the students were sent to their classroom. We had a slight issue directing students to the proper classroom because the lists in the reception area were labelled wrong. My classroom is 4D, but the list in reception had me and Gursharn (pronounced Gasharon; don't ask me how) flipped. So her class, which is 4F was labelled 4D so all her students went to my classroom and vice versa. One of the parents told me this, so I went out to reception to fix the mistake, but that didn't prevent the parents from bringing Ms. Gursharn's students to me. Oh well. We'll get it all figured out.
As of right now I have 22 students on my list and only 10 of them showed up. I actually had 12 students, but 2 weren't on my list. They are probably Gursharn's students. The few students that I had were coming in, getting settled, and making name tags for their desk and locker while I was talking to parents. The first thing Saeed's dad told me was that I would have to watch him "his behavior is bad." Great. That's exactly what every teacher wants to hear on the first day. I probably could have figured this out by myself, but with parental input that makes it a bit more real. He was quite talkative today (probably the only one) and had a hard time sitting still. But, he did do his work (the little that we did) and he did participate and he seems to be bright enough. He likes praise and worked for that today so I'll have to keep that in mind. While we were filling out the parent communication book I was pointing out who was ready and I didn't mention him, although he was ready, and he said "Saeed is ready too; good job." He's really cute too so that will be a problem. I did have a minor problem with him today. After the first break, Peter - another teacher - told them that they had to tuck in their shirt or they couldn't go back to the classroom. He told this to all the grade 4 boys. So I went around making sure my 5 boys tucked their shirt in. Saeed of course didn't. I told him to and he didn't. We got back to the classroom and I told him that he couldn't come in the class. He sat outside (which I must mention again is actually inside) the classroom for a while and I got the rest of the 11 students started on something. I went out to see if he was ready and I asked him if he could come in the class. His response was "No." I asked him why he couldn't come in and he told me "My shirt isn't tucked in." Well tuck it in then! He tucked it in and came in the class. It didn't remain tucked for very long. I have to tell you this isn't going to be a battle that I am going to fight, unless of course I really have to. As long as he keeps his shirt on I could care less if it's tucked in or not!
I had a little mishap this morning after art before break. I had agreed with the art teacher that I would take them to art and she would take them to the quad for break. Great that meant that I wouldn't have to walk up 2 flights of stairs twice. Khadija led the way to art and I left them there with the full assurance that Maggie would bring them to the quad for break. After my 40 minute break I went to the quad to find my students. All the other 4th grade classes were there, but my class was nowhere to be found. Where were they? Peter sent one of his students (the art teacher's daughter) to find them. She came back and gave us the thumbs up. We figured that meant they were on their way. No such luck. So I walked up the 2 flights of stairs to find them. Only they weren't in the art room. By this time the eating part of break was over and the rest of 4th grade was playing. To my surprise it was actually all of 4th grade. Where did my students come from? Khadija came over to me and I asked her where they were and her response was "we know where to go, Miss." OK. They are obviously able to do this on their own! Evidently they were in the cafeteria when all the other 4th grade classes were lined up outside. I had no idea. I guess I should have looked harder for them! Other than that there were no real obstacles today.
After the first break students began to leave and by the time I left for my doctor's appointment at 2:00 I was down to 9 students. As I was getting ready to leave I saw Nawal (art teacher from Ammoryiah). It was great to see her and we greeted with lots and lots of kisses! She said that there were many new teachers at Ammoryiah and the returning teachers were asking about me. I told her to tell them HI and that I wish I could come see them. That will have to wait until I have a day off and they don't. Probably won't be until the summer. Bummer because I would love to see my former students.
My doctor's appointment was for this lump I noticed on the side of my neck and a mildly irritating constant sore throat. It's like I've been sick since I got back. Not good. Dr. Shirley said not to worry about the sore throat; it's just slightly red and tender. Yeah mildly irritating! About the lump. It's right near my thyroid so they are going to do some tests. I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow night which will tell her if there's fluid in the lump or if it's cystic. If there is fluid in there, which she thinks there is based on how it feels, then I will have some sort of procedure to drain some of it so they can analyze it. In addition to the test on the lump they are going to look at my thyroid to see if it is functioning properly since thyroid problems run in the family. They are also looking at my iron levels again. There may be a few doctor's appointments for me in the near future. I will keep you all updated.
Back for day 2 tomorrow. Hoping Saeed tucks in his shirt tomorrow:)
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Eid
My plans for Eid were to go to Atlantis with Hetty, Lucia, and Karen (Lucia's daughter), but that changed because Atlantis was fully booked and Lucia's daughter wasn't going to arrive until the 19th instead of the 14th like originally planned.
Since Lucia's daughter hadn't arrived I still had a place to stay so I headed to Dubai on Thursday evening. I went to Mirdif first to visit with Cindy and Craig (they had just arrived on Wednesday). It was great to see Cindy and we spent the evening catching up while Craig borrowed my car to get some errands done. After visiting with Cindy I went on to Lucia's.
I picked Lucia up at Burjuman (a mall near her apartment) and then went back to her place. It was late so we did some quick catching up and then got ready for bed.
We went to church Friday morning and it was great to be back at Redeemer! Worship was fantastic, as usual, and it was wonderful to see my friends. I went out to lunch and spent the day with Cindy and Craig. A few restaurants in the food court were open for take out, so we got Subway and headed to the parking garage to eat! After lunch we went back to Mohammed's for the day. Mohammed was going to take the boys to get a haircut while Cindy and I took Aysha to get henna. We went to a little salon in Mirdif and got turned away because it was so packed. We opened the door and almost tripped over the people sitting on the floor. Since we got turned away, we tried to find another salon but we didn't know of anywhere else to go. So after driving around for a bit we ended up going back to Mohammed's.
Mohammed came back with the boys and noticed that Aysha didn't have henna (getting henna is very very important for Eid) and he was upset. We tried to explain that the salon turned us away because they were so busy. He didn't like that and ended up taking Aysha and Angelina (one of their nannies) back so she could get her required henna. We weren't sure how that was going to happen, but that wasn't our problem.
I hung around with Cindy and Craig because they needed to use my car to get stuff out of their storage place and take it back to Mohammed's. While we were waiting Mohammed returned and told us that he dropped Aysha and Angelina off at the salon and he was taking the boys out for Iftar. He told us that Aysha was going to call Cindy when she was finished and we were to pick her up. He told us that, not asked. Emirati lifestyle for you. I had not seen that side of Mohammed before and it was a bit weird.
Craig and Cindy got the necessary stuff from the storage and then we ended up picking up Aysha and Angelina at 8:30pm. They left to get henna around 3:30 or 4:00. They waited quite a long time, but like I said henna is extremely important for Eid. After Aysha got back I left. I was very tired since I hadn't slept well; I was up all night coughing.
Saturday was spent hanging out with Lucia and Hetty. We just stayed at home and caught up and did some reading. It was a nice relaxing day.
I went out with Kristie on Sunday. It was great spending time with her. I really missed our Friday's together. She is leaving on the 24th for the Philippines and when she comes back she'll be married! We went out to lunch, now that Ramadan was over we could actually eat at the mall, and she tried to find a pair of shoes. After I dropped Kristie off I left for Al Ain.
I got home around 9:30 and did some light reading before turning in for the night.
Monday was spent cleaning and reorganizing the apartment. I moved the bed so the AC wasn't blowing directly on me and I had to change the living room around since there is currently only one working outlet. I had to move my desk and dining table. I don't like the arrangement, but until the outlet in the living room gets fixed I have to have the desk near the working outlet. I also moved my bookcase into the "hallway". I pretty much spent the entire day cleaning and rearranging.
So, now I'm caught up!! It's Tuesday and I'm here at Cafe Nero catching up with the world; doing some emails, checking Fb, and updating my blog. I have to do some grocery shopping while I'm here, but I have to be careful because I only left enough money in my account to last me until the end of the month and I found out we won't get paid until the end of September. Yikes! It's going to be a tight month and a half.
Tomorrow it's back to work and I have to follow the regular school schedule; 7:30-3:30. At least it's a short week. A nice way to ease into the schedule. Next week the rest of the staff arrives. Hopefully I'll have some more time in my classroom because it's nowhere near ready and students arrive on September 2nd. I'll have pictures of my classroom posted when it's ready. Hopefully I'll have Internet access at home this week since Eid is over!
115 degrees at 3:00pm. Back to the desert! It is going to cool down though; down to 108 by the end of the week!!
Since Lucia's daughter hadn't arrived I still had a place to stay so I headed to Dubai on Thursday evening. I went to Mirdif first to visit with Cindy and Craig (they had just arrived on Wednesday). It was great to see Cindy and we spent the evening catching up while Craig borrowed my car to get some errands done. After visiting with Cindy I went on to Lucia's.
I picked Lucia up at Burjuman (a mall near her apartment) and then went back to her place. It was late so we did some quick catching up and then got ready for bed.
We went to church Friday morning and it was great to be back at Redeemer! Worship was fantastic, as usual, and it was wonderful to see my friends. I went out to lunch and spent the day with Cindy and Craig. A few restaurants in the food court were open for take out, so we got Subway and headed to the parking garage to eat! After lunch we went back to Mohammed's for the day. Mohammed was going to take the boys to get a haircut while Cindy and I took Aysha to get henna. We went to a little salon in Mirdif and got turned away because it was so packed. We opened the door and almost tripped over the people sitting on the floor. Since we got turned away, we tried to find another salon but we didn't know of anywhere else to go. So after driving around for a bit we ended up going back to Mohammed's.
Mohammed came back with the boys and noticed that Aysha didn't have henna (getting henna is very very important for Eid) and he was upset. We tried to explain that the salon turned us away because they were so busy. He didn't like that and ended up taking Aysha and Angelina (one of their nannies) back so she could get her required henna. We weren't sure how that was going to happen, but that wasn't our problem.
I hung around with Cindy and Craig because they needed to use my car to get stuff out of their storage place and take it back to Mohammed's. While we were waiting Mohammed returned and told us that he dropped Aysha and Angelina off at the salon and he was taking the boys out for Iftar. He told us that Aysha was going to call Cindy when she was finished and we were to pick her up. He told us that, not asked. Emirati lifestyle for you. I had not seen that side of Mohammed before and it was a bit weird.
Craig and Cindy got the necessary stuff from the storage and then we ended up picking up Aysha and Angelina at 8:30pm. They left to get henna around 3:30 or 4:00. They waited quite a long time, but like I said henna is extremely important for Eid. After Aysha got back I left. I was very tired since I hadn't slept well; I was up all night coughing.
Saturday was spent hanging out with Lucia and Hetty. We just stayed at home and caught up and did some reading. It was a nice relaxing day.
I went out with Kristie on Sunday. It was great spending time with her. I really missed our Friday's together. She is leaving on the 24th for the Philippines and when she comes back she'll be married! We went out to lunch, now that Ramadan was over we could actually eat at the mall, and she tried to find a pair of shoes. After I dropped Kristie off I left for Al Ain.
I got home around 9:30 and did some light reading before turning in for the night.
Monday was spent cleaning and reorganizing the apartment. I moved the bed so the AC wasn't blowing directly on me and I had to change the living room around since there is currently only one working outlet. I had to move my desk and dining table. I don't like the arrangement, but until the outlet in the living room gets fixed I have to have the desk near the working outlet. I also moved my bookcase into the "hallway". I pretty much spent the entire day cleaning and rearranging.So, now I'm caught up!! It's Tuesday and I'm here at Cafe Nero catching up with the world; doing some emails, checking Fb, and updating my blog. I have to do some grocery shopping while I'm here, but I have to be careful because I only left enough money in my account to last me until the end of the month and I found out we won't get paid until the end of September. Yikes! It's going to be a tight month and a half.
Tomorrow it's back to work and I have to follow the regular school schedule; 7:30-3:30. At least it's a short week. A nice way to ease into the schedule. Next week the rest of the staff arrives. Hopefully I'll have some more time in my classroom because it's nowhere near ready and students arrive on September 2nd. I'll have pictures of my classroom posted when it's ready. Hopefully I'll have Internet access at home this week since Eid is over!
115 degrees at 3:00pm. Back to the desert! It is going to cool down though; down to 108 by the end of the week!!
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