Birthday Bonaza

October 8, 1981

The day I was born, in Humble Texas. Twenty nine years later, and here I am....in a foreign country that I now call home, not sure where life is taking me, and so much to look forward to.

This birthday was different from all others...it was spent in a VERY different place, with friends (wonderful friends at that), but 7,000 miles away from family and close friends back home. It started out a bit strange, because it was so out of the ordinary. But, just like everything else, it turned out alright.

It started out just like any regular day. We had planned to go to a little Italian place for dinner. Barb and I had just found the place a week before, and ultimately became a favorite. You have to know, Italian food and Erin, we are good friends! Chantal was coming down from Al Ain to join us for dinner. It was to be small, quiet, just as any day. Another mistake I had made, this dinner night fell on the same night that there was a dragon boating competition, everyone had already made plans, and it was the end of a work week and people were tired. Again, no worries, it is just another day! I am come to the reality, as you grow older, birthdays aren't as much fun. Once you hit the main markers, 16....18....21, there isn't too much more to look forward to but getting older. :)

So, carrying on through a normal Friday afternoon, hanging out, running around town, shopping, etc....it was just like old times. We had decided to attend the Abu Dhabi car show. Barbara had heard about it, heard that the drifting team would be in town and out on a show, and it would be great fun.

We had returned to the hotel, everyone was to take a shower and get ready. So, within an hour, I was ready, but had not heard from the other two. Minutes later, with a ring of my doorbell, in walks Chantal and Barbara....rolling a tray in with a BASKIN ROBBINS ice cream cake, candles, balloons, and gifts. Pink bunny ears atop my head and my wishes were made. We gorged ourselves on decadent chocolate cake, giggled at the surprise of it all, and opened gifts. The girls went above and beyond!! I got:
1. a little shisha smoker....really cute
2. my favorite perfume, Samsara
3. a keychain, which marks so true..."Lost in Abu Dhabi"

So, the rest of the deal was, starting from this moment, the balloons were to go wherever I went. Yup, that is right....I walked around the car show, where the manly of the manliest men go....cars and motorcycles roared, and music blared...here I was with a trail of balloons attached to my purse. I must say, it was quite a scene, as there were many people who asked to take a picture, especially photographers from the local newspapers (I am yet to see the paper that published the pictures). There was no losing me...I could be spotted a mile away.

Next was dinner....off to Palazio Italian Rest. we went, balloons included. This has become one of my favorite rest. in the Abu Dhabi area! Not only do they have good food, Italian food at that, but the atmosphere of the rest. is absolutely divine. It is like you stepped off a plane and landed in Venice. The murals, the paintings, the decor, and even the chefs...it all reminds you of those quiet nights within the Venetian City...gondola rides, Italian music, and the smell of sweet Italian wines. Took me back to a place I didn't stay as long as I wanted, but enjoyed every moment of the experience.

We had stuffed ourselves to the brim....enjoying a divine feast of Italian favorites. We were so full, that by 10:00 PM, our beds were calling our names.

It was a great birthday..another year older, another year wiser, and another year spent with great friends, having a great time.

You wouldn't expect anything less....

Back home in the States, anyone could tell you, the day to live for was FRIDAY! Friday was the last day of the work week and therefore, started your two day mental health days (weekend). What a person would do without those, I just couldn't tell you.

Here, in the United Arab Emirates, our weekend starts on Thursday. Thursday marks the last day of the work week, Friday is the Holy Day (nothing is open and there isn't much to do), and Saturday is our "Sunday" in the States, but acts like a Saturday (everything is open and there is plenty to do).

I used to say I LOVE weekends, and I looked very much forward to weekends. Now, I can say I LOVE weekends, I CAN'T WAIT for weekends, weekends couldn't come FAST enough, I WORK for weekends, weekends are NOT long enough here, etc. Yes, that is right....I wake up Sunday morning (1st day of work) dreaming about my next weekend....I get through the week, counting down the hours until the weekend starts. I have never LOVED weekends as much as I do now, until I became a teacher in the UAE!

Not that my weekends are special, or I do anything over the top. Just the mere fact that I am run down to complete exhaustion and beat to a bloody pulp, the two days of not seeing bratty little 3rd graders, listening to them speak Arabic/call me names in Arabic, being able to talk without screaming and yelling, and just plain enjoy myself is well, like smelling roses! It is as enjoyable as that first bite into a chilled Gala apple, the smell and taste of my Starbucks caramel machiatto, and the feeling you get after the best nights sleep. I can seriously say, these two days are what I LIVE for in this country!

This past weekend, I would say is one of my over the top days, I had the pleasure of experiencing for the first time.....an Abu Dhabi hospital.

Last Wednesday (October 13th) I had decided to wear a brand new pair of shoes that I bought from the mall. A good brand....purchased from Aldos, all leather, slip on flats. I had received several compliments on them throughout the day. Until about mid-way through the afternoon, as they started rubbing blisters on my feet. :( Stuck, as I didn't have another pair of shoes to switch to, I continued about my day. As soon as I got home, I switched to another pair of shoes, and went about the rest of my day.

Thursday (October 14th), last day of the work week, I wear my trusty reef flip flops to school. Happy as usual, for my weekend is just hours away, I am walking up and down the isles of the classroom, checking the work of my students. I turn my head, making a step forward and I have an unfortunate run in with the bottom of a rolly backpack. Yup, I have just jammed my two small toes, also where the blister is located, into the bottom of one of my kiddos backpack. Not just any backpack, but one built of metal, heavy duty, 4 wheels, and heavy. As if this kid were leaving on the next jet plane, and going backpacking through the Alps! Oh my, the pain was like no other! Of course, my toes start bleeding, so I ask my student teacher to watch the class as I go over to the nurse.

Finally through the day and back at home, my foot is sore. It felt as though I had a broken toe or two (not an unusual experience for me) and a blister the size of Mount Everest. I thought it would heal just fine, just keep it clean. But, as the weekend went on, the pain worsened. I couldn't put a shoe on my foot, and the swelling just kept growing. So, with a "little help from my friends", Barbara had talked my into going to the doctor.

Fear of the unknown set in....I am still in a "new" place, which I call home now. But, I had not been to a doctor here, and things just aren't the same as they are in the States. The uneasy feeling set in, and I just lost it....cried like a baby, for fear that I was to navigate my way through this city, find parking for my car, walk into a hospital that I didn't know, and everything was going to be okay? hmmm. Thank the lord above, Barbara offered to go with me!

The hospital was crowded, a lot of people there for misc. reasons, none of which I cared to ask. The lady at the front desk, probably only understanding half of what I told her, sent me to orthopedics. Why?? I told her that I just needed a general practitioner, not a specialist, but she insisted. Only to find out that the wait time was 1.5 hours....I DON'T THINK SO! I was later taken to the ER, wait time ZERO! I was taken care of within minutes! Because of all the dirt, sand, and grime here, the blister had become infected. So, between the pain of bashing my toes into what felt like cement and an infected wound, I felt like I was about to lose my foot. Tender to the touch, cleaning and bandaging my foot was like driving a knife through my leg. The doctor was lucky I didn't kick him in the face with my other foot.

Bandage on, three prescriptions, and a note to stay off my foot for two days....WE WERE OFF!

I have enjoyed the past two days....relaxing, sleeping...watching TV....etc. Back to reality, as I will go hobbling into work again tomorrow. Thank goodness for the short week!

Thanks to my wonderful friend Barbara, who without her, I probably wouldn't have gone to see a doctor.

Overall experience, things were pleasant. Although I hope I don't every have to make another trip, it isn't as horrible as I had imagined. Things were taken care of and I feel better.

Until then, I hobble around, bandage intact and medications to kill....

To be or not to be.....

At the risk of sounding about 40 years older than I really am, WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO?? I am starting to sound like my Papa, who at the great age of 90 passed away, bewildered at what the world was like. My father, constantly amazed at the stupidity of people. And alike, I wonder the same thing!

I left the United States in August 2010, after a serious mind game of whether or not teaching was the right route for me. After beating myself up, teaching won, but I was going to take a different approach....I was going to teach abroad! Better yet, I was going to teach in an Arab country, where Muslims are known for obedient children and intelligence. So, I packed my bags and left, with a new hope, a new dream, and an open mind. I figured, by taking this trip, I was going to renew my love for teaching, and what I do so well. In theory, I love the idea of being a teacher, what a teacher can do/offer, and all the creativity a teacher can have (not to mention the SEVEN years of college it took to get me that degree!). But, is it the right pathway?

I am based in Shahama, a small town on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi; it is the halfway point between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Every morning, I wake up at 5:00, leave by 6:00, pick up three other co-workers, and off we go on our 25 minute ride.

The 25 minute car ride is quite comical...it is actually my saving grace for my own sanity. I don't know what I would do without my co-workers and all of our laughs.

Saundra- probably one of the funniest people on Earth. She has a good attitude about everything, even when she is down. She has a quick wit to her, and can turn ANYTHING into something funny. I must say, she gets me through the day.

Leafy- she is small, meek, and quite. She gets a good laugh from Saundra too....a small giggle. Doesn't have too much to say, just enough....sits back and enjoys the ride.

Elaine- I sometimes think she is from a different planet. Funny, but where she gets some of her thoughts, I just don't know.

But, between Saundra and Elaine, we have four tickets straight to "Funny-Ville."

During my interview, I had specifically asked to be put in a boys school. Back home, in the United States, I had always related better to boys. I figure it is the nurturing part of my personality, so I thought it would be the same.


MISTAKE #1: Being put in a boys school!

In this country, no female should be in a boy's school, only males. From an early age, they [boys] are taught that they are MEN....they can do no wrong. They are the chosen ones, for they will carry the family name, carry the family money, etc.

MISTAKE #2: Not asking to be in a private or international school.

Ibn Sina (my school) is a government school, affiliated with a British provider. They are being re-structured based on the guidelines used in Britain, Australia, and the US. Therefore, since this program is new, so are the concepts of school. (FACT OF THE DAY: as of 30 years ago, the UAE didn't have schools. They would sit under trees and read the Qur'an, their holy book).

So, here we are, three weeks into the new school year. I feel like a new teacher, all over again, multiplied by 150. I feel like the worst teacher on the face of this earth, as if I can't do anything right, yet am working until 2:00 am. I work until the wee hours of the night, for what? The kids don't appreciate my lesson plans, so why should I?

What I thought I had mastered, classroom management, it has gone down the drain here.

The kids are OUT OF CONTROL! They have no respect for classrooms, books, supplies, teachers, their school, etc. They spit (anywhere and everywhere, even on teachers), they fight (NON-STOP....this is the most violent group of children I have ever seen), they are rude, don't follow directions, don't EVER SHUT UP, are illiterate (in both/all languages), are lazy, have lack of discipline multiplied by 250 (in fact, I don't think the word discipline is in the Arab dictionary), systems and processes don't exist here....to sum it up, NOTHING goes right! I have lost all morals as a teacher, turning my back to problems that I would NEVER not fix...just because here, they are normal. The fact that I have to scream and yell, most of my day, because that is the only way to get these kids to shut up. I feel like I am working in a zoo!

For the lack of better phrases, I HATE my life here between the hours of 7:00 am to 1:30 pm, Sunday through Thursday. Any time out of that range, I LOVE it here! I can't think of a better place to be.

Moral of this story, all of the problems that I used to gripe about back home and how lazy I thought American kids were, I would trade all of that in a heartbeat! I would take ANY problem or child from the last 4 years of my teaching, instead of what I am faced with now. I am sorry for all of the bad things I said about teaching in America, all of my complaints toward administration, and all of the students I griped about. (And to my fellow teacher friends, count your blessings, because it COULD be worse!)

So, through all of this, I have decided...

I AM a good teacher! I do the job well and love kids, but teaching is not the pathway I am meant to be on. I don't know what my pathway is supposed to be, but I am really working toward the nursing/hospital administration field. It is going to be a struggle, and I don't know how I am going to get there, but where there is a WILL, there is a WAY.

New living quarters

Well, the time has come!! My stay in the Intercontinental, 5 star treatment, buffet style breakfast, valet parking, and service at any time has finally come to an end!!

Barbara and I picked up our keys to the new apartment on Thursday.....we spent all day Friday cleaning, and will start moving things in this week and next weekend.


More pictures to come, as soon as we move in and have furniture!!

Catch(her) in the Rye

One of the main reasons for pursuing this job opportunity was the EXPERIENCE this trip would allow for me. And guess what, there hasn't been a day since setting foot on UAE soil that I haven't experienced something new, outrageous, complicated, exciting, different, strange, and just plain abnormal.

Barbara and I went to the mall the other day, to get a bite to eat. Nothing out of the ordinary....a trip to the food court or one of the MANY cafes around the mall. As I am sitting there, enjoying my chicken pasta, a good conversation, and company of a good friend, there is a sudden burst of anger from behind me. There, in the middle of the mall, were two groups of guys....yelling at each other (in Arabic) and beginning the start of a fight. After a short acceleration and choice words, the groups went their separate ways. What just happened???

With a look of confusion, as it is normally plastered to my face, Barbara said, "There goes the Emirati style of dating for you....watch...."

So, being the people watcher that I am, the next 10 minutes of my life was spent observing....the life of an Emirati and dating.

Mind you, I said I was here for the experience. The experiences here are like no other, and very different to what I am accustomed to, but that is why I am here. So, here goes, "Emirati Dating:101"


Around 3:30 in the afternoon, this marks the prime time for the Emirati girls to visit the malls, to walk, shop, etc. Dressed in the typical worn abaya, sheila around the head/hair, and high heels (some so high, I think I would kill myself trying to walk in them)....these girls cruise up and down the mall; in and out of shops, up the escalator stairs, and to the food court they go. You would expect nothing less of a female, right?

The Emirati boys, dressed in their typical worn white kandora and saturated with some of the best smelling colognes, in the words of Jersey Shore, they start their "creeping." They follow the Emirati girls, in and out of shops, up the escalator stairs, and to the food court. They will follow behind them, just enough distance between them, but will follow. Some will actually approach one of the ladies, chat a bit, but mostly just follow.

Now, one of the really cool things about this process is the visual aspect. Based on the females choice, some ladies cover more than others. So, there are ladies that just cover their hair or there are ladies that cover their entire face. So, this Emirati dating game is quite interesting, because the guys don't always know what the girls look like. In fact, the more covered the female is, the more guys follow her.

The other side to this, are the girls that cover just their hair. Some ladies go the natural look and are quite beautiful, but then, there are those that dress like the Emirati version of Barbie...they have so much makeup plastered to their faces, you just don't know what to think.

In the eyes of the viewer, none of this would really look abnormal. It simply looks like a cluster of girlfriends going to the mall together, for fun. Then, of course, you have a group of guys, with their buddies, going to the mall. It is all about first, who you know that can tell you this stuff. But also, watching each of the guys and their "stroll" (walk), the distance they leave behind the group of girls, and finally- the funniest part of this process, how the guys hang around the group of girls when they enter a store. The boys will linger, pace back and forth, waiting for the girls to exit the store, in order to continue following.

Best part for the females...if the girl isn't interested, they simply call their driver or someone to come get them.....they will sit and wait, until they are fetched. Like a dog, tail tucked and dragging to the floor, the boys walk on and find another group.

So, who will eventually catch her?

Airing Out My Dirty Laundry

I have now been in Abu Dhabi for a month now....hard to believe! I have experienced and seen so much, in so little time, I almost don't know what to do with myself.

Peering out of my 15th floor hotel window (STILL!), straight shot to the Arabian Gulf, you wouldn't dream of hearing a complaint from me....or would you?

Thinking back to my arrival, I couldn't wait to live the "high" life, and boy have we ever! FIVE star hotel, service, food, bedding, etc. and being water front, you couldn't think of a better vacation, (clear throat) I mean, job location. I can't remember the last time I carried anything (laundry, groceries, anything heavy) to my own room...that is right, it is done for me. My car, it is parked for me. Oh, did I mention, my breakfast is a gourmet BUFFET, with more food than even the starving children in Ethiopia could eat, but nonetheless- absolutely WONDERFUL! Who wouldn't want this life!?!?

Well, it is trips to the local grocery stores (Spinneys) or a drive around town in hunt of a laundry place. Isn't it funny, sad really, how much we take the small things in life for granted. Something as simple as a washing machine. I <3 my washing machine, and have never missed something so MUCH! Especially when it comes down to really, literally, "airing out your dirty laundry." So, you walk into the laundry place, where you hand them your bags. Atop the counter, your goods are dumped out, and counted. Not secretly counted, but underwear is thrown in different directions, tops, bottoms, etc....nothing secret about your laundry...in fact, "Victoria's secret" is out of the bag!

Oh, don't let me forget, those small washings we do in the bathtub, with liquid detergent. You walk in to everyone's hotel bathroom, clothes are hung from top to bottom...drying.

Need I not forget, good ol' home cooking! You might think all those delicious dishes I keep posting look good, well, try eating them for a month! The value I would put on my own kitchen, stove, refrigerator, etc. = PRICELESS!! The night we get those keys to this new apartment we have been "approved" for, I vouch to sleep on top of the kitchen counters- granite and all.

Life, abode a five star hotel in the one and only Abu Dhabi, doesn't carry many complaints....I mean, look at my pictures! Life here is good, great actually. But, lesson learned here, remember all those things we take for granted. You never know when you aren't going to have them, and REALLY REALLY want them.

So, farewell to my last night of vacation...for school starts tomorrow (Tuesday Sept. 14- staff development) and the kiddos come on Wed. Sept. 15th. My list of things to do gets longer, and guess what is on top:

LAUNDRY

The Hustle and Bustle

I sit here, peering out from my 15th floor window of the Intercontinental Hotel in complete awe and disbelief. I haven't quite grasped the fact that I really am here, in a foreign country, to live and work for the next two years of my life. I have this repeating thought that I am simply on vacation. I am living in a 5-star hotel, serviced with daily room cleaning, valet parking, and buffet style breakfast every morning (absolutely to die for). Who wouldn't forget that a job is soon to come? This experience, as I have said before, has been like a dream...nothing but positive things to say.

I started driving this last week...I was scared to death! I must say, I feel like a human again, being able to drive! Driving in the UAE is a rare form; these Emiratis are absolute maniacs when it comes to driving, so every car ride is an experience all in its own. Things are going well, as I have been driving to and from work all week. I wouldn't call myself a pro, yet. Thank goodness for Garmin Nuvi....he is my best friend!

As I have said before, I think this job/move was the best decision I am yet to make in my life. I have a 45 minute commute to and from work, so it gives me time to sit and think, which I have been doing quite a bit of.

I ponder the meaning of lost, as I get lost every afternoon driving in from Al Shahama, and what an excellent learning experience such a negative word creates. Getting lost in the car coming home from work, only barely brushes the story of my life- past, present, and future.

I am lost...

* longing for a new career in the States. As many of you know, and I have said before, I won't be returning to the States for a teaching job. Instead, my plan is to go back to school, and complete my nursing degree and master's in hospital administration; something that should have been done long ago, even from the beginning.

* longing for religion and faith. Being in Abu Dhabi, I am immersed in a Muslim rich environment, no one can escape from because it is in every aspect of your own life. Prayer call is five times a day, called from speaker systems all over the country....you can hear it from anywhere you are. Amazingly, it isn't annoying; it is actually quite serene. I catch myself saying a small prayer of my own, when I hear it. Really, it makes you come to grips with your own religion.

The outfit of a Muslim- Kandora (for men) and the abaya and sheila (for women)are the typical attire here. As many of you have seen, I even wear them for work and when visiting mosques. Up until my trip, and asking a friend of mine 50 million questions, I didn't get it. For women, it is the exact opposite of what people think, especially Americans. Women wear the abaya, sheila, burka, hijab (whatever their choice) as a devotion to Allah (God), their purity for a future husband, and as a personal choice. The thought is, no other man should see another man's wife; contrary, a man, technically, doesn't see his wife until marriage. In turn, this eliminates the straying from a marriage. Is it a little on the extreme side? Sure, maybe to most, but from the words of an Emirati local, marriage is then viewed differently...you are actually working on the marriage together, as you are getting to know each other (many marriages are arranged here). Contrary to the most popular belief, the typical Muslim outfit for women is not about shunning the females, to belittle them, or lack of self confidence. It is actually quite the opposite! Women here are treated quite well...(I know, most of you are gasping at the fact that I have just said that) but you have to experience it to know the real truth.

Fasting- During the holy month of Ramadan, fasting is from sunrise to sunset. As a Muslim, you may not eat or drink anything, including water, gum, candy, etc. This was a struggle when I first arrived. Because of Ramadan, lunch typically isn't in the schedule. If you are lucky, you can pop into a grocery store or grab takeaway and go back to your hotel room, but for the most part, you also end up fasting. Obviously giving something up for a religious reason is something big; it gives you a greater appreciation for things. In simpler terms, I have NEVER loved water as much as I LOVE water now! Definitely gives you a greater appreciation for the smaller things in life.

Patience- I never really stopped to think about how fast paced my life always was. You set your mind to do something, and it usually gets done within the time period that you want. Here, things don't work like that. I swear, it is as if we have our own clock over here. I will simply refer to it as, "Arab time."

Arab time happens when Arab time happens. When in a car, you are in a rush to get to no where. Everything else...."inshallah"- it will happen when it happens. There are no immediate answers, just maybes. "Don't worry, it will be okay" has become a popular one. No one is in a rush, there aren't many deadlines, and you are lucky that people even show up to work. :) Being thrown into this, immediately, has had a huge impact...I almost don't know what to do with myself! I don't have a classroom yet, which means my classroom isn't decorated or ready, I don't know my curriculum or what to do for the first day, but you know, "inshallah"- everything will be okay. Oddly enough, I am not all that worried about it...strange I know, coming from someone that should be medicated for obsessive compulsive disorder! being here has been quite relaxing and has taught a great lesson...ENJOY life while you can!

True Beauty- Having been here for a little over three weeks and during the holy month of Ramadan, I am yet to experience the true beauty of the UAE/Abu Dhabi. Although all that I have seen and done has been great, I believe there to be so much more. I think there are even more treats coming my way, and I can't wait!

So, until then, the hustle and bustle is about to begin. We found out that Eid is starting Wednesday Sept 8th, which means the end to Ramadan (things get crazy for the next 7 days, off from work), school starts on Sept. 15th, I will be moving into my new apartment soon, and my mini-vacation will slow down (note, I didn't say end!!). A lot to come, in so few days!