The Moon remains the same worldwide:)

This evening, as I was driving home from a visit with my mom and aunt, my eye caught the all most full moon. It was very bright in the darkness of King county (think Seattle). Though really, the trees are at times annoying;)

It almost immediately reminded me of a night in Al Ain sometime last year, where the moon looked huge as it was rising in the east. As I drove, it tried to get a picture, but I couldn't get a good shot. Instead of pulling over to the side of the road, I kept driving toward it. Only when I turned on to the main road that eventually leads to Dubai did I manage to turn off. Note that the road to Dubai runs right along the UAE-Oman border. I noticed the fence, but it had no meaning for me--I wanted the picture!

As I'm clicking away through a chain-linked, and probably barbed-wired, fence my good friend JB was yelling at me about the signs saying clearly in both Arabic and English "stay away"! Oops!

Anyway, on the meaningful thought of his quarter of the year: the moon--whether you see a man or a rabbit--is one beautiful example of things that remain the same throughout the world. I suppose one could say the same about the sun, but I don't look directly at that. 

But no matter where I live, I should remember that some things I can take with me & other really important things, namely nature and memories, will always be with me.

Photo taken 8 March 2012, in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Only at home in the US...

So I've been teaching kindergarten at home since December. It's only half-time, but after my spectacular experience last fall, it is enough. It is such a delight to be teaching kids who have more than 1-2 years of English!

But today, there was a bomb threat at school. Luckily, the authorities figured out very quickly the author of the note and that the threat was an empty one. Students hadn't yet arrived this morning, but many of my students noticed the police as they arrived.

We shall see how tomorrow goes.

At home, abroad

Fionka is the expatriate of the two of us now. But she is finally comfortable enough at her new home to act like her playful self. Too bad I'm going to move her again :( to be with me :)

Home again

Oh, how simple my life seemed on October 3!

I'm home again. My traveling days are on hold for a good long time. After a hellish last month in the UAE (October), I have been home since 10/30. Next week, I start working again!

Seeing the world was great fun, to be sure. But I'm happy to be home and working at last.

On Being...Mute

I am home sick again:( Laryngitis. It has been setting in since Tuesday, my first day back in the classroom. Tuesday and Wednesday of talking has made me nearly mute. And I have been told by everyone and know, resting my voice is the only remedy.

I'm an avid talker, so this will be a rough day. I was thinking earlier of my options; sleep and TV seemed my only options. I was wide awake early, so went to work to collect my iPad. The screen will be more useful to me to communicate. (If only Fionka could read!)

Hospital for the second time this week, a second doctors note for work, finding my insurance card at the pharmacy, and now I am back at home. I guess typing all day can keep me quiet, too:)

Oh, I wanna watch last night's debate! How do I sign off... :)

Sick days:)

Well, while I don't appreciate needing an official doctor's note if you are absent for a single day due to illness, I certainly do appreciate that the doctor I saw yesterday gave me 2 days off. Since I can picture the student who was in constant need of tissues last week, I am confident that I am ill because of at least one student. But the lack of toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels in the student bathrooms just sends my mind down a deep spiral of disgust that isn't required now;)

Two days of rest following a dismal weekend of illness, it is just what I needed. Not that I am really ready to return. What will my classroom look like following my absence, since substitute teachers are a thing of America that I shouldn't even think of here. Will my room need another paint job? Probably not, but that could be wishful thinking!

I found a new hospital where those with appointments don't have to mingle with those without. A new hospital that is new and sparkly compared to the missionary derived one I visited last year. I don't care how awesome your new building is if it isn't finished. Sitting in squalor is not what I wish anyone to endure when ill.

Too bad I was really exhausted and ill these last two days. So much in my massive to-do pile and so much wasted time... Story of my life:)

I'm not quite back into the swing of things with school. But as I look forward to the upcoming week, let me reflect on the awesome things of last week (the first of this school year).

-Two great groups of gr. 2 girls! Thanks to my awesome gr. 1 colleague who trained them so well last year:)

-A mold-free classroom that is actually often too cool for the AC. (Last year's room got way too much sun. My planned classroom (with mold) was reassigned at the last minute.)

OK, that's it. I must get to sleep since I am unable to be productive with work anymore tonight.

Back to Normal

I have been back in the UAE for about 1 week. The jet lag is gone, but the routine is still a bit off. But today, I collected my lovely cat, Fionka.

She seems dramatically smaller than when I left her in July. But tomorrow, we'll go to the vet to see for sure. She rode the car ride from AD nicely, among new plants from IKEA that she made a mess of. Oh well, some things never change.

School starts this Sunday for us teachers. The students will begin the following Sunday. Sad to realize that there are only these two days left of summer break, but I'm excited about the prospects of teaching this year more than I was last August. Getting a heads up about my assignment has been a huge relief. I just hope things follow through as expected. Fingers crossed constantly:)

Vacation/Holiday, week 4

It surprises me that while in the US, where I don't need a VPN to see this site in English, I haven't written anything. I guess that means I have been having a fulfilling time visiting family and friends at HOME:)

Week 1: a class by Responsive Classroom, awesome
Week 2-3.5: Montana and Nebraska for father visiting and grandma's memorial service:( Met a lot of similar named relatives:)
Week 3.5-4.6: Mom time, in Bellingham. Food, food, and more food:) Luckily my eyes are still bigger than my stomach. And there isn't a Baskin Robbins at every turn one makes;)

(Coming up)
Week 4.7-5.2: Salt Lake City:) Overdue visiting time with my UVA twin :)

8/22 (my return to the mid-east) is coming up too soon, there's only 2 weeks left, oh no! Must get to Seattle asap for some delicious veggie Pho!

I can't recall when I've ever included so many smiley faces in a post. There must really be something about home after 11-1/2 months away...

Winding down...the never-ending wait

One week to go! Well, one more week of coming to school, which is more than 3 weeks after the last sighting a student in uniform. While I'll admit that our holiday breaks between terms are mighty generous, I seriously question the need to hold teachers and administrators hostage so long after the students have left for the summer. Plus, we only report back to school one week before students start in the fall. HUH? I know, my Western mind sees this as nonsensical. But a UAE mind is very mindful of Ramadan. That explains it all! Ramadan and the first Eid holiday only finish toward the end of August. This will be the shortest summer break I have ever enjoyed as a teacher, but I'll take it!

Summer and the mass exodus

Today, I was in Carrefour, the UAE's answer to Wal-Mart, when I noticed that their seasonal aisle was a sea of suitcases. I don't know if it is just us teachers getting ready to leave for the summer, but the sheer number of suitcases leads me to suspect that it isn't just us chomping at the bit for home or at least somewhere else:)

In two weeks, I will be one and a half hours from landing in Seattle! I have a busy schedule for the front end of my visit, but I'm sure I'll enjoy being around family and friends:)

two more months

I am two months and four days from my first trip home. But before I get way ahead of myself, a bit about the last few months.

The heat of the Arabian desert has been gearing up. Gone are the cool winter/spring days. It never got cold enough for me to think it winter, plus all of the plants started flowering in December-February. My classroom's air conditioners are hobbled making me and my students alike irritable and it hard for them to learn. But this week, I enjoyed working with my grade 1s filling and comparing bottles with water for capacity. (Um, in what universe is capacity a reasonable grade 1 standard? Oh, yea, this insane one!) But being outside almost lead to heat stroke for at least me.

It will be great to see the Pacific again in two months. But until then, I shall keep hydrated in 115 degree weather and continue to help my wonderful and frustrating students grow.

A bit of respite

I am on spring break:) After visiting Doha, Qatar, for a few days, I'm back home with 10 more days of break. Doha was similar to the UAE. But there I saw a true thunderstorm, and get this...with rain! It was a downpour:) Abu Dhabi didn't get much precipitation at all. This has been the land of sandstorms for the last few months. Gone are four seasons each year. Cool to sweltering, that's what we see in the Arabian desert.

I have much to do this break. And now that I've successfully wasted a day since I've returned from Doha, it is time for me to get onto it. Hopefully I will not only catch up but get ahead for the third and final term of this school year:)

Term 2's end is near

As I am in work mode 24 hours a day, in the frenzy of the end of the term, I decide to write here! Why yes, I am easily distracted. Though you wouldn't assume that since it has been more than a month since my last entry:)

I am not what season we are in, but windstorms seem to be the norm today and in this last month. I can't help but compare it to my last location--the US Pac NW. Yes, my car is covered in sand, and I'm constantly trying to sweep up the sand that blows into my apartment. But there is no rain:)

Three more weeks of school with so much to do before its close. Yikes!!!!

And another month comes to a close

Yes, time does fly when you are not young. As January is ending soon, I can't help think that I only have 6 months to go. Tho, I'm a bit annoyed that we have to work into July. But I will be home for the summer:) At least for most of the Ramadan season. One arid summer here is enough for a lifetime.

My students are learning, as students always do and will.

To request a transfer to Abu Dhabi? It would put me back in an urban setting, which I was craving. I have a big decision to make. Watch me miss the deadline (Thursday).

January goes slowly

I'm trying to be more positive. But the best thing I can recall of this week is that the weather is nice (imagine April in Virginia--a warm April--or June in Seattle). Teaching all over the world is difficult and a bit demeaning. But I just love being treated like an idiot, doesn't everyone?!? Anyway...

This month, without several friendly faces of the later part of 2011, I'm making more friends. I actually went hiking last weekend at Jebel Hafeet. Me, hiking? I can hardly believe it. I've never liked it much at home where it is cool most of the time. Why would I walk along the driest river bed voluntarily? But I might as well make the best of these few cool weekends of the year:) Next weekend, I'll join friends at the early Friday morning camel races:) 

Back in the sandbox again

I returned on Tuesday/Wednesday to the sandbox that is the UAE. Germany was nice, but visiting friends was my focus. I casually took a picture of the Brandenburg Gate as I walked by it thinking it was too small to be it but I'd ask my friends later. I mainly saw what I saw from the windows of my friends' apartment and from buses. Now, I have one more day until school resumes. My 'overdue' list runneth over! I'd better get to it:)

An empty house

My winter break started after school on Thursday. It is now Saturday. My building is a ghost town.

I won't leave for another 22 hours (OMG, so soon!). More friends have left for good; too many have gone. Telling us to "be flexible" was just too vague, too nice toward this place, and unkind to us about what to expect here.

While I will return, I probably wouldn't be if I had booked a trip home for this break back in October. Half of my colleagues will be gone in the new year.

At least Fionka will be in good hands with neighbors. I'll come back for her:)

One week to go!

There are just 5 more days in the classroom before three-weeks of winter break. This week can't fly by fast enough! Well, except that I have much left on my to-do list: grades, formal evaluation, grades, grades, grades, oh and improve the "environment" of my classroom before Tuesday's "formal eval." As if "grades" aren't enough at the end of the term!

There will be no home for me this break. But I'm off to Germany. I may as well visit one of the motherlands of my varied ancestors. Traveling from the UAE to Germany takes substantially less time than to the US.

If this week doesn't kill me, I'll be very happy to get away!

Lead up to National Day = Crazy Days in the Classroom!

The trimester is almost complete. Now it is crunch time for grades. In the midst of this stress, the kids are all  wound up in anticipation for the 40th National Day of the UAE. (Honestly, by the sheer volume of expensive cars decorated in Green, Red, Black, and White, I think everyone is excited.) Who wouldn't be? Forty is so young from my American perspective and even younger when I think of the histories of both Europe and Japan. But if rehearsing is what is necessary for the big school assembly on Tuesday, then why am I trying to teach anything new? My students are being pulled, and it is impossible to not hear various rehearsals in the central courtyard. Getting kids to focus when the sound system is on full-blast is not my forte. Oh well, whatever, I am ready to give up.