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:)