Last Sunday was the first day with kids. I brought a few things to school with me and had a couple activities planned (haha!) and boy, it was like no other first day of school I have ever seen. When I went to my classroom, there were parents, nannies, and students crowded all around the door. I decided NOT to go through it because I couldn't get through the mass of people. The school is set up around a large courtyard, and each grade has a section off of the courtyard. So I guess the best way to describe it is that the kindergartens have a room off of the courtyard, and then off of that room are our rooms. There are no hallways. So the room that leads to our rooms had no walking space because the parents were trying to figure out where their kids go because they didn't find out ahead of time.
Each day starts with an assembly, so I headed out there. Remember, I don't speak Arabic, so I can't communicate with too many people at this school. I waited with the other English teachers, and finally our co-teachers showed up. They are the Arabic teachers, and they knew exactly what was going on so that was very comforting. The kids starting coming, and so did the tears. I wish I could say they lined up, but no such thing happened. I have no idea what goes on during the assembly, but a lot of chanting, hand movements, the national anthem, and some drumming. Maybe some day someone will tell me what they are saying.
We walked to the classroom, and silly me thinks the kids will come in and the parents and nannies will go after a little while and I will get the children to myself and maybe get to do the activities I had planned. HAHA!!! Those parents and nannies made themselves comfortable in that classroom. I asked my Arabic teacher, and she said it is the way they do it here. Wow, okay. The first day was such a blur but I can really say that I am not in America. They played a little and we colored and ate and by then it was time to go home. The kids are leaving early this week. I think they were only there for 2 and a half hours, but there are no clocks in the school so I don't really know. I have asked for a bunch of things for the classroom so hopefully a clock is coming.
There were lots and lots of tears, because these children are not used to being away from their families. They never are away from them because a lot of times the mothers do not work. The families are so rich that they don't have to work.
The second day, I wanted the families to leave so I tried to have the Arabic teacher relay the message in Arabic, but one of the parents who can speak some English explained to me that I am not in America and that they will stay with their children for one week to ten days, because they love their children here. Well, parents love their children in America too, but they leave them at school. I think what the parents don't realize is that they are making it harder for the children because they don't allow for the separation to happen. They bang on the door when we lock it to be let back in, and when the kids finally stop crying they start again because they see a mom. It is crazy. Every day this week there has been at least one mom or nanny in the classroom at all times. On Sunday, I am going to tell them they have to go so we can start teaching. It has been impossible to get anything done because of all of the crying. It is not just one kid crying, but half of the class (30 kids!). Oh, and some kids are just coming because they "love their brother/ sister" not because they are in the class. But again, I can't speak or read Arabic, so it is kind of hard for me to figure out who is supposed to be on the class list and who is not.
Tuesday was the worst day, but the rest got better. By Thursday, I was able to do a little bit with the kids. I taught them how to say "My name is..." and we sang Head, Shoulders and the ABC's.
The lunchboxes are amazing here. And by amazing I mean disgusting. I promise I am not exagerrating when I say that one child will pull 4 bags of potato chips, 2 candy bars, a roll and juice out of their bag. And they only eat the chips and candy. And they nannies and moms always pile back in at snack time and literally FEED the kids. I mean, feed them. Rip the bread apart and feed them, hold the juice box for them. It is disgusting. What is even more disgusting is the kids teeth. They are all gray and rotten. I feel so bad for them. The principal handed out candy bars on the first day of school. This is going to have to change. Diabetes is rampant here and it is obvious why. I sent home a letter translated into Arabic asking for some things for the classroom and saying that some foods (chips, candy, soda) are not allowed in school and they still came the next day. This will take some time. On Thursday, I had a nanny hold a kindergartener like a baby, cradled in her arms, and feed the child milk. It made me sick. These kids are babied and given everything they want. They are allowed to throw their trash on the floor because there is an Asian there to pick up after them. It is amazing. We have a lot of work to do here. But, they have to let us do the work, and that is going to be the challenging part. Because even though they want to learn English, they can learn the language all they want but they also have to learn the other parts of the culture for it to be of any use to them.
Wednesday night we had a meeting about housing. It is ready for us. They were literally going to hand out 400 assignments one by one. Finally they realized that would not work, so this weekend we are getting our housing. I am waiting for a call right now to tell me that I can go to see my house. Some people got theirs yesterday and said they are beautiful. But of course, others are complaining that they are not big enough, or don't have a garden, or they are too high. Okay, these places are bigger than my house at home and some even have two or three bathrooms. Big deal if your 2 kids have to share a bedroom, it's free housing. You don't have a garden, well gee, you MOVED TO THE DESERT. And hmm, your apartment is too high, well, didn't you fly in an AIRPLANE to get here? Just wondering. Some people are a little ridiculous. I found a couch and bedroom set that I like a lot yesterday and they are holding it for me for 2 days so I am hoping that I get paid the furniture allowance by tomorrow because if not, they will probably sell out because there is a big sale. I love this couch so much because it is actually soft. Everything here is so hard that you bounce right back off of it. Fingers crossed. Once we get our money, we have five days to get out of the hotel. I am kind of sad to leave the hotel, because we won't be able to just go downstairs and see everyone whenever you want to anymore. But it will be nice to have a refrigerator and a washing machine again.
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