Saturday, September 25, 2010
America the... ?
This morning, even though I am halfway around the world, I still woke up to the faces of those Cheshire home invasion creeps on TV. They were talking about it on the international CNN and there were those awful men staring out of the t.v. Out of all of the news in America, that is what they pick to talk about. It is sad because people here are not viewing Americans in a good way. A lot of people are complaining or wearing things that are scandalous or doing inappropriate things, and often times they are American. It is putting us in a bad light and people are talking about us, even though it is not all of us. Now when you see the news that comes out of America, (no one here knows it as the United States, only as America) you can see why there is such a stigma about the country. Other parts of the world think that we are stuck up and kill people.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
First Week in School
This was our first week in the schools and it was an eventful one. Everyone had a different experience so it is very interesting to talk with everyone when we get home to the hotel at night. Sunday, instead of working, we had off because it is was the final day of the Eid holiday. Now we are back to the normal schedule- no more Ramadan, no Eid, just regular work. And places will be open normal hours, so we can start to learn what normal actually is here.
Sunday night we got a note under our doors telling us to be on a bus at 6 a.m. Monday to head into Abu Dhabi for a big kick-off ceremony of the new model of schools. There were around 6,000 people there and it was on the news here. Of course, they tell us to be on the bus, and we are, but for some reason it doesn't leave until 7:15. Then it was supposed to start at 9, but really that means stand around and drink coffee for about an hour or two before anything starts. Once we finally got everyone into the big auditorium, they talked to us in Arabic. There was a translator, and we had to wear a little earpiece in our ear to hear her, but it was very difficult to understand. I'm sure it was very good, but I think I missed a lot of it. We took a break around 12 because it was time to pray, and they fed us sandwiches. I think we were only supposed to eat one small one, but because everyone from Al Ain had missed breakfast at the hotel, we all had at least three thinking we wouldn't be eating until we got back. It was supposed to go until 3. So about 1, we go back into the hall and listen to some more Arabic, then at 3 o'clock, they invite us for lunch!!! WOW! After Ramadan, all they do here is EAT!!! Most of us just wanted to go home and couldn't even think about food because we had eaten so many sandwiches, but it was a huuuge buffett. I checked out the dessert section but I couldn't even look at the food. I guess we were on the news that night, so that is pretty neat.
Tuesday, I was supposed to go to a training in Al Qu'aa. It is about an hour and a half from here, out in the desert. It is a half an hour past my school. Well, we get a bus to school, but someone in charge forgot to confirm the bus for us for Tuesday. So everyone was trying to figure out how we were going to get there. I asked if I should take a taxi and was told not to, so I decided to go outside on Tuesday morning and wait for the school bus. If it came, I would go to training, and if it didn't I wouldn't go. Well I waited and waited and no school bus, so I went to eat breakfast instead. Then a person from ADEC showed up and talked to us about it and said that it is out of our hands. ADEC did not want to put teachers out that far, but one of the principals heard about the LT's (licensed teachers- us) going to the other schools and called the sheik and made it happen. So now we have to go out there. But he said that we shouldn't worry about it and if the bus didn't show the next day, we should just go back to bed then, too. We would get there when the bus comes. So I ended up with a free day but everyone at all the other schools got to meet the Arabic teachers and see some of the schools and learn a little bit more about everything.
Wednesday, THE BUS CAME!! It was the first day of school, and students were supposed to come, but our principal is having them come on Sunday for the first day instead, which is nice. The ride is about an hour and ten minutes. We have to drop off the boys school first, then my school. Then, the bus keeps going to Al Qu'aa and drops off more schools a half hour away. When we arrived at school, we sat around and drank tea for a while. In this society, you know you are welcome when they offer you tea or coffee or a soft drink. So the tea was a good sign. Then we talked for a while. The principal had some questions for us about the model and didn't know how many teachers were coming. She didn't have as much information as a principal in the U.S. would have. Also, we were using the English teacher as a translator because her English is very basic. But she said we are like a family. All of the teachers were very nice and welcoming. I guess last year they had problems with some not being welcoming (not at my school- we are the first teachers out here) so it was a good sign.
We do have to cover our heads in school. We asked what they would like us to do and they said the community would appreciate it. But, we can wear pants with a very long shirt.
I am teaching kindergarten, boys and girls. All other grades are just girls. My co-teacher is very nice and her English is pretty good, too. Yesterday, I got my class list all in Arabic, so we had to sit down together and she read the names in English and I had to write them how I heard them. Later on I got a list of ALL the kindergarteners in English, and had to pick mine out. Arabic names are different than ours because they go something like this- First name (you pick) second name (father's name) third name (grandfather's name) fourth name (don't remember) last name (family name) and sometime it is followed by a tribal name, too. So lots of names that I can hardly say. And the first name is very often the same. I have a few Mohameds and Hamats.
The school is very beautiful. It is huge and the walls are painted with gorgeous murals all over. It is built around an outdoor courtyard for playing, which is covered by a canopy. The classrooms are small, at least mine is, and I have 28 kids right now. I did hear that if it goes over 30, they would open a new section and boy I hope so. The other 2 classes each have 29 in them. I think it will be a good experience. Sunday will be interesting. I think the Arabic teacher will do most of the teaching on Sunday. The parents don't leave is what I hear, and I don't know where everyone is going to stay because there is not room for 28 parents 2 teachers and 28 kids in that classroom. This is only for KG the first week. I can't imagine. The kids don't know which class they are in, and will come to the door and look on the list hanging to find out. The day goes from 7:30 to 11:30 for the kids. I will have training from 12 to 1. But because I am taking the bus, I am staying at school until probably around 3:30 everyday because we have to wait for the High School in Al Qu'aa to get out. When they get out, they will swing by and pick everyone up.
So overall, things are looking good. We are in the hotel with no end in sight, so I just gave up and unpacked everything. I am going to go buy a printer this weekend and hook it up in the hotel. Maybe a laminator, too, because the school doesn't have one. Other than that, I have been enjoying some time by the pool and reading my books... but probably not so much of that after this next week!
Sunday night we got a note under our doors telling us to be on a bus at 6 a.m. Monday to head into Abu Dhabi for a big kick-off ceremony of the new model of schools. There were around 6,000 people there and it was on the news here. Of course, they tell us to be on the bus, and we are, but for some reason it doesn't leave until 7:15. Then it was supposed to start at 9, but really that means stand around and drink coffee for about an hour or two before anything starts. Once we finally got everyone into the big auditorium, they talked to us in Arabic. There was a translator, and we had to wear a little earpiece in our ear to hear her, but it was very difficult to understand. I'm sure it was very good, but I think I missed a lot of it. We took a break around 12 because it was time to pray, and they fed us sandwiches. I think we were only supposed to eat one small one, but because everyone from Al Ain had missed breakfast at the hotel, we all had at least three thinking we wouldn't be eating until we got back. It was supposed to go until 3. So about 1, we go back into the hall and listen to some more Arabic, then at 3 o'clock, they invite us for lunch!!! WOW! After Ramadan, all they do here is EAT!!! Most of us just wanted to go home and couldn't even think about food because we had eaten so many sandwiches, but it was a huuuge buffett. I checked out the dessert section but I couldn't even look at the food. I guess we were on the news that night, so that is pretty neat.
Tuesday, I was supposed to go to a training in Al Qu'aa. It is about an hour and a half from here, out in the desert. It is a half an hour past my school. Well, we get a bus to school, but someone in charge forgot to confirm the bus for us for Tuesday. So everyone was trying to figure out how we were going to get there. I asked if I should take a taxi and was told not to, so I decided to go outside on Tuesday morning and wait for the school bus. If it came, I would go to training, and if it didn't I wouldn't go. Well I waited and waited and no school bus, so I went to eat breakfast instead. Then a person from ADEC showed up and talked to us about it and said that it is out of our hands. ADEC did not want to put teachers out that far, but one of the principals heard about the LT's (licensed teachers- us) going to the other schools and called the sheik and made it happen. So now we have to go out there. But he said that we shouldn't worry about it and if the bus didn't show the next day, we should just go back to bed then, too. We would get there when the bus comes. So I ended up with a free day but everyone at all the other schools got to meet the Arabic teachers and see some of the schools and learn a little bit more about everything.
Wednesday, THE BUS CAME!! It was the first day of school, and students were supposed to come, but our principal is having them come on Sunday for the first day instead, which is nice. The ride is about an hour and ten minutes. We have to drop off the boys school first, then my school. Then, the bus keeps going to Al Qu'aa and drops off more schools a half hour away. When we arrived at school, we sat around and drank tea for a while. In this society, you know you are welcome when they offer you tea or coffee or a soft drink. So the tea was a good sign. Then we talked for a while. The principal had some questions for us about the model and didn't know how many teachers were coming. She didn't have as much information as a principal in the U.S. would have. Also, we were using the English teacher as a translator because her English is very basic. But she said we are like a family. All of the teachers were very nice and welcoming. I guess last year they had problems with some not being welcoming (not at my school- we are the first teachers out here) so it was a good sign.
We do have to cover our heads in school. We asked what they would like us to do and they said the community would appreciate it. But, we can wear pants with a very long shirt.
I am teaching kindergarten, boys and girls. All other grades are just girls. My co-teacher is very nice and her English is pretty good, too. Yesterday, I got my class list all in Arabic, so we had to sit down together and she read the names in English and I had to write them how I heard them. Later on I got a list of ALL the kindergarteners in English, and had to pick mine out. Arabic names are different than ours because they go something like this- First name (you pick) second name (father's name) third name (grandfather's name) fourth name (don't remember) last name (family name) and sometime it is followed by a tribal name, too. So lots of names that I can hardly say. And the first name is very often the same. I have a few Mohameds and Hamats.
The school is very beautiful. It is huge and the walls are painted with gorgeous murals all over. It is built around an outdoor courtyard for playing, which is covered by a canopy. The classrooms are small, at least mine is, and I have 28 kids right now. I did hear that if it goes over 30, they would open a new section and boy I hope so. The other 2 classes each have 29 in them. I think it will be a good experience. Sunday will be interesting. I think the Arabic teacher will do most of the teaching on Sunday. The parents don't leave is what I hear, and I don't know where everyone is going to stay because there is not room for 28 parents 2 teachers and 28 kids in that classroom. This is only for KG the first week. I can't imagine. The kids don't know which class they are in, and will come to the door and look on the list hanging to find out. The day goes from 7:30 to 11:30 for the kids. I will have training from 12 to 1. But because I am taking the bus, I am staying at school until probably around 3:30 everyday because we have to wait for the High School in Al Qu'aa to get out. When they get out, they will swing by and pick everyone up.
So overall, things are looking good. We are in the hotel with no end in sight, so I just gave up and unpacked everything. I am going to go buy a printer this weekend and hook it up in the hotel. Maybe a laminator, too, because the school doesn't have one. Other than that, I have been enjoying some time by the pool and reading my books... but probably not so much of that after this next week!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Well this is different...
In the U.S., teachers can get into their classrooms a good amount of time before school starts. I would say at least a week, right? At least? Okay, well school starts with the kids on Wednesday the 15th. Guess when I can get into my school, let alone my classroom. Oh yes, Wednesday. The 15th. Probably a whole half hour before school starts! I've never seen the school because it is an hour away and we are being bused there, and they say they are still cleaning and constructing in the schools. The principal will report for the first time on that day, too. Oh, and since it is a K+ 1-5 school, it is possible that I may not even be teaching kindergarten. But when will I find that out- You got it, Wednesday morning!!! Definitely different, but it is how things work here and you just have to get used to it...
They are trying really hard to get us our furniture allowance and salary advances, but it's been a week and nothing yet. Same thing with the keys to the apartments, so we will be starting school living in the hotel. Oh a great note, I did find a fabulous mattress today that was half off and once I get my money and find out where I am living, I just have to go back to the place to pay and it will be ready and delivered in three days!!! All of the beds here are like brick boards so it was lovely to find a cloud-like bed.
Eid is starting sometime this weekend, so we are off until Monday. Tomorrow has been declared a public holiday, but it is still Ramadan. Eid is the feast at the end of Ramadan and things will be open again and we can eat/drink in public. I hear it is like a giant party. We won't know when it officially starts until it is published in the morning newspaper because like all things, it is based on the moon. This will be what happens in the school calendar, as well.
They are trying really hard to get us our furniture allowance and salary advances, but it's been a week and nothing yet. Same thing with the keys to the apartments, so we will be starting school living in the hotel. Oh a great note, I did find a fabulous mattress today that was half off and once I get my money and find out where I am living, I just have to go back to the place to pay and it will be ready and delivered in three days!!! All of the beds here are like brick boards so it was lovely to find a cloud-like bed.
Eid is starting sometime this weekend, so we are off until Monday. Tomorrow has been declared a public holiday, but it is still Ramadan. Eid is the feast at the end of Ramadan and things will be open again and we can eat/drink in public. I hear it is like a giant party. We won't know when it officially starts until it is published in the morning newspaper because like all things, it is based on the moon. This will be what happens in the school calendar, as well.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Grand Mosque pictures, plus some extras...
 | ||||
| This is a picture from my hotel room in Abu Dhabi at the Beach Rotana. It is not fuzzy because my camera is bad, it is fuzzy because it is so hazy and humid outside that this is really what it looks like outside at night. It is amazing... now imagine walking outside in that, because it literally feels like someone threw a bucket of water on you. I have never taken so many showers in one day as I did when I was in Abu Dhabi city. |
 | ||||
| We saw this tower on the way to the Grand Mosque. You can't really get the full effect from the picture, but it is leaning. It was built to do so. This tower leans more than The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. It is the Capital Gate building and I believe it has a hotel in it. If you google it, you can see it from a better angle- it's amazing! |
 | ||
| The outside of the Grand Mosque from the parking area. It is so beautiful. It has 4 minarets because no mosque can have more than that because of Mecca I believe. You can see all 4 in the picture. The domes (not sure if that is the correct name, but I will learn it soon enough) are so gigantic and elegant. |
 | ||
| We had to wear abayas and shaylas inside the mosque. You can't really tell, but that is me in there. The shayla kept calling off because the locals and women who usually wear it use pins to hold it in place and they weren't handing those out. But as long as our hair was covered, we were okay. |
 | ||
| This mosque is famous for their chandeliers. They have 7 and one of them is the largest one in the world. It might be this one, I took a couple of pictures and I can't remember if it is this one or the other one, but I am pretty sure that you are looking at the largest chandelier in the world! |
 | ||||
| This is the men's prayer room. When the call to prayer goes off, this room will fill with men. The men's prayer room is larger than the women's because men are required to pray in the mosque while women can pray at home. Muslims (it is pronounced "Moos-lims, NOT Muzz-lims"!!!!!!!) pray 5 times a day. Men do not have to go 5 times a day, just once. |
 | ||
| The carpet in the men's prayer room. I want to say that it was hand-woven in Turkey. The picture above was taken with me standing in the middle of the room looking one way, so this room is enormous. This is the largest single piece carpet in the world. It was unrolled and cut to size in the room. They said it was many, many tons, and when it was trimmed, many tons were cut off of it to make it fit. That is one large carpet! It was so beautiful in person and so, so soft. We had to have our shoes off and walk bare foot on it. There are ridges built into it to tell the Muslims where to line up while they are praying, but you can't tell that from the picture unfortunately. |
 | ||
| Our question and answer session- The tour guides are standing, and we are up close sitting down in our abayas and shaylas. The licensed teacher men did not have to cover. It is common to see people wearing what the guides are wearing walking around Abu Dhabi. It is not strange and now seems like a part of every day life. Some of the men wear different colors for the head covering, or they will flip it around a different way. It has to do with the tribe they belong to. I don't understand all of that yet. The local women, who we can't take pictures of (this women is not a local) will sometimes cover their whole faces and look out of a sheer piece that is covering their eyes, some will only leave their eyes uncovered, and some will do as this woman is doing. |
 | |
| Another picture from the inside of the mosque. |
 |
| I was moved to Al Ain on Thursday. The weather here is much nicer and the pace is much slower than the city in Abu Dhabi. I can tell that I will like it a lot. It is very green and more like home than the big city of Abu Dhabi, which can be compared to New York City, except imagine NYC being built with people living there, because that is what is happening in Abu Dhabi!!! This is a picture from my hotel room the night I arrived in Al Ain. It is difficult to tell, but the mountain is in the background. It is much easier to see during the day and so nice to see. Now we are waiting for our keys to our housing and our furniture allowances to show up in our bank accounts so we can get our houses settled before school starts in one week!! Otherwise we will still be living in a hotel when school starts, and I can't imagine that will be fun. I am ready to eat regularly and unpack my suitcases. Ramadan will be over sometime in the next week, and Eid will begin. This is a celebration of breaking the fast, and I think it is 3 days long. Again, this depends on the moon. When Eid is over, school will begin for the teachers. |
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Busy day!
Today we started earlier than usual, and headed over to the Grand Mosque. It is such a gorgeous building, I cannot even begin to describe it. I have photos, and I will post them probably on Friday. We have our last day of orientation in Abu Dhabi tomorrow, and are supposed to be moving to another hotel in Al Ain in the afternoon, so I have packed most of my things and can't upload my photos just yet. Anyway, it was so beautiful. It is a newer building, and they are still adding onto it and have great plans for it's future. They were talking about possibly having a university connected to it, amongst other things. It was dreadfully hot when we got there, and as a female I needed to put on an abaya and shayla to be fully covered. I already was covered with my long skirt and long sleeves but it is the dress code to wear the outfit. They are really very light, but because I had a full outfit on underneath it was that much hotter and I thought I was going to melt. I also am not as skilled at wrapping the shayla, and it came undone from my sweaty hair every 2 minutes or so. I spent a lot of time trying to fix it. One time the whole thing fell in front of my face and I was blinded. I give those girls a lot of credit. Some of them even wear it like that for more privacy, I don't know how they get around- I couldn't see a thing! There must be an even more sheer piece than what I had.
The building holds many world records. One of them is for having the world's largest single piece carpet. It is in the men's prayer room, and it is beautiful. I don't remember how many, but the measurement was in tons when it was delivered and unrolled to be placed. They also have the world's largest chandelier, as well.
By the time we left the Mosque we were all ready to go back to the hotel and take a shower and recoup from the heat, but we still had most of the day of orientation left. We were bused back to the school we have been at all week and we finally found out the schools we will be working in. I will be at an all girls school in Al Wagan. I am pretty sure it is a brand new school because I can't find it on the list of schools from last year, and I heard there was construction in the area. We will not be able to get to the school until 3 days before school starts for the kids. And that is variable, because of the Eid holiday, so things could change based on the moon and when the holiday begins and ends. I know a couple of people at my school, so that is good. Also, like I said before, we will be living in a different complex and bused to the school because it is far out. We don't know anything about this yet, but possibly this weekend we will get out house keys. Then we have a few days to secure furniture before they make us move out of the hotel.
We got our bank cards today, as well. That was the end to the day, which was exciting, but one last, long line to stand in. This made our day go until after 4 p.m. In the U.S. that is fine, but here in the heat it is very different. We also started an hour earlier than normal today. And the buses here do not have good AC like they should. So by the time we all finally got back to the hotel, many of us packed our bags and took it easy for the night, even though it is our last in Abu Dhabi city. The only problem is, the bank cards don't work. Tested out at an atm, and nothing. So the piece of plastic means nothing right now. Hopefully this is resolved soon and we can get our furniture settled this weekend so no one is sleeping on a cold, hard floor next week...
I will work on those pictures, they are well worth the wait!
The building holds many world records. One of them is for having the world's largest single piece carpet. It is in the men's prayer room, and it is beautiful. I don't remember how many, but the measurement was in tons when it was delivered and unrolled to be placed. They also have the world's largest chandelier, as well.
By the time we left the Mosque we were all ready to go back to the hotel and take a shower and recoup from the heat, but we still had most of the day of orientation left. We were bused back to the school we have been at all week and we finally found out the schools we will be working in. I will be at an all girls school in Al Wagan. I am pretty sure it is a brand new school because I can't find it on the list of schools from last year, and I heard there was construction in the area. We will not be able to get to the school until 3 days before school starts for the kids. And that is variable, because of the Eid holiday, so things could change based on the moon and when the holiday begins and ends. I know a couple of people at my school, so that is good. Also, like I said before, we will be living in a different complex and bused to the school because it is far out. We don't know anything about this yet, but possibly this weekend we will get out house keys. Then we have a few days to secure furniture before they make us move out of the hotel.
We got our bank cards today, as well. That was the end to the day, which was exciting, but one last, long line to stand in. This made our day go until after 4 p.m. In the U.S. that is fine, but here in the heat it is very different. We also started an hour earlier than normal today. And the buses here do not have good AC like they should. So by the time we all finally got back to the hotel, many of us packed our bags and took it easy for the night, even though it is our last in Abu Dhabi city. The only problem is, the bank cards don't work. Tested out at an atm, and nothing. So the piece of plastic means nothing right now. Hopefully this is resolved soon and we can get our furniture settled this weekend so no one is sleeping on a cold, hard floor next week...
I will work on those pictures, they are well worth the wait!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
So much to say!
There have been many things happening the last few days. We had the last few of our "free" days, and began the work week on Sunday. This week our orientation is focusing on the schools and the reason for the reform, the vision that is in place, and where we are going from here. In the morning, we have guest speakers with presentations, and in the afternoon we take buses to a MODEL school for Arabic lessons and reflection time. One of our speakers this week was Ask Ali. I recommend looking him up, he gave a great presentation. He has lived in many countries, and he went to school in Canada and the U.S. He is a local Emirati and had a wealth of knowledge to share in a very personable manner. We all got a copy of his book, as well. http://www.ask-ali.com
Our Arabic lessons are very challenging because this language uses sounds that we do not have in the English language. For example, they make an almost snorting sound that is almost a combination /h/ /k/ /snort/. I don't really know how else to describe it and I don't mean that to sound awful but I can't make the sound yet and our teacher said the kids won't understand us if we can't do it. Which is interesting in a way, yet understandable, because when I think about it, there are SO many forms of English here with different accents. There are people from New Zealand and South Africa and England and Australia and Scotland... and oh boy, if I don't listen carefully, I will miss half of what they are saying if they are really talking fast!! So if you think about it, the 'accent' that we have by not making the sounds correctly will be confusing to the kids. Not to mention the variety of English they will be exposed to in the coming years of the 10 year reform.
The other day I rode the bus to Ikea because it was one of the only places open. It was Friday, the holy day, and everything else was closed. I figured that I needed to pick out furniture anyway, so I headed over. I decided to take the city bus with a couple of friends because it is much cheaper than a taxi (1 dirham, so about 27 cents as opposed to 20 dirhams). When we got on the bus, we realized that they are segregated by male and female. The women sit in the front of the bus, and the men sit or stand in the back. Even if a family gets on together, the man must go to the back of the bus. This is a large part of the culture here. When a family is walking together, the women often will be seen walking a few paces behind their husbands.
I also went to the Iranian market one evening. We thought that since it was on the route of the Big Red Bus Tour, which is a pricey tour, it would be a great place to see. Well, we got there, after getting a little help from the hotel staff to explain to the taxi driver where we needed to go. Sometimes the taxi drivers do not speak very good English, and because there are no addresses here and we do not know our way around, it is challenging to relay your destination. Anyway, we got there and I don't think it was what we expected. We should probably have figured to expect the unexpected. We were thinking we would grab some fruit and veggies for dinner... that didn't happen. We got out of the taxi and immediately saw tons of furniture, tents set up like buildings filled with lots and lots of STUFF, and further down many, many plants. The Iranian men kept jumping out trying to sell us their items. It was a little intimidating, but we survived. The next day, I was talking with someone who has lived here for a few months, and she explained that many of these men are only here because they need to support their families. They live in one room with 5, 6, or 7 other men and work very long hours, but they value their jobs and would never do anything to risk them because they will be deported if they do, and they need to send the money home to their families. They don't have t.v. in their home countries, and they don't have it here. So when they see westerners, or us (who were the only customers in the entire place) walking through, we are like movie stars to them. It was a different perspective and not one that we had thought of before.
Last night I had the best Chinese food ever. It was so delicious and I never knew Chinese food could taste so good. The chicken fried rice was NOT yellow and it was soft and yummy. The cashew chicken was just perfect, mixed with veggies. I don't even know how to describe it other than by saying, hop on a plane and let's go eat some!!!
Our trip out to Al Ain to see the accommodations last week never happened. It was canceled on Thursday, and was tentatively rescheduled for Saturday. That never happened, either. So we have yet to be to Al Ain. Today we were told that we will be moving to a hotel in Al Ain on Thursday before moving into our accommodations. I was also informed that I, along with another small group of teachers, will not be living in the large complex dedicated to Al Ain teachers because our school district is about an hour away. I knew the district was far, but they are going to be providing us with a bus to take us to school, so they are putting us in a complex closer to the south side of the city to cut down on transport time. So it is teachers in my district, and one even further away who will be living wherever they are putting us. We have seen pictures of where the other teachers are living and know a little about that area, but have no idea about where we are going... not even what it is called. So hopefully in the next few days that mystery will be solved. I will probably have to take a bus up to Dubai to get furniture because the delivery to Abu Dhabi is 7 to 10 days, and I really would like to be sleeping in a bed when school starts. Dubai is supposed to have a larger stock and same day delivery. So, inshallah, it will work out! Tomorrow we find out our exact schools, so we will know who from our group we will be working with. That will be nice. I'm sure there will be people from the first group that traveled, and the next couple of groups coming, too.
The weather is interesting. Some days I feel like I am going to melt, and others, like today, it is not bad. I did laundry in my bathtub because they do not have coin-op here and instead count out each individual piece and it is very expensive. It would not dry inside because of the moisture from the AC, and it did not dry outside either overnight because of the humidity. However, the humidity must be low in the morning because it dried right up in the hour I went to breakfast this morning and I switched it out for new clean laundry waiting in my room. Another good thing about Al Ain is that there is less humidity, so while I am waiting for my appliances to arrive, I will be able to wash and DRY my clothes inexpensively with the aid of the fancy hotel sink, tub and balcony!
Tomorrow we go to see the Mosque. The women need to cover completely and will be given abayas and shaylas as we enter. Men need to wear long sleeves and long pants, which is part of our dress code anyway. Shoes must be removed to enter, as well. This will be a great historical lesson on Abu Dhabi, and I am looking forward to it!
Time is flying and I can't believe I have been here for almost two weeks already!!
Our Arabic lessons are very challenging because this language uses sounds that we do not have in the English language. For example, they make an almost snorting sound that is almost a combination /h/ /k/ /snort/. I don't really know how else to describe it and I don't mean that to sound awful but I can't make the sound yet and our teacher said the kids won't understand us if we can't do it. Which is interesting in a way, yet understandable, because when I think about it, there are SO many forms of English here with different accents. There are people from New Zealand and South Africa and England and Australia and Scotland... and oh boy, if I don't listen carefully, I will miss half of what they are saying if they are really talking fast!! So if you think about it, the 'accent' that we have by not making the sounds correctly will be confusing to the kids. Not to mention the variety of English they will be exposed to in the coming years of the 10 year reform.
The other day I rode the bus to Ikea because it was one of the only places open. It was Friday, the holy day, and everything else was closed. I figured that I needed to pick out furniture anyway, so I headed over. I decided to take the city bus with a couple of friends because it is much cheaper than a taxi (1 dirham, so about 27 cents as opposed to 20 dirhams). When we got on the bus, we realized that they are segregated by male and female. The women sit in the front of the bus, and the men sit or stand in the back. Even if a family gets on together, the man must go to the back of the bus. This is a large part of the culture here. When a family is walking together, the women often will be seen walking a few paces behind their husbands.
I also went to the Iranian market one evening. We thought that since it was on the route of the Big Red Bus Tour, which is a pricey tour, it would be a great place to see. Well, we got there, after getting a little help from the hotel staff to explain to the taxi driver where we needed to go. Sometimes the taxi drivers do not speak very good English, and because there are no addresses here and we do not know our way around, it is challenging to relay your destination. Anyway, we got there and I don't think it was what we expected. We should probably have figured to expect the unexpected. We were thinking we would grab some fruit and veggies for dinner... that didn't happen. We got out of the taxi and immediately saw tons of furniture, tents set up like buildings filled with lots and lots of STUFF, and further down many, many plants. The Iranian men kept jumping out trying to sell us their items. It was a little intimidating, but we survived. The next day, I was talking with someone who has lived here for a few months, and she explained that many of these men are only here because they need to support their families. They live in one room with 5, 6, or 7 other men and work very long hours, but they value their jobs and would never do anything to risk them because they will be deported if they do, and they need to send the money home to their families. They don't have t.v. in their home countries, and they don't have it here. So when they see westerners, or us (who were the only customers in the entire place) walking through, we are like movie stars to them. It was a different perspective and not one that we had thought of before.
Last night I had the best Chinese food ever. It was so delicious and I never knew Chinese food could taste so good. The chicken fried rice was NOT yellow and it was soft and yummy. The cashew chicken was just perfect, mixed with veggies. I don't even know how to describe it other than by saying, hop on a plane and let's go eat some!!!
Our trip out to Al Ain to see the accommodations last week never happened. It was canceled on Thursday, and was tentatively rescheduled for Saturday. That never happened, either. So we have yet to be to Al Ain. Today we were told that we will be moving to a hotel in Al Ain on Thursday before moving into our accommodations. I was also informed that I, along with another small group of teachers, will not be living in the large complex dedicated to Al Ain teachers because our school district is about an hour away. I knew the district was far, but they are going to be providing us with a bus to take us to school, so they are putting us in a complex closer to the south side of the city to cut down on transport time. So it is teachers in my district, and one even further away who will be living wherever they are putting us. We have seen pictures of where the other teachers are living and know a little about that area, but have no idea about where we are going... not even what it is called. So hopefully in the next few days that mystery will be solved. I will probably have to take a bus up to Dubai to get furniture because the delivery to Abu Dhabi is 7 to 10 days, and I really would like to be sleeping in a bed when school starts. Dubai is supposed to have a larger stock and same day delivery. So, inshallah, it will work out! Tomorrow we find out our exact schools, so we will know who from our group we will be working with. That will be nice. I'm sure there will be people from the first group that traveled, and the next couple of groups coming, too.
The weather is interesting. Some days I feel like I am going to melt, and others, like today, it is not bad. I did laundry in my bathtub because they do not have coin-op here and instead count out each individual piece and it is very expensive. It would not dry inside because of the moisture from the AC, and it did not dry outside either overnight because of the humidity. However, the humidity must be low in the morning because it dried right up in the hour I went to breakfast this morning and I switched it out for new clean laundry waiting in my room. Another good thing about Al Ain is that there is less humidity, so while I am waiting for my appliances to arrive, I will be able to wash and DRY my clothes inexpensively with the aid of the fancy hotel sink, tub and balcony!
Tomorrow we go to see the Mosque. The women need to cover completely and will be given abayas and shaylas as we enter. Men need to wear long sleeves and long pants, which is part of our dress code anyway. Shoes must be removed to enter, as well. This will be a great historical lesson on Abu Dhabi, and I am looking forward to it!
Time is flying and I can't believe I have been here for almost two weeks already!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)