Michael Jackson's music is playing in the restaurant this morning for breakfast. It is on the second floor and faces the front of the hotel, which is on one of the major thoroughfares. Across the street are high rise buildings with businesses occupying the ground level.
There are several ADEC teachers having breakfast, and a couple have their kids with them. Little people. I'm guessing 4-8 years old. This experience is a fantastic one as a single person. I think it could be challenging trying to keep little ones occupied. God bless them for trying.
In many ways, the city reminds me of The Jetsons cartoon. (Yeah, I know. I'm dating myself here). Some things are space-age, they're so modern. The buildings. The architecture. The appliances. In other areas though, they haven't caught up yet. Like, with the internet. You would think the whole city would be wireless. Not so. Each place I've stayed, including this one, limits wireless access to your room. I'm writing this in the restaurant, and if I wanted to be online, I would have to request and pay for an access code. Of course, the Internet is my life-line to you all, so it's important to me.
I think this whole experience, living and working so far and so different from what I know, works for me because of who I am. By that I mean, I've never been a cliquey, clingy person, needing to depend on someone else to be happy. I'm reminded of my first adventure going away to college. Home for me is Texas, and I went to college in Florida. I attended the same school as my brother Forrest. I had never traveled more than 200 miles from home and had never spent a night away from home before going away to school. I will forever be grateful to my mother who had the foresight to let me go. Going to college was a rare occurrence in my town, and even rarer to go away to school. Of the 100 folks who graduated with me, only five of us went to college. I will also be forever grateful to Forrest for leading, guiding, and in every way, helping me to get to school and graduate. In fact, he paid for over two years of my education. My gratitude to he and his wife, is steadfast and everlasting. I believe it's because of that first adventure of a scared 18 year old being dropped off for what seemed like a million miles from home and everything I knew, that prepared me for where I am today. For those folks who questioned my decision to move 10,000 miles away from Sacramento, I'm reminded of my Mom who used to say, "The same God who took care of her (me) here, will take care of her wherever she goes" when she was questioned about her decision to let me go. She had a third grade education, with a PhD in common sense. I think she would be proud. I hope so anyway.
Side note - Ladies, just had my eyebrows threaded. Yes, threaded. I guess that's what you call it. Instead of using wax, the lady held a piece of thread in her mouth, and with her hands, pulled it apart. That action causes the thread to spin and when pressed against the skin, cuts the unwanted hair. Maybe this is available in the US, but it was real new to me. The pedicure was a little different, too, but not enough to make you go . . . hmmmm. All this happened in the hotel salon.
Side note 2- There was a young woman getting her nails painted in colors representing the country's flag. Red, green, white & black. Not my style, but very nicely done. She was wearing street clothes - jeans, plaid dress shirt, flip flops. When she got ready to leave, she put on an abaya, that I hadn't seen before, over her clothes. She then covered her hair with the matching scarf, and off she went. I wondered if they wore clothes under abayas and today it was confirmed that, at least, this girl did. Chances are others do as well.
Side note 3 - Although those of us working in the schools were directed not to wear flip flops, it seems most everyone else does. Flip flops or sandals appears to be the national footwear here.
Side note 4 - The dress is not nearly as conservative as I expected it to be. The men wear anything they want, although I haven't seen any locals in shorts. You see women in street clothes, slacks, and dresses (usually past the knees). However, in the ADEC Building, it is ultra-conservative. The women are in abayas, the native men are in their long white robes, with other men wearing suits and ties. Professional attire is seen and expected. I'm guessing with teachers coming from all over the world, they saw some pretty crazy outfits and decided to make it formal for everyone. I'm cool with that, too. There's nothing worse than having to ask a male teacher to pick up his pants because they're revealing way too much of his backside. Yes, I've had to do it, my first year as principal.
There are several ADEC teachers having breakfast, and a couple have their kids with them. Little people. I'm guessing 4-8 years old. This experience is a fantastic one as a single person. I think it could be challenging trying to keep little ones occupied. God bless them for trying.
In many ways, the city reminds me of The Jetsons cartoon. (Yeah, I know. I'm dating myself here). Some things are space-age, they're so modern. The buildings. The architecture. The appliances. In other areas though, they haven't caught up yet. Like, with the internet. You would think the whole city would be wireless. Not so. Each place I've stayed, including this one, limits wireless access to your room. I'm writing this in the restaurant, and if I wanted to be online, I would have to request and pay for an access code. Of course, the Internet is my life-line to you all, so it's important to me.
I think this whole experience, living and working so far and so different from what I know, works for me because of who I am. By that I mean, I've never been a cliquey, clingy person, needing to depend on someone else to be happy. I'm reminded of my first adventure going away to college. Home for me is Texas, and I went to college in Florida. I attended the same school as my brother Forrest. I had never traveled more than 200 miles from home and had never spent a night away from home before going away to school. I will forever be grateful to my mother who had the foresight to let me go. Going to college was a rare occurrence in my town, and even rarer to go away to school. Of the 100 folks who graduated with me, only five of us went to college. I will also be forever grateful to Forrest for leading, guiding, and in every way, helping me to get to school and graduate. In fact, he paid for over two years of my education. My gratitude to he and his wife, is steadfast and everlasting. I believe it's because of that first adventure of a scared 18 year old being dropped off for what seemed like a million miles from home and everything I knew, that prepared me for where I am today. For those folks who questioned my decision to move 10,000 miles away from Sacramento, I'm reminded of my Mom who used to say, "The same God who took care of her (me) here, will take care of her wherever she goes" when she was questioned about her decision to let me go. She had a third grade education, with a PhD in common sense. I think she would be proud. I hope so anyway.
Side note - Ladies, just had my eyebrows threaded. Yes, threaded. I guess that's what you call it. Instead of using wax, the lady held a piece of thread in her mouth, and with her hands, pulled it apart. That action causes the thread to spin and when pressed against the skin, cuts the unwanted hair. Maybe this is available in the US, but it was real new to me. The pedicure was a little different, too, but not enough to make you go . . . hmmmm. All this happened in the hotel salon.
Side note 2- There was a young woman getting her nails painted in colors representing the country's flag. Red, green, white & black. Not my style, but very nicely done. She was wearing street clothes - jeans, plaid dress shirt, flip flops. When she got ready to leave, she put on an abaya, that I hadn't seen before, over her clothes. She then covered her hair with the matching scarf, and off she went. I wondered if they wore clothes under abayas and today it was confirmed that, at least, this girl did. Chances are others do as well.
Side note 3 - Although those of us working in the schools were directed not to wear flip flops, it seems most everyone else does. Flip flops or sandals appears to be the national footwear here.
Side note 4 - The dress is not nearly as conservative as I expected it to be. The men wear anything they want, although I haven't seen any locals in shorts. You see women in street clothes, slacks, and dresses (usually past the knees). However, in the ADEC Building, it is ultra-conservative. The women are in abayas, the native men are in their long white robes, with other men wearing suits and ties. Professional attire is seen and expected. I'm guessing with teachers coming from all over the world, they saw some pretty crazy outfits and decided to make it formal for everyone. I'm cool with that, too. There's nothing worse than having to ask a male teacher to pick up his pants because they're revealing way too much of his backside. Yes, I've had to do it, my first year as principal.
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