Pleasantly Surprised

The meeting in Abu Dhabi was beneficial.  I left there feeling I could use the information tomorrow.  That rarely happens at these things.

The lead person was a veteran administrator from Nashville, Tennessee.  He had lots of real life stories that helped to make his points more interesting and noteworthy.  Here's hoping he's available to facilitate all the rest of the meetings.

On the way to Abu Dhabi, I was mesmerized once again by the beauty of the sand dunes.  And again, I struggle to describe their enormity and their grandeur.  They look like mountains of cooking flour that's golden brown.  It reminds me of the color and texture of roux, used for making gumbo.  Basically, you're browning flour to a deep brown shade before adding it to the other ingredients.  Before it gets to deep brown, it is golden.  The sand is so fine it has the texture of flour.  It moves in the slightest breeze.  I can't imagine what a sand storm looks like.  Blinding, I'm sure.

The school was easy to find, now that I understand how to add the GPS coordinates.  The principal was an elegant Black woman from England, who welcomed us warmly and offered to give tours, if we so desired, to see the entire plant.  The building was magnificent.  It is a school that is visited by dignitaries often, and it was easy to see why.  It was student-centered with lots of their work on display, but the displays themselves were done so nicely, it looked like professionals hung them.

It is tri-lingual.  Students will leave there reading, writing and speaking three languages fluently:  Arabic, English and Chinese Mandarin.  I wondered why there were Chinese lanterns hanging throughout the foyer and main hallway.  The staff includes Arab, Western and Chinese teachers.  Quite a mix.

We were in a multipurpose room that had five meeting tables for working, and about eight tables behind them were set for lunch.  Beautifully setup.  Of course, there was a staff that was serving us coffee, tea, water, juice and pastries throughout the meeting.

Here's a picture of the front of the school.  It doesn't do it justice, but I hope that you can see the little door for the kids to use.  Too cute!

There's a lady in an abaya walking out of the main door.  The kiddie door is to the left.   There's one of the other side, too.  The principal says the kids love using them.

All of the new schools are painted in wonderfully bright and cheerful primary colors.  This one is mainly yellow trimmed in red and blue.  Ours is blue.

When I left the school I stopped by a mall.  Now remember the malls in Abu Dhabi are massive, draped in elegance.  By these standards, this one wasn't awesome, but it did have something I have not seen before.  A three story high aquarium that wrapped around the elevator.  An amazing sight!  

Who thinks of these things?

Elevator aquarium

What new thing did you see today?  Or maybe noticed, really noticed, for the first time?

Go Giants!

I was thrilled to hear that the Giants won the Super Bowl.  Go Eli!

I didn't figure out how to record the game, so I didn't see it, but I did see the commercials online.  My favorites - the man and dog coming to an agreement about the missing cat and the Clint Eastwood one about Detroit.

Side note - Downloading them to watch was spotty, so I increased my download speed.  Many things are inexpensive here.  Internet service is not one of them.  It's vital to me, so I'll willing to bite the bullet and pay top dirham for it.

Shifting gears.

It's late.  I should be in bed, but I just got home from a hospital visit.  My principal's mother has had a reoccurrence of cancer, and recently hospitalized.  This was a first time experience in a "real" hospital.  Oasis Hospital is more of a clinic, although they do perform surgeries.

At any rate, she was in a VIP Suite.  Huge room with two adjoining rooms for guests.  Nannies were present taking care of the babies and small children.  I'm not sure if her accommodations were her family's decision or if it was because she's a national.  I think it's the later.

My principal shared with me that her mother will see a specialist in Singapore, and everything about that trip will be paid for by the government, including the cost of two escorts going with her and their housing while they're there.

Side note 2 - Yes.  The pressure is on to find an Emirati to marry.  If for no other reason, to get the benefits.  Remember, his being able to have up to four wives is OK with me.  After living alone for so long, who wants a full-time man anyway? That's what I was thinking about during my visit.  I know.  I know.  Lord, I apologize.

If I can, I try to visit folks in the hospital.  I remember when Mom was hospitalized in Texas for the last six months of her life, my brothers and I were so grateful for friends and neighbors who stopped by to see her.  We were all thousands of miles away, and couldn't get home as often as we would have liked.  Even when we did make it, we had to rush back to work and other obligations.  So we depended on others to keep her company.

When Ben was hospitalized on and off for two years, folks visited.  Again, I was grateful for those who were able to drop by, some traveling all the way to from California to Texas to see him.

I know visiting sick/ailing folks is hard for some folks who might not know what to say, but most times you don't have to say anything.  Just your presence is more comforting than you'll ever know.

Shifting gears . . . again.

OK.  Forgive me Ben, I just have to mention the camels again.

I saw at least a hundred today and about thirty of them were wearing red blankets. The sight was majestic. Further down the road another herd was wearing the same blankets, too, but they were not as eye-catching as the ones in red.

Earlier, Ben asked if these camels have one hump or two.  They have one.

Interestingly, Peter (my GPS), has me going to work through town at dawn, but has me returning home through the mountains.  I know I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating.  When you're driving on this road, it looks like you're driving directly into the heart of the mountain, and just when you think you're going to hit rock, you veer right and you're driving through it.  Amazing views!

I don't have the vocabulary to describe just how breathtakingly beautiful this is.

I shared with my brother, Forrest recently, that it's good it doesn't rain much here because the surface of the mountain has lots of loose rocks and is really sandy in some places.  If it rained, there would be a mud slide of enormous proportions.

Side note 3 - Headed back to Abu Dhabi tomorrow for a three hour meeting.  Last time I was with these folks, it took them forty-five minutes just to introduce each other.  So, I'm not expecting much to happen.  I'm hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised.

More soon.

Great Day!

Thankfully, today was a great one.  I was concerned about my endurance after being in bed for four days.  Gratefully, my strength returned, and things were back to normal.

Several more staff members have been bitten by this nasty bug.  One went home soon after school started, another one was hanging on by a thread.

Thanks to those of you who commented on yesterday's post about my Mom.  Moms are special people, whether they're still with us or not.  I find myself quoting my Mom every day.  She was well known for her nuggets of truth.  Of course, I thought she and her quotes were looney until I had kids of my own.  Then I recognized her wisdom.  I'm grateful that this happened before she passed away.

Random thoughts from work:

It's interesting how some folks in positions of power feel the need to throw their weight around to ensure everyone recognizes their position.  More times than not, it's done in an derogatory manner, belittling the folks they are supposed to be leading.  Too often they wonder why folks are afraid or intimated by them, not realizing that a positive work environment is what's needed for folks to want to do their jobs.  That's what you're hoping to achieve, a staff of folks who want to be at work every day, giving their best while they're there.  Or as Mom would say, "You get more with honey than vinegar."  Treat people right, and they'll go to the moon in their efforts to please you.  Mistreat them, and they can make your life miserable.

Side note - I went to the mall today after work to pick up some groceries.  At the main entrance was a giant heart made of fresh cut roses, in celebration of Valentine's Day.  Below is a picture.  I hope you can make out the roses.  This display was absolutely beautiful.

Heart Made of Roses

Take the time today to stop and smell the roses, or whatever natural beauty is near you.

Your blogging buddy

Mom

During these last few days of not feeling well, I've thought a lot about my Mom.  She died in 1998 at the age of 79.  She and I were very close.  I was the youngest of four kids, and the only girl.  My oldest brother is fourteen years older than me, my next brother is ten years older, and my deceased brother was a year older.

I have been reminded of how Mom took care of us on the rare occasions when we were sick.  Somehow I think being raised in the country, we were automatically immune to the usual "stuff" going around.  Personally, I think we were made out of tougher stock.  Had to be to live to tell about it.

Anyway, Mom was not a doting mother, but she was always there, providing the support we needed.  She was someone you could count on.  If she said she was going to do something, you could take it to the bank.  It was going to happen.

We didn't have insurance, so we didn't get the preventive care we should have, but on the rare occasion when we required the care of a doctor, Mom found a way to get us there.

Although she only had a third grade education, she had a PhD in common sense.

She was seven when her mother died.  Then she and her brother went to live with their paternal grandmother, who died when she was thirteen.  Growing up for her was tough.  After her grandmother's death, she lived with other relatives as their live-in maid.  She understood dysfunctional families all too well.

She married young to escape the life she was living, and in many ways, jumped from the frying pan into the fire.  My father was a hard worker, but he was also an alcoholic, with all of the issues that that brings.

We lived near my father's family, about three miles away, but my Mom had the presence of mind to keep us away.  My grandmother had obvious favorites among her eight kids, and my father was not one of them.  As a result, he was treated harshly and we were tolerated.

My Mom could see the dysfunction in these relatives and how the siblings were raised, not to get along, and pitted against each other, to the point of one brother shooting another brother's leg off.  It was not a positive environment, at all.

So, we kept our distance.  Mom taught my bothers and I to take care of each other, no matter what.  I think she'd be proud of how we continue to strive to do that. Remember it was my second brother who put me through college.

Anyway, I said all this to say that my goal was to raise Ben and Frankie to be there for each other, to support each other, no matter what.  I think we succeeded.  Funny thing about raising kids, though.  You don't know if you've gotten it right until they're grown and making their own choices.

With Mom, we could tell her anything, respectfully of course.  That has been my hope with my boys, that they too, could be honest and open with me.  Sometimes I haven't made that easy, but that has always been the goal.  I especially appreciate when they push back and defend their position.  We don't always agree, but I appreciate the fact that they will stand up for what they think is right.

I also appreciate that they correct me . . . often.

Of course, on the surface, talking about Mom and the way I was raised has nothing to do with my current adventure, but in reality, it has everything to do with it.  I am who I am today, good or bad, by the collective experiences I had growing up.

Side note - Thankfully, I'm feeling better.  I'm reminded of how sick I was last year during my first year in a new school.  It takes a minute for your body to adjust and build immunity to, the new "friendly" bugs in the new environment.

This post could be classified as TMI - too much information.  In fact, many of them could be under that classification.  But that's OK.  If it's too much, skim it and move on.  To you who have endured it, bless you. Remember, this is therapeutic and fun for me.  Today just happens to be a therapeutic one.

Here's hoping that you take the time to reflect on the goodness of those close to you.

CORRECTIONS:

In the "Questions" post, the percentages are wrong.  Of course they should have read 10%, 80% and 10%.

In the "Video Success & Travel Theme," the picture of the bridge is not the Brooklyn Bridge.

Thanks Frankie, for pointing out both of these errors.

The Land of the Living

After two days in bed feeling dreadful, it's great to be among the land of the living again.

How do you spell ripe?  F - A - Y - E.  I felt too bad to care whether I showered or not, so I didn't.

That hot running water felt amazing tonight.  It's incredible what soap and water can do to improve your state of mind.

Side note - I splurged and bought the biggest, softest, most absorbent towels I could find, so showering is always a treat now.

I've learned the hard way to take care of myself at the first sign of getting sick.  I used to plow through and hope for the best, but that almost always made it worse.  I learned that I have to be proactive about taking care of myself, especially since I live alone.  There's no one to run to the store, which is one of the reason I buy in bulk, so that I have what I need at all times.

I watched a lot of TV while home these past couple of days.  Or, I should say, the TV was on a lot while I was in and out of a deep sleep.  There's a feature through the cable provider that's called "Catch Up" TV.  There are about a half dozen stations I'm interested in that offer a week's worth of the most popular programing that you may have missed.  There're probably at least twenty stations all together that offer this feature.

Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Body of Proof, all of the CSIs, Glee, and more are available.  These all offer reruns plus the latest episodes. I even saw that the Super Bowl will be broadcast.  That will be a treat, since I haven't seen any football this year.  That's the one sport I enjoyed that the boys played.  I loved the football crowds.  They were usually rowdy and crazy, whereas the baseball audience was sedate, actually watching the game.  Who does that?  Going to the games is all about socializing.  If you catch a bit of the game, great.  If not, no problem.  That just meant you probably had a great time chatting it up with other fans.

Well, it's late.  About 11:30pm (11:30am in Sacramento), so I'd better get to sleep.  I need to return to my usual rhythm of sleeping soon, so I'm not hurting come Sunday when I go back to work.

Here's wishing you peace and health.

At Home, Getting Well

I left work early yesterday, the latest victim of whatever is going around the building.  Went to the doctor.  On a ton of meds.  In bed, napping and watching movies.

More soon.

Good Vibrations!

Holy Smoke!!!

Just got an email from the dear friend who is forwarding my mail.  She, in turn, just got a phone call, at 2:00 in the morning, questioning her at length about the contents of one of the packages.  It seems it was vibrating.

Stop.

It's not what you're thinking.  I promise.

I'm guessing it might be a battery-operated massager I used on my neck and shoulders.

Really.  Seriously.  That's what I think it is.

I should contact the postal inspector in Pennsylvania.  He opened the box to check it out.

I feel awful that my friend had to endure the wake up call and the questioning.  They don't play with these boxes though.  They haven't been opened entering the US, but they're definitely opened on this end.

I wonder if they'll leave a note stating what they found.  Will they allow whatever it is to ship, or will they confiscate it?  Or maybe just take the batteries out?

OK.  There's no way I can top this.

More soon.

Questions

I've met some interesting ducks since I've been here and I've been wondering - what causes someone to make this trek to the other side of the world?  I know why I did it - realizing a lifelong dream to see as much of the world as possible - but why do others do it?

There are two folks I know who left husbands back in the US.  That brings new meaning to long distance relationships.  Are some folks running away from something?  Maybe running to something?

Slim job opportunities in the teaching profession domestically I'm sure plays a big role in the decision to venture abroad.

I'm surprised by the number of Black folks I meet.  I know you shouldn't paint with a broad brush, but as a people, we tend not to be that adventurous.  I think that's changing with the younger generation, but I'm meeting folks my age and older who are on this ride.  It's great to see, too.

Inquiring minds want to know though - what's their story?  Will they leave here and go home, wherever that is, or continue the adventure?

Side note - When I was at Abu Dhabi Mall last week, I noticed a sign announcing the arrival of Border's Books.  I was happy to see it.  I felt bad when they closed because I was one of the ones who window shopped there and purchased from Amazon.  They will not have competition from Amazon because Amazon doesn't ship here.  I know.  I tried.

Today as I was continuing with formal observations, I was reminded of the thinking that 10% of teachers are gifted to teach.  That is what they are best at and they make it look easy.  Eighty percent learn to teach.  It takes more effort to master it because it's learned rather than just is.  The final 10% are folks who shouldn't be teaching at all.  Everything about it is a struggle.  I'm betting we all know teachers who fit in each of those categories.

The tragedy of the way we do things though is some of our best and brightest minds who go into teaching are soon disillusioned by the piles of minutia that accompanies this job and/or the politics of being a teacher.  Either way, it's our loss when they choose to do something else.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that more senior or seasoned folks aren't valued, it's just that I think there needs to be a balance of the old and new.  We can and do learn from each other when we strike that right balance.

Sometimes the young teachers make the mistake of coming in telling the more seasoned folks how it should be done.  Too often the seasoned folks just sit back and wait for the youngsters to fail, and too often that happens.  Whereas if they came in with more open attitude, they could learn a lot for the ones who've been around the block a few times.

Conversely, sometimes it's the older folks who are resistant to any change that proves to be the stumbling block for growth.  As I said, a happy medium is what we're looking for and what works best.

OK.  That's it.  My educational philosophies in a nutshell.  That and a dollar won't get you a cup of coffee.

I have write-ups to do for the observations I did today, and I'm stalling.  I should be doing that now, but it's much more enjoyable writing to you.

Yeah, I was one of those kids who waited til the last minute to get the work done, but I told myself I worked better under pressure.  Not true, but that didn't stop me from waiting til the last minute to produce whatever I was working on.

OK.  I really have to go now.

Goodnight.

Sleep tight.

More soon.

OK.  OK.

Goodnight.

Great Way to End the Day

I just had the opportunity to see my baby girl, Zadie Faye.  She made my day when she waved and said bye-bye.  Just darling!  What a great way to end the day!

Those of you who know me, know that a doting Mom I was not.  I surprise myself everyday at how much of a doting Grandma I am.  I wouldn't believe it either if I wasn't living it.  Zadie has brought out the softer side in me, which I didn't even know I had.

Kudos to Frankie and Cara for being great parents, too.

It's 9:45 and I must get to sleep soon.  I have to be at work early tomorrow to continue the formal observations.  The first one is at 7:15.

I'm moved by so many really talented teachers on our staff.  For the most part, they have taken, what could be a really trying situation, and made the most of it. Creativity is mother of invention, and I see that here every day in the classrooms. The way the teachers have intuitively created what they've needed, is inspiring. Given the support in providing all of the necessary resources, would results with these folks shining beyond measure.  As it is, they're doing great.

Side note - When I was on one of my many visits to the hospital to renew prescriptions, there was a young couple sitting in the same waiting area as me.  The were ADEC folks.  They had a little girl about three and a little boy, probably less than a year old.  The mom was Western, and spoke English.  The dad only spoke French.  What was delightful to hear was the little girl listening to your dad speak to her in French, but she responded to him in English only.

Luther had his first check-up today.  While I waited, I was able to work on a project for school, and because I was preoccupied, the wait time went by very fast.

I've been disappointed in the teacher resources, but one of my teachers told me about another bookstore that had everything I was looking for.  It was a goldmine of literary treasures.  I needed some books to have on hand for those times when I have to take over a class at the last minute.

My principal has reminded me that I'm too busy, with administrative stuff, to cover classes.  That's great, in theory.  In reality, passing by a classroom where the students are "playing teacher" because they have none, is tough to do.  I know I said I'd changed my attitude about the situation, but the Western teacher attitudes in me, is preventing my total adherence to this line of thinking.

It's 10:15 now.  I really gotta go.  Seeing that I'm not sharing any earth-shattering information, I'm guessing you won't mind.

Your blogging buddy

Recovery

Today was a day of rest and recovery from my foray into the UAE nightlife.

Note to self - avoid the club scene wherever I'm living.  The futility of it is universal.

I spent most of the day sleep.  I woke up late.  Was awake a couple of hours, then fell asleep watching TV.    When I awaken at 4:30 in the afternoon, I decided to run a couple of errands.

When I returned, I scrambled some eggs.  I cracked several open, and the yolks were orange.  A deep, rich orange color.  I had these for a while, so I assumed they were bad, so I ran to the market and got more.  They, too, had orange yolks.  I didn't notice this before when I cooked eggs because I boiled them.

Just googled it - the deep colored yolks are probably from free range hens because they have the opportunity to eat more pigmented foods and that is transferred to the yolks.  Love those Google Boys.

Side note - I noticed I'm not holding Peter (my GPS) in a death grip anymore.  In fact, he doesn't even sit on my lap on most days.  I think that's a sign that I'm not depending on him as much to get around.  I appreciate the he takes me along the same routes, which is helping me to learn them.  Oh, let me be clear - I definitely still turn him on each time I get in Luther.  I'm not ready to give him up completely anytime soon.

Side note 2 - We have two weeks off beginning the last week in March and I need to decide soon where I want to go.  The options are endless, so I need to narrow now my choices and make some concrete plans.

It's about 9:45 and I ready for bed again.  I didn't realize how tired I was.

Wishing you rest and peace.

Ghetto Fabulous

The Old School Party was tonight.  Remember I mentioned it would be at the Venetian Cafe - the place my liquor buddy and I stumbled on, with the friendly Egyptian owner.

You know, I'm not sure what I was thinking when I decided to go to this.  I expected to find an expat community of folks sipping coffee or umbrella drinks, listening to the sounds of the 70's.  The music was there, but my other descriptors didn't come close to the reality.

Let me begin with my neighbor, who I had offered a ride to.  She's knocking hard on 50's door, but she looks older.  Even though she's Black, and we age well usually, she looks like she had some hard years.  She's my complexion and wears a golden weave that falls way down her back.  When she knocked on my door, she had on stiletto boots, and what looked like riding pants and a zoot suit jacket.  My first thought was - clearly she doesn't own a full length mirror.  As my dear friend Deb would say, "Lord, I apologize (for those thoughts)."

For some reason I missed the signs at our previous brief encounters, but tonight it was crystal clear, she was ghetto fabulous and proud of it.  Nothing wrong with that, but there wasn't much common ground.  We're both Black women.  The similarities end there.

Anyway, we drive to the cafe, and there are a few folks hanging out in the patio area.  We sit and immediately my neighbor stops a waitress to order drinks.  When she discovered there were no alcoholic drinks, she was ready to go.  Really?  What rock does she live under?  This is a dry country.  Sign number two.  We're probably not going to be bosom buddies.

I mentioned that the only place I know of that serves liquor is the Hilton Hotel.  She jumped at that suggestion to go there, even though I mentioned that I don't drink. Didn't matter.  She did and she wanted one.  Or two.  Or three.

The bar we were in was not much bigger than my living room.  There was a live band playing LOUDLY.  Ridiculously so.  Loud does not equal good.  Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if my ears weren't hurting.

We had a conversation - actually screamed a conversation because it so hard to hear - talking about relationships.  We're both divorced, but clearly she's looking for a man, and couldn't grasp why I wasn't.  She has been proposed to three times in the five months she's been here.  How do you spell Green Card?  V-i-c-t-o-r-i-a. I changed her real name to protect the innocent.  Sign number three.

She wants to go back to the cafe.  We get there and the place is hopping.  We walk in.  She gets lost in the crowd.  I spend a few minutes looking for her, but when I can't find her, I leave.  I had already told her I'd drop her off because I'm not a night owl, which I mentioned when we set this travel arrangement up.  She said if she didn't spot a friend, she would leave with me.  Since I couldn't find her, I'm assuming she found her friend and got home OK.

This experience reminded me of K-Mart.  Every time I walked in that store, I kicked myself because I hated it.  But sometimes I didn't remember I hated until I walked in.

Those of you who know me, know that a party person I am not, and I make no apologies for it.  I saw going to this event as another new experience.  That's just it though, it wasn't new.  The last time I went to something like this, I was in college. A hundred years ago.  Tonight reminded me of why I don't go to these kinds of things.  Time is precious.  Why waste it on something you don't enjoy?

It's 12:30 in the morning.  Time for all good little girls to go to bed.  And me, too.

Goodnight.

Therapeutic

Every evening I sit - on the sofa, at my desk, in my bed - and recapture my day for you (and for me).  I enjoy this time of unwinding and sharing my experiences.  In fact, more than just a pleasurable time, I think it's therapeutic, too.

If I'm the patient, that makes you the therapist, and you're one of the best ever.  You don't say much, but you're a terrific listener.

Now let me fill you in on today's happenings.

I slept in and took care of some paperwork before going to the hospital again to get one of my meds renewed.  I was in and out in less than a half hour.  Thank God!  I saw an American doctor who knew that the medication I'm on to keep the migraines at bay, is used for that purpose.  The other doctor did not.

As you know, my school is in a rural area.  That's why I see the camels so much. Because it was later when I drove by, I could better see the area where they roam. There is a race track that about six of them where racing on.  It was amusing seeing them galloping along.  They usually look like they're moving in slow motion.

I spoke with Ben last night and I mentioned how much I enjoy seeing the camels.  He said, "You must see them everyday because you talk about them so much."  So, OK.  Maybe I've overdone it on the camel commentary.

Note to self - Mention my camel sightings sparingly.

Luther was amazing on the road trip to Abu Dhabi.  He is as smooth on the highway as his namesake was singing a ballad.

Still working hard to create a positive work environment.  It's funny, sad really, how one person can throw a kink in an organization and make everyone else miserable.

The Western teachers have been given a near impossible task of creating a reading curriculum.  No books or resources are available.  Yes, you read right.  No books, no reading material.  In fact, no paper, pencils, supplies.  Nothing.  Then when they go online and find something, they are limited on copying, and it has to be approved two days prior to needing it.

Yes, the salaries are much better than in the US, but they didn't mention that you would need to use a big chunk of it to create normalcy in the classroom.

This is not the case for the Arab teachers.  They have curriculum and other resources coming out the yang yang.

I was just made aware of the lack of reading curriculum this week.  I just assumed I was missing the reading instruction materials each time I visited a class.  Little did I know that there was none.

There are academic outcomes each grade level is expected to master, but no tools are given to reach those goals.

What makes this hard to endure is that we all know this is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and they're paying us hundreds of million dollars to bring us all over here, only to discover that basic needs like pencils and paper, and yes curriculum, are very much needed, and in fact, essential to running a school. This situation makes the job here much harder than it needs to be.

Just like how it takes as many as twelve teachers to sub for two that are absent. The job gets done, with much pleading and begging, but it would be so much easier to just have a sub pool - people to call or hire to cover the absences.  This current system is wild and results in lots of loss instructional time.

Hope this hasn't come off as moaning and complaining.  That's not my intention.  It's simply an objective view of situation, as I see it.  Someone else looking in on this might think it's wonderful.  That's doubtful, but maybe.

So my job, in large part, is to support all teachers, but especially the Western ones, in gathering the resources to teach.

I suppose every school has its burden to bear, finding pencils and paper, is ours.

Bet you're surprised by this, huh?

I'm remembering now that tomorrow I'll be back to waking up at 5:00 instead of 7:00 like today.  With that in mind,  I need to get to bed.

Sending positive thoughts your way . . . always

Bird Riding Shotgun

As I was driving in Abu Dhabi today, I looked up at one point in my rearview mirror to see a large bird, a falcon maybe, riding in-between the driver and front seat passenger.  No cage.  Nothing that I could see was keeping him from flying away. Every now and then he would flutter his wings, and the guys would say something to him to calm him down.  All of this happened while we were waiting for a light to turn green.  Fascinating!

On the drive over, I saw a caravan of camels walking through the sand dunes.  They were traveling toward a herd that was ahead, resting in the sand.  I'm amazed every time I see these marvelous creatures.

On the way home, I saw someone driving a dune buggy through the sand dunes. That's just crazy.  Driving through sand is incredibly dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.  Here's hoping it was an experienced driver.

The meeting I attended, and the reason for my trip to Abu Dhabi, was your standard administration get-together.  There was the exercise in imaging the ideal school and what that would look like.  When the conversation veered to what was actually happening in the schools, it was colorful watching how the presenters dodged the questions.  Some things don't change, no matter where you are in the world.

The meeting ran long so I missed my doctor's appointment and rescheduled it for tomorrow morning at 9:00.  I'll start my day there and hopefully I'll miss the crowds that show up after work.

One of my favorite sights in Abu Dhabi is a set of twin buildings that look like an ice cream cones made with a waffle cones and it looks like someone has eaten part of it on one side of each building.  Check out the pictures to see what I mean.  Yes.  I took them while driving.  Not smart, I know, but I wanted very much for you to see this.

Ice Cream Cone Buildings

Ice Cream Cone Buildings 2

I love this place!

Oasis Hospital

Oasis Hospital - "Our Mission is to provide an international standard of quality healthcare and services to the communities we serve while representing the compassion and love of Jesus Christ."

I was at the hospital again today - another three hours spent there after work - and I noticed scriptures from the Bible posted in prominent places.  I was really surprised to see them.  They were all over the building.  When I was leaving, I noticed the mission statement  that I opened with above, and although that explained the scriptures, I was still curious as to how a Christian hospital came to be in a Muslim country. According to the info on the web, it was founded at the invitation of the residing Sheikh in 1960.  

Side note - This is the hospital that is host to all of the different church services. Now I see the connection between the hospital and the churches.

This is the second day in a row that as I was waiting to be seen, my named was called, but I was in the wrong waiting area, or they mispronounced my name so badly that I didn't recognize it.  Either way, I was treated as a "no show" and they moved on to the next patient.  Hence, the long wait.

When I finally got in to see the doctor, he was pleasant and helpful.  I was there just to get some medication renewed.  It was very interesting that one of the drugs - routinely prescribed in the US - is considered a serious narcotic here.  I got a 90 day supply when I left the US, but here, the doctor I saw today could only prescribe three days' worth.  Three pills.  I have to go back tomorrow to see another doctor who is authorized to prescribe a month's supply.  

Also interesting - the package sent to me had some over the counter meds that were confiscated by the customs officer so they could be examined by a doctor.  Thankfully, I was able to pick them up today.

How did the customs folks know about the meds, you ask?  They were declared on the custom forms that have to be submitted with each package coming in or going out of the country.  In addition, the custom officer opened the package and exams the contents.  I don't know if this happens to boxes going the other way.

Side note 2 -  By the time I got home at 6:30pm (I leave for work at 6:00 am), there were no parking spots on the street, so I had to park in the parking garage.  As I drove in, I saw a young black girl sitting on a curb in the garage.  I thought that was strange until I heard the music and saw the women.  Loud, blaring music.  I looked up and there were about 20 women doing Zumba Fitness Dancing.  They were working it!  They were doing a funky line dance the few minutes I watched.  I recognized one of them as one of my teachers.  I spoke with her later and she invited me to join them.  Maybe.

I still have to send a few emails and memorialize a meeting, so that's it for today.

OK.  Just one more thing - I found out late this afternoon that I need to be in Abu Dhabi tomorrow for a morning meeting.  So off to the big city I go.

BRRRRRRRR!

It's flat out cold outside.  The high today was supposed to be 63.  I doubt if we got out of the 50's.  I'm usually warm in the school, so I dress lightly.  Today, that was a mistake.

Note to self - leave a shawl at work.

I was introduced to the medical system as I tried to see a doctor to get some prescriptions renewed.  Most of the doctors work from 7:30-4:00.  Their schedule is posted for all to see.  I arrived at 3:15 and by the time I got processed, it was 3:45. I waited until 5:15, then had to leave to make my Arabic class. I have an appointment at 3:00 tomorrow.

Although this is a hospital, it has the feel of a small clinic.  Looks like it has been around for awhile, but it was clean and well staffed.  This is where most of the Western folks go for medical attention, hence my reason for choosing this facility. I'm hopeful I can get in and get out without delay tomorrow.

Side note - If you like chocolate chip cookies, treat yourself to some from the Doubletree Hotel.  They are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. They have nuts.  So folks with nut allergies, beware.  One of my dear friends from home is taking care of forwarding mail to me, and she surprised me with some of these. They were divine.  Seriously, you have to try them.  Bonus:  you can get them 24-hours a day from the coffee shop in the hotel.  They give them to their guests, so they always have them on hand.   You can buy them in tins.  They make great gifts.

Yes, the Doubletree should pay me.

It was a long day.  Not hard, just long.  So, I'm going to bed early.

More soon.

Goodnight to me.  Good morning to you.


  

Al Ain Oasis & National Museum

Last night I got a message that a package had arrived, so I began the day at the post office to pick it up. The lady I dealt with said it was probably in Dubai and would arrive here in a day or so.  Dubai?  Really?  Then why text me that it's here?

Deep breaths.

Note to self - find your zen place . . . quick.

Before I left home I decided I wanted to see the Al Ain Oasis, so that's where I went.  I refused to let the post office situation ruin my day.  The oasis sits in the business district.  I had passed by it several times but didn't realize what it was.

Aerial view of Al Ain Oasis from the web

It reminded me of the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz.  Except the road wasn't yellow, it was tan, the color of the sand.  The gushing water of the oasis has been banned from tourism because of bad behavior by tourists.  What you can see is the falaj, the famous irrigation system that is thousands of years old.  It is a water management system designed to get water to homes and the few crops that grow in the desert (palm dates).

Path in the oasis

I drove in, parked Luther on the side of the road, to take a closer look.  A security guy soon found me and asked me to move Luther.  No problem.  Once he was safely parked, the man gave me a tour.  He took me down to one of the troughs so that I could feel the water.  I assumed it would be cool.  It wasn't.  It was as warm as bath water.

Me feeling the water - it's warm

Me near the falaj

My guide

Although I'm not sure I got everything my guide said, I think the dates are created with something that is produced from the male palm tree that is attached to something else on the female tree.  Real scientific explanation, right.  The following website does a much better job than me:


http://books.google.com/books?id=cjHCoMQNkcgC&pg=PA138&lpg=PA138&dq=how+are+palm+dates+created+in+the+uae?&source=bl&ots=u_Yr4u5HUY&sig=OFVSoGnOhGJVsyOgLRQbHAORJP4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=moUaT52oKITmiAL867HXCA&ved=0CHEQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=how%20are%20palm%20dates%20created%20in%20the%20uae%3F&f=false


You can tell a male palm tree from a female because the leaves of the male trees grow from the ground up. The female trees grow at the top of a long trunk.  Also the leaves of the male trees are tougher and stronger.    All this I learned from my guide.

The falaj

Another view of the path in the oasis

Side note 2 - I'm eating dates as I write this.  They have an interesting texture. Chewy and nutty.

After my exploration in the oasis, I went next door to the Al Ain National Museum.  It relatively small for a museum, but it had some great artifacts.  Outside were life-size replicas of the hut structures used for shelter long ago.  There was also a bar-b-que pit like the one my teachers used.  The open pit next to it is where they burn the wood and fan the flames over the meat.  It appears they've been cooking like this for years.

Bar-B-Q Pit and Smoker

When I left the museum, I noticed a horse and carriage.  I inquired about riding and went back into the oasis, this time riding in the buggy.  It was cool with the shade of the many trees.  This reminded of the redwood forest in California where you see miles and miles of the giant trees.  Here, it's miles and miles of palm trees.

Me on a carriage about to go for a ride through the oasis

I'm including lots of pictures.  I hope they're big enough for you to see.  If not, you might try opening them in another window.  I've also included a link to a great video on the UAE.  It's about 30 minutes long, but worth the look if you have the time.  It's an aerial view of the country and some of the shots are spectacular.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d3UqSVRbQ&feature=fvwrel

Coffee Pots

Ornate Vase?

Actual well used long ago

Lady in "mustache" veil

Fort outside of the museum

Fort outside museum 2

Cannon

Cannons in front of fort

Tent area outside

Wide view of tent sitting area

Me in front of hut

Cat sleeping on right bench

Ancient pottery

Info about the pottery

Falcon - Falconry is big time sport here

I just got a call from the post office.  The package has arrive.  You gotta love it.

Lazy Day

I didn't get out of my pj's today.  It felt great just to lounge around.  I watched another movie, listened to a podcast and washed my hair.  That was my day.

Tyrone (my wireless route) was acting a little finicky, so I was having trouble getting online.  Thankfully he corrected himself after a few hours.

Some random thoughts -

Did I mention there are roundabouts in parking lots?  I think they're taking the theme of having them all over the city a bit far, but they didn't ask me.

There are no stand alone coffee shops here.  Even if there were, they would probably serve the local coffee which takes a lot to get down.  It looks like tea.  Its served in small, espresso-size portions, straight - no cream or sugar.  It's an acquired taste, and I'm not there yet.  So, the only Western coffee besides Starbucks (which are only found in malls), is instant. Before you coffee snobs turn up your nose, it's really good.  Nescafe makes a single serving coffee pouch that already has the cream and sugar in it.  You just add the hot water and you're good to go.  I have some in my office so that the teachers can start their day with coffee if they want.

You can tell the direction of the wind by the way the sand moves across the roads. Its such a fine sand, just a gentle breeze causes it to move.

I have yet to see a hardware store.  There's nothing like a Home Depot or Lowe's. There is an Ace Hardware in one of the malls, but it's a crime calling it a hardware store.  There's not much to it at all.  You can find a pretty decent supply of hardware stuff in the grocery stores.  Remember, these stores also sell appliances and electronics.  They're the one-stop shop for all your shopping needs.

There are also not many restaurants.  Not for a city this size.  I don't think the concept of eating out is as big in this country.  I think most of their gatherings are at their homes.  Everyone has someone to cook for them, so it's no big deal to entertain at home.  You just let the help know how many you're expecting.

Paper napkins are hard to find.  Most places use Kleenex instead.

Notebook paper is a novelty, too.  Lots of notebooks of various sizes, but not a lot of notebooks that uses filler paper.  The notebooks or binders I've seen have either two or four holds.

Looking for thank you cards proved challenging, too.  You can only find them at a card shop.

I've looked high and low for Parmesan Cheese.  I'm told you can find it, but it's a rarity.

So are Jelly Beans.  I found them at Ferrari World, and the other day, I found them tucked away in one of the grocery stores.  They haven't caught on here.

I ate a piece of fruit and I'm not quite sure what it was.  It was pale green and looked like a pear, but was rounder.  I bought two pieces.  The first one wasn't ripe when I cut it.  It was hard and smelled pretty awful.  I waited a few days to tackle the other one, and it was softer, didn't smell and tasted  . . . interesting.  I should have taken a picture of it.  Not sure I'll ever buy it again.

On the rare days I've been out late, I've seen women out by themselves.  It really is one of the safest places places for women I've ever seen.  The men are very respectful.  I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating.  Men do not approach you or start a conversation with you.  They will only speak if you generate the conversation.  Even then, most are pretty shy.  An expat making advances toward women would be given a one-way ticket out of town.  Folks know that and are on their best behavior.

It looks like men outnumber by a large margin.  Not sure if that's factual or not, but you see many more men out and about than women.  All of the construction and building is done by men, all of the public works projects, the service workers in the stores, etc.

I just called Frankie and he was a work.  I thought it was Saturday.  I'm still working on getting used to working from Sunday to Thursday.

I just rented more movies to watch.  They'll be my treats.  I reward myself often.  I'm learning to be good to me.  It only took me 55 years to get here.  That's OK.  Some folks never make it.  I'm grateful I did.

How do you treat yourself?

The Camel Has the Right of Way

Cutest sight on the way to work yesterday was a guy leading a camel through a roundabout.  The camel is just cruising by.  Graceful and majestic.  It happened at dawn.  It was still dark and I knew trying to get a picture would have been fruitless, but it was a true Kodak moment.

Just got home from my Arabic class.  I totally forgot about it on Tuesday.  That was the day I was so tired and frustrated.  Anyway, the teacher is so gracious with his time to offer these makeup sessions.  I also appreciate having the one-on-one instruction.  Surprisingly, I'm actually starting to recognize letters and simple words. It will help so much to be able to say simple phases in Arabic.  Of course, I've picked up a few things just from hearing them used repeatedly.

The Venetian Cafe is having an Old School Party next Thursday night.  Thursday night is like Friday night in the US.  The owner of the cafe mentioned that this was in the works, so I'm happy that it will be happening.  I'm not a party person at all, but it might be nice to check it out.  I'm sure the Black expats will be out in big numbers.

Side note - I'm going to watch a movie tonight.  My treat to myself.  I got a pedicure on the way home.  Another treat.  That was a wonderful way to end the week.

Side note 2 - My apologies for being late in responding to emails.  My plan is to catch up this weekend.

As always, thanks for spending time with me.

Your blogging buddy

So Much Better

Today was a thousand times better, thank God.

Even though my day began at 4:00am and just ended at 9:00 tonight, the day at school was much smoother.  It's not that I had an easier day necessarily, but with an adjustment in my frame of mind, I was much better prepared for it.

We're doing teacher evaluations that have to be completed by the end of the month. Not a big deal except that there must be two people observing and the same two doing the post conferences.  The woman who is supposed to be my partner has been out sick all week, which has really thrown a kink in the scheduling.  Hopefully, if all goes well tomorrow, we should be caught up.

Interesting to note that the woman I had the tough conversation with is the same one who has been absent all week.  I know she's been really sick.  I don't wish anything bad, but I hope the absences are legitimate and not in protest.  Even if they are, what can you do?

It was suggested that I take off my US hat, in reference to the safety concerns at my new school, and think like my Arab sisters.  I think that's a great idea.  When they seemed worried about a situation, then I'll start to be concerned.  Until then, I need to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the craziness.  No problem.  I can and will do that.

Side note - My house phone just rang for the first time.  Yep.  Wrong number.

Side note 2 -The teachers are enjoying the snacks that I keep in my office.  It's amazing what a piece of chocolate can do for you on a long day.

Side note 3 - One of my teachers bought me some date-filled cookies.  They're very good.  They taste a lot like Fig Newtons.

Well, I have to be at school early again tomorrow, so this is another short one.

Hope you're having the best year yet.  

FRUSTRATION

Today was the most challenging yet.  I'm hoping this is as hard as it gets.

Four teachers were absent, which means twenty-four periods had to be covered. It took over a dozen teachers to fill the slots because No emirate teacher will take more than to, if she takes it at all.  Even though every Emirati teacher has open slots thoughout the day, as I've mentioned before, they can pick and choose if and when they'll fill them.  I covered classes several times today because it's easier to step in and take over a class than to search all over for someone else willing to do it.

It is an insane way of doing business.  There is no learning going on during absences, that's for sure.

What's even more amazing is that there are Western teachers being paid who are sitting around in hotel rooms waiting for assignments.  They could sub until permanently placed.  It is outrageously inefficient the way it's currently being handled.

My brain was fried by the end of the day.  I also had a couple of formal observations and need to write up the reports from them, but I'm just too tired tonight.  I will get up early in the morning to prepare them when I'm fresh and can think straight.

On a brighter note -

I got a call from the bank letting me know the info I needed to pick up was available. It was 1:45 when the call came in.  The bank closes at 1:30.  The lady asked me what time I would be leaving work.  I said within the hour and she said I could come by.  After hours.  She met me at the back door.  Incredible!

Since I was right next door, I went to ADEC to inquire about my health card. Gratefully, I was able to pick it up right then.  There's this whole system where one person from your school is supposed to pick them up for everyone.  As slow as things oftentimes happen here, I figured it would be the first of Neveruary when I would see it.

From there I went to the mall to increase the package for my internet service on my phone.  Jimmy Lee (my mobile internet service) is being used a lot.  Remember, it's rare to find wireless internet.   Jimmy Lee keeps me in the know wherever I am.  Here, that's priceless.

While at the mall, I received a text saying I had a package ready for pickup.  When I got there, the message was for the package that already arrived and had already been picked up.  Next time, I'll wait for the phone call letting me know I have something for pick-up.

Finally, I arrived home.

Side note - It's sweater cool here at night.  Usually breezy as soon as the sun goes down.

Well, that's it.  My "tired" is tired.

More soon.