Falafel to Fried Chicken

Exactly one week from today, I will be landing in Atlanta and my big adventure in Abu Dhabi will come to an end.  This final week is very bittersweet.  I've learned so much about myself, other cultures, and other religions by living here.  Before coming here, I didn't have a passport and had never lived anywhere other than South Georgia.   This adventure has shown me that there's so much more out there in the world.

Most people where I lived in Georgia really had no idea where Abu Dhabi was located, but were very supportive of me and sent many prayers my way while here.  I appreciate so much all the kind words and prayers for me.  I've lived almost 8,000 miles away from everybody and everything I know and love for the past three years.  God has blessed me with good friends here to support me on those really tough days.  Those friends span all age ranges, nationalities, and religions.  He has shown me there are good people everywhere.  He put these people in my path just when needed. He has also shown me that I'm a lot stronger than ever thought....God knew it.

Front of our school.  Written in English and Arabic.  Most signs here are bilingual.  

Back of our school.  Notice the solar covers that help keep the area cool.

Our reception area...lobby

Buses look different here.  

Our canteen....lunchroom.  No hot meals are served here.  Most students bring lunches from home.  A local company sells sandwiches, juice, and water to students.  

My school family has been a major support system for me while I have lived here. I live in Al Ain, which is about 1 1/2 hours from the city of Abu Dhabi.  My school, Al Wagan KG & Cycle 1, is located approximately one hour drive away from my apartment.  There is no teacher housing there, only locals have homes there.  All teachers live in Al Ain and make the long commute out to the remote school each day.  Al Wagan is located very closely to the Oman border.  It is a small, rural agricultural community with limited educational opportunities for its citizens.  This community is very traditional.  At Al Wagan KG & Cycle 1, most of the staff is comprised of women.  Mr. Fayez and the security guards are the only males in our building.

The staff at the school has been very welcoming to me and I consider them my sisters and friends.  If I ever needed anything, they would be there for me in a flash.  They've taught me that you can show love for people even if you don't speak the same language. A smile, hug, or kiss on the cheek speaks volumes.  Each morning I greeted the staff with a handshake or kiss on the cheek depending upon how close I felt to them.  People here believe that a handshake between two people makes all the bad things fall to the side and it's a fresh start to the day.  A kiss on each cheek means that the recipient is very close to you.  I've learned to speak Arabic words and they smile when I attempt them....yes, I speak them with a Southern accent.  They love me even if I'm mispronouncing it badly.

An important part to this culture is eating...just like Georgia.  Families and friends share food and time together regularly.  In the South, we prepare fried chicken, etc.  Here the food it a little different and took some getting used to for this Southern belle.  Lots and lots of chicken cooked in all different ways.  The food here is reflective of the mixtures of the cultures present.  Indian and Emirati foods are very popular here.  I've learned to like falafel, nan (bread), biryani, and freshly made hummus (nothing like the kind in America....this is totally amazing).  When we have staff celebrations, there's always lots of food.  The best cooks bring their best wares and I must admit that I've become more adventurous in trying the dishes.  Had I stayed in Georgia, these new foods would have never experienced.

At work, my dress has been different for the last three years.  I have to be covered to my ankles and at least below my elbow...I usually am covered all the way to my wrists.  I wear long skirts and long sleeve shirts from America.  I can't show any cleavage or my shape, so clothes are loose.  I am not required to cover my head with a shela or wear an abaya at my school.  While living here, I've tried to be respectful of the dress codes and the rules here.  Showing some leg and arms at work will be different for me.


I will be sad to no longer see my friends here and spend time with them, but the end of the adventure is near. The past few weeks here have been very challenging.  The exit process has been trying at times. The amount of paperwork can be a little daunting. There are many signatures which have to be received to make sure you have paid all your bills, been cleared by your housing, electricity, internet, cell phone, health cards, etc.  Many offices have to be visited (some more than one time) and for days endless running around.  I finally finished mine earlier this week.  It's the last hurdle before leaving. I'm mentally and physically exhausted from the process. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.


I will look back on this adventure with great joy and love.  God brought me here for a reason and used me while I was here. Not sure why I was here, but he does. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this chapter is meant to end and now it's time for the next chapter and the next adventure. I'm excited to be back in my home again and close to my life long friends and family. Looking forward to all my favorite foods and lots of fresh veggies.  New challenges will come with the transition back to living in the US. I ask for your prayers during this transition time.  This will be my last blog from afar....Thank you for being loyal and reading about my adventures.  All the sweet comments and well wishes have kept me going.  Hopefully I will get to meet you all face to face soon....Hugs and kisses :)

Taking the Narrow Path

Three long years I've lived and worked in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.  Each day has proven to be a learning experience and won't be forgotten any time soon.  I've met people from almost every nation in the world and experienced cuisine I would've never tried had I stayed safe and never embarked on this adventure. I don't have a single regret for coming on my big adventure. It has helped me be more adventurous, more open minded, and more positive that God is working miracles all over the world.   Living alone almost 8,000 miles away from everyone you know and love can be very daunting at first.  Many days I had to lean hard on God to help me make it through. He has blessed me with good friends who have been there for me on the tough days and the celebratory days. He has shown me that I'm way stronger than I ever thought I could be.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time about coming home.  There is a long "to do" list for here and home and only 52 days and I'll be in the air.....yikes.  I'm going to remember what a very smart lady, Dr. Gail K. Nesbitt, told me once, ."How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time. Don't let daunting tasks overwhelm you.  Just take it one small step at a time."

I have a two bedroom apartment with everything needed to make a home here.  All of this has to be sold, given away, or discarded of before I can receive a clearance form from my landlord.  I haven't even started yet, so between now and the weekend going to get myself together and start pricing items and try to begin the process.  There's a flow chart the size of a page and a half for the exit process to be able to leave this country the correct way.  I won't bore you with the details, but I'm going to ask for prayers for patience.  It's a long process and the way things are here, will have to make more than one visit to most of these to accomplish my tasks.

Only one month and the religious holiday of Ramadan begins.  This will mean that the business hours will change because Muslims fast from sun up to sun down and businesses open after sun goes down. They remain open until 3-4 in the morning when the Muslims say their last prayer before going to sleep.  Remember that long flow chart I discussed.  I will be completing it during this time so therefore, I ask for patience.

The weather is getting hotter and already hovering around 110 during the hottest part of the day.  Will be 120 before long.  Yes, it's a dry heat, but today the humidity made it feel like 114.  No matter where you are....that's hot!!!!  As the temperature rises, so does the naughty behavior at school.  A wise principal once told me that children are like sausages on a griddle when it starts getting hot.  The hotter it gets, the more they wiggle and squirm.  Like everywhere in the world, teachers and students are all ready for school to be over.  Know we love our students, but we are all like kids in the back seat of a car after a long trip....ready for a little apart time.

This morning it hit me that I only have 52 more days to see the sunrise over the sand dunes.  I see camels on the way to work and even had three visit our school during bus dismissal last week.  Not many people where I live can say they've seen this. I've experienced learning a new language and teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). Lived in a different culture and actually had conversations with people from all over the world.

What have I learned....People love their families and just want them to be happy and take care of them. People love their God, whatever they call him. People have different skin colors, but their hearts are the same. If a person is from a different religion, I don't have to agree with them, but I do have to respect them as a person.  Here, I have always felt my religious beliefs were respected and I did the same. I have never been asked to convert and I'm still a Southern Baptist.. Lastly, I have learned that no matter where I go, I need to open my eyes and find the good in this world.  Too many times, people get caught up in negativity.  I took these three years as a time to discover new things about the world, about people, and mostly about myself.  God has taught me so much.  I look forward to what he has in store for me during my last days here and when I return home.  I'm keeping my heart open!  Until we meet again :) 

Safe and Sound

Life here has been very busy for the last month.  In my new role as Head of Faculty, I've been assisting with lots and lots of teacher evaluations.  All staff must have at least one prior to the end of the first trimester.  My heart always fills with joy when I visit classrooms, whether here or at home.  I see the workmanship and love teachers put into their students.  Teaching is a hard job that often goes unappreciated by some other professions.  If you ever want to smile or are having a hard day, just go visit a kindergarten classroom.  Smiles and joy are everywhere!

Here is a second grade classroom that I visited that was putting on a play  

Each day is always a challenge...especially here with the language barrier.  I'm honored to have so many good, hard working teachers here that make my job easy....well most of the time.  There are days that make you wonder....what was I thinking, but as a whole I love what I do everyday.  God continues to bless me each day and I'm thankful :)  

This week is a special time here in the UAE...National Day celebrations. The UAE has only been an independent country for 43 years, previously controlled by England.  Their influence can still be seen today in the intense love for tea here and even in the spellings of words (i.e. colour).  I am attaching a few pics from the celebrations:

Now, as I'm sure most of you are aware, there has been a murder of an American teacher in Abu Dhabi. I did not know the female teacher involved in the incident and have never been to the mall where the event occurred.  I live about and hour and a half away from the city of Abu Dhabi where it happened. From what I've read in the local newspapers, some are saying there was a verbal altercation in a restroom that led to the horrendous act....not terrorist related.  For all my family and friends who are worried, violence is very rare here and I feel very safe.  I would feel safe walking to the grocery store for a loaf of bread at night in my neighborhood. No worries...I'm always very careful.  This isolated event was a tragedy for the woman and her twin children.  Please pray for her family and that the guilty person is brought to justice.  Things like this make us all a little more cautious and hold our loved ones closer.  Continue to pray for my safety and for God's will to be done in my life.  I miss you all dearly and look forward to the next time I see your smiling faces :) Until we meet again!  

God's Blessings

As the end of the first month of school has come and gone, I feel like an update needs to be made to my blog.  It has been a whirlwind…..School began on August 24 with teachers and September 1 with students.  I began a new role as Head of Faculty at Al Wagan Cycle 1 School.  Oh, the joys of a new job….the uncertainty of where everything is located when someone needs something, finding files on a computer from the previous Head of Faculty when needed, and dealing with a new administration team that has to learn each other.  I was welcomed with open arms by the entire staff and they’ve been very supportive of me in my new role. 

The biggest challenge thus far has been staffing our school.  There are no substitutes here, so we have to cover absent teachers with staff in the building.  Teachers give up their planning time to help cover classes when someone is absent or not in the country yet.  For the first two weeks, I was teaching children almost every day….glad to do my part until all the staff arrives and makes it through the long process of getting to the schools.  I learned a lot about myself those days…..I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.  I can teach any grade level, songs work well with any grade level and everybody just wants a little structure.  The last of our Cycle 1 (Grade 1-5) teachers arrived last week and I have to say they have all been real troopers about jumping in with both feet.  They’ve worked hard and made my transition into this job as easy as could be expected.  I’m blessed to work with such a caring and professional staff. 

This weekend, I attended my second local wedding.  One of our teacher’s sons was getting married and the staff was invited to attend.  I must say this is the most fun I’ve seen in one room in a long time.  All the ladies from work who are normally covered in abayas, their hair is always covered, and some have their faces covered.... took off the abayas, uncovered their hair, uncovered their faces, and put on formal dresses.  I barely recognized some of them….they were all gorgeous and enjoying life.  Dancing, laughing, enjoying each other’s company and acting like sisters….warmed my heart.  You could just feel the love in the room.  They were genuinely happy to see us and welcomed us with open arms.  They treated us as family.  After a long week at work, this was exactly what the doctor ordered. 

Spent a lot of time over this long weekend thinking…yes, those of you who know me well are thinking this is dangerous :).  The song "Blessings" by Laura Story has some profound words...Sometimes blessings come through raindrops. Trials of this world are your mercies in disguise. The last four months of my life have been stressful and emotional to say the least, but I made it through the storm.  I came out on the other side….yes,  a little wounded and beaten up, but I’m a stronger person for all of it.   I've been blessed with "real" friends who've been there to hold my hand, cry with me, laugh with me, and tell me everything's going to be okay.  You all know who you are, but just know I consider you a blessing from God.  For the first time in 22 years, I'm single again and don't know what the future holds.  I’ve been told that I’m a piece of work….yes, God’s work.  I'm his masterpiece....no matter how much of a mess I am.  He knows every inch of me and will never give me more than I can handle. I know that whatever lies ahead for me is in God’s hands.  He knows my future and the path for me…I pray every day for his will to be done through me and  I pray for all my dear friends and family.  Hope God blesses you and keeps you safe until we meet again  :) 

Year Three: Staring Bravely Into the Future

At the end of last school year, I was exhausted and needed to recharge my batteries and rejuvenate for the coming days.  Spending precious time with my girls, my Mom, and my friends this Summer have helped me do so. I feel so blessed to have you all in my life. Thanks for all the great meals, laughter, trips down memory lane, and words of wisdom shared this summer.  I truly couldn't have made it without you. Leaving home was extra hard this year...saying goodbye was difficult.

One of the hardest parts of working abroad is not having your family here.  I am fortunate to say that God has placed some good friends in my life here that act as my family.  We all look out for each like sisters and mothers.  As I look forward to the beginning of my third year here in the UAE, some of my family members have not returned this year.  Jenny O, I will so miss our deep conversations over pad Thai and Shake Shack :).  Even though you are far away, you will always be in my heart.

Today marks the end of my Summer vacation...sad to see my days as a woman of leisure ending.  The alarm will ring at 4:30 am and it's officially over.  I'm sad to see my Summer ending, but am excited to get back on a schedule and see what God has planned for my life this year.  Can't wait to see all my friends from school and catch up with them before the real work starts.  Laughter, hugs, and kisses will fill the entrance of my school tomorrow :)  

As you may recall from last year, I will be moving into a new role at Al Wagan...Cycle 1 Head of Faculty     (Grades 1-5) , which means I won't be in the classroom . Helping new teachers assimilate to the culture, curriculum, and teaching strategies will be my main job.  I look forward to working to help make my school the best it can be. I will miss the day to day interaction with the children, but know where to find my babies if I need a fix :)

There will be new administration staff this year since my previous principal went back to Ireland after completing her two year contract.  Since we are so far out in the desert, it is hard to find people who want to work here.  Hoping tomorrow to meet my new principal, but if not there, the Assistant Vice Principals (one Arabic and one English) and Heads of Faculty (KG and me) will have added responsibilities.

Change can be scary but is necessary to move forward.  Many challenges lie ahead for me professionally and personally . As the year begins, I'm asking that all my prayer warriors lift me and my school up.  God has a reason for me being here...I'm not sure why, but he does.  I just pray each day that his will be done through me.  I may be the only God others see so try my best every day to be a caring, compassionate friend and teacher.  Some days are harder than others and the road gets tough. I always remember that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I promise to take this journey with you and continue my blog for the third year. Until we meet again :)

Year 2 Reflections

As I come to the end of my second year in the UAE, can't help but reflect upon this experience.  Year 1 involved more assimilating to the culture.  Year two was the settling in year and becoming more comfortable in my own skin.  Being so far away from your family can be very daunting at times.  Having a strong support system is so important.  God has placed people in my life that have given me words of encouragement, support, and hugs when needed.  This year has been very challenging for a lot of reasons, but I survived and did very well.

My administrators decided my skill could be used better in Cycle 1 (Grade 1-5).  I looped up with my children from KG2.  One class on the boys side and one class on the girls side of the school (Remember KG is the only place where boys and girls are educated together).  I had to cart all my centers from one side to the next and set up two classrooms.  The first two months almost sent me over the edge, but I came up with a system and figured it out.  LOVE my children and wouldn't give anything for the experience of working with them again.

As the year progressed, I became a model for other teachers in using the New School Model and having a true center-based approach to teaching.  I love the people I work with and they are my sisters....I'm very close to them.  There are people from all over the world in my school.  I enjoy talking with them and learning about their cultures and the difference in what words mean in different countries.  When we had a potluck at school, everyone brought something this week and the array of food was astonishing.  Everyone wants you to try their food and they are all shoving it on my plate.  I tried it all...must say I'm more adventurous about trying new foods.  Need to walk a little extra this week :)

We have two more weeks of school before breaking for summer.  Ramadan will begin tomorrow morning. Muslims will fast from sunrise to sunset...no food or water.  After sunset, they have huge feasts called iftar. Think Thanksgiving meal size helpings.  They do this for 30 days.  Tomorrow will be interesting at school. This is the first time we've been in school during Ramadan since I came here.  We will be respectful and not eat or drink in the presence of Muslims during fasting hours. School hours will be reduced because fasting makes you very tired. Restaurants will be closed during the middle of the day and will open around 7 pm when locals can eat and are open for extended hours (til early in the morning hours).  Looking forward to experiencing this....no worries...I'm still a Southern Baptist :)

As this year comes to an end, I'm sad to see some of my friends return to their home countries never to return to the UAE.  People come in and out of your life here.  Most only staying a few years.  However short the time, they make a big impact.  Since many of us don't have family here, we become each others UAE family.  I wish all my friends good luck and send you away with lots of love and light from me.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from this year:

My favorite dress for work.  I feel like a "princess". 

Spending Christmas with Nicole, Alex, and Ethan.  Thanks for making me a part of your family :)

The long bus ride to school. 

Dune bashing....LOVE!

Beautiful!

Dressed as Grandma for Little Red Riding Hood.  My children loved my outfit and talked about it for days :)

Learning to use chopsticks and my first sushi.  

My first brunch.  Teresa, Beth, Latoya, and I.  

Jenny and Beth....best friends.  Jenny we will miss you!  

Next year promises to be a year of discovery for me.  I have been promoted to Head of Faculty (HOF) in the UAE.  This position is similar to the Academic Coach job I recently held in the US.  I'm super proud of myself because I returned to the classroom here after being in admin for 10 year and had a very successful experience.  I've always prided myself in not forgetting what its like to be in the classroom...where the rubber meets the road.  Experiencing teaching here is very different than anything I've ever taught in the US. Strategies that work in US don't work here.  Made me really think on my feet.  I look forward to moving into this new position and doing whatever I can to help teachers.

I ask for your continued prayers in having God use me for his will.  I truly believe I'm supposed to be here....for what reason, I'm not sure.  God knows.  I'm listening and keeping an open mind about his path for me.  I look forward to coming home July 11-Aug 18ish and seeing my family and friends.  El Girasol, Smoakies, and all my favorite restaurants are on my "to do" list.  Would love to visit with as many people as possible.  On July 11, my US number will work.  If you would like to visit, just call or message.  Look forward to seeing your smiling faces :)  Until we meet again :)

Things you want to know

As the end of January approaches, winter has set in here.  Temps range from 47-70 during the day. To all my friends who have had bitter cold this winter, I apologize for this statement...it's cold here in the morning (think I have climatized). Apartments here only have air..no heat and I'm scared of space heaters.  Tile floors make your feet cold and socks are my best friend.

Each morning when I wake @ 4:30, I have one thought that comes into my head....will there be fog?  The threat of heavy fog is always a real possibility during winter.  Thickest fog I've ever seen.  Leaving before 6:00 every morning makes the travel more dangerous if there is fog...not to mention the careless drivers.  Our school implemented a "fog" tree so we can be notified if there is a delay in the start of school.  We ride 86 km out into the desert to work.  Fog is the worst about half way out.  Can be clear in Al Ain, where I live, and dense fog just few km outside of town.

We pull over to the side of the road and wait for the driving conditions to improve.

While sitting by the side of the road, our children are told there will be a delay to the beginning of school whenever possible. Any teacher knows that when the students routines change it affects their behavior and this impacts instructional time.  We have a list of standards required to teach each trimester and this pushes us to teach more in less time.  We have standards based report cards where these specific standards have to be marked.  

I am so proud of the progress my students have made since the beginning of school.  They are beginning to use more and more English and are truly beginning to understand more of what I ask them to do.  I've been working really hard reviewing sounds, letters, sight words, and blending, blending, blending.  One of my boys was looking at a word and said /rokk/....rock.  I was one proud Momma because he was attending to the print and making English sounds :)    He knew all the sounds but didn't know to blend c and k together.  Another lesson for another day.  We have been working really hard in our centers.  Here are a few pics:

We are working on building number sense to 20 (number bonds)

ABC Order-"O" is wearing a shela (she's one of my favorites :)  I admit it! ).  

Girls usually begin to wear shelas in 5th grade, but her family asks her to wear one every Thursday. 

 She is very proud of her shela and I make a big deal about it to encourage O.  

Working hard!

                 Cut apart stories.  Our first time with no model and have to look in English book. 
                                        They did very well for the first time....proud of them :)

Each week brings new challenges....next week addition.  Should be interesting :)
Now for a side note.....recently I've had a lot of questions. Many people are very curious about this experience and where I am, so here are the answers to the most asked questions I receive:  

• Where do you live?  I live in Al Ain in the emirants of  Abu Dhabi, which is part of the United Arab    Emirates (There are 7 emirates).  Al Ain is half way between the city of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.  It is  a middle sized community of about 300,000 people.  The neighborhood I live in is family oriented  and mostly teachers and other expats (foreigners) live in this area. I have two-bedroom      apartment. All the occupants of this building are single or married teachers with no children in the      UAE.

• What can you wear to work?  I have to be covered from ankle (long skirts or pants) and 3/4 arms or wrists (3/4 length Coldwater Creek no iron work just fine).  I am not required to wear a head covering (shela) because I am not Muslim.  The girls like my short hair :)  Women here tend to have long hair and  it is covered with a shela so don't see in public. When going out, I dress respectfully in accordance with appropriate dress for here (no cleavage or revealing clothes).  A pair of jeans and a respectful blouse that isn't too revealing or form fitting work for grocery store, etc. I see many foreigners that wear clothes that are inappropriate, but feel need to be respectful of the culture here.

• Can you drive there?  Yes, I have a rental car.  I have a UAE drivers license and USA.  The UAE  is one of the most liberal Middle Eastern countries.  Local women must have permission from their    husbands to drive here.  Thus, many locals have hired drivers because husband doesn't allow wife  to drive. Driving here can be very dangerous. There are over 10,000 accidents a year in the UAE.  Drivers may drive 20km over the speed limit without a ticket.  There are traffic cameras that take  your picture and receive ticket in mail.  Fingers crossed none for me yet....may have just cursed  myself.

• What's it really like there?  Well, it's not like you see on tv or the news.  Where I live, there are lots of families and I feel completely safe here.  Would even walk to the grocery store at night if needed   something.  I've never felt scared here and have been treated with great respect for the most part.     There are times when I have been talked down to by an older man or a man broke in line in front of me. I must admit that at first it really bothered me and I never said anything. Now, as I become more confident with my Arabic, I say something.  Two men broke in front of me the other day and I said,   "This is a problem." in Arabic.  The man behind the counter looked stunned that I would say something and in Arabic.  He made them go back to their spots :)  I am very respectful of their culture, but these men were Egyptian and manners are manners.

• What do you eat?  Lots of fresh food with no hormones.  Milk and bread only last a few days because there are no preservatives.  Lots and lots of chicken here and they are the regular size.  First time I saw a "real" chicken, it looked anemic.  I was used to the large chickens in US.  There is food from almost  every nation here and I've tried a lot of new things that would've never tried before.  I love falafal (looks like hush puppy but is ground beans with spices), shawarma (chicken, veggies, garlic mayo, wrapped in arabic bread), and there's lots of American fast food places that deliver to your door (trouble)...Applebee's, Chili's, McDonald's, Burger King, etc... Eating is a big part of this culture, so no shortage of choices.  Just had to be open to try new things.  I always look forward to eating all my favorites back home....dream of El Girasol queso dip (sure sign of a fat kid).

February is approaching quickly and more challenges are on the horizon.  Pray for me because there are decisions that will need to be made...my 2 year contract is up and have to decide if staying here and renewing for another year or moving back to the US and try to find a job there.  God will show me the answer in his time, so just have to be patient :)  Lots of love to my family and friends...I miss you all!  Hope the weather warms up for you and have a more "normal" winter.  Until we meet again.

2013...What a Year

For the first time ever, I was not at home for the holidays,  In the UAE, there are many expats (foreigners) and there is evidence of Christmas everywhere.  Christmas trees in the mall, Christmas lights and garland for sale in the stores, and gift bags with Santa. There were reminders of the season but it felt very strange to be celebrating Christmas with 75 degrees outside. I had to keep Christmas and joy in my heart.  Thanks to Andrea Brown for allowing me to babysit her Christmas tree.  It made me smile every time I looked at it.

Over the holidays I rested, caught up with Hulu and Netflix and reflected upon myself.  I didn't realize how tired I was and needed to recharge my batteries.  Being away from my family was hard.  I missed the Christmas Eve service at Vienna First Baptist and seeing all my friends. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were hard for me, but I put on my "big girl panties" and pushed through. Several of my friends stayed for the holidays and we made the most of it by getting together cooking for brunch, lunch, dinner, and checking on each other.  I'm thankful for the people in my life.  :)

As the year comes to an end, it's a natural time to reflect upon the past.  2013 has been filled with love, laughter, struggle, and success.  Sadly, I said goodbye to some good friends who completed their contracts in the UAE and headed home to spend time with their families. Maintained relationships with friends who are still here and made new friends that have given me support and encouragement when the road was hard.  Being 7400 miles away from everyone and everything you know can really take a toll.  I cannot tell you how important it is to have a support system.  Again, I'm so thankful for the people God has put in my life and the kind words he sends my way.  

Changing grades has been a challenge for me and worked really hard this year.  Struggle is good for the soul and has shown me that I'm a lot stronger than I ever thought.  I pushed through and have grown more comfortable in Cycle 1.  I look forward to the 2nd Trimester, which will be the main teaching time.  12 weeks of uninterrupted teaching time will allow the teaching of lots of standards.  Children really "grow" during this time and the boys will be separated from the men.  I look forward to the challenges which are ahead and whatever the future holds.  

New Years is quickly approaching and time to make the dreaded "New Year's Resolution".  For the first time in my life, I kept my resolution for 2013...giving up Diet Coke.  It's been almost a year and I'm still caffeine free.  This year, I've decided to give up a very bad habit,,,.biting my fingernails.  I'm 46 and have never been successful in stopping.  Went to the nail salon this week and had them put extensions on top of my nonexistent fingernails.  If I can't see them, I won't bite them.  Makes sense to me.

As the year comes to an end, I want to wish all my friends and family the best of luck in 2014.  May all your hopes, dreams, and wishes come true.  May God bless and keep you in the upcoming year and give you strength when needed.  Until we meet again :)

National Day and the Short Rows to Christmas Break

Things have settled down since my last blog.  I am still teaching one class of boys and one class of girls (52 total) and have two classrooms.  We are in a routine, our procedures are in place, and I'm getting settled in with carting my centers between two rooms.  The children are learning so much!  We've been working very hard to increase English vocabulary, teaching sounds, blending, and segmenting, and lots of counting, counting, counting.  The children have really made a lot of progress since the beginning of the year.  Some of the children are beginning to make the sound/symbol relationship and beginning to blend.  The look on a child's face when they learn /a/ /n/ makes the word "an" is priceless.  I saw that last week.  Yes, its hard being away from my family especially this time of the year...but, I know that what I'm doing daily is making a difference.

National Day is upon us in the UAE.  42 years ago, the UAE became independent.  The locals celebrate by wearing the colors (Red, Green, White, and Black), putting large wraps around their cars that have pictures of the shrieks , large flags are draped on homes, businesses, and even cars.  The people are very proud of their country and celebrate "big".  Each night, fireworks can be heard as the people celebrate. At school, we've been doing activities all week.  Here are a few pictures of my children:

Our long weekend began early Thursday morning with a text from my school.  No school today due to Dubai winning the bid for the World Expo in 2020.  All educational facilities would be closed in order to celebrate.  I was already up and showered before checking my phone....well, let's just say the pjs went back on and took a siesta until about 9.  This would turn out to be a 5 day weekend.  Our surprise Thursday holiday, Friday and Saturday, our normal days off, and Sunday and Monday for National Day.

School will resume on Tuesday with just 8 short days until Christmas break.  There is much to do prior to the break.  There is testing and recording of grades for report cards. Our school year is divided into trimesters (12 weeks).  The first trimester will end at Winter Break.  The second trimester is from Jan -Aprl with only one day off.  Its the trimester where attendance is best and is considered valuable teaching time.  I look forward to the challenges that the second trimester holds.  

Here are a few more pics of my children:

Over the next few weeks, pray for me.  I'm going to be here for the holidays. Being away from home is really hard and MISS my family and friends so much.   Lift me up...I will need my prayer warriors :)   I LOVE and MISS you all and look forward to the day (July)  when I can give and receive many hugs :)  Until we meet again :)

25 days, but who's counting?

The end of the first month of school was a few days ago and my how things have changed since my last blog.  My world is very, very  busy.  I have a classroom on the boys side and the girls side of the school to keep up.  Two rolling carts packed with centers and other materials that I carry across with me which have to be moved daily in a short amount of time.  I feel very rushed and am struggling to keep everything together.  I'm a super organized person, but keeping up with everything is a daily struggle for me.

Working in Cycle 1, I have 51 students (24 boys and 27 girls)  instead of 22 in KG2.  I use lots of manipualtives and hand-on activities.  Lots of cutting, pasting, gluing, and making new centers for both sides.  I have cutter's grip from cutting all the laminated shapes and making folder games.  Each night I go home and work, work, work.

The language barrier is bigger in Cycle 1.  In KG2, Hanaa was there to translate for me.  In Grade 1, its just me.  I play charades all day and am using as many Arabic words as I can learn to help them understand me.  Three weeks ago I started Arabic lessons and always pick up new words that I can use the next day at school.  The children like teaching me new words.  I say, "What is this in Arabic?" and then I say in English it is.....  They love to hear me say a new word and are very happy when I use it later.  As I am very pleased to hear them use the English words I've taught them.

Having a whole class of boys is very different than having a mixed class.  There's lots of boys "energy" that you have to corral and use to your advantage. A whole class of girls is very different too. My girls love to talk and play with each other's hair.  Girls are much more social than my boys. Discipline is much harder this year and its all about me and how I face the situation.  Some days I win and others I lose.  The good news is I win way more than I lose.

I am having one of those "first year teacher" years where everything is new and there is a big learning curve.  Each day gets a little easier and students are getting into a routine and procedures are in place. Centers are coming along nicely, but still have work to do to be like I want.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist and want everything perfect now, but a wise person told me that I have to learn to forgive myself for not being perfect.  My class will get where I want them to be.  I just have to be patient and model, model, model.  Reevaluate the day and decide what worked and what didn't work and make a new plan for the next day.

About two weeks ago, I started to get sick from the weather change and finally my voice gave out and had to stay home and rest for a couple of days and take my meds.  My students were so happy to see me return.  The boys smiled and waved at me. The girls were full of hugs and smiles when they saw me. Warmed the coggles of my heart!  I already love my students and they love me too.

For 9 days, I am able to turn off the 4:30 am alarm and sleep in.  My body needs to recharge, rejuvenate, and replenish from the first month of school.  It has been hard....Made me question who I am as an educator and a person.  Things that work in the US don't always work here.  The language barrier causes big problems.  Yet, I can say that my students have learned so much since the beginning of school and I look forward to teaching them more.  It will not be easy, but I don't give up.  Going to have to dig deep and do everything I can to help these children.  Until we meet again! :)

The Adventure Continues: Year Two

As I boarded the plane back to Abu Dhabi, my heart was filled with mixed emotions.....sad to say goodbye to family and friends but excited about year two.  This year I would not be a "newbie" and knew what I was getting myself into :)  It kind of felt like when you go off to college.  You have two homes....college and your parent's home.  In this case, I have a nice two bedroom apartment in Al Ain and a nice home in Vienna, Georgia.  Strange to say, but they both feel like home.

In case I've never told you, I HATE FLYING.  A fourteen hour flight is torture on your body.  By the time the plane landed, my backside couldn't stand anymore sitting.  Sleeping on a plane is very hard for me. Never seem to get any rest.  End up watching movies and watching others sleep.  Bummer!

I must admit that my body had acclimated to the cloudy, rainy, cool weather (compared to here) in Georgia.  When leaving the airport terminal, my glasses fogged up.  I smiled because this is my first memory landing last year.  Luckily, I didn't find it as surprising.  At 9:00 pm, its a warm 100+ and very humid.  Dubai and Abu Dhabi seem to be more humid than Al Ain due to all the cars.

I landed in Dubai and a friend drove me to Al Ain, about 90 minute drive. When arriving at home, the apartment looked the same except for the layer of fine sand on everything.  In case I haven't said it before, sand is everywhere and very hard to keep everything clean.  When your water stays turned off for a while, murky, sandy water comes out of your shower heads and all sinks. After clearing the lines, I took my long awaited shower, left my suitcases where they landed and headed off to bed.

 Jet lag is a no fun.  There is an 8 hour difference between Georgia and Abu Dhabi.  Night is day and day in night.  There are nights when you can't go to sleep until 2:00 a.m. and you get hungry at the wrong times of day.  The first night, I slept 12 hours and by day 3 I was feeling more like myself. After about a week, I finally slept and was hungry at the right times.  Just in time for work!

At the end of the school year, I brought all my "teacher stuff" home and stored in my extra bedroom. Needless to say, it was wall to wall.  I admit it....I don't travel light :)  I live on the second floor and there is no lift/elevator.  Mr. Ali, my building manager, helped me carry all the boxes to my rental car. (Yes, it took more than one trip to my school!)  

As you might recall from the blog at the end of the year, I am "looping", or will be teaching my KG2 students in First grade.  12 boys/23 are my students from last year and 12 girls/26 are my students from last year.  I will have two classrooms.  One in the boys school and one in the girls school (Remember boys and girls only share classes in kindergarten here).  Yep...two rooms to decorate and figure out the logistics of traveling between.  While I'm on the girl's side, my Arabic counterpart will be on the boy's side.  At lunch we will trade places.

Remember all those boxes I brought in my car...well, they are really going to come in handy.  I still had lots of decorative items to make to put the "Christine" into the rooms.  My Arabic counterpart, Rodina, and I will divide up wall space, bulletin boards, etc.  I was very spoiled last year with having Hanaa as my Arabic counterpart.  She speaks very good English and we were very close.  Rodina and I will only see each other in passing and she speaks limited English.  Since we share the same children, communication will be important.  She seems very nice and looking forward to working with her.

I have worked my fingers to the bone this week between our meetings (yes, we have them here too!) and preparing for my babies. Thursday came way too soon.  Finished decorating late today and everything is tidied and waiting for the babies on Sunday.  Have to admit that I NEVER sleep the night before school. The anticipation keeps me awake.  I LOVE being a teacher :)

As I prepare to begin my sophomore year, I feel more at ease than last year.  The culture shock was huge for me.  Now, I understand....well sort of.  I look forward to the challenges I will face and learning more about myself and my babies.  Pray for me! Will post pictures of first day.  Until we meet again! :)  

The End of Year One....Reflections

As the end of my first year teaching in the UAE comes to an end on Thursday, I can't help but reflect on the entire experience.  My first memory of landing in the UAE is the intense wave of heat which fogged my glasses when exiting the Abu Dhabi airport.  This was late at night and was so hot.  I remember how tired I was, but excited to be here.

As a person who did not have a passport before embarking on this voyage, think I've done very well . I  lived in South Georgia my entire life before coming to the UAE.  Most of the people where I lived were like me....Southern Baptists and everyone knows everyone where I live. Think of Mayberry and you're there.  The sheer size of Abu Dhabi was overwhelming to me at first, but made the transition to city life pretty quickly. The traffic and the local drivers were VERY scary to me at first.  Roundabouts and lack of directions were hard for me at first, but now I speak like a local....."Go through three roundabouts, take the 1st road on the right, Go through three speed humps and flat is on the left. "  There are no "street" names or real addresses here.  Everything is spoken in the above manner.  For a person who is DD (Directionally Disordered), GPS has been my saving grace.  I can navigate roundabouts like a pro and drive defensively like the locals.

Getting used to the difference in the food here was a challenge for me.  There are McDonalds, Burger Kings, Subways, Applebee's, Chili's, and many other American restaurants here.  Items on the menu are sometimes different and some taste different (seasonings).  There are many different types of restaurants here because there are workers from all over the world.  I have to say that each week I try one new thing when going to the grocery store.  When going out to eat, try new items on the menu.  The way I look at it is....You only live once and be bold and try new things.  If I don't like it, that's ok.  At least I was bold enough to try and will know next time to mark that off the list.  My favorite new foods....Falafel and Hummus.  Never would have tried it back home, but a nice surprise for me trying something new.  The other interesting part about food here is that almost all restaurants deliver to your home, so if ever get a craving for something, they bring it to your door.

Working in a school here has been very interesting and a great learning experience for me.  The long drive in the desert to my school does get extra LONG sometimes, but try to use this time to reflect on my day, take a nap, or chat with my family and friends on Facebook.  As a whole, I love my school and the people in it.  Everyone opened their arms to me in the KG wing and helped me "learn" about the culture and the best strategies to help the students.  Some things that worked at home don't work here, so have to feel you way and just figure out what works.  Flexibility is very important here.  I was a very "schedule" oriented person before coming here.  I've learned to relax, go with the flow, and take things as they come.  Not nearly as stressed as back home.

Discipline is harder here because these children don't hear "NO".  Working out a system that works here took some time, but I had a pretty good class.  Looking forward to having some of my students when looping up to 1st grade next year.

The biggest thing I've learned this year is that I am a strong, confident woman who can live over 7000 miles away from home and I survived my first year.  There were moments when I said, "What did I get myself into?" and then the answer comes.  If I can move this far away from my family and be successful, I can do anything.  God has shown me that he has a purpose for me here.  There are many people who have touched my life and hopefully I have returned the favor.  I have missed my friends and family terribly, but technology has helped keep me connected.

The question I get the most is:  Would you do it all over again?  Without a doubt, the answer is YES.  I've learned so much about myself, about teaching a foreign language, and reaffirmation for why I went into teaching....It's all about the children.  I had been out of the classroom for 10 years before coming here.  Teaching again helped me rekindle the fire for working with children.  I have no doubt that I chose the correct profession.  There was never another choice for me.  A smile, a hug, or the sparkle in a student's eyes when he learns something is better than any bonus.

The first chapter of "Christine's Big Adventure" ends on Thursday.  Chapter two will begin in the Fall.  I will be home from July 27-August 23.  Hope to see all my friends and family while there.  Until we meet again :)

Hurry Up and Wait!

Since my last blog, the weather has gone from hot (100) to scorching (117).  When going outside, I can feel the sun burning through my clothes.  Only when the sun goes down or very early in the morning is it remotely comfortable.  When the wind blows, even its hot.  Feels like a hair dryer blowing on your skin.  During the heat of the day, most people are indoors. I've watched all the movies on cable, Hulu, and Netflix.  Been swimming whenever possible and read everything in my apartment. Yep, I'm bored!

Getting up at 4:30 is brutal right now.  The long drive into the desert seems to get longer every day. Since the end of May, my KG students have not been at school.  We graduated at the end of the May and the last day of school was June 13.  Basically, there have been no students since the last week of May or first few days of June. Yes, it's been almost a month with no children.  I spent the first week and a half cleaning and organizing my classroom.  Took all my personal items home for the summer and finished paper work.  Then, began working on my group's part of the School Improvement Plan  and countless professional development opportunities and meetings.   For someone who is used to 3-4 days of post-planning, I must say....I'm about to scream. 8 more days....I got this :)

Last week, administration announced that there would be changes to some teachers' placements.  You guessed it, I was one of the lucky ones who is being moved to another grade.  I will move from KG2 to 1st grade and will loop with my children.  When students enter the Cycle 1 school (Gr. 1-5), boys and girls are divided into same sex classes.  1/2 of the school is for boys and the other half of the school is girls. There are wooden doors that separate the actual facility and they even ride different buses home.  Dismissal time is different for both groups.  I will have boys half of the day and girls half of the day.  Yep, two classrooms to decorate (shared by Arabic counterpart, Rodina)  and I will have a rolling cart to carry my "stuff" across.

I will not have a person in the class to translate anything for me.  An Arabic teacher and I will share the room.  At 7:45 classes will start.  At about 10:25, there is a break for children to have a snack/lunch brought from home.  During the snack time, I will cross over to the girls side and the Arabic teacher crosses over to the boys side.  We will pass each other in the hall, but not sure of how much communication there will be between us.  I'm a little unsure of how it will all work.  Went and looked at both of my classrooms.  They are nice sized and are close to the doors.  I can see the KG hall out of my window on the girls side.

I must admit that I was a little shocked at the move, and am a little apprehensive about being "alone" in the room with no translator.  The good news is I'm going to loop with my children from KG.  I will have 12 of my girls and 12 of my boys from this year.  Several other students will be added in.  Think classes are 18-20.  Good news is...they are used to my Southern accent and speak English words with my draw :)

I'm so sad to be leaving my KG family.  We are all very close.  They have become like family to me.  I will miss Hanaa, my Arabic counterpart,  the most :(   She helped me through many days when I needed to bend someone's ear.  I asked her the questions I couldn't ask anyone else about the culture and she gladly shared her wealth of knowledge.   (When Arabic teachers say that you are their sister, they love you and feel very close to you...a compliment ;) ) She is my sister. :)

The good news is....I'm going on my first trip since being here.   Only 8 days until school is out and leave 6:45 am the next morning to fly out of Abu Dhabi to head to Frankfurt.  Two of my friends and I are going to Germany for 10 days.  Side trips to Switzerland and France are a possibility. We will rent a car and drive throughout the country.  I"M SO EXCITED. Really ready to see something other than desert sand and palm trees (This coming from a girl who LOVES the beach).

There are 12 days from the end of my Germany trip until I can officially be in the US on July 27.  If I come in before then, taxes will need to be paid on all the money I earned abroad.  I can only be in US for 35 days in one year (Aug 8-Aug 8).  Used some at Christmas and using the rest before August 8.  After August 8, I can come and go as much as I want to.  Just affording the airline ticket home will be my only barrier :)  So, I have 12 days to spend somewhere before I come home.  Still haven't decided at the time of this posting what I will do.  Definitely will nail it down by the weekend and get my things together for the trip.

I'm super excited to be going home for almost a month.  Looking forward to seeing all my family and friends and dining at my favorite spots in the US.  Strange the things you miss:  white queso dip, Mexican food in general,  Chic-Fila (haven't eaten at new one in Cordele), pizza with real pepperoni, and countless others.   Have my WalMart list and Teacher Supply store list all together.  Now, all I have to do is wait...Patience has never been one of my virtures :)   Until we meet again :)