Weekend in Al Ain

A three day weekend, every teachers favorite thing to hear. Since I am not going anywhere significant in March, I knew I needed to get out of town this weekend. Off to the other side of the emirate-- Al Ain.

Thankfully, I had a friend who was kind enough to let me sleep on her couch. It made it a lot cheaper weekend, then if I had gone to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Plus, I have been those places, I had not been to Al Ain. Despite living there, she had not explored much either, it was a perfect set up.

It was a really nice visit. We had been put in the Park Rotana when we first arrived and became friends there. To be honest, I cannot remember how we first met. It could have been waiting for the luggage truck to finally arrive that first night or just sitting down to breakfast together, either way we hung out, explored the city together and then parted ways when we were transferred to our school regions. We had kept in touch, a message here or there on Facebook, but had not had the chance to meet and catch up. Since I knew that Al Ain had a little more to offer, I thought it would be better to have our reunion there. She can always come visit Liwa, but she doesn't need a three day weekend to do it. Needless to say, it was nice to catch up. We talked a lot about school of course, but about life as well. Though I love the folks here in Liwa, it was nice to see a different face for a while.

As for Al Ain, I have very mixed feelings. Though life there seems to be more convenient, (once you learn to navigate the roundabouts. There wasn't one real turn in the entire city, no joke!) it was not everything that I had expected. I guess the biggest surprise was that it didn't feel like "The Garden City", as it is nicknamed. There were trees and bushes, and grass, but I just didn't feel  like it was so much more. When compared to the cement matrix of Abu Dhabi, it is a garden, but I still felt like I was in the desert at times. The pertified sand dunes, that they call mountains, might have something to do with that. To be completely honest, it felt like an American suburb. The building styles were different, and the signs had Arabic and English, but otherwise a suburb feel was what it portrayed. It was really nice to visit a friend, but I do not think I could live there. Never was a huge fan of the suburbs back home.

Other than a few malls, and spending money on things I did not really need, (wouldn't be a vacation otherwise, right? ) the main place we went was the Zoo. We had planned to go to Jebel Haffeet and the Hot Springs, but he weather squashed that plan. It was really windy, and though I am sure it would have been perfectly safe, I didn't want to go out in the wind and get a nice layer of sand on me. No matter how nice the temperature, that wind can force a person inside. However, we did manage to make it to the Zoo that morning before things got windy. Though smaller than some of the zoos I have been to in the past, it was still a very nice area. There were tons of trees and flowers, and the habitats for the animals seemed humane. The animals had large enclosures, or for the giraffes, a large field. The only thing I would have liked to change is the gorilla enclosure. She had no one with her, and it was obvious that she was lonely. She sat by the window and would look up at the people with these sad eyes. I think they need to find someone to be in there with her. Every other animal had a friend, why not her? There is not much else to say about the zoo really. A zoo is a zoo; it has various animals--in this case a lot of lions--and you walk around and look at them, hoping they will do something picture worthy. The wolves were sleeping or otherwise engaged when we were there, they are the only animal I was disappointed I didn't get to see. The rest, though not active, we out in plain sight. Most taking naps in the shade or sun.

As I said before, the trip to Al Ain was nice. It was good to have a change of pace for a while, and though I did not get to do everything I would have wanted, it gives me an excuse to go back for another visit. 

An Emirati Wedding

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend an Emirati wedding. The thing that sticks out most in my mind about their weddings is the mix of extravagance and moderation.

The celebration is of course segregated by gender. While in the same general location, all of the women party together, while the men do their thing (whatever that may be). As strange as this is, I think it is a welcomed event for the women because they are able to unwind, let loose, and shed the abaya, at least for a little while. The few colleagues that were there with us, got up and showed us some dance moves we didn't think these ladies possessed. It was nice to see them let their guard down and have some fun for a little while. They don't get to show that side of their personality in this culture a lot. The dresses ranged from high school prom to something you would see in a Ms. Universe Pageant . . . the girls don these glittering gowns, put on make-up, and give the people of Texas a run for their money in the big hair competition. The make-up is also a bit dramatic, though it has a different effect on different people. For me it was all over- the -top, but for some I could see, though extreme in my views, it was tastefully done. I just have never been one for bright pink, green, blue . . . they are usually not colors seen on respectable women back in the states. However, they so rarely get to wear make up in this culture that they want to make sure they take full advantage of the situation. Like I said, it wasn't bad, just very different than what I am used to.

The outfits are not the only extreme thing in the wedding hall. At the door you are greeted by family members of the wedding party. In my case, I did not recognize the person I was greeting at first. Usually covered at work so that only her eyes are showing, Mina, was unveiled and striking in a red, black, and white dress. My student Hamama, Mina's sister, was in a beautiful sky blue gown. Both of course had glittering jewels, which I cannot verify, but I can guess were real. I have gotten of course though, I was going to talk about the hall itself. When you enter, it is on a carpet that stretches to the front of the hall. At the front is a walkway (once again reminiscent of a pageant) leading to a couch on a stage. The couch looks too nice to sit on, but it is where the bride will spend her time during the party. No one but family is allowed near the bride, though trust me when she showed up, you couldn't miss her. I will have more on the bride later. The tables and chairs around the stage where not much different than any catered event you might find in the states. The stage is really where the extravagance of the decorations lay. Gold chrome decorations, in a middle eastern style, are mirror images of each other on either side of the couch sitting in the center. Lights, flowers, and crystal ball light fixtures are scattered across the stage, focusing more on the area nearest the couch. As I said, the couch looks too nice to sit on, like something you would see on a tour of a castle. The type of furniture that sits untouchable beyond the velvet rope. Even the servants are in sparkling outfits of gold, to fit in with the glitzy decor.

However, despite the glitz and glamour on and around them, the guests are for the most part dressed modestly. I myself was in a abaya, as well as any other adult in attendance. Many wore a burka and had their sheyla on as well. Little dancing occurred and when it did, it was mostly the teenagers. Judy and I did not know the protocol on dancing. The wedding as we know it, includes the electric slide, some oldies, and of course guilty pleasures. Each type of song you find someone on the dance floor, often the bride herself. Not the case at an Emirati wedding. The focus is food, and drinks. Lots of drinks. All types of tea and juices of course, you won't find stupid drunk behavior here. While the lack of energy and excitement, in my opinion, was strange, the weirdest part was the fact that for most of the party the bride wasn't even there. Here we were celebrating the wedding of two people, already separated from one half, the other one is not there at all. From what I was told, neither party was at their respective celebrations until late. It is the first party that I have ever been to, that for the majority of it, it did not include the celebrant.

As I mentioned early, when the bride did arrive, there was no chance that she would be missed. Chairs lining the walkway, the bride was escorted in by her father and brothers. Slowly making their way down the walkway, my guess because of the sheer weight of her gown. All eyes were on her, as pictures were taken of her progress. Once on stage, she was escorted up and down, pausing every so often to make sure everyone had time see her. The stage, and ceremony of it all is meant to put the bride on display. I know that the wedding day is supposed to be all about the bride, (and groom, I guess) but this is the first time I have seen it so blatantly displayed. Not that I think it is a bad thing, just different. As for the dress, I mentioned that the weight had to be extreme. The skirt and train could have hid small children. The front and back had a intricate beading design that covered the corset and chest. With all the lights, the sparkle could have blinded a person if they weren't careful. The veil was draped lightly on her head, and her hair was pulled back in an elaborate up-do. It was all topped off with a massive diamond and ruby necklace. Nothing but glamour for the bride. At this point in the night, it was after 11PM, so we did not stay very long.

Overall, it was a very interesting experience. I would not say it was bad, but I have to admit that I much prefer western style weddings. When I go to a party, I like to get all dressed up, but I also like to feel like it is a party. It was a nice night out at the Emirati wedding, but in my view the party fell short. I'm sure there will be many more, and I am interested to see if the experience changes or if Emirati weddings are, "Been to one, been to them all," type deal. 

Egyptian Revolution-- History Is Made

It was about 20 days ago that I first heard the people of Egypt had revoted against their current President. They were sick of the corruption and greed of the government, while they were stuck in poverty. Now, I do not pretend to act like I understand the circumstances that unfolded in Egypt or what truly led these people to revolt. Not everyone wanted change. Some of the colleagues I work with were among the few that supported Mubarak. I am not a citizen of their country so I cannot being to unravel the fact and fiction in the news and truly know what life is like in Egypt.
What I do understand is this  . . .

Egypt was done with President Mubarak, after a thirty year rule, the people wanted something new. They wanted democracy. No more corruption and poverty, real elections, a better life for all. They revolted against the government with protests, that for the most part remained peaceful. At times, things escalated and lives were tragically lost, but in the end the people's voice was heard. Mubarak resigned. With relatively little bloodshed a revolution occurred in the birth place of civilization.

I don't know if this will be in the best interest of the Egyptians, and I have no idea what this means now. The military is in charge, and there is a lot that needs to be done to change things in this country. As I said before, most are happy, others might not be. However, I do find it uplifting to see people come together to work toward a common goal and succeed. For their voices to be heard and change to come.

This news reverberated around the world. President Obama intervened and tried to help resolve the situation. For many days, everyone watched and waiting to see the fate of Egypt unfold. For a while it seemed as if there was not an end in sight, at least not a peaceful one. Then, Friday, February 11, 2011 it all ended. I found myself stunned as I watched the celebrations on the news. Being in the UAE, I felt it more than I would have at home because I watched my colleagues fret over the fate of loved ones in their home country and understood how this was a life changing and emotional time for the Egyptian people.

It technically isn't over yet, but I for one agree with the newscaster, history has been made and the Arab world may never be the same. I just hope those qualities that make them such a wonderful group of people, their hospitality and care-free attitudes, do not disappear as the world they have lived in changes. I guess that is the nature of the world though, everything changes. All we can do is hope that the change is for the better.

Dieting, not in this country

Part of the many reasons that I decided to take the job in Abu Dhabi, was to get a fresh start. In my job at home, I was stuck in a rut. Unhappy, overworked, underpaid . . . the typical sob story. It got to the point that I thought I was in the wrong profession. Of course, the end result was emotional eating . . . among other things . . . and for someone who has struggled with her weight most of her life, this never ends well.

I was hoping that part of this fresh start would include getting myself back together emotionally and physically. I have succeeded on one of those fronts, but the extra weight remains. Part of this is because of the culture here(though I am not entirely without blame myself). Everything is about tea and food here. Well, not everything, but a lot of things. Even business cannot be conducted without some socializing first. As a teacher, this means I am constantly being fed. Today at school, I was fed twice! My fellow English teachers brought sandwiches which we had during the first break. Later, one of my student's sister brought in food, which I, of course, had to try at my student's insistent request. The thing that makes this worse, is it is really good food, and rarely healthy. Sure they have vegetables every once and while, but mostly carbs, fats, and all the other deliciously tasty items. It makes it hard to stick to a diet. You cannot refuse, it is rude or they don't take no for an answer. I have to admit, I have mastered the art of saying thank you and eating it later, or not eating it at all. It has helped save a few calories here and there, but overall to save the good relations I have built I have to grin and take a nice large bite.

In the end, I have stopped trying to fight it. I will continue to work toward my goal, but the weird thing is that I don't care anymore. Yes, I would still like to lose the weight, but it doesn't occupy my thoughts every time I make a meal for myself. What is meant to happen will, the weight will come off eventually, I just have to work hard and give it time. Something I was unable to be patient enough to do in the past.

I highly recommend moving half way across the world if you are looking to restart your life. 

Highs and Lows of Teaching, More Highs then Lows

To be a teacher it takes a unique person. When you decide you are going to be a teacher, you agree to always be in school. Not just the physical location of where you do your job, but actual study. There are professional developments, new books on methodology, new books for your students to read, which you must know as well. Some people may think that we have an easy job; that it is glorified babysitting with a nice long vacation in summer. WRONG! Rarely does a teacher stop working when she or he goes home each day. Yes, we do get the summer off, but trust me when I say that by the time summer comes around, it is well deserved.

Now, I know that sounds like I am whining and saying we have it so hard, but the true reason we are unique is because no matter how tired, stressed, or overworked we feel . . . we still love our job. At least those of us who are truly meant to be teachers. A teacher who is hopped up on cold medicine for the third time that year, sneezes while working on paperwork for a student's learning plan, and never once reconsiders his/her choice of profession. Sure those dark thoughts of "What was I thinking" creep in every once in a while, but we would be something nonhuman if it didn't. Everyone has doubts, but it rare that a teacher, a true teacher wants to do anything else but teach.

I know that for the most part, this is nothing new to a lot of the people who might read this; however, I thought that it was necessary to introduce this particular strand of my blog because I find myself happy with my job to the point of not wanting or needing anything else. Sure it would still be nice to get published one day, and it would be great to find a profession that allows me to sleep past 7 in the morning, but at the end of the day . . . my job is the best.

I get to learn from students as they learn and grow from me. Nothing beats the feeling when a student goes above and beyond what you could ever have imagined. Whether it is something small like reading without pauses or stuttering, or being able to figure out the deeper meaning in a poem . . . these "small" achievements will put a smile on your face. I recently had my students debate a topic that is very unfamiliar to them. I didn't throw them in the deep end without floaties, but most of their knowledge had come from our reading and discussion. As anyone knows, the discussion can go well, but getting them to recall that information later- that is a different story. In this case, it went better than I could have ever expected. My students impressed and surprised me. They handled a debate better than I think students back in the states do. You could tell that they want to shout back and forth at each other to get their ideas across, but they had the self-discipline to hold back and respond appropriately. They even showed each other respect by acknowledging the points each team made. Enough of that, I could go on forever, but the bottom line is things went well.

Being here in Abu Dhabi has reminded me why I got into the teaching profession in the first place. The students here have a desire and drive to learn. They want to know the why, how, where, what . . . they want answers. They aren't satisfied with a simple no that is wrong. They want to understand why it is wrong and how to get the right answer next time. The desire that they have, sparks the desire in me to help them achieve. Watching the light bulb go on inside a student's head, is one of those moments that a teacher works toward. There is nothing better than seeing your hard work and their determination, culminate in a realization of some sort. Whether it is simply learning the forms of irregular verbs, or making a connection between literature and life . . . every achievement matters. It is one of the many reasons that I got into teaching.

It is nice when life allows you to come to realizations of your own. Though I miss my friends a family terribly at times, I do not regret my decision to move halfway across the world. I do not know how long I will end up staying, but I know that when I leave I will be a better person and teacher.