Wow. It's so annoying how FLABBERGASTED I still am at the RIDICULOUSNESS of this place! It's like the rest of the world is Type A, and this area is the annoying, laid back, easy going guy, who maybe we all wish we could be, but we know that nothing gets done and rules don't get followed if we do.
So, as you know, I have my license now. Wow, it should have been entitled licensed to drive in a DANGER slash DEATH ZONE. Supposedly the cops here are really strict, and I think they are about speeding and crashes and things, BUT there are basically no rules here it feels like. People just swerve in and out as they please, indicating if they feel like it, but mostly not. You have to be mean sometimes and not let someone in. They EDGE in towards the lane because they know people won't be nice enough to let them in! So, when you're driving here, that's what you have to do! You're on a four lane busy "motorway" (oh the Brits), and you have to get all the way over. So, you basically put yourself in danger as you shove your car into the next lane, because that is mostly the only way people will stop for you. There are so many roundabouts here, and one night my friend and I were driving our friends to go out and watch the Patriots game (Yay, something American!). I was following her. She got lost and went to one side on the packed roundabout and exited, but had to make a U-turn, to return to the roundabout and cross like 4 lanes. At one point, I wasn't even in a lane on the roundabout. Cars were coming towards either side of me, their car horns were going mad; it was insane. Now I feel ready for anything (haha). Yesterday on the way home from school, I almost got smooshed but a bus, because we both wanted to get into a one lane, and I wanted to beat it. (Plus I didn't realize it wanted to go there because there was no INDICATION. I hope this gives you a little taste of what it's like to drive here.
I went to get my Saudi Arabia visa yesterday. I feel as if I've been in so many weird and different and sometimes awkward situations in my life that I have no more dignity left, and the part of me that feels awkward is barely there anymore. A good thing about this place is it makes you go, "Ah, whatever." I go in, and wait to be called. I go talk to the lady, and it went pretty smoothly. I give her my passport photos, and she's like, "No white background?" I said no. She goes, "We need white background." I said, "I didn't know there was a background preference." She said, "It was mentioned on the paper I had." Darn it!!! I'm turning into one of my students. Great. That's my constant rule: READ THE DIRECTIONS! Here I am, sitting in hypocrisy. So, I had to get my photo taken. The guy takes me around to a white hallway where no one is, and puts the camera right in my face as I awkwardly stand smiling. He showed me and I just said, "Fine." It's official, everyone, I have beaten the world record for the WORST PICTURE I HAVE EVER TAKEN OF ALL TIME. And I have taken some bad ones in my life, folks. The lighting was very scientificy, and it didn't do me any favours. So, I didn't have the cash to pay for the pictures, so I had to go out to the ATM in the mall across the way, get some, and come back. I came outside into the perfect picture of Sharjah. Let me paint it for you now. I exited the building, and on my left was a group of Pakistani men, just chilling, some in their full outfits with the long shirts and loose pants, and some in a weird assortment of strange adidas labeled clothing (like sweat capris, etc.). All of them had the ugliest sandals on in the world. I can't stand men in sandals. Especially leather or shiny ones that have a special loop over the big toe. Anyway, I'm walking along. I am wearing black pants with a long sleeved shirt. Yeah, I know. But it was my school outfit. Over here, you need to get used to feeling DISGUSTING and hot (not in a good way) everyday. I'm walking along in my sandals. Cars are zooming past, as I make my way across the road. Sand and (other unknown particles!) are getting into my shoes. Now, I get the whole foot washing thing with Jesus. Feet are never clean here. I couldn't find the ATM, so I'm wandering along, wondering who to ask. I pass the dumpsters that are randomly sprawled across Sharjah. I spy a cat walking next to me that had two furry ball things coming out of its butt. The dumpsters smelled AWFUL, but it was the smell I've smelled many a time before.
I go back to the building to ask about the ATM, and the lady directs me to the mall across the street. I return and see the pack of men standing and smoking and chatting. It's 4 in the afternoon, people, what are you doing?
I find the ATM. Someone's using it. I'm right behind him. He finishes. I go to put my card in. As, soon as I do, the screen says, Sorry, this ATM is out of order. Really? Oh shock and surprise. Had to find another one and return to the lady to pay my fee. Anyway, that's all sorted. I leave the building a little while later, and the pack of men is still there! I wanted to yell at them, "Please disperse! Find something to do!"
Later, I told my friend they should just scrap Sharjah and start again. It's a dumpster spot, mutant cat home, but luckily I live in the "nicer" part of it which is closer to Dubai. Anyway, that's enough of my rants for now!
My class is very endearing and fun, but they are hyper and chatty, and I had to pull out my big strong teacher voice on some people the other day. I find myself very odd if I think about me watching myself teaching. I feel like I do weird things. I dance and sing and show the kids yoga moves when we do our stretching time (when I feel them getting sick of sitting). I cheer for them when we do well and say, "Ms. Keri's going to go home and have a dance party because this worked very well." What?? I've got a lot of affectionate ones who come and give me hugs, so that makes everything all worth it. They're very sweet, but they can really cream my corn sometimes! Hopefully all continues to go well! On to the next! Oh, by the way, I will be visiting three countries in the next few weeks. We're going to a desert safari in Oman for my roommate's birthday, and then we're flying to Bahrain for the weekend because some of my friends have a Gaelic football tournament there, and I'm flying to Saudi Arabia over my October break to go see Katie and Matt! This is quite the life. Wish me luck!
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Welcome back to the ME
Back now--wayyy better than I thought it would be. It would so good to see my friends again and meet the newbies! I flew in late on Saturday night and had to get up the next morning to go into work! The first week was just basically re-introductions to procedures and blah blah blah. We started working on our rooms and got them finished this week. I start with kids on Tuesday-crazy! The school seems a tad bit more together (but maybe because I'm used to it now, and when something happens, I'm like, "Whatever".). I feel really bad for the newbies and the shock we've put them through! hahah We all tried to sugarcoat it at first, but then we were like, "Yeah...sorry. This is actually how it is."
I have two new coworkers, one from Wales and one from America! It's so great to have new additions to the team that see where I'm coming from. The one from Wales plans literacy with me, so it's AMAZING. I can't tell you how great it is to not dread having a meeting with someone. We work quickly, and we understand each other. Pure dream. So everything was great, and then I got my real introduction back to the Middle East.
Yeah, the traffic's bad, and it's hot, and Sharjah's a little boring, but we knew all of this beforehand. This was something different. I went to get my driver's license at the traffic driving school place in Sharjah. I had to go during the work day last week. SIA (my school) has done this loads of times before. They had a bus driver take me, so it was just me and him in the bus. Weird. Then we get there, and we hand the papers to the guard at the door. He goes, "There are 3 papers you are missing. Your school did not give them to you." I was FUMING. Of course. OF COURSE!!!!! My school would MESS THIS UP, even though they've done this DOZENS of times before. We had to wait to get the school to FAX them to the place. Finally, we had all of the papers. I was still fuming. But why was I surprised? You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now.
So then, I had to go into the Ladies' section to get my application. I had to get a ticket and wait. Of course. Waiting is like a pastime here in this place. The people are moving through all of the numbers, but before my number, there is a veryyyyyy long pause. They're speaking in Arabic, so to me it looks like they're just chatting and chilling. They are in part, but apparently the computer system broke down. Oh good! So the wait continues. I finally get called, and then I have to take my paper to another place in the building. I go there to wait. I have to pay a fee there (that the school didn't tell me about), so my bus driver had to pay for me. I go back to the Ladies' section. I wait again; the computer system still does not work. The IT guy is there, but in this country, the IT guy is a pointless job. They literally can fix nothing. My old number kept getting called because the screen was broken, so I kept going up and hopefully asking, "Is it me? My turn?"
Anyway, after about an hour of waiting, I get called up a few times and sent back to my seat a few times. The lady says to me the system is broken. She says all the other computers work now though, except mine. Hmm coincidence? Being thwarted at every turn? I think so.
AT LONG LAST, I am able to go to the next window to get my license printed. Took about 3 minutes there. Then DONE!
So, despite the issues that are common to the Middle East, I got my license! I am now a certified UAE driver for the next ten years! So after I come back to the US, if anyone ever wants to go back and visit the UAE, I'll be your driver. Got to get my money's worth, right?
Frustrations galore in this place! But you've got to just let things go...Tough skill to learn. :)
This past weekend we took the newbies out to their first brunch and had a great time on the dance floor! Saw pictures on facebook and one of me dancing near a guy who had a hat that said, "Sorry, I'm fresh." (Sighhhhh) I'm home. :)
I have two new coworkers, one from Wales and one from America! It's so great to have new additions to the team that see where I'm coming from. The one from Wales plans literacy with me, so it's AMAZING. I can't tell you how great it is to not dread having a meeting with someone. We work quickly, and we understand each other. Pure dream. So everything was great, and then I got my real introduction back to the Middle East.
Yeah, the traffic's bad, and it's hot, and Sharjah's a little boring, but we knew all of this beforehand. This was something different. I went to get my driver's license at the traffic driving school place in Sharjah. I had to go during the work day last week. SIA (my school) has done this loads of times before. They had a bus driver take me, so it was just me and him in the bus. Weird. Then we get there, and we hand the papers to the guard at the door. He goes, "There are 3 papers you are missing. Your school did not give them to you." I was FUMING. Of course. OF COURSE!!!!! My school would MESS THIS UP, even though they've done this DOZENS of times before. We had to wait to get the school to FAX them to the place. Finally, we had all of the papers. I was still fuming. But why was I surprised? You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now.
So then, I had to go into the Ladies' section to get my application. I had to get a ticket and wait. Of course. Waiting is like a pastime here in this place. The people are moving through all of the numbers, but before my number, there is a veryyyyyy long pause. They're speaking in Arabic, so to me it looks like they're just chatting and chilling. They are in part, but apparently the computer system broke down. Oh good! So the wait continues. I finally get called, and then I have to take my paper to another place in the building. I go there to wait. I have to pay a fee there (that the school didn't tell me about), so my bus driver had to pay for me. I go back to the Ladies' section. I wait again; the computer system still does not work. The IT guy is there, but in this country, the IT guy is a pointless job. They literally can fix nothing. My old number kept getting called because the screen was broken, so I kept going up and hopefully asking, "Is it me? My turn?"
Anyway, after about an hour of waiting, I get called up a few times and sent back to my seat a few times. The lady says to me the system is broken. She says all the other computers work now though, except mine. Hmm coincidence? Being thwarted at every turn? I think so.
AT LONG LAST, I am able to go to the next window to get my license printed. Took about 3 minutes there. Then DONE!
So, despite the issues that are common to the Middle East, I got my license! I am now a certified UAE driver for the next ten years! So after I come back to the US, if anyone ever wants to go back and visit the UAE, I'll be your driver. Got to get my money's worth, right?
Frustrations galore in this place! But you've got to just let things go...Tough skill to learn. :)
This past weekend we took the newbies out to their first brunch and had a great time on the dance floor! Saw pictures on facebook and one of me dancing near a guy who had a hat that said, "Sorry, I'm fresh." (Sighhhhh) I'm home. :)
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Summer Sadness
Alas, my time doing nothing for two months has ended. Boy, was it glorious. I saw friends, went on vacation, flew to California, went out dancing, and got to go running in a GREEN environment. It was absolutely amazing. It was almost as if I'd never left, which makes me feel less sad for leaving and staying away a long time.
I forgot how lovely Lancaster was in the summer. It's like a dream. Everywhere is just so wholesome and peaceful and oozing with freshness. I love the purity of this place. The wind is so clean and life-giving. I know I can breathe it in deeply, and it will make me feel ALIVE. I've missed that. It was just what my soul was craving. Truly. It was just what I'd needed before I start another year in the mad house!
But, now it's time to go back. I'm a little nervous about the job, but hey, there's only one more year! And, life is to be enjoyed and not to be stressed over. I need to remember that. So, goodbye to all my dear friends and fam! It was wonderful to see you and spend such a nice long time with you. Back to the desert! And if I get my foot caught in a coat hanger in the parking lot on my first day back to work, oh I'll be in quite a tizzy.
I forgot how lovely Lancaster was in the summer. It's like a dream. Everywhere is just so wholesome and peaceful and oozing with freshness. I love the purity of this place. The wind is so clean and life-giving. I know I can breathe it in deeply, and it will make me feel ALIVE. I've missed that. It was just what my soul was craving. Truly. It was just what I'd needed before I start another year in the mad house!
But, now it's time to go back. I'm a little nervous about the job, but hey, there's only one more year! And, life is to be enjoyed and not to be stressed over. I need to remember that. So, goodbye to all my dear friends and fam! It was wonderful to see you and spend such a nice long time with you. Back to the desert! And if I get my foot caught in a coat hanger in the parking lot on my first day back to work, oh I'll be in quite a tizzy.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Leaving Arabia
The time has finally come to leave my current country and return HOME. What a beautiful word and feeling to return to something that always brings a feeling of comfort and welcoming. As I've mentioned before, I can't wait to see green again, feel a breeze, and not have to drink 3 liters of water a day. I cannot wait to see friends and family and visit with one who is now gone (Maggie). I want to eat Domino's pizza and go to Cracker Barrel. (We have Domino's, but it tastes differently here). Believe it or not, living in the Middle East has provided me with a few interesting skills that may not ever be useful in the future, but they are INTERESTING, to say the least.
Here we go:
-I can now read all of the Arabic letters, so if an Arabic word is given to me, I can read it, I just won't know what it means. I practice by reading all of the store signs, and have learned that if the word is an English name like McDonald's, they just write the letters that make the same sounds in Arabic. I started learning Arabic a few months back. I can now say some words and phrases and write and say the letters. 28 letters and many of the letters have a different way they look at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end. Great. And some letters are changed by the adding, moving, or removing of one dot. Insane. It's a fascinating language and I hope to learn more!
-I can now tell the difference between someone who is Arab, or from India, or from Pakistan. These are common mistakes (especially between India and Pakistan). I'd say this is a pretty cool skill. It frustrates me that people will say about Indians and Pakistanis that they're all the same, so it doesn't matter. Whoops, sorry, no dice. Not the case. How would we feel if someone said to us that we are the same as people from Canada or from Europe, and it just "doesn't matter"?
-I can name all of the countries and capitals on the Arabian Peninsula (where I am located). I can say Qatar properly.
-I own a Qu'ran and occasionally read it, and I know more about Islam than I ever did before! (which was my goal)
-I've learned that I don't have to accept bad behavior from other people. It doesn't say something about me when people act poorly. It says something about them.
-I've learned to start to not be "too nice". If someone tries to get you to do their work for them, you fight back. If you have ideas to share and they talk over you, you talk over back. If someone tries to get in front of you in line, you say something!
-I've developed an intense liking of hummus and cucumbers. Great snack.
-I've developed a slight tea addiction. It's all of these Europeans I'm with. I've had to pull back a bit from the tea thing. I've realized, that's why Americans have such white teeth. We don't drink as much tea.
-I am the boss of my students, not the other way around.
-I am learning this, and it's the toughest thing to learn: project yourself the way you want to be viewed (for example, confident), and that is the way you will be viewed.
-It's just me now, so I've got to do things that are good for me.
-Oh, and lastly, I've learned how to drink a lot of water in one day.
So, those are just a sampling of some of the random skills the Middle East has taught me. It has been an amazing yet incredibly difficult experience in so many ways. Even after 10 months, I've just recently started to feel closer to these girls here. It's taken a while! I've met some fun and interesting people, and have learned a lot about teaching, and I hope next year will be bigger and better! Who knows what will happen next?
Here we go:
-I can now read all of the Arabic letters, so if an Arabic word is given to me, I can read it, I just won't know what it means. I practice by reading all of the store signs, and have learned that if the word is an English name like McDonald's, they just write the letters that make the same sounds in Arabic. I started learning Arabic a few months back. I can now say some words and phrases and write and say the letters. 28 letters and many of the letters have a different way they look at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end. Great. And some letters are changed by the adding, moving, or removing of one dot. Insane. It's a fascinating language and I hope to learn more!
-I can now tell the difference between someone who is Arab, or from India, or from Pakistan. These are common mistakes (especially between India and Pakistan). I'd say this is a pretty cool skill. It frustrates me that people will say about Indians and Pakistanis that they're all the same, so it doesn't matter. Whoops, sorry, no dice. Not the case. How would we feel if someone said to us that we are the same as people from Canada or from Europe, and it just "doesn't matter"?
-I can name all of the countries and capitals on the Arabian Peninsula (where I am located). I can say Qatar properly.
-I own a Qu'ran and occasionally read it, and I know more about Islam than I ever did before! (which was my goal)
-I've learned that I don't have to accept bad behavior from other people. It doesn't say something about me when people act poorly. It says something about them.
-I've learned to start to not be "too nice". If someone tries to get you to do their work for them, you fight back. If you have ideas to share and they talk over you, you talk over back. If someone tries to get in front of you in line, you say something!
-I've developed an intense liking of hummus and cucumbers. Great snack.
-I've developed a slight tea addiction. It's all of these Europeans I'm with. I've had to pull back a bit from the tea thing. I've realized, that's why Americans have such white teeth. We don't drink as much tea.
-I am the boss of my students, not the other way around.
-I am learning this, and it's the toughest thing to learn: project yourself the way you want to be viewed (for example, confident), and that is the way you will be viewed.
-It's just me now, so I've got to do things that are good for me.
-Oh, and lastly, I've learned how to drink a lot of water in one day.
So, those are just a sampling of some of the random skills the Middle East has taught me. It has been an amazing yet incredibly difficult experience in so many ways. Even after 10 months, I've just recently started to feel closer to these girls here. It's taken a while! I've met some fun and interesting people, and have learned a lot about teaching, and I hope next year will be bigger and better! Who knows what will happen next?
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
A 20-something Non-grownup
The countdown is officially on and has been on. It is June 17th. Kids are out of here on June 23rd, and I am out of here on June 27th. It's over; I'm done. We're all done (psychologically). Kids leave school at 12:30, and we must stay until 3:30 doing silly dilly paperwork.
Today, I organized my papers for next year while I watched the movie Tangled. You see, we're getting a little desperate here. Next week, we get to leave at 2:30. Woohoo (sarcasm). This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of: keeping kids in school after their exams are over. How silly! There's no teaching, no nothing! I read to them, have them do "academic" activities, artwork, cleaning and organizing, and cartoon watching. TOO MUCH CAKE is being brought around. I'm tired of cake.
So, it's been a full year of teaching. What have I learned you may ask? Well, I've learned more than I probably realize, but much of it belongs in the category I call "intangibles". I seem to be chock full of intangible skills. So, I can live life but don't actually know anything useful.
Possible job ideas/skills teaching has provided me:
-herding: I have learned the skill of "herding" large groups of beings and bringing them to the location I want them to be in
-copygirl: secret dream job. Wow, can I make good copies. I can even fix the copy machine if it's broken! I'm resourceful.
-reading with expression: I've always enjoyed this, but I think I could make an all right public speaker or public book reader. Or maybe even read for an audiobook company. Oh, the possibilities. I've got such lovely practice changing my facial expressions and my voices to accompany certain stories.
-intimidation and guilt-tripping: "you're going to make Ms. Keri go to the crazy house and then you'll need to bake her some delicious chocolate chip cookies."
-dramatic displays: A week ago, we were reviewing for the math exam. We were playing a "math bee", and I had 4 divided by 2 on the board. I asked one of my boys to answer who was fairly good with numbers. He said 6. 8. 2. I said it is division. You ask yourself, "What times 2 equals 4?" He again gave a wrong answer. I said, "do you know what division is?" He shook his head. I threw my marker to the side against the wall and said "see ya later!" I left the room and had to collect myself outside the door. Hmm... perhaps they shouldn't leave me to deal with children.
So you see? There's all kinds of "intangibles" I've learned and skills I've acquired that I can take with me to...well nowhere. I feel like a 20-something non-grownup who still doesn't know what to do when she does grow up. This was a fun year in many ways, and the biggest learning experience ever, but is my heart in it? Not sure yet. I've got lots of "intangibles" in my bag of tricks, but maybe it's time to get some "tangibles" in there as well.
Perhaps the summer break is what I need to refresh my brain to start another year of fluent reading, superb copies, dramatic displays, and a classroom full of kids, who are possibly all in cahoots to send me away to the mental institution, but I still love at the end of the day. Even if this isn't what I'm meant to do, there are still moments of human connection that are so brilliant and beautiful it's bound to change you.
Today, I organized my papers for next year while I watched the movie Tangled. You see, we're getting a little desperate here. Next week, we get to leave at 2:30. Woohoo (sarcasm). This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of: keeping kids in school after their exams are over. How silly! There's no teaching, no nothing! I read to them, have them do "academic" activities, artwork, cleaning and organizing, and cartoon watching. TOO MUCH CAKE is being brought around. I'm tired of cake.
So, it's been a full year of teaching. What have I learned you may ask? Well, I've learned more than I probably realize, but much of it belongs in the category I call "intangibles". I seem to be chock full of intangible skills. So, I can live life but don't actually know anything useful.
Possible job ideas/skills teaching has provided me:
-herding: I have learned the skill of "herding" large groups of beings and bringing them to the location I want them to be in
-copygirl: secret dream job. Wow, can I make good copies. I can even fix the copy machine if it's broken! I'm resourceful.
-reading with expression: I've always enjoyed this, but I think I could make an all right public speaker or public book reader. Or maybe even read for an audiobook company. Oh, the possibilities. I've got such lovely practice changing my facial expressions and my voices to accompany certain stories.
-intimidation and guilt-tripping: "you're going to make Ms. Keri go to the crazy house and then you'll need to bake her some delicious chocolate chip cookies."
-dramatic displays: A week ago, we were reviewing for the math exam. We were playing a "math bee", and I had 4 divided by 2 on the board. I asked one of my boys to answer who was fairly good with numbers. He said 6. 8. 2. I said it is division. You ask yourself, "What times 2 equals 4?" He again gave a wrong answer. I said, "do you know what division is?" He shook his head. I threw my marker to the side against the wall and said "see ya later!" I left the room and had to collect myself outside the door. Hmm... perhaps they shouldn't leave me to deal with children.
So you see? There's all kinds of "intangibles" I've learned and skills I've acquired that I can take with me to...well nowhere. I feel like a 20-something non-grownup who still doesn't know what to do when she does grow up. This was a fun year in many ways, and the biggest learning experience ever, but is my heart in it? Not sure yet. I've got lots of "intangibles" in my bag of tricks, but maybe it's time to get some "tangibles" in there as well.
Perhaps the summer break is what I need to refresh my brain to start another year of fluent reading, superb copies, dramatic displays, and a classroom full of kids, who are possibly all in cahoots to send me away to the mental institution, but I still love at the end of the day. Even if this isn't what I'm meant to do, there are still moments of human connection that are so brilliant and beautiful it's bound to change you.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
SENIORITIS
Yep, it appears one doesn't outgrow this feeling as one outgrows youth. I am currently experiencing symptoms of the deadly senioritis. It is May 25. School ends June 23. I am ready for it to be done. I am ready to be done with silly lesson plans and meeting about lesson plans and curriculum. I'm tired of dealing with children who sometimes act like they're fresh out of the insane asylum. I'm tired of giving my teacher look and saying "not the right thing." I'm tired of fighting against disorganization, laziness, and the desire to eat every treat that passes over my desk (and my goodness many do pass over it.). I am ready to lay down with no concerns, if even for a moment. I'm ready to not worry about why my one student can't remember to start a sentence with a capital letter! Ughhh...it's too much. It's time to be done. But nooooo, I must do as my parents say and "keep plugging away." I absolutely hate that phrase. It makes me almost want to cry because of how painful it is to keep going when you just feel like stopping and saying, "NO! No more!".
I am so ready to be back in the United States for a visit. I need to see greenery and feel cool breezes. I need to be able to go to the grocery store and actually find what I'm looking for. My parents will be thrilled--I want to do their grocery shopping and go hiking and go running with my Dad! (Who'd ever have thought I'd want to say those things??) Over here, we're trying to go out with a bang. This past weekend we went to the Justin Timberlake concert (a POOR substitute for me missing a good friend's wedding). But, the concert was awesome! We also have a day off today (we usually work Sundays), so that has been the icing on the cake.
Despite my excitement to return, I'm a little nervous to see how I act in small Lancaster County. Here, most people seem as if part of their brain is missing! I loathe people who move slowly, but don't worry everyone does that here. I've started huffing and puffing and making faces of frustration behind them! (Rude, I know). I might have said this before, but the automatic doors are actually slower here. That's because people don't arrive at the door quickly. They putz along, just strollin', and then the door opens. But, me, I rush to the door and then have to wait 3 seconds for it to open while I tap my foot and roll my eyes. I'm terrible. I'm also going to run to the dermatologist when I get home to see if there is any sun damage to my skin. I'm the freak that wears sunscreen like all the time. In every single place ever, people smoke. You cannot escape it! So, my lungs are black, my skin's getting old, I'm going crazy with slow people frustration, who knows what kind of monster I'll be like when I get back!
School is finishing up. This is the last week where we'll actually be teaching new content. Then it's all reviewing for the exam. I wrote the numeracy final exam. My co-workers wrote science and literacy. I'm really enjoying the feeling going in on my class right now. We all know each other so well, and it's so chill. I like to bring out my silly side, and many times I sit on a desk when we're having discussions or when I'm reading a story. It's great! I feel very comfortable with them, and now they know my "looks" so well that I can just send them a look, and they know I'm not happy. I'm surprised at the loving feeling I feel for each of my students! They may be the most insane people in the world, but we've come a long way together, and I will always remember them. They're sweet kids. I even love my bad kids so much! I love the kid who was the worst at the beginning of the year. The other teachers and kids tell me about things that he's done, but he's become such a sweet student!! He and I get along so well. And they give it to me straight. My one student (the most annoying one), told me, "Miss, why you wear your glasses today? You look much more beautiful when you do not wear your glasses." Yes, Yatrik, I know. But I didn't feel like giving an effort today. I would be APPALLED if anyone from home saw my school outfits. They are the UGLIEST things of all time. I wear the same 6 outfits. Long skirts, pilled shirts that look like crap, and I started wearing pencil skirts, but our vice principal said we have to stop wearing tight skirts because we live in Sharjah. So, there goes any hope of looking stylish at school :/.
Well, see you soon!! Can't wait to see you all.
Love, "black-lunged", frustrated, not-stylish-at-school, and sun damaged skin girl
I am so ready to be back in the United States for a visit. I need to see greenery and feel cool breezes. I need to be able to go to the grocery store and actually find what I'm looking for. My parents will be thrilled--I want to do their grocery shopping and go hiking and go running with my Dad! (Who'd ever have thought I'd want to say those things??) Over here, we're trying to go out with a bang. This past weekend we went to the Justin Timberlake concert (a POOR substitute for me missing a good friend's wedding). But, the concert was awesome! We also have a day off today (we usually work Sundays), so that has been the icing on the cake.
Despite my excitement to return, I'm a little nervous to see how I act in small Lancaster County. Here, most people seem as if part of their brain is missing! I loathe people who move slowly, but don't worry everyone does that here. I've started huffing and puffing and making faces of frustration behind them! (Rude, I know). I might have said this before, but the automatic doors are actually slower here. That's because people don't arrive at the door quickly. They putz along, just strollin', and then the door opens. But, me, I rush to the door and then have to wait 3 seconds for it to open while I tap my foot and roll my eyes. I'm terrible. I'm also going to run to the dermatologist when I get home to see if there is any sun damage to my skin. I'm the freak that wears sunscreen like all the time. In every single place ever, people smoke. You cannot escape it! So, my lungs are black, my skin's getting old, I'm going crazy with slow people frustration, who knows what kind of monster I'll be like when I get back!
School is finishing up. This is the last week where we'll actually be teaching new content. Then it's all reviewing for the exam. I wrote the numeracy final exam. My co-workers wrote science and literacy. I'm really enjoying the feeling going in on my class right now. We all know each other so well, and it's so chill. I like to bring out my silly side, and many times I sit on a desk when we're having discussions or when I'm reading a story. It's great! I feel very comfortable with them, and now they know my "looks" so well that I can just send them a look, and they know I'm not happy. I'm surprised at the loving feeling I feel for each of my students! They may be the most insane people in the world, but we've come a long way together, and I will always remember them. They're sweet kids. I even love my bad kids so much! I love the kid who was the worst at the beginning of the year. The other teachers and kids tell me about things that he's done, but he's become such a sweet student!! He and I get along so well. And they give it to me straight. My one student (the most annoying one), told me, "Miss, why you wear your glasses today? You look much more beautiful when you do not wear your glasses." Yes, Yatrik, I know. But I didn't feel like giving an effort today. I would be APPALLED if anyone from home saw my school outfits. They are the UGLIEST things of all time. I wear the same 6 outfits. Long skirts, pilled shirts that look like crap, and I started wearing pencil skirts, but our vice principal said we have to stop wearing tight skirts because we live in Sharjah. So, there goes any hope of looking stylish at school :/.
Well, see you soon!! Can't wait to see you all.
Love, "black-lunged", frustrated, not-stylish-at-school, and sun damaged skin girl
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Vacation Withdrawal
I'm currently experiencing the withdrawal symptoms that occur when you return from a vacation: listlessness, slight depression, homesickness, wondering about the meaning of life, etc. Wow, have I been on a vacation. It was more like a constant tourist activity.
Five friends and I departed two weeks ago on a crazy adventure: 5 flights, 5 locations, about 7 hotels/hostels, countless restaurants/bars, a few dance floors, one too many late evenings, way too much humidity, and contact with about a bazillion unknown germs. But, we've survived, and I'm here to tell the tale!
First, it was Hong Kong. What an interesting place to see from the airport. As soon as you exit the plane, you see mountains! More like hills, I suppose, but covered with so much green! And the fog (or probably smog) was creeping down over the tops of them and winding around them. It was very mystical (very much like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon kind of stuff). It was beautiful. Hong Kong was very busy--people always moving from place to place and lots of noise. The walk signals even make an annoying ticking sound which tells you to go. I enjoyed it. There was lots of history and ritual and religion, and it was an experience eating in a real live Chinese restaurant. They even wrote down our order in Chinese! Imagine that--it sounds stupid to say that because they speak Chinese in HK, but it was very cool to watch! We only stayed there for 24 hours. We went out at night and returned to stay in a very shadyyyy hostel. This was our first experience with the shower being in the same room as the bathroom. It was more like there was a bathroom and they just attached a shower head to one wall. Talk about saving space.
Next, was BALI. Now Bali and Gili T were my favorite places of the whole trip. Bali is more of a culture shock. It's primitive in a comforting sort of way. It's nice to know that there are still places like this out in the world. Places where people are still doing the old style stuff. It felt like Africa with an islandy twist. We got there on their "New Year's Eve". We went out and saw the Monsters Parade, which is where they build these crazy looking monsters (They're Hindu in Bali, I believe), and they parade them around town with music. This things are CRAZY looking-tongues out, huge eyes, boobs everywhere (even the men), long toenails and maybe more than two arms. They do a dance with them, and then they burn them on the beach a few days later. That was an experience. The next day, which is called Nyepi Day, is where you have to stay inside all day because it's considered a "day of silence". You're not allowed to drink or anything or walk anywhere. So, we just relaxed and read and sat by the pool. It was a nice day. But, by the end, I had come down with "Bali belly" and was ill for 24 hours. I think Bali belly is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't get into it. It was awful. This was in Kuta, Bali. We then moved to Ubud. Ubud was a lot of fun. We stayed in a gorgeous hostel and were within walking distance to great shops and restaurants and even the Monkey Forest!
We spent about 2 days there, riding elephants, seeing the monkeys, going to temples, and hanging out at night in the town and meeting some other crazy travelers. It was great.
Now, here comes my favorite part. We took a boat to Gili Trawangan which is about an hour and a half away from Bali. This place was GORGEOUS: white sands, blue water, perfect weather, and a dirt road lined with hotels, pools, island bars and restaurants and stores. We spent 2 days here. We went snorkeling, laid on the beach, rode bikes around the island, and just hung out. It was amazing and just what we needed. The island is only 7km around, so there's just the one main road. No cars are allowed there, so there's mini taxes driven by mini ponies: weird. We walked everywhere and stayed in a hostel that cost us 13 dollars a person for 2 nights. Yeah, Indonesia's cheap. This island was PACKED with Germans-Keri's personal dream. So I got to hone up on my German skills and impress my native German acquaintances with my German talents :). Great sunsets, great feel, and great views. My friend and I rented bikes and rode around the island. That was a truly amazing moment. We went deeper into the jungle part, and it was like going back in time. People were actually dressed in cloth and hand-harvesting the fields and living in huts! It was crazy and beautiful. There was a silence about the area that you will hardly find anywhere else. I was sad to leave there, but we had to head back to Bali for one more night before heading to Malaysia!
We went back to Kuta but stayed in a different area-the party area. This area was ENTIRELY different from the first. I was told it looked like Thailand. So much noise and so many lights and so many people coming in your face and giving you flyers to come to their bar or trying to entice you into buying their "energy" drug. It was a little creepy. Some guy grabbed my arm at the ATM, so I'd look at him and buy his weird drug thing. It seriously looked like a battery. FREAKY. We proceeded to spend our evening in a huge building filled with about 10 different kinds of bars with all kinds of music. Very cool, but I will be bringing my earplugs out to clubs next time. I don't care how stupid it looks; I refuse to be the deaf older lady because of the "bad" behavior of my youth.
Then, Kuala Lumpur. We spent two nights here. This place was a city that desperately wanted to be up there with Dubai and Singapore, but it's just not cutting it yet! Maybe one day. We saw the Batu caves, the King's Palace, and the National Monument. It was all very nice stuff, but the religion has taken a strange turn. There was a Buddha outside of a Hindu cave, and we would also hear the call to prayer during the day. So, we're not exactly sure which religion they're sticking with, or if they've just mishmashed them all together. In KL, there are the PETRONAS Towers, which used to be the tallest buildings in the world, I believe, until the Burj Khalifa was built (Sorry). But they still win the record for something: I think it's the fact that they're two attached towers and not one. The nightlife there was fun but very calm, and there aren't as many western expats there as in Dubai or Bali even. Our fatigue started to catch up with us, so by this point we were focused on relaxing (or at least I was) and enjoying what remained of our vacation.
Next and last, Singapore. Singapore is gorgeous. It's clean and flashy and just what a city ought to be. It reminded me of Dubai, but there aren't the same kinds of restrictions there or even a religious undertone at all. It was a very nice place to visit, and I would definitely go back some day. There is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, which is an amazing 3 skyscrapers with a boat lying across the top!! We actually went up to the top. There is a restaurant, a bar, and a swimming pool with trees all around. It's breathtaking to be up there.
So, in conclusion, it was an amazing trip, but it was very tiring. I'm not the mega tourist type who needs to traverse the entire city in one day, so it was hard to try to squeeze things in to a small amount of time. I like to savor and absorb and enjoy a city. So, next year, I think I'll choose one place or two places to go and just take my time seeing each place. I realized that the entire reason I travel is to see again that there's a whole world of people out there who have their own lives, their own problems, and their own ways of doing things! It really gives perspective. I also travel for that moment or those moments that really blow your mind and give you a memory you can take with you wherever you go. I have a pocket full of memories now that I can just relax into whenever I need to get away. And that's why I love to see the world...
Five friends and I departed two weeks ago on a crazy adventure: 5 flights, 5 locations, about 7 hotels/hostels, countless restaurants/bars, a few dance floors, one too many late evenings, way too much humidity, and contact with about a bazillion unknown germs. But, we've survived, and I'm here to tell the tale!
First, it was Hong Kong. What an interesting place to see from the airport. As soon as you exit the plane, you see mountains! More like hills, I suppose, but covered with so much green! And the fog (or probably smog) was creeping down over the tops of them and winding around them. It was very mystical (very much like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon kind of stuff). It was beautiful. Hong Kong was very busy--people always moving from place to place and lots of noise. The walk signals even make an annoying ticking sound which tells you to go. I enjoyed it. There was lots of history and ritual and religion, and it was an experience eating in a real live Chinese restaurant. They even wrote down our order in Chinese! Imagine that--it sounds stupid to say that because they speak Chinese in HK, but it was very cool to watch! We only stayed there for 24 hours. We went out at night and returned to stay in a very shadyyyy hostel. This was our first experience with the shower being in the same room as the bathroom. It was more like there was a bathroom and they just attached a shower head to one wall. Talk about saving space.
Next, was BALI. Now Bali and Gili T were my favorite places of the whole trip. Bali is more of a culture shock. It's primitive in a comforting sort of way. It's nice to know that there are still places like this out in the world. Places where people are still doing the old style stuff. It felt like Africa with an islandy twist. We got there on their "New Year's Eve". We went out and saw the Monsters Parade, which is where they build these crazy looking monsters (They're Hindu in Bali, I believe), and they parade them around town with music. This things are CRAZY looking-tongues out, huge eyes, boobs everywhere (even the men), long toenails and maybe more than two arms. They do a dance with them, and then they burn them on the beach a few days later. That was an experience. The next day, which is called Nyepi Day, is where you have to stay inside all day because it's considered a "day of silence". You're not allowed to drink or anything or walk anywhere. So, we just relaxed and read and sat by the pool. It was a nice day. But, by the end, I had come down with "Bali belly" and was ill for 24 hours. I think Bali belly is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't get into it. It was awful. This was in Kuta, Bali. We then moved to Ubud. Ubud was a lot of fun. We stayed in a gorgeous hostel and were within walking distance to great shops and restaurants and even the Monkey Forest!
We spent about 2 days there, riding elephants, seeing the monkeys, going to temples, and hanging out at night in the town and meeting some other crazy travelers. It was great.
Now, here comes my favorite part. We took a boat to Gili Trawangan which is about an hour and a half away from Bali. This place was GORGEOUS: white sands, blue water, perfect weather, and a dirt road lined with hotels, pools, island bars and restaurants and stores. We spent 2 days here. We went snorkeling, laid on the beach, rode bikes around the island, and just hung out. It was amazing and just what we needed. The island is only 7km around, so there's just the one main road. No cars are allowed there, so there's mini taxes driven by mini ponies: weird. We walked everywhere and stayed in a hostel that cost us 13 dollars a person for 2 nights. Yeah, Indonesia's cheap. This island was PACKED with Germans-Keri's personal dream. So I got to hone up on my German skills and impress my native German acquaintances with my German talents :). Great sunsets, great feel, and great views. My friend and I rented bikes and rode around the island. That was a truly amazing moment. We went deeper into the jungle part, and it was like going back in time. People were actually dressed in cloth and hand-harvesting the fields and living in huts! It was crazy and beautiful. There was a silence about the area that you will hardly find anywhere else. I was sad to leave there, but we had to head back to Bali for one more night before heading to Malaysia!
We went back to Kuta but stayed in a different area-the party area. This area was ENTIRELY different from the first. I was told it looked like Thailand. So much noise and so many lights and so many people coming in your face and giving you flyers to come to their bar or trying to entice you into buying their "energy" drug. It was a little creepy. Some guy grabbed my arm at the ATM, so I'd look at him and buy his weird drug thing. It seriously looked like a battery. FREAKY. We proceeded to spend our evening in a huge building filled with about 10 different kinds of bars with all kinds of music. Very cool, but I will be bringing my earplugs out to clubs next time. I don't care how stupid it looks; I refuse to be the deaf older lady because of the "bad" behavior of my youth.
Then, Kuala Lumpur. We spent two nights here. This place was a city that desperately wanted to be up there with Dubai and Singapore, but it's just not cutting it yet! Maybe one day. We saw the Batu caves, the King's Palace, and the National Monument. It was all very nice stuff, but the religion has taken a strange turn. There was a Buddha outside of a Hindu cave, and we would also hear the call to prayer during the day. So, we're not exactly sure which religion they're sticking with, or if they've just mishmashed them all together. In KL, there are the PETRONAS Towers, which used to be the tallest buildings in the world, I believe, until the Burj Khalifa was built (Sorry). But they still win the record for something: I think it's the fact that they're two attached towers and not one. The nightlife there was fun but very calm, and there aren't as many western expats there as in Dubai or Bali even. Our fatigue started to catch up with us, so by this point we were focused on relaxing (or at least I was) and enjoying what remained of our vacation.
Next and last, Singapore. Singapore is gorgeous. It's clean and flashy and just what a city ought to be. It reminded me of Dubai, but there aren't the same kinds of restrictions there or even a religious undertone at all. It was a very nice place to visit, and I would definitely go back some day. There is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, which is an amazing 3 skyscrapers with a boat lying across the top!! We actually went up to the top. There is a restaurant, a bar, and a swimming pool with trees all around. It's breathtaking to be up there.
So, in conclusion, it was an amazing trip, but it was very tiring. I'm not the mega tourist type who needs to traverse the entire city in one day, so it was hard to try to squeeze things in to a small amount of time. I like to savor and absorb and enjoy a city. So, next year, I think I'll choose one place or two places to go and just take my time seeing each place. I realized that the entire reason I travel is to see again that there's a whole world of people out there who have their own lives, their own problems, and their own ways of doing things! It really gives perspective. I also travel for that moment or those moments that really blow your mind and give you a memory you can take with you wherever you go. I have a pocket full of memories now that I can just relax into whenever I need to get away. And that's why I love to see the world...
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