And the school year has begun!

Ever wonder where time went? I sure do. I've been here over three weeks now, and the time has seemed to fly by. A couple of teachers have said that before you know it, we'll be saying goodbye to the kids for the summer.

I was supposed to go to Ras Al Khaimah with the girls, but I got really sick last week. I mean REALLY sick. Horrible stomach virus, dehydration, fever...it was horrendous. I was so miserable, didn't know how to make an appointment or what doctors I could see or where. Didn't even know if they would understand me if I did make it to a doctor's office. I had it for several days, and by the time vacation rolled around I felt like I had  been dragged behind a truck for three days. However, the beach will still be there the next time we decide to go away, so staying home was for the best.
I am teaching grades 1-3 EAL (ESL where we come from). Right now, I am working out my schedule, meeting with teachers to determine the best methods of in-class and pull-out support, and amassing massive amounts of paperwork on my students. I have to learn to assess using the standardized testing methods they use here as well as get a working understanding of the guided reading kits. It's a lot, quite frankly. My head is about to explode. I'm almost to the point of saturation. Almost. I feel a trip to the Irish pub coming on and the need for a pint of Magner's.

Day to day living is interesting when living out of a fridge smaller than most dorm fridges and an apartment with almost no furniture, no TV, no internet. Nights can be boring, but we usually have to go out, run some small errand, or someone has there door open and we go hang out for a bit and have a glass of wine. I have to shop fairly often because nothing fits in my fridge except small things and the freezer doesn't work that well. My meals are sporadic and mishmashed because I am limited with what I usually have on hand. My frying pan is my best friend because I have no microwave or kitchen appliances except for my hot water kettle. I love that thing. It boils water in less than two minutes. Needless to say, I have been making a lot of instant coffee. I might break down and get a coffee pot later, but the kettle is so handy.

It's kind of hard to say how I'm feeling. I am getting used to the sights and the sounds. The feeling of sand under my feet, the sound of prayer calling at dusk, and the women in their long black (and often sparkly) abayas and shelas. I can see the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, from my kitchen window. I see it through the haze in the morning, and it glitters on the horizon at night. It's still very hot here (some days over 115), but it should start cooling down soon as we get closer to October. Or so I'm told. The heat really limits what can be done on the weekends because so many places are closed until October when the heat lets up. I really want to go on a desert safari, see the parks, and walk the Creek in downtown Dubai. Those things are coming. Right now, it's kind of a wibbly wobbly journey into some semblance of a routine. According to my friend Julie, I am going through the stages of culture shock. And in a few weeks I will come up against a wall of depression, followed by disenchantment and then eventually acceptance. Not looking forward to that wall. But I do have lots of support here. The teachers have all been very kind. When I was sick, one of them brought me some ginger ale, crackers, and tea. There's always someone around to help, to ask questions, to give words of encouragement. It's really a nice community of people here.

Ok, it's dinner time. Think maybe some friends and I will order out for Thai. I am hungry, it's been a long day, and I don't think I can stand one more meeting. I'm up to my ears in meetings, curriculum, etc. Dindin time.