Brian and I on a dune ride in the Jeep.
I can't believe it is already October! This year has just flown by. The temperatures and the humidity are finally starting to calm down out here (and by calm down I mean 90 degrees and less than 50% humidity). We ventured out to our usual desert spot last weekend with some other families and had fun riding quads and playing in the sand. Brian took me for a spin in the Jeep; and although I was nervous I have to admit it was fun. We hope to hit the dunes more and more as the weather gets more bearable :)
I recently accepted a job at an "American" nursery/preschool here in Abu Dhabi. It is about a 10 minute drive from the house (very convenient!!). I'm still trying to figure out why, exactly, they claim to be "American" since I am the only staff member who is American and I have yet to meet any American students. But hey, it works for them I guess and their curriculum does try to follow NAEYC standards (American based organization). I am working with the 3-3 1/2 year old age group. Currently, I have 15 students from all different parts of the world. There are a handful of Aussies/Kiwis, 1 Syrian, 1 Korean, 4 locals (Emirate), 1 Sri Lankan, 1 Canadian, and 1 South African. For some of the children, this is their first experience away from mom and dad, so the first few weeks have been challenging, but everyday we see more progress. Many of the children do not speak or understand much English and it is interesting to see them communicate with each other in different languages. Sometimes I feel bad that I cannot understand what they are saying (whether it is in Arabic, Korean, or Sinhala), but we make the most of it and always seem to figure it out. The children who are not native English speakers really do pick it up fast. My assistants (2) are Filipino and South African and are both wonderful!
It feels good to be working again, and finally using the degree I spent two years studying for. The other teachers in my age group have been kind enough to include me in their monthly planning meetings. Since they all worked in the school last year, they've got lots of words of wisdom and ideas for me to take in. Resources for crafts and other activities are somewhat limited. There is no Michael's, or Target or places like that so finding supplies is difficult. I had to venture to a Japanese discount store last week just to find yarn! Most learning materials (i.e. books, cds, flashcards) that I have come across so far are from the UK so I'm finding lots of new books and songs that I've never heard of before. Some days I like the exposure, and some days I get frustrated that I can't find what I am looking for and I know that if I were in the states I'd have no problem locating whatever it is I need. I've resorted to ordering a few things to be shipped, but shipping can get expensive very quickly so I just try to make the best of it. Of course Brian and a few other friends has become my "therapists" - listening to me talk (and yes, sometimes complain) about the kids and the fun/interesting/horrific things that happen each day. The first day was the worst (I got puked on, spit on, hit and kicked by a few children who were not dealing with the transition to school quite so well). But like I said it has been getting better and all in all I hope it will be a great experience for me and for the kids in my class.
We are looking forward to some visitors this fall and also a trip to Thailand in December. Hope everyone back home is enjoying the fall weather and pumpkin beers (we are jealous!!). We miss and love you all!
