Al Ain Palace Museum

Well, I finally got to see a few of the sights around Al Ain.  I have been running a circle daily:  going to school, then trying to accomplish errands after school.  My weekends were mostly spent trying to catch up on what I couldn’t accomplish during the week.  So, now that it’s the Eid holiday, I’m getting a few extra days to investigate where I live.

One of my first stops was to the Al Ain Palace.  This is where Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan , the founder of the UAE, was born.  It is now a museum (since 2001) and by his decree has been left just as it was so that it shows the country’s culture before oil was discovered here.  Even though it is in the middle of the city, it seems very secluded and peaceful.  It is located on the edge of the Al Ain Oasis, so it is very lush.   Some of the family lived here up until the 1980’s, and the ruling sheikh was born here. 

This is the kitchen.  It is a very large room, and along the left wall (which you can't see here), there are about 8 more large pots for cooking.

This is one of the Majlis (or meeting rooms).  There were many of these rooms for entertaining visitors.  They are furnished with floor cushions and carpets.  Coffee, along with dates and nuts, would be served.

This was the nursery.  You can see the hanging crib here. 

Here is a replica of the grand court tent.  Sheikh Zayed would meet guests here to show Arabian hospitality and generosity.  This is also a symbol of their link with the Bedouin life.

The interior of the tent.

This is one of the majlis where foreigners might be entertained, more in style with Western furniture and comfort.

This is the irrigation system that runs around the outer edges of the compound.

Here is the Qur'an from which the lessons would be taught.

This is a picture of the schoolroom where the royal children would be taught by private tutors.

This is the bedroom of Sheikh Zeyed and his wife.

Slowly but Surely

Sorry I haven't been keeping my blog up-to-date!  Things here have been very busy!!

School is slowly but surely improving daily.  Originally I was moving from classroom to classroom almost every period.  I would teach English in one classroom, then move to another to teach math to another group, then back to the first classroom to teach science to the first group, etc.  I had to look at my schedule every 40 minutes to see what I was teaching and where I was going next.  I was also having to carry all my belongings from room to room, including my white board markers.

I am now in one classroom all day, with the students moving from class to class.  Although this is harder on them, I can be more organized and ready to teach.  They also get a little break to move around, so it's not all bad for them!

Many of the students are working hard to learn English.  Like any teacher, I am so thrilled when they get excited about what we are learning.  This week, as I was writing a sentence on the board about the "girls," one of my students pointed out that I needed an apostrophe before the "s."  WOW!  I then tried to explain the difference between a plural and a possessive (without using those words, of course).  I am so proud that she was watching carefully and thinking about how to correct the sentence!

We had our big CAT (Continuous Assessment Test) this week in English, math, and science.  It is amazing to me how much these young girls have learned in so short a time!  In English we are working on reading a story that is WAY above their reading level, so each day we study the vocabulary on the page we are reading and try to learn them as "sight" words.  We're writing basic sentences and learning phonics (mostly beginning and ending sounds).

Science is more advanced.  So far this year we have studied plants (plant parts and functions) and magnets.  The vocabulary includes words such as poles, attract, repel, magnetized object.  They not only have to understand the vocabulary, but they also have to learn the science concepts.

Math is quite a task!  Their number system is completely different AND reads from right to left.  When I first got here, I tried to learn their numbers.  I can remember most of them, but when I see numbers with no context, it takes me a while to recall the value.  Can you imagine trying to learn PLACE VALUE when sometimes you can't remember to start on the left?!! 

I also think, as I am sitting in a faculty meeting and listening to everything in Arabic, how difficult it must be for some of my girls who speak no English to sit in my classroom all day and listen to words flow over their heads.  I am an adult, and sometimes it is difficult for me at the end of a long day to look interested in what is being said when I can't understand it. 

All in all, my life is good and getting better.  I miss ALL my family back in the states.  I am looking forward to Stephanie coming over at Christmas.  I miss my friends and my "team" at school!  I miss my husband very much and WISH that the paperwork required for his entry would be processed in a timely manner!!! 

Hope this catches some of you up on the day-to-day experiences of a teacher in the U.A.E.......

Two of my sweet girls!!

Off-roading





 Went off-roading a couple of weekends ago.  We had a great day, although a bit scary!  We rode the dunes and then headed to the desert outside of Dubai for a meal under the stars.  There was belly-dancing, music, fun, and laughter.  This was the first weekend I felt that I had really experienced a weekend (not trying to accomplish a list of chores to get paperwork completed or an apartment ready to move in).

Baby camel in the desert where we stopped the car.....we were lost.....had gotten separated from our other 2 cars.

Gives a whole new meaning to "Over the Hill..."

 Queen of the Desert

 About to ride the camel....then my camera died....

 Lynn and the Falcon....a new book title?

 The Expert

Belly Dancer

Settling In

Well, I have moved out of the Hilton Hotel (H3 for those in the know) and am now settled in my "flat."  I am on the fifth floor.  Each floor has 2 flats, serviced by 2 elevators.  The place is beginning to feel like home.  We were given money to help furnish it, so I have bought bedroom, living room, and kitchen furnishings.  I'm posting some pics on here so you can get an idea of how it feels.  The pictures cannot do justice to the size of the place.  The rooms are HUGE, with maybe 12-foot ceilings?  (Jumping up and down on my bed, I still cannot touch them!)  Hope this gives you an idea of what I've been doing in my "spare" time the last few weeks.  In between getting the flat furnished, I have been trying to get paperwork settled.  Still lots to do....and lots of stories to tell.  We've learned to laugh here a lot......so you don't cry from frustration.  Each story gets a little more bizarre!  I will work on catching up my blog slowly because school consumes a LOT of my time!

Outside view of Hili Apartments, where I now live....and where Kim will soon join me.....once I've done all the hard stuff....Is that what you're waiting on, Kim?  Ha-ha!  No, he's hard at work on the other place we live!!

This is the entry to our apartment--Building 7

Here's the view as you come in the front door.  The guard desk is on the left, and there are 2 elevators on the right.  We have a phone in our apartment to the guard to call for emergencies...and I think to see if people can come up.  Not sure about that yet!  You can also see steps through the other set of doors.  Then, there's a hall leading to the back of the building, which is where you pull up when you have things to carry up.

Here's the view as you get off the elevator.  That's our door on the left.  There is also another flat directly across the hall from us.  A young couple with a 1-year-old boy live there.  They've been sweet to help me out with being here to let the internet man inside and figure out my TV channels!  We also have a trash chute, which I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed.  Each time I fill a small bag, I just step out and drop it down the chute to the trash.  No more holding on to it until trash pick-up day!!

Here's what I thought was a King-sized bed.   I ordered it in the store, not realizing I needed a Super-King!!

This is the master bedroom, looking back toward the hall door.  You can see part of the big wardrobe on the right.  It's huge and still has about 4 feet of clearance to the ceiling.  (There are NO closets here!)

This is the view looking toward Oman from the bedroom balcony.  You can see the mountains in the distance.

This is a partial view of the master bath.  The commode and bidet (of course!) are behind the door.  There is not one single electrical outlet in the bathroom.....(Why would anyone need to use electric appliances like hair dryers in the bathroom?)  Ha-ha!  You should see me in the morning sitting on the floor of my bedroom trying to do my hair....with no mirror!!  I plan to fix that, of course!

This is bedroom #2.  Right now it's pretty empty except for some blinds.  Soon, it will hold the bed that is currently in the master bedroom.  (I thought I bought a King-sized bed, but here King-sized is what we consider Queen-size.)  I will purchase a Super-King bed and donate the other (very comfortable!) bed to our visitors.....Hope some of you will come see us!  :)

This is the 3rd bedroom and second bath.  You can't see much of the bath, but it's pretty nice!  The piece of furniture here is a shoe cabinet. (It's about as tall as I am.) I think it will eventually go near the front door to store shoes!  This room is dedicated to our clothes rack (no dryer here, so I put clothes in here to dry on the rack.)  It's behind the door.

This is the third bath, right off our front entry hall.  Again, it's hard to take pictures to show very much.  All the baths have bidets.  I currently use the bidet in the master bath to hold my laundry basket.  (One lady at the hotel told me she washed her clothes by hand in the bidet......great rinse action.....)

This is the hallway leading to the kitchen from the front door.  Not much going on here yet.

Here's one side of the kitchen.  You can see the washing machine and microwave.  We also have a small table for two, looking out over our view of the park area below....where it is quite fascinating to watch, especially at night as the people come out to congregate.  That has been my dinner-time entertainment for the past two nights.....as I ate my lonely meals....awwwww.......

Here's the entry way from the hall.  I love this piece of furniture.  Should have taken a better view of it.  It's black with red distressed areas.  Great storage!!!

The living room.....what can I say?  I needed some excitement after the dull, drab view in my hotel the past few weeks.  Red seemed to be calling my name....more like maroon, I guess.  The furniture is VERY comfortable.  I have enjoyed lying on the couch the past two nights and not listening to people partying outside my hotel room until 2 and 3 o-clock in the morning while I wondered how I would stay sane (and awake) through the next day!!!

This is the view of Oman from our living room balcony.  There is a street between us and Oman, but you don't see it in this picture.  This part of Oman looks quite lovely.  To get to our place (Hili), you go past the Industrial Area, which is not very attractive.  The border crossing is also just a short way down the road from us.  I plan to go there soon and investigate.....

Last Dinner in Abu Dhabi

This was my last trip out to eat with Heather before I left Abu Dhabi.  We headed over to the Shangri-La, visited their beach, walked through the local souk, and then ate at a fantastic Lebanese restaurant.  Split a dinner for two and then decided there would have been plenty for Cory and Kim also! 

Beach scene

Canal boat ride throught the Shangri-La property

Sunset over the beach

Moon rise

Last of the sunset

Delicious food at Aboul Waheb:  Heather and I can't decide if they just bring extra food to all the guests, or if we have been very fortunate.  Lots of times they tell us something is "complimentary."  This time it was the lamb stew and rice!  My first taste of lamb--delicious!

Bedaya Forum: Jamboree

Yesterday, Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), my employer, had a kick-off Jamboree at the ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre) building.  (By the way, I'll be spelling words the European way now since I am teaching that curriculum.  Don't want to be responsible for students misspelling their words!!)

This centre is home to the iconic gravity-defying tower, also known as Capital Gate, that we watched being built on the show, "Can it be Built?"  Our assembly took place in the convention centre right below the tower, whose interior is not quite completed.  We had a great, up-close view.

There were about 6,000 teachers in attendance for the Bedaya (Beginning) Forum.  Today teachers all over the country are attending training sessions and meeting faculty from their schools....except for those of us who are being moved from Abu Dhabi City to outlying areas.  We're in our hotel rooms waiting for the word to load buses to be moved to another hotel in Al Ain.  I'm hopeful we will receive word about today's training and what we missed so that we won't begin our year in the dark.

This is Capital Gate.  The part sticking out to the left is a pool.

Dubai

On Saturday, three of us headed to Dubai for the day. WOW! That was definitely an experience in cultures!! We had decided to take the public bus instead of a hotel car or taxi. The bus, which took about one and a half hours, cost 15 dirham (about 4 dollars). Because of their belief that women should not have to suffer by standing in line here, travel becomes quite pleasant! On the way, we passed many beautiful buildings, but I had been wanting to see the Aldar HQ building because we had watched it being built on a TV show called, “Can it be Built?” I didn’t get a great picture, but I have now seen it!

When we arrived in Dubai, however, we traveled to the main bus station, which is located in what appeared to be Little India. Disoriented, we wandered into a small hotel to ask directions and to use the restroom…..hmmm….that was an experience too!! I will have to say that I laughed more on this one day that I have in quite a while!

We took various taxis to see the sights:

The Burj Al Arab: Dubai’s iconic building, recognized most anywhere in the world

The Burj Khalifa: sometimes called the Burj Dubai (tallest building in the world)

The Mall of the Emirates (with Ski Dubai—snow skiing in the desert!): Lots of great shopping here, but I used my willpower!

Wild Wadi (Water Park): We didn’t even know this was here, but it’s right where we went to see the Burj Al Arab.

The city skyline: There are too many amazing buildings to picture! They definitely have an eye for a curved design. Very few buildings are square or rectangular. Even the underpinnings of the bridges are architecturally beautiful: different shapes with designs on them! Dubai is home to 10 of the world’s 50 tallest buildings. The taxis and buses all took us down Sheikh Zayed Road, which is a futuristic view with all the unreal skyscrapers. The city skyline will never be mistaken for any city other than Dubai!!

The Textile Souk (where I bought a cute red skirt): This is a traditional bazaar with restored buildings under a wooden roof. There are elaborate latticed windows and Islamic lamps hung from the roof. There are mostly Indian traders, some of whom are direct descendents of the original traders who came here in the 18th century. Directly behind the souk was a tiny restaurant called Bayt al Wakeel. We got spring rolls and hummus and…..gulp….a refreshingly cold Diet Coke!!

Even the trip to the restroom there was an experience: you walked up winding stairs where you had to duck your head to fit and ended up several stories higher, looking out over the creek.

Textile Souk

We rode on a dhow across Dubai Creek. Dhows are wooden boats which are used for offshore fishing and, in the past, for pearl diving. Some of these boats are 100 years old. The larger boats ship goods to and from neighboring Gulf countries and to Iran, Pakistan, India, and West Africa. They look surreal when pictured in front of the very modern high-rise buildings that line the waterfront of the creek.

When it was time to come home, we headed back to the main bus stop, only now there were THOUSANDS of people, mostly men, headed home for the night. (I am NOT exaggerating!) I had a nightmare vision of waiting for a ticket and bus seat for hours! Instead, an officer walks up to us and leads us straight to the ticket window (the line of men stretched for blocks!!). While purchasing our tickets, we saw a man with a rope beating any man who tried to get in the wrong line! As soon as we had our tickets we were told to go to the front of a line about to board the bus, and we were put in the front seat. No males were allowed to sit in the front unless they were escorting a woman. The bus ride home took about 2 hours because we made a few stops to drop people off. It was so good to be back home. Traveling and sight-seeing in another country and language can be mind-boggling and exhausting. Many times we had to make a decision about what to do and where to go, and as Heather says, almost every time we made the wrong decision! But, we do learn from our mistakes, so the next trip should go more smoothly.