Former Expat Teacher Acclimating to the American Way!

Call me crazy but many restaurants here are a bit too authentic for my American palette. Yesterday we ate a heavy lunch so for dinner I wanted something light. Being that Im far from being a sushi guru, I chose a place that Id been to before that had pretty good sushi. No such luck as they are closed...probably because Al Wahda hotel has yet to get a liquor license so I dont know how well the other restaurants are doing but they should be having specials to make up for that. So we go home to regroup and figure out what we were going to do. We decided on Sho Cho and had a nice comfy seat outside and all was well except for the menu as most of their choices are not cooked. Those that were had a base that I didnt really want. Part of me wanted to try something new but the other part wanted something I knew Id enjoy. So we end up at Meat Co. The LAST place I shouldve been when you take into account my previous meal. I had a burger and fry and ended up taking the bread off halfway thro...

first grits. Now cornmeal. Actually, Ive never seen cornmeal but was a little interested in getting some to make some cornbread. sigh. oh well. Today I wish I could disappear and reappear home to eat with the family. I did have a yummy lunch at applebees (cajun shrimp pasta with iced tea). If someone sees cornmeal, grits, and while Im at it poultry seasoning-LET ME KNOW!

Ive been told of a dance (this dance) but didnt really have a picture in my head as to what it looks like. Never in a million years would I have imagined... Somehow one of the vids found its way onto my YT page and a different world opened before my eyes. Its not unlike some things Ive seen back home and its here.I know...nothing is original under the sun.But this just blows my mind.Some of them are even burka'd up and doing the dances like nobodies business. See for yourself! M'alayah

Today was the first day Ive worn pants to work since being here. I must say I enjoyed it,lol. Everyone said I looked different. I imagine so since I wear a jalabiya every day. Today and yesterday were good days. Yesterday the kids worked very well, many of them did very well after I regrouped and we went over patterns again. Many of them are now making them independently . Behavior was good and they werent too loud. The room was a bit messy as it often gets with no Arabic teacher. Today I got all my assessment info filed into their portfolios (yay me!) and managed to clean the room, rearrange some of the shelves, get rid of some things we didnt need, and even got a few things to make the room flow more nicely when they are working. Excited for tomorrow as I continue to make the room mine. I keep getting blessed with a good situation,we will see how this year pans out with no Arabic teacher full time this early in the year.I have high hopes for them and already I can tell that...

My friend told me to stop trying to change the world. Im not. I wouldnt. BUT... I have to stand up for what I believe.Putting it off cant change that. Not trying to making waves but if they happen as I move then so be it.

schools are shuffling as there arent enough Arabic teachers. Ive been hit twice as a result and yet another change is coming. I hope that my kids have gotten used to school so that they arent affected too much by the new change. They took losing their beloved teacher a little hard (some of them). So I have the task of tweeking my plans for the remainder of the week as I will now be teacher alone. An Arabic teacher will come in for Islamic and Arabic studies for 45 mins. It sucks that my teacher has to leave after she spent the last two weeks working very hard to make the room acceptable. I could see the disappointment in her watery eyes. She smiles and says "no problem". I was excited for her as she was listening and learning and I could tell by her responses and how she would think about what I was saying about the teaching/learning process. Ill be ok, I taught for quite awhile independently as my teacher was pregnant. I just need to think about how I want to work this ...

In the entire school we had 20 something kids-if that. I was ready for work/kids but it was nice to be able to actually get things done in the room. We need teacher work days for everything we need to get done. My arabic teacher said that she went home and thought about what i said last week regarding the overload of stuff on the walls and how it was overstimulating. I was very pleased about that. More work to do tomorrow and I wonder how much of it I will accomplish. (-) I dont understand. None of us do.We are on the same team. The simplest things that should make sense dont seem to. We arent trying to be difficult. We arent listened to. Our knowledge isnt being respected. Talking to other teachers, its not unusual for them to interchange terms that shouldnt be like centers and small group activities. People wanting LTs to teach a letter a week or day or even a number a week. I wonder how many kgs are ACTUALLY doing things correctly-not overdoing it, not shortchanging,not ignori...

disclaimer:what I am about to say is not the feeling or experience of everyone living here. There are many, however, who do share my sentiment. When reading posts (or in between the lines as many would have it), keep in mind that there arent enough words in the world to make you KNOW how it will be here for you.  I was looking at the paper back home today and the market is crazy. Condos originally to be sold for 400 thousand are now going for 150. And some are even providing 60,000 buyers assistance-100,000 for teachers! Granted, the gentrification previously planned is all but finished until God knows when but homes are ripe for the picking. With that said, the writing is on the wall...or in our wallets I should say. And as I clean my apartment and contemplate what time to go to the gym I realize that at home, this place I live in would be 400,000 easy and not even in my wildest dreams. Was it worth the hassle of getting in? That would be an emphatic yes BUT my husband did most...

While there is a world of foods at your fingertips, I must say that I miss the food back home. The ease of finding certain veggies that just arent here. Please tell me why they have the bottom of the turnip but not the greens themselves?!?!? As I sit here making my/our meal plans for the week, I get frustrated and solicit the help of websites in the hopes of creating a wonderful meal that Ive not had before as my palette tends to get bored but is not brave enough to try something completely different from what I like (unless its spicy). Its not unusual for this task to take an hour. Ive also given up on the list for better things-like going to get something to eat at a restaurant,lol. Im almost finished with this one and, like most things in my life,I start out strong and then begin to lose the motivation to continue. Why a list you ask? Well, in our quest for health and longevity, we are striving to eat things throughout the day that will increase our antioxidant levels. With a...

This week had some challenges. A crazy night of losing my phone and trying to get a purchased wardrobe delivered to the person who paid me for it without having her address or phone number made for a not so good night. The next day at work didnt help and the silliness I had to endure sent me over the edge. Im sure my coteacher thought I wanted to kill her and her limited English prohibited me from properly explaining to her my belief system as  being the reason i was so irritated. That i was against decorating my room for the sake of decoration, and that it was currently set up FOR the kids and would continue to be set up for them and by them. What was happening before my eyes was too much for me when Id already been stressed from the night before without being able to relax or find resolve until the piece was delivered in one piece. Went home after work, had a nice relaxing evening with some juice and my husband. Piece got delivered and I resumed my attitude of not taking anyth...