Coming Back for Year 2...

Leaving America always gets harder each time...While I knew this would definitely be my last year in the UAE, it is always hard to miss out on the important parts in the lives of those I love.

I got back to Abu Dhabi late and went back to my villa in the desert...HEAT!!!  I was excited to catch up with friends for my birthday the next day.  We celebrated with cake and sangria on the rooftop with new furniture...Thanks Martha and Symunek!

At the end of May, I found out that I would be promoted to Head of Faculty.  I was excited for the new challenge and looking forward to welcoming our new teachers.  We had two teachers returning from last year who would be teaching Grades 2 and 4.  We got a new teacher from Houston for Grade 3 and one from New Zealand for Grade 1.  The teacher from New Zealand lasted about a week as she needed to be in the city for health reasons.  We got another teacher in her place from Chicago.  These ladies are lovely and have the most upbeat attitude about taking on this challenge.  

I was asked to teach Math for Grade 5 because we were low on teachers.  Let's just say after Day 1, I went into the Principal's office and had a very professional conversation about the boy's behavior.  I find it hard to believe that these boys are only 10 and 11.  They act like they are 15 if you get what I'm saying.  I felt very uncomfortable and had heard the stories from previous years.  She assured me that she would speak with them and they would not act this way again.  I began wearing an abaya to school from that day-the black robe-like garment that the women in the UAE wear.  I didn't cover my hair or face though.  The next morning, she had the boys outside standing in the heat for the entire first period. I hate to say it, but I kind of enjoyed seeing this.  You would totally understand as boys are never disciplined for anything they do here.  Fighting...ok...bash a boy's head into the cement and choke him...ok...they are just playing Miss.  Sorry Miss.  Telling a boy to please sit down six times...it gets to be a little exhausting.  Just listen...can it really be that hard?

I lasted about three weeks in the classroom and then I got two new male teachers from the U.K.  They would teach Grade 5 and part of Grade 4.  The school is all female with the exception of the two male special education teachers.  To get this approved took a while and a lot of adjustments.  They can't walk around the school freely because some of the women and all mothers cover their faces.  I had to find a bathroom for them, when they can enter a room, where they can sit in meetings, the proper way to enter the office...the list goes on.  It took a lot of adjusting and they faced many challenges.  A lot of people aren't aware when they arrive of the difference between teaching boys and girls.  I think everyone sees it now:)

Back to school and ready to finish this up and give the teachers the support that we lacked last year.  I will give it my all and I'm sure I will come a lot stronger than I started:)