S-U-C-C-E-S-S

I guess one success is better than none!

So, I had a really rough week. My one boy continually terrorizes my room. I have several runners and screamers (which is an all day thing). Then on Sunday, the school decided to close 2 sections of first grade meaning I now have 24 to 25 students in a class. Our rooms are very small and the kids are crazy. Let me put crazy into perspective for you...Try to envision making twenty-five cats sit in a chair for a short period of time. Yes, you have those cats that if you pet them, they eventually fall asleep and will stay sitting. Then you have those cats that will be good if you reward them with a treat. However, for the most part, you cannot force a cat to stay sitting. You may get 10 of them seated and start on the next 10, then come to find out the first 10 are gone-some crawling behind furniture, some hiding from you under furniture refusing to come out, some trying to escape by window and...guess what...it is a never ending cycle.Then you have some of those frisky cats that like to meow continuously, chase lights, and scratch and hiss when you enter their territory. I have 25 of these cats for only two 2hr periods and they wear me out and make me want to cry.

However, today my kittens were calm and collective (or the best I've managed to see thus far!) We had an hour late start due to fog. Our principal called us and said, "Come when the fog lifts, Inshallah!" Of course, being a westerner,  I like to know the exact time. Principal says, "You will know, Inshallah!" OK then! CLICK!

This is what 95% humidity at 630am looks like.  I walk outside and it's 104 degrees.

Then the kids arrive. First class I started giving one to one assessments for math and reading, and the others put math puzzles together, watched a video, and ran around the room chasing each other. Then my second class came. I had one goal today, to train them on coming to the carpet appropriately and sitting in their correct spot. I pulled out the suckers, explained what they needed to do, practiced 3 times. And had a 99% rate and suckers were had by all but the one who thought he should be a bowling ball and roll to the carpet all 3 times! One success for the day.

We then had a pretty productive math/reading carpet time, where we could do activities for a whooping 10 minutes. This is where my little light bulb came on. For once, they all sat silently (this NEVER happens), raised their hand, and tried their best to shout out the English words after me. Hmmm..Why the silence? Why the hand raising? Ah Ha! They all had suckers in their mouths..They were too busy to talk. Why didn't I think of this earlier..This was my second success for the day.

Then I started the assessment and like the last class the others did math puzzles, ran around, and this class also threw balls and pencils at one another. At one time I looked over and 5 of the boys are sitting on carpet and another is at the number spinner on the wall. They were reenacting math carpet time when I chose one student to be the teacher and they spin the wheel! I just had to stop and listen to them trying to use their new English words. Boy in the front, "What da number?" Boys on the carpet THREE! Boy in the front, "Whaa color dis?" Boys on carpet GREEN! Boy in the front gives them 2 thumbs up and says "GO GOB!" aka. Good Job! The best part, the boys on the carpet were raising their hands..This was a huge success...Almost brought tears to my eyes. ha Then I was brought back to reality by a boy saying "Miss, Miss! Uggg...That (pointing to another boy) dis (demonstrating the punch to the stomach and pinching of the arm).

Things that make me smile:
-Boy tugging at my arm "Miss!" then points to his new Ferrari shirt he was wearing for PE with the BIGGEST grin on his face! He than says our new word "NICE!"
-Boy brought to my room screaming and crying, kicks off his shoes and socks. Try to ask what is wrong, to bad he can't tell me in English and I can't understand Arabic!  I let him scream for 1 hour. Then it is time for Canteen(lunch), so I ask him if he wants to "Eat!" He proceeds in trying to tear off the velcro from his shoe.  The harder he pulls, the more frustrated he gets, the more I laugh...then he whips the shoes in the garbage. I decide to take the class and leave him...on the way back to the room, here he comes walking with his shoes and one sock in hand =)
-Parent wants to speak to me(in Arabic) about how "bright" her child is. Three people later, I realize that she is not saying Mohamed is LOST!!! She is saying Mohamed knows A LOT!!
-Boy is constantly out of his desk, I give him a little stare down, he gives me a little grin-shakes his head and SLOWLY walks back to his desk( this may happen about 20-25 times in a 2 hour period).
-Getting our school curriculum 3 weeks after school has started.
-Watching the domino effect of six 3rd graders fall down the stairs because they were running (after ignoring me when I told them to walk)!
-The kids in my class keep coming up to me and repeatedly have been saying the word "my". I assumed they were trying to speak English so I tried to communicate through actions, ect. and ask them "my what?..my book, my pencil, my crayons?" Eventually, I found out that "my" in Arabic means water! lol So basically, I've been denying the kids from water-oops!


Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

The unfamiliar is now the familiar

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come. - Joseph Campbell

Beach Day!

Wonder how this beach wear would go over in the US?

What the UAE does best-SHOP!

Spice section in the local super market

The road to nowhere...

This is for my Barrow family...endless fruits and vegetables for cheap!

Typical Saturday night downtown..

A view from the Marina Mall Tower Cafe...The Grand Palace in the background

My picture perfect white city and the crystal clear emerald water!

I love the simplicity of this picture! My favorite activity is people watching =)

SurViVinG wEEk 2

It is not all bad...and I do laugh at the END of the day just thinking about everything that happened. But here are just a few of my..."Are you serious?" moments

Week 2...it's only getting better, right!! Two mothers still haven't figured out that staying with their kids only makes it worse....one mom stayed in the classroom for about an hour and then decided she better go. When she left her son was SCREAMING and kicking at the door. He ripped off his band-aid and threw it at the boy closest to him, he was wailing so loud that the principal came in to try and calm him, when she couldn't calm him she just looked at me, laughed, and walked out!! Haha, so I just ignored him. By 9 am he had calmed down...45 minutes of screaming and throwing himself around the room was all it took before he gave in. Another little one was fine yesterday without mom, but she decided to sit with him until lunch. So this little guy found my keys (because I have to lock them in so they don't run away) and unlocked the door and took off running. I saw him get the keys but didn't think he'd ever be able to get them in and turn them correctly. His mom had already gone so when he ran down the hall....he found the "guard"(she's actually the tea lady, but she brings no tea, just sits at the front door) so tea lady brought him back to me. The last screaming child of the day just cried and screamed all day because his mom kept coming back to check on him, so he'd see her peek in the glass doors and start up crying again...I just wanted to tell her to go away!!! I have one who is a constant escape artist and if he can't escape he is constantly crying saying "five".He wants to be in fifth grade with his brother. Everytime the door is not monitored I have one less student. He has now escaped about 8 times.

Before "boy" broke my door on Monday, I would have to lock the door so the kids don't run away. That means EVERY TIME anyone wants into my room I have to go unlock the door. That was probably 25 times today. So I'd just about get everyone onto the carpet..and "knock, knock, knock"...so when I'd get up to go let the person in, or sign the note, or give attendance, or tell them the run away child wasn't mine...I'd have about 5 kids follow me to the door and another 5 just decide to get up and play because I'd left the carpet. So I'd take care of whatever or whoever was at the door...round those 10 kids back up, just get settled back onto the carpet and "knock, knock". So again up I went, up went about 10 kids either following me or playing, this went on ALL MORNING LONG.

My typical day is group 1 at 7:25 until 9:30 am. At 9:30 we go to breakfast and recess-duty free. From 10:00 until 11:00 I have a break. Then my second group of first graders come and I repeat everything I did in the morning. At 100pm I get them lined up for the bus.

One day I got them all lined up in order bus 1 kids first, then bus 2 kids, followed by bus 3 and 4. Oh, but what do you know when you walk them to the bus and they just decide to not listen, sprint acroos the yard, get on the wrong bus, follow their friends, etc. then somehow it's my fault they are on the wrong bus. Mind you there are "bus maids" sitting on the first seat of the bus who are supposed to look at the bus tags as the kids get on to make sure only kids that belong on that bus actually get on. Doesn't quite happen that way though, they have the sitting part down, but not the checking the tags part.

There are 3 little boys in one class who stand/walk on tables, play w/ the curtain cord, hit each other, run down the halls. My English in a mad voice/tone means nothing to them, they just laugh. The one puts his feet all over the table during lunch and today I just figured if they don't listen I am not going to spend all day wasting my time trying to teach children right from wrong when they have no idea what I'm saying. So hopefully they'll get tired of misbehaving or they'll get me a teacher who can communicate to them that they're are going to be consequences. Until then, I guess they'll enjoy beating each other up!! It probably sounds horrible, but really it was a good week, I feel much better about week 2!!

-Boy uses scissors to trim his hair...then points at his hair now on his kandora, smiles, and says "nice" Yaa! He remember the word "nice"-"not nice"!!!

-Boy is carried in by 2 bus maids. 1 holding both his feet. 1 holding both his arms. They then place him in a chair, race out of the room one trying to beat the other-slam the door, and I am left with a SCREAMING 1st grader for 2 continuous hours.

-Another 1st grade boy refused to come in any classrooms for 1 entire week. Held on to door knobs, layed on the floor, ran out of rooms, hit teachers....he was placed in my room...cried for 2 hours straight and didn't let go of his backpack. He has now successfully escaped 8 times!

- One child was jumping off of the table onto the ground and no matter what I did or said he just laughed at the attention I was giving him, but if I ignored him then others would join, lose, lose for me. So I decided to stick him outside the door thinking he wouldn't run away. I was right, he didn't run away. Instead he spit all over the glass door and smeared his hands in it and laughed.

-Mom is called to office for trying to bribe teachers and bus drivers. What? Yes! I would love the new Blackberry! Thanks! Hand out 5 blackberries to staff= $1800

-Teacher(not me, thank god!) is threaten by principal for using the printer too often! "I kill you!" ha 

-Teacher (not me, thank god!) is peed on by a student.

-And than I have one boy...... He has pulled so hard on the door handle trying to escape that he broke the whole door. I can't lock the little ones in now. ha He has threw multiple desk, screamed for hours on end. He ate all my pencil erasers, ripped all his classmates' name tags and pulled down every poster I managed to scavenge and hang. Did I mention he was taken out of the other LT's classroom when he hid in a drawer all day and wouldn't come out. Obviously, he needs some special help and all the other kids recognize this too. I thought I should mention this to my asst. principal when she came to take attendance one day. She said "deal with it". As she sat there, she got to see "boy" use a rainbow of markers to color his tongue and continuously lick the markers and then lick the desk. As she finished taking attendance, she called him over and left the room.She never did tell me where she took him. Well, he returned the next day and repeated his daily destroying activities. As I was gathering the supplies from the students at the end of the day, I see a little boy charge out of the room. Yup, he got away but busses were here and I had to line up the other 20. So, they quickly lined up-went to the buses- I reported to the principal " boy" had escaped. She says "Have you checked all your drawers?" YES! He ran out of the room. All cleaning ladies were put on search patrol. He showed up in the PE room behind the bleachers playing cars =) Joy! He will be back on Sunday!

And it's not just the kids in trouble...I have also been in trouble....

- I have been in trouble for chewing gum after the students are gone.

-I have been in trouble for drinking water in the classroom (sorry, I don't care what you say about this!)

-I have been in trouble for bringing my personal computer to class, which I use for a clock. I don't have a clock, hence.....


-I have been in trouble for putting 4 student computers in a quad grouping at one large table, instead of lining them up against the back wall. They like to see the teacher desk at the front, the students' desks in 4 large groups (they are just learning the concept of differentiation and are taking it serious-no differentiation for teachers' class set-up though!!)



Now for the weekend. Dinner and drinks here I come =)

School days

I survived my first week of school...and it was totally different than what happens in the states! Here there is no real set schedule, and things happen at their own pace. So, if a teacher isn't ready, no problem! If your class isn't set up....No problem!!! If you don't know how to read Arabic and hence don't know any of the students' names, no problem...If you don't have any supplies (pencils, paper, posters, scissors, ect), no problem.They say here...shway shway! Which means....whatever, no worries, one step at a time! They say this a little too often.

The first day was interesting. Many mothers(along with their nannies and other children) brought in their 1st grade child, then proceed to stay in class all day and chat with one another and talk on their cellphones. Arabic teachers would interrupt the class to tell me to come to the supply room and "leave kids, fine, fine". Random bells would rings constantly warning the women that a man has entered the building, allowing them to cover their face in time. This is very confusing when there is no schedule because everytime the bell would ring, you would see all 3 of us first grade LT's pop our head out the door to see if it was time for the next period. People (sometimes cleaning ladies, sometimes the secretary, sometimes parents, maybe the security guard) randomly show up at your class to take attendance. I have had over 20 students add and drop from my class this week.   Also, this entire week release time was different. Sunday we were to leave at 11:30, with Monday at 11:40, Tuesday 12:15, Wednesday 12:50, and Thursday 12:30. It can be so confusing! The other major difference is the independence of students. During lunch and recess there is no supervision!!! 1st-3rd (about 450 students) are free to roam!!!

The boys wear white kandooras and are quick to laugh, EXTREMELY high-energy and very physical. Every corner of the school is found with boys climbing shelves, clobbering friends, and pushing/shoving their way through the hallways.  Before, during, and after school I find lots of boys playing soccer, barefooted, in the open-aired cobblestoned courtyard.

The language barrier does prove to have its challenges but that alone comes with its rewards. As I learn new words and use them with the English words the kids are amazed that I would even know it! I have found a couple little darlings that are willing to help me say it in Arabic and even act as my interpreter! Words I tend to use frequently are usually the following....humum=toilet my=drink khallas=done-finished no =la yes =aiwa backpack=shanta sit down=edgalisee And there are many more but I will try not to fry your brain as well....My students are much better at learning a new language then I am..I'm so proud of everything they have already learned to say this week.

Gonna be a challenging but great year, with lots of surprises!

To be an elementary-school student here means ...
* homework is completed by your nanny.
* "workbook and pencil"are non-existent 
*free time" when teacher is absent or out of the room (no substitutes).
*Whatever room looks/sounds interesting, is the one that you pop into, at any given time .
*you come to school, leave school at any given time
*you only need to listen to the teacher or rules if you want to today.  They are OPTIONAL. 
*you only know the word "No"  ("la" in Arabic) if it's something you don't want to do.  Here, discipline sounds like a Christmas carol (la la lalalala.  30 students, 30 la's).

To be an LT here (expat TEACHER) means:
* sign in/out through fingerprint authentication.
*your creativity soars bc there are NO resources!!!
*you've become an actor bc of language barrier!!
*you don't get comfortable. you can be moved to a different school, grade, region, placement at ANY given time, without ANY prior warning.
*your Lesson plans are created according to your momentary student behavior.
*Grades? What is that?
*Computer? Internet? Huh?!
*"Do we have pullouts today?" ... "Enshallah" : maybe, maybe not
*"If you have BROWN hair & brown eyes, come to circle time ... WELL, OK, looks like we've got everybody.   
*You need to learn 2 names...Mohamed/ Mohammed/Mohamad/ Mohammadd/ Hamad and Abdulla/ Abdula/ Abdullah/ Abdllha/Abdu
*You come at 700am(when the students arrive) and you leave at dismissal with the students. If you don't get your work done at break...you don't get it done!

~~*ChAoS*~~

What a week! I moved out of my hotel on Monday and into my half unfurnished/half uncleaned apartment. I'm loving my new place. Still no internet. Still no tv. Still no bed. Still no gas. Fortunately, I have been too busy and too tired to care! I am having my curtains made tomorrow and my chandelier and bed are also being delivered-Inshallah =)I have realized that my couch is very uncomfortable to sleep on every night, especially with the city lights peering through the 12ft windows! Another obstacle was trying to figure out why I don't have HOT water...hmm..each room has it's own "hot water switch". This too was something new!

One accomplishment...I have all my appliances installed! I have come to notice though that it's extremely difficult to buy appliances in the UAE. For instance, I bought an alarm clock and unfortunately when I went to plug it in, I needed an adapter. So many appliances are shipped from foreign countries and the plugs are not changed. Same goes for my hair straighter and microwave! Inconvenient. I think so, but I am learning! But my house is feeling very homey and is looking more beautiful each day! Absolutely love it.


I had my first official week at school and now it is the weekend. I don't even know what to say....words can not explain it. Basically, 10 new LT's were assigned to Saad Bin Obadah Primary. All last year LT's left. One LT decided to transfer after the first day. The Arabic teacher keep saying "boys are very rowdy", "1st is the worst", "boys are cry, cry, cry..." and they keep mentioning...behaviors....Well, 1st is the worst, is the one that sticks in my mind now.The Arabic teachers all shake their heads when someone mentions grade 1..All week, we tried determining who would get placed there and hoping that it wouldn't be us. Most, if not all, the first graders come to school not knowing a word of English. They also have not been to any form of school before. So you can about imagine....The principal and all the LT's had a quick 20 minute meeting on Wednesday to discuss previous teaching experience. All I said is I taught 5th grade for 3 years hoping this would get me a higher grade and kids that knew a few English phrases...Well, you probably guessed it...I have been placed in FIRST!!!! The principal called us in the office 20 minutes after the meeting. She said "Andrea, you have grade 1/1 and 1/2 (2 groups of first graders), God help you, Inshallah!" Now, that should tell you something! Ugh. I spent the entire day pretty stressed. Well, I guess I'm still pretty stressed. To make it better- the entire week we sat in the lobby from 8am-12:30am doing absolutely nothing. I usually don't complain about not working, but we were not allowed to do anything in our rooms. They said to wait until school starts! So, as you see in the below pictures, my room looks the same for the 1st day of school. We had a meeting with the entire staff today. The principal talked completely in Arabic and a couple of the English speaking Arabic teachers translated what they wanted to. My teacher accidentally left out the part where we will dismiss school at 11am the first week of school=) I found that out on the ride home! ha

My class sign...Look! My name in Arabic! 

 

Today is the end of our work week. We work Sunday-Thursday. We are going to start at 7:10a and the kids leave at 1:10 and the teachers leave at 2:30. I have 2 more days of freedom! I'm going to check out the city of Al Ain tomorrow with my new co-worker/friend. Will post pictures later!

Last but not least....I got in my first car accident today. I was leaving the mall in a taxi, 2 minutes down the road I feel my face plaster to the front seat and smoke filling the car. There was a 3 car pile up. My taxi driver just said, "Get out, Get out!" Then he very calmly went to shake the hands of the other drivers in the accident and asked if they were ok. The cops came in about 20 seconds. The whole situation was very calm. Everyone was quiet, calm and collective! The cop offered to take me to the hospital in case I was hurt and then let me sit in his air conditioned car as they all talked. They hitched me another taxi and I was on my way....The rest of the day was a blast. Out to supper with 3 friends and some sheesha for dessert!

My little excursion today!

In all the chaos...I love this place. I would not change a thing. Be calm, there is nothing you can do! Be stress-free, there is nothing you can do to change it! Be happy, there is no reason not to be! This is Abu Dhabi!!!

Saan Bin Obadah

My School-Saan Bin Obadah...An all boys primary school

So, today was a blog-worthy day! It started at 8 am driving to Abu Dhabi Education Zone. There we were to pick up a simple letter with our school name. We(me and 5 other LT's) arrived at 8:30am, took a number-hmmm...467- and then waited as they were only on customer 63! After 10:30, I met up for the first time with Debbie, an American teacher at my school. We decided to try counter 10, a counter with no assigned customers. After 1 hour patiently waiting for the man doing 10 jobs at once, we got our letter (the normal line 3 hours later was at customer 239!) Debbie and I met up with another Saan Bin Obadah LT, Sally. Sally is formally from Vermilion (what are the chances I room with a Verm in Barrow and teach with a Verm in AD =)

Anyways, we grab a taxi and go on the search for our school. Sounds easy right? There are no address in AD, they use landmarks...However, there are no major landmarks in Bani Yas, which is a suburb. Two hours and 45 minutes later, after 3 taxi flag downs, 2 stops at other schools, a drink break, 500 roundabouts, 6000 speedbumps, a security guards directions in Arabic, simple English and several diagrams, we finally made it.

What it looks like being lost for 3 hours, poor Sadiq!

This is our lovely taxi driver, Sadiq,who was ever so patient and persistent on finding the place. When we arrived he threw his hands up and proclaimed "THANK GOD!". We were all so relieved after 3+ hours in a hot cab! Did I mention Sadiq drives 14hours a day, 7 days a week! Can you imagine? This is a very, very typical schedule for drivers....

So back to school...When we arrived we were kindly greeted by Taha, our school's security guard.He eagerly learned all our names...I think I will forever be "Andree"..He showed us the classrooms, offices, and teacher's work room..All I thought is "I'm not in Barrow anymore." I have no doubt I will love working with everyone here. It will definitely be challenging. Our classrooms are not stocked with books, manipulatives, colorful posters, or technology, but I look forward to being creative again. That is what I miss most about having such a standard curriculum. I will have to learn how to teach wihout my computer...On the other hand, I may break down and buy my own projector! Our class size my range for 18 to 30+. I will also be co-teaching with an Arabic teacher. We are supposed to co-plan lesson but sometimes he/she does not speak English and god knows I do not speak an ounce of Arabic! One more challenge for the books!

Well, the time was almost 6pm...we decided to head back to the city. Taha gave us each a cartoon of milk for the ride home and wished "peace upon you". Once again, I achieved getting 2 things accomplished in a matter of an entire day, getting one letter and locating one building! In the U.S. this would normally take 1-2 hours. I will not complain though, I was getting paid =) And so the best part, pictures...Enjoy my new school!

A classroom ready to be filled with students and decorated...

Commons area where we will meet for assembly every morning and where the students have recess.

I typically teach using my computer/projector...now I will have a mini tv and an old school computer...time to get creative!

The security desk at the front of the building....The security guard, Taha, is the only male in our school...Lucky guy =)

Every wall (instead and out) has murals!

Sally and Taha checking out the front office. I will be working with Sally, she is another South Dakotan.

Our building is one large square, two levels...this is the center

I better get to work!!!

Shway...Shway

There is a term here that EVERYONE USES......and it means....slowly, slowly or wait, wait.....

"Shway, shway". As an expat coming to the UAE you begin to use the term, and not fully realize what and why you say it. You hear it, you see the motion of it (using one hand pulling something thing out of the sky as if you have a piece of food in your finger tips) and you copy to fit in....

There is something about this culture that is different from the hustle of the states. Everyone here seems to be carefree, and lacks the stress that seems to follow everyone around...There is a reason behind this....

SHWAY....SHWAY.....

This is a major issue for a majority of the new teachers. They are truely used to the culture of the states where you can multitask and get a list of chores completed in a day.... Let me give you a run down of a typical day in the US....

Wake up at 6 am,  get ready for work, go to work.....and have a full 8 hr + day , on your way home you stop for gas, stop by the store for groceries,stop by the bank for a deposit, and head home. Now it's time to make dinner, do homework/ plan for the next day, get the nighttime routines in order,  and YOU collapse because your day was over worked and over tired!

WOW!! As an American we do alot in a day! BUT I am NOT complaining....this was just a simple obsevation! Here in the UAE....NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN!!

You would be lucky to get a few of those things done in one day....ACTUALLY you need a day to complete each task alone! Going to the bank....requires a whole day!!! Going to the store takes majority of your day.....depending on the time you go. And don't even plan to do both in the same day....NOT going to happen!

I am becoming accustomed to accomplishing one thing a day..I  have noticed that my stress levels are way down. I have to admit...it was VERY frustrating to me the first few times when I was trying to accomplish more than one task in a day and finding my self frustrated with the idea that a simple going to the store was very much like gong to Wal-mart the day after Thanksgiving. 

Ken and Barbie

Speaking of stores...I have went shopping every day since I first arrived. I will say, I usually love shopping, but it is a little overwhelming to shop for an entire house! Nevertheless, I am now a proud owner of my first ever washer/dryer combo. Yes! One machine! Throw your clothes in and walla...washed, dried and ready to wear. 

The best part of this purchase is it came with a free microwave. UAE is known for their special offers. My friend received a free vacuum when purchasing a fridge and a sandwich maker with her washer/dryer.

Today, was the start of Eid, which is the three day celebration that Ramadan is over. Much like Christmas. So, I'm seeing alot more Emeratis out and about. Today, has been different with an aire of celebration. There is music everywhere, food and drinks! Even my time at the pool was a new experience. Lots of music, poolside food and adult drinks, and even inflatable slides for the kids. It will be a change to be able to eat and drink during the day in public. After 2 1/2 weeks of not doing something....it is weird to suddenly be allowed to. But...don't you worry...it will not take me long to re-adjust. I can't wait to start carrying a bottle of water with me. Today the temperature was unbearable, the weatherman said it felt like 122! Let's just say, you step outside and you feel as though you just ran through the sprinkler! Instantly damp! And may I say one more thing, if you are nauseated easily by men's body odor....this is not the place for you! Ugh!   

My school (Bani Yas red/yellow dot)-My apartment (located close to the Al Nakheel airport). God help me! I'm going to have to get a vehicle! Dangerous!

To end on a happy note. I was assigned to an all boys school (a majority of the schools are segregated based on sex). I am teaching at SAAD EBNU OBADAH Primary School. However, this is likely to change within the first couple weeks of school depending on how many kids show up. We were told school will start the 11th of September. Aww...a couple more weeks of rest!

Good night!