From Novice To Master in 6 Weeks

~Let The Light In~

Salam! As-salām 'alaykum!

I am 6 weeks into this journey of discovery, and I feel as if I have had my head cut open and new knowledge has just poured in! It has been fast and furious. It has been exciting and scary (not in a safety scary way). It has been black and white (literally - there are Abayas and Dishdashas everywhere) to what I am accustomed to. Seeing a new way of life, a new way of living, a new lens on how society works has completely changed me already! I find myself constantly comparing the US to the UAE. I feel like I need to make a huge Venn Diagram on my wall just to document everything! There are many things that I miss from home...the ease of processes being one of the top issues. Even though we complain about jumping through hoops in America in order to get things done; that is NOTHING compared to getting something done around here! I definitely took that for granted. However, on the other hand, over here, people are much more accepting of other cultures and differences. Even though the Emirati people ask for respect for their way of life, they still have open arms and acceptance for all of us expats. I could go on and on with my list of similarities and differences, but I'll save that for another post! As for now...

TOP 10 THINGS I AM NOW A MASTER OF

1. Navigating a city with few street names and absolutely no addresses. We live in districts and use landmarks as reference points as to where the buildings are actually located – I’m in a brand new complex called Nail Saif opposite the big mosque in the construction area next to Al Muwaiji Village complex in Al Muwaiji District. Map skills have come in handy more than ever, too! Thank goodness for social studies in my formative years!

 Signs, signs, everywhere signs…

It is amazing how much I have become dependent upon visual literacy around here. They are quite interesting and make for a nice chuckle every now and again (I even have an exit sign inside my flat above my front door – it makes for a good nightlight, oh and guidance in case I can’t find my way out ;-)

This one for the bathroom is my favorite!

  

 2. Following the rules of roundabout traffic. Wait, what's a roundabout you might ask?! Basically, a great way to keep traffic flowing without the use of lights! Whoo hoo! But who knew the inside left lane had the right of way?! At first, this is a scary encounter. Cars do not stop. People honk nonstop if you do not know your place. You might go around and around a couple of times before you know how to exit properly (or have a chance to exit!) My best advice is to just "gun it!" Now, I actually prefer roundabouts, unless people are randomly stopped on the turn to meet up with another car – which does happen!

 

3. Simulating race-car-like driving. If you’re not speeding, centimeters from somebody’s bumper, hopping and parking on curbs and sidewalks, or driving through stop signs, you’re going to get honked at or lights flashed at like YOU ARE THE CRAZY ONE! Haha! There are seemingly no rules to driving, except for the fact that you can go 20 km/hr over the posted limit without getting a ticket, unless there is a sign saying there is a maximum speed (only on the major highways!) The maximum is 120 km/hr and cars have sensors in them that beep incessantly if you go over 120 even by 1. And you thought the seatbelt dinging was annoying…
 

Roads are monitored by camera and radar technology. There are no speed traps or cops just cruising the area waiting to give tickets. If you are speeding (more than 20 km/hr above the posted limit) or are on your phone while driving on the streets with cameras, you automatically get a ticket via sensor. You won’t know it though until you try and go set up or pay for a service somewhere! Who knows what my fines look like at this point! What an awesome advancement though! I’ll go ahead and mention here how I am now a master with the metric system! Ok, maybe not a master, but all those years of teaching science has definitely paid off in most instances when asked to apply metric knowledge! 

Wait, is there an app for that?! 

 

4. Learning how to differentiate students’ names that are very similar and constantly spelled differently. People here have anywhere from 3 to 5 family (a.k.a. last) names. Well, many of their first names are the same, so my girls are referred to by their first name and their first family name. However, some girls I have to go two last names deep with! I am always checking my official roster with my seating chart against the way they write their names on their papers, as they never match (they like to add in letters or go with their very last family name at times!) Also, they do not alphabetize the way we do...which can drive some teachers a little crazy ;-)

5. Reading from the right to left. I have now adjusted to writing the date "incorrectly" by American terms, and when I see a bell schedule or list of hotel rooms listed backwards, it actually makes sense to me! I also have to constantly flip books over because my girls have the tendency to want to write from the back to the front as they do in Arabic.

 

 

I am also amazed at how fluid non-English natives can switch back and forth when writing. I was at the bank yesterday, and the woman helping me was Emirati, and just watching her hand movements as she would write left to right in English for my W-9 form and then ever so smoothly switch to writing right to left in Arabic without hesitation just astounds me! I wish I had that ability! Soon, inshallah!

6. Choosing which toilet option is best for the occasion…pick one, any one!

As well as how to work the electrical outlets, heaters, and lights, oh my!


 

And I am slowly adjusting to the fact that having a dryer here is practically unheard of (but I will get one soon, inshallah!)

Also, all of the appliances here are much smaller than in the U.S., therefore, I do less laundry more frequently, and we can stock the fridge for just a few hundred dirhams, but it’s emptied pretty quickly with the kids around and the fact that there are no preservatives in the food, so spoilage happens at a faster rate.

Laundry, laundry, laundry all the time :-/

 Also, no hook-ups for dishwashers in most homes (including mine). It's old school style hand-washing all the way! I am marveled by the how advanced this culture is in some regards, but how primitive in other areas.

7. Reading body language and listening to tone of voice. When you are the minority in the crowd, watching and listening are the most important skills. I now know which girls are friends and which have issues without even knowing a word they are ever saying to each other! I also have come to appreciate this language in general because it really is so beautiful. I am in awe of my girls that sing the national anthem every morning at assembly. I feel so boring when I speak! There are so many different nationalities here that have interesting accents that are so much fun to listen to! I don’t even mind some of the Arabic radio stations as there is only 1 static prone English speaking station. I cannot post any pictures of my students, but here is my school. (Al Foaa, or sometimes spelled, Al Foah - depending on the sign and person!)

8. The absolute fundamental breakdown of both the English and Arabic languages. Wow! No two could ever be more different. I admire my students for how hard they try to write and spell English words. That task is probably incredibly daunting as I still can’t memorize how to write my name in Arabic! Oh, yes, we go by first names here! That took some getting used to for sure!

Every day the girls have difficulty naming simple objects due to the language barrier. We had a good laugh over the word "baggie" one day when I asked for them to bring some in. They had no idea what I was talking about! The word "paperclip" is another they couldn't comprehend without seeing it.
Each girl is on a different level of reading, writing, speaking, and listening to English; just as our Spanish speaking students in Texas. The sections (classes) are grouped by these abilities for differentiation purposes.

Sample from a higher student:

 Sample from a lower student:

9. Lying about having a husband back in the states that will soon be joining me. Apparently, being single here is a magnet for unwanted male attention, as well as women probing as to why you are not married. I even was told by an old camel trainer that I was a bad person for divorcing my husband :-/ Family and marriage is of utmost importance. Although many marriages are arranged; many are to family members (cousins); and men are allowed up to four wives?! So I can see why it might be looked down upon, or why I might be questioned about not having a husband, especially since I have children. I was forewarned about the men being quite abrasive, in which they are. It could be that they can actually see our (Westerners) faces and bodies! However, I do have to be firm (by using the phrase, "Haram" - an Arabic term meaning sinful or forbidden by Islamic law) and telling a little white lie about having a husband doesn’t hurt either!

P.S. I am now accepting applications for anyone interested in being my pseudo-husband for the month of October! I can photoshop your face where the guy in white is ;-)

10. Taking all of my struggles in stride and remembering that no matter how difficult this may be at the moment, when I look out my bedroom window, I am reminded that my life could be much worse. My heart goes out to all of the workers in this country. I live on a construction site and there are probably 50+ workers bussed here every day. However, some live on the construction site. They use a tank outside to shower with, wash their outfit and drink from. I am thankful this country employs so many workers, even though they do not earn hardly anything. It seems to be an unbalanced symbiotic relationship, but without the UAE willing to employ them, who knows what their lives or their families' lives back home would be like. There are workers absolutely everywhere! This country is spotless. I never pump gas; I never carry out groceries; I am not allowed to throw away my own trash in the food court at the mall; I am served water bottles on an actual silver platter at school and in the majority of establishments; I can have my house cleaned for next to nothing; there are security guards at the gates of every school and every building, not really for safety concerns, but rather for employment opportunities. I look around and see a country of extremes. You are either Emirati or you are not. You are either extremely rich or you are not. Your family name determines everything. When looking at cultural anthropology, this is a culture of honor and shame, not guilt and innocence like America. Everything is viewed through that lens. It changes the dynamics of everything known to a Westerner. It is so important to have cultural awareness and understanding in order to lead a fulfilling life embedded within that society.

   

And one to grow on…
 

Patience…with everything! I always thought of myself as a patient person, but this is a true test. I have my moments of utter breakdown. I have my moments of frustration and tears. I have my moments of anger. I have my moments of wanting to come back home. I have my moments of loneliness. BUT we made it here, and I have experienced moments of joy, happiness, gratefulness, and peace of mind. Taking it one day at a time is key. I am fascinated by how the Emirati culture functions. Processes are long and messy (this is where patience comes in). Napping and praying are of necessity for the people - they even close businesses in the middle of the day to honor these acts. Everything is ‘Inshallah’/'Insha'Allah' – "God willing" or "if Allah wills," and I mean absolutely everything! So, I must choose to embrace my decision to become a resident, with faith that we will come out in the end more wise, more aware, more sensitive, and more changed...inshallah ;-)

Aa'a as-salāmah!

"Without Courage Your Life Will Never Change" ~Me

'Adventures in Sandland' or 'The Sandbox Diaries'...That is the Question!

Change is upon us! I have decided to follow my own motto...

Prepare to have your mind blown! Check it out:

Arabian nights, like Arabian days

More often than not

Are hotter than hot

In a lot of good ways

Just call me Princess Jasmine from now on ;-)

TIP: As you read through this blog, all of the bolded GREEN words are links to more information! Learn with me!

I'm sure some of you are still wondering, WHY?!

I don't expect everyone to understand, but I do agree with this man's 12 Reasons to Take Your Kids Around The World, plus I have a personal passion to explore what this world has to offer while I am still young! I have so much to learn and can't wait to see where this one decision takes us! Over the course of my life, I have realized and do not take for granted the fact that I am the only one that can change how I live. I have had a dream to travel for a very long time, and now I found a way to make it happen! Make the most of your existence! Do what you love! Create your future! Become your dream and do something memorable! The longer you wait for it to change on its own, the less time you will have to enjoy it! Remember that... 

To learn more about the company and how I went about this process, check out the TEACHAWAY website. Also, here is the ADEC website (my new employer) to read more about the initiatives they are implementing region-wide.

Wait, WHERE in the world is this place, you ask?!

Don't worry, it is not a part of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, or Iran! I know that when the words "Middle East" are mentioned here in the states, there is an immediate negative connotation and reaction. I have never been one to generalize or stereotype people, and I hope you are the same. Usually, people are not knowledgeable about specific areas of the world, and having that knowledge makes all the difference! Open your mind and take a moment to learn more about the UAE HERE!

So, WHAT is there to do in the UAE?!
(Besides enrich and enlighten the lives of my future students, of course...)

Check out this GUIDE! These pictures give a sneak peek as well!

Abu Dhabi City



Yas Waterworld 

Ferrari World 

Home of the world's fastest roller coaster at 149 mph!!! Check out this out!

Beach Life

Sand Fun

I cannot wait to SAND BOARD and camp out in the desert!

Camel Racing

Beautiful Mosques

Shopping (the national pastime)

Amazing Gardens

Dubai

WHAT should this adventure be called?!

I would like you to participate in my poll! I need to title this experience something fun and witty so that I can document what happens and keep you all in the loop! It will be a vicarious experience for you to say the least! I plan on maximizing our stay there, and I want you all to be a part of it so that the long distance between us does not feel as such. There is a 9 hour time difference, so contacting via skype or calling will be tricky dependent upon schedules, of course! The work week over there is Sunday through Thursday, so Friday and Saturday will probably be peak times for posting and chatting.

To have a voice in the poll, click HERE!

Because this is a HUGE adventure that is life-changing, many variables are at play. I have a lot of decisions to make...and a lot of furniture, appliances, and decor to sell! Please let me know if you are looking for or needing anything, and I will make you a deal! It is time to clean house!

HOW can you help?!

You play a crucial part in helping Canyon, Autumn, and Parker fully embrace the experience and grow in new ways. Their education is of utmost importance to me.

Check out my FUNDRAISER to help my children go to a private international school!

This new adventure means so much to us, and we are thankful for our family and friends' positivity and support!

BONUS - Now you have an exotic place to vacay! You're welcome ;-)

LOVE TO YOU ALL!

XOXO

"Without Courage Your Life Will Never Change" ~Me

From this point forward: As the name of this blog implies, only POSITIVE comments and encouragement welcome. Thank you :-)

Ready...Set...Go!

Chaos it has been...

The beginning to this school year has been one of the busiest yet! I could write all day long about the seriously growing list of things seriously going wrong, or seriously needing to be taken care of, but I just can't bring myself to do that. It is a difficult task to push out the bad and only focus on the good. I try real hard no doubt! The stressors of life weigh on everyone and there are definitely peak times. I am in the midst of a peak time right now. Seriously.

However, because I appropriately titled this blog that I have neglected for over a year now, "Positive Chaos," positive I will be! My mom is coming to town tomorrow, and I'm very glad about this. She helps calm me when I have a lot going on and my head is spinning. Plus, it forces me to slow down. I tend to get a little caught up in work, grad school, things the kids are and/or are not doing, or keeping my cleaning neurosis under control! I saw her back in June for a couple of weeks, so it hasn't been too long, but long enough! We have been relieved with news that the tumor on her liver is not cancerous! Yay! Unfortunately, she is "on hold" as far as her liver transplant is concerned. Ever since she had hip replacement surgery last fall, she has had to be on antibiotics for a nasty staph infection she got while in recovery. The rules of actually getting a new liver are, 1. be on your deathbed (must have a score of 18 on their crazy scale - mom is at 10.) 2. cannot be on any kind of antibiotics for any reason. This is a double-edge sword. We are so happy her waiting list score is staying fairly low because that means she's not getting worse, but on the other hand, she doesn't feel good at all...so sometimes I find myself wishing she would get more sick so we can just get the transplant over with! That sounds horrible to write, but seeing her in pain is worse, I think, but wait, more pain is necessary to get worse in order to get better?! What a paradox! Over the course of the years, her score has fluctuated a few points higher and then went back down when she stopped working. I am thankful her doctors forced that upon her however many years ago that was now! Regardless of her score, and her pain, I am so grateful she is still in our lives and is able to come see me!!! Autumn wants to take her to eat at The Cheesecake Factory (yes, please!) and I am due up for brunch at Chez Zee! All I can think about is going out to eat when she comes to town! I love food :-)

 

Onto the subject of poopies! Oh, I mean puppies ;-) Man, those little boogers are the cutest things ever, but they are driving me insane! I chuckle when I type that because it is so true. In order to keep this section positive, I will say they have tested my patience and I am winning! In your face poopies! They are still alive (8 weeks and counting)...and pooping (not to mention diahrrea)...and chewing everything (eating drywall is one of their favorite past-times)...and peeing (on my curtains no less)...and being the most adorable babies ever! I can overlook some of this relentless chaos due to that fact. I have bought all sorts of cleaning supplies (which makes me happy) and right now the house smells ok, I think?! A mist of febreeze and carpet powder may choke someone out the minute they walk in, but by golly, you can't smell what I smelled this morning! Oh, Crockett and Ellie, how was our life ever fulfilled before you came along?!

 

So I have been really trying to find my way lately. In life, that is. We all know our paths change as often as we let them, and I am at a crossroads. Walking in the right direction is easy when you know which foot to put in front of the other! My feet are side-by-side, and I don't know which foot to lead with at the moment. I feel a change is needed, and I feel ready, but I can't see anything clearly yet. Throughout the course of my life, opportunities have appeared when I get to this point. It always happens. I start to get a little stir deep down in my gut and it starts to fill my head with ideas of new ventures...then I wait. At the last minute something unexpected will happen and there I go! Courage prevails! Life changes. I know it's coming. My head is spinning as of late, and overall, my drive and passion is evolving in more ways and directions than one. I love that concept. Evolution. I watch it happen almost daily in my own children, in the teachers I coach, and most definitely within myself. Right now I am feeling like something bigger than what my life offers now is about to happen. I sure hope I'm right! Haha! I had this feeling right before I packed up the kids and moved 500 miles from home over 7 years ago, when I switched school districts, when I accepted this job a couple of years ago, and most recently, working on my Masters. I'm due up! It may not even be job related, but possibly? I don't know yet. I have other dreams of what I think my life should look like (picture a beach, hot cabana boy, no work, and a large pina colada ;-) What I do know is that I am meant for something bigger. Sometimes I wonder if I need to get out and speak, form a support group, or start a youtube channel of advice...or something along those lines. My experience with certain life events must be of benefit to someone. Maybe? I love to present. I love to help. I love to see people take charge of their lives. I love being a part of something monumental. I love seeing success in others. I love motivating and encouraging. I just can't narrow down what I could base any of this around. The street signs in my head have about 5 or 6 arrows on them all pointing different directions. When I can organize these thoughts and actually focus on one at a time, that's when I'll be ready for something like that. Until then, I will keep on truckin'!                      

    

P.S.

 

 



 "Without Courage Your Life Will Never Change" ~Me

Where did all the good people go?

Thank you for that song Jack Johnson. I couldn't ask a better question.

Sitting here thinking about my choices in life. Why I did things I did, how I have treated people in the past and in the present, how my moral compass compares to others, and how often I am shocked by the decisions and actions of the human mass. Society has changed so much so quickly. Things that were once not appropriate for t.v. are now shown in commericals, on kid's channels, movies, billboards and especially on the internet. It is so easy to corrupt young minds. Innocence lost earlier and earlier. The more I learn about people, the more I realize about myself.

Striving to be a good person has always been an innate behavior for me. I do not understand many people's lack of commitment, lack of feeling, lack of meaning in their lives and actions. Girls taking their clothes off for anybody who asks or posting provocative photos for the world to see, guys addicted to porn and only wanting to date girls for what they look like or what they are willing to do, children being exposed to ferocious violence in almost everything they see. My very core shakes when I watch anything negative...killing, hurting, fighting, raping, bullying, cheating, lying. I am baffled that so many are not bothered by any of this, but instead encourage it and promote it. These themes are so prevalent in so many movies right now. People cheering for suicide when a man is on a ledge, kids chasing and stabbing other kids all for a game, people setting others up for a sacrifical death, on and on...I watch this stuff and wonder how people thought of these disturbing things to even write about! I used to watch all of the crime shows, NCIS, CSI, Numbers, Criminal Minds, you name it, I watched it. I was, and still am, fascinated by the science and thought behind figuring out the crimes, but also disgusted and horrified by the acts of crime the writers created! I immediately figure they are completely screwed up individuals themselves!

I am around kids pretty much all the time. I see the pureness and how they respond to their environments. It's no wonder so many studies have been done over violent video games vs prison numbers. Now, I do not shelter my own kids, but as time goes on and more and more becomes "acceptable" for children to be exposed to, the more I am thinking about locking this house down! lol My boys are extremely guilty for picking up language and inappropriate gestures from media sources. I fight that battle daily! The internet is the sole cause of Canyon's vast inquiry of various societal laws, rituals of civilizations, worldwide epidemics, slave trades, teen sex changes, inappropriate music videos and song lyrics, government conspiracy theories, political platforms, and more. That child, at age 12, has learned more than I probably ever will about any of those topics! Information is a click away...bad information included. Teaching kids not to believe everything they see and hear is a tricky job, and of course, youtube videos don't help! Kids are completely mesmerized by the wealth of crazies out there. It's those crazies influencing them probably moreso than their family (that is if their family is a healthy and functioning unit). That is a scary thought. Anybody can post anything on the net and unfortunately, blocking kids from all the garbage takes immense dedication and tons of effort. And blocking adults, ha, well that is obviously impossible, but also soooo needed. With the amount of teen solicitation and sexual predators out there, oh, it just makes my stomach turn. Where are morals? Where is the sense of right and wrong? Lost in the abyss of space I suppose. Addictions are fed by the plethora of opportunities to fulfill them.

I guess the best thing to teach anyone about life is the Golden Rule. People are so mean and cruel out there. Putting yourself in others' shoes is a powerful tactic. Really taking the time to think if you would want certain things inflicted upon yourself and then deciding if it is worth it to follow through with your actions or words. I wish more people could do this. I wish we, as parents, didn't have to teach our children that the world has a lot of bad in it. There is good out there! It is so rare to find though and that is heartbreaking. Modeling good behavior tops the list as well. We must show others, not just kids, that not all of us out there want to see others hurt, or put our lustful desires out there for the world to see. Everybody wants to be wanted, needed and loved, but it must come in a healthy manner. Teaching little girls to love themselves and give them the security they need to grow up in order to seek out and find healthy relationships instead of trying to mimic the negative behaviors of celebrities they learn from in order to get attention from a guy. It is a huge problem amongst any age group.

I want to encourage everyone to be one of the good people! It shouldn't be that those are rare, but rather plentiful. We need to rebuild our ways of thinking and living to help those in need, to reach out to those who hurt, to put others before ourselves, to inspire others, to hold our minds and bodies in high regard, to uphold our word, to be faithful and most importantly, just to make heartfelt decisions. Reap those positive rewards you sow!

"Without Courage Your Life Will Never Change" ~Me