Teaching in Abu Dhabi...

Teaching in Abu Dhabi...

Even when they said, “prepare yourself”, I really couldn’t understand how different teaching is here. Only when you arrive in your classroom and begin interacting with your students and faculty members can you begin to scratch the surface of what it’s like to teach here. First off, it’s been very positive for me so far. Comparing myself to others from my group I have been extremely lucky when it comes to settling in my school. Let’s start at the beginning…

The schools here are set up so that each school is based on a ‘cycle’. I am in the KG cycle. In my school, there are only KG1 and KG2 classes (JK and SK for those of you reading this in Canada). The school is set up in a circle, leading in from the main hallway. If you go to the left, you are in the KG1 hallway. To the right, you are in the KG 2 hallway. In the center is our main play area where all children are able to go to on break. The resources that this particular school has are amazing…back home, I taught in the HCDSB, one of the most progressive boards in Ontario…here, the standards are even higher. Not only are the classes stocked with amazing resources (ie LCD projectors above every white board in each class, art material cupboards full in each class), the gym is well supplied, the school has an amazing play area full of costumes, pretend food/houses, the library is well supplied with bright and colourful materials for this age…and should you need anything, we are likely to get it if we only ask. I am in the KG1 cycle, knowing that next year, I will likely have the same children as they progress to KG2, and if I should stay, I would start again in KG1 for my next cohort.

The rest of the cycles are 1, 2, and 3 (much like our primary, junior and intermediate/senior). Each cycle has their own school in their area. I have to do some research into what the birth rate is in each area as there are no shortages of children, babies, women expecting, and busy children’s stores and departments in every mall.

As I mentioned, I’ve been extremely lucky. In my classroom, I have a beautiful and talented Arabic teacher who teaches the children Arabic and Islamic studies and is with me most of the time. I am starting to face difficulty when I am alone with the kids doing Jolly Phonics and various science and gross motor activities, but we just started behaviour tracking, and I believe it can only get better. I have to get used to names like Mohammed, Katija, and Rashid. They are not too difficult, but they are still 3.5-4year olds. The behaviour in this age group is universal! In addition to my Arabic teacher, there is an English teacher next store that has been doing English studies with my class AND her class during my absence while I was waiting for my plane ticket. What’s very special about her is that she was born here, but focussed her training in English. She is considered an EMT like me (English Medium Teacher), but she is also fluent in Arabic…a true asset to me and our school. Going into the classroom, therefore, has been a good transition so far as the routines have been set in place, and most diagnostic assessments have been complete.

The staff at the school are incredible. My Arabic and English colleagues have been incredibly welcoming. We plan together as a team and share ideas within our expected working hours. Most of our Arabic teachers for from the area. The English teachers are from all over the world. I have to giggle when I hear the children beginning to converse in English…each classroom is picking up the accent from their English Medium Teacher. You can hear the southern drawl of my colleagues from the south US, the cheerful Irish step, and the Canadian (eh?) every now and again.

Other teachers that I have arrived with aren’t so lucky. The teachers in the higher grades have to deal with students that have not have teachers for 5 weeks, so in the meanwhile, they’ve treated some of their time as ‘spares’ and now all of a sudden have to sit in a class, continue their English learning, and have to listen to a foreign teacher. That’s one of the unfortunate realities. We are just ending our third full week.

For the first time, in a long time, I’ve felt that have little idea what I am doing in the classroom. The planning process and assessment protocols are strict and lengthy, but standardized and relatively easy to follow once you start going. I look forward to going to school again. Although it’s the end of October, you will find me beginning my day by parking my car, waving to our great security guard, and shaking the sand out of my sandals before I step into a highly air conditioned environment. My code is entered, my finger print is scanned, and I join the ladies for sweet Arabic tea before heading to the halls and welcoming the children to a brand new day.

When you come alone, you create family...

I didn’t come here with any friends…so I took part in creating a family. I’ve never been one to get into a car with a stranger, but that is part of the expat culture here. I haven’t been able to rent a car yet, and a fellow teacher offered me a ride. I had never met her before, but I think that I was ‘supposed to’. We only knew each other for about 15 minutes…the time it took to drive from one of the buildings in the Ministries complex to my hotel downtown, but she was one of the most down to earth people I’ve met yet. She came to this country with her husband and 2 month old child. She asked me if I had come with any friends. I said no. She said, “Girl, you may have come alone, but you’re going to create family. It’s what people do.”

There is something to be said about individuals who travel far away from family, and everything familiar to begin anew.  Today I saw a heartbroken father compare his military experience with his comrades to our experience here as expatriate teachers. I never thought of the similarities before, but he’s right. He and his family have given me more then they’ll ever know tonight.

Tonight’s experience wasn’t one that I was counting on having. It was unexpected, unforgettable, and truly human. Many of you know that I have waited longer than I thought I would to come over here. We came over in groups of different sizes. I am part of ‘group 5’. We have always been friendly with each other; no matter who you may be…and tonight seemed to solidify many connections among us. There are different situations here. There are many like myself who have left their world behind and have ventured on their own. Others have come with their spouse. Some have come with a child or two. Some have come with a spouse and children. No matter how you’ve come and who you have come with, we are all in this together. We need each other, and we have become family. If I had to go through that waiting just to be part of this group, then I would do that again.

Tonight I was invited to a memorial service for a bright young man who had his whole life still ahead of him. Within our group are his mother, father, and sister. Tonight, this family remembered him as he passed away a year ago today. A section of our rooftop pool area was transformed into a reverent area full of prayer and hope. The area was dimly lit by dusk and the streetlights below. Sounds of chatter, and Eric Clapton’s “Heaven” filled my mind. They showed pictures on digital slideshows, full of love only a family can show. There were memories full of smiles, laughter, embarrassing moments, and family milestones. None of the rest of us knew their son, but we wish we had. Earth is truly missing an angel. The young man, so handsome, exuberant, and full of life left an aching gap in his family. I questioned why God would have called him home. Sharing one of his favourite passages, one of our fellow expatriates got up and shared comforting words for the family, something the he had also shared at his father’s funeral:

“The present life of man upon earth, O King, seems to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us like the swift flight of a sparrow through the mead-hall where you sit at supper in winter, with your Ealdormen and thanes, while the fire blazes in the midst and the hall is warmed, but the wintry storms of rain or snow are raging abroad. The sparrow, flying in at one door and immediately out at another, whilst he is within, is safe from the wintry tempest, but after a short space of fair weather, he immediately vanishes out of your sight, passing from winter to winter again. So this life of man appears for a little while, but of what is to follow or what went before we know nothing at all.”

St. Bede
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/579958-the-present-life-of-man-upon-earth-o-king-seems

Candles were passed around and lit. Feeling the heat and seeing the light in my hand from the flame, I was reminded of comfort, warmth, home, and the life that we are given here on Earth. We have the responsibility to do whatever we can to bring joy to ourselves and others. It is gone too quickly.

I was surprised I was able to get the nerve to speak after a few others:

“When driving home the other day, a woman I just met asked me if I came with any friends. I said no. She told me that I was going to create family; it’s what we do here. We are all here for your family, and thank you for allowing us to be part of yours today.”

I wish I could have done or said more, we all did. The young man’s father addressed the small crowd, thanked us, and let us know that they would be preparing the balloons to be set off for the memory of their son. People started to chat, and I made sure I spoke with our friend who gave the reading from earlier to pass it along…I had to share it with all of you at home tonight.

I had a lovely interruption of a young girl who is a daughter of one of our other teachers. She is the brightest and sweetest three-year old you would ever meet. We played briefly together, she taught me some ballet skills. We were shortly called to attention for the balloon release. There were 5 balloons in total. Four blue(blue was their son’s favourite colour), one white, all with messages from us and the family. One by one they were released, each gracing the sky with its own little dance, as if showing us a unique message with each one from the loved one lost. The little girl, still near me as they danced into the sky, I was reminded of new life. Pain of losing a loved one never really goes away. It changes as time goes on, yes, but it never truly leaves you. With patience, courage, and the grace of God, loved ones can come into our lives as well and even help you to strengthen memories of loved ones past. Yes, I may have come alone, but I just extended my family. 

so, what is life like in Abu Dhabi?

Life in Abu Dhabi

Imagine for a moment that you were the ruler in a small area of the Middle East. It was a small and quaint fishing village against the shore of the Arabian Sea, with vast desert land to the south. There were no paved roads and culture was very traditional of the Bedouins. Society was very conservative, following the Islam faith. The people were friendly and welcoming. One day, one of your trusted advisors comes to you, and tells you that your small ‘kingdom’ has found oil under the sands. Money was no longer an object to your people. What would you do?

The opportunity to move to Abu Dhabi this year made a lot of financial sense. This country had recruiters fly all over the world selecting teachers that they thought would be suitable for their education reform. The kingdom mentioned above belonged to Sheik Zayed, founding father of Abu Dhabi. Before he went and had everything paved in gold, he realized at one point, the oil was going to stop flowing. He decided to make one of the best nations in the world, and help amalgamate other Emirates, making the 7 nations of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With careful planning, the money is continuing to be used to strengthen the education system among many other sectors, particularly tourism, to help ensure a cash-flow after the oil runs dry. The Sheik, now passed on, is the reason for the opportunity that was presented to me. I can’t thank him in person, but I can do the best I can to the students I receive.

Life here in Abu Dhabi is definitely different. Nothing is the same, so it is hard for me to compare it to someone who has not set foot outside of North America. Those of you who are from Europe, or have at least visited there, have more of a background to the foundations of the UAE. The malls are open late, traffic is always a nuisance in the city, and the heat can be so hot that when you get into your car, any jewelry on your fingers and hands can burn your skin. Certain measurements are different. Luckily, here in Abu Dhabi, they follow the metric system. The highways have limits, but they change. Sometimes the limit is 80 km/hr, sometimes it’s 100 km/hr…at other times, it is 140 km/hr! All the signs are posted. One measurement that struck me as odd was the colour of the flag on the beach. Of course only noticing it when I got out, the flag was red. I was a little embarrassed…how could I get into the sea while on red? Wait….I looked back at the water and realized that there were no waves. I was in no danger. If the red had anything to do with pollutants…surely someone would have gotten me out, or the hotel would have closed access…right? The red was not measuring waves nor pollutants. When I asked a life guard, he explained that the red meant the CLARITY of the water. He also mentioned that it may irritate skin. Hmmph…something new everyday, right?

The society of course is different, but I can really appreciate it. Conservative dress, sex only within marriage, and respect is the norm rather than the exception. The largest misconception I believe is the dress of women. There really is beauty in it. The curves of the body, hair, and face are all considered aspects of beauty. Women go out with these covered so that no other man besides her husband knows about the secrets that lay underneath. When she is alone with her girlfriends, she can remove the coverings. The aspect of them being black seems oppressive as well. But consider this…most women in the Emirate are mothers. Black hides most stains AND makes you look slimmer. And believe me, the material isn’t heavy. I’m not required to wear one, but at my school, most English teachers wear the abaya, and some even a headscarf, so I am happy to comply with the norm…it’s easy to dress…you can wear what you want underneath J

The UAE has come to prove to me that this is definitely an area of the world that needs to be experienced by the Westerner to fully appreciate all it has to offer. Like the Emirati, I am proud every time I see a picture (and there are many of them!) of the late Sheik Zayed. So…when are you booking your tickets?

a bit of reality set in...

The reality of being so far away from home is starting to set in. Before I left home, I thought that this would be rampant with negative emotions, but so far it’s still full of wonder and discovery. Tears came to my eyes the other day, but not in a way that I expected.

Thank -you to those who have viewed the pictures and videos, and possibly made comments about the desert safari we took. It really was an eye-opening experience. Even my friend who got motion sickness while bashing the dunes regrets nothing! I think many back home have gone from “Why would Cara want to go all the way to the Middle East?” to “Ok, I get it…when can I go?” It was actually during this great experience that tears came.

During my teenage years, I grew up in Dundas with my mom, brother, and stepfather, Keith. It was a typical set up of suburbia. I wasn’t too thrilled to leave my friends from the east end of Hamilton during the end of my grade 7 year, to a town that seemed out of the way and had access to little. I wouldn’t say that I was a rebellious teen by any means, but I did have my moments when my parents (particularly Keith in this case) would drive me mad in trying to put new experiences in front of me “for my own good” he would say, “you never know when you’ll travel to Morocco one day, so eat the Moroccan soup I made.” At the time I would roll my eyes and nitpick at my meals, wondering why we couldn’t just order pizza or go out to the Collins or something.

Nearing the end of high school, I was able to travel to the Dominican Republic with my peers to help build a teacher’s home and classroom in a small village just outside of Ocoa on the Southern side of the interior mountains. The experience undoubtedly opened my eyes to a new culture and I started to think that Keith may have been onto something after all. At this point, the experience was great, but leaving home for an extended period of time (ie more than a week) was just not an option…I was a Hamilton girl at heart and never wanted to be too far away. Well, you know how that has turned out so far!

The desert safari the other day ended with the belly dancing. We really didn’t know what to expect. Were we going to be belly dancing? Were we going to be entertained? What was going to happen? When the music started to blare out of the speakers, and a beautiful woman appeared, it dawned on me more than ever just how far away from home I was. This was not something I would see at home and had only seen in the movies. This to me was part of what Keith meant by the new experiences we should always have, travel the world, be your own boss… Although it has been almost 10 years since his passing, I felt closer to him that night than ever. The music ended, bellies were full, the lights were darkened, and we laid there looking at the stars. The stars appeared brighter than ever. I didn't mean to well up, but while feeling so small while looking out at the universe, I felt that I have come such a long way and have to keep going, keep striving for more. Does this make sense? It was as if I was looking at the stars as goals to shoot for. I like bright and pretty things, I want to be up there with them! One by one the lights came on, we sat up and started to collect ourselves. I found myself asking a question I often do, “what would Keith say in all of this?”