Several adventurous friends decided to take a trip to the desert – Arab style – in new SUVs! We departed Al Ain in the afternoon, but four members ditched the trip before we arrived in the desert. They were afraid to be in the car with a crazy driver??? Ha!
We drove to an area known as Margham, which is 30 km south of Dubai, and then we proceeded to have an exciting dune drive!!! Oh my, my … it’s not for the faint of heart! After the exhilaration of riding a sand roller coaster, we reached our first destination, a camel farm located somewhere in the middle of the desert. Camels are so sweet and sooooo cute! Afterwards, we continued to drive or should I say sail across the desert. Imagine 100 or so SUVs atop sand dunes and sliding literally down the side. We stopped to watch the beautiful sunset over the desert before reaching our campsite where we had the opportunity to have a camel ride and try out a henna design on our hands or feet. We enjoyed a delicious barbecue dinner and shisha (the famous Arabic water pipe which I love!). The evening came to an end as we watched a belly dancer perform her show around the campfire by starlight.
If you ever visit the Middle East- this is a MUST DO
Our first field trip for the Al Taqwa Kindergarten students was to the Al Ain Palace Museum, which is the former birthplace and private residence of Sheikh Zayed, the late president who is recognized as the founding leader of the UAE. Sheikh Zayed had the foresight to propose and support the education initiative that is presently being implemented by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (my employer).
The Palace museum is a majestic fort which lies in the center of town at the edge of the Al Ain Oasis. It is a beautiful place to take a quiet walk and explore the gardens, courtyards, long corridors, gorgeous carved wood windows, paintings and photographs of former leaders and historic Al Ain.
The students enjoyed seeing the “old” kitchen and the many rooms which were decorated historically as a tribute to their culture. I enjoyed visiting with the guards <wink>.
I was so proud of my daughter, Lauren, when she walked in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk in October 2010. Three thousand very brave women and men committed to walk 60 miles in three days through Atlanta to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. What an accomplishment for Lauren and her friend, Holly. I was there in spirit! As she said, “this event changed me as a person, as a woman… I will never be the same!”
Look through the pictures below and see those sweet shoes, cute little bones, and that wonderful daughter of mine!
Unfortunately, I had to miss the Atlanta Walk due to my move to the UAE. When I became aware of Dubai’s Pink Walkathon for Breast Cancer Awareness, which is held yearly in late October and sponsored by Burjuman (one of Dubai’s mall conglomerates), my friend Kate (from New Zealand) and I committed to walk the 3.8 km. The Sheikh from Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates, died on October 27th so the event was postponed to November 7th. We got up very early that morning and drove to Dubai, which is only 120 km from our home.
What a glorious event! I shared the streets of Dubai with 8,000 people living in/around the UAE, who came together for one cause. Our walk began and we were directly behind these students. Their 3-minute Facebook video says it all …
My pictures do not give justice to the exciting event (last row above). Like my Lauren, I experienced many different emotions throughout the walk … exhilaration to be among so many people dedicated to one cause, the joy of seeing a concerted effort, but, most importantly, the knowledge that this journey was a “life changing” experience. Maybe this is the year that YOU dedicate your time to a worthy cause …
My first home in the UAE was the Beach Rotana Hotel on the island of Abu Dhabi. While the 19 days passed very quickly, the memories made with new friends were everlasting. My first night in Abu Dhabi was spent at a sports bar making friends who came from places like New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Scotland, and England. They turned me on to the game of rugby– a real man’s game! The All Blacks (New Zealand) won the game in the final 60 seconds! WOW!
After a short stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Abu Dhabi, I moved to Al Ain and into the Hilton Hotel. I thought I would be there for a short period of time. Living out of a suitcase is a real pain; however, I endured the eight weeks and even got used to having my bed made every day. I don’t ever wish to do “tub laundry” again!
Life in a hotel is made easier by the weekly parties– fashion show at the pool, DJ Stu McGee, Jeep/Mercedes hosted happy hour, etc. — you get the picture. We, being of sound mind and void of a liquor license (needed to purchase alcohol in the UAE), partook in the celebration at most of the events. My new friends promised to delete any/all pictures from their cameras which were not flattering. There’s this thing about promises …
Finally, I received my housing allowance on November 1 and moved to the Hili Residential Complex. I have a fifth floor flat with a lounge, two bedrooms, nannie’s room, spacious foyer, and two and one-half baths. The view overlooks the hills of Oman. Our complex is located adjacent to the Oman border at the Hili Border Post (see picture below). Fortunately, the allowance allowed me to purchase nice furnishings, and I plan to find local artist’s work to accessorize. You know me– I must have comfortable surroundings, so I spent every penny of the 20,000 dirhems. Some of my friends decided to bank the money and live “dorm-like.” Either way, we have a nice, comfortable place in which to live, all paid for by our employer.
Before pics:
After pics, including some historical sites (archaeological park, oasis), that show my Hili home:
There is an overused word in the UAE and the Middle East- “Inshallah”, which has many meanings. The word can mean any one of the following variations: If Allah (God) wills; When Allah (God) wills; If Allah (God) wishes; you get the picture. So I was blessed that God willed my school placement to be Al Taqwa KG! I absolutely love the children, the principal, the teachers, and the support staff!
Quoting from the school improvement plan (that I wrote), “Al Taqwa Kindergarten, a school governed by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), is located in Al Yahar in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The school is comprised of twelve kindergarten classrooms, seven KG2 and five KG1. Built in 1990, the school houses 200 students comfortably. Enrollment in the kindergarten program for this school year is approximately 306 students. Based on gender, 156 students are girls and 150 students are boys. Due to excessive enrollment and limited space options, there are 86 students on a waiting list.” The school logo, pictured on the outside of the building, speaks volumes ..
The school administration is the responsibility of Noura Barack Aldhahri, the acting Principal, and one Head of Faculty — yours truly! Our primary goal as school administrators is to implement ADEC’s New School Model. This model- patterned after New South Wales (Australia) ideologies- is well researched and should bring about great changes in the education system because the curriculum/outcomes are based on sound pedagogy, to include higher order and critical thinking, and methodologies focused on student-centered engagement.
There are seven Licensed Teachers and twelve Arabic teachers on staff to teach the students to become biliterate- not just bilingual but readers, speakers, and communicators in two languages, Arabic and English. This is a first day of school picture– look closely I’m in back row.
If this large-scale social experiment works, the UAE will produce some of the highest-quality, globally prepared workers by 2030. Here are a few pictures of the future world leaders from Al Taqwa KG …
To think … I arrived on the ground floor to implement this important educational initiative, and I am a part of this awesome venture. I pinch myself every day to be sure I am in the real world! Camel nudges to all of you!
First, let me apologize for my lack of communication in the past month. Needless to say, life has changed dramatically for me and I’m trying to adjust. Although I’m 8000 miles away, I carry each of you in my heart and prayers, and I want you to know that I think of you often.
Not an excuse but a reason for my tardiness: My computer crashed the first week I was here and after repairs, I’ve been hit or miss with the internet. It’s 800 Drhs or $150. a week for internet services at the hotel. I found the daily and hourly rates much better but still expensive. Until I’m settled in to my home, I plan to use the internet sporadically. I hope you understand.
Here’s a little recap:
We (198 educators from South Africa, UK, Canada, US, Australia, and New Zealand or Group 2 as we are known) arrived at Abu Dhabi airport at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, August 20th – as we left the plane, a Nirvana Travel Agent met us and gave us our ADEC work visas (Abu Dhabi Education Council). We then proceeded to the police booth to have an eye scan (can you imagine the red eyes photographed after an 18 hour flight?). After customs, we picked up the luggage and headed outside. Whoa—103F or 42C heat almost knocked me down- and that was 10:30 p.m.! The buses moved rapidly toward the island of Abu Dhabi and the first thing I noticed was a big red Accenture sign! Maybe you’ll find a project in Abu Dhabi, Lauren. If you go to the Teach Away Facebook pages, you’ll read other accounts of our arrival.
We were housed at the Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi for two weeks. A five star hotel located in the heart of Abu Dhabi, with some of our group still there. I checked out Sunday, September 5 to go to the Fairmont Hotel for a three day meeting. The Fairmont is another five start hotel and so luxurious!! My room overlooked the Grand Mosque and when the sun went down it was so beautiful. Too bad I got the “stomach bug” and spent most of my free time lying around. Check out both of these hotels! I moved to the Hilton Al Ain last Wednesday and here I sit. There is no link to the Hilton because it’s not as exciting as my previous experiences. Reality hit … I’m doing “tub laundry” and writing this email.
We arrived during the holy month of Ramadan, so food and beverages were not to be visibly consumed during the daylight hours. Breakfast was served in a banquet room away from the public, and the afternoon’s fruit, water, or other food was consumed in the privacy of our room. However, where there is a will there is a way, so my new friends and I found the “hot spots.” The first Saturday that we were in town, I went to a sports bar with ten Aussies, 5 Kiwis, and 2 south Africans to watch rugby. The team from New Zealand won … what a fun night! The Kiwis have adopted me, by the way!
After sightseeing throughout the city, visiting the many malls, Abu Dhabi Mall, Marina Mall, Mohammed Bin Zayed Mall, etc., I realized that life in Abu Dhabi is spent indoors most of the day because the outside heat penetrates every cell in your body. The city is truly a maze of construction- there are cranes, barriers, etc. everywhere. Most work happens at night because of the heat during the day. This place is growing very fast, and the projects are big and opulent. For instance, a new project, Saadiyat Island, will house 20% of the Louvre, purchased (yes, that’s what I was told) by the government to promote the Middle East as a must-see for the arts. Other museums, the Guggenheim, et al. will also be located here. The UAE government has 2000 billion dollars in the treasury reserves. Can you imagine?
We spent the first week loaded on buses to go for medical checks and police fingerprinting, at 9:00 p.m. one night mind you… can you imagine a room full of noisy educators and a room of Middle Eastern policeman? After shushing and providing us a little harassment, we were sent back to the hotel around 2:00 a.m. Moments to remember, for sure!! It seems we made such an impression, they decided to postpone Group 3 and Group 4’s security clearance.
The second week we received three days of ADEC orientation, including the very interesting information regarding the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. We were told to “modernize” not westernize the schools. Be sure to watch the You Tube video of what we experienced. Just think, I am a small part of this awesome vision.
During the second week, some teachers were told their school placements but I didn’t find out until the Faculty Head training last week. I’ll be at Al Taqwa KG in the region of Al Tahar. Our first day with teachers is Wednesday, and I’ll meet the Principal and staff at that time. We were bused to Abu Dhabi today for the New School Model Forum at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. There were 6000 educators, dignitaries, et al. attending the celebration of this new initiative. What a sight—many women in abiyas, men in kanduras, and we in our western clothes!
In a nutshell—for those of you who may have questions:
The United Arab Emirates were founded in 1971 after the British released their claim. (See the book Rags to Riches for a full account.) Since that time, the country has made significant growth under the leadership of the founding father, Sheik Zayhed. The British influence is everywhere—the turnabouts, the fountains, the language (English is spoken throughout the country and all signage is in English), and the class/service system. My heart aches for the huge Pakistani, Indian, Malaysia, etc. workers that work in hotels, construction, nannies, taxis, housekeepers, etc. I try my very best to tip them whenever possible. They work for little of nothing and most send their wages home to family.
There are 7 emirates in the UAE with Abu Dhabi being the largest. Dubai is the most progressive and built-out, but the government had an economic downturn and was bailed out recently by Abu Dhabi. I haven’t been to Dubai yet but I will visit soon. Who knows when we’ll move- probably in two weeks, a month maybe? Time moves very slowly here, thus, the reason we demonstrate patience, tons of it! We’ll move to the Hili Residential Complex, which was built for business professionals who wanted to work in Dubai but live in Al Ain, and is located right next to the Oman border. Because of the economic downturn, ADEC bought several of the units for the Al Ain teaching staff. They are really quite nice and I look forward to moving soon.
18% of the country is made up of Emirates (born here). 50% of the people are from southeast Asia. 28% are expatriates (professionals such as myself) who are here to work, make money, and build infrastructure. 4% are other nationals living here.
The UAE is the safest place to live on the planet. There is a 0% crime rate. The rental car person told me, “whatever you do, don’t give the finger. The punishment is to be tied by your ankles and you’re hung upside down.” Also, don’t drink and drive. If you’re in an accident, you could go to jail and could be deported—even if you weren’t at fault. By the way, I’m driving a little Ford Focus. You should see me whiz through the roundabouts. Driving in the Emirates can be a challenge, though. Horns honk often!
The Emirati people are very family-oriented and focused on prayer. I love hearing the call to prayer every day. It reminds me that I serve one God, the Father of Abraham, as do Muslims. There are many differences in the two religions, though. One noticeable fact is the segregation of the sexes which has caused many social problems in the schools. Also, there are hidden sins, adultery and prostitution, as you find in all cultures. I look around me each day and am reminded of the presence of Jesus in this part of the world. The sand, palm trees, adobe buildings, and other cultural sights—who would’ve thought I would walk this walk??
Speaking of walks, a group of us have planned an early November trip to the island of Cyprus. We had some friends that went to Nepal for the Eid holiday last week and stayed in a hotel at the base of the Himalayas. That trip is definitely on the agenda! Not to mention, a Christmas highlight. Stuart arrives on December 26 for a ten day study in Dubai. What fun! Why don’t you come see me, too?
That’s about it for now, dear friends. Please know that I love you ALL, and I will be in touch more often via email and blog when I have a permanent residence. Promise!
The last week in July and the first week in August were spent exploring many different feelings — stomach-butterflies as I stressed over the exact date of departure, sadness about leaving my family, joy to be surrounded and loved by so many friends, and busy-busy-busyness while trying to put my house in order. Clean the frig, winterize the toilets (that’s a new one), distribute keys and directions on visiting Handshaker Court, cut the grass, hire a landscaper, dog-sit Miss Kacey Mae one last time, schedule the gutter man, schedule pest control treatment before I leave (and that’s a good thing because Mr. Mouse showed up in the basement), etc. — there’s a lot to do before you move abroad. But the closer the day of departure came, I began to feel excitement about this new adventure in life!
Hey — I’m going to live in a foreign country with new rules, new experiences, and a new job. Living a dream forces you to organize life and count your blessings … that’s why it’s “such sweet sorrow” to leave the past and walk down a new path.
Dan and Patrick, my dear friends, planned a very intimate dinner party the last day of July for me, my children, and several of my closest friends. What an elegant and fun evening! These pictures show just a little of the fun!
In the Sunday July 11th Atlanta Journal Constitution, there was a good article about teachers who interviewed in Atlanta with the Abu Dhabi Education Council. Several of these educators were offered positions and will soon fly away with me to Abu Dhabi City. I’m sure our magic carpets will get us there in record speed!
It’s official! One year to the day of leaving the Georgia Department of Education, I was offered (and have accepted) a position with the Abu Dhabi Education Council in Abu Dhabi, one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates. I leave the first week in August 2010 for a two-year leadership/teaching experience in the city of Al Ayn, also known as the Garden City, located in southern Abu Dhabi. I’m off on new adventures … living in a desert villa, riding camels, watching spectacular sunsets, working in a stellar educational system, travelling throughout the Middle East/Europe/Asia, and if needed, I’ll volunteer for Samantha’s role in Sex and the City 3!
Until this point in life, I have focused on guiding my children and my career. However, in the past few years, I realized that ones’ existence is but a fleck in time, so I’m taking this window of opportunity to LIVE LIFE in big bites! You know what ‘they’ say, “women who behave don’t make history,” and I want to make REAL history!!!
Please follow my blog as I uncover funny, touching, exciting and intriguing stories of life on other continents. Hopefully, my reflections will show that how we play and work together reflects and celebrates the commonalities of the human character. Join me and together we will laugh, love, and live life to the fullest!
Streams from the Desert Blog 
