Abu Dhabi: The truth is...

Okay, so I know I haven't written in a long time. I can't do it sometimes. Writing a blog is harder then I thought. It seems I'm always in the mood when I'm out there in the moment, and then I come home and blahhhhhhh. So today, I took my computer to work and just started writing, and the truth is teaching here is more like daycare at the moment. At first I was trying to set up proper planning and blah blah blah but the kids are moving at snails pace. And why wouldn’t they right? They are all ESL. So, a couple of songs, a couple of books –daycare. Boy oh boy. LOL. Thank god I taught grade one. I think if I did go home and have to teach kindergarten it would be easier because they all speak English (some times!). We don’t have a lot of problem kids here (like ASD or physically challenged) because they don’t include them in schools (they said they were going to…like that’s going to happen). Oh yes, this is quite the country let me tell you.

The truth is – I had a break down yesterday. It was not good. It wasn’t my first since being here but it’s been at least two months. It’s gotten to the point that Rob and I spend more time in our apartment just hiding out away from the reality that we live in. The people here are unexplainable. The women. The men. The children. The society. It’s absolutely crazy. I met a guy from the USA army on the plane back from Portugal and he said out of ALL the middle eastern countries, this one is the WORST. The worst because they came into money, and have such discriminatory views against anyone that isn’t them. Money is a curse right? By living here you feel undermined all the time. They look at you like you should fall to your knees and salute them. It’s absolutely insane. Of course  - there are some decent people but the majority of them are F&^%ed (sorry for the word – but I had to).

Of course the UAE looks nice. Palm trees, beaches, paved roads in a desert and crazy buildings. It’s like a dream world in a bubble. I was talking to my staff about Portugal and ½ of them didn’t know where Europe was – like FOR REAL????? I guess that should be expected for the fact that their country is only turning 39 this year and before that they lived in tents.

So anyhow. I went to my employer yesterday and they looked at me like a servant. I was obviously taking away their “social time” of having two blackberries out in their hands at all times and with their phone wire held to their mouth because they are too stupid to realize that the sounds are picked up even if it’s hanging. We are servants here though. We make 1/3 of the salary of the Arabic teachers do and they work 1/3 of what we do. Ya. Nice huh. That’s one thing about being in someone else’s country – their rules (which is fine by the way, but in 2010 you don’t have equality? Wtf?)

So, things in school are looking better but it’ll never fully change to the idea that they want. They want too much too fast and it’s just not that kind of process. It’s amazing that with so much money they can’t hire any decent person to take control – or perhaps it’s that they have people that have great ideas but the people in charge here don’t want to let go of being in charge.

Some of these people are very arrogant in their thinking about expats coming into their country. They have us here, they need us to move ahead but hate us for it. I kind of figured that before we came here but really – in 2010 people act like this? Get over it.

The kids are improving in school. They are getting used to our way – or more ways in which there is “some order”.  Line-ups were non-existent before we came (oh – that’s including adults and staff), sharing is a foreign concept (and I don’t mean like any other child out there – this is just weird). The violence these kids take onto each other (and some teacher-child use) would make grade 7 gang fights look like nothing. I’ve seen kids trampled like no other, hit so hard it SHOULD leave a mark, and it exists in both girls and boys equally. Some say it’s because they have about 7-9 siblings in their families so they are used to getting beat up. But then how do you explain the old times where people had that many kids to make up for the farm work and they weren’t killing each other – or were they?

Sometimes I see it as a country that is so entirely bored they don’t know what to do with themselves. They already have 8 children, all the best toys, don’t have to work at school or hard at work because they get their job handed to them like the Harry Potter Sorting Hat “Annnnddd you will be an Immigration officer…..you will be a CEO of the Ministry!”. They seem completely lost and in a dream…well, dreams aren’t always reality or the way they should be right? LOL.

The Arabic faculty at the school are out to prove something…what they want to prove? I don’t know. I know that exists on so many levels everywhere you work, but let me tell you – this stuff is just hilarious! The “Mine’s bigger than yours” mentality works in all ways here. “Keeping up with the Jones’” can always be said at home, but these people are obsessed with it. We actually had a party a couple of weeks ago because 5 of the teachers got new cars. Their cars were one year old and they need to keep up with the times, so they got the newest and latest Mercedes, Lexus, BMW’s you can imagine. People with more kids are seen as higher on the pecking order, “Oh, you’re 31 and you have no kids” (pity look). LOL. The country was also celebrating their Eid al Adha holiday where teachers actually said they expected us to give them money because that’s the tradition here. Ya, I thought it was a joke too, but they were asking for it on the day. Christmas holidays are coming – can’t wait for my present!!!! LOL.

In school we have;

-       A secretary that – well, I don’t even know where she is or what she does.

-       A translator that acts like she’s the queen of the castle as she orders people around with the biggest grin ever (you would think she had a dose of the JOKER products) and her blackberry (didn’t they want to ban those things?) Oh and did I mention that she barely translates anything and says “there is no translation for this” and it was a 20 minute speech…surrreeeee. :P

-       A faculty head from Australia that is so scared shitless to do anything or say anything she just rubs her hands together and says “ha ha ha…yes, yes, yes…” with a lower-breath.

-       An I.T. head lady that doesn’t know how to work the projector screens, or what a “network” of computers are.

-       A Principal that shakes my hand everyday and moves close to me like she’s about to eat me for breakfast because she hasn’t eaten since the night before (she also likes to say tons of rules, with no follow up procedure and then say, “this is a reminder, not a force” – hahaha. Riggghhhhttt.

-       All “normal” teachers believe in teaching from the floor – in a circle – all DAY! If they need something or pointing to something they point from that position to teach the kids.

Some fun new rules at school are;

-       No talking to colleagues during the day or no interruptions. I was actually in the middle of singing “Wheels on the Bus” with my kids when a teacher walked right up to me and put a piece of paper so close to my face I couldn’t see the class anymore and she almost gave me a paper cut. She was asking if I could sign for the fact that there was a meeting that day. I just said “Beep beep beep” with the actions. LOL. For real???? Are you serious? (oh and this was AFTER the meeting).

-       If you are late for your duty or one minute to school you get an “x” next to your name…(but then nothing else to follow up or used as a punishment).

-       You must smile at all times and shake everyone’s hand even if you’ve done it once before. (oh, is that for us teachers, because the Arabic teachers walk past us like we don’t exist and give us cut-eye!).

-       The specialty teachers can change their schedule as they need – so you might have it today – you might not.

It also seems that these “rules” are for us. The North American teachers, not the Arabic ones. NICEEEEE! Do I follow them? Of course not, you know me better than that right! (I keep in good terms, but the funniest thing is that they have so many “rules in order” and no “follow up” that they don’t know what is going on so it’s so easy to beat around them – kind of like a game to me! Hahaha.)

The funniest thing is that they say all these rules for saying them but have no way of recording them or following through so you can do what you want and they won’t follow up- it’s hilarious. So of course you know me – always pushing the buttons.  “Smile, nod, and walk away” some wise words I learned last year and they come in handy all the time.

As for my Arabic teacher, she was great at first but like so many people in this world – you can only be fake for so long. Now she’s being lazy and doesn’t plan anything so I have now decided to say “oh…I don’t know…” and then ask her “so, what are we doing today?” – otherwise I’m doing all the work. She’s getting 3x as much as $$ as I make, and ya, it’s not all about the money, but they will use and abuse as necessary. Today the buses were going to be late one hour. Yes, one hour (gotta love abu dhabi time). I suggested the kids play outside in the amazing weather we have and she said it would be easier if they sat on the carpet for the hour. Well, that was such a great suggestion. Imagine if you will, 30 five year olds sitting in a circle with their back packs, ON EDGE. Now some start hitting each other, banging their heads against the walls in boredom, things start flying, some eat the left over food on the carpet from snack, crying gets louder and some kids say they will DIE if they don’t go home, some eating their hair, and another couple pinching each other and crying. The top experience is when a kid crying came up to the teacher to speak to her with a broken up cry/talk and all the kids and the TEACHER started laughing at him to mock him...NOW, that was a great idea. And the whole time she sits in a chair in front of them with her iphone talking to someone at home. Wow. That’s about all I can come up with.

Now, another thing I don’t like about this place is the slavery. Modern Day Slavery. It’s crazy. Do you want to know why they have so many buildings that were put up so fast – if they hire thousands of workers and fit them into a box with an a/c unit and give them cents for pay – it’s still more then they are making in their home countries but at least 1/3 less of what they should be getting. We are the same. When I first came here I’d see those workers and my heart would break for them. Now when I look at some of those Indian construction workers – I always say “that’s me at my work” – b/c the reality is that it is.

Fun times eh?  To call this a mistake. I don’t know. Rob and I have always said that we know what we don’t want – the kids, big house…blah blah blah… but this has taught me more of what I don’t want in life on a bigger level. I don’t want to be surrounded by people like this. I want to feel at home and I don’t care if I eat rice and potatoes everyday – I want to come home smiling and know I’m home.

We didn’t come here for money (like so many others we know) but for an adventure. It’s sad now that even though we went to Portugal for a week and absolutely loved it – it was a reality check on how much we really hate this place. It’s such a weird hate though – it’s not like Zanon (my old school) where the environment sucks…it’s just there. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s there.

So we sit in our apartment and watch the movies and t.v. shows Rob has downloaded or read books. He’s not working but keeping himself busy. Our relationship is stronger then ever I think but we don’t have any desire to do anything. It’s absolutely insane to us. If you walk outside our apartment it’s so loud because every street is a four lane highway for each direction – I haven’t heard silence outside since the beaches in Toronto. Last night there were five, yes FIVE cement trucks lines up in front of our apartment for the condo next door. Go to the mall maybe? nope. If you go to a mall here, rude people are everywhere – reminders that people say “you are in my country, respect me” or at Starbucks when a guy gets handed a drink and then says “you want me to do that????” in a disgusted voice to the coffee guy about putting one of those 'sleeves' on the cup – are you for real? At every store you usually get budded in front of. If you go to the doctors they are probably going in before you right under your nose because you can’t tell who is who when they are all wearing black. And if you need to get a prescription filled out, they bud in front of you too. It’s crazy. These people are like spoiled brats. No cause for concern. Are we to blame for their ridiculous behaviour because we demanded the oil to be produced and give them money to keep it going? They've had no one to teach them. Looking at adults and seeing them act the way they do, you would think "surely they MUST know how to act and how NOT to".

With stupidness and driving, I almost get in about 3-6 accidents a day because if you are on a highway and they decide they want to merge into your lane or get off the highway they just run you over. I’ve never used my horn so much and have to be SO ALERT all the time. It’s exhausting.

It sounds so negative and in ways it is. I’m teaching, I’m doing, I’m being. We are here for the year and then it's home time.

Why stay here until then? A friend once said, “When it gets unbearable, LEAVE”. Without a doubt that’s my mentality. What “unbearable” is? I don’t know – haven’t been there yet, so we keep trucking until July.

It’s so disappointing though. People will say “You’re crazy” “Why there?” or “What did you expect?” – the reality is – no one EVER KNOWS. And that’s what we were living on. The hope that it could turn into a really good opportunity or experience in itself. If you never try how would you learn. I would have always said “what if?” for the rest of my life…now I say “now I know what I DON’T want”. 

We are surviving. I still smile and laugh and sticking to my true self. My core is still here…but it’s like living in a bubble that you can’t wait to burst.

Don’t feel sorry for me though – Rob and I wanted to do this and we are glad we did. We’ve done something that the majority of people would never think to dare to do and we are one with ourselves. We will get there and get home eventually.

Put it this way. I still think and will always think leaving my old school and coming here was the best thing to do. (Making the decision to come here felt best at that time in my life) (leaving my old school – the best thing I’ve yet to do in my professional life).

Where we’ll end up? Who knows.

When we’ll get there? Who knows.

Where is ‘there’? Who knows.

All to discover, all to endure, all to hope.

Xoxoxo

*Mel

(just got note of this blog; http://www.peacefulshout.blogspot.com/ a girl from the USA that came with her husband and left). Wow.

Abu Dhabi: Transportation

It has been six weeks since Rob and I have ventured into Abu Dhabi, UAE. Coming here for a life-change, to see different sights and people and the "Why not?" factor. Since entering on September 3rd, 2010, we have had a lot of "highs" and we have had a lot of "lows" in this new country. As it was to be expected when you sell and leave your life of 30 years in the same place and take an adventure into another country, this one has taught us a lot in its mere six weeks, and will continue to do so throughout our trip.

For the next blogs to come, I am going to express my thoughts of how Abu Dhabi (or perhaps the UAE) is a society that is stuck between the cultural values to which they have relied on in their history and the modernization to which they have flung themselves into since discovering the oil and becoming world known. Transportation, School, Money, Housing, Food, Shopping, Environment and Expats are my topics...so obviously, I'll be blogging more often then I have been! :)

Transportation
"Wow" "Are they for real?" "What the f&^%?" should just about sum up this subheading. LOL.
Transportation in the UAE consists of crazy driving and parking with what seems to be "no rules" (at least for Emirati's that is!)

ROADS: The roads are extremely clean and large! On average, any street you find here will be three to four lanes one way. The "U Turn" is as common as turning right on a street, and medians everywhere promote such turning. On the highway, the minimum speed is 120 km/h and let me tell you, it's a scary thing to ONLY be going 120 km/h. I've never had to depend on every mirror that is attached to my car and constant re-checking of them to watch for the crazy people that could and would do anything to go past me. Not using signals, budding in, no "thanks" and cutting people off is what is done here. People even pass other cars and drive on the shoulders as if four lanes wasn't enough room! Accidents occur constantly here, and I've driven by more in six weeks then I have in the Toronto area since beginning to drive 15 years ago. So why drive you ask? Well, you have to. It's mid-October and still 32 degrees outside (too hot to walk), and everything is so far apart. Everyone owns or rents a car. My work is a 60km drive one way heading to Dubai, and takes me on average 40 minutes to get to and from it.

 Like so many highways, all have palm trees at the sides, fresh new asphalt, and wide lanes.

PUBLIC TRANSIT: You can take the bus (because they don't have a subway system) for 1 dirham (about 30 cents CAD), but it'll take you FOREVER and there is really no "schedule" to exist. Taxi's are readily available at any time and are all owned by the same company (the Emirati's). The cost of taxi's is relatively cheap, but then again, their price just went up. Workman buses are seen everywhere all the time. Construction workers, outside workers, etc. are all picked up in buses and driven to their location of actual work, and then bused back again to their places. You can tell a workman bus as the workers are almost always wearing a blue jumpsuit and sleeping on the jam-packed buses. School buses are in plenty as well as most kids take the bus to school and the others have "personal drivers".

TYPES OF RIDES: As you have seen from my pictures, the fancy cars are plentiful here. Maserati's, Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Aston Martin's, Rolls Royce's, etc. etc. Common cars for the Emirati's can be any of these, or on my staff at school, the women have the largest BMW's, Mercedes, or Lexus' you can find (cars though, not SUV's). Jeeps are found all over here too...reminds me on my lovely Jeep I miss so much and had to sell...one day I will own one again. Lots of Toyota's and Honda's alike. Us? We have a mean white Mitsubishi Lancer 2011 that we rent. (If you are imagining the "Lancer" you see at home, think again. This is a cheap knock off of the bigger one). Our silver 2010 Lancer had an A/C breakdown - and with the weather feeling like 40 degrees, it just isn't a good thing, so they gave us the 2011. It works and rides a lot better so I'm happy! The one thing ALL rental vehicles DON'T have are tinted windows. For what reason? I have no idea. Everyone else has the darkest tinted windows you can imagine. They are basically black. You cannot see in, and they cannon see out. Hmmm....is this why their driving is so shit? Maybe. Emirati women drive with the darkest tinted windows and sometimes even have their black face veils on - hmmm... yup, that's why they are the WORST drivers around!

 Rolls Royce Phantom - worth $450,000.00 USD - nicccceeeee!

LAWS: Children in cars: Let's start with children NOT having to wear seat belts or sit down of any sort. Yesterday while driving, we saw a family in front of us where the kids were jumping up and down on the seats and hitting their parents that were in front of them...oh what fun! And we wondered why the car was swerving in and out of the lane. LOL.

Speed: It's a fact that you can drive 20km/h over the speed limit, but 24 is just too much. That will get you a 700 dirham ticket (about $215 CAD). But then again, if you are a woman and go to pay the ticket, one of the men might take your ticket, do "something" in the computer and voila! All gone.

Parking:  Parking your car anywhere and everywhere seems to be "okay" including double parking and parking in the middle of the street. There are colour codes painted on the HUGE curbs (that if you tried to go over would ruin your car) but no real 'ticket people' you see consistently. Parking in an "unauthorized" spot will land you a 500 dirhams ($150 CAD) ticket - we would know as my friends Nish and Miranda got one with me in the car as we had to go to the bank. We split the ticket three ways (blahhh).

Finding a place to park in Abu Dhabi is like a mall at Christmas EVERYDAY!

FROGGER: The most interesting thing I have seen driving to and from work are the amount of people ON the highways with NO CAR. Yes, NO CAR. These people/workers play "Frogger" right in front of you - jumping and hurdling their way to cross the street (while you are driving min. 130 km/h). Why are they even ON the highway? Well, the buses, taxi's, and work carpools all stop there. Yes. These vehicles actually pull over to the shoulder (when they see people) and pick people up - just like that. It's absolutely INSANE! I'm not sure of how many people have been hit (or where they even come from in the desert), but there's got to be a lot of casualties!

FOG: The fog is totally crazy and scary together in all measures, and apparently I haven't even experienced the "real fog" yet. We are talking about the thickness to where you cannot see ahead of you at all, and looks like you are going to hit a white wall. There are fog warnings and Rob was reading that the UAE has some of the WORST fog in the world. November to January will be the worst...GREAATTTT! I'm supposed to look out my window in Abu Dhabi and if I can't see the other side of the street, wait until I can and then leave for work. When I have been driving and fog comes out of no where (as I'm driving to the desert to get to school) I get in the slowest lane, turn on my flashers, slow down and hope to hell that no asshole is going to run into me because they think they are invincible in life (that's the persona Emirati's take on going about their lives). Last year on the Dubai highway within 1km of my school there was a 200 car pile-up. Totally scary. They now have "fog warnings" that occur in that area. We shall see how it goes!

The fog one morning on my way to work.

This is just a tease as I'll be lucky to see the guard rail when it gets bad :(

Driving in the UAE has to be done. You have to do it to do anything, so suck it up, pay attention, and use common sense (although it looks like all the people in the darkest tinted windows - hmmm Emirati's - don't have any of that at all!).

Till next time; Hope you are all well and smiling! xoxo *MEL

On my daily drive to work!

Abu Dhabi: Three Values

To start this off with a feel from the UAE, here's a quote from a friend here in Abu Dhabi while driving through downtown; "That's not a person. That's a speed bump!". LOL. Fact: Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way, and it's their fault shall you hit them! Nice huh? LOL.

Alright!! I'm here, and blogging after much debated procrastination!! Then again, how can you blame me? We waited for a month to GET the tickets after selling everything we own (living our lives in limbo) and then when we got to Abu Dhabi, my employer put us up in the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr - a 5-star hotel and resort. We just found out that our stay has been extended for another two weeks in the Fairmont, so OF COURSE I'm busy right? LOL.

I hope you are all well and smiling. Especially as the weather in Canada is getting cooler and cooler. The leaves are going to change, and that much anticipated snow is going to come. Here, I can't wait for winter! It won't be 42 degrees anymore, but a comfy 22-25 degrees. Ahhhh...It'll be so nice to NOT depend on A/C everywhere you go or feel dehydrated every time you walk outside.

So, as I sit here eating my Nutella filled sandwich and drinking a cup of tea, this is my view;

You feel sorry for me don't you? HAHAHAHA! I've sent pictures out to everyone about what I've experienced and saw in the last two weeks, I'll add a link to this site as well just in case I missed you on the email list!

Abu Dhabi: THREE VALUES

The title to this blog is an examination of the country in which I have discovered, thought about, and had much debated conversations about. Thus far that is. I have learned a lot about the "real deal" in Abu Dhabi, and it's only a tiny bit of the outer layer, as you all know it takes years and years with a variety of experiences and challenges to get to know someone or a place really well (and there are always more secrets!).

There is an order of THREE important values that people from Abu Dhabi (The Emriti's) embrace; 

1. Allah (The standard name in Arabic for God).

2. Family (and friends)

3. Work

(1) Allah

Muslims (pronounced Moss-lims, not Muzz-lims) pray 5 times a day. The times change day to day but are published in newspapers, on T.V., and you can even buy "apps" for your phone so that you know.  Adhan, commonly known as the "Call to prayer"  is heard all over the city. It is called out by the muezzin in the mosque five times a day. Adhan summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The main purpose behind the multiple loud pronouncements of adhan in every mosque is to make available to everyone an easily intelligible summary of Islamic belief. It is intended to bring to the mind of every believer and non-believer the substance of Islamic beliefs, or its spiritual ideology. 

When you first hear adhen, it's remarkable. So gentle on the ears, and with such melody. It only lasts a couple of minutes, and everyone will go amongst their business as needed. Muslims can pray anywhere they find a space, but ALWAYS pray towards Mecca (Makkah in Arabic). It is the center of the Islamic world and the birthplace of both the Prophet Muhammad and the religion he founded. Located in the Sirat Mountains of central Saudi Arabia. 

In Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of many mosques around. There is usually one in every community to make it convenient for followers to attend. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is absolutely stunning! Opened in 2007 and features 82 domes, including the world's largest! It has 1096 columns, the largest hand-woven carpet (7119 square meters), and the largest chandelier, made of Swarovski crystals.

(2) Family (and friends)

Relationship, relationships, relationships. Emriti's are all about taking the time to ask about your family, having a cup of tea/coffee, eating sweets (oh lots of sweets!) and getting to know one another. You would never walk into an office and say "Hi Salmeh, can I have that book you told me about!". Ya, it's not going to happen. They would consider it rude. 

Abu Dhabi is a place of maintaining eye-contact and shaking hands. When I first arrived at my new school, I was the first LT (Licensed Teacher) to arrive (there are six of us, but the others got lost - LOL), and I was taken around the school to meet all the Emriti teachers and shaking hands, discussing life and smiling. My cheeks were sore from smiling so much!! The women were so warm and you knew shaking their hands that they sincerely wanted to hear how you were. 

Abu Dhabi is also not a society for complaining. The only ones that seem to be complaining are the North Americans in the Fairmont hotel that are requesting more and more free things (being spoiled I think). When you see 20 women in the school acting like a band of sisters; with respect, trust, compassion, and then come into a group of North Americans, it's quite shocking. Why do we complain so much? Why can't we just chill? What's the rush? Why do we need so much? (and for free). I'm not saying every Emriti is "perfect" - with their average person per capita income being $14 Million a year, they would have little to complain about right? But remember; Money doesn't bring you happiness.

Now, the UAE is 80% expatriates (people that are from all over the world coming here to work). Do they follow the compassion rules too? Well, everyone we approach is in general extremely nice. Always willing to help (but there will always be others that are not - it is reality). 

Rob went to pick up our laundry the other day in this tiny place that his body could barely fit through the door for space and he was in there for about 20 minutes. It was a Pakistani man talking to him about coming here 15 years ago and discussing Rob being from Canada...yadda yadda yadda. He even asked Rob if he had Facebook so he could "add him as a friend". LOL. Yesterday we went to a mall to eat, and at our table (4 seats) was us, and Emriti man, and an Indian man. Enjoying our not-so-healthy splurge on food. At the end, the Emriti man smiled and said "Thank you", and when we left the Indian man knodded his head and smiled to acknowledge our presence at the table. Up to this moment, the only other time I've ever shared a "table" in the mall or at a restaurant was in Europe (and we all know they are entirely chilled out!). Things that make you reflect and go "hmmmm...".

 

(3) Work

Well. I've only been to work for three days. One which was a "PD day" where we met some colleagues in our "family of schools" and doing "teacher stuff". The other two days I went to my school and was blown away from the experience! I expected empty classes, plain walls, and a "meh" feeling in the halls. Instead I got;

Well...Okay! It seems that I've landed in the "jack-pot" of schools! The best part, is that these are not this years resources - more to come! The interesting thing, is that the teachers are all certified with education and teacher training, but not in the "student-centred" approach. So they have all these wonderful resources but no clue on how to use them. That's where I come in! Oh the fun we'll have!!!

So, I'm sure I'll manage in a school that is decked out like the one above, but remember; a school is only as good as the staff (and we've all been in places where the staff/people your working with make it have a "dredge" feeling). From who I've met, and who my leaders are in the school, it looks like it will be a new experience then what I've had in the past. Sitting on leather couches, enjoying a cup of coffee the "tea lady" brings, and eating the most delicious chocolate while meeting my new principal (Miss Salmeh) and the other LT's, it was a great start to our relationship. When I told her my name was "Schumacher" she smiled and said, "Ah, my friends call me "Schumacher" (obviously b/c of the way she drives her car!!! (like so many, the 120km/h speed limit is non-existent!). She is a lovely woman.

It's funny that the name "Schumacher" is always so well known. Rob has come to the understanding and acceptance that people always ask me about my "cousin, brother, or relative" Mr. Michael Schumacher. Then again, I should expect it from a place that has been recently placed on the F1 circuit, drive crazy Ferarri's and cars alike, and known for one of the largest theme parks around (Ferarri World) opening up on October 28th, and of course a building designed by the driver himself. "Good morning Mr. Schumacher, would you like your room cleaned?" (I think Rob likes it!) LOL.

So, there are the three values that I've learned and experienced in my first two weeks here. I hope you've learned a bit, and if not, just for entertainment purposes, enjoyed my experiences thus far, as I have! I'm making a note of learning from these "three values" in my own way, and seeing what I can offer myself in regards to their teachings. School starts tomorrow (it goes from Sunday to Thursday - hard to wrap around that the weekend is Friday and Saturday). 
I hope you are all truly well, wherever you are!

Respect, Compassion, and Smile! xoxo *Mel

Abu Dhabi pics: (copy and paste links into your browser)

  http://picasaweb.google.com/mellyschu/AbuDhabiTheBeginning?authkey=Gv1sRgCLrrnoqOz5ef9wE#

  http://picasaweb.google.com/mellyschu/AbuDhabi2?authkey=Gv1sRgCPSFuo_8iYntnwE#

Living in Limbo

So, here we still are. Rob and I have been our-homeless for almost a month, sold absolutely everything except skis and winter clothing (even the Jeep is gone), and still waiting for our e-tickets. In the past four weeks, it hasn’t been an emotional fun time. From feelings of excitement to nervousness, overwhelmed to helplessness. It’s the first non-summer feel I’ve ever had.

Have there been doubts about this entire move???? Oh yes there have been.

Sitting here right now in a home that isn’t mine, surrounded by boxes of clothing and personal items that would squish into suitcases, I feel unlike myself (which is a pretty scary thing when I believe in always being the ‘real me’ no matter what circumstance). I’m mentally located where going down to the kitchen to make a coffee or food seems more of a chore then to walk 10 minutes to a place called Fairgrounds Organic Coffee; which we have also dubbed as our temporary home. There is no place like your OWN home, or your OWN space (and I don’t mean parents either).

I think the only thing holding me together today, with a slight blip in a breakdown yesterday, was contacting the travel agents (although I should have just ‘waited patiently’) and finding out they have Rob and I on their list to organize flights. A gentlemen said that I was to receive the tickets today – yes, today – for a flight this week. Do I believe him? Do I trust him? Can I believe him?  I don’t know. Scary huh? The lack of credibility from the consultants that are working with **** and their travel agents is disappointing to say in the least. They NEED us, but it seems they are way over their heads in organizing 1000 teachers plus families at one go.

At this point, when we’ve given up everything; our jobs, our rental unit, our car, our furniture and everything else you can imagine (although all materials), how do you know when to call “it quits”? Comparatively, how do you know when to “abandon a book” you’ve been reading?

Last night walking home from our java-shop, I compared this “limbo life” to owning a beater car. When do you give up on it? If you put an extra $1000 into the car, it might go for another couple of years, but then again, it might be a lemon and keep asking for repairs. It’s no different then leaving the standard living here like we have been up until now and waiting for a ticket to begin an experience of the unknown. But how long do you wait? Our employers told us to be ready as of August 1st. It’s now the 30th. What’s one more day? One more week? When do we give up and say “It was a good go anyway”.

It’s very frustrating. It’s probably one of the most frustrating experiences thus far, but yet different. This is not the frustration experienced when working for a principal that doesn’t give you a perm if you don’t kiss her ass, or having people in your life constantly asking “When are you going to buy a house?” “Have kids?” or “Why are you so lost in life?”

What we want is a new experience, and why not? We’re young, feeling alive, and wanting to live life. I’m not waiting for retirement to live my life, so why not do it when I’m 31! I know it’ll all work out once I get there. There are about 400 teachers there, living it up in a five-star hotel, have found out where they are teaching, living after the hotel and visiting the amazing sights, and experiencing a new culture. It is real.

When I look to what is GOING TO HAPPEN, it’s amazing. It may be tough, it may be tiring, but I look forward to it. It’s not the patience I have that’s holding me to this experience. It’s hope.

Hope all of you are well. I will keep you posted.
Smile, I am (even right now), *Mel

A Way of Thinking

Well, here it is. My thoughts, my experiences, and my journey. You know, I was never the "writing type", but I'm definitely the "thinking type". This all changed one day when a man (my mentor) so wise and real said to me, "When I read what you write, it's like you're talking to me. I feel as if I'm reading a book, and can connect". And so, here I am with the confidence to do so, and sharing it with whom ever wants to be entertained or intrigued. Most importantly though, it's a way I can share my journey with myself (especially as I am a visual learner).

Out of the Box. The title to my blog represents a lot to me. I know people say "You have to think outside of the box", but does anyone really? or even more, does anyone really want you to? Being outside of the box is a continual challenge. People usually want others to conform, confirm, and go with the flow in life's major morals, values, and expectations. Not us. You only get one life, so why not shake it up a bit!

So, here I am. I just turned 31 years old (wahoo!), and over a month ago Rob and I made the decision to leave the "physical box" of teaching in Mississauga, him in construction, so that our "out of the box" mentality was relieved and smiling once again. I accepted a job contract to teach Kindergarten in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for two years. Holy smokes! - ABU DHABI!!!!!! As I sit here with a smirk on my face, literally waiting for two e-tickets for Rob and myself to leave in the next two weeks, I remember the day in early June receiving a text from Rob saying "Teach in Abu Dhabi?".  At first I was thinking "Where?", but the sound of the place (say it out loud, it's neat!) sounded interesting enough already. With a short ride home in the Jeep top-down, a craigslist ad lead me to the Teach Away Inc. website where the hiring of 1000 teachers to teach for the **** in an English-immersion, student-centred environment reform was being advertised. Hmmmm..... could we do this? Pick up, sell absolutely EVERYTHING and GO???? Our answer "SURE, WHY NOT!"  Surprisingly, Rob and I didn't flip for it like we usually do on decisions. Yes, we literally get out a quarter and "flip" to make a decision when we are being indecisive. For example, I remember the day in a store on Queen St. E. Toronto when we were contemplating buying a Fatboy Bean Bag because we had no sofas. Let's just say we carried it all the way home, and the lady couldn't believe it as she turned her back while the "flip" was in action - to think a big sale was going to come down to a flip. LOL. I love it.

So, to say in the least, after the application process, interviews, and emotional ups and downs, we are going to ABU DHABI! We have moved in with his parents for the time being, surrounded by boxes and bags of the stuff we'll take, and store a bit of what we want to save (those skis baby!).

As we continue the journey of our lives together, we hope you too will enjoy it as I keep you updated.

Smile, I am. *Mel