Castles in the Sky

Chateaux Bruniquel - France

I am constantly getting great ideas of things I want to write about and am always reading interesting articles online that I want to comment on too, but for some reason, writing prolifically just isn't happening right now...it seems all I can do is hold my breath until summer vacation. Someday in the future I hope to be able to write more coherently about my experiences here, or maybe I never will, I don't know.  I feel disappointed in myself but at the same time, I have to accept where I'm at. 

Living in the present is a challenge because not knowing where I'm going next is driving me absolutely nuts.  It also seems like I'm accomplishing next to nothing, but I am showing up for the classes I teach and doing my best to help my students. 

Last summer I was lucky enough to visit Chateaux Bruniquel in the southwest of France, a magical place straight out of Medieval times!  Then at Christmas, I was able to visit Budapest and stayed near Buda Castle there, another incredibly beautiful place. I've been dreaming of these castles in the sky a lot lately...

 

Last Summer

 



But when I am honest with myself, as much as I love these places, it seems like this year all I am craving is roots.  Making decisions by myself seems to be wearing me down a bit.  Perhaps it is almost time to come home, but not exactly sure where that is anymore!

Nelly Furtado's I'm Like a Bird

It can be easy to lose the plot over here at times, so a person has to find ways to stay grounded.

(Either that or get on a boat with good friends!)

Off the coast of Oman 

 



I must admit I really didn't have a care in the world last weekend floating around the Musandam Peninsula off the coast of Oman (and we saw dolphins!)

Yeah!

 

“A single day is enough to make us a little larger or, another time, a little smaller.”

Musandam Peninsula 

It's this idea of being alone that is so oppressive. I feel like I should know better and that it is an illusion, yet I still feel it sometimes.  I am told it is a huge problem for people here and so it is not unique to me.  When I'm in my apartment I can get a bit agoraphobic and don't want to go out... that's when it really creeps in. 

So getting out of here for awhile (July 18 - August 23) will do me a world of good but I will have to leave Trixie!  That's another emotional hurdle I need to get over.  We've done it two summers now and she has been fine both times, but it's still so hard to leave her.  

"Where ya going?"

A thought comes to mind:  Paris would probably cheer me up!  I've been able to go two summers in a row now, so maybe I could go for a few days on my way to or fro.

Yes, this life I am living is beyond my wildest dreams and yes, I know I have Gucci problems today, and yes, I am grateful for them.

Solo in Paris

Summer 2012 - Eiffel Tower

Love and light to all until the next time! 

Chris







 

Small Victories

We are getting close to the end of the second term and everyone is a little tired, but there is an excitement in the air as students are finishing their final projects for the class I am teaching in Environmental Health and Safety.  A few weeks ago it seemed I wasn't reaching my class at all and they were completely tuning me out.   I was trying to explain the concepts of sustainability and environmental footprint.  Of course, the UAE and the U.S. are both near the very top of the list of countries with the largest footprint.  I was trying to explain why that is not good!   Also I wanted them to understand how small things we do can have an impact across the world, so I showed this film about Midway.  Probably you have already seen it, but if not, be prepared to be heartbroken:

Midway Film

It felt like a small victory that day as all the students quieted down and became much more thoughtful.  Since then we have been covering the boring class material regarding safety rules and regulations.  The students still laugh at me sometimes, but thankfully we seem to be reaching a middle ground where some learning is actually taking place.    

While all this was happening, I took a trip to Saadiyat Island one Saturday afternoon.  This is probably my all time favorite place here.  As yet it is fairly undeveloped but not for long as there are huge plans... yes, it will be cool to have a Guggenheim and the blueprint for the Louvre looks amazing, but how will it affect the coral reef and the turtles?  NYU Abu Dhabi  has already built their campus on the island and are moving in Fall 2014.  The day I visited the public beach, there just happened to be a young NYU professor giving a lecture on the research he is doing on the coral reefs here... how do they survive in such extreme conditions?  His research could help to save the rest of the world's coral, which is dying at an alarming rate.  He admitted the statistics were depressing, but one can't help but hope that his work is a small step towards saving the coral.  And when the new campus is opened this year, they will display a yarn rendition of the coral reefs:

Since I have been wanting to take up some needlework lately, maybe I can contribute to the project.  It will be a good way to while away the time when it gets too hot to go outside.   In the meantime, I'm so grateful to have such a beautiful beach nearby and for all the interesting people living and working here and trying to make a difference!





  

Dog Stories

Please bear with me as I give a little history for this story:

Anybody who knows me knows that I am crazy about my dog... and just about anyone who meets my dog Trixie agrees that she is a great dog!  It was almost exactly 5 years ago that she was an eight week old puppy and I was able to put her in a carrier under my seat on the flight up from my mom's house in Bradenton, Florida, to my condo in Virginia.  She has been a great companion and was such a joyful gift after I unexpectedly lost my first dog, Bonnie, to an inoperable brain tumor at only eleven and 1/2  years the previous January. 

Fast forward to today where we are living in the UAE after she had an even longer plane ride (including a layover at a doggie hotel in Amsterdam) two years ago at Christmas time.  My sister looked after her for four whole months while I got somewhat settled in Abu Dhabi but finally I was able to bring her over.  Trixie had to fly cargo this time and I was a nervous wreck waiting to pick her up in customs, but once she got off the airplane it is amazing how well she adjusted to life over here!

So tonight was one of those nights when I realized again what a gift she really is to me as I took her out walking before the sun went down.  One of the neighborhood boys was riding his bike and I wish I would have had my camera to take his picture - what a cutie!  Dogs are still quite a novelty over here as traditionally they are considered "haram" or forbidden.  This goes all the way back to Old Testament days when dogs were considered unclean.  Many times the kids are a bit frightened and not sure how to react to her and this boy was no exception.  He was making teasing, barking noises at her which really kind of annoyed me initially.  But then I realized he just wanted to come over and say "hello" and so I let him come over and pet her.  We had a good conversation in which he asked me a few questions.  Many times the question is, "How much does she cost?"  The Emiratis can afford just about anything they want so naturally they consider buying one for themselves.  Patiently I explained that she is not for sale and that she was a gift to me!  By that point a few other children had gathered around so they all took turns petting her.  An elderly gentleman came out with his housemaids and the children and they all smiled and laughed as the kids said hello.

This is rather typical of the kind of reaction we get around town.  In general, she creates happiness and although I know I shouldn't do it, I sometimes let her sit with me while I am driving and that also creates much smiling as she does make a funny sight and also because we drive around in a cute little red Fiat!  So there is much fun involved in bringing her out, especially now that the weather is good here.

That's why I was so surprised one night a few weeks ago when we got a very negative and angry reaction from an older man when walking in another part of the city.  Trixie was close by my side and not causing any trouble at all and I was with my two friends.  We were all polite and minding our own business and I must have said hello.  That's when the man pointed at Trixie's ears (she had just been to the groomer and they do kind of stick out after she has been groomed.)   At any rate, he pointed at her ears, looked at her and grumbled very loudly, "Obama!"  Wow!  At first we weren't sure we had heard him correctly, excuse me?  "Obama!"  That's when it became clear that he wasn't being friendly and that he was slurring not only my dog but the president of my country.  An unusual and somewhat disturbing interaction, but not dangerous in any way... just kind of strange.

Still I couldn't quite let it go and was trying to think why he would be so negative when clearly we were just innocently walking and Trixie is so utterly harmless.  However, it must've been the next day that I was reading the report in the U.S. news about the drone attack in Yemen that killed an innocent caravan of men, women and children on their way to a wedding.  I believe the report said at least six had been killed.  The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that the old man we encountered was probably from Yemen, as he wore the beard and a cap that is traditional for them.  Why of course he called my dog, "Obama!"  How else could he possibly express the disgust and outrage he was feeling with this terrible and despicable attack?  If my theory is correct, I wish that I could have explained to him that I too am horrified and outraged by this cowardly behavior on the part of my government and how deeply saddened and ashamed I am by it.  For better or worse right now, I am an emissary for America in the Middle East just by virtue of the fact that I live here and these are my neighbors.        

The UAE is a peaceful place in a region of the world where peace is priceless.  We live in tolerance with the many differences we encounter and the variety of eccentrics who come to work here.  But if we Americans want to gain friends and influence people, the way to do it is not with drones that misfire on wedding parties.  We have to start thinking of everyone as our neighbors, even though it might seem like Yemen is a long way from home.

Wishing much peace to all of you in this New Year! 

Love,

Chris and Trixie 

One Year Later...

I guess I abandoned this blog about a year ago, but I'd like to take it up again, at least for tonight... I have been holed up in my apartment for the last few days with a horrendous migraine and am just coming out of it....thanks be to God! 

Not sure what it is about the climate over here, but occasionally I do feel really rotten, and also I tend to get kind of lazy at times, which doesn't help either... but I need to beat this inertia as it isn't doing me any good.

We have had three days of rain and it has been wonderful... I can sit with the patio door open and listen to the rain and listen to the birds... also to the rooster across the street! 

Back to work tomorrow morning... today I was supposed to go with my students to the
Abu Dhabi Book Festival, but since I was sick as a dog, I couldn't make it... hopefully they had a good time anyways.  Last week we went to a conference for the Special Library Association of the Gulf Region held at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, which is right up the street from my apartment and the school where I am teaching.  I always feel cheered up after hanging out at a five star hotel...they had cool t-shirts they were giving away too...

 



Well, they ran out of t-shirts but I might still get one. 

So anyway, I do sometimes feel like this life I am living in Abu Dhabi is not my real life, but then again, it's my life right now, so I am trying to live it to the fullest, although, like I said, sometimes inertia comes over me and sometimes I get sick...

The heat will be coming too... but so far blessedly, it has been good weather.  I do dream of getting away for the summer and if I can do it I might go back to France...

maybe Paris for a few days and then the south of France... it's so easy to travel from here, that is one of the best things about it.  So for now it's home until I can get home again, later in August... will be glad to meet up with my mom in Bradenton!

 

Last summer at Captain Brian's in Bradenton, Florida

 



 

Keep Calm and Pretend This is on the Lesson Plan

Perhaps I did not mention that one of the most stressful aspects of this whole adventure is the actual teaching job... well, let me tell you, it can be a whole lot of stress at times.  Last week my professional portfolio was due and this week it's the formal evaluation.  I would not be so concerned except that I am so exhausted much of the time that I can barely function... regardless, the bus comes at 5:45 a.m. to pick us up from these villas in the desert and to transport us to Mirfa, beautiful town near the sea and home of the elementary school where I teach.  Lovely, but remote and wild like the rest of Al Gharbia, also known as the Western region... 



UAE Flag on the hill to Mirfa

I love Mirfa and the girls that I teach but somedays I gotta say it, this teaching job is rough!  The good news is that we're nearing the end and the bad news is I need to get through my evaluation first... so off to finish lesson planning and to make a quick trip into Madinat Zayed for another color cartridge for my printer... I need to get there before they close and before I need to get to bed, the sooner the better. 

I just pray that my fractured elbow heals soon and my energy returns... the doctors don't seem to be able to diagnose the fatigue and it's not normal, at least it doesn't feel normal, it feels totally overwhelming at times... at any rate, I am taking my multivitamins and trying to eat right, also trying to sleep as much as I can when I can! 
Well, it might just have something to do with this climate, the daily high is 100 degrees this week and the temperatures are starting to climb.  Welcome to the start of summer in the Middle East!  

10 Day Weather report for Abu Dhabi
  
For anyone who has read on through to the end of this post, love ya!

Henna Hands!

Wow, it really has been awhile since I've written anything for this blog... life has been coming at me fast and furiously and I think that's a good thing, but it doesn't leave much time for reflection or for writing either.  And then again, sometimes I just get lazy or tired.  I'm in the process of putting together a portfolio of the work I've done in my classroom this year and this is the image I've been saving since the fall when I captured it with Aisha, one of my second grade girls.   Henna is a very traditional art here and the girls often come in with their hands all decorated with beautiful designs.

Now I'm with two new classes and the school year is 2/3 of the way over and what have we accomplished so far?  Well, we speak and read a little bit of English here and there, we sing songs in English, we practice our handwriting in English, we've planted bean seeds and watched them grow, we play with puzzles, etc. We constantly work on behavior and we're getting better all the time.  In general, we are a productive, busy bunch!  Although I must admit, sometimes it seems to me like we're not doing "enough."  My centers aren't complete, the room is still quite bare and I have not gotten my computer to work since I came back from the Holidays at Christmas... a source of great frustration for me as there are so many great activities online and that I have on my DVD's that would be engaging and fun for my class.  

Today I am at the tail end of some time off, two glorious weeks for spring break which was extended when I went to see the doctor this week and found out my left elbow really was fractured and not just sprained when I slipped and fell on wet tiles in the bathroom at school two days before the break... he recommended I stay home for the past three days and frankly, I've needed the time off.  Sunday it's back to work again and hopefully we'll finish the third trimester with a bang!  I do feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that  needs to get done between now and June when the kids stop coming.  Praying that I can stay positive and that we'll make a lot of progress during that time.    

In the meantime, I have wonderful memories from my recent trip to Kopan Monastery in Nepal and my apartment has finally come together for the most part (the photo above shows the custom made curtains from one of the local furniture stores in Madinat Zayed - I was thrilled with the results!).  Home is a comfortable refuge nights and weekends (maybe too comfortable as I sometimes don't want to go out at all) and Trixie, my dog is adjusting well to desert life.   Plans for the summer are starting to shape up and I'll be happy to be in the U.S. when the real summer heat starts here and Ramadan is in full swing.... until then... wish me luck with my girls! 

 



Thanksgiving is Almost Here!

Yes, it's about time I give thanks for all the great things happening in my life in this far away place.  So many things to be grateful for in no particular order:

1. I've been here three months already and the adventure continues to unfold!
2. The girls at school seem to be getting used to me and we have established somewhat of a truce regarding behavior, etc. (they are so cute I try not to stay mad at them for long!)  I try to remember how hard it must be to have someone talking to them in a foreign language all day long... remember the teacher in Charlie Brown?  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!
3. My friend Karen is sponsoring a potluck thanksgiving dinner this Friday (we have to work Thursday) so I'll get to meet some of the other teachers I haven't met yet and have some traditional American food!
4. Only 17 more work days until the winter holiday and I am leaving for the states on December 19th!
5. National Day for the UAE is December 2nd.  This country will be 40 years young and the celebrations are already way over the top!  Each day the girls dress up in gorgeous red, green, white and black gowns for our school assembly and recite skits and sing patriotic songs that I can't understand but find incredibly moving and beautiful.  School is disrupted in every possible way but it eases my workload which helps with the exhaustion factor... a HUGE factor and my only excuse for not being in better communication with everyone!
6. Sobriety in the Sands - Dubai, November 17-19th...one word to describe it: awesome!
7. Skyped with my sister and my dog this week and everybody seemed really happy!
8. Weather here is gorgeous now...
9. Bought a new car... the one I REALLY wanted, so I feel very lucky, even though I'm broke after making the down payment... it's a Fiat 500C and it's red! 
10. Singing children's songs in the kitchen in my apartment that is by no means perfect but which is all being paid for by the Abu Dhabi government.

In other words, life is good here.  Not easy, but I have to remember, I didn't sign up for easy...

Wishing everyone a really Happy Thanksgiving!  Can't wait to be back in the U.S. in December!

UAE Flag is Everywhere!

 

Dealer's pics of Fiat 500c: