Week One...

Well, I completed my first week of work.  My school is about an hour commute into the desert.  It is a K-12 school for girls (students are taught separately) with a small population of about 200 students.  I am teaching 5th grade math, science and English.  I am also teaching 2nd and 4th grade science.  As a result I move to the various classrooms.  Unlike the states I didn't have a week to decorate my classroom and get familiar with the staff.  I received my class list on day three and my teaching outcomes this past Thursday.  Things are extremely relaxed here and it is my greatest challenge, but I somehow have managed to put the pressure on myself to accomplish all that I did back in the states. I am working on that! The girls have a huge task of learning my subjects in English and then Arabic and Islamic history.  That's a big task and this reform has only been in place for four years now.  For the most part they are sweet and eager to learn.  A typical day begins with morning assembly outside where they demonstrate national pride through chants and then the entire student body sings the national anthem.  They close with a prayer.  The younger girls wear a pink and gray long dress and the older girls wear navy blue and white with a white head scarf.  The Arabic teachers wear an abaya and head scarf called a Shayla.  I wear my western clothes, but cover my arms.  The girls like to touch my earrings and hair.  They admire my rings and refer to me as Miss Kathy, but it sounds like Miss Coffee.  There is no cafeteria so the girls have a 20 minute break or "canteen" in the morning around 10am and then a 10 minute break around 12:20. There is no recess, but they do participate in music, art, computers and sport.  I take them to the library once a week for book check out. Our school year is broken into 3 semesters so we have two long breaks in December and April.

 

I have just about completed the move into the apartment. I just finished putting together the TV table. Tomorrow my dresser, wardrobe, couch, chairs and table will be delivered.  They do not build closets in homes over here, so wardrobes are a must. I can finally take the clothes out of the suitcases.

 

I'm really enjoying making new friends with the other teachers living here. I've met some people from South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and all over the US.  We have three small buildings in this complex of new two bedroom, two bath apartments.  There is underground parking which will be great for when I begin leasing a car.  I have to wait until I get my resident visa before I can lease.  That should be here next week. The underground garage will be a blessing as you can imagine the sun here is 10x more intense than Florida. I also learned if you don't get to work early enough you don't get a covered parking space and you can literally burn your skin on the seats and steering wheel.  Our complex also has a great little coffee shop called, Mug Cafe. It reminds me of Central Perk from Friends. The cafe serves outstanding speciality coffees, desserts and sandwiches. Yes, I have started drinking coffee on a regular basis now! The owner was thrilled to see all the IKEA trucks pulling in with furniture deliveries. Some of the other 5th grade teachers and I get together to plan lessons and compare notes. The cafe offers free WiFi so it makes planning a lot easier and enjoyable.  We are fortunate to be teaching girls as we have heard horror stories about the boys schools and the physical conflicts going on there.  Fist fights are a common occurrence.  We were told that these fights among different families have been taking place for a while. I consider myself blessed!