countdown until COFFEE

If you're my friend, you know that I love coffee.   You know that Starbucks is my happy place and latte's provide comfort for me.  When I go to sleep tonight, I will have completed 48 days without coffee.  The goal is 50 days. My espresso machine misses me.

Holidays

The 'non' excitement of my job is definitely being made up for by the excitement of my life, of my amazing friends, and of my upcoming travels.  It's time to take advantage of the region of the world I'm lucky enough to live in and see what I can see!!  AND still make it home for Christmas!



Kuwait






Sri Lanka





Laguna Hills, California

an entire year of this?

I forgot how tiring kids can be.  Who knew that the Grade 1's would be better behaved than the grade 4 boys...  And today wasn't even a full schedule!!  I had 5 classes, meaning I had 3 breaks.  BUT I was also the duty teacher and had to stand outside before school, after school, and during two of the "recess" periods (40 minutes total).  Of course I was late this morning (wasn't aware I was supposed to be outside and not in my computer lab on the internet) and then I didn't see the kids climbing on the roof.  Am I a failure?  And this is just the second week....

 But then my brilliant roommate Elaina came up with a monthly weekend travel plan including Kuwait, Jordan, and Beirut!  So as I hide away in my computer lab with one class left today, I dream of travel, airplanes, and new adventures.  And I have 14 weeks paid holidays a year...

Moral of the Story:  40 days without coffee are LONG friggin' days.

FIVE years???

This week I had a freak out moment.  One of those moments where you just stop, pause, and then seriously FREAK OUT inside of your head.  I had just met the Grade 5 girls class and was having a wonderful chat with them.  They were laughing at my jokes, saying I looked 19 years old, and calling me skinny.  Basically a perfect day. 

Then one girl asked me how long I plan to stay in the UAE.  I paused for about a millisecond and then said, "probably two more years."  Then she asked me how long I have lived in the UAE and I answered "nearly 3 years."  When I remember that I've lived here for 3 years it doesn't seem so long.  I moved here when I was 26 years old and this year will be turning 29.   But when I realized that 3+2=5, that's when the freak out happened.  I just verbally committed myself to living 5 years in the MIDDLE EAST?!?!?

I have lived in Canada for 7 years of my life.  I have lived in the United States of America for 2 years of my life.  I lived in Peru for 15 years of my life.  And now I'm saying that I will live in the United Arab Emirates for 5 years? WHAAAT?  That was not the plan.  Prior to this desert "pit-stop", I spent 5 years traveling, always moving on after 8 to 12 months... I know I have great holidays (spent 10 weeks of 2009 in North America and already have spent 9 weeks of 2010 back in North America, with 2 weeks for Christmas already booked).

BUT FIVE YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST???

Moral of the story:  Am glad the coffee detox ends in 11 days so I can relax with a latte

"like"

Joben is a rockstar. He has a fabulous wife who can cook, massage, clean, and put up with sports 24/7. He has two of the cutest boys around - who also can cook, mass... oh wait, they don't. But Asher sleeps approx 17 hours a day and Judah is on his way to becoming as dormant as his brother. They're super cute boys who LOVE their Aunt Hannah.

And you know what else? Joben has Soccer Shots. It's an after school programme for lil' tykes teaching them the fundamentals of soccer - skills, sportsmanship, and how to roll on the ground for sympathy!!! Please go to the site and click "like". If he reaches his quota on facebook, it'll start putting up ads for his group on the sidebar!!

I have 623 friends on facebook... maybe you could "like" and share the link??

Thanks.

blood. sweat. tears.

It's begun... there is no turning back...

Drops of blood are in the hall, a student vomiting in my class (though his mother kindly handed him a tissue and said perhaps I should place the garbage can next to his desk... he does this every year until he's accustomed to school), and an hour spent with the Grade 9 Girls when I was scheduled to be with the Grade 8 Girls.

WHOOPS! Is this how it's going to be?

I'm NOT complaining, when expectations are as low as mine, they can't be destroyed. I'm glad that I have internet, I'm glad that I have a quiet computer lab to myself, and I'm glad that there are girls toilets. Now you might think obviously there must be girls toilets at a school - at all public facilities... one would think. But I'm reminded of the Al Ain Club and the first soccer/futbol game I ever attended here. Halftime signaled time to pray, use the toilet, or whip out your chips and box juice (no joke). I thought about using the toilets until my brother Stephen warned me that the guys were using the girls and guys toilets indiscriminately. wHoOpS!!

I'm just happy to be working, happy that I "should" have a paycheck in two weeks, and happy to be living in a country where the sun shines EVERYDAY!

Moral of the story: Always pack tissues, not all toilets come with supplies!