My Adventure...not all Peaches-n-Cream

Throughout this journey I have experienced both good times and challenges time. I call them challenges because in Life bad is just a perspective. I choose not to view the challenges in my Life as bad because with each challenge comes a lesson, growth an opportunity that allows me to become a better me. Ok! Enough of the philosophical BS!

Since I have been in Abu Dhabi I have enjoyed great weather, interesting foods, and met some wonderful people...some have become friends. But it has not all been wonderful. The challenges have been many and I have definitely learned a lot about myself. I have been able to grow some and in my mind become a more mature and better person.

Personal side:

I am currently learning that relationships (all types) can survive through distance. If two people desire a relationship/friendship to work distance will not cause it not too. We make decisions everyday about what we want in our lives and we do what we have to to make that happen. Distance can either make it stronger or weaker depending upon the mindset of the two people involved. In my case, my relationship/friendships have become stronger. I have received overwhelming support from those who care and love me. They have taken the necessary measures to stay in contact through FB, text or phone. Some have not!!! Those are the ones that are in question. I understand the Life happens to all of us and I don't expect constant contact from everyone, however contact every once in a while shows you are making an effort and that our relationship/friendship is important to you. I have family members that have not contacted me even once and I provided them with all the necessary information to do so. I have friends that I can never catch up with or hear from which means we weren't all that good of friends before I left. Anyway, relationships/friendships is what you make of them. if you want them to work you have put in the work...both individuals!!!

Professional side:

I have learned a lot on a professional level in the two months I have been here. I took on this challenge because I was tired of the public educational system in the states. I was on the verge of walking away from my career because I just couldn't deal with the politics of a system that does not value Teachers. Coming here has shown me that some people actually value teachers maybe not education like in the US but at least they realize that in order to achieve a quality education for their children teachers need to be appreciated. They show their appreciation through providing them with a wealth of benefits (pay, medical, housing). With it comes some challenging points...the question is do the benefits out way the challenges. In a previous post I discussed my challenges with receiving my housing. It has truly been a major challenge from me. I have been overlooked, screamed at, dismissed, and even told that "you have to understand that things here work slowly and you have to be patient". It is not easy being patient when you appear to be the only one without housing and sleeping on an air mattress in a friends (someone you just met by the way) apartment. Nevertheless, I am learning that to get upset or to become rude or disrespectful gets you no where. You have to learn to play their game and remain positive and respectful at all times, even when they seem to disrespect you. You do not have to become unruly also...be the BIGGER person. Kill them with kindness. Ultimately, God will take care you, just be patient and let His will be done. A lot of my issues with housing can be a direct cause of my reassignment to Abu Dhabi. 

See, I was placed in a temporary teaching assignment because they did not have housing for me in Al Gharbia (the West) in order to move me to my permanent teaching assignment. So instead of having me sit around relaxing by the pool (their words, which is something I never did) they placed me at a school in Abu Dhabi. Al Qimma school is a brand new school with NO structure and I was given 5th grade boys to teach. Having no structure is a situation that is not new for me. I have had to work in environments that lack structure before and chaos becomes the norm. I saw this as an opportunity to be relocated back to Abu Dhabi. You see, most people do not like going West to teach. We were told we cold in up in one of three areas with the West being the least favorite. Though I did not want to start an assignment and then be moved I went humbly to Al Qimma. It paid off because after about two weeks of being there I was asked to stay. Yes! I was staying in Abu Dhabi. But remember all of my information is in the West (medical card, old assignment, housing choice, etc.). So now I had to basically start over and get my name in the loop of the Abu Dhabi placement people. Organization as I know it to be is practically nonexistent to me. So if you do not stay on them and keep reminding them you will be forgotten hence why I am still waiting on housing after being here for two months.

I know this sounds crazy! And I know this probably could have or would have been handled differently by others however I truly believe that GOOD THINGS come to those who wait on Him. God has a plan and an apartment for me. I just have to be patient enough to wait on His timing. No do not that I did receive a housing assignment here in Abu Dhabi but the conditions were UNACCEPTABLE (previous post). I can wait for better housing.

So I still ask the question "do the benefits out way the challenges" and my answer is Yes! This is a great opportunity that not all people get the chance to enjoy. I am blessed and humbled that I was given this opportunity. I do not take it for granted or take it lightly. I will continue to enjoy the benefits, accept and deal with the challenges and continue to allow God's will to be done in my life and throughout this adventure.

So Thankful!

Til next time

Homeless...but not really!

So this journey has truly been a challenge for me over the past two months. I have gone from living in a 4-star hotel with all the perks to living on an air mattress in a friends apartment. How you say...well this is how the story goes.

On Sunday (Oct. 6th) I was told that I needed to leave the hotel and move into my permanent housing accommodations. Those accommodations were call Sahara 4. Below are pictures from my anticipated permanent accommodations.

These accommodations as you can imagine were unacceptable. Who places people in housing such as this. I refused to go to the Sahara 4. I was told to go there for 3-4 days and I would be provided new permanent accommodations or a new hotel room. Again, I refused to go there even one day. Instead, I chose to ask a friend if I could stay with her and she was kind enough to allow me to do that. I could have made a stink and request an extension for my hotel stay but I was so tired of being in the hotel. I was the only one left in the hotel and had no one to talk to so I was happy to find other accommodations. 

Here it is a whole week later and I am still living on an air mattress in my friends apartment. I was told on the last day of school before EID that this was unacceptable and never should have happened. I was promised that I would have permanent housing on Sunday the 20th after EID. I found out that I was overlooked, forgotten, skipped over for permanent housing. EMT's in groups after me (group 3, 4 & 5) have received housing already. They were giving very nice accommodations. The good thing is that my Principal spoke on my behalf requesting that all teachers in his school (Al Qimma) receive good housing because we were dealing with enough at our school. The suggestion was made for Rihan Heights where my friend is living. I was told that there were no more apartments available there but that would have been nice to just have to roll my things to another apartment.

It's things like this that cause people to be runners. I choose to share the good and the "challenges" of this adventure. It's not always going to be positive everyday. Sometimes there are challenges that you will have to face. The goal is to be patient and think before you speak. Understand that all issues do not have to be confrontational even if the other party is being that way. Try to step back and understand situations from the other persons point of view. The journey will make you mature or become more angry with life. You can't react to situations in the negative ways that you used. Just because people respond to you in a negative way doesn't mean you have to react like them. Take the high road and know that it's their issue not yours and that kindness goes a long way. Remember the reason why you chose to accept this journey and that God would not have place this on your heart if it wasn't for you. He didn't say it would easy but He said you don't have to do it alone. Have faith, trust and believe that humbling yourself does not mean your are allowing people to walk over you. You get a lot more with honey...be the bigger person in each situation and you will always come out on top.

Sunday, October 20th, is D-day for me. The question remains "Will I have permanent housing or not"?

Til next time

The 4th-5th Grade Riot...Hmmmmm!

So chaos at my school hit an all time high! The new school I am at has potential however for now there is no structure and a lot of chaos with the students. Staff is wonderful and trying diligently to develop a bond and some since of routine. We have no master schedule, no discipline plan operating, short on teachers and lack of supervision for the students.

The students run the hallways like they are outside. You ask them to stop and they simply look at you and start running again. They lay with rolling chairs pushing them up and down the hall...racing each other with another student sitting in it or they just use them as merry-go-rounds spinning each other in the chair. This past Tuesday, the 4th and 5th grade students took it to another level. They had a crazy, unstructured, riot type display in the cafeteria. The students were running around, climbing tables, throwing chairs...simply treating the cafeteria like a playground. HOR-RI-BLE!!! They were escorted out of the cafeteria and band from going for the next two days. Not sure why they did what they did but someone is going to get seriously hurt one day if structure is not put into place. The administration pulled them all together and had a talk to them about their behavior and the consequences of their behavior. Unfortunately, there are NO real consequences. Students realize nothing is going to happen to them but maybe a phone call home. The problem with that is that if they act like that at home, then a parent will not see their behavior as needing to be corrected.

Chaos for me only happens outside of the classroom. In my efforts to get control, structure and a respect in my class I had to be tough, stern and implement my OWN discipline plan...stand on the wall silence is golden, try it. LOL! It seems to work but it takes a little time for them to get used to it. I still have the resistance crew...about 4 to 5 that feed off each other and try to run things. I crushed the spirit of the leader and left him with only one or two followers. Golden! Overall, the students are great! I like them and care about why they act the way they do. Showing them you care about them goes a long way, like with any kid.

Back home we talk inclusion with exceptional ed students...here it is total inclusion without labels! The students are UNIQUE in their own right and there is no separate exceptional ed classes. Students are just thrown into a classroom "alphabetically" and assigned a teacher. It's crazy but you have to go with it. The one's that probably should be or have been identified as special needs are mixed in with the population. A teacher could have a class full or a few depending on their names (alpha order remember). I will speak on curriculum in another post because that deserves it's own attention...LOL!!! I believe that this has something to do with their behavior because a lot of teachers are not equipped to teach special needs children and the curriculum is the same...no modifications are made for them. They are held at the same expectations. Because students are unable to do the work, struggle with the language and overall do not want to be there brings another dynamic to instruction and discipline.

I don't want to seem like this system over here is crap...it's not! It is very little difference between the inner-city school district back home and here. Come over here thinking that education in the schools are better will set you up for failure...frustration! You have to have a plan...an exit plan and remember WHY you made the decision to come here. You are not here to change the world...you can't and they don't want you too. Keep a positive outlook with a focus on your goal and don't let the chaos penetrate your inner spirit. They are slow to respond to things here and even though numerous request have been made for assistance to bring structure to the school I am at...it sometimes appears it falls on death hears. Students are not use to structure, demands, the word "no" or anything else that resembles positive interaction with another human being. Not only are we teaching them curriculum but SOCIAL skills is definitely a MUST if you want your classroom to be an environment conducive to learning. You must include in your decision making process that life in the classroom is no better than it is in your home country...children are children everywhere you go. The money is good for some people (they do not give raises and they have a salary cap of 12 yrs in education) but if you remain focused and used this experience for what it is...you will be able to maintain for enough years to reach your ultimate goal...Financial Freedom!

Til next time