So I Was a Little Bitter

It has officially been one month since I have been in the UAE.  I went on a hiatus from this blog because I was a bit bitter about being placed in the west.  They moved us from the hotel in the city where there is a mall on every corner to a hotel in the middle of the desert.  The hotel had a great view of a beach.  However, there is nothing in Mirfa but sand and that hotel.  Oh yea, some housing, some schools, and a few local stores.  My school is also in Mirfa.  When I saw where I had been placed, I almost thought about catching a flight back home.  Good thing I have waaaaaay too much pride for that.  So, I decided to stick it out and join the other teachers in the west.

Here is an overview of what has gone on in the last month:

-We took a trip to the Corniche Beach.  "Hot" was not the word to describe it.  The sand literally burned our feet.  Going to the beach in the middle of the day in Abu Dhabi might have been the dumbest thing I have ever done, but we made the best of it:

-We visited the Grand Mosque before being transported from the city to the western region.  The architecture is amazing and the building itself is amazing:

-I started school soon after moving into Mirfa hotel.  I teach KG1.  In the states we would call it Pre-K.  They are adorable but speak no English.  It is interesting how we find ways to communicate with each other.  They love to repeat after me and they think some of the things I say are funny.  I am thankful to have the little ones because I get to see progress everyday.  It is like having a blank slate and watching the artwork unfold.  The children call me Ms. LaTwya.  They love repeating English words and phrases.  So far, it seems like their favorite is "Gooood job."  I really have to find another way to praise them.

Everything I do is hands on in the classroom.  They might not understand a word I say but they do work hard.  Plus, I love my Arabic speaking co-teacher.  She helps translate, gives me ideas for activities they can do, and manages to balance Arabic and English instruction well.

-I moved into my apartment in Medinat Zayed in the western region.  The apartment is spacious and is the exact opposite of what I was hoping for, but the rent is still free and I can't complain.  I have started to decorate a bit to make it feel more like home but the process is slow.

Rooms here don't come with closets so we buy wardrobes.  I'll probably need a few more of these soon because there is no way all of my clothes and shoes will fit.

Nobody warned me that in the UAE we wash clothes but do not dry them in a dryer.  Using a drying rack has been a big adjustment for me.  Luckily, the temperature is always oven hot so the clothes dry quickly.

Gas is popular here of course.  Going with the flow, I bought a gas stove.  Soon after buying the gas stove I returned it after I realized I had to buy a propane tank, turn it on and off, and manage the flames on the stove itself.  All I could imagine was me burning my entire villa trying to boil water.  Now, I have two small eyes.  This is perfect for a person that can't cook and has no desire to learn, especially not on a gas stove.

That about wraps up the month.  We go to the city on the weekends but the past few weekends have been about furnishing this apartment.  We still have not gotten paid, but once we do there is a lot more of UAE and the surrounding areas to conquer.  Stay tuned.  I will try to post more often now that I am getting over being bitter.