What a week! It's been full on and busy. Both at work and home.
After spending most of my weekend booking hotels online for next year in Switzerland, it began with the normal day at school on Sunday. Our Principal dug her toes in and made us all stay until 3pm which is our normal finishing time. The Arabic teachers were fuming and pacing the corriders waiting to leave. Now that we are winding down (the students finish on the 21st June) the teachers are trying to leave earlier and earlier. Not us of course as we still have a full teaching workload. Compare our 30 periods per week with their lesser workload of between 6 & 15 periods. Then I keep getting extra periods to cover due to the absence of Arabic teachers. When I brought it up with my HOF I was told, Just remember where you are! So, like the Phillipinos, we are at the beck and call of the Arabic staff.
Monday was the usual mix of success and madness. As my class is so low academically and the expectations so high I've again had the 'normal' response to testing which includes many tears, tests ripped up, Arabic mutterings (or shoutings) at me and parents popping in or writing me lovely notes to ask me to let their child retake the test and get a better grade. Grades are everything here and anything less than 100% for many children is traumatic. How they ever got that defies me as their English and maths is very low.
Tuesday we had a lunch after school which involved end of year presents and certificates for staff, supposedly gifts for those leaving, and a farewell for our Principal who is heading to England early for a holiday. All the staff received lovely thank you certificates from the school and a pendulum clock with the school engraved on it. We had been asked to contribute 100AED towards this which I did but most of the western teachers didn't. There hasn't been much thawing of them and us.
Out of six western teachers, 4 are leaving. 2 have just handed in their notice this week which is very late so we will have an influx of new teachers come September. There are various reasons for leaving and several Arabic staff have gone also. Most aren't happy with the results of the evaluation process that we have to go through with several staff leaving immediately, or in the case of the westerners, handing in their notice immediately.
Our evaluation involves complying an indepth portfolio showcasing how we have achieved each of the outcomes required by ADEC. It isn't enough just to do it, we have to prove it. Then the Principal, who speaks very little English, and the HOF come into your room and give you points for each outcome. The total of the points determines where you sit on a 5-point scale from Pre-Foundation through to Established. I had completed my portfolio as directed but the result was predetermined before the interview and it wasn't looked at. My result was that I was deemed to be Foundation (2) for one of the four areas and Emergent (3) for the other three. As an experienced teacher this can be hard to take but as it's part of the experience here I wasn't going to let it upset me. Remind me of that at the end of next year if it's still the same! As long as it isn't performance based pay I'm okay with it.
The spread of food was amazing with a huge table laden with Arabic dishes. I sampled many of the dishes although at times I was unsure of what they were. This lunch gave me the opportunity to see how the Arabic staff relate to each other which is quite different from the haughty facade we see. As there was so much food the Arabic teachers left with laden trays of food. We weren't invited to take a dish home but I took a small plate full home for my son for his dinner. The food was delicious (or so I thought).
That evening my son had his touch rugby finals so we headed off early to the park for that. I am pleased to say they won both games, the second in an extra time knockout against a team from the grade above. So great excitement after a nail-biting 1/2 hour. Being their main supporter, only one I think, I was warmly thanked and joined the team photos. They were the only team out of three from their club that won. We adjourned to the clubrooms for a beer or two and medal ceremony. One kiwi had brought along his guitar so we ended the night with a singsong. Naturally we were the last to leave.
I'm not sure if it was the beers or the Arabic food but I wasn't too well during the night and ended up sitting on the loo. I was unable to go to work as I couldn't leave the loo the next morning so rung in sick. This in itself was an experience that you wouldn't want to repeat too often. Several hours later when it felt safe to leave the house, I headed up to the hospital in a taxi to see a GP. To have a day off and get paid you have to have a medical certifiate so this was duly dispensed along with five lots of medication. One day only. If I was still 'unwell' I had to return the next day and repeat the experience. If you can imagine a taxi ride while not well, sitting at an A&E department for several hours, queuing for your prescriptions, then a taxi ride home again, you'd understand why being sick isn't worth it. Never mind the cost!
So Thursday I head back to work feeling like crap. Somehow I manage to muddle through a horrible day and get home in one piece. While I was away no-one covered my classes and the girls were left on their own with worksheets. Funny how I have to cover for all the Arabic teachers!
Friday is my catch up day with home so after Skyping 4 family and friends and phoning my son (who has been off work due to snow and was heading away to the opening of Mt Hutt skifield while we swelter in over 40 degrees) we had a brunch at the 'Park Rotana' Hotel Khalifa Park for the touch club. The menu was vastly different from my last bruch but greatly appreciated by most of the males there. There was a much smaller selection of food, perhaps because we were in a pub, Coopers. It was more of an all you can eat roast to me. There were two meats at the carvery, beef & chicken. Then huge dishes of mashed spuds, roast spuds, vegetables, spaghetti, sausages, fish, soup and a roll, a small salad bar and only four deserts. The portion size of the deserts here is tiny, just a sample really so I don't know how many times they had to replenish the carrot cake. What a great day! I had thought twice about going as I hadn't been eating but am glad I did. The social interaction and kiwi atmosphere was worth while. I met some fabulous people, mostly kiwis. The UAE seems to be very good to Maori males and they appear to be in great demand in good jobs here, especially in the education system. Not many are mere teachers like me and most don't work for ADEC but other providers in higher paid positions.
One negative was the temperature in the hotel. It was too hot to sit outside as the heat reflects off the concrete tiles outside, even beside the pool. But inside it was so cold that our hands were frozen. By the time we took food from the buffet to our table and began to eat, it was cold! No-one understands why it has to be so cold inside. As the mercury rises outside, the air con gets colder inside with the malls often so cold that carrying a cardi is a must at all times.
I also sat and ate my lunch with the New Zealand ambassador! I didn't realise who he was as we sat talking and still didn't when he said he worked at the embassy. So I have a direct line to help if I should get myself arrested! What a lovely family. I've been invited to pop in to the embassy for a brew. His wife has been responsible for organising the touch all season and has been emailing me every week.
Did I mention that I've another son? No? Well I am now addressed as his 2nd mum. Another kiwi, a red-headed Maori from Wairoa, thought he'd discovered a new brother and mum at touch. He's chuffed with us and is always coming over for a kiss and hug. Funny thing about the NZ culture, the hugging and kissing is alive and well here. Our English & American friends find it a bit unusual but they are both very pleased they are in with 'our' group and have met all these wonderful people through touch. Of course, they both enjoy the social atmosphere and having a beer alongside us.
So my group of contacts is expanding all the time, helped along by connecting with some of my sister's friends over here. People are very generous both with time and money. It makes me proud to be an ex-pat kiwi.
Coopers Bar at Park Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi. This is what too much JD does to you!
Checking the ornate mirror out.
After spending most of my weekend booking hotels online for next year in Switzerland, it began with the normal day at school on Sunday. Our Principal dug her toes in and made us all stay until 3pm which is our normal finishing time. The Arabic teachers were fuming and pacing the corriders waiting to leave. Now that we are winding down (the students finish on the 21st June) the teachers are trying to leave earlier and earlier. Not us of course as we still have a full teaching workload. Compare our 30 periods per week with their lesser workload of between 6 & 15 periods. Then I keep getting extra periods to cover due to the absence of Arabic teachers. When I brought it up with my HOF I was told, Just remember where you are! So, like the Phillipinos, we are at the beck and call of the Arabic staff.
Monday was the usual mix of success and madness. As my class is so low academically and the expectations so high I've again had the 'normal' response to testing which includes many tears, tests ripped up, Arabic mutterings (or shoutings) at me and parents popping in or writing me lovely notes to ask me to let their child retake the test and get a better grade. Grades are everything here and anything less than 100% for many children is traumatic. How they ever got that defies me as their English and maths is very low.
Tuesday we had a lunch after school which involved end of year presents and certificates for staff, supposedly gifts for those leaving, and a farewell for our Principal who is heading to England early for a holiday. All the staff received lovely thank you certificates from the school and a pendulum clock with the school engraved on it. We had been asked to contribute 100AED towards this which I did but most of the western teachers didn't. There hasn't been much thawing of them and us.
Out of six western teachers, 4 are leaving. 2 have just handed in their notice this week which is very late so we will have an influx of new teachers come September. There are various reasons for leaving and several Arabic staff have gone also. Most aren't happy with the results of the evaluation process that we have to go through with several staff leaving immediately, or in the case of the westerners, handing in their notice immediately.
Our evaluation involves complying an indepth portfolio showcasing how we have achieved each of the outcomes required by ADEC. It isn't enough just to do it, we have to prove it. Then the Principal, who speaks very little English, and the HOF come into your room and give you points for each outcome. The total of the points determines where you sit on a 5-point scale from Pre-Foundation through to Established. I had completed my portfolio as directed but the result was predetermined before the interview and it wasn't looked at. My result was that I was deemed to be Foundation (2) for one of the four areas and Emergent (3) for the other three. As an experienced teacher this can be hard to take but as it's part of the experience here I wasn't going to let it upset me. Remind me of that at the end of next year if it's still the same! As long as it isn't performance based pay I'm okay with it.
The spread of food was amazing with a huge table laden with Arabic dishes. I sampled many of the dishes although at times I was unsure of what they were. This lunch gave me the opportunity to see how the Arabic staff relate to each other which is quite different from the haughty facade we see. As there was so much food the Arabic teachers left with laden trays of food. We weren't invited to take a dish home but I took a small plate full home for my son for his dinner. The food was delicious (or so I thought).
That evening my son had his touch rugby finals so we headed off early to the park for that. I am pleased to say they won both games, the second in an extra time knockout against a team from the grade above. So great excitement after a nail-biting 1/2 hour. Being their main supporter, only one I think, I was warmly thanked and joined the team photos. They were the only team out of three from their club that won. We adjourned to the clubrooms for a beer or two and medal ceremony. One kiwi had brought along his guitar so we ended the night with a singsong. Naturally we were the last to leave.
I'm not sure if it was the beers or the Arabic food but I wasn't too well during the night and ended up sitting on the loo. I was unable to go to work as I couldn't leave the loo the next morning so rung in sick. This in itself was an experience that you wouldn't want to repeat too often. Several hours later when it felt safe to leave the house, I headed up to the hospital in a taxi to see a GP. To have a day off and get paid you have to have a medical certifiate so this was duly dispensed along with five lots of medication. One day only. If I was still 'unwell' I had to return the next day and repeat the experience. If you can imagine a taxi ride while not well, sitting at an A&E department for several hours, queuing for your prescriptions, then a taxi ride home again, you'd understand why being sick isn't worth it. Never mind the cost!
So Thursday I head back to work feeling like crap. Somehow I manage to muddle through a horrible day and get home in one piece. While I was away no-one covered my classes and the girls were left on their own with worksheets. Funny how I have to cover for all the Arabic teachers!
Friday is my catch up day with home so after Skyping 4 family and friends and phoning my son (who has been off work due to snow and was heading away to the opening of Mt Hutt skifield while we swelter in over 40 degrees) we had a brunch at the 'Park Rotana' Hotel Khalifa Park for the touch club. The menu was vastly different from my last bruch but greatly appreciated by most of the males there. There was a much smaller selection of food, perhaps because we were in a pub, Coopers. It was more of an all you can eat roast to me. There were two meats at the carvery, beef & chicken. Then huge dishes of mashed spuds, roast spuds, vegetables, spaghetti, sausages, fish, soup and a roll, a small salad bar and only four deserts. The portion size of the deserts here is tiny, just a sample really so I don't know how many times they had to replenish the carrot cake. What a great day! I had thought twice about going as I hadn't been eating but am glad I did. The social interaction and kiwi atmosphere was worth while. I met some fabulous people, mostly kiwis. The UAE seems to be very good to Maori males and they appear to be in great demand in good jobs here, especially in the education system. Not many are mere teachers like me and most don't work for ADEC but other providers in higher paid positions.
One negative was the temperature in the hotel. It was too hot to sit outside as the heat reflects off the concrete tiles outside, even beside the pool. But inside it was so cold that our hands were frozen. By the time we took food from the buffet to our table and began to eat, it was cold! No-one understands why it has to be so cold inside. As the mercury rises outside, the air con gets colder inside with the malls often so cold that carrying a cardi is a must at all times.
I also sat and ate my lunch with the New Zealand ambassador! I didn't realise who he was as we sat talking and still didn't when he said he worked at the embassy. So I have a direct line to help if I should get myself arrested! What a lovely family. I've been invited to pop in to the embassy for a brew. His wife has been responsible for organising the touch all season and has been emailing me every week.
Did I mention that I've another son? No? Well I am now addressed as his 2nd mum. Another kiwi, a red-headed Maori from Wairoa, thought he'd discovered a new brother and mum at touch. He's chuffed with us and is always coming over for a kiss and hug. Funny thing about the NZ culture, the hugging and kissing is alive and well here. Our English & American friends find it a bit unusual but they are both very pleased they are in with 'our' group and have met all these wonderful people through touch. Of course, they both enjoy the social atmosphere and having a beer alongside us.
So my group of contacts is expanding all the time, helped along by connecting with some of my sister's friends over here. People are very generous both with time and money. It makes me proud to be an ex-pat kiwi.
Coopers Bar at Park Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi. This is what too much JD does to you!
Checking the ornate mirror out.
Bathroom splendour at the hotel.
Check out the kiwi tart!
Boxed tarts from the bakery over the road.
These were my hostess gift for lunch today but sadly I had to eat them as we didn't go.
They are as tiny as they look and have custard fillings with syrup & fruit on top.
Toppings included: kiwi; grape; plum & strawberry.
Cost: 4AED each so expensive by standards here. ($1.25 each so probably not dear)
I could sure get used to all those yummies! But not too sure I could get used to the school system and the kids! Fancy you not knowing how to teach! I don't think I would cope too well with that!!
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