It seems an age since I last blogged! Must be having too much of a social life at the moment. I've just read through my last entry to see what I'd written about so hopefully I won't repeat myself.
Since the last long weekend it's been life as normal. Work has been busy as any teacher will know. It's settled into a routine and for the most part is enjoyable although it is still frustrating trying to deliver an overcrowded curriculum to girls who often don't understand anything you've said.
The main frustration is the obvious unfairness of the workload. Twice this week I've picked up two extra periods of teaching while the Arabic teachers sit around and do nothing. Remembering that we teach more classes than them to begin with. I find this annoying and I had one day when it really bugged me... so I refused to sign the book that came around, knowing I'd end up with no break. It annoys me that the Vice Principal doesn't even come to ask or talk to me about it, just sends a book around with the Filipino helper. As I'm teaching, I can't even go off and talk to her about it. So the book comes back and I end up doing one extra class. Then the same, same happened yesterday. All the grade 4 & 5 girls were out on a 'marathon' so we had a free day, supposedly. But those not running had to come to school so we combined them into one class and got one period each. I did first as I've been caught before with the last two while the locals skive off to wherever they go. Period 2 I'm told I'm teaching P3 also. What? But I've done mine! Too bad. Now the three western teachers have to cover for Grade 3 as there teachers are all out at the marathon. Talk about annoying as we were trying to get our work up to date for the numerous assessments and reports are due soon. But the motto is: "Apply then comply" apparently. So you don't get any sympathy from anyone.
Enough said. If you can't beat them, join them. So I managed to get off earlier and go home for an appointment at 12.30pm.
Last weekend we had another 3 day break. I'll know for next year to save hard for this time of the year as the deals to fly away for the weekend are amazing. The break was for New Year. It was also Diwali, the Indian festival of lights so town was busy. My friend came in from out west and we did hair, nails, eyebrows, waxing etc. Sounds like an exciting time doesn't it? Then we met one of her workmates for lunch at the Beach Rotana and did Abu Dhabi Mall and Marks and Spencer Mall.
After she left to go home, I spent time relaxing down at the pool. I'm trying to use it more now that the weather has cooled down nicely. The evenings in particular are lovely at the moment and I'm missing walking something terrible.
So we've had lots of short weeks at work. This weekend is normal so we've had to work a full five days! That was a shock to the system I can tell you. Plus it meant we had to plan for five days!!!!
The exciting thing this week was my birthday. I went out to lunch after work on Wednesday to the Dome in Al Whada Mall. Then last night I met up with friends at The Captains Arms pub at Le Meridan for a drink and something to eat. After that we wandered around Abu Dhabi Mall for some exercise, stopping at the book shop to browse, then having a frozen yogurt to round off the night.
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are everywhere here and it's been interesting to hear how it's unfolding back in New Zealand, especially in Wellington. I watched a young boy pick up Book 1 of LOTR and take it over to his father. Then he came back and found the boxed set. Over he goes again, but 'baba' wasn't buying. I remembered all the LOTR books, puzzles, stationery, etc that my boys had in NZ and felt like buying the book for this boy.
Then I get home to find a house full of teenagers! At last I got to meet some of the teenagers friends, although earlier in the evening might have been better. I'm waiting for the moany neighbour to come and ring the doorbell to tell them to be quiet but didn't hear from her, yet. By midnight they've dispersed leaving a mighty mess for the teenager to clean this morning. They offered to pay for a maid, that's the difference in the life here, they all have them to clean up after them and their friends. I must admit that two of them did stay behind and help him tidy up before they left. I'm also surprised that the boys who stayed are already up and heading down to the gym, none too worse for wear.
Friends are now able to sleep over as last weekend I finally bought a couple of bed settees. I found a lovely wooden one with black and white cushions which is in the teenagers room and a cheap foam fold out couch in the lounge for guests. So they've been used already. I bought them second-hand through an online site which was a day worth writing about in itself.
First it's making contact with the seller. Things sell quickly here, the market for second hand goods is buoyant with such a transient population. I'd also found some things on a teacher facebook page and had arranged to look at 12noon. Then I find these two couches at 7am so email the seller immediately, thinking it's too early to phone on a Friday. He replies so I arrange to go and view at 9am. I've done this several times before only to find things have been sold before I get there. So I jump in the shower & grab a cuppa then head down to get a taxi. Luckily I get a Filipino driver with good English and off we set. I view the couches and buy both, nothing a little cleaning won't fix. So the next step is to get a mover. Off I go in the taxi to the local Post Office where all the moving men and their trucks hang out. We arrive and there's only one, because it's Friday - prayer day. I negotiate a price and off we set. 100 AED for the ute and 50AED each for the two men. But I bargined it down to 150 AED all up. They load up the goods and head home, following me in the taxi. The taxi driver warns me that I'll probably have to pay the 200 AED as the man who agreed to the price isn't one of them and he was right. So they unload the goods while I phone the other lady to see if I can come earlier to get her stuff. I renegotiate a second price and same, same, they follow me in the taxi to my old building. This woman has wonderful stuff and cheap so I buy up large, filling the ute to the max. I got one small white end table and one black, a black leather recliner chair, a beautiful black and silver rug with koru designs, two bookcases and a computer chair. I would have bought more but I only had enough cash to pay the removal men and the taxi (remembering I'd had the taxi for two hours by now). So I headed home with the next load to fill up the apartment nicely. As we were entering the island, the security stopped the removal men to see where they were going. Obviously only certain types are allowed into our domain. I gave the men a 10AED tip on top of their wages and they still tried to get more money out of me. So a good days work for them and now my apartment is looking much homelier.
The really funny thing that happened was the man selling the couches phoned me asking for a brown cushion back which had come by mistake. He'd given me 5 cushions but he wanted this one back. Odd, I thought, particularly as he was emigrating to Canada in a few days time. The teenager and I decided it must be stuffed with something so take it apart and have a good look but nothing noticeable. I tell him I'll take it into work the next day.
Next day arrives and he phones me. Oops! I'd forgotten the cushion but assure him I'll bring it tomorrow. I get home and put it by the door so I'll remember. I take it in and text him that I've left it at reception and have informed both the lady there and the security guard that he'll be in to collect it. 1.30pm he phones and as I had no class I go to take it to him. Only to find no lady & no cushion. Odd! I ask security, cleaners, bus monitors, all the office staff, phone the lady who had to go out on a class trip, in fact everyone. Half an hour later I'm still none the wiser as to where it is. The man phones me and says to inform him when I have it. I leave work without any idea of where it is.
Next morning the woman is very apologetic but we are none the wiser as to who took it off the desk. I ask her to recheck with security and cleaners. Shortly she's in my room with the cushion. It seems that the Principal's driver had taken it, thinking it was hers. So I phone the man and he's there within 5 minutes to collect it.
Very strange indeed! Not a charmed cushion. I think it may have a tale to tell, especially if they took it to Canada. Perhaps it needs its own blog...
Since the last long weekend it's been life as normal. Work has been busy as any teacher will know. It's settled into a routine and for the most part is enjoyable although it is still frustrating trying to deliver an overcrowded curriculum to girls who often don't understand anything you've said.
The main frustration is the obvious unfairness of the workload. Twice this week I've picked up two extra periods of teaching while the Arabic teachers sit around and do nothing. Remembering that we teach more classes than them to begin with. I find this annoying and I had one day when it really bugged me... so I refused to sign the book that came around, knowing I'd end up with no break. It annoys me that the Vice Principal doesn't even come to ask or talk to me about it, just sends a book around with the Filipino helper. As I'm teaching, I can't even go off and talk to her about it. So the book comes back and I end up doing one extra class. Then the same, same happened yesterday. All the grade 4 & 5 girls were out on a 'marathon' so we had a free day, supposedly. But those not running had to come to school so we combined them into one class and got one period each. I did first as I've been caught before with the last two while the locals skive off to wherever they go. Period 2 I'm told I'm teaching P3 also. What? But I've done mine! Too bad. Now the three western teachers have to cover for Grade 3 as there teachers are all out at the marathon. Talk about annoying as we were trying to get our work up to date for the numerous assessments and reports are due soon. But the motto is: "Apply then comply" apparently. So you don't get any sympathy from anyone.
Enough said. If you can't beat them, join them. So I managed to get off earlier and go home for an appointment at 12.30pm.
Last weekend we had another 3 day break. I'll know for next year to save hard for this time of the year as the deals to fly away for the weekend are amazing. The break was for New Year. It was also Diwali, the Indian festival of lights so town was busy. My friend came in from out west and we did hair, nails, eyebrows, waxing etc. Sounds like an exciting time doesn't it? Then we met one of her workmates for lunch at the Beach Rotana and did Abu Dhabi Mall and Marks and Spencer Mall.
After she left to go home, I spent time relaxing down at the pool. I'm trying to use it more now that the weather has cooled down nicely. The evenings in particular are lovely at the moment and I'm missing walking something terrible.
So we've had lots of short weeks at work. This weekend is normal so we've had to work a full five days! That was a shock to the system I can tell you. Plus it meant we had to plan for five days!!!!
The exciting thing this week was my birthday. I went out to lunch after work on Wednesday to the Dome in Al Whada Mall. Then last night I met up with friends at The Captains Arms pub at Le Meridan for a drink and something to eat. After that we wandered around Abu Dhabi Mall for some exercise, stopping at the book shop to browse, then having a frozen yogurt to round off the night.
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are everywhere here and it's been interesting to hear how it's unfolding back in New Zealand, especially in Wellington. I watched a young boy pick up Book 1 of LOTR and take it over to his father. Then he came back and found the boxed set. Over he goes again, but 'baba' wasn't buying. I remembered all the LOTR books, puzzles, stationery, etc that my boys had in NZ and felt like buying the book for this boy.
Then I get home to find a house full of teenagers! At last I got to meet some of the teenagers friends, although earlier in the evening might have been better. I'm waiting for the moany neighbour to come and ring the doorbell to tell them to be quiet but didn't hear from her, yet. By midnight they've dispersed leaving a mighty mess for the teenager to clean this morning. They offered to pay for a maid, that's the difference in the life here, they all have them to clean up after them and their friends. I must admit that two of them did stay behind and help him tidy up before they left. I'm also surprised that the boys who stayed are already up and heading down to the gym, none too worse for wear.
Friends are now able to sleep over as last weekend I finally bought a couple of bed settees. I found a lovely wooden one with black and white cushions which is in the teenagers room and a cheap foam fold out couch in the lounge for guests. So they've been used already. I bought them second-hand through an online site which was a day worth writing about in itself.
First it's making contact with the seller. Things sell quickly here, the market for second hand goods is buoyant with such a transient population. I'd also found some things on a teacher facebook page and had arranged to look at 12noon. Then I find these two couches at 7am so email the seller immediately, thinking it's too early to phone on a Friday. He replies so I arrange to go and view at 9am. I've done this several times before only to find things have been sold before I get there. So I jump in the shower & grab a cuppa then head down to get a taxi. Luckily I get a Filipino driver with good English and off we set. I view the couches and buy both, nothing a little cleaning won't fix. So the next step is to get a mover. Off I go in the taxi to the local Post Office where all the moving men and their trucks hang out. We arrive and there's only one, because it's Friday - prayer day. I negotiate a price and off we set. 100 AED for the ute and 50AED each for the two men. But I bargined it down to 150 AED all up. They load up the goods and head home, following me in the taxi. The taxi driver warns me that I'll probably have to pay the 200 AED as the man who agreed to the price isn't one of them and he was right. So they unload the goods while I phone the other lady to see if I can come earlier to get her stuff. I renegotiate a second price and same, same, they follow me in the taxi to my old building. This woman has wonderful stuff and cheap so I buy up large, filling the ute to the max. I got one small white end table and one black, a black leather recliner chair, a beautiful black and silver rug with koru designs, two bookcases and a computer chair. I would have bought more but I only had enough cash to pay the removal men and the taxi (remembering I'd had the taxi for two hours by now). So I headed home with the next load to fill up the apartment nicely. As we were entering the island, the security stopped the removal men to see where they were going. Obviously only certain types are allowed into our domain. I gave the men a 10AED tip on top of their wages and they still tried to get more money out of me. So a good days work for them and now my apartment is looking much homelier.
The really funny thing that happened was the man selling the couches phoned me asking for a brown cushion back which had come by mistake. He'd given me 5 cushions but he wanted this one back. Odd, I thought, particularly as he was emigrating to Canada in a few days time. The teenager and I decided it must be stuffed with something so take it apart and have a good look but nothing noticeable. I tell him I'll take it into work the next day.
Next day arrives and he phones me. Oops! I'd forgotten the cushion but assure him I'll bring it tomorrow. I get home and put it by the door so I'll remember. I take it in and text him that I've left it at reception and have informed both the lady there and the security guard that he'll be in to collect it. 1.30pm he phones and as I had no class I go to take it to him. Only to find no lady & no cushion. Odd! I ask security, cleaners, bus monitors, all the office staff, phone the lady who had to go out on a class trip, in fact everyone. Half an hour later I'm still none the wiser as to where it is. The man phones me and says to inform him when I have it. I leave work without any idea of where it is.
Next morning the woman is very apologetic but we are none the wiser as to who took it off the desk. I ask her to recheck with security and cleaners. Shortly she's in my room with the cushion. It seems that the Principal's driver had taken it, thinking it was hers. So I phone the man and he's there within 5 minutes to collect it.
Very strange indeed! Not a charmed cushion. I think it may have a tale to tell, especially if they took it to Canada. Perhaps it needs its own blog...
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