Forgive me readers for it is nearly a whole month since my last post. Time has flown by. What with school being hectic and the weather being so nice I never seem to have a spare hour to put fingers to keyboard.
Another reason for me not being home is that I've joined a new group. Yes, 'The Biggest Loser". Never thought I'd see the day that I'd sign up for a weight loss programme but there you go. And I have to say it's the best thing I've done since living here in this building. The reason why is that I've met a like minded group of women and now have numerous exercise buddies to use our wonderful facilities with.
The group was started by another teacher who had moved here from Al Ain and had a similar group there. We all put in 100 dirhams and the biggest loser takes 75% of the money. The other 25% goes to the person who gets the most points. Daily we score ourselves on a sheet for things like exercising, not eating sugar, eating 2 servings of fruit and 3 of vegetables, drinking copious amounts of water, contacting another group member for support, and keeping a food diary of what we eat. So the incentive is strong to make an effort.
Imagine my surprise when I was the biggest loser in the first week, then again in the third. Don't go there for the 2nd as I put on a bit but back on track again (I hope). I've already lost 6.2 lbs. Not sure why they use pounds here but most are American and the scales are in pounds. I'm also trying to get maximum points each week but have slacked a lot over the last week.
Originally it was an 8 week challenge but we've extended it out to 12 weeks. Check out the website the programme was taken from - SixSistersStuff.com. The 12 weeks is good for me as it takes me up to my big trip with sister when I'll need to be a few pounds short to make up for all the fine dining and drinking beer we will be doing while cruising through Germany and other regions.
Hopefully all the extra exercise will prepare me for the cycling around Amsterdam and walking up Mt Titlis in Switzerland.
As I mentioned the weather here is glorious at the moment and I'm swimming a lot. However, 45 minutes swimming is a lot (maximum points) and sometimes I only manage 30 minutes. My shoulder still troubles me and swimming often ends in pain. I've just been to visit a physio last night so will begin some treatment here for it. Let's see if they can do anything different than back home.
The other wonderful event here is that we've finally got basketball hoops up on our court downstairs. Yah! I had the basketball bought months ago in preparation so now I'm often down there shooting baskets. Apparently I'm nearly a pro and have been complimented several times on my style. You can just see and hear' the teenagers' rolling around laughing, can't you?
It's been a good way to meet other like-minded people and my Hamilton friend is a weekly visitor so he can hang out at the hoops! I must book the court more frequently than most. Today I have two young Syrian teenagers (brother and sister) coming over to play. These lovely young people are refugees from the war in Syria and fascinating people. Our young people in NZ seem unworldly by comparison, both in life experiences and education. They speak 4 languages, are learning their fifth, and have the next one lined up. They found our kiwi hospitality unusual and were unsure what to make of an offer of a ride home (just over the island) and an invite back to play. Probably thought we were some crazy middle aged perverts!
I'm doing a lot of walking around the island with my new friends. This is great as it isn't always a comfortable feeling to be out walking on your own due to the huge number of workers around. I'm trying to make the most of the weather while I can as you can feel it warming up already.
Each day a group member leads an exercise activity and you can choose to attend or not. So we have a wide selection. I take basketball and tennis once a week. There is walking, swimming, circuit training, body pump, dancing, basketball and tennis. So plenty to choose from and you know there will always be someone else to do it with so much more enjoyable. As we have the most amazing facilities here it's good to make use of them.
A bonus of this new group has been the friendships forged and new people met. One of the ladies, a Pakistani woman, invited us all to her home for a traditional Pakistani dinner last week. She hosted it and had spent the week planning and preparing everything. Her brother had flown in from Norway and her father was visiting from New York. Her father works for the United Nations and Helen Clark is his boss. Her brother was fascinating and works as an environmental city planner (I can't remember the title he used) but making cities around the world more sustainable.
Another Pakistani couple had their parents visiting also so we met them. The mother was a retired lawyer so well educated people. This younger couple had spent 2 months in New Zealand so were able to talk at length about our beautiful country. The husband kept remarking on the sheep and cattle just walking on the road and no-one was killing them and running off with the meat! Amazing! We certainly live in a different world.
Last week we also celebrated our nearly one year here in Abu Dhabi with a breakfast back at the hotel where it all began for us on February 12th 2012. Hasn't time flown? To think that we have survived that long and are still sane to tell the tale. Having said that, our original group was much smaller due to defections back west. A lot haven't been able to hack the demands of working and living in another culture and the stress it entails. The promised land wasn't as promised and the difficult working conditions do not suit many. Having said that, many come here expecting an easy ride (and a gastric bypass!). A lot of 'teachers' have never taught before! That always floors me! Lesson plans are unheard of so stress levels are high when they have to be handed in the week before. Weekly newsletters to parents informing them of the next week's programme are mandatory. Unannounced formal teacher observations are commonplace in many schools - I had one this week with the Principal and HOF. Additional duties keep being added and assessment is rampant. New Zealanders and South Africans cope well as our system is similar and we just get on with it. Albeit with a few moans at times but it isn't anything new to us. What is new is having a free period every day. The Emirate staff struggle to teach 24 periods a week and a mutiny is always brewing (that's when they are at work). I don't believe they will be able to take over the education system as the government wants. But who knows? The government may have to back down to the demands of its people, who don't want to work long hours without many breaks. It just isn't part of their culture. 50 years ago they were all still running around in the desert living the Bedouin lifestyle, carrying guns. Many still live that lifestyle so getting the kids to school isn't important for them. Daily survival is. If the going gets tough, the Emirate staff disappear.
The kiwi contingent with the English Rose who was adopted by the three kiwis when we arrived at midnight a year ago. She has since left the government employ and now works for a British International School in Al Ain.
Last night I popped downstairs to another Kiwi's apartment to share a glass of wine to celebrate Waitangi Day. There is a big celebration here today but I'm not going as saving hard for my trip. Also, I hear it's just a booze fest so no different from back home.
I'm in with the security downstairs thanks to the boys. I was stopped at the door and asked, "Madam. Are you the mother of ...?" I'm thinking what has the teenager done? But it was Mr 19 who made a favourable impression and he was asking after him. He said there was a facial resemblance. Later that evening he stopped the teenager to tell him that he also looks like his brother, now that he knows them. The boys had a great time seeing the ins and outs of our home with security guidance, including golf cart rides around the island. They came back up one night with the phone number of head of security and had been told to call him if they wanted a ride anywhere. So now we have the 'man' on our side. Most people don't give them the time of day but kiwi's don't come with that attitude. The old adage of, "Treat people as you want to be treated" is so true.
Another reason for me not being home is that I've joined a new group. Yes, 'The Biggest Loser". Never thought I'd see the day that I'd sign up for a weight loss programme but there you go. And I have to say it's the best thing I've done since living here in this building. The reason why is that I've met a like minded group of women and now have numerous exercise buddies to use our wonderful facilities with.
The group was started by another teacher who had moved here from Al Ain and had a similar group there. We all put in 100 dirhams and the biggest loser takes 75% of the money. The other 25% goes to the person who gets the most points. Daily we score ourselves on a sheet for things like exercising, not eating sugar, eating 2 servings of fruit and 3 of vegetables, drinking copious amounts of water, contacting another group member for support, and keeping a food diary of what we eat. So the incentive is strong to make an effort.
Imagine my surprise when I was the biggest loser in the first week, then again in the third. Don't go there for the 2nd as I put on a bit but back on track again (I hope). I've already lost 6.2 lbs. Not sure why they use pounds here but most are American and the scales are in pounds. I'm also trying to get maximum points each week but have slacked a lot over the last week.
Originally it was an 8 week challenge but we've extended it out to 12 weeks. Check out the website the programme was taken from - SixSistersStuff.com. The 12 weeks is good for me as it takes me up to my big trip with sister when I'll need to be a few pounds short to make up for all the fine dining and drinking beer we will be doing while cruising through Germany and other regions.
Hopefully all the extra exercise will prepare me for the cycling around Amsterdam and walking up Mt Titlis in Switzerland.
As I mentioned the weather here is glorious at the moment and I'm swimming a lot. However, 45 minutes swimming is a lot (maximum points) and sometimes I only manage 30 minutes. My shoulder still troubles me and swimming often ends in pain. I've just been to visit a physio last night so will begin some treatment here for it. Let's see if they can do anything different than back home.
The other wonderful event here is that we've finally got basketball hoops up on our court downstairs. Yah! I had the basketball bought months ago in preparation so now I'm often down there shooting baskets. Apparently I'm nearly a pro and have been complimented several times on my style. You can just see and hear' the teenagers' rolling around laughing, can't you?
It's been a good way to meet other like-minded people and my Hamilton friend is a weekly visitor so he can hang out at the hoops! I must book the court more frequently than most. Today I have two young Syrian teenagers (brother and sister) coming over to play. These lovely young people are refugees from the war in Syria and fascinating people. Our young people in NZ seem unworldly by comparison, both in life experiences and education. They speak 4 languages, are learning their fifth, and have the next one lined up. They found our kiwi hospitality unusual and were unsure what to make of an offer of a ride home (just over the island) and an invite back to play. Probably thought we were some crazy middle aged perverts!
I'm doing a lot of walking around the island with my new friends. This is great as it isn't always a comfortable feeling to be out walking on your own due to the huge number of workers around. I'm trying to make the most of the weather while I can as you can feel it warming up already.
Each day a group member leads an exercise activity and you can choose to attend or not. So we have a wide selection. I take basketball and tennis once a week. There is walking, swimming, circuit training, body pump, dancing, basketball and tennis. So plenty to choose from and you know there will always be someone else to do it with so much more enjoyable. As we have the most amazing facilities here it's good to make use of them.
A bonus of this new group has been the friendships forged and new people met. One of the ladies, a Pakistani woman, invited us all to her home for a traditional Pakistani dinner last week. She hosted it and had spent the week planning and preparing everything. Her brother had flown in from Norway and her father was visiting from New York. Her father works for the United Nations and Helen Clark is his boss. Her brother was fascinating and works as an environmental city planner (I can't remember the title he used) but making cities around the world more sustainable.
Another Pakistani couple had their parents visiting also so we met them. The mother was a retired lawyer so well educated people. This younger couple had spent 2 months in New Zealand so were able to talk at length about our beautiful country. The husband kept remarking on the sheep and cattle just walking on the road and no-one was killing them and running off with the meat! Amazing! We certainly live in a different world.
Last week we also celebrated our nearly one year here in Abu Dhabi with a breakfast back at the hotel where it all began for us on February 12th 2012. Hasn't time flown? To think that we have survived that long and are still sane to tell the tale. Having said that, our original group was much smaller due to defections back west. A lot haven't been able to hack the demands of working and living in another culture and the stress it entails. The promised land wasn't as promised and the difficult working conditions do not suit many. Having said that, many come here expecting an easy ride (and a gastric bypass!). A lot of 'teachers' have never taught before! That always floors me! Lesson plans are unheard of so stress levels are high when they have to be handed in the week before. Weekly newsletters to parents informing them of the next week's programme are mandatory. Unannounced formal teacher observations are commonplace in many schools - I had one this week with the Principal and HOF. Additional duties keep being added and assessment is rampant. New Zealanders and South Africans cope well as our system is similar and we just get on with it. Albeit with a few moans at times but it isn't anything new to us. What is new is having a free period every day. The Emirate staff struggle to teach 24 periods a week and a mutiny is always brewing (that's when they are at work). I don't believe they will be able to take over the education system as the government wants. But who knows? The government may have to back down to the demands of its people, who don't want to work long hours without many breaks. It just isn't part of their culture. 50 years ago they were all still running around in the desert living the Bedouin lifestyle, carrying guns. Many still live that lifestyle so getting the kids to school isn't important for them. Daily survival is. If the going gets tough, the Emirate staff disappear.
Last night I popped downstairs to another Kiwi's apartment to share a glass of wine to celebrate Waitangi Day. There is a big celebration here today but I'm not going as saving hard for my trip. Also, I hear it's just a booze fest so no different from back home.
I'm in with the security downstairs thanks to the boys. I was stopped at the door and asked, "Madam. Are you the mother of ...?" I'm thinking what has the teenager done? But it was Mr 19 who made a favourable impression and he was asking after him. He said there was a facial resemblance. Later that evening he stopped the teenager to tell him that he also looks like his brother, now that he knows them. The boys had a great time seeing the ins and outs of our home with security guidance, including golf cart rides around the island. They came back up one night with the phone number of head of security and had been told to call him if they wanted a ride anywhere. So now we have the 'man' on our side. Most people don't give them the time of day but kiwi's don't come with that attitude. The old adage of, "Treat people as you want to be treated" is so true.
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