A new year, a new school. That's how we roll around here. I've had a week at my new school, without students so it has been rather relaxed. Tomorrow sees the return of the students so I will be better informed and able to comment then.
The school is situated very close to my last one, around 45 minutes drive from home (on a good day), and is just across the main highway. So I expect it to take around an hour. Mind you, I've been getting home in 30 minutes all week which is amazing for me. The traffic is less because students haven't started back and school buses and school mums are not yet on the road. So tomorrow morning will be the real test.
With the opening of the new Gate Tower apartment complex next to us the amount of traffic on the island has substantially increased, making getting off our island onto the main thoroughfare take more than the normal 10 minutes. I am watching and waiting for the road below me to open which should increase traffic flow. From my apartment complex I have 5 sets of traffic lights before I reach the bridge off the island, then another two sets of lights before I am on the main route out of the city (white knuckle driving). The five lane road below me has only two lanes open so traffic flow is impeded and slow with everyone vying for position at the lights to get a fast getaway so they can get to the one turn first. It is crazy and you need to have your wits about you at all times. There is driving etiquette but with so many newbies to the city, many do not know the 'rules' and accidents are commonplace. Three lanes of traffic merging into one free turn makes for frustrated drivers and horns are honked repeatedly.
The school is different in that it is smaller. I have 7 teachers, well only 5 as of 2pm Thursday, but here's hoping that two more turn up 8am Sunday. Previously I had 19 EMTS (English Medium Teachers). One major change is that the new school is Cycle 1 & Cycle 2 so there will be older students there. Cycle 1 runs from Grade 1-Grade 5, Cycle 2 Grade 6-Grade 9. I am not responsible for the Cycle 2 teachers. We have a Western Academic Vice Principal so all the work I did at my previous school is completed by her!
As you can imagine I arrived with all the necessary paperwork for the first day and all I did was sit around and drink real coffee from a cart with uniformed ladies serving, and eat cake. Literally eat cake!
Getting my office into working order has been the major task of the week. The A/C does not work and it has been around 45 degrees in there hence no work has taken place. No-one seems to care as they are not working in there so it doesn't affect them. Then my computer didn't work but it was fixed by a visit from my old IT man so had that by the last day of the week. Now any emailed documents won't open so that is my next task to get that sorted. The printer didn't work (I have two) so the IT lady on site fixed it but they both need new ink. Yes, sounds simple but it took me till 12noon on Thursday to get the secretary to walk 6 steps to unlock the cupboard and give me some! And the second batch is on order from the shop around the corner which should take 2 hours maximum. Still waiting! And as for getting a key to my office...
All I can say is watch this space. As you can imagine not much has been happening.
The positives are is that it is a girls school and secondly there is an AVP. She is due to have a baby in a few weeks but at least the year is set to go. Simple things like distributing text books to the teachers only required me on a roster (made by her) for an hour. Wow. Last year I distributed over 10,000 books by myself. So it is very different. Organised! And I have yet to sit in the Principal's office or meet with her for more than a few minutes.
Thursday night, being the end of the first week back, I had decided to have a small relaxed get together for my core group of friends who came in with me. I thought we should be celebrating the fact that we have made it through 2 1/2 years and have returned for more. There were times at the end of last year when many of us were dubious, especially with no contracts or airfares paid. Yet here we are again, all with new events happening in their lives. Some are having babies, others have had interviews to leave for new countries, others in new relationships, new regions, new schools, new apartments, etc. So it was wonderful to catch up, as always. As one put it, "Gaylene, it is your parties that keeps us here and together." Well said.
It was an early night as the teenager was flying in from Istanbul so I had to go and meet him at the airport. In typical style his 8:10 arrival turned out to be 9:15pm then he was only getting through immigration at around 11pm! Talk about busy at the airport. One friend had commented earlier that they would fly through Dubai from now on as there are cheaper airlines available plus the airport is much more user friendly. Abu Dhabi airport is undergoing extensive rebuilding so it can be a challenge. As for getting a taxi! It is easier to pay the 300 dirhams from Dubai to get back here.
Needless to say my peace has been shattered and the tidy house is a thing of the past. He has been away for six weeks (3 in Canada, 3 in Turkey) so washing will take priority for him before school starts tomorrow morning. But in typical teenage fashion, meeting up with friends seems to be more important and we have already had a few over before they all went out. He is on a strict budget this year. Once his allowance runs out, there will be NO more! We will see...
Anyway I got some lovely gifts from Turkey. He knows me well and chose wisely.
I'm going to have to cut this short as my friend has just phoned and we are off for an early morning walk. I discovered a 'boardwalk' around some of our island right beside the water so it is lovely for walking. Have a great week.
The school is situated very close to my last one, around 45 minutes drive from home (on a good day), and is just across the main highway. So I expect it to take around an hour. Mind you, I've been getting home in 30 minutes all week which is amazing for me. The traffic is less because students haven't started back and school buses and school mums are not yet on the road. So tomorrow morning will be the real test.
With the opening of the new Gate Tower apartment complex next to us the amount of traffic on the island has substantially increased, making getting off our island onto the main thoroughfare take more than the normal 10 minutes. I am watching and waiting for the road below me to open which should increase traffic flow. From my apartment complex I have 5 sets of traffic lights before I reach the bridge off the island, then another two sets of lights before I am on the main route out of the city (white knuckle driving). The five lane road below me has only two lanes open so traffic flow is impeded and slow with everyone vying for position at the lights to get a fast getaway so they can get to the one turn first. It is crazy and you need to have your wits about you at all times. There is driving etiquette but with so many newbies to the city, many do not know the 'rules' and accidents are commonplace. Three lanes of traffic merging into one free turn makes for frustrated drivers and horns are honked repeatedly.
The school is different in that it is smaller. I have 7 teachers, well only 5 as of 2pm Thursday, but here's hoping that two more turn up 8am Sunday. Previously I had 19 EMTS (English Medium Teachers). One major change is that the new school is Cycle 1 & Cycle 2 so there will be older students there. Cycle 1 runs from Grade 1-Grade 5, Cycle 2 Grade 6-Grade 9. I am not responsible for the Cycle 2 teachers. We have a Western Academic Vice Principal so all the work I did at my previous school is completed by her!
As you can imagine I arrived with all the necessary paperwork for the first day and all I did was sit around and drink real coffee from a cart with uniformed ladies serving, and eat cake. Literally eat cake!
Getting my office into working order has been the major task of the week. The A/C does not work and it has been around 45 degrees in there hence no work has taken place. No-one seems to care as they are not working in there so it doesn't affect them. Then my computer didn't work but it was fixed by a visit from my old IT man so had that by the last day of the week. Now any emailed documents won't open so that is my next task to get that sorted. The printer didn't work (I have two) so the IT lady on site fixed it but they both need new ink. Yes, sounds simple but it took me till 12noon on Thursday to get the secretary to walk 6 steps to unlock the cupboard and give me some! And the second batch is on order from the shop around the corner which should take 2 hours maximum. Still waiting! And as for getting a key to my office...
All I can say is watch this space. As you can imagine not much has been happening.
The positives are is that it is a girls school and secondly there is an AVP. She is due to have a baby in a few weeks but at least the year is set to go. Simple things like distributing text books to the teachers only required me on a roster (made by her) for an hour. Wow. Last year I distributed over 10,000 books by myself. So it is very different. Organised! And I have yet to sit in the Principal's office or meet with her for more than a few minutes.
Thursday night, being the end of the first week back, I had decided to have a small relaxed get together for my core group of friends who came in with me. I thought we should be celebrating the fact that we have made it through 2 1/2 years and have returned for more. There were times at the end of last year when many of us were dubious, especially with no contracts or airfares paid. Yet here we are again, all with new events happening in their lives. Some are having babies, others have had interviews to leave for new countries, others in new relationships, new regions, new schools, new apartments, etc. So it was wonderful to catch up, as always. As one put it, "Gaylene, it is your parties that keeps us here and together." Well said.
It was an early night as the teenager was flying in from Istanbul so I had to go and meet him at the airport. In typical style his 8:10 arrival turned out to be 9:15pm then he was only getting through immigration at around 11pm! Talk about busy at the airport. One friend had commented earlier that they would fly through Dubai from now on as there are cheaper airlines available plus the airport is much more user friendly. Abu Dhabi airport is undergoing extensive rebuilding so it can be a challenge. As for getting a taxi! It is easier to pay the 300 dirhams from Dubai to get back here.
Needless to say my peace has been shattered and the tidy house is a thing of the past. He has been away for six weeks (3 in Canada, 3 in Turkey) so washing will take priority for him before school starts tomorrow morning. But in typical teenage fashion, meeting up with friends seems to be more important and we have already had a few over before they all went out. He is on a strict budget this year. Once his allowance runs out, there will be NO more! We will see...
Anyway I got some lovely gifts from Turkey. He knows me well and chose wisely.
Fridge magnets. Love the jandal bottle opener.
Evil eye to ward off danger. I have this hanging by the front door.
Love this set of spice. I have already been on the internet finding out what to do with Saffron (too expensive to use in NZ) and sumac. So I will be rekindling my love of cooking that the teenager reminded me of.
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