We had a nice Thanksgiving potluck meal at our neighbor's house - Cammie and Mike's. There were about 30 people there and the food was excellent. There was even cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and turkey.
The week after that has been the run up to the UAE's National Day. The country was founded on 2 December 1971, so this is the 41st National Day. Since the UAE and I are almost exactly the same age, I can easily remember this date. It has been like the Fourth of July and Christmas combined, at least at the schools. But also there are flags everywhere, and cars are decorated with the colors of the flag (green, red, white and black) and pictures of the sheikhs. At the school I am teaching at, there was a big performance for the parents - children in traditional dress, sword dance, girls swinging their long dark hair from side to side, much singing of the national anthem. At Grace and Henry's school, there was a party today with a camel, dog show, local food, henna painting. I feel exhausted now, like I just had five holidays in one. Speaking of which, since we arrived in June, there has been Ramadan, Eid al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, New Year, and National Day. I can hardly keep up this pace. What will Jan-May be like? Can there be any more holidays? Is this France? (tee) It makes me wonder what a foreigner would make of the 5 weeks between Thanksgiving and Xmas. Maybe the same thing.
I have to confess that after a week of this (and a lot of disorganization and confusion which I won't go into), I played the kids "This Land is Your Land". If I'd had more time, I might have resorted to "Home Home on the Range" or maybe some John Denver. I just had to get a brief respite from the Emirates. A mother came in at this point, but she seemed to like it. I wouldn't go so far as The Star Spangled Banner or anything. Give me some credit.
I also met my first person from Kazakstan the other day - new music teacher at the school. I had to look it up on the globe - very large, near China. She looks Chinese, but not. Wonderful English. Also had a moment of surprise when I was talking to my western colleagues there - one from Ireland, one from South Africa - that we were from 3 different continents, all bound by one (colonial) culture, all looking more like each other than we look like those around us.
The week after that has been the run up to the UAE's National Day. The country was founded on 2 December 1971, so this is the 41st National Day. Since the UAE and I are almost exactly the same age, I can easily remember this date. It has been like the Fourth of July and Christmas combined, at least at the schools. But also there are flags everywhere, and cars are decorated with the colors of the flag (green, red, white and black) and pictures of the sheikhs. At the school I am teaching at, there was a big performance for the parents - children in traditional dress, sword dance, girls swinging their long dark hair from side to side, much singing of the national anthem. At Grace and Henry's school, there was a party today with a camel, dog show, local food, henna painting. I feel exhausted now, like I just had five holidays in one. Speaking of which, since we arrived in June, there has been Ramadan, Eid al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, New Year, and National Day. I can hardly keep up this pace. What will Jan-May be like? Can there be any more holidays? Is this France? (tee) It makes me wonder what a foreigner would make of the 5 weeks between Thanksgiving and Xmas. Maybe the same thing.
I have to confess that after a week of this (and a lot of disorganization and confusion which I won't go into), I played the kids "This Land is Your Land". If I'd had more time, I might have resorted to "Home Home on the Range" or maybe some John Denver. I just had to get a brief respite from the Emirates. A mother came in at this point, but she seemed to like it. I wouldn't go so far as The Star Spangled Banner or anything. Give me some credit.
This is the school I am teaching at.
This is my classroom.
These are some little students of mine. I know I shouldn't post pictures of children.
Don't turn me in.
More kids in traditional dress in our classroom.
The class with one of the helpers (from the Philippines).
The school presentation, with the dancing and the music.
G and H's school.
Also at G and H's school.
G's hand painted with henna.
G in UAE colors, with her lunchbox.
Comments
Post a Comment