Two weeks in the desert and counting

So, we've almost been in our new places a full two weeks...and I love them!! We don't have internet out there, and I certainly don't have a lot of time with the itnernet when I'm at school, so notes tend to be short and sweet. The desert is a fairly uneventful place overall. In fact, nothing happens at all...unless you make it happen. We all have lovely apartments. Alicia and I are sharing a two bedroom place. We've each got our very own large spacious room, and then we also have a bothroom, and share the kitchen and living space. The ceilings are quite high, and because neither of us have a lot of stuff, the house does seem rather empty...but in good news, it's also relatively easy to keep clean... You'll be happy to hear that Alicia calls me immaculate (for being clean) and I have made my bed every morning with the exception of yesterday and the day before...as they were the weekend, and I was a little depressed and lazy.

The things that we do here are limited without a vehicle. Mostly, we walk across a short patch of sand/desert around our complex and then cross a very dangerous highway, and make it to the otherside where there are stripmalls to greet us. The stripmalls always have an abundance of pigeon feathers...but no pigeons...strange...
They also have a couple of fabulous fruit and veggie markets, some bare minimum markets for water or toilet paper should the emergency arise, and a kick butt shisha and shwarmas. A shwarma is much like a kabob...with chicken, tahini, tomato, lettuce, and garlic, and french fries all wrapped up in a flat bread. It's pretty much amazing. But the real fun is in the drinks. They create these milkshake type things that are jsut the tastiest ever! Better than any I've ever had. My claim to fame was the creation of a drink, which I like to call "the fantastic" and it includes banana, and avacado mixed together, and add milk I think. Whatever they do, it's like heaven.

We have eaten out quite a few times, there is no shortage of really decent food to try. Indian food is readily available, as well as fast food. There is a huge population of diabetics here in the Emirates, because they feed their kids absolutely anything they want. This means that there si also a lot of sugar free food in most supermarkets. Nice for the dieters. There are quite a few wthin my group. Almost all of the teachers here are healthy eaters, and they al exercise. It's great.

I myself have found a great work out buddy. She is very kind, her name is Sarah, and we run at 5:30am, before the sun comes out, so it's not unbearably warm. If you wait until 6:30, the sun is up, and it's like running in a sauna. Or, like doing really active bikram yoga. The winter is already coming though, apparently we should have a full six months of to die for weather this year. Woot Woot! We tend to run often, perhaps out of boredom, but my knee is still giving me trouble, so I'm taking it easy when I can.

A group of 4 of us have all decided to go in together to get a car, which we pick up today. It's fairly exciting to be able to get out, and we have plans to go to the mall and such. Of course, malls are open only until two and then not until after 8 again. We are all very excited to see the end of Ramadan, it's pretty tricky to never be allowed to eat or drink in public, and things aren't open when it's convinient. Too bad. But, next week, it's break time!!! I mean, we've already put in three full weeks of work, we're clearly due for a week long break (at least in this country that's how it seems to be.)

The classroom is pretty great. I like my kids. All 12 of them. I'm still waiting for the last 5. Frustrating though because they'll clearly be behind, and we'll have to work hard at catching them up, and it'll take a week to get the old routine turned into the new routine. I also don't know if I'll be getting all 5 or not. No one knows. Most I'm assuming are being held at home either for swime flu, which is a big deal here, or for Ramadan, which is a bigger deal. Several of them are arabic, so my money is on Ramadan, so perhaps most will come the week after next.

There isn't much else. Mostly I've been spending time getting to know the staff, which is almost entirely from canada, but a good mix from coast to coast. Now that we're in the desert, hero's pub is out for options, so we've been meeting in different people's places to play games, have a bevy, or just hang out.

I'm having so much fun here, I'm trying to figure out if I want to make it more long term, and how that looks in the grand scheme of life, and business.

Anyway, I do miss you all, terribly. I want you all to come visit, come see me, and hopefully I can get set up on the internet again, because I'd love to skype date you all!!
Anyway, hugs, kisses, and the whole nine yards, and fingers crossed I get to share again soon!

T