Hello and Good-bye

Well, I guess it's been a long long time since I've last put in a post. Mostly this is because of the holidays. The last week of work was pretty normal, in the "last week before Christmas, with 5 year-olds" kind of way. They were all bouncing a full 5 days before the end, and though we did not celebrate "Christmas" but instead it was "Winter holidays" or the "holiday break", most of my students come from places that DO celebrate Christmas, and trying to keep them from discussing Santa was about as easy as forgetting your own name. So, trying not to get myself into trouble, every single time Christmas or Santa was mentioned, we also spoke about Eid. Whewph.
For Christmas from the students (or there moms?) body products were the biggest hit. I do wonder if it's a hint, and if I typically smell poorly... anyway, different body shop sets, soaps, and some scented candles, and a scarf were in the mix. But as my first year being a teacher, getting things for Christmas from small people was fun...like an initiation or something. Now I know I'm a teacher.

What else? We ended school on a Wednesday evening, the Thursday was off for Arabic New year, and I boarded a plane that same night. Because it was also pay day, I took a whole bunch of money with me, which I was going to try and put directly into my bank here, and thus save the service charge from my monthly money wiring. Well, I was given bad advice on two counts. #1. When in Frankfuhrt airport...DO NOT try and change your Dirhams to Canadian dollars. They first change it to euro's and then to dollars, and in the process of all the fees, I lost 600 canadian...which I made the guy refund.
#2. Your Canadian bank DOES NOT want your Dirhams. So, I didn't get anything exchanged, and ended up taking it all back home with me. Shoot. Therefore, I didn't have as much as I'd hoped for to spend, nor to give to people, but I'll just have to wire it into my bank from here, like I should have done in the first place. It's not a big deal though, as I had zero room, and ended up paying excess baggage as it was due to new flight restrictions. So, next time I know. Bring nothing to Canada, including clothes, so that you can bring everything back with you...though, to be fair, most of the stuff I brought was in the form of gifts for others.

So, Canada was smashing. I had no idea how desperatley lonley and sad I'd become until I saw all of the lovely people who make my day everytime I see them. Thanks to the dozens of friends and family who made my trip fantastic. Though I don't know for sure what next year holds, the goal is to get back to Canada for a while, and figure out what I want to do next, and, I KNOW, I won't be here another year. I can't take the lack of accountability.
While in Canada, I we had Christmas in Airdrie, and were graced with the presence of the Schmidt family from Singapore, and Duran flew up, and Victoria (my darling cousin) came from Ottawa. A lot of travelling was had to make the day possible, and it was indeed as hoped.
Some good friends of mine and I all went up to Panorama for a few days over new years, to ski, and to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. After seeing so much desert, and such a lack of colour for months and months, I was almost in visual overload. Thanks to the Gelinas for donating the space, I know you could have put paying people in there...you ROCK! Skiing was pretty much fun. It took me a while to get back into the groove of the cross country skiing, and I also had to learn how to wax and cork my ski's. When we all went together as a family when I was younger, I think this skill was neglected. Ha ha! Also, I feel that as a downhill skiier, I am pretty much set. Bring on the double blacks!!! Well, perhaps I'll stick to the greens' for a while yet, but, it's actually pretty fun.
I enjoyed many other winter sports as well over the break. And, honestly, if you know it's only 3 weeks long, the cold isn't so insufferable after all.
I am still waiting for a Christmas package here in the UAE that was sent by my parents in early October. My guess is that it'll be here roughly March the 5th...though it's just a guess. How silly things are. Guaranteed it's sitting at the boarder, just for fun, and someone will send it when they're good and ready. Or, I could bribe them..... Anyway, dispite that, I still got a pretty good take this year - not that that's the reason I came home or anything... :) Thanks everyone for that too.
Anyway, flight home was perfect. Though long, and for the first time ever, on BOTH ends of my flying, I was affected by Jet lag. The difference from 23 to 24 is very noticable indeed. Though I arrived back home nearly two days ago, I'm exhausted, and today I had a headache! I never get headaches! GROSS. And, on the flight from Frankfuhrt to Dubai, as well as the flight from Dubai to Frankfuhrt on the way there, the plane had no TV's. Ridiculous. That's 7 hours of reading your book in the dark.
When I got home, things were just as i'd left them. Alicia had even made my bed for me...what a dear. And back at school, I think I'm into the swing of things again, though, feeling the crunch, how on earth do you fit things in to one small year??

Anyway, that's all from me. Not that exciting, but at least you know I'm alive and well.
When I have an adventure, I'll be sure to tell you about it!

Talia