A too much overdue update!

Wow, I can’t believe I have not posted anything since December!  Yes I am still alive and well.  So much has happened since December I don’t even know where to begin.  Sometimes it is just the usual day in and day out, other days I am completely flabbergasted that I am living here and traveling all around.  If someone would have told me a year ago that this is what I’d be doing I would have said NO WAY!  

Since it has been so long I am just going to give some quick blurbs about the happenings in my life.

• Thailand: in one word INCREDIBLE. I will definitely go back, preferably with a traveling companion.  It was so cheap, there was shopping everywhere, delicious food and beautiful beaches.  Nothing more to say about that, except maybe, when can I go back?

• Jordan: I was a bit apprehensive about going to another Arabic country thinking it would not be different enough from here, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was a beautiful country with much more hills and greenery than I expected.  I was blown away by Petra, so beautiful, and so much history.  The Dead Sea, amazing.  You can’t believe it about the extreme buoyancy until you experience it yourself.

• Sri Lanka: My first holiday in a tropical setting, staying in a proper resort, with my lovely boyfriend, I couldn’t have asked for more.  Endless fun in the pool, the sea, sunbathing, delicious daily breakfast buffet, checking out the local restaurants, learning all about cricket, rode an elephant, incredible.  It was so so hot, but I didn’t want to leave.

• Had mom and nana out for a visit, which was incredible.  It was so nice to see them and for them to be able to see and know what life is really like for me out here.  I was so happy for them to be able to come here and see for their own eyes that I am ok, and happy.  And so nice to get them jump started on traveling.  They are living proof that it is never too late to start! 

• Work: Have become less than impressed with my work experience here, but continuing to try to make the best out of what it presented to me.  From never really knowing what is going on or expected of me, to having the electricity go out 5+ times a day, to being told I was receiving one amount of money for my ticket home and a month later being told I’m receiving $300+ less than that, just a few reasons why I plan to keep to myself and just do the best I can.

• Students: On the other hand I have grown quite fond of my students, and though there are a few whom could care less about their education most of them are really lovely.  They have taken to bringing me stuffed animals to school.  Not sure where this idea began but one boy brought me an obviously loved (used) teddy bear.  Ever since I have been getting one or two teddy bears a week.  Not sure what I’ll do with them...

• Home: It has been really nice to be part of a couple again.  Spend most of my time upstairs in Andy (my boyfriend)  and Andy’s (his flat mate) flat.  Feels like we’re a little family, cook together, watch tv together. Been watching quite a bit of tv.  Finished four seasons of Prison Break (incredible) and now onto Glee, which I love, love, love!  Spend nearly every Thursday afternoon at the Marriott hotel, laying by the pool, eating a delicious burger and chips.  Hard to complain when that is a weekly activity.  Hopefully to become a daily activity next year, really wanting to buy a membership there this fall.  It has been heating up steadily.  High today of 118 degrees, low 86 degrees, and the humidity is a killer.  When I walk out of my air conditioned apartment into the corridor my glasses steam up immediately.  I have never felt heat and humidity like this.  From what I hear it only gets worse as the summer wears on.  For the last few weeks the heat has really deterred me from getting out and exercising, but the last few days have been going out for an evening run.  It is crazy hot, and can’t stay out too long, but I sure sweat a lot, and that has got to do something. I am currently learning all about the World Cup, and have watched more ‘football’ than I have in all of my years combined.

All in all there is much more to be thankful for than to complain about.  I am really really happy with my life right now.  Coming up is what I am sure will be the most exciting summer yet for me.  Italy with mom and nana for two weeks, one week on a Greek island, two and a half weeks in England with Andy, five days with my bff in NYC, and then home for three weeks.  To say I am a lucky girl is a complete understatement.  

Thanks again for all the long distance love and support, there has definitely been some trying times and moments where all I wanted to be was home.  Facebook love and emails have kept me going when I have wanted to give up.

Love from the middle east, 

Viv

Winter in Doha

Can't believe it is almost a month to the day from my last entry.  Well actually I can, I have become quite lazy when it comes to writing here.  Often I am out walking and I think of all the things I want to write and then when I am home the ideas have disappeared from my mind.  Not too long ago I was thinking I need to get a little recorder so when ever I think of something to write I can just say it and come back to it later, but I think that is a little over the top.   I guess I could just carry around a little notepad, but that would be to simple.

So I finally received my residency permit a few weeks back, and got my passport back as well.  It has proved very helpful to be able to go out and do things.  I feel very official now.  But only a week or so after getting my passport I had to hand it back in to HR so she could process my exit visa.  Yes we have to have an exit visa to leave the country.  Whenever we are leaving we have to fill out a form with our travel plans and hand it in, with your passport, three days prior to leaving and then we will get a small piece of paper that gives us 'permission' to leave.  This is another thing that seems a bit crazy/controlling to me.

Today was the last of school, and I am so relieve to have a break.  Not only to be going to Thailand but just to have a holiday from my students and the school.  The last month has been crazy.  We had our Eid break which was fairly uneventful for me.  Went out to eat a few times, lots of walking, met some canadian and american teachers working in kuwait who were holidaying in doha, did some serious drinking and dancing and only worked on the last day of the break.  I was really proud of myself for that one!  As for thanksgiving, I had the best of intentions to make an actual dinner, I even made the trek to Mega Mart (the store that sells lots of western food items) to buy a turkey.  But it just seemed like a lot of work and a lot of money to make dinner for just a few friends.  Next year I will plan ahead and get people to bring dishes and then I can just concentrate on the turkey and hosting.

It really wasn't too bad not being at home.  I was sad to be missing out on the family gatherings, but other than facebook and the date I would have had no idea it was thanksgiving.  There were no advertisements or really anyone talking about it.  I went out for a meal with Jen instead.

When the break was over it was 2 1/2 weeks of madness.  We had three days to 'revise' (review) with  the students for their exams.  Yes I said exams.  I gave 6 and 7 year olds an exam. It was quite serious even, I didn't see the exams until they were delivered to my classroom in an envelope on the morning of the exam.  These last few weeks have held a lot of learning experiences for me from writing reports, giving exams, marking them in accordance to the British National Curriculum schemes, getting yelled at by a parent.  Just a few of the many things to add to my repertoire as an international teacher.

I could probably do an entire blog on the student reports but I will keep it simple.  For each student I had a three page word document.  On one page I had to insert their National Curriculum level, that was derived from the exams for maths, english and science.  I then had to copy and paste ticks (checks) to correspond with the students achievement.  Page two I had to tick behaviour and then I had to comment on what the student has acheived this term.  A few sentences about each core subject.  Then I had to comment on targets or goals for them to reach for, and thirdly I had to write a few sentences about what the parent can do at home to help  their child.  The final page had space for our SMT (senior management team) to make a comment, (they made handwritten comments on EVERYONE' trips).  Additionally on this page I had to add their absences and lates (which I had to tally from the weekly attendance sheets.  I am sure there is reporting that is worse than this, but compared to esis, I just wanted to pull my hair out.  It was just tedious working with 23 different documents.  Once my reports were read over by my KS leader, Nathan, I had to adjust anything notated by him, which many comments I had to add more to.  Then I imputed levels and handed them off to Head of Primary, Nadia, got them back with her comment and signature and I could finally sign and stuff.  I then had to compile all the the one page reports they received from their specalists: French, Arabic, Islamic, P.E., Music, ICT.  It wasn't until this morning that all my reports were in the envelope and ready to go.

So much more to say about exams, and our rainy day, and international day, but so very sleepy now.  I will write more soon, I will aim for before I leave for my holiday, but there is a slim chance of that happening.  Oh if you haven't heard I am going to Thailand for my holiday.  Really excited to start traveling.  I will do a few days in bangkok, head north to chaing mai and then back down to one of the island.  It will be a great 13 days!

<3 Viv

Checking in

It is crazy how time is flying here.  The days often seem long yet the weeks FLY by.  Every week Tuesday comes around I think, "Wow, my week is half over!"

On the whole things are continuing to go well.  I am still waiting for my residency permit, I was told soon, I think it should be within the next week.  Which will be nice, cause as of right now I am limited to only 2 places for going out.

I am not sure how much I have written about the drinking scene but I will give a quick recap (sorry if this is a repeat story for some).  In Doha, only major hotels are allowed to serve alcohol.  To go to the bars within the hotels you must acquire a membership.  This entails showing your passport with your visa information, they take this info and create a card with your picture and then you are allowed in.  There is a dress code at most establishments and other rules: 'No Qatari women allowed,' 'No head gear' (the traditional 'dish dash' the men wear (long white scarf)).  Craziness, every time I think about the No Qatari women rule it burns me up! I know it is partly a muslim thing, but it is also a control thing, I could not imagine being a native in a country that had so much control of my actions.

In addition to hotel bars you can apply for an alcohol license.  To do so you need a letter of 'no objection' from your employer that includes your salary.  You pay a deposit of QR1,000 (about $275), which you get back when you leave the country.  License holders and only license holders are allowed to enter the ONE liquor store.  Each license holder is only allowed to spend a percentage of their salary.  I do not plan on getting my alcohol license, I have plenty of friends who have already gotten theirs ;)

So the medical experience. My bus driver took me to the medical center at 6:30 am.  I first saw two women in full burka/hijab whose questions to me were, "baby?" and "mobile?," she then scribbled something on a piece of paper and I was directed to the next waiting room.  I was there with about 10 other women (which the number increased steadily through the morning), seated in chairs.  We were directed to scoot over to the next chair as each person got up, to stay in order.  At  the counter a photo was taken, through the glass barrier, and I paid QR100 ($28).  Next was a chest x-ray.  I had been pre-warned to wear a white t-shirt and a bra with no underwire, to avoid having to get undressed and wear a questionably clean hospital gown.  Then a quick blood draw, and I was done.  One more stop to a small clinic to get a finger prick for blood typing, and that was it.  I don't think my experience was quite as bad as others, who referred to it as similar to "cattle herding."

We are coming up to the end of the term.  Having to accept their form of report cards.  Which here they simply call reports.  I have to have my comments and general marks done by the 3rd of december for my Key Stage Coordinator to look over.  We give students exams the 6th-8th and then have to have all the final marks on and turn in the reports by the 13th so the Senior Management Team can look over and comment on them.  So as of today 0 down, 23 to go!

Counting down to the Eid break, November 25th to the 30th!  Don't have much planned, obviously working on reports.  Going to try to make it out camping, celebrate my friend Jen's birthday, maybe do a Thanksgiving dinner, get some mail out to my fab friends and family in the states :) and hopefully plan my christmas holiday, still unsure of where I will go.

As always thanks for following and for all the comments.  The support keeps me going for another day!

Viv

oh yea, I was walking in a park today, and saw two rats run across the grass, it was great!

Two months in Doha

October 28th, exactly two months since I arrived in Doha.  I am still here with no plans for an early return.  Not that there aren’t days when Portland sounds pretty amazing and there is no where I would rather be than home. 

Two months down and I am just beginning the process to receive my residency permit. When you come to work in Doha you have to have a sponsor, my sponsor is Newton Schools.  More specifically my sponsor is Madame Afaf, the owner of the schools. Everything goes through her, she actually signs each and everyone of our checks.  I had to get a copy of my passport, to take to the bank to open an account, and I had to wait for her to sign it.  And the bank account, whew, this experience has given me greater appreciation for the freedom we have in the states.  

To open a bank account you need a signed letter from your employee stating that yes you do work for them, and your monthly salary.  I brought this letter, a signed copy of my passport, filled out their application and then they would have to call and confirm that Madame Afaf is who she says she is, the owner of Newton schools.  I could come back to the bank in one week to get my cards.  One week has come and gone and I received a call from the bank today.  And this is only because Georgie (who went to the bank same time as me) has been trying to ring the banker for days with no luck.  She finally called the customer service line, lodged a complaint.  The very next day our banker calls us both with our account numbers.  We will walk over to get our cards tomorrow, if they are actually ready.  

I got a little carried away there. Back to my residency story.  Everyone has to get a medical examination (which consists of a chest x-ray, blood draw, blood typing), then finger prints and then a residence permit is issued.  All of the teachers that arrived together in mid august went for their medicals before I arrived, handfuls at a time people have gone to get their fingerprints done.  Two people received their residencies this week, they are the first.  Now arriving late, I am a special case.  Turns out I am extra special because someone filled out my paper work wrong and I was listed as working at the Newton British School instead of Newton D-Ring Campus.  I have been politely asking the HR person week after week what is going on with my passport and my residency, and all she can do is tell me about this problem (the wrong school) with my visa.  Weeks go by and I see other staff that arrived when I did and after go for medicals, and fingerprinting, me nothing.  This week was the end for me when a girl who arrived 3 weeks after me went in for the medicals!!  I marched into the HR office and made a big deal, I was really mad.  Turns out the HR woman did not like me coming at her and she came right back at me, (I had to hold the tears back as I left the office).  Basically she repeated the same problem and that there was nothing for her to do.

Low and behold, I get a call the next day to advise me that I am going for my medicals the following day...interesting.  “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” comes to mind.  I am 99% sure that had I said nothing and continued my usual, “Just checking on my passport :),” routine, I would have not gone for my medical today.

Next entry I will tell you all about the medical, interesting.

Surviving

I am still here, alive, although the consistency of my posts may say differently.

Just as when I was at home I find myself in a constant search for balance.  How much work time?  How much social time?  How much me time?  I never feel quite in balance, but I am sure that is something that will come with time.

Last week marked the first full week with a set timetable, and the majority of students in class.  It basically felt the first week in September all over again.  I am finding myself struggling with a lot in the classroom and am pretty much in survival mode.  My main goal is to present the required curriculum in the simplest way possible.  It is really hard for me to stop trying to be an "incredible" teacher, and just make it through.  But right now honestly I just need to make it through.

Yesterday was day one of (essentially) week 2, (in actuality it is week 7 of a 16 week term, almost half way there!)  I received two students for their first day, not because they were newly admitted, but because of parent choice to keep them out of school, they both attended this school last year.  I had come in for a few hours on the weekend to prep and at the end of Sunday had the overwhelming feeling that things were not working how I had had them set up.  I stayed after school and completely rearranged the classroom, moved desks (incl. mine), moved bookshelves and cupboards.  Resulting in a layout and organizational methods that should produce positive results.

Monday's schedule should be a cake walk, students have an hour of arabic followed by an hour of ICT (computers), then lunch.  I see them only from 9:45-12:45.  It was just a bad day, I literally gave up at the end of the day and had them sit there and wait until release time (only for about 7 min).  Upon home time  I had about ten kids standing around me asking to go (the bus students whom I forgot to release), I had one father handing me a letter and proceeding to talk for five minutes telling me what was in the letter seemingly looking for an immediate response, meanwhile I am trying to write a note to another students parent who had asked for extra math help, this student was standing over me because his driver was looming in the doorway waiting for him, AND one of my students mother was telling me it was MY FAULT that I did not write the note to her in the pupil planner (that they are supposed to turn in to me daily, this student did not give it to me the day before so I had to write a note to give her spelling score and requested that she bring the pupil planner everyday).  The mother went on and on.  Took all I had not to cry.

Funny that the days staff meeting topic was "Dealing with Arab parents and students."  Which was interesting but more relevant to culture and religion, than pushy parents.

So it was a rough day.  But I know it will get better and it will help me become a better teacher and person.  But days like this make me wonder if I can really be a teacher for the next thirty years!

I had a good yoga workout this afternoon and am heading off to my favorite Thai restaurant.  So in a few hours I should be feeling a lot better.

Thanks again for following, I'll work on being more consistent...

Viv

One Eid holiday in the books...

It is Saturday night around eight p.m., I am sitting at a coffee shop around the corner from my flat.  A few short hours ago I was sitting at my table with lesson plans in front of me, trying to actually feel prepared to teach tomorrow, and there is a knock at the door.  Donna (a key stage leader from the Newton British School) comes in to inform us that due to the threat of swine flu, classes will be canceled for students this week.  Teachers are to report for regular hours (pick up at 6 a.m., return at 2:15 p.m.).  It almost seems like a dream.  I was feeling ready to go back to work, and now I get to go back to work with virtually unlimited planning time!! Yea!

As for the Eid holiday, I would say it was a success.  I spent two days at a compound (called Bevery Hills Al Rayan, there is even a sign that looks like the Beverly Hills signs) laying by a gorgeous pool.  Spent one day at the Oasis pool, where I proceeded to get my first sunburn, but it was minor and is turning a nice brown already.

The highlight of the break was for sure camping at the Inland sea.  We left in the afternoon on Sunday and drove about 45 minutes out of the city to the desert, first was Dune Bashing.  We were in a caravan of about 6 Toyota Land Cruisers just driving wild through the desert.  It was pretty amazing.  Sometimes it was hard to see where you were actually driving, but you would look back out the window and watch the car behind you and think, "Wow, we just drove down that dune!"  The desert was beautiful, and we made a stop and this steep dune, which looked over a sea and on the other side: Saudi Arabia.  About twenty more minutes of driving and we arrived at our camp.

It was not what I expected.  There were three large "traditional" tents, several wooden bungalow type buildings that had tables and chairs, volleyball court, lounge chairs by the sea, two camel's for riding, more tents for sleeping, and bathrooms with showers.  Pretty impressive.  I was with ten other teachers from my building and it proved to be a really nice time.  We had a few bottles of alcohol (my first since being here), and mostly just sat around and chatted.  Watched a little beach volleyball, watched and heard a HUGE group of phillipinos do karaoke until all hours of the night (3 a.m.!!), played some uno (some of my co workers had never ever played!).  We all ended up sleeping out on the bungalows, because the tent was too hot.

I woke up to the daylight at about 5:15 a.m., I knew there was no chance of falling back to sleep so I just walked down to the beach and watched the sun come up.  The sunrise/sunsets here are far less dramatic, but just as beautiful.  The sea there was much better than what I have in the city, the waves weren't too big, just big enough for me to get some practice floating in the ocean.  Swimming has not been a strong skill of mine, so I'm working on it.

I almost forgot on Wednesday we had the opportunity to take a free sailing lesson at the Intercontinental Hotel.  We were given a quick over view of how to work the steering (rudder?) and how to work the sail, and then sent out with two of us on a fun boat (small, workable sailboat, for beginners).  There was an instructor out in a rescue boat who would give us instructions when we got stuck.  I really wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did.  I always thought sailing looked a little boring and complicated.  But being out there on the water and feeling the power of the wind on the sail moving your boat along was pretty amazing.  There is a good chance I will be signing up for a sailing course!

It was a good break, I am excited to see how it will be extended this week!

Life in Doha

I feel like I'm settling in, starting to get used to the schedule.  Ramadan officially ended yesterday, so now I can begin to discover what life is usually like here.  During Ramadan there was no eating or drinking in public during daylight hours.  Due to the fasting many shops and restaurants were closed during then day, and did not open until seven or eight p.m. and then stay open until one or two a.m.  The streets were virtually empty during the day and everyone came out a night.  It has been pretty strange seeing people lining up at the bank at 9 o'clock at night.  I think the life at night will probably stay the same, but with more places open during the day as well, but we will just have to see.  Since it has been Ramadan the whole time I have been here, it seems really strange to change.  We went walking this morning and it felt completely wrong to be drinking water out while I was out in public.  But it was nice to have water while walking.  I have been doing lots of walking and slowly but surely getting to know the area.