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!