Let’s start backwards!
Today was actually a great sight to see. This morning, in the cold (more on weather later!), they honored the top three students from every class. They started with grade 6 and went through grade 12, called out the names, handed them a certificate, a gift, and of course they paused to take a photo. They photograph EVERYTHING here in the schools! There were several parents who also would meet their child at the table, shake all the hands, and stand for the photo shoot. There was one mother, and she of course didn’t shake anyone’s hand. It was good to see parents there and these children rewarded. The kids I knew deserved the award. This ceremony lasted about 40 minutes all while we all stood there – kids and teachers. It was great to see classmates hoot and holler for their classmates when they walked up to get their award. And there was never any boo’s or anything. It was finally something positive for those who really deserve it! The gift they received was a watch. A rather nice gold watch. And this ceremony just goes along with this idea that so many of the students in these schools want to be #1! Their parents expect them to be #1! Parents will even ask, “Is my child number one in your class?”, because that is what they expect. And you would think that with the competitive nature of the students, their behavior as a whole would be better – not so much. And I also think there are students who know they will never be able to beat out, academically, some students so they don’t bother trying.
Another fun thing today – the kids started their music lessons! Cole is learning to play the guitar. Caralyn is learning to play the keyboard. They were very excited! The music teacher, Mr. Jude, from their school is doing the lessons at our villa. And it wasn’t 10 minutes into the first lesson when the doorbell rang and some kids were there asking, “Is Mr. Jude at your house?” Yes – we’re the cool house where the music teacher comes! I wonder if we can a discount for free advertising! He is going to come twice a week for a month and we’ll see where we stand with interest and such. Hopefully they will stay interested. And then the noise will commence! I will start my violin lessons – inshallah – soon! I’m going to have my coworker do it for now. I might even just have the music teacher do mine as well – if he can!
So the weather here has turned rather chilly over the last day or so. Today it was very cloudy and windy and the high is only like 61. The low was 47. That is winter here! So this morning when we had our assembly for the top 3 kids – it was chilly standing there. There was supposedly some rain the night before too.
The kids’ had two birthday parties this weekend! Well it started out with one – and only for Caralyn. And of course, the day she got the invite, she couldn’t wait to tell Cole she got invited to a party for her friend and he didn’t! Cole didn’t really say much to her about it but we knew he wanted to go. And the next day they were arguing in their room about something and she brought up the fact that he was not invited to the party. And he tried to continue in the argument but all Caralyn kept saying was, “YOU’RE STILL NOT INVITED!” And then it turned into her screaming that to him quite a few times! When we got to the party at the mall – the mother was talking to another mother who happens to work at the kids’ school and they asked Jennifer where “the boy” was. Jenn said he is outside, that we’d be back to get Caralyn when it was over. The mother then said, “No, tell the boy to come, come!” So Cole ended up getting to go to the party. I don’t think Caralyn really cared at that point. Then Saturday we had a party for another friend who lives a few doors down. Enough parties!
Last Thursday we did something new – bowling in the UAE! We went to the mall with some friends and had a good time! The kids enjoyed it – well only really when they were bowling. They had a hard time understanding that when it’s not your turn you shouldn’t be sliding around where the bowlers are, playing with the ball that come out of the shoot thing, just bowling when you think it’s your turn, etc! But they did have fun. We even saw some folks in kandoras and abayas bowling. One girl had her abaya hiked up and tied around her waist!
I recently saw this CNN news article that talks about the whole desalinization process that the UAE uses to provide drinkable and usable water for various things. It was very interesting and the UAE is trying to take action to reduce their carbon footprint! But with all the paper that gets wasted in this country – there is lots of work to do! Like anywhere I suppose! Check out the story:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/20/world/meast/carbon-cost-water-uae/index.html
Jennifer had a parent meeting at school this week. I told her to writ e about it: I was expecting very angry parents since these were the first set of marks that had been sent home. My principal said to be patient with the “noisy” parents. But fortunately I had none. All moms were very happy. I talked to one mom and she was telling me that her daughter gets with her sister and tells the sister to call her Mrs. Jennifer. She says she plays school and asks the girl what things mean just like I must. She says she loves English, Math, and Science too much. They like to say that. Mrs. I love you too much. Mrs. I love you 22. It is so cute but odd. Another mom told me that her daughter likes my straight hair. I told her that the girls did but Miss Fatima, my partner, likes it curly. She told me that I Iook like a baby with the straight hair.
What Jennifer didn’t write is they don’t call her Mrs. Jennifer – they say it more like Jen Far. So it’s, “Oh, Mrs. Jen Far…” Angela and I started using JenFar too!
Cole made Joey's birthday card. Who is the guy with the sword?
It's four arms - from Ben 10!
Cole is liking his guitar!
Cole, Cene, and Caralyn - Cole was rocking his cross necklace at the mall!
Lost a leg?
Slightly blurry...we'll blame the photographer on that one! But after JenFar took the photo, she looked at it and said, "I didn't know you were a disabled bowler!"
Serious throwing going on here!
Her league days came back to her!
Cole tried everything - all the throwing and rolling options.
Still lost with 6 points.
Check out Joe Cool!
And at one point he walks up to me with this black loud light up gun he got for Christmas, and just looked at me and then shot me up!
He thinks he's the terminator now!
LOVED THIS PHOTO!
This is Cole, Cene, and Caralyn @ Al Jimi Mall
Jen Far
So we're expanding our food options. Well Cole and Caralyn are. I was eating some green olives - already sliced with no pimentos - and they wanted some. Now they love them!
What's with the pose? Too much SASS!
At Joey's birthday party!
If you don't like gruesome stuff - don't look below! So Joey, about an hour before his party, fell walking down the stairs. And with these marble stairs of course there has to be damage! So he cut his head. And I had to take a photo. Looks awesome zoomed in!
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