Weekend Getaway!

Musandam, Oman and Dibba, UAE

This last weekend I had a lovely little weekend getaway. Still recovering-- I'm so exhausted! It seems to be a pattern here, looking forward to the weekend to catch up on sleep, get to the weekend, go a little crazy, lose sleep, make it through the week repeat. Dubai lifestyle!

This was a dhow cruise and snorkeling trip. Left with a group of teachers and a few random people, 2 hour drive to Oman. Waited at the Oman border for FOR-FREAKING-EVER, finally got through, hopped on the dhow. Had some sweet, sweet views of the mountains, ocean, and beach. It was all beautiful! The divers left and went on their dives. The rest of us snorkeled around the shore-- saw some fish and even a turtle! Can't wait to get my scuba cert again... probably will happen sometime in November.

After a few bumps in the road during the evening, we got our drink on. Honestly walked up through a hole in a wall, and there appeared a drive-up liquor store. Our high quality accommodations? Well, we stayed at a children's adventure camp in Dibba. Continued to get our drink on, had our own pool party, kayaked in the pool, and slept in bunk beds.

Saturday we had breakfast, walked along the beach, got some more sun, and came back home. Still exhausted, but it was great to get away and finally get in the ocean:-) Loved it!!

Views from the dhow cruise

I'm on a boat!!

Jumping off the top of the dhow:)

Divers getting ready to hang out with the fishies

Beautiful views

More beautiful views

Day 2-- Beach

Day 2-- Ocean:)

Day 2-- Resort pool that we took over

 

I'm a survivor!

I have survived my first full week of school and am working on the second! Sunday is certainly the most exhausting day of the week--6 classes and two meetings. I feel like the kids are getting to know me a little bit, and I am getting to know them.

Our new gym mascot:)

Last week was my birthday, and I have an almost birthday twin! What are the chances?! So, we celebrated birthdays together. We went to Hard Rock Café during the week, and had a nice breakfast at a place called The Farm. Who knew there was a green oasis in the middle of the desert? I had a nice birthday week, and so far a great birthday month:) Although, I did have to restrain a child at school on my birthday. True story. I quit working in residential right?


Birthday twinnie:)

I certainly am not taking my new friends here for granted, and everyone is very supportive. I even got a giant card from one of my classes (so adorable) and another really sweet one from one of my students. One of the girls bought my breakfast brunch, and ladies always get free champagne at one of the bars here! It was a great weekend:) I feel so grateful!

My GIANT card.

My really cute card.

New friend and free champagne:)

You know you live in Dubai when....

You know you live in Dubai when....

85 degrees at night feels like a magical cold front!!!!

Seriously, a 4th grader today looks at me and says "Miss B, you are sweating... a lot."

Thanks child, I know!! It is 112 degrees outside! On the up side, I got lots of hugs and the kids loved the game we played today:-)

I'm a teacher:)

This was my first week at my first full time PE teaching job and it was AMAZING!! Almost all of the kids are super great, we have tons of equipment, and most of the kids love PE:-) The stressful part is having to go in the main building pick up a class, walk them out to the gym, have class, walk them back to class, pick up the next one somewhere else. Pick up/drop off is not always at the classroom, so it is a lot to remember! The good news is that I'm getting in all the sunshine and exercise I need at school.

There are so many great people here! I feel lucky to have met them.  Everyone has been new at some point, and it is nice to know there are lots of people I can lean on. I hope next year I can pay it forward:)

Sometime soon I will do some touristy things so I can share photos of all the cool buildings here. I'm lucky it has been such an easy transition. I even got to Skype my mom this week! Post again soon.

Life here

So... tomorrow is the first day at school with kids! Terrifying. I know I will do fine, but I'm still super nervous. Also, learning some of these names is going to be tricky. Since I am PE I have 250 names to learn!

This has been an easy place to transition. All the amenities of home, a great PE staff (team of 7), good food, good company, lots of new great friends. Yesterday I bought a few international minutes so I was able to call home. My neighbor who also works at the school is also kind enough to let me steal his wifi so I was finally able to Skype with my mom:-) It was super exciting.

This past weekend was fun per usual. Thursday night I stayed in with one of my friends who has TV and wine. Then Friday I went to Hops Fest at a place called Irish Village which was pretty awesome. Everyone thought it was going to be a nice, calm, classy beer tasting. However, upon arrival we bought vouchers to drink beer inside, then walked through the building to get to a GIANT dark tent, where there was live music, lots of people, and lots of beer. It was super crazy and super fun. Loving life!!

In other news, my roommate takes a lot of pictures, so I shall share them with the world.

 After school social at the Belgian Beer Cafe, it was happy hour:)

 At Irish Village over the first weekend here... Someone thought I looked like Ursula with the lights from the tree.

 Back at Irish Village for dinner two days later....

 This was at Hops Fest at Irish Village (again). My feet were super filthy so I decided to rinse them off and dry them in the "very sanitary" hand dryers. Sorry everyone.

 Part of the school crew inside at Hops Fest.... Lisa, Sean, Me, Sinead, Emma

Me and roommate over looking the tennis courts during a pee break at Hops Fest