"really, Nescafe should be illegal"

Hey all! I haven’t update in some time, so here’s a little of my first glimpses into my new home’s culture:

The call to prayer is beautiful, but it’s not transforming me. It’s a good clock, though! Oop. There it goes as I type. 12:30ish. (It changes as the sun changes through the seasons.) I should stop, probably, and be holy and all, but I’m still me. Spiritual in my very every-day way.

I’m reminded a lot of Mexico! The architecture (not the elaborate city stuff, but the houses, with their fences enclosing little blocky villas with lots of ornate ironwork, etc. Everyone’s the same color (as me!) And, the landscape! I expected to be shocked, but the road between Abu Dhabi reminds me a lot of driving in northwestern Mexico towards the Gulf of California. Sand, little ranches. Add a lump to the back of a burro, and I’d barely be able to tell where I was.

(I’m also remembering a student of mine, such a cute lil’ fella, with a speech issue, that in his super I’m-so-cool way, would announce that that his family spent the weekend at the “Dyoons,” aka the sand dunes in California. Yah know, where Star Wars was filmed?)

Coffee. All who know me understand my devotion to the Great Bean. It stands to reason that I move to a country where it’s the national drink, right? And the cardamon! Ah! The cardamon! That combo is absolutely “home” to me. Okay, so c’mon, UAE, why, oh why, is Nescafe even allowed in the country?! That’s not coffee! It's coffee...product! Coffee...food! (Ala cheesefood, right?!) Not okay. Luckily, I packed what is important - teaching material, a few long-sleeved garments, my grinder and some fair trade beans. I think I have cardamon in there, too. All Will Be Well.

I’m approaching the subject of Islam with kid gloves. I really do want to learn more about it, and already have a great respect for it. What I’ve been able to digest about it is just lovely - it’s about tolerance, peace, moderation. So different from what fear mongers would have us believe. What I haven’t been able to digest, well, is a little harder. The reason I say this, is that we had a recent opportunity to hear a lecture that was a little off-putting. Reflecting on my reaction, I know it’s more a reaction to the lecture style (and subsequently, to the educational system as it has been). So, I went from visiting the most beautiful building in the world (Sheikh Zayed Mosque) to hearing a very academic, heavily “persuasive” (read “abrasive”) paper read word-for-word at the end of an already long day. I really shut off. I had the feeling I was being yelled at. I had the feeling our lecturer was being very defensive. But, I have reflected carefully, and I think that he’s just learned to lecture “correctly,” just as he was taught to do.

Now, I’m remembering what I’ve been told about education here: the first “schools” were in the mosques, for boys only, and for teaching (memorizing) the Qu’ran. Rote learning is the the tradition here. But, this country is just a couple of years older than myself. They're going through some major shifts, just as I am. I’m coming in to teach teachers, by example, that exploration and play do promote learning and creative thinking. It's a big job. I can't wait. I can't wait to understand what they have to teach me.

I have also witnessed the kindness and openness of the Emirati people. Other teachers report nice experiences of nationals asking about their heritages. Another lecturer on the same evening as the other really brought home for me the willingness to share with others. She could barely speak English, and yet, there was the effort to do so. For our comfort. I can only make the same effort in return.

By now, I know the name of my school, but I don’t know if anyone in my school speaks English at all. Part of me hopes that is the case. I’ll be relocating to my new home this next week, and school starts soon after. I know for sure that my work is cut out for me. I am so excited, I can hardly contain myself!

Off to Dubai for a look-see. Until next time!