Glimpses of Dubai

Here are some images of things that are just your average, every day Dubai.....

(more to come)

(Driving over some sand as a shortcut to the highway...)

(my favorite mosque...i love the blue and the muezzin has a nice voice)

(a fountain in the Dubai Mall)

(a sitting area in the Dubai Mall)

(Burj Khalifa)

(ice rink in the Dubai Mall)

(the lovely students of Grade 4L)

Mussandam, Oman

A couple of weekends ago I went om yet another camping adventure! This time there were about 20 of us and we went to Mussandam, Oman. Khasab, the "local capitol" of Mussandam, is a town built in a natural harbor on the coast. It was once a prime fishing and trading town but has since become old and run down. It does boast a couple of wonderful hotels.



On the first night, we drove to a beach just across the border, but not yet in the town of Khasab. It was here that we camped first. We literally drove on the sand next to the coast, found a camping spot, set up our tents and camped. No questions asked.

(this was in the morning, but is a good view of our campsite)

We got to the beach at around midnight, and by the time we set up camp, went for a night swim, and hung out by the fire it was nearly 4 am.

It was beautiful to camp on the beach. I fell asleep to the soothing sound of the waves lapping against the shore.

If I hadn't woken up every 15 minutes paranoid that the tide would come in and sweep me away into the sea, it would have been perfect.



After a short sleep, we woke up around 6:30 to climb up the cliff overhang before the sun got too hot. From there, we had a phenomenal view of camp and the beach.





We spent the rest of the morning in the water, swimming and jumping off rocks.


Around noon, we drove into the town of Khasab. The road to Khasab wound through mountains and along the coast. We saw some fishing boats and visited the Khasab Castle, an old fort. Then we met up with our tour guide for the day.





The "tour" I'm referring to was a Dhow cruise along the coast. A Dhow is a traditional Arabian sailing vessel, historically used for fishing or carrying trade goods in the ocean. We spent the day lazing against the cushions, eating lunch, spotting dolphins, swimming, jumping, and snorkeling.







What I found most interesting was the lingering Bedouin fishing culture.

The Bedouin is the name for the tribal cultures historically originating on the Arabian Peninsula. They were divided into tribes and there was a hierarchical method to sorting out issues. Loyalties were first directed toward the nuclear family; then toward the lineage; then the tribe; then, in principle, to the entire nationality. *Side note: This has been a source of much fascination to me as I discover the ways in which these roots have blended with the Islamic faith. In fact, many Western stereotypes of Islam are based in the remnants of Bedouin culture.

In any case, Khasab preserves some of this culture. There are still some Bedouin villages in the cliff sides, both in the tow accessible by road, and on the coast accessible by boat. These villages survive by fishing and making their own clothes. They now have electricity and water. For the villages along the coast, it is too difficult to make the trip to and from the town of Khasab in the summer, and it is very hot, so they move to a village in town for a while.



We also saw some fishing boats, and stored fishing nets along our journey.



After a day on the boat, the dhow dropped us off at another campsite somewhere in the fjords of Oman, only accessible by boat.




We had a low key evening as we were all exhausted from the day. We just sat around the fire and hung out. The next day it was blazing hot by 6:00 am, so we were relieved to see our boat coming to pick us up around 8.

the Middle of the Desert, UAE

At the end of February, I went on an overnight camping trip to some unknown coordinates in the middle of the desert with a group of about 40 people. We met up in town, and drove our SUVs and 4x4s out of the city to the open desert. When we reached the point at which we intended to drive off the road, through the sand, and to our "to be determined" camping locale, we stopped to let the air out of our tires (which increases the surface area) and then went Wadi BASHING! (Wadi is the Bedouin word for "dune."



After driving around the desert for a bit, we settled on a camp site and got out of our vehicles. At which time I promptly belted "Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!!" (That's the beginning to the Circle of Life in case you were wondering.) I realize we weren't in Africa, but being in the desert with the funny shaped trees made it feel appropriate.



Once we had camp set up, we spent some more time Wadi Bashing until it got dark. After dark it was cool enough to have a fire going, and eat, and be comfortable. We had some musicians with us who played guitar and sang while others of us were drumming. We made a pretty cool sound and had a good time chatting and enjoying each others company.



While we didn't see any lions, as the song says, we did encounter some wandering camels and goats that stopped by for a bite to eat.

Visa Run!, Oman

As a visitor to Dubai, I get my passport stamped on arrival for a 30 day visa. This is the maximum amount of time a visitor is allowed to be in Dubai continuously. Unless of course, you beat the system. Which is what I, and at least hundreds of other Dubai visitors, do every 30 days.

When it gets close to the day that my visa will expire, we make the two hour trek to the Oman border. It's a beautiful drive that begins with passing through the city and leaving it in the dust. The first part of the drive is wide open desert. Passing by golden sands and free range camels, always makes me think of that Matthew West song, "when you look at the desert, do you feel like a grain of sand..."



The latter part of the drive, approaching the border of the UAE and Oman, near a town called Hatta is covered by rocky cliffs and mountains blurred by a haze of dust. I count it a blessing that I get to make this trip every month because it gives me an opportunity to really revel in the beauty of God's creation.



On the way back, after getting my passport stamped for the next thirty days, we typically stop at the Hatta Fort Hotel for lunch. Last time we went we took the kids along and had a swim in the resort pool.




Somewhere along the way is a short strip of shops. We went in one, only to be bombarded by 3 or 4 men who were very interested in making a sale. They dressed me up in some traditional Emirati pieces for dancing. I bought the wrap, because how could I resist "morning price and coke free". I passed on the head wear, however.

Because I'm proud...

Holland, MI- The (second) happiest place on Earth. (okay, okay...in the U.S) (click this link)

All over Dubai!

A long awaited update.....

Sorry, friends, for keeping this from you for so long. I've been so busy living life that I forgot to document it! Fortunately, I've been keeping a journal and I've saved up some good stories for you!

First of all, I can't believe that I've been here for a month and a half already! Time has flown by! I've been able to connect with some of Carla's friends and I've made some of my own, and there is so much to do and see in this city! I feel very comfortable and peaceful here, and I am amazed at quickly I feel at home here. I've also been super blessed to connect with friends and family back home on a fairly regular basis, so I haven't felt to estranged from you all! I have been driving on a regular basis now, for about 4 weeks. I'm quite comfortable with it and have started to be able to figure out how to get places. Although I did have a fender bender with a Pakistani man early on, all was settled and it wasn't a big deal. (except that it was almost impossible to handle the situation because he didn't speak English and I in turn could not speak Urdu.)

AJ and I are making great progress. He has expressed a level of comfort with me that allows me to best help him through emotional difficulties and academic difficulties. He is such a wonderful child, and I love working with him. I've also been able to bond with Marya a bit more and she is much easier to read. We always have fun joking around and digging holes at the beach and going to the pool together.

AJs school had "international day" a couple of weeks ago. Because it's an IB school, it's population is more international than Carla's school, which has a lot of Emirati students. International Day is a celebration of the myriad of cultures in the school. All the students come to school wearing clothes that represent their country in some way. (I wore jeans, sneakers, and a Detroit Tigers t-shirt.) Leave it to the United States to start chanting "USA, USA, USA...." during the line-up. Every classroom represents a country or group of countries and their is food, information, trivia, and games for the kids. They spend the day going from country to country getting a "passport" stamp and learning about different cultures. It was beautiful and a lot of fun.

In other news, my good friend, Claire, who has been working with YWAM (in social justice) over the last few months was flying from Bangalore, India to Auckland, New Zealand and had a bit of a layover in Dubai. This is relevant because I drove to the airport to SEE HER!! It was brief but much anticipated and enjoyed :)

Culture Shock:

• Most students are picked up from school by their drivers or nannies, not their parents.
• Round-a-bouts are difficult to maneuver at first and have no traffic rules (although Carla says it's like "the flow of water," but once you get the hang of them, they're quite fun!
• Every Thursday, on the Catboy and Geordiebird Breakfast Show (our morning radio show) we get to hear "The Thursday Song," which is supposed to get us excited for the weekend. You can hear it here.
  

Arabic lesson:

marhaba- hello

salaam alaykum- greetings
walaykama salaam- greeting response

ma salaama- goodbye

salaam- peace.

inshalah- God willing

al hum duleh la- Praise God

ana ismee...(Tami)...- I am ....(Tami...

Mirdif, Dubai

A Day in the Life

I thought I would post an entry to give you an idea of what my daily life is like here. I'm happy to keep you updated on my adventures too, but what I do everyday with AJ and Marya is the primary reason I'm here and I am loving it! (Although, in the wise words of a friend of mine, it's not without it's challenges, but what in life is?)

As I've mentioned before, the weekdays are Sunday-Thursday.


5:00 AM Wake-Up (unless I'm feeling ambitious and go for a run at 4:30) Between 5 and 6 I am getting ready for school. Packing a lunch, showering etc. The kids and Carla usually wake up around 6.

6:00 AM The kids and Carla are getting up and I assist where I am needed. Whether that is breakfast or clothes or collecting homework.

6:45 AM Ideally, this is when we will leave the house, but typically it is closer to 7.

7:30 AM Drop Carla and Marya off at their school, American Academy for Girls, just down the road. Arrive at AJs school, Uptown Primary.

7:45AM Homeroom begins. During this time, the teacher takes attendance and at some point the UAE National Anthem plays over the loud speakers. The students are required to stand, although only a few students sing along. It reminds me of my childhood, singing the Star Spangled Banner and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in Elementary School.

7:50 AM-2:30 PM This is the duration of AJ's school day. During the day I will "shadow" him in all of his classes (with the exception of PE, Art, Music, and Swimming). His schedule is different every day, but I typically work with him in Maths, Arabic, and Language or UOI (Unit of Inquiry). During these times I help him with reading or writing if he needs it, but try to work with all of the students to create a sense of comfort for him in the classroom. The goal is to help him succeed in the classroom without needing constant assistance. We want to build his confidence and learning skills.

Once during the day, I pull him out for about an hour and work with him on reading and writing and spelling. We use various programs and I try to incorporate reading that is applicable. For example, yesterday we worked on a presentation for the end of the current unit, instead of the typical routine we did some of a normal lesson and then I had him read through his presentation and practice it with me. I think this is important because it gives the reading meaning and it's easier for him. He also really likes to go to the library and choose leveled reading books. Without an education background, I struggle, because I don't exactly know how to teach him to read, but I am working with a program that, Maria (his previous shadow) and the Special Ed teacher pioneered for him. (However, I am accepting any input from those of you with an education background :))

2:40 PM At this time AJ and I head over to AAG, and wait for Marya to finsih with school and Calra to finish work. Marya is done at 3:30 and then the kids typically go down to the playground and play. I always check to see if they want to start their homework now, but they usually need a break. Carla finishes work around 4:30 or 5, and in that time I am usually reading or writing letters, or journaling.

5:30 PM Arrive back at home. Now I try to go for a run, and Carla and I make sure the kids get dinner and we find something ourselves. Carla is taking online courses, so she often does her work when we get home and I help the kids with their homework. Then they watch TV or play video games or play outside, and I usually e-mail, read, skype, prepare for the next day etc.

The week night evenings have been quite simple and low key for now, but am starting to make friends, so maybe I will find people to go to the cinema with or watch sport or shop and whatnot.

So there you have it! A day in the life :)

The Springs 2, Street 3, Villa 12

One week. One week has passed since I arrived in Dubai. It's amazing to me because I feel as though I have been here for so much longer. In one week I have learned so much, seen so much, and taken in more new stimuli than I could have imagined. While the jet lag fades, my mind still works. Processing each smell, each word, each accent, each sight, each day as if it's the first I've ever experienced. And that, my friends, is EXHAUSTING!

I arrived in Dubai Friday January 1st around midnight, but did not find myself at Carla's home until well after 1am. Because of the excitement, and the time change, I stayed up and unpacked and showered. I slept most of the day Saturday, and spent the rest of the day unpacking, talking to the kids, and just relaxing. On Sunday, Carla had a "professional day" at the school she works at, but the kids did not have school, so they walked me around the compound.

My first week consisted of spending every day in AJ's school with him. Essentially what I will be spending the majority of my time here doing is "shadowing" for AJ. AJ is 10, and is a clever boy who is fun loving and dedicated to his school work. However, he struggles with some of his academics. My job as a "shadow" is to follow him around school and work with him (in the context of his classes) or work with groups of students that include him as he gains the skills to complete his work. This week I focused on meeting his teachers and classmates so I can understand the context that he is working in. I have also been working hard to build a relationship with him. We have been getting along fine and I can already see a change as he warms up to me. Below is a photo of AJ's classroom.

I also work with his sister Marya, but not as closely. Mostly I help her to keep organized and stay on top of her school work. She is also a dedicated student and they both are very motivated to accomplish the tasks at hand and do well. This has made a huge difference in working with them.

In the time spent at home I hang out with the family, and am grateful to be living with former Glen Lakers. The kids have shown me around the compound and I have done some wandering on my own. We live in an area called "The Springs" which is part of a larger compound called "Emirates Hills." When I first started wandering around I made sure to ask Carla what to tell someone if I get lost and need help finding my way. In essence, everything looks the same! Dubai is developing insanely fast, and it is faster, more efficient, and less expensive to build communities that are identical. So my mantra.."the springs 2, street 3, villa 12." Below are two separate fake lakes with in the compound. I think I know where I'll be running for the next 6 months.

I think I'm fairly well adjusted to the time change, but I am constantly taking in new information and sights. Soon I will be driving, and that will be an adventure as the driving is fast and insane here.

This weekend we celebrated AJ's 10th birthday! He will have a party with friends next week, but his birthday was Saturday. We had cake and ice cream and went to the beach to fly is new kite.

This is the Burj Al Arab, a hotel.

culture shock:

• the other day we passed a large walled in area that was quite ostentatious. I asked Carla, "what's in there?" She replied, "a house." I said, "just ONE person's HOUSE!?" She responded, "well, there are probably four or five houses for his WIVES."

• I can already speak and write some Arabic. A young girl named Yara, in AJs class, has been teaching me during recess. She would rather stay in and get ahead in her work, so I've been employing her as my private Arabic tutor. YAY!

on the left is Yara, and on the right Awatif.

• when I get up i can hear the Islamic Fajr (pre-dawn) prayer call from the Mosque down the street. It's quite peaceful.