Catching up part 2 - home for the holidays

Christmas is honestly the only time that makes sense for me to go home.  My entire family is home and my friends are more likely to be able to meet up with because I can sometimes con them into coming to NJ.  It just wouldn't be Christmas if i wasn't with my family.  There were a handful of us that were going home for the holidays while others took the opportunity to travel.  I love to travel but I love my family and friends more.

Two weeks never seems like enough but it is always worth the trip.  This time around it was filled with tons of family time, new technology and ended with seeing some of my really good friends.  Over the summer I had decided that I would buy an I-Pad for myself, seeing that I travel a lot of sometimes having a computer along would be helpful, plus i could use in the classroom because most of my kids have one too.  Also my other big technology update was a new DSLR.  Over the summer uncle had looked at my camera and said that I needed to update and at that point I said yeah sure whatever.  But being the tech nut that I am, of course I started to look into it more and more.  Which lead to me going to a camera store over break and purchasing the amazing Nikon D7000.  Such a sweet camera.  Still working on figuring everything out but taking pictures in class has been fun.

Leaving is always the hardest part, literally the saying "see you later", my parents and a close friend brought me to the airport and it has never been this hard to come back.  I just kept telling myself the reality of staying in NJ and I don't like that reality.  The idea of being in NJ and not having a job like most of my friends just does not rock my socks, plus not being able to travel easily, no no no not for me.  Kuwait really isn't great but its not the worst either, at least I have a job at a school that I like with an awesome admin and kids who are amazing.

So here are a few pictures from my trip home.  It was an amazing time.

catching up part 1 - Camel Races

So before winter break (I.E. Christmas break) a group of us decided to go to the camel races.  We had heard that the Aware center was hosting a trip the Saturday before our break.  The Aware Center is an organization that hosts different trips around Kuwait for us international people here to learn about the culture and country of Kuwait.

What I had heard about camel racing before going wasn't much, but I knew that they didn't have people riding the camels because of children's rights.  They used to use small boys to ride the camels because they are light.  Well its not very safe and  I am glad that human rights stepped in and took over.  So now they have these small robots that are tied onto the backs of the camel that have a small whip on it.  Now you must be asking, how do they control the camel.  Well each camel has their own "driver", this person is in a pick-up truck driving along side the camel and controlling how fast the whip goes.

So that Saturday we board the buses at the Aware center and off we go to the races. Now still in my mind I am picturing horse racing:  sitting in the stands, big crowd, lots of dust, camels everywhere!  When we got off the buses we walked into a building that I figured was going to bring us to the stands.  Well we go in the building into this huge room where there are 3-4 levels of lazy-boy couches.  This is where we were suppose to sit and watch the races. So we plopped down in some.  Looking around we started to notice that the track is HUGE.

Before the race started we decided to walk around outside and check out the camels that were there to take pictures with.  Slightly a sad sight because they were literally there for you to get on take a picture and get off.  As we were outside we were told that a race had already started and we didn't even know it until we saw the dust from the trucks and then the camels running across the finish line.

In the end it was a bit anti-climactic, but I was still glad that I went.  After the races we went to a "farm" for dinner which was nice.

Here are some pictures from the day:

Daudz laimes Latvija!

Today we Celebrate 93 years for Latvia.  This is one of my favorite times to be in Latvia.  You really feel the country come together for the day to celebrate everything that it has been through.  So no matter where you are, celebrate today, wear something red/white, hug a Latvian.   

Eid Mubarak!!

Clearly I am a bad blogger because I keep forgetting to update you all about what has been going on.  Well since I have made it to my first official school break that means I have time to update you about a lot.  Well OK not that much but enough to give you something.

So since last time, it has been a crazy whirl wind at school to get report cards done before break.  Grade 4 has learned from their mistakes from first semester and now are on our road to success for the next semester.  No biggie things happen and we have learned.  This is what happens when schools go through the change process. So I tested my children to the core for the last days before break and I hope that the grades their have received won't cause too big of a stir among my parents.  Ended off the week with a celebration of all that we have done by having a PJs day which was great the kids loved it.



We also celebrated Halloween at school which is always a fun day for the kids and tiring for the teachers.  For another year I dressed up as a Ladybug but this year failed on taking pictures of my kids.  I had a photographer fail day.  Very upset with myself but what can you do.  The kids enjoyed the day they got dressed in their costumes for the afternoon and I gave them some free time to share treats and to socialize with one another.

In other news a common questions among friends is "well what is the cost of different items?"  Well dear friends with receipts in front of me let me give you some examples of prices from the things that I buy.

All conversions are as of today's rates:
Apple juice:  .685KD = 2.49USD
salted butter: .450KD = 1.63USD
1 red onion: .070KD = .25 USD
Cool Ranch Dorritos: 1.690KD = 6.14 USD (WOW not buying those again!)
Skim Milk:  .430KD = 1.56USD
Pop corn at the movies:  .600KD = 2.17 USD
Bottle of water at the movies:  .250KD = .90 USD
Brown bread:  .250KD = .90 USD
Canned Pineapple: .850KD = 3.08 USD
Cling Film: .300KD = 1.09 USD
Shaving cream: 1.550KD = 5.63 USD
12 eggs:  .490KD = 1.78 USD
Cheerios:  1.050KD = 3.81 USD
Campbells Tomato Soup 10oz can:  .365KD = 1.32 USD

So there are just a few items that might give you an idea of what we can get here and what they might cost.  Otherwise things are going well here.  Today was the first day that I saw rain here so that was pretty exciting. Later on in the week I am going with a group of people to the Falika (not sure if that's how you spell it) island to wander around.  I am hoping to get some Christmas gifts also taken care of this week.

Here is also a little about the celebration that is going on right now.  I hope I have found the right celebration but it sounds about right according to what i have heard.  This information comes to you from the wonderful world of Wikipedia:

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥá, IPA: [ʕiːd al ʔadˁˈħaː], "feast of sacrifice") or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an importantreligious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice instead.^[1]

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara) Ayah 196 in the Qur'an.^[2]Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Sunnah prayer of two Raka'ah (units) followed by a sermon (khuṭbah).

The word "Eid" appears in Sura al-Mai'da ("The Table Spread," Chapter 5) of the Qur'an, meaning 'solemn festival'.^[3]

Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar.^[4] Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr. Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.^[5]

Last time on . . . Life in Kuwait!

Wow it has really been a long time since I last checked in. Sorry about that.  But here I am to update you on everything that has happened.

School:
Is the place that I spend the most time awake during the week.  Getting up at 3:30 and being on a bus at 5:15 really makes you tired at the end of the day.  The time at school is basically always go go go.  Which is great because I can't stand being bored or having nothing to do.  My kids have settled in really nicely and some of them are coming out of their shell more and more each day which is both good and a needs improvement thing.  But its so much fun being in Grade 4 again.  Being able to joke around with them and teach them a little sarcasm is great.  I know as a teacher they tell you not to but my kids seem to get it.

Home:
Last week I printed out about 300 pictures and then hung them all up.  I have really embraced the whole not organizing them too much and just putting them where it feels right.  I also got some Ikea wall stickers (having Ikea in the mall is both an amazing thing but also a place to stay away from).  Here are some pictures of what my place looks like with pictures:

Other additions to my life:
I am now the proud owner for an I-Phone 4 which has been very exciting being able to be on the internet anywhere.  It is far bigger than my I-Pod touch but that little guy is not getting neglected not to worry.  I also finally got my bank card and rumor has it we will have our civil IDs by the end of the week. Holding my thumbs and crossing my fingers in hope that I won't have to wait an extra 2 weeks to get mine.

Later on in the week I promise I will update about prices of regular food items and about other exciting events going on.

Camel Market

It is actually exactly what it sounds like.

Today my fellow 4th grade teacher along with another teacher and I headed out to visit the camel market.  Its out there in the middle of practically no where.  This is where you would go to buy a camel.  We were talking to one of them men there and I think he said that we could buy one for roughly 500 KD (about 1800 USD).  Words can't explain it so here are some pictures:

These last two pictures are of a camel that has been bought and is now getting ready to be transported.  They bind up their legs so that he/she isn't really able to get anywhere and has to stay lying down and then off he/she goes to his/her new owner.

A really interesting place to wander around for a bit.  Will have to keep saving my KD to get that camel.

You couldn't take away this smile even if you tried

So in Grade 4 there are six of us all together.  It has been like a dream come true.  Working with the dream team.  On our team are people who have been teaching for a while and also a few people who are new to the school while others this is their second year.  After working by myself for the past 4 years, getting to work at a big school with other teachers was a prerequisite for a new school.  After talking with the superintendent in January and finding out that I would be one of 6 teachers, I knew this was the place for me.

As a team we have been meeting every other day to help with planning lessons and making sure that we are all on task.  We get to help each other figure out how to deal with certain issues and to work out how the math program will work within our classes.  Right now I am really just sitting and listening and throwing in my 2 cents, but also really enjoying having 5 other people around me to bounce ideas off of.

The other great thing that our team has is a teacher's assistant.  She is the person that I can turn to for copies, laminating, cutting, decorating etc.  We rotate her around the six classes since we work on a 6 day schedule.  So today was my day to have her and it is amazing.  I ask her to do something and before I know its on my desk and ready to be used.  She picked up my kids and dropped them off at their next lesson just so that I could continue working on what I was doing.  I am going to owe this girl big time.  AMAZING!

My other favorite person is the copy man.  No more fighting with the machine to get it to do what you want it to do.  You ask the copy man, tell him what you want and he makes it happen.  I don't even need to touch the machine and get close to it.  I am pretty tech savvy but sometimes copy machines and I don't get a long.

Honestly the people that I get to work with are really amazing people.  I am so happy with my choice and am really looking forward to a great year and an awesome learning experience.  I now need to figure out what will be my teacher goal for the year.  Each teacher sets one and then during the year they check in with their buddy to see how things are going.  I just need to narrow my thoughts down to something I know I can measure and feel that I can do within this year.

By the way . ..  my class is also great, the kids are beyond nice and respectful.  Just what a class should look like.  We have done so much team building over the past week and just really getting to know each other.  Remembering all of their names was my greatest challenge because they aren't name that have been common for me.  But that's ok, I love a challenge.  A random kid came up to me and gave me a hug today and that felt amazing.  I need to find out who this kid is because he made my day.