Sorry for not writing lately. We have been pretty low for the last two weeks. We got sent to a tiny village (Al Mirfa)  in the western region(Al Gharbia). It has been tough. Bradley is the only spouse out here, and has been super bored hanging out in the creepy hotel they put us in. Thanks goodness there is a fishing dock to keep him occupied, that and looking for a job in AbuDhabi.

My school is nice....it is not a new building like the primary and high school. The teachers are very welcoming and gracious. I have a great co-teacher, Amani, who is from Sudan. The children are getting use to me and are learning greetings and weather.  I have about 18 students and no materials to work with, or a curriculum. But we are making it work. Actuallly I have not been to school in the last couple of days...I got a bug that has been going around. So I have seen the Al Mirfa hospital..it was underconstruction like everything else in this country. I am feeling better today. There are 11 western teachers here in Al Mirfa. Most are really nice and well misery loves company.

So ADEC is our employeer. They have had meetings and gotten all the teachers in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi into there beautiful apts and villas. But no one has been talking to the Al Gharbia teachers. They dropped us out in the middle of nowhere, I mean camels and sand, with no info or support.  So last week someone came to take our concerns back to ADEC but never emailed us back the answers. So on Monday Bradley, Mary, and I drove into Abu Dhabi armed with contracts, to talk to the head of the Western teachers department. After talking with three seperate people we didn't get much answers, .........however after much begging and alittle crying(unintentional) Bradley and I will be moved to Al Ain in two weeks. We are so happy, but I will believe when I see it. So we are going to be in the hotel here for two more weeks...then another hotel in Al Ain for a week until we get a place to stay.

Anyway we have rented a car with another couple who are both teachers here in Motel morbid. It is a Lancer, basicly a lawn mower with AC, but it was cheap for a month. So we go to Abu Dhabi on the weekends...two hours one way...to go shopping and buy good food. The arabic food is great but there is way more western food here then in Korea. Anyway back to driving....people here are crazy drivers. They don't drink, or party but they get their kicks from speed. So next month I want to get a huge SUV. The highways are crazy scary, but I drive in Al Mirfa because well.... there are four streets. Oh and they love round-a-bouts.....Big Ben....Parliment.....Big Ben.

Being out in the sticks, in a town with lots of construction there are loads of workers from India.  I now understand why women cover up head to toe. The stares are intense, my friend Tori is blonde and she never leaves the hotel without a head scarf. The emiraties don't stare to much, and in the big cities it is no big deal.  You can wear capris and t-shirts, but out here.. no way. Although Emiraties would never say anything to you, because in this culture you never want to cause anyone embarressment. It is all about keeping or saving face. So I have been wearing my Abaya and sheila(head cover) to work, it is actually kind of nice to wear pj's to work under the Abaya.

Abu Dhabi girls

Al Mirfa

My classroom