Dissolve. Refocus.

In the interest of maintaining my sanity, this will be my last post about work for a while.

In the past week or so, I have come to understand what school is really about here. Apparently it is a self-congratulatory facade in which administrators, teachers, parents and students conspire to award good grades to students regardless of learning, effort, or even attendance in school. People keep saying "oh, it's cultural," but I'm calling bullshit on that. Eating only with the right hand is cultural; this is lying.

I have been coerced by my principal, my vice principal and other teachers to raise students' grades. Without my consent, the principal raised all of the grades of the senior class. Then, a few days ago, my principal insisted that I could not mark down the six 11th grade students who copied their entire final exam from an essay I found on the internet--the same essay, word for word, all six of them--because I had no proof that they cheated.

So, let's put aside the fact that they all wrote exactly the same thing. And let's even put aside the fact that this exact essay was published on http://www.oppapers.com/. Fine. Explain to me how a student who can barely form a sentence in English wrote "There are many memories of growing up in Al Ain that frequently goes [sic] back to my father's garden. Ripe tomatoes, pretty green lady fingers, cute cucumbers and yellow squash just to name a few of the vegetables he often grew..." Are you kidding me? What kind of balls does it take to look someone in the face and say that this isn't cheating?

So. Anyway. I did manage to maintain a bit of dignity, and I held my ground. I refused to change the grades of the students who cheated. The princiapl eventually gave in, but I expect I'll take quite a bit of heat for it from here on in. I haven't faced the parents yet, so that will be fun.

Going to speak with someone from the district management this afternoon. I'm not aiming to harm the school, the students, the principal. I just want to get a transfer. I'm not sure whether or not the district is complicit in all of this, but my gut tells me that they know exactly what goes on and ignore it. I expect to be told to "go with the flow," which essentially means shut up and do as you're told, or leave. And it may come down to just that decision. Either way, I think I'm dealing with it as best I can.

Outside of work, I'm trying to enjoy myself, take it easy, be good to my wife, and play video games. Right now, shooting zombies as JFK is going to have to serve in lieu of therapy. It works better than you'd think.

Take care everybody. A is A; the sky is blue. Um, stupid is as stupid does?

Settling In. Maybe Just Settling.

Struggling with my job. It seems that I need to readjust my expectations in terms of student performance, outcomes, and in particular, attendance. As of late, I've been going a bit crazy trying to make things happen in the classroom--that's part of the territory. You push, students resist, you find ways to motivate. I get that, and I'm used to it.

But here, half the time there are no students to motivate. I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a classroom, lessons at the ready, bag o' dictionaries and papers in hand, all set to teach, only to discover that there are no students there. Sitting in a classroom with no students is absurd and depressing. Sometimes there will be one or two students. I hang out with them and try to work on something with them that will move their skills forward. Not a lesson really, just some language practice.

Where are the students, you ask? It varies. I shall attempt to break it down.

They miss an average of one day per week for their football matches (that's soccer games, you American philistines). Even if the game is at 6:00 in the evening, they get the full day off of school to rest and relax. This is a contraversial change from last year's policy, under which they got *two* days off of school each week: one for the match, and the next day to recuperate.

About twice a month, the principal takes them for day trips. Recent trips have featured such educational experiences as going to the mall, the movies, the beach, and the marina. It should be noted that these trips are not planned in any way. The dude has a whim and he calls for a bus. Nobody is notified, so I still end up preparing my lessons, showing up and feeling like an ass when there's nobody there. Swell.

Then there are holidays. Of course, there are holidays everywhere, and we should expect (and appreciate) these days off. I do. However, my students apparently feel that the holidays are not long enough, so they take off two days before any holiday begins and return two days later than the schedule indicates.

Aside from these occasional hiatuses (hiati?), attendance is more predictable, and hits a daily average of about 30-40%. It's important for my students to get their rest, and so they sort of take turns coming to school so that somebody will be there to keep me company from time to time.

The administration is very concerned about this issue, so much so that they may one day actually do something to address it in some fashion, if of course they can find time. Once in a while they'll tell a student he should come to school more. This is the sum total of the disciplinary matrix.

Now don't get me wrong. They do care. They really do. They want the students to do well in their classses, and succeed in their exams. They want the students to improve, grow, learn. Just like any educators. They're just not convinced, apparently, that coming to school and attending classes is a necessary step in that process.

There's a whole bit about what I'm supposed to teach them vis a vis the curriculum and of course the limited time available, but that's a familiar tune for any teacher in the U.S., so I won't bother. I've come to terms with that--I'll teach them as much as I can with the time I have, and not fret about "covering" all the material. They can slap my wrist or give me 10 demerits or whatever. That's not the problem.

The problem is, how can I be of any use to my students if they aren't here for me to teach? What do you do with that? How is it that I have time to write this blog at work, when I ought to be working to help these students improve their education? Oh yeah, there's a match today, and I don't have any classes before noon.

I figure the change that needs to be made is one of attitude, since this system isn't about to change to make me comfortable. I wish I was one of those teachers that preferred to surf the Internet than to deal with his students all day. This would be a dream job.

Nick made a good point and said that work is like this for like 90% of folks. They just go to their jobs and do enough to not get fired. I think he's right, but if I wanted a job like that I'd have gone the corporate route and at least gotten paid. It's tough to step back from something really rewarding and just "get by" at work, just as I imagine it's tough for folks who get paid mega salaries to take a step back financially in order to find fulfillment. Well, at least I have plenty of time to sift through Facebook and read Fark. Watched some teenager get bitten by a rabid otter this morning, so that was pretty awesome.

I know this one is a bit of a downer, but that's why I haven't written in a while. Was hoping for the winds to change so I could leave you on a lighter note.

Had a good Thanksgiving, until the New Zealanders tried to turn it into a college beer-buster. Bleah. Nevertheless, got to spend some quality time hanging out with new friendquaintances, and that helped the creeping homesickness of the holidays. Cooked a bomb-ass turkey, if I doo say so myself. An especially impressive feat, considering I had to squeeze it, sans roaster, into our tiny convection oven. Franny made an array of amazing sugary goodness. Good times.

We'll be traveling to Egypt in a few weeks, and I'm really gettingg excited about that. A few days on the beach in Mersa Matruh, a few days in Alexandria, Christmas (and Franny's birthday) on a cruise down the Nile, and then a few days in Cairo. Not a bad way to cap off 2010.

A

Not in the Brochures

United Arab Emirates = UAE = Unstoppable Ass Explosions

Potential visitors, consider yourselves forwarned.

First Days of School, Moving Days, and Ramadan Value Meals

My first full week of teaching is done, and I've had a day to relax and reflect. There is still a lot to process, so I expect a lot of this will come out jumbled and half-formed, but here's the skinny nonetheless.

The school is called the Aljazira Football Academy. It's essentially a soccer farm that offers academic classes as well. First day, I was told by the principal, the vice principal and the English faculty that the first priority is athletics, not academics. The students, they told me, might need to miss school or sleep in class because they are tired from training. I was informed that students would often miss class because they play on the national team and would be traveling to other countries to compete.

This is a tough pill to swallow for me, but I'm coming around to accept that I can only work within the confines of the environment I'm in, and that I can still be of service to these young men by using the class time we have to further their skills in the English language. So it isn't likely to be life-changing for them. Learning another language is its own reward, even if most of these boys are going to rely on their feet to make their way in the world.

Sas Alnkhl School, where my school is currently housed.

I'll also be teaching the faculty here, which will be interesting. The principal would like all of the faculty to take the IELTS, an international standardized test of English language skills. He'd like me to assess their current skills and teach a class that will help them to succeed on the exam. This is a new challenge for me, and I'm looking forward to it, although I'm not sure I know what the hell I'm doing. As is the case with much of the professional world, I'll be making it up as I go along, at least at first.

The young men in my classes, I should mention, are great. On the whole, they are very respectful, friendly, and seem to genuinely want to learn. The class sizes are small, so I hope I'll be able to learn a lot about them as the year progresses. I am optimistic about the actual class time, even though I have my reservations about the school system itself.

The faculty has been very welcoming, although I definitely feel my "otherness" there. I am the only native English speaker in the school--most of the the faculty are from nearby countries--Egypt and Lebanon mostly--and a few are Emiratis. It seems that most of the new teachers who have come here are in schools where they have a little cadre of westerners with whom they can discuss the difficulties of coping in the new setting; I am much more on my own in this regard. I have times when this makes me despondent, but I'm hoping that it will push me to venture even further outside of my comfort zone and befriend people from the region. I'm hoping, too, that it will motivate me to continue studying Arabic. So far, I've acquired about a twenty-word vocabulary. There is a long way to go.

In other news, Frances and I are moving into our new apartment today! In just a few hours we'll depart the Aloft Hotel and taxi over to Al Manzel Hotel Apartments, our new home. We're both relieved to be out of hotel living, and excited to finally have a home. The apartment is in the "Tourist Club" area, which is basically the downtown, with plenty of places within walking distance for good eats, etc. I expect that being in the downtown area will alleviate the feelings of isolation we've been experiencing. Insh'allah, as my Arabic friends would say.

Got around to check out a little more of the city. Bit by bit, it's becoming more comfortable and less intimidating. Learning where things are, how to get things done. Trying to meet people, though this is difficult as I am borderline antisocial. A journey like this certainly makes you appreciate your friends. (Hi friends! You're awesome.)

Also, I'd like to say that I love Skype. How cool is it that, all the way from Abu Dhabi, I can see Chad and Ben pretend to make out? Okay, it's actually a bit gross, but the technology is cool.

I'll leave you with this, which speaks for itself:

No bacon, of course.

A Convergence of Something or Other

A great deal happens in the smallest bit of time.

First of all, gotta say that Etihad Airways is incredible. It was a long flight and all, but they fed us what seemed like a constant stream of tasty food. We actually woke up to receive Klondike bars in the middle of the night. Plenty of movie and game selections at your seat. (Justin, you were right--The Karate Kid was kind of awesome.) The strange procession of Stepford Stewardesses was a little off-putting, particluarly to my feminist wife, but all in all it was a first-rate though economy-class journey.

We were herded by ADEC through the Abu Dhabi airport to gather our belongings and make our way to a convoy of buses and trucks that would schlep us to the hotel. The first wave of heat that hit us as we left the airport was a tease, tempered with the trailing-off air conditioning; for a moment we thought it wasn't going to be so hot after all. Another step from the doors was all it took.

The hotel (called Aloft Abu Dhabi) is swanky enough, and the amenities abound. I've never been called "sir" so much in my life. Extravagant and free breakfast buffets, a lovely swimming pool, several bars--it's a lot of what you'd see at a Vegas hotel, actually. We've been taking advantage of the fitness center in the mornings and swimming at night in the pool. It's a quick cab ride to the Carre Four, which is the Arabian Wal-Mart, so we have procured a few basics for food and such. That'll be a lot easier when we get placed in an apartment.

We spent our first day here at polar opposites: first the Grand Mosque, the largest in the Emirates, and then at the Abu Dhabi Mall. The Grand Mosque speaks for itself, so I'll just post the pictures. At the mall, I bought some essentials, mostly school clothes. Frances searched with great perserverance for the perfect bra, but came up empty-handed.

I started work on Sunday. It was just an orientation, but it helped to feel a lot more grounded, as they gave us our school placements. I had been quite concerned that we would not wind up in the city, as we requested, but it all worked out. I'll have a bit of a commute to work, but we'll live downtown. Once the dust settles on the beginning of the school year, they'll give us a hotel apartment--a one bedroom apartment, fully furnished, inside one of the fancy-schmancy hotels in downtown, I expect. Not bad--we won't have any utility bills, we'll have a daily cleaning service, etc. We may wind up a bit spoiled.

Chatted with a representative from the "operators" of my school, got a bit of information about what my working conditions might look like. It's certainly going to be a growth experience. I'll be trying to figure out how to teach without the benefit of technology, for instance. Still, it could be worse--the folks working in Al Gharbia will be figuring out how to teach without the benefit of electricity.

Had a big all-staff meeting today, featuring the Director General of Education for all of Abu Dhabi. Around 6000 teachers and administrators in attendance. A big deal--news cameras, all that. I'm proud to say that I stayed awake the entire time.

School starts Wednesday. I still don't know precisely in which school I'll be teaching (it's between two schools at the moment) or how I'll get there. I get the sense that school won't really start until next Sunday, and even then it'll be a slow roll-out of a start, if you catch my drift.

I'm really excited about everything that's happening. I'm a bit anxious about the things that aren't happening, or aren't happening as quickly as I'd expected. However, I'm beginning to develop a more relaxed attitude about it--funny that eight years in San Francisco didn't help me develop that reputed California go-with-the-flow easiness, but a week in the Middle East has brought me around. Things are going to happen. I'll most likely get to school tomorrow, at least some school. It will work out.

There is so much to learn. I have a lot of reading to do. A lot of things to see. I'm so happy I am here with my wife, and that we can explore this new place together. It's exhiliarating.

It's also a little sad. I want to teleport my friends here to hang out with me, to talk to me. I had a Skype conversation with my mom and sister this morning, which helped. Chad, get a Skype account you bastard!

Yeah yeah yeah, we'll make friends blah blah blah. I'll ease up on that eventually, too.

Okay. No more typey typey. Look at the pretty pictures.

Spare a dirham?

The Grand Mosque

Old World, meet New World.

She makes that abaya WORK.

Gotta stop and smell the wall sometimes.

I got in trouble for touching these.

In case you don't read Arabic, that reads "Pizza Hut."

In our hotel room. Mecca that way.

"There are TREES in the pool!" -Frances

And They're Off

Not a lot of time to write just now, but I thought I'd check in before bed.

We leave tomorrow morning! Bags are packed, everything is in order (I believe).

Excited. Anxious. Relieved. A lot of things, all at once.

Good night, San Francisco.

Waiting

A month ago, I didn't mind not knowing when we'd leave for Abu Dhabi. There were other things to focus on then. Between summer school, moving, our upcoming travels to Michigan and Aruba, there was plenty to obscure the approaching precipice.

Now, we're really just waiting. I'm checking email obsessively. Reading posts on Facebook from teachers who made the journey last week. It sounds like we've got some good things in store: the hotel where ADEC is putting up the newly arrived teachers is 5-stars, and a lot of folks are raving about the gracious way they are being treated. They are even saying nice things about the airline.

All of this, of course, just makes me more anxious to get a move on.

So Franny and I don't have much left to do in SF. Just hang out for a bit and try to enjoy SF while we're still here. Say some goodbyes, or perhaps seeyalaters. Today we're going to have a tourist day in the city, ride bikes around to all the places you take for granted when you live here, take pictures, that kind of thing.

School starts at SMHS tomorrow. It's strange that I won't be there. There's a lot of that feeling right now, though. Wondering what I won't be around for--weddings, births, heartbreaks, breakthroughs. But that kind of thinking just makes me crazy. You have to choose a somewhere, and that necessitates a lot of missing out on the everywhere else. Right?

The cats are wrestling in the hallway. Cuteness trumps ennui.

Oh--hello, world!