March 30, 2012

Up early for my ‘Sunday drive’ on Friday morning. I took a tour out on the almost deserted roads and got a bit more familiar with the road system. I went in one expressway and came back the other. Their road system is a bit more complicated than ours. Where we can take an exit and usually just enter back on the road we left by keeping straight through, well that doesn’t happen here. You exit then have to drive toward town then make a U turn to get back to high way then another U turn to return in the direction from which you came. Also the exits aren’t labeled by the street in which you turn off. Confusing, glad I have my map.

I stopped off at Costa coffee but all the Canadians have gone on break so had a coffee with my friend from last time, a lazy old tom cat who lives around Costa Coffee.  Later in the afternoon I went to the Dolphin Club for lunch with some teachers and a swim. The pool was not as nice as the ocean, the water in it was too hot.

  This evening went out to Carrefour, something like Walmart, picked up things I needed and went driving to the Al Qurm Heights area, so beautiful, views of the ocean from high hills. Will be going back with my camera.

 Passed by this building, had to take a picture.

 My friend Tom, now that's the life.

 Close up of Tom

Where we had lunch and a swim.

March 29, 2012

Started off the day by getting up at 5 instead of 6… set the alarm wrong. We had a workshop at school till 10:30. It was a beautiful morning and we are so close to the beach so I went for another swim. I left my clothing and towel on the beach in a bag. I had a brilliant idea… put my keys in a plastic bag and bury them in the sand under my bag with my clothes. That way they would be safe if someone walked off with my bag.  When I finished my swim I rushed in to find my clothing wet by the tide, grabbed it and went to change in my clothes. Then…Oh, Oh I forgot to dig up the keys. By now the waves had washed away any sign of where I buried them and my foot prints when I picked up my clothes. Forgetting any Onani modesty, I was frantically digging up the wave line, in my bathing suit, trying to find my keys with visions of having to wait till Saturday to get a new set of keys. Eventually I just gave up and hoped the waves would uncover the bag, which they finally did. Whew!!

 In Oman U turns are the norm. They are allowed at many intersections and are fun. Later this evening I went to the Corniche (road by the water) with one of the Australian teachers and we planned where we would go during the break that is coming up in a week.  I had lemon with mint juice which is so good, I passed on cucumber and lemon, a combination I wasn’t too sure about.

 Area behind us.

 Mountains behind us.

 An old tower I came across when driving

March 28, 2012

Wednesday (my Friday) all over again. This afternoon I went to the office where they look after notifying parents when a teacher want to see them. I wanted to call  a boy’s parents to tell them I would like to have his hearing checked. There are about three secretaries in the office.  One of them was finding the dad’s name and number. When she handed me the phone I asked her quickly to tell me the dad’s name so I could say hello Mr. ……  It was a difficult name so I was trying to practice it so I could say his name correctly when he answered. Got through the phone call but all through it the secretaries were giggling and laughing so much they were wiping the tears from their eyes. After I hung up and through more giggles they told me that instead of saying his name I was saying a VERY bad word in Arabic!

This afternoon after school I did what I have wanted to do for a long time, swim! I waked to the beach from school and found a deserted spot and went in the water. I felt the way a nudist would feel on Port Hood Beach, since no local ladies swim there in a bathing suit and in the distance there was a sizable group of ladies covered by abayas (black cloak), (quite a contrast to my bathing suit). But it was worth it, the water was so, so warm. No 'gasp' when submerging! I went out just waist deep, shallow enough to be safe and deep enough not to hit the bottom.

This afternoon at 5:00 the school has a Bazaar, something the same as we have home……but no homemade baked goods, mostly reselling commercial food they bought. Lots of people and lots of little Filipino nannies, almost the same size as some of the kids. 

 The little Filipino nannies

 Many of the ladies have henna decorations on their hands.

 The Bazaar

 Abayas and balloons.

March 27, 2012

Mixed up school week, since I have my boys for only 3 periods a day we have to struggle to get all the curriculum covered. This week we had two days of meeting during class and another half a day today. They are doing more International Baccalaureate® (IB) Primary Years Program training.  This is the second year for PYP at our school and they are trying to get certified. We have another session on Thursday morning (our Saturday) from 8-10. Our speaker is Hala Fadda from London.

There are big turquoise birds (Indian Rollers), green parrots and lemon and lime trees in the school yard. It is a tropical place, just missing the water. The water we use here is desalinated water so it not very hard. Traffic here isn’t bad, less congested than Halifax for sure. They have so many roundabouts, many more than traffic lights. The person inside the circle has the right of way, so it’s the place to be.

This evening a group from school went to a Turkish restaurant for a huge meal. We had salads, a plate with an assortment of spreads for bread, grilled fish and sweets. It was very good. The noise level was very high as is all Arabic gatherings.  I have learned from occasions such as this that I can’t expect total silence in a classroom.

 Turkish Restaurant

 Some of our staff

 My class's Arabic teacher standing.

 Now that's bread!

 The spreads which went with the bread.

March 25, 2012

Well things keep getting better. I think the turning point was getting a car. Now I can stay after school as long as I want and come in early. I now know what is in my classroom and have organized it my way. I have a large stack of work for the boys to fill in any gaps. They need to be working all the time in a structured environment.  Getting to know them better and almost got the names remembered. They are moving out of the testing phase and into a regular behaviour plan. There are some real gentlemen here and as in any other class some difficult ones. The Omani staff are so helpful and pleasant. I make a real effort to be extra nice to the man who does all our photocopying. Being on his good side is very beneficial if you want you copying done on time.

Every morning at 7:30 we have an assembly out in the central courtyard. They play the national anthem (love to listen to it) and they have the children read from the Koran. The central court yard had a big shade hung over the whole area, since the sun is so strong.  Still trying to get used to out eating schedule, ‘brunch’ is at 10:00 and it serves as our noonday meal. For snack at the ‘lunch’ break I take some fruit from the brunch meal.  

As in Egypt where Mubarak’s picture was everywhere, the Sultan Qaboos’ picture is on almost everything. (Qaboos is pronounced caboose) Every building has many, on the children’s notebooks and on the outdoor walls of building. He is absolute ruler and has no heirs or anyone named to succeed him. Wonder what will happen when he goes?

Walked the beach as usual today and suddenly it hit me…..no drift wood anywhere. But then where would the wood come from, the area has no forests.

Stepped on my first cockroach this evening, out in the hall! Yes I know, YUCK!! but it’s fact of life in a warm country so everything is sealed and I keep bread and all other goodies in the fridge and keep the crumbs swept up.

 Mina birds, so many of them.

 Now that's a cool set up on the beach.

 Island a km or 2 off shore

 No drift wood.

Friday March 23, 2012

Excellent day. I was up at 5:00 this morning, did my usual morning stuff and then hit the almost deserted road. I drove the route to school three times just make sure I would have it memorized for Saturday morning the first day of our school week. Then I filled up my empty tank with gas, 3.500 OMR (about $9.12) took a drive out the Expressway and found my way back home. I stopped in at Costa coffee in the Al Shati Mall to meet with a bunch of Canadians. Of course we found mutual acquaintances, Andre Morrison knew Cherryl Morris, (Joe and Mary’s daughter), in Labrador city and my cousin Dino in PEI as well. Got a lot of info on how and where to get my iPhone unlocked (I’m presently in iPhone withdrawal) and lots of other helpful info. They meet every Friday morning for coffee.

In the afternoon 7 of us went to a restaurant caller Le Mer which has an amazing afternoon buffet at a reasonable price. It is right on the beach and we were watching the boats, helicopters, birds and oil tankers cruise past in the Gulf of Oman. The food was awesome, many Indian dishes and Omani food which is almost anything. They have been crisscrossed by so many people over the years that their food is very international. We were there about 3 hours and it was relaxing afternoon. There were 2 Scots, 2 Australians, 1 Indian, 1 American and myself. The teaching staff is very multicultural, heavy on South Africans, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Everyone is talking about what to do on the break, which starts the 5^th of April. Lots of things to do, I want to go camping, go to the beach and ride a camel, perhaps a camping trip by camel. 

Fellow fishing with a net off the bridge by the restaurant.

 Red does stand out!

 There she is.

 You can just barely see the big tanker in the dusty haze.

March 22, 2012

Well today is my Saturday, although it’s only Thursday, VERY, VERY, confusing.  Yesterday evening my friend and I went to a car rental place and hit the jackpot. I now have a car. Getting a car here isn’t like in Canada, some people have had to wait more than a month. It is a Proton, Saga, a Malaysian car and it’s red, a very good colour since most of the cars here are black, grey, white and shades of those colours. Mine will stand out in the parking lot like a red apple in a bowl of pears.

Thursdays is the day to sweep out the desert of my apartment. The dust just filters in and settles on everything. But I’m cleaning only once a week, even if I’m up to my ankles in it.  Still haven’t even turned on the TV, will have to do it soon, brought my E-reader but no time to read.  I would call this a working holiday but with a good deal of work.

One of the teachers gave me the number of a friend of hers from Nova Scotia. Called her today and I’ll be meeting her and a group of Canadian expats  for coffee Friday morning.  A replacement for the Shore Road and Retired teachers’ breakfasts.  She has lots of information, told me where to swim where my Canadian one piece bathing suit is acceptable.  She also gave me ideas for the following week break.

Weather is nice. I looked up the weather stats on Oman, Cairo and Judique for June. Average temp for Judique in June: 15C, Cairo:27C and Muscat: 35C . Now that is average, counting the highs and lows. I thought Cairo was hot, this is reported to be much, much hotter. They say they  run from car AC to building AC.  I won’t have to look for a sauna here.  

Took the car out on a little exploration trip this afternoon. Can’t say it has a lot of power but its better than walking. Drove my way to the beach this evening with Maggie as navigator. Made it back and forth with only one wrong turn. Tomorrow which is Friday, but my Sunday, I’m getting up early, leaving here about 6:30 and exploring Muscat when the roads are almost empty. I’ll practice my drive to school and a good grocery store and then go to the coffee shop where I meet the Canadians.  Later a group of us are going to eat at a restaurant by the beach. 

 This is how the boys dress in class. Most take them off for break when they play soccer/football.

 Most construction work is done by migrant laborers

4 wheelers for rent just down the road from me.

 4 wheeling on the dunes

 This fellow was slowly sliding back down backwards.

 So many huge houses