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

March 19, 2012

Sunday: Finally cooking with gas, the gas man came and brought my gas cylinder. Now I‘ll have more variety in my diet and hot meals. Had a long meeting after school to day so I missed my beach walk, but went to the grocery store with someone instead. Then took a walk up the road by our apartment to see what was on the other side of the large overpass tunnel down the road, just more buildings and construction.  There are some Yahoos  with 4 wheelers who drive up and down our road (where cars go), no helmets, and doing pop a wheelies day and night.  

Today, Monday was my medical,  driver Saeed and a lady Colthe took me there. I had my eyes checked (the old E chart, up, down, left , right), was weighed and height measured and then off to another building for blood work, EEG, blood pressure, chest  Xray and for a dentist to look in my mouth and say OK.  Now I should be able to get a resident card….and a car. The hospital was a very busy place with ladies with all types of face covers, some all covered, some with sort of a Batman type mask covering basically the nose, eyebrows  and forehead and most with just plain headscarves. All wearing some style of Abaya which is a long flowing black light garment which covers their clothing. The men mostly wear their disdashas, the long robe the boys wear at school. They wear many light  shades but white is their ‘Sunday best’. They all wear a kuma which is the embroidered hat, the boys at school wear and some have a scarf over it wound around their head.  The boys wear the disdasha in class but take it off to play football outside . My medical took a long time, Saeed said usually he is able to get the teachers in early (jump line) but since he has been coming so often they just aren’t giving him much preference anymore.

I arrived back in school just in time for my math class with the boys and then went off to a PYP meeting and in the middle of it, we got the news, classes dismissed due to approaching dust storm. What a scramble, no PA system so it was not a smooth operation.  Finally we got all the kids off to buses or drivers and we went home. Doesn’t look too bad yet but it’s hazy and a bit windy.  

These boys are so loud, they have to emphasize ever point by raising their voice.  My biggest hurdle now is for them to raise their hands to talk and to speak in an inside voice. Needless to say their breaks are often quite short. We are making progress and I’m moving from only being able to do work that requires no movement or interaction to more collaborative activities.  They are all actually nice boys but they all have high energy.

This evening a group of us went bowling at a place near the school. I think 10 pin bowling, the type with the large heavy ball, reminds me of the kind Fred Flintstone had. Afterwards we went to an outdoor restaurant by the sea were the waves were rolling in because of the storm, but….it wasn’t a bit cold. Couldn’t believe it! So nice and warm.

 Grocery store above

The wadi or dry stream bed near my building. During a rain it is a torrent of water.

 See the people on the sand dunes near my house

 Heavy security around this place.

 Bowling with teachers

Supper afterwards at place very near the beach

March 18, 2012

First day of the week, but with an abbreviated schedule, classes were shortened from 55 to 35 min and the students went home early. We had meetings all afternoon to plan the next 6 weeks. Now I will know what is planned and be able work on my own schedule and now be wondering what was covered already.  The school area is quite big and still hard to navigate. Rearranged the class so I can see the boys all looking at me and I can see their name tags, I have the names of the most active one memorized very well. Working on the quiet ones now and sorting the multiples.

Almost every evening we go walking on the beach, it is beautiful, it is all I can do, not to swim in the water , it is so warm, no OHHHH factor at all. When I get my car I’ll be able to walk to the beach from and school and have a dip after school.  The beach here is opposite of the Brazil beach, it is very  shallow for quite a long way out and not many waves and no rocks. Have plans to snorkel on Wednesday after school.  Guess it is awesome and one of the teachers was telling how she was kayaking on the weekend. I guess kayaks can be rented very cheaply. My recruiter from Teacher Horizons paid our school a visit today. Saw him for a few minutes, nice to see him in person..  

 A beach house

Walk way from school to beach

March 16, 2012

 Work starts again tomorrow on Saturday. It’s very confusing trying to get a routine when the days are mixed up.  Skype is blocked here and  a VPN account is needed to get Skype working. But this morning (for me) I called Ian (late night for him) on my Google video phone, from my Google mail account. At first it didn’t work and we were typing back and forth but suddenly we could hear and see each other.  No voice delay and it was great. Tried Linda on FB  video this morning but it didn’t work.  So looks like I can talk to people , for free, of they have a gmail account. Will have to try and see if I can call actual telephones with it.

Spent most of the day grading papers and sorting and figuring out all my 3 Abdullahs, 3 Mohammeds and 2 Ferris’ and 2 Ahmeds and trying to sort out who owned what paper.They are as bad as the Johns and Marys at home.

 Yesterday was 34C but today was about 32C, it is getting warmer all the time, by June people just don’t go out. We went for a walk on the beach and since it was high tide the football gamers had less room to play and all we did was dodge players and balls.  The water is so very warm, can’t wait till I get a car them perhaps I can go after school, since we are a short walk to the beach.  Got a car hire quote from two companies and will check with a third. I may have to wait for a residency card, but may get it as a tourist, will have to wait and see.  The traffic is good and manageable and I’m  busy trying to memorize my way to school, so every time I get a ride I get tested.

 beach walk

 Al Qurm Heights

 End of beach walk

 football players taking a break

 Sunset Muscat

March 15, 2012

No school today (it’s our Saturday) but we had to go there to supervise students writing entrance exams. That ran from 9:30 to 11:00. I got a ride part way home and stopped off to pick up my photos, which I need for my resident card and for a lot of other things, so they say. I walked home from there and it’s about a 3 km hike. Was able to find my way back and got a little sunburn in the process. I know now why there is so much foot washing in the bible.  Sandals are worn all the time and the place is so dusty, your feet are always quite dirty after any walk about. There is sand everywhere. There is some vegetation, thorny bushes and dry looking grasses, haven’t seen any cactus at all. The wadis (dry stream beds) have a lot of trees growing around them because when it rains they are like rivers. There are palm trees and I think they are date palms. The mountains are very dry looking without much visible plant life.

Living here is something like working with computers, always problem solving. Nothing is the same as at home and we always have to figure out how to do it things a different way. 

Lots of construction going on, most of the workers are Indian, Philippine,Malaysian or in that area. It appears they do most of the manual labor, and domestic and shop jobs as well.

 Beautiful Mosque I passed on the walk home today.

 View looking West from my apartment window.

 Looking south

 Looking North from Apartment