Where's Edgar?

I have been writing my blogs on my computer at home but have only now been able to put them up so it will say that they were all written today but for each one I have the actual date that they were written.

August 27, 2007
Hello Everybody!
Well I made it to Dubai safe and sound however it has been a frustrating/exciting experience getting here. I checked in my Luggage and got my boarding pass in Regina and then we waited around for Marika to show up. Little did I know that she checked in an hour before me and was waiting upstairs. She found us 45 minutes after I checked in. We said our tearful goodbyes to our family and friends and headed through security. We then waited until about 11:40ish to actually board the plane. Our plane was supposed to take off at 11:20 but it took off around 12 or so. We arrived in Toronto with 50 minutes to board our plane to New York. We arrived at the check-in point only to discover that we were delayed 2 hours. We then sat waiting for our luggage to come so that we could connect it to our flight (apparently I was supposed to do this myself). Our luggage never showed up. (Marika took a picture of Edgar and I at the airport--I don't know how to rotate it, sorry). We then boarded our plane and sat on the tarmac for 4 hours! Apparently the weather above JFK airport was horrible and all planes were grounded. Since we had alread boarded the plane and they shut down customs in the terminal after we left our gate, we were stuck sitting on the plane with only juice or water coming our way. This is where Marika and I meet Steve.

Steve sat ahead of me on the airplane and was concerned about missing his flight to Dubai from New York because of the delays. He was talking to the crew and agents to find out about whether that flight would be grounded as well or if he would be missing it. This was when the flight attendent asked around if anyone else was going to Dubai. Marika and I told her that we were and we had a little pow wow by our seats. It turns out that Steve works for the Emirates Airlines and so he knows pretty much the background stuff, who to talk to and who to complain to. The three of us FINALLY arrived at JFK around 12:30-1:00am. Steve asked the agent about our flight and heard that it had already taken off and when he asked about luggage he was told that we should find it. So we headed off to the terminal that we were supposed to leave from. First we stopped at security to ask about luggage only being rudely told to go to the office in a random direction that the guard pointed. The American Airlines baggage office only gave us the run around about our luggage nor being there but with the Emirates which is in another terminal. We then went to find the “air train”. As we were heading there we ran into the agent that Steve had talked to when we got offf the plane. She was wondering if we had talked to her supervisor and then Steve got angry. Apparently the supervisor was there but when Steve asked the agent about who to talk to and stuff she brushed him off and did not respond when he asked her a couple of times. So we left her and found the air train. We boarded, switched trains, and found terminal 4. We couldn't find our airline and were told to go downstairs to information. When there Marika and Steve were again given the run around about how we had to go to American Airlines, then to baggage, then to Emirates Airlines. After telling her that we did all that and that we would appreciate some form of help without the rude attitude we were given a number to call and directions to the overall baggage office (where stuff is sorted out). We gave them our baggage identifications and were told to come back within the next 2 hours. So we went to call the number we were given and book flights. We finally all got through to a person and booked a flight to Dubai for 11:20 the next morning. We went to see about getting a hotel room only to discover that the ones closest to the airport were full so we would have to go into the city where the price went up. We were looking at about $450ish for the night (including cabs). We decided we would get more sleep and it would be cheaper to sleep in the airport. We went to see about our luggage again and found that they were closed just after we left. Now we were angry, tired, frustrated and ready to kill. So we went to find a spot to sleep. We were able to find 2 lovely cement benches where we were able to sort of sleep.

In the morning we went to find out about luggage and get our boarding passes. We recieved our boarding passes and when we asked them about luggage they said that they wouldn't know anything until they were placed on the plane. When we were waiting to board the plane we asked the woman who was organizing us if she could look into where our luggage was. She discovered that Marika's were on the plane but mine and Steve's were MIA. We then boarded and took a very long 12 hour flight to Dubai. It was gorgeous skies! I am still amazed. I watched 4 movies and 3-4 tv shows in that time plus tried to sleep. I sat beside a very nice Indian woman. She was visiting her daughter in the states and heading home to India.

When we arrived in Dubai I could see them making islands from the plane! (I will find out for sure how they make them Kim but I know that they pour sand from boats onto the water to form the top layer of the island....very cool). Once we landed we were boarded onto buses that took us to the arrival part of the airport (the terminal where we were dropped off at was under construction). I saw my first palm tree at the airport! SO COOL!!! My first thought was this is sooo hot but so fascinating. I didn't know what to look at first. My eyes could barely take it in. We then went to customs to check our passports and get our temporary visas (our work ones will be finalized in two months). Marika and I found Steve again at the baggage pick up. His luggage was the only one to show up. So he took us to the baggage claim office where we put in a lost baggage claim. We then went on a mission to find Sharif...thank goodness Steve had a cellphone and I had the number. I was able to get ahold of Sharif and we found eachother. We said goodbye to Steve and hopped on the school bus (its an air conditioned van). Sharif said goodbye to us and we were off.

NO SEATBELTS and CRAZY driving! Marika and I were so overwhelmed and amazed. We saw the world's tallest building (still in the process of being made, the Burj Al Arab, and the Mall of the Emirates). We didn't know where to look...everything is so fascinating. Real sand was in the ditches and construction sites! Not Regina sand but fine nice to walk in sand. We arrived at our apartment and we were shocked! Everything is brand new!! We have a fridge, stove, coffee maker, dishes, cutlery, utensils, knives, pots and pans, washing machine, tv, couch, chairs, coffee tables, table and chairs....ALL WITH TAGS and STICKERS still on them!! CRAZY! We then went to our bedrooms. Marika's has a whole wall of windows with a great view of construction, highway, the Burj Al Arab and much much more! We have huge closets, vanity/dresser, end table, and queen size beds (which are very hard but surprisingly comfortable). My room has a medium size window and it is smaller. We each have our own full bathroom attatched to our rooms. There is also a guest half-bath. Oh and did I mention that we are RIGHT BESIDE the MALL OF THE EMIRATES!!! I have a lovely view of the mall and the Burj Al Arab from my room. One thing that the apartment did not have was toilet paper! So one of the first things that we did was go to the mall.

Hashmad, our bus driver, told us that we had to get a phone ASAP so that we could communicate. We decided to go to the mall and get a phone and some toilet paper, food would be good too. So we walked the block to the mall (no pedestrian crossing just jaywalking). We went to the wal-mart type place called Carrefour. We bought the cheapest phones and a $40 pay-as-you-go card, food, toilet paper, garbage cans, dishcloths, tea towels, soap, towels, shampoo and soap (because of the lost luggage), water, garbage bags, and some more utensils. We still need to do more shopping haha. We came home only to find that our cell phone chargers don't work in these outlets so we had to go back to the mall to get converters. We purchased them and came home only to find that we need a sim card! So we went back to the mall and purchased a sim card. We then made a few calls and ran out minutes but I refused to go back again that night so we just went to sleep. (THAT WAS ONE FRUSTRATING DAY!!)

I had a wonderful sleep and woke up at 5:30am our time. Our bus was coming at 6:50am to take us to school. I met the other 8 girls who are wonderful ladies. They are so nice, helpful and welcoming. They are from Canada, England, Ireland, South Africa, and Pakistan. We all think that we don't have an accent when we each clearly do. So funny. Anyways...we arrived at the school 2 hours early!! I didn't have to be there until 9:00am. So we wandered around and signed in. I found out that Sarah (from England) is teaching Kindergarten with me. So we went off to our seperate building. I discovered that k-2 does not mean kindergarten to grade 2 but kindergarten level 2. In the school there are three areas: pre-kindergarten (age 3), kindergarten-1 (age 4), and kindergarten-2 (age 5). kindergarten1 is like preschool and kindergarten2 is like kindergarten back in Canada. Sarah and I are both teaching kindergarten1. Each english teacher is paired up with an arabic teacher and a nanny. So I teach my homeroom first thing in the morning and then my partners homeroom in the afternoon so that both classes are able to learn both english and arabic. There are 2 preschool classrooms, 3 kindregarten1 and 2 kindergarten2 (that's just for english so times those by 2 to get the total number of rooms). Each room is a hexagon shape and then the middle of the school has a giant play area and a stage for the kids to do assembly's and play. Also each 3 classrooms has its own outside play area, complete with jungle gym (I will send pictures). Oh yeah my nanny. She is like a teacher assistant. She takes care of the children after school and helps me with whatever I need during school (from laminating, to playing a game, to helping with a lesson—yes Cori even cleaning up glue/paint! Hehe my how the tables have turned).

I feel so overwhelmed but I know that it will be a great experience and it will be much better once I get started. So I now have two weeks to decorate my classroom and prepare myself to teach. The children and parents arrive on the 10 for an assembly, the students start on the 11 with half days until the 13 and then we start school full time. We have a 2-3 week holiday over Christmas and I think the girls have decided to go to Australia for that time. WOOHOO. It looks like I don't get more holidays than that. I am excited for this year to start and can't believe that I am here.