School

School has started at last. Hajer is a girls' school, with an all female staff. The girls wear long green dresses that touch the ground, the little ones cry, and the bigger ones gossip and laugh. They all have mini suitcases to carry their books, and rush into the school ground like they are rushing for a plane.
My job is going to be busy and interesting. I am working with the American grade 2 teachers and the Emirati English teachers. I will, of course, also be delivering ESOL classes to the Emirati teachers who do not yet have a high enough IELTS score. There are only five teachers in this position, but I'll have to find time for them to have five hours of lessons a week.
Mark has arrived, and we have bought essentials like a TV. It is good to have him here, he has been cooking and cleaning, while he looks for a job.
I am very sorry to be out of Australia for the Grand Final, of all years. I hope I am able to see it on a TV somewhere, maybe at one of the hotels. If not, I will be using the computer to listen to the internet radio.
I've become a lot more confident with my driving, I was so nervous to start with, but now that I am more easily finding my way around, I am learning how to avoid the bad driving of the locals. Some of the worst drivers in the world live in this country!
Well, it's been a month today, and I'm still here. I think it will be ok.

Waiting.

I've been here two weeks now and am anxiously waiting for Mark to arrive. Days have been spent at the Rotana Hotel learning about what to expect in our schools, and the afternoons have been spent looking around the city and shopping for provisions. I have read three novels, and listened to so much music. I don't have a TV, so I've been visiting the apartment of one of my colleagues and now friend's to watch a bit of TV. Last night we were invited to a party by the Americans who live in the building next door. The party was in a villa on the edge of the city. Mostly the Americans work at the local airport, they are training the local people to work on aircraft. One of the men is leaving soon to go to Afghanistan where he will work on computers to deploy search balloons, and be paid very handsomely for his trouble.
I still do not have my own internet access, everything is taking such a long time to organise. I also need to open a bank account, but need to have a letter from my employer to be able to do this. Little frustrations that make life difficult. I am looking forward to going up to Jebeel Hafeet, the local mountain. At night the road is lit up and looks very beautiful. When I have my own internet access I will load some photos.
Bye for now.