Boys school. Sway sway.

Today I visited my boys school and the contrasts are really apparent. Mr Omar the principal warmly welcomed me, shaking my hand. (Remember this) He is pleased to have an ICT advisor working with his staff, but he is apprehensive. He is concerned how his staff will manage / cope with a female teacher in a boys school. You have to remember that things in the UAE are very much single gender, and gender teacher specific. His biggest concern is how will the boys cope / manage. He is very concerned for my welfare. Initially when I move around the courtyards and the school I am to be escorted by one of our companies advisors. Male, because its a boys school. When my MA, management advisor, suggested Mr Mike, Mr Omar thought not, saying he's too small. He wants Mr Sean to escort me because he is a big, tall South African. Almost like I'm going to be mobbed
I went to meet one of the ICT teachers, Mr Ali. He came out of his room and wouldn't meet with my MA and I in his room with the other teachers. He politely declined to shake my hand because in his religion he is not allowed to touch a Western woman. He then wanted to shorten my name, his is Ali, 3 letters. I suggested Jos-e-lyn 3 syllables. So he has shortened it to Jos. Miss Jos. All my meetings with Mr Ali will be held in the foyer outside our offices, in a public space. While I am not upset or offended, it's all a gentle reminder about living in another person's culture, and a Muslim world where they really protect their women. I am respectful of the process they are going through too.
Mr Omar has a sense of humor. He told me Mr Ali looked like Bin Laden. He also told me not to be concerned by the automatic weapons Mr Ali carries, or the bullet holes around the walls. Its just a strategy to keep the boys inline. Mr Ali looks like a very young Osma Bin laden, but is a gentle as and is very used to the Osma Bin Laden jokes.
Mr Omar only wants me to work with the teachers. Initially I am not to go to the classes or teach the boys. He is really concerned for my welfare especially how the boys will treat me. Richard my MA pointed out if the boys were joking about me I wouldn't understand Arabic anyway!
The boys school has a lot of Bedouin children, desert people, attending and mixing with females outside the family is quite liberal for their culture and not a common practice. Mr Omar worries about how the boys will react and how the fathers, and the mothers will feel. All problems to be solved. For the moment we just take it quietly and slowly. Sway sway, Arabic for slowly.