At the end of last term we farewelled Brenda from our girls school team. Brenda and her husband have been here with the company for 2.5 years, however they made the decision to return to NZ as her mother-in-law is dying of cancer.The distance away from family can be a big donwer sometimes. Our team had a lunch farewell for Brenda on the Wednesday, and snapped in this pick are Suher our team translator(with the black shaylia) from Syria, Ciara our kindy speacilaist from Ireland and Naelia (with the white shaylia from Jordan) our secondary science specialist. We're quite a cosmopolitan team. Naelia is an interesting lady to talk with. She and her husband and family have lived in the UAE for 14 years. Before coming to UAE she was studying in Kuwait. She talks about the invasion of Kuwait. They had a very affulent life until the day of the invasion, when suddenly all the people had no electricity, no food, no water, no sanitation, no money and they are holed up in their houses 24/7. Noone knew from one day to the next what was happening. She claims that everyone knew Iraq was invading. The Iraq troops were amassing on the border, and the American troops were amassing on the Saudi border, and no one tried to stop the Iraq. the Americans let it happen she says
Miss Ibtesam the school principal organised a breakfast for Brenda too and many of the teachers came to say goodbye. Although there are barriers of language and culture you do develop some wonderful relationships with the ladies. Miss Ibtesam is a great principal and she grows stronger each day as she encourgaes her teachers to embrace the change and new curriculum. She is a very visable principal out in her school, always involved in what is happening, and often visiting teachers offices and classrooms.
The food on the table. Krispy Kreme doughnuts, totally yummy but so decadent. The big caserole type dish contained stuffed vine leaves. Vine leaves stuffed with a rice, tomatoe and potato mixture and then slow cooked. Oh so yummy. Arabic pastries, grapes, and baklova a honey sweet. Perhaps not visable are the olives and the cheeses, hummas dip and flat breads. All traditiona Arabic food, apart from Krispy kremes of course
1 comment:
OOps. Iran has never invaded anyone. I think you meant Iraq invaded Kuwait. I think that they believed that Kuwait was stealing their oil by tunneling sideways into Iragi oilfields.
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