Orientation

August 7, 2010


The orientation from the school staff has been impressive. They have personally chauffeured us around the “village”. Taking us to lunch and touring our new surroundings. It’s beautiful with the Arabian Gulf about 200 yards away from our doorstep. But the heat is too unbearable to go into the 90 degree water. The tops of my toes feel like they are going to burst into flames as the heat from the ground is so intense.

Taking advantage of the facilities here, we have been to exercise classes and the swimming pool, which is CHILLED. It’s so refreshing!! The faculty have been so helpful and they have taken us out to a few of the restaurants, the Hobby Farm- the equestrian area, and The Surf Club-on the golf course. My teaching partner, Julie and her husband Mark, took me to Rejima only about 5 miles away to shop for vegetables. I had to wear an abaya and it kept flapping open so I was practically tripping over myself trying to manually hold it closed. I purchased apples, mangoes, ginger, lemons, spinach, ice-berg lettuce, a kilo of potatoes, and green beans all for 33 riyals = $8.00. We tried to go into a large grocery store, Panda about 10 minutes before call to prayer and were blocked from entering the store. Once call to prayer starts everything shuts down. You either have to be out of the store or you are locked in until it’s over. A reminder of the importance of the pray schedule. I am thankful all the minarets are off campus and I cannot hear them at our house.