Out with the old, in with the new...?

Hey friends!

Don't worry, I didn't forget about you. I want to write a giant post about my Christmas adventure to Turkey and then around the UAE, but my deadbeat/jetlagged sister isn't sending me her half of the photos. So, I can't put together anything proper yet. Let's gang up on her :)

In other news, life is busy again. I would like it to be busier, though. I remember discussing in smallgroup last year how different people have different sized plates but that  your plate should always be full. Idle hands are the devil's playground after all. My huge plate is about 3/4 full nowadays. But don't worry, I have some plans to fill it. They are as follows:

1 - Crossroads. I have started going to a Singles ministry on Thursday nights. Before you all freak out and fear that the world is coming to an end, do not worry, this is not a dating group! I am still very single. The world remains as it was. It is a group for people in Abu Dhabi who are here without their families. I was a bit nervous going in last week, but it was great fun. They fed all 46 of us, and then we split into smaller groups where we had a BIble study based on the book Good to Great in God's Eyes. It is exciting to be involved in a church group again, as the last group I tried out was a bust for sure. Thursday nights are not ideal (they are like your fridays), but such is life. Beggars can't be choosers.

2 - There are big events coming up at school. I am going to start a fundraiser with my class. We are studying liquids and I figured what better way for them to understand the importance of liquids than to fundraise to buy a water well for a school in Africa. I will update you on the progress. Now I have permission from the principal and I am researching to find the right organization for us. Also,  International Day is coming up and the Grade 2s have decided to do a Bollywood Dance to Jai Ho. I am expecting it to be awesome, but first we have to come up with the dance and then get 60 7 year olds to do it! FInally, I want us to switch up the way we are teaching social studies so that each of the teachers goes into depth with one community (food, art, music, dance, celebrations) and we pass the kids around. This requires a lot of coordination between us teachers. I think it will make the learning so much more valuable though. We will see! 

3- I need to get my unhealthy but back into shape! I want to get some ladies together for some Zumba fun or some type of similar activity. It is nice to excercise without being tortured as far as I am concerned.

4 - This doesn't relaly involve filling my plate now, but next year. I have decided to stay on with CIS for another year. I handed in my intent form requesting a position in Grade 3 (if they will have me). I have talked this over with the principal and I believe that it will be the best opportunity for me. This is a great place to learn a new curriculum because we have many preps compared to home and the expectations are not as high (which sounds awful, I know). Also, I will get to work with a new team (which hopefully includes Caitlin). It is always good to learn from new people. I am excited to see what happens with everyone else in the school and the drama that enfolds in the next few months as everything gets sorted out. I may also have the opportunity to loop with my current class of kids, although I am not sure that is what I want. I have the wild class, the slow class...they are fun, but they are a little slow.

5 - Today I was asked if I would like to tutor a GRade 2 boy from another school. They would like an hour after school 4 nights a week. I would normally say no and that its not worth it, but they live close to where I live and the money is good (about $200 a week). This is where sharing a car is a bit tricky. I do not have only myself to consider. The amount of travelling that I have been doing is telling my pocketbook that I need to take this opportunity for more income. FOr now I have asked for more details about the job. We will see where it goes.

Hopefully my plate will be nicely filled with these additions and not overflowing. If you made it through this message about the everyday life of a crazy Grade 2 teacher then good for you, and thanks!

Talk to you soon friends,
Laura