Weekend of Weddings

We are nearing the end of the school year and life has been crazy busy.

Last week was a rush as I was trying to help my student teacher adjust to the crazy life of a new teacher while I do the same. She is doing very well and it is really exciting to see her growth. It has shown me how much I have really grown over the last year too. Pretty amazing.

I was invited to an Emirati wedding on Thursday night. The invitation was the size of a storybook and was even scented! My student's aunt was getting married in the Grand Ballroom at the Beach Rotana and it was event that I could not miss. The problem was that I had already committed to organizing dinner at Crossroads. I could not pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity, though, and so I tried to do it all.

I rushed home after getting some things done at school and tried to whip up a caserole. I went to Crossroads and helped get supper ready and then headed back home to get ready. Two other teachers have taught kids in the family and I went to the wedding with them.

I have heard many rumours about the famous Emirati weddings, but you are not allowed to take pictrues at them so we were very curious. We spent the next four hours with our jaws dropped to the floor in awe.

We came in and saw the Emirati women removing their Abiyas to reveal the most glamorous gowns I have ever seen. They were covered with jewels and sparkles. There makeup was super fancy and they all had perfect hair. I felt like a homeless person in my cotton Summer dress but they were welcoming.

The Grand Ballroom was filled with bean-shaped glass tables. The centerpieces were tall glass vases filled with white and pink roses. The front of the room was made into a giant fake palace (where the bride would appear out of later). A white couch sat under a canopy on the white stage (complete with catwalk).There was even a camera on a crane, moving around to film the event. I have never seen anything like this setting and probably never will again. This was seriously Jasmin and Alladin's wedding.

We sat down and were immediately waited on. Servers came one after the other, dress in their gold oufits and offering us everything you could imagine: green tea, yellow tea, coffee, arabic coffee, sweet tea, pop, water, juice, etc. They even brought around bottles of perfume at regular intervals to make sure that we were smelling good. There was ladies that held the musky incense and carried it around to spread on people. It was 2 days ago and my hair still smells like musk!

The wedding started at 8:30 and we showed up at 10, in true Emirati style. There were not many people there and we waited a little bit for our students and their mother to arrive. We could not stop staring around at everyone in amazment. Everything was over the top. My student, G, came in and found us. She said hi to my coworkers and was talking to them for a moment when I realized that she didn't recognize me. She finally did notice that it was me and she was shocked. The kids can't handle it when I take my glasses off. It was quite hilarious.

Then her mother, F came in. She was the fanciest woman there (besides the bride). She had a royal blue gown on with a sweetheart neckline. There was a big red bow around her waist and tied behind her back. There were jewels all over her dress and she wore a jewelled neck piece. Of course, they were covered in Henna. It was so unreal to see her uncovered and with so much makeup on. She was a different person.

Food kept coming to our table. We tried traditional arabic food as well as goodies like chocolate and nougat. There were massive plates of mystery meat and everything you could ever foos under the sun showed up at our table by the end of the night.

The wedding was for women only which is why they were able to uncover themselves and show off. It was fantastic to see a different side of them as they danced on the stage to the live music and socialized with each other. F told us that she thinks it is overdone and that she prefers Western weddings, where the celebration is more simple but people are full of joy.

The bride didn't show up until about 11:30. The brothers of the bride bring her in and then her husband comes and whisks her away at the end. There was a big announcement and the ladies covered up before the bride was brought in. She appeared through the fake palace and walked down the catwalk in slow motion. She wore white dress with a white veil and was covered in so many jewels that she could barely walk. She sat on the white couch and the women covered themselves to have their pictures taken with her.

We left at about 1, before the groom showed up. The hours of sensory overload had left us very tired. It was the experience of a lifetime, for sure.

The next day, on Friday evening, we had a stagette with all of the women from work to celebrate the upcoming weddings of two of the teachers. It was nice to have everyone together and to see them all dressed up and having fun. I just wish that we could have fun without people pressuring each other to get drunk. I left fairly early because I am just over the drinking scene.

Alcohol makes every person I have ever met (including myself) into a more selfish version of themself and we live in a messed up society where that is celebrated. It is unfortunate that I feel judged for choosing not to take part.

24 more days until I get to go home! 2 more weeks of crazy busy classwork and assessments, then one week of celebrating with the kids and then hometime. I cannot wait.