Back to the Grind Stone

All of vacation I don't feel like blogging and then, when things are getting really busy...

Back to the Grind Stone
I'm sure you are familiar with the 'carrying on'; the lighthearted banter that happens among colleagues of all occupations. I guess it's back to the grind stone. Back to real life. I'm not ready, I need a vacation from my vacation, It wasn't long enough. These statements are often accompanied by sighs, and groans.

I may have been participating in a bit of that, following, last week's, 10 day fall break.

But then,...  Saying goodbye, we each head to our individual classrooms. I turn the key and nob simultaneously, opening the door in the way only me and the maids know how to do, I flip on the lights and catch my breath.

Oh.

That's.
Right.

I like this organized, clutter of color. This is my place. Where I get to be silly, stern and sappy all within the matter of seconds. The place I get to choose what kind of a teacher, and human, I am going to be. Everyday. The place where I get to hang out with its tiny, adorable, annoying inhabitants for several hours each day. 

This is the place I'm loved and scowled at, hugged and, ever so often, given looks of defiance. I love this place! I get to love, in this place. We love in this place.

Niece and nephews, you are famous in 3A.

We each decorated a puzzle piece.
We fit together to make a complete classroom community.

We all love to dance in 3A.

Greece

Santorini has been a place I have wanted to see for a few years now. In fact, out of all the amazing places I've been to over the years, it may be one of the few I actually wanted to go to before the opportunity presented itself. That makes it sound like I stumbled into the 27 other countries I've been to and well, that's not completely inaccurate.

I planned this trip. I knew where I wanted to go, so I made the necessary plans to do it. I was willing to go alone. That would have made it my first solo vacation. But in hindsight, I'm thrilled that a friend inquired if I wouldn't mind an accomplice.

Santorini was even more beautiful than I anticipated it to be.

Photo Dump

My signature shot.

I flew through I-STAN-bul. (My dad lives in TriniDAD and his name is prominent in ISTANbul.) 

A Little More about E break

Someone asked me recently if all I do is travel. The answer is no, though, I did return from summer break, turn around and have fall break. The reason our fall break was so early is because our holidays, at school, correlate with holidays on the Islamic calendar. We took our break during Eid Al-Adha. We (teachers and maybe others) sometimes refer to this as E break. The photo below is from last year. Last year the break fell a little later in our school calendar. This year we got 10 days off though.

Staycation Rundown

MALLS, MALLS AND MORE MALLS
"They" say Kuwaitis' favorite things to do are shop and eat. Well, Wow. I spent a lot of time doing both of those things, this week. I do like malls, especially if it's a mall I have never been to before. But, I'm not much of a shopper. I never go into stores. Almost ever. My typical mall routine: I walk around the perimeter of the mall a couple of times and then get settled at a coffeeshop somewhere.

BUMMED
Nearly two hours before a weekday showing of the Maze Runner, we went to buy our tickets and... it was sold out! I was/ am a little bummed about that.  I am pretty sure the movie has now left Kuwait. Adios. It was so surprising it was sold out because when I went to see The Giver on a weekend (though admittedly not on an Eid break) the whole theater was left to me, 1 friend and 3 strangers.  

THE OLD SOUK
Went to the Mubarakiyah, the old souk(or souq) or market.  Bought some dates, took some pictures and was rather surprised.  It is larger and had more character than I expected.  

The Grand Mosque is close to the souk.

Bought some lentils here. Then asked if I could take a picture.

GAME NIGHT
Attended a game night.  The hosts make their abode in a sea side apartment, floor 3. So I took this. 

Played Bananagrams for the first time.  Fun!

BEACH DAY
I went to the beach for a day. Read under an umbrella, scouted for shells and frolicked in the gulf.  Took a midday intermission at a next-door Starbucks and came back for my favorite part of the excursion. 

I love low tide! Couple that with rock climbing, picture taking and a sunset and you have the ingredients for bliss. I'm originally from Northern California though I, now, proudly wear the Nebraska pin. So, to me 'beach' brings up images of rocks and peaceful wave sounds rather than sunbathed lounging. 

Tree Love.

Low tide love. When it's low tide you get to walk way out, to where just a few hours before the ocean was, and treasure hunt.  I extracted a rather large collection of shells. 

EID PARTY
Went to an Eid party at the AWARE center where I got to dress like this. 

BOO
And now, boo, break is almost over.  Church today(and a research paper) and Arabic lessons tomorrow(and next weeks lesson preparations) and then it's back to the grindstone, come Sunday.

RESOLVE
I am going back with this new resolve: I want to spend 10 (though I'd long to get it down to 9) hours at work each day and return home without any curriculum books. So far it's been 9 hours at school and then a couple hours at home.  It takes 30 minutes traveling to and from school, as well. When you combine those addends, you get a rather large sum. Too large of a sum, thus the new resolve.