I went to get my hair cut yesterday so I my locks and the humidity would stop battling. I went with my Principal as she knew someone who knew how to cut hair. The bonus was it was an amazing experience (not to mention a great haircut).
We climbed the marbled circular staircase and upon reaching the top, were greeted by someone who took our abayas and hung them in the closet. Abaya off and crisp clean white smock on. The smock reminded me of a Doctor's white jacket. It had a little pocket on the upper left sleeve. I found out this pocket was to put my appointment paper in along with the invoice for the services I received.
After settling on an appointment time (sort of - Saudi time is not like Canadian time), I was ushered to a seat to have my hair washed. I sat down and the chair immediately started with a back massage. AHHHHH. The lady messed with my hair, complete with a scalp massage and finished with a tiny shoulder massage. AHHHHH.
I then was sent to sit in a very comfortable chair and was asked what kind of drink I would like, I ordered a cappuccino. Such a lovely presentation and yummy too. Now for the wait . . . . . My hairdresser was Valerie and I think she owns the business. She has about six or so chairs and runs (literally) from person to person. She worked on six other people before she came to me. Thankfully the chair was comfortable and fixed on the wall was a steel tube to rest my feet.
After my haircut I went into another room to get it styled. Each person that worked on my head got a little tip (including the lady who hung up the abayas). After a short stay of 2 hours and 20 minutes it is time to go outside and wait another 25 minutes for a taxi! Good job my meeting didn't start until 7:00.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Belly Laughs in Saudi
Thankfully, deep belly laughs are still available in Saudi Arabia. I had the pleasure of experiencing a tummy that hurt and happy tears yesterday.
These past nine days are somewhat similar to our school start up in Canada. Everyday is extremely full. If you are a teacher, consider that we are a brand new school which has been in operation since September 2008. Given you have just started your school year, you know the push required to get past the opening weeks. While some things are similar, understandably, we have some differences here. We have a multitude of supplies arriving every day which need to be placed. Daily, we conduct interviews for new hires, we have people assembling our furniture and toys, and, we are moving furniture to new classrooms because our population is exploding! On top of opening an elite new school, we as new teachers to Saudi must attend to personnel and personal issues.
Here is a typical day! No kidding! I was up at 5:30, caught the bus at 7:00, and returned home from a jam-packed day of adventures at 7:40. At school, we met with our HR man, Mr. Fahad and received our medical cards and coverage. I worked with the IT man, sat in on three meetings, went to the hospital twice (just blood work), stopped to get my photos taken, and finally shopped for groceries.
My belly laugh comes from my second trip to the hospital. First, let me explain that our group of new teachers went to two hospitals yesterday trying to get the necessary blood work done. Although we all had extensive medicals in Canada, additional tests are conducted in Saudi prior to receiving our igama. (Like a passport you carry at all times.) We were unable to get the work done yesterday because the hospitals said there were too many of us. After the second rejection, one of our teachers had a perfect attitude as we boarded the bus yet again. She smiled, pumped her fist and said, “Yahoo, another road trip!” This is often the case here. When one thing doesn’t seem to work, you try another and another, and another . . . . . . .
Our hospital adventures were smoother today. Mr. Fahad came with us on the bus and while Adiroos (our bus driver) drove us to the hospital, Mr. Fahad was our personal tour guide. Along with mentioning the sites, he was delighted to explain some of the Saudi life and culture to us. He also showed us some photos and recordings of a wedding he attended, his yacht, and his cute little son. We appreciated him being with us and our hospital visit went fairly smooth. Unfortunately, I didn’t have extra photographs for my paper work so I needed to bring additional photos on a return trip.
Following the first hospital trip we went back to the primary building and dropped off some teachers. I was then driven over to the KG (Kindergarten) building. Thankfully I had an hour to do some work; rearranging furniture to get ready for opening day, bring a fridge into our administration area, request the desks and chairs they were moving in be reloaded into the truck and delivered to the other school, meet with potential parents of children who want to attend and possibly a few other jobs! J
At 3:25 we are picked up from our school and driven to the other school to pick up the other teachers. We dropped off teachers and staff along the way as we make our way back to Saudi City Compound. Once there, we dropped off those teachers who were not going to the hospital with us.
While at the hospital, Adiroos and I are sitting and waiting for the other teachers. Along comes a cleaning woman with a caged rat. The funny part was she looked like she had a pet! This rat was in this funky little blue cage and she carried it like a child would carry a loving pet gerbil. She proceeded to the bathroom which happened to be right where we were sitting. She popped the caged rat into the garbage can and we naturally we started asking questions. With the sweetest smile she said, “I have to kill it, but I don’t want to.” Out comes the hose and she fills the can up with water. When we finally get our jaws off the floor, we start laughing and joking with her. She asked me if we have rats in Australia. I told her we have rats in Canada, just not usually in the waiting room in the hospital. At that point we all were rolling on the floor because of the bizarre nature of the whole incident. Meanwhile, a doctor and X-ray technician come to watch the show too. Together we are laughing (not because the rat is being drowned) just at the craziness of the situation. Brings a whole new meaning to the saying ‘drowned rat’.
When we have finished in one building, we then move to another building in the hospital for further tests. Finally we are finished. On the way home we stop for groceries and return to our humble abodes just before 8:00. Yep, just another day at the office!!
These past nine days are somewhat similar to our school start up in Canada. Everyday is extremely full. If you are a teacher, consider that we are a brand new school which has been in operation since September 2008. Given you have just started your school year, you know the push required to get past the opening weeks. While some things are similar, understandably, we have some differences here. We have a multitude of supplies arriving every day which need to be placed. Daily, we conduct interviews for new hires, we have people assembling our furniture and toys, and, we are moving furniture to new classrooms because our population is exploding! On top of opening an elite new school, we as new teachers to Saudi must attend to personnel and personal issues.
Here is a typical day! No kidding! I was up at 5:30, caught the bus at 7:00, and returned home from a jam-packed day of adventures at 7:40. At school, we met with our HR man, Mr. Fahad and received our medical cards and coverage. I worked with the IT man, sat in on three meetings, went to the hospital twice (just blood work), stopped to get my photos taken, and finally shopped for groceries.
My belly laugh comes from my second trip to the hospital. First, let me explain that our group of new teachers went to two hospitals yesterday trying to get the necessary blood work done. Although we all had extensive medicals in Canada, additional tests are conducted in Saudi prior to receiving our igama. (Like a passport you carry at all times.) We were unable to get the work done yesterday because the hospitals said there were too many of us. After the second rejection, one of our teachers had a perfect attitude as we boarded the bus yet again. She smiled, pumped her fist and said, “Yahoo, another road trip!” This is often the case here. When one thing doesn’t seem to work, you try another and another, and another . . . . . . .
Our hospital adventures were smoother today. Mr. Fahad came with us on the bus and while Adiroos (our bus driver) drove us to the hospital, Mr. Fahad was our personal tour guide. Along with mentioning the sites, he was delighted to explain some of the Saudi life and culture to us. He also showed us some photos and recordings of a wedding he attended, his yacht, and his cute little son. We appreciated him being with us and our hospital visit went fairly smooth. Unfortunately, I didn’t have extra photographs for my paper work so I needed to bring additional photos on a return trip.
Following the first hospital trip we went back to the primary building and dropped off some teachers. I was then driven over to the KG (Kindergarten) building. Thankfully I had an hour to do some work; rearranging furniture to get ready for opening day, bring a fridge into our administration area, request the desks and chairs they were moving in be reloaded into the truck and delivered to the other school, meet with potential parents of children who want to attend and possibly a few other jobs! J
At 3:25 we are picked up from our school and driven to the other school to pick up the other teachers. We dropped off teachers and staff along the way as we make our way back to Saudi City Compound. Once there, we dropped off those teachers who were not going to the hospital with us.
While at the hospital, Adiroos and I are sitting and waiting for the other teachers. Along comes a cleaning woman with a caged rat. The funny part was she looked like she had a pet! This rat was in this funky little blue cage and she carried it like a child would carry a loving pet gerbil. She proceeded to the bathroom which happened to be right where we were sitting. She popped the caged rat into the garbage can and we naturally we started asking questions. With the sweetest smile she said, “I have to kill it, but I don’t want to.” Out comes the hose and she fills the can up with water. When we finally get our jaws off the floor, we start laughing and joking with her. She asked me if we have rats in Australia. I told her we have rats in Canada, just not usually in the waiting room in the hospital. At that point we all were rolling on the floor because of the bizarre nature of the whole incident. Meanwhile, a doctor and X-ray technician come to watch the show too. Together we are laughing (not because the rat is being drowned) just at the craziness of the situation. Brings a whole new meaning to the saying ‘drowned rat’.
When we have finished in one building, we then move to another building in the hospital for further tests. Finally we are finished. On the way home we stop for groceries and return to our humble abodes just before 8:00. Yep, just another day at the office!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Women!
Women are wonderful! Our kindered spirits allow us to communicate without effort, even without uttering a single word. This has been my heartfelt experience as I travelled to Jeddah. In the Toronto airport, I 'talked' with my first veiled Muslim woman. Standing in line to go through customs and security, we were waiting our turn to move through the 'tunnel' where you either beep or not. Standing in front of me in her black abaya with only her eyes peeking out, we expected she would be called through next. Instead, the customs security man wiggled his finger to the man that was standing third in line, directly behind me. In an instant while she turned to look to see who the security man was waving through, we locked eyes. Instinctively, we shrugged our shoulder togeher and rolled our eyes with as much as to say 'whatever'. As our eyebrows arched, I know behind that veil, she too smirked. In fairness, the man at the security check-in was not being sexist. He simply scanned the men; the lady security agent was busy searching another woman.
My next stop was Dubai. While waiting to go through customs, I met another ambitious and lovely lady. She was travelling to Canada, I was on my way to her home city, Jeddah. She and her husband and children are immigrating as skilled workers to Ottawa. She is an interpreter and a teacher. They have been preparing for their International move for four years. Naturally she wanted to hear about Canada, I wanted to hear about Jeddah. We exchanged information in the lineups, waiting for the shuttle and over dinner. Already I have a personal guide who will make invaluable suggestions where to visit in Jeddah and the surrounding areas.
Over the course of over 11,000 miles in the air, I met three other teachers whom I will be working with at AGS. Imagine that, a 747 and we managed to find one another prior to passing through custos in Dubai. Natalie, Allision and Josie-Ann are all wonderul enthusiastic ladies looking forward to an overseas teaching experience, each for their own reasons.
Arriving in Jeddah, our growing entourage met two other women while waiting (I stress the wored waiting) to go through customs. Zurnia, comes from South Africa and will be working in KAUST, teaching English as a second language to first year university students. Being a Muslim woman, Zurina wore her abaya and had her head covered, but was not veiled. As we w a i t e d , we giggled and she 'welcomed us to S.A.' We hope to connect at a later date.
Lastly, after a whirlwind of activities which for me was far more intense than having a brand new baby at home, I had just finished a dash and shop. This means I supplied an apartment with goods in less than 90 minutes, all-the-while getting my purchases checked through the till prior to prayer time at 6:30. I bought everything from a vegetable peeler to pillows. Two shopping carts full of stuff literally stuffed everywhere! As I waited for my less fortunate colleagues who did not get through the checkout prior to prayer, I had a cup of mint tea. In that moment of rest, I realized I needed to purchase a lighter. No, I have not taken up smoking due to stress, I need a ligher to light the gas element each time I cook. As I was asking the waiter who made me my tea where I could purchase a lighter, a beautiful brown-eyed Muslim lady stretched out her hand to me offering me her lighter. I explained I wanted to purchase one. She said with tenderness in her eyes, "Yes, yes. Have this one; it is a gift from me to you." How could one gesture over a lighter move my heart so?
These are a few stories of the wonderful women I have encountered in my first week of travels. Women all over the world are a wonderful bunch! As I experience and enjoy my International journey, may my humble offerings build up and encourage little girls who one day will grow up to be marvellous women.
My next stop was Dubai. While waiting to go through customs, I met another ambitious and lovely lady. She was travelling to Canada, I was on my way to her home city, Jeddah. She and her husband and children are immigrating as skilled workers to Ottawa. She is an interpreter and a teacher. They have been preparing for their International move for four years. Naturally she wanted to hear about Canada, I wanted to hear about Jeddah. We exchanged information in the lineups, waiting for the shuttle and over dinner. Already I have a personal guide who will make invaluable suggestions where to visit in Jeddah and the surrounding areas.
Over the course of over 11,000 miles in the air, I met three other teachers whom I will be working with at AGS. Imagine that, a 747 and we managed to find one another prior to passing through custos in Dubai. Natalie, Allision and Josie-Ann are all wonderul enthusiastic ladies looking forward to an overseas teaching experience, each for their own reasons.
Arriving in Jeddah, our growing entourage met two other women while waiting (I stress the wored waiting) to go through customs. Zurnia, comes from South Africa and will be working in KAUST, teaching English as a second language to first year university students. Being a Muslim woman, Zurina wore her abaya and had her head covered, but was not veiled. As we w a i t e d , we giggled and she 'welcomed us to S.A.' We hope to connect at a later date.
Lastly, after a whirlwind of activities which for me was far more intense than having a brand new baby at home, I had just finished a dash and shop. This means I supplied an apartment with goods in less than 90 minutes, all-the-while getting my purchases checked through the till prior to prayer time at 6:30. I bought everything from a vegetable peeler to pillows. Two shopping carts full of stuff literally stuffed everywhere! As I waited for my less fortunate colleagues who did not get through the checkout prior to prayer, I had a cup of mint tea. In that moment of rest, I realized I needed to purchase a lighter. No, I have not taken up smoking due to stress, I need a ligher to light the gas element each time I cook. As I was asking the waiter who made me my tea where I could purchase a lighter, a beautiful brown-eyed Muslim lady stretched out her hand to me offering me her lighter. I explained I wanted to purchase one. She said with tenderness in her eyes, "Yes, yes. Have this one; it is a gift from me to you." How could one gesture over a lighter move my heart so?
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