...taking a leap

My students have been told. The letter has been turned in. It's official. I'm super excited and scared silly all at the same time. Next year...drumroll...I will be teaching English at an all-girl school in Abu Dhabi! Whew!

There's a lot of history accumulated in 22 years in a district, especially such a small one. We have three schools--one each of elementary, middle, and high. I've worked in two of the buildings, and worked with folks from the third. As I said last fall, it's been time for me to move on for a long time, but my rut was getting pretty dang comfortable. The closer I got to retirement age...the more I was afraid I would turn into "one of those teachers" that others wonder about: "Isn't she about ready to retire?" "I don't know, but I sure wish she would!" So, to save myself from that fate (and others from having to work with a curmudgeonette) I decided to take a huge leap...and go somewhere totally different. Here, I teach students to speak English. (But I also speak Spanish.) There, I will teach students to speak English. (And I don't know a word of Arabic--yet.)

I broke the news to my students today, and their reactions were endearing. No doubt about it, I love these kids and will miss them. But I fall in love with kids year after year--and then they graduate and move on...and we all survive the transition. We will weather this change as well. I asked them to give me advice. One wrote "Keep a gun at your side at all times!" (Ummm...no.) Another expressed concern that my skin would get too brown. (Not a chance--I'd burn and peel repeatedly.) A girl worried that the food would be strange--what would I eat?? Most of them advised me to have fun, enjoy the adventure, and to never forget them. Good advice.