Milestones You Don't Want to Reach

It has been one zero days since someone shat their pants in my classroom :(

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

The End is Near

Last week was my student's graduation promotion ceremony. I'm not a fan of graduations for kindergartners but let's just say the parents at my school are very big fans of graduations for kindergartners, so we had one. And luckily, our parents were so committed they did a lot of the planning, organizing, and decorating so all I really had to do was show up with my 25 little munchkins in tow.

It was actually a really nice ceremony! The kids were so excited and adorable in their fancy clothes. They sang "First Grade, First Grade" and then we surprised them with a recording of us teachers dancing to "Uptown Funk". Each class also did the cute black and white pictures with each kid holding a chalkboard with what they want to be when they grow up that we posted in a gallery for parents to see. There were the typical doctors, teachers, and scientists, and then some kids really thought outside of the box and wanted to be things like ninjas. My favorites were: 'riding a horse', 'a first grader', and 'a pirate'. We also had each of the teachers take the same kind of picture, and I have to say their career choices were quite boring. A lot of mommies and boring desk jobs and one who just wanted to be taller. I think mine was the best, I'll post the actual picture later, but I don't want anyone trying to steal my future career.

I made each of my students a dvd with all of the pictures I had taken over the course of the year as a gift. I worked really hard on it and picked good songs that I thought went well with the theme of the whole thing, so I was really excited to give it to them. After graduation and gifts it was time for the parents to take their little graduates home, and for me to make a pillow fort in my classroom and watch netflix for approximately four hours. It was glorious and I think I'm ready to start a campaign for one day a week to be just like that.

Even though we had graduation last week, we still aren't finished with school yet. As of today we still have 13 days left, but many of my students have already left to go back to their home countries for the summer. Yesterday only 14 out of my 25 students showed up and it will probably only get worse as time goes on and Ramadan begins. With so few kids at school my classroom was noticeably more quiet and organized, which was nice. My students also noticed the difference and one special little one took the time to let me know. While coloring with his best friend, he said to me, "this feels like heaven to me Miss D, it's nice" and it really touched my heart that a six year old would even think of comparing something to heaven. Then he added, "when (absent classmate) is here it feels like hell to me". Outta the mouths of babes!

Brunching With Friends

This weekend marks the last weekend before the holy month Ramadan. This will be my first time really experiencing it, I'm sure it will be quite the learning experience. I've been trying to think about how I want to observe it. Although I'm not muslim I still think it will be a good opportunity for me to reflect and grow a little closer to God in my own way. That is, of course, a very personal journey so I don't know if I will make a post on it but be sure to check back for more updates on my Ramadan observations and my summer travels. Next travel destinations include Turkey and Bermuda ;)

Anywho, back to the brunching. Since Ramadan is right around the corner, people are preparing in many different ways. All of the stores are having sales on clothes, appliances, and food, I am trying to stay out of all of them. Mostly because I'm trying to cut back on my spending, but also because I'm losing patience for all of the crowds and chaos. Many expats leave for the summer so there have been a lot of going away parties and things of that nature happening over the past few weeks as well. I've seen a lot more people with the trademark opaque black bags that signify liquor purchases, so I assume people are stocking up in preparation for liquor stores closing. I really have no idea what to expect during Ramadan, but I'll only be here for about two weeks of it so I figure I'll just ride the wave and see what happens.

My last hurrah before Ramadan was brunch at the Hyatt Capital Gate, and it was absolutely fabulous. I didn't know it before arriving, but the hotel has the Guinness world record for being furthest leaning man made tower. The hotel itself is beautiful inside and out and the staff really take care of its guests. 

I always love the artwork in hotels here

We arrived on the 18th floor and were greeted with cocktails and shown to our table which overlooked the whole city. I got a couple pictures of the view, but I'll post them later. There was an outdoor deck too but it was way too hot to sit outside for any extended amount of time, I kept thinking how amazing it would be to sit out there at night in January when it's cool, but I digress. The brunch itself had carving stations with roast beef, chicken, and the biggest fish I've ever seen, along with pizza, blue crabs, shrimp, salads, and a table full of desserts. My favorite was the homemade ice cream and sorbet bar with 18 different flavors.

I loved every minute of this brunch, it was definitely my favorite one I've been to. Sadly, the time flew by and it was over before I knew it. I think my dessert plate and tea were the perfect way to end it :)

gotta love that view

After brunch, we headed over to the mall, of course. When the temperatures are above 100 every day there isn't much else to do. I've been going to the movies a lot lately and I must say, I really like it a lot. The theaters here have really got it figured out. They offer Imax, 3D, 4D and Gold experiences, which I had never heard of but makes sense given the extravagance that is the UAE. If you go with the gold experience you get to sit in an exclusive gold lounge while you wait to be allowed into your theater, kind of like the first class lounge in the airport. The seats in the theater fully recline and they give you a super soft chenille blanket to relax with, plus there are waitstaff to take orders and bring you food.

Speaking of food, the popcorn is the best I've ever had. They have regular butter popcorn, caramel corn, and cheese, but you can ask them to mix it and get all three. It sounds disgusting but it really is so good! Going to the movies is by far the best way to keep cool and entertained on a hot day.

More Kids Say the Darndest Things

Smooth Operator
I have this one little girl who is, shall we say a little bit fresh. I have to tell her all the time to keep her lips to herself because she's always kissing the little boys. Her best friend has an older brother who is about 16 years old. One day after the other little girl's brother dropped her off at school, I overhear her asking "So...does your brother have a girlfriend?"

It's Getting Hot in Here
The weather has been getting hotter here lately, temperatures have been above 100 for the past few weeks. One morning after recess my kids were complaining about how hot it was outside when one special friend declared that it "felt like hell"

A Bad, Bad Day
I like to incorporate music in my classroom. I also believe in accountability, so when kids misbehave I make them write an apology. This little fellow incorporated the chorus from Despicable Me into his apology to me. I'm not sure how sorry he actually was.

What's It Like to Live and Teach Abroad?

updated 5/21/15 to include information on how to find a job teaching abroad and clothing expectations.

I missed my six month anniversary but I'm just about to celebrate my nine month anniversary of being here in Abu Dhabi. I figured that now would be the perfect time to reflect on my time here so far and also have a written record of why I love it here so much (as I may need to look back at this at a later date to remind myself). If you're considering taking the leap and moving overseas, or if you just want to know what it's like to live and work in the middle east, read on.

On what to expect your first month here:
My first month here was undoubtedly the toughest. I was originally supposed to go to teach in Doha, Qatar, but was diverted to Abu Dhabi just a few days before I was supposed to leave. Everyone I've said that to since I've been here has said that I lucked out because in terms of social life there is a lot more to do here, but being diverted last minute meant I had no time to prepare for the change. I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I arrived, which can be a good and bad thing. I started with a clean slate of sorts, but I didn't have the time to research and prepare some of the things that my other coworkers did. If I had to describe my first month here in one word it would be: frustrating. It felt like being out in the world on my own for the first time again. I remember comparing it to being like college a lot. Figuring out how to get around a new city, set up phone and cable service, making new friends, decorating your apartment, and being homesick will probably be a major part of your life. Those things are all the more challenging when you're in a foreign country and not everyone speaks English. This is around the time when you will learn the word 'Insha'Allah'. For example, me:"So you'll come fix my air conditioning tomorrow at 3 pm?" worker:"...Insha'Allah" or 'I may or may not get there tomorrow and it may or may not be at 3 pm, but thank you for calling.'

I was/am part of a Facebook group of teachers who are living and teaching abroad and that helped tremendously. Your friends and family won't likely understand or be able to help with the frustrations you're experiencing so having other friends to vent to and ask questions of can be a big stress reliever. I also joined the Abu Dhabi Q&A group on Facebook, which is a place for people to ask and answer questions related to living here, such as what's the best hospital to go to or where to find cranberries for your Thanksgiving dinner. I also started reading blogs of other teachers who are living abroad to get an idea of what to expect. Two of my favorites are The Abu Dhabi Experience and Black Girl In Abu Dhabi.

On the weather and climate:
It's hot, plain and simple. But not forever :) When I arrived in August the heat was stifling. My air conditioning was also broken the first month I was here so that didn't help. It is hot and humid and you will smell lots of people's body odor, but around October the weather starts to cool down and is just beautiful with averages in the 80s. After a while you'll find yourself thinking that temperatures in the 60s feel as cold as you remember winter to be and you will see people in full on winter coats with hats and gloves.

On teaching abroad:
I can only offer my totally biased opinion on this since I have only worked at one school abroad. This is my first time working at a private, for profit school, all of my time teaching in the States was in Title 1 schools. Both have their pros and cons. I've experienced more parent involvement here, which again, has its pros and cons, and has taken some adjusting to. As far as the children, I love them all and would rather spend my days with kids over adults any day, that goes for American as well as international kids. My work commitments and working hours are a lot more here, we work from 7:30 to 3:30 and are required to do an after school activity for 18 weeks out of the year, but my take home pay is about two times what it was in the states. Most teaching contracts here are two years, so that allows you the potential to save (and spend) a lot of money.

On how to find a job abroad and what to expect if you're offered a contract:
So if you're thinking of teaching abroad you're probably wondering where and how to get started. My journey started after reading an article on pinterest about the top five places to teach abroad, which led me to Teach Away, an education placement company. Some of my friends have also used Search Associates to find other jobs abroad, but since I have no experience with them I can't elaborate on the experience. Setting up a profile with Teach Away is free (I've heard Search charges) and they have counselor who will interview you and help you by sending your resume out to schools that fit your interests. I was assigned a counselor named Una who helped me so much, especially during that stressful time when I was in limbo after I found out I would not be going to Qatar. She answered all of my questions, gave great advice, and has even checked in with me from time to time to make sure that I was/am doing well and happy with my decision. Aside from working with a placement agency, there are also job fairs specifically for teachers looking to work abroad, but they aren't really publicized and it helps to be working with an agency because they will be able to tell you exactly when and where the job fairs are. Most schools overseas begin their hiring process in early January and finish up around March, which is different than in the states, so be aware and plan your time accordingly.

After you interview and are hired by a school you will be offered a contract that will most likely include your salary, health insurance, annual flight home and housing accommodations. Some contracts also include signing bonuses as well as shipping allowances to help pay for moving your stuff from point a to point b, but it really depends on what school you're hired by and sometimes whether or not you ask for it. Most contracts have a clause that tells you not to speak about your salary with anyone else, so I won't give specifics, but if you want to know a ballpark range of what you should expect feel free to send me a private message.

Part of the hiring process will include an authentication of your documents, which is basically just you submitting paperwork to prove who you are and what your qualifications are. It will be extremely helpful and prevent a lot of stress if you have these documents authenticated sooner than later. The process varies by country, but I had to have my college transcripts, degrees, and teaching license verified before I could get my residence visa. I became intimately acquainted with my local post office and spent a ton of money getting it done, looking back I would advise you to save yourself the time and headache by using a courier service and having them do all the legwork for you.

On having a social life:
I'm an introvert by nature but I've challenged myself to get out and do and see more now that I'm here. Living abroad is the perfect excuse to try new things and reinvent yourself if you want to. Abu Dhabi has a huge expat community so there are always new people to meet and explore with. It's like you bond over being new in this foreign place and make friends much faster and easier than you normally would, like college. You can meet people from all over the world here, but what has been most surprising to me is how many people from close to home that I've met. There are so many things to see and do here, it is nearly impossible to be bored. From sports clubs and matches to clubs and bars to cultural events you could fill your calendar with things to do every day of the week, and yes, we do have most of the same restaurants and foods that you have in the states. We don't have Chick Fil-A but I've survived.

One thing I would suggest doing if social activities are important to you and you plan on moving abroad is to sign up for meetup.com and search for the city/country you plan on moving to. Meetup isn't a dating site, it just puts you in contact with other people who have similar interests to you. For example, if you're into dancing, there are meetup groups that plan or go to events around the city. You can talk to other members before going so you can get to know them so that you don't feel completely alone when you go to the event.

You can have an active social life whether you're single and looking to date, or you have a family and want to find other families to do things with. Dating in a muslim country is a little bit different because there are rules and laws against men approaching women to talk to them or ask for their phone numbers in public, and pda is frowned upon, so having a hobby or going out to try new activities will help you to meet people. I have three friends who have met guys and gotten engaged since being here, so the rules aren't that much of a barrier if you're really looking to date.

Maintaining relationships with friends and family can be a challenge when you're living abroad, you definitely need to have a plan for how you will keep in touch with loved ones. Thank God we're no longer in the times of having to buy and load calling cards! Once you get past the major headache of getting a SIM card for your cellphone, you can pretty much talk to your loved ones as often as you want. The only down side is that being halfway across the world means that I'm 8-9 hours ahead of my family on the east coast so when I'm going to bed they're waking up, so it makes finding a time to call a little bit of a challenge.

On how to dress in a muslim country:
No, I don't have to wear an abaya when I go out, and yes, we do have many of the same stores that are in the states. Abu Dhabi is actually pretty liberal when it comes to clothing, the only exception is during Ramadan and other holidays when you might be asked to leave public places if you're dressed in clothes that are too revealing. I would say that 99% of the time no one will look at you twice for wearing shorts or sleeveless tops, I have gone out in both and not had any problems. But I do try to make sure that if I'm wearing a sleeveless top I keep my legs covered or vice versa, and I always make sure to keep a scarf in my purse to cover my shoulders if I need to. Oddly enough, I have started to like dressing more conservatively. Maybe its totally a mental thing, but I feel like people look at me more respectfully when I do. I've even started covering my hair from time to time when I go out and have noticed the same.

On being a black woman and maintaining your hair abroad:
First things first, stock up on hair products and be prepared to purchase all new styling tools. My natural hair definitely went through a state of shock when I first moved here. The water is desalinated but still very salty and therefore drying to your hair and skin. Your skin and nails will inevitably peel, and your hair may shed or break more, so your first major purchase should be a shower filter. Even with that maintaining moisture will be a daily struggle and finding hair products will be next to impossible. This is where that facebook group will come in handy because sometimes people post products from home for sale or trade. Your other option is to have things shipped from home, but shipping is expensive and amazon does not deliver here. Thankfully, I had family come to visit and had them bring me hair supplies so I have a pretty good stash built up. Most people wait until they go home to the states and bring their hair products and other things they can't get here back with them. Another thing to keep in mind is that the outlets here are 220v which means your electronics will at the very least need an adapter to work properly. I have burnt out many appliances even with the adapter, so you're better off just buying blow dryers, flat irons, etc., here.

On living in the US vs living abroad:
While living close to home has its benefits (familiarity with your surroundings, being close to family), and living abroad has its risks (distance from family, potential safety concerns), for me the benefits of living abroad far outweigh the risks. I know that the media paints the picture of the middle east being undeveloped and scary, but those things couldn't be farther from the truth. Abu Dhabi is probably one of the safest places you could hope to live, crime is almost unheard of and the people are generally helpful and friendly. When I was living in the states I had to choose between the things I wanted to do and needed to do with my paycheck, but here I don't have to. I've been able to travel to other countries, shop and treat myself to bi-weekly mani/pedis (I'm trying to cut back but its hard, the struggle is real), and also save a lot of money and pay off several credit cards. I've had a more active social life than I ever did back home and I find myself happier on a day to day basis. I do miss my family and friends a lot, but with skype and facetime I can see and talk to them as often as I want. And I'm allowed to be in the states (for tax purposes) for 30 days per year so I get to see them about as often as I did when I was living in the states. So if I had to decide whether or not I'd extend my contract for another two years today, I would definitely be signing on that dotted line. I've got more places to see!

Spring Break Shenanigans continued

Last time we left off I was just coming down off the high of flying in business class for the first time. Not gonna lie, I still daydream about it from time to time. It's gonna be hard to go back to flying economy after that, but I digress.

So after my adventures in Sri Lanka I headed back to Abu Dhabi to prepare for my sister's arrival to celebrate her Dirty Thirty. I had planned a pretty good list of things for us to do during the week that she was here and was excited to get started and show her around. I'm glad I took a bunch of pictures to capture our week, it was definitely a whirlwind. 

Then

Now

Our first major trip was to my favorite place, Shake Shack. I don't take pictures there because I am all business when I'm there and can't be bothered with taking advantage of photographic opportunities. Clearly I go there too much (or my high puff is just too memorable) because when we walked in the employees all greeted us and one guy yelled "Welcome Back, Miss!". Oh well. I like to think that since I'm a regular they'll give me even better service. They really should come up with some sort of loyalty program.

Next up, were the Grand Mosque, souks, Corniche, and to Glo Bar for her actual birthday festivities. Let me just say, I love Glo Bar! I'm not a regular there but I may soon be. I mean, look at this atmosphere

The bar itself is on the roof of the Rosewood Hotel (alcohol is only served at hotels in Abu Dhabi), so along with great views of the city there's also a beautiful pool, hot tubs, and cabanas surrounding the actual bar. We spent the evening laughing and taking in the view and also tried shisha, some may know it as hookah, for the first time and felt like real sophisticated ladies.

We also made a quick trip to Dubai because I had a dentist appointment, and squeezed in a drive by of the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world, and went to the Mall of the Emirates for lunch. The Mall of the Emirates is huge and has tons of stores I can't afford to shop in like Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce and Gabbana. I love that there is a mall where you can shop window shop at high luxury stores, go skiing and then go have lunch at TGIFridays if you want. We settled for having lunch at Fridays and watching people ski as we were eating.

Days 4 and 5 were sort of a blur but we managed to get in a trip to Ikea and my school to change my classroom around a bit, another mall, Ferrari world, and the marina for a sunset stroll. By far my favorite day was Tuesday, because around here Tuesday is Ladies Day. Beach clubs, bars, and spas have special offerings for women every Tuesday so we definitely took advantage, starting with Saadiyat Beach Club. This beach club has two restaurants, a pool, and is also a protected wildlife area and natural home to some hawkbill sea turtles. It is the best place to spend a lazy day relaxing! There is also a dj and waiters to bring you water and food whenever you want.

sisterly love

pointing at random objects

After a day of alternating naps in our loungers, pointing at random objects in pictures, and swimming and collecting shells in the Arabian Sea, we finished the day with Ladies Night at Stratos bar in Le Royal Meridien hotel. This was another place that we walked in and the employees yelled "Welcome back, Miss!" lol. I love Stratos because the waiters are awesome and the atmosphere is classy yet relaxed. It's also on the rooftop and the bar rotates so you have views of the whole city. And the lighting is perfect for selfies.

me-ow!

vitamin d + melanin = glowy awesomeness

Our final day was spent going on a desert safari in Al Khatim. When you go on a desert safari you arrange for a driver to pick you and 5-6 other people up in an suv (usually a Land Cruiser) just before sunset and drive about 45 minutes into the desert for some dune bashing. The drivers are usually local men who are experienced in driving up and down the big dunes.

Our driver was really good and he had good music too. I've heard traditional arabic music before and I love it, but I never knew there were arab dj's and that they like hip hop music and make mixtapes. Imagine hearing the traditional arabic drums, mixed in with some Two Chains and Nina Sky (remember them?) and someone yelling 'DJ Ahmed' throughout the song. It was confusing and familiar to my ears all at the same time. It kind of felt like being at home.

You can hear some of the music in the video and also see a little bit of our dune bashing. After the dune bashing they take you to a camel farm where you can pet and take pictures with some of the camels or on your own if you want. Then they take you to another tented area where you can ride camels, go sand boarding, smoke shisha, and you can try on abayas and kandooras, and take pictures. They also serve you dinner, which was barbecued chicken and kofta, rice, salad, hummus, and umm ali for dessert, while you watch a belly dancer perform and the men also do a sword dance. Most of the safari tour companies work together and go to the same place so there are usually around 50 - 60 people there from all over that you can talk to and get to know.

at the top of a dune

more random pointing

up close and personal with camels

sand boarding, the bandana was to keep sand out of my mouth

usies with the driver

me in an abaya

After that eventful evening we were pretty tired out and sadly my sister's trip was coming to an end. We spent her last day buying souvenirs at the souk and on a final visit to the Grand Mosque for more pictures. All in all we had a great week and I was so happy to be able to share my sister's 30th birthday with her. Being half way around the world means I don't really get too many visitors from home so it is extra special when someone does make that twelve hour flight here. It was sort of bitter sweet seeing her go because I was sad for her to leave (and at the reality that my two week vacation was over) but also happy to have my space back to myself. I was also glad to have fully enjoyed my time off before heading back to work.

11 (now 9) more weeks of school left to go...

Spring Break Shenanigans part 1

Hello all!

I know I have been horrible with keeping up with my blog posts. To those of you who actually read (and look forward to?) my blog, I apologize and thank you for your support! I have been really enjoying my time here, and finally decided to take the time to sit down and write about it so enjoy :)

The weeks leading up to spring break felt like they were inching along at a turtle's pace but when that last day of school finally came I think all teachers let out a collective sigh of relief. I had scheduled my flight to Sri Lanka for right after dismissal so I nearly sprinted out of school ha ha! After a short flight I arrived and was met by a friendly driver that my hotel had arranged to pick me up. I stayed that night in Colombo at the Ceilao Villas and could not have enjoyed my stay more. The staff were friendly and helpful, the hotel itself was beautiful and had lots of character, unlike some of the larger 'cookie cutter' type hotels. My stay was short but relaxing there.

what a beautiful way to start your day

Colombo was a lot different than I expected. There seemed to be a lot of contrast there from the little bit that I saw. There were parts that looked like your typical large city, with tall buildings and shopping malls and other parts that looked more rural with lots of vegetation and smaller, more modest homes. I couldn't believe how many cars and how much traffic there was! People drive pretty aggressively and use their horns a lot. I took my first tuk tuk ride to the train station on my second day being there and experienced some of it firsthand. A tuk tuk is a small, motorized car that is sort of like a taxi. They have no doors, a covered top, and seat two people at most. Because they're so small they can weave in and out of traffic which makes them a little faster than taking a regular car.

So after my tuk tuk ride, I arrived at the train station and managed to figure out how to buy a ticket to Hikkaduwa, which was about a 2.5 hour ride away. Thank God for cell phones and wifi! A quick google search got me information for train timings and ticket prices. I was really concerned about being overcharged or taken advantage of, or getting lost but thankfully I got to the right place with plenty of time to spare so I could just sit and people watch. Public transportation is really where you get to see people from all walks of life. I spent some time in the ladies only sitting room and watched a bunch of local women combing and adjusting their hair and saris and all I could think of was how much some women would pay for their hair lol (bundles anyone?). Then I went over to the platform to wait and saw a buddhist monk waiting. I've never seen one in real life before and wanted to take a picture of him but I wasn't sure if that would be disrespectful or not. I really wanted to talk to him and ask him a bunch of questions, but again, didn't know if it would be disrespectful. A nice guy struck up a conversation with me, which turned out to be lucky because he told me I was waiting on the wrong track and needed to go over to the other track to catch my train (he was from Hikkaduwa, which was where I was going). Thank you God for guardian angels! Since it was the height of tourist season the train was packed and of course not air conditioned, but my new friend helped me to get my bags on and found a place for us to stand near the door so we could at least get a breeze. We had a little bit of a language barrier but we talked a lot during the 2.5 hour ride and I learned that he was a student at a university in New Zealand and he was home to visit with his mother who had worked and saved up for him to go away to college. When we finally arrived at the train station he helped me get a tuk tuk and rode with me to find my hotel and make sure I was settled in safely, then he invited me to his mother's home to meet his friends the next day. I wasn't really sure what to make of the offer but was happy to have at least one friend with knowledge of the area and customs. 

This next hotel was also beautiful and the staff was friendly and helpful, but I won't name it for reasons I'll explain later. It was located just a short walk from the beach and several restaurants and shops, but it was right by the train tracks which wasn't fun when the train rolled through early in the morning. Anyway, one of the hotel staff offered to show me around on his moped the next day. He kind of insisted on it and I wasn't sure if this was just the Sri Lankan way or something else, but I figured it couldn't hurt to get out and see more of the country. YOLO, right? So the next day I said a quick prayer and we were on our way.

A moped really is the best way to get around Sri Lanka, but I wouldn't recommend doing it more than once. Or maybe just rent one and drive yourself so that way you have a little more control. Somehow our first stop wound up being to his mother's house and I have no idea what the purpose was. I couldn't help but feel like I was on display as we rolled up, made a circle around the driveway, waved hello and left. Oh well. On our ride we saw a bunch of cows along the road and monkeys climbing in trees above our heads, but we were on the search for an elephant. We had seen a sign for an elephant farm and decided to try to find it, but when we got there the elephant was gone. Apparently he had things to do that day. So on the road we continued, through a smelly fish market, and past miles and miles of beautiful blue ocean on the way to Galle.

And finally we arrived in Galle and went to visit Galle Fort! I can't really describe how beautiful it was there. The ocean was so blue! It was honestly just picturesque.

This was another place where I saw contrast. There was the beautiful beach and all of the well maintained boutiques and hotels, but there were also people there who were obviously very poor and begging for money to feed themselves or their children. One man who had a little table set up selling souvenirs and trinkets was also offering to jump off this cliff into the shallow, rocky ocean below for 1000 rupees (about $7) I learned from my tour guide. Clearly he was experienced and could probably do it with no problem, but you just don't go risking your life for $7. There was another man there sitting under a tree with his pet monkey and cobra.

the cobra was in the basket

before I knew it the monkey ran up and jumped on me

so I had the tour guide take a picture

Little did I know, the man wanted to be paid for taking pictures with his monkey and he came up and angrily asked for his 100 rupees. Alrighty then, lesson learned. You can't take a picture with a man's monkey for free.

After that we went to a sea turtle farm, which I had mixed feelings about. There were several shallow tanks of different kinds of sea turtles there as well as mounds of sand where sea turtle eggs were incubating and waiting to hatch. The owner came and told me all about them and his mission as an ambassador for sea turtles. There was a tank full of 1 day old sea turtles that would soon be released to the ocean to live or be eaten by predators, and there were about 7 - 8 tanks with older injured turtles who would never be able to live in the wild again. Their flippers had all been damaged by either sharks or boat propellers. Considering that sea turtles can have pretty long life expectancies, and the fact that their tanks were quite small for their size and didn't allow them to swim around very much or see anything other than their concrete surroundings, it made me a little sad.

And continuing on with the sad theme our day had taken on, we went to the tsunami museum next. I had a vague memory of there being a tsunami in Sri Lanka some years back, but since I had not experienced it firsthand it wasn't really at the forefront of my memory. In speaking to many of the locals I could see and feel that it very much was still fresh in their minds. The tsunami happened on December 26, 2004, right after Christmas. People were celebrating with their families and many tourists were visiting for vacation when the waves rolled in. The museum was a two room shack with a dirt floor that had pictures and writings from people who were there at the time the tsunami hit. When you first walk in you think you can handle it because there are mostly just quotes painted on the wall, but as you get further in to the place it starts to hit you that this is real. People lost homes, loved ones, children...

Definitely a sobering experience. And then as we were leaving the weather looked like this:

I needed a nap and a think after that.

The rest of the trip turned out really well. I basically ate a lot and hung out on the beach. The hotel owner showed me to this restaurant that I ate at almost every day. It was right on the beach and had great, inexpensive food. I couldn't figure out if the owner was happy I kept coming back every day or if he was tired of me but I didn't care either way. They had good stir fried noodles, curry chicken, seafood, fresh juices and cuba libres, I was in heaven! I also had the most amazing burger from this restaurant called the Nordic House but I didn't take a picture because I scarfed it down in about 90 seconds, it wasn't pretty, I'm not proud of myself for that. I had Shake Shack after I got back to Abu Dhabi and it didn't really compare to the Nordic House. Now that's really saying something!

you can't go wrong with a sunset dinner on the beach

I miss this meal already, curry chicken, sauteed spinach and fresh pineapple juice

grilled prawns with cole slaw and garlic fries

Every year I fool myself into believing I can't get sunburned but my first time out I always do. I try to avoid it, I put on lots of sunscreen and try to limit my time in the sun but it's a battle I never win. Hikkaduwa beach is probably one of the most beautiful places I've been. The water is a deep turquoise, the sand is golden, and the ocean waves will lull you into a deep sleep if you let them.

So yeah, I fell asleep and when I woke up felt a little sick. It wasn't until I got in the shower that I realized I was burned. Bad. Ow. Thankfully my hotel room was air conditioned and I had packed some aloe vera gel so I could take care of it and hopefully start to feel better. It was my next to last day there so I was happy to be able to get back home to my own bed and space...after another 2.5 hour train ride and 4 hour flight, urgh.

Luckily though, the hotel was able to arrange a taxi for me to the airport so I wouldn't have to maneuver the train again. And since I had time to kill before checkout, I went to the beach again, why not get just a little darker? So we left around 11pm that night and wouldn't you know the moped guy insisted on tagging along to help drive. Joy. I expected to sit in the back and maybe take a nap once we got to the highway but what I got was to sit up front with the driver who talked to me the whole way and tried more than once to hold my hand. Then just before we got to the airport he pulled over and got out of the car because he wanted me to go have a drink with him. It was seriously a good 2 - 3 minutes of him begging me to get out and go with him and me refusing to take off my seatbelt or move at all. I was pissed. He finally got the hint and got back in the car and asked to be paid before we got to the airport. I gladly paid him (anything to be out of that car) and when we arrived at the airport five minutes later I got out so fast, grabbed my bags and dodged another hug from moped guy before running to check in. 

I was really in a foul mood after that, not to mention the fact that it was about 1am and I still had another 3 hours to wait to board my flight. I had worn my swimsuit and a cover up to the airport but brought more comfortable, conservative clothes to wear on the flight home, arriving in a Muslim country wearing a bikini is not a good idea at any time. After changing I tried to get some sleep on the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting lounge but was interrupted when I was called to the flight attendant's desk over the loudspeaker. I was dreading going up there because the last thing I wanted was to be told that I was being bumped to a later flight after the 24 hours I had just had, but I went on anyway, and found out that I was being upgraded to business class! Thank you God! Leather massage seats, extra leg room with fully reclining seats and chenille blankets were just what I needed! I found myself wishing that my flight was just a bit longer so that I could luxuriate for as long as possible. It was, in a word, amazing. And I learned that if you're hoping for an upgrade, it helps to be dressed nicely (shoulders and legs covered, loose fitting clothes) and to be extra polite to the flight attendants.

Now, o to my problem with being a woman and traveling alone. 

I hate that I have to even wonder or feel concern about my safety when I'm out and about in the world and that there are times when I wonder about what I would do to protect myself if it came down to that. I'm an adult, I should be able to take care of myself. I've been independent since I was 18, have worked since I was 15, own my home and make my own money. I'm intelligent, I earned two degrees and graduated with a great gpa. I've got sense enough to not put limits on myself and my experiences but to also not do anything gravely stupid that could put me in danger. But there have been times in my life where men have made me feel uncomfortable and I felt like I had to make the decision to be polite and kind of play along just to get myself out of the situation safely. It's infuriating really, and it can make you feel powerless. Like, "this guy is weird and creepy, but I don't know what he'll do or how he'll take it if I reject him, and he's bigger and more than likely stronger than me, so let me just be polite and hope he gets the picture so he'll leave me alone." I highly doubt that men ever worry that they'll be in the position of receiving unwanted attention from women and wonder what they would do if the woman didn't take it well. Do other women experience this? I hate it. I think girls are taught to be polite, and courteous, and agreeable, which is nice, but it really does us a disservice when it comes to things like this. And boys, I guess, are taught that if they like a girl its okay to invade her personal space and show her. Seems wrong on both ends to me.

Well, that was my rant. I'm not sure I'll be going to Sri Lanka again, at least not alone. Next post will be about the second half of my spring break, I know, lucky me!

Namaste