Beach Time!

Hello!

So for the past couple weekends, I have been lucky enough to find myself at the beach on Friday :) How about that! Going to the beach in October, the end of the month even.  Two weeks ago, I went with a group of teachers and it was the first time I have swam at a beach, in salt water, since my freshman year of college. We went to one of the public beaches called Al Jazayir, and although it is only a 20-25 minute drive, we cover two-thirds of the island. That is so amazing to me! Typically I stay in a little bubble in Juffair and Adliya (a neighborhood close by) so when I actually have to drive for a bit it is fun! Also, knowing that if I were to drive for 15 more minutes and I would be at the end of the island, it truly reminds me how small Bahrain is! 

Below you can see where the beach is on the map. Just look towards the little hump on the bottom half on the left side :)

As for the beach, it was a perfect day. It was in the high 80s to low 90s and there was a slight breeze. We left around 1030am and came home around 1pm. This was perfect to me because it was enough time to soak in the rays and swim yet, I didn't lose my whole day.  

To me, the weirdest thing was swimming in salt water. I would forget there was salt in the water every time I dipped my head under; it made me laugh. One of the best things, I can float in salt water! I have never been able to float before but I can here. It is so relaxing because you can just lay back put your hands behind your head and relax, all while in the water. What I would do to have a water-proof book in that moment! Overall, the beaches are nice. There are about seven gazebos scattered along the beach so there are places you can find shade.  The water is extremely clear too! Another adjustment to be made from the murky lake water I am accustomed to swimming in. There weren't too many fish while I was swimming.  The fish I did see were no bigger than my hand and had a tan color with some brown. They blended in so well with the sand sometimes I wouldn't even see them. One interesting thing was how some of the fish would jump out of the water! I don't know why they would jump but they would jump out two to six times in a row, almost like a skidding rock. It was very nest to watch, especially when it was while everyone was swimming.  One of the other teachers also found a crab shell in the sand. He picked it up and, being the Biology teacher I am, I held it and looked at it... and then kept the shell. It is just so hard to grasp the fact that I am on an island surrounded by salt water with marine and animal life that I am simply not used to.  The crab had blue legs/claws and the body was red; it was simply fascinating.

The second time I went out to the beach, we organized a ladies day with seven other teachers. All met up around 11am and drove out to the beach with the car full of food and drinks. It was a really great time and definitely provided some memories. Just picture a bunch of ladies sitting around a grill that is propped up by rocks (because the stand is broken) trying to figure out how to light a grill... yup that was the beach day!  It took us forever to start the charcoal and then, I don't think we had enough so the food took almost an hour to cook when it should have taken 20 minutes. The grill was hot so we knew the charcoal had not burned out... but, something was wrong, we just didn't know what.  That's what happens when none of us have grilled on our own though! This time at the beach was a little more relaxing. I laid out in the sun and read Life of Pi, then I saw some and then I sat in a beach lounge chair and just watched the water and there was a breeze, it was so perfect and relaxing.  I couldn't think of a better way to de-stress from the week than a day like that. I stood in the water for almost 45 minutes and just concentrated on the current and the movement of the water, the sun beating down on me and breeze blowing through my hair... it was so incredibly spiritual and peaceful, I have never had a moment like that and I hope that there are many more to come. 

The Dragon Brunch

Last weekend, we went to the infamous brunch that everyone from last year always talked about.   We drove out to the Armwaj Islands and found ourselves at The Dragon hotel.  It was 25BD to get in but, it is a buffet that is all you can eat food for almost five hours and unlimited drinks for about six hours... I would say it is definitely worth every cent.  I can't even begin to explain how beautiful it was at the hotel. The entire group wore dressy outfits and suits just to put a little more class on the event. When we arrived at the hotel, we waited outside where there were cabanas and an outside bar, a view of the ocean, three pools; it was simply one of the most beautiful moments I have had in Bahrain. You forget that you are in a desert and growing city and you escape for a little bit to a tropical island almost!

Here is a view of one of the pools and the ocean.  All the students tell me to go to Armwaj Islands because they are so beautiful... now I know they are telling the truth!  This part of Bahrain was also on House Hunters International if you watch that show ;)

One of the cabanas and Me with David and Ben

Miss Leigh and Mr. Thran

Here are the two tables where our group sat. It was very nice to go out with all the teachers and enjoy our first weekend after school started!

Now, on to the amazing part! The food! Below are some of the set ups of the food that was available. The buffet is completely unlimited for four hours!!! All the food tasted amazing and I honestly could not stop eating... it was almost painful.  

Cold food room set up

These are some of the cold options they had to offer. There were also hot options, a whole salad mixing table, a pasta station, a bread table, soups, sushi, desserts, bar and a menu you could order from. You pretty much ate anything you wanted and it was covered in the initial cost.

More food

Bread table 

Sushi that was made fresh! They would even cut off pieces of fish right in front of you... yes I did try it. I liked it but it took some getting used to the texture of eating raw fish. This was probably my favorite part of what The Dragon Brunch had to offer.

Unless, you count dessert as foods! There was a whole table of all sorts of dessert from cakes, to ones they made for you to chocolate mousse and cheesecake. One amazing feat... they actually had a chocolate cake that I liked! I went back for a second piece!

Me and Deena

Me and my roommate Tricia! She is amazing and we have so much fun :)

Me and Jared

Overall, the "Brunch Experience" is definitely one that I will repeat again. I have heard that there are a ton of other options as for where to go to brunch and some of the girls form last year said that The Dragon's brunch doesn't even compare to some of the other options. I can't wait to see if what they say is true because this experience was amazing and I was very impressed!
Until next time <3

School room!

Here ar the pictures from my classroom!  it is a small space but it is becoming home and I love it so much.  I have a big window and wood floors which most classes have tile and smaller windows.  It suits me very well!  My room actually used to be the Middle School principal's office.  It's only about 14 by 16 feet but I make it work!  

 Students normally call you by your first name here and Leigh is short and sweet!

First day of school!

Hello everyone!
The last five years of my life I have taken classes and studied and wrote papers about what it means to be a teacher. I have learned different teaching techniques and I have taught and observed countless hours in six different schools and four different districts.  Today, all of that can to a head.  I officially became a teacher today.  I had my first day at school.
I was so incredibly nervous this morning.  If off, I am a first year teacher. Secondly, I am in a completely different country that I barely know anything about, I have never taught block scheduling before (NINTY MINUTE CLASSES!!!), and I have never taught ELL students.  So many things that could make a first day horrible because so much is unknown, yet it turned out to be amazing.
My first classes every day are small.  Thirteen students maximum.  It was very nice to start out like this.   I was a little worried because at 2 minutes until the bell, I only had three students in my classroom.  I ended up having eight today with the ninth showing up with ten minutes left in class (apparently some students will not come the first week or two because they are still taking trips with their parents. It's crazy).  I went over the syllabus and had them fill out information cards... pretty much all those first day activities and the students war amazing.  They were friendly, they laughed at me when I tried to say their names (the accent sits at the very back of your tongue so the names are SUPER difficult to say correctly). But, at the same time it showed my students that I can be fun and I can laugh with them.  I think I will have a few girls who will like me.  They seemed so happy to be in my class by the end.
I really could not be happier with the way today turned out.  It was more than I could have hoped for.

I will try and upload pictures of my classroom tomorrow... I don't have the best internet connection right now.  Until next time!

Souq

These are the pictures form when we visited the souq!  I didn't take too many pictures because it was absolutely insane.  You can find anything there!  There is tons of fabric, you can have jewelry and suits and pretty much anything hand-made for you.  I tried some Indian candy that was warm and orange... it tasted sweet like honey yet, had a sweet and sour sauce flavoring to it!  We were in the souq for about an hour and every single one of us was dripping with sweat.  There are so many people in such small areas and the cars drive right on through!  Close enough that three inches more to one side or the other and they would be running over your toes.  Nothing stops the drivers in Bahrain.  I plan to go back to the souq many times.  It is rich with culture and has tons of things to buy!  I was also amazed by the spices!  They were in mountains and I want to try each on its own! Ah! so excited to return.

 This is the entrance into the souq... definitely not the crazy part of it. I did not take a good picture of the life of the souq but hopefully I will remember to next time.  While I was in the crazy part, every time you look into a store or glance towards a seller they are pushing items towards your face or inviting you in.  It's truly an experience that cannot be fully explained.

 This is a common store in the souq which makes abayas.  I took a picture of it because of the five point crown.  I love my ZTA!!!

Here is a better depiction of what the souq is sort of like.  The majority of it does have covers over the street so this is still more open than the souq normally is.  

The King's Camels

After the the grand mosque we went to the King's camels and farm land.  He owns a ton of land with lots of date trees on it and I guess he receives camels as gifts.  He has over 600 camels!  You would think people could be a little more original ;)  Here are some pictures of the camels and how they live.  The males are chained up individually and the females are in the pens.  I didn't touch one but one came really close to my face and freaked me out because I was looking at another camel through my camera ha ha. 

 Boy camels are below :)

 A camel getting up.  They push their hind legs up first and then straighten up their front legs.  It looks like they are about to go head first into the ground!

 This camel looks like he has freckles :)

 A picture with the camel!!!  I was so excited!

 Baby feeding from mother

 Old Grandma camel!!!!

The Grand Mosque

On the first day in Bahrain we went to the Grand Mosque.  The mosque is only a ten minute walk from my apartment and is one of the most beautiful building I have ever seen in my life.  We were given a tour by one of the women who works there and she did an absolutely amazing job.  She explained to us all of the architecture and little things about the religion.  For instance, in the mosque there are no pictures of animals or people.  Many individuals have requested that a statue of the prophet Muhammed be placed in the mosque but it will never happen.  The reason for this is that Muslims see it as a sin to pray to anyone but Allah. Allah is the creator and the giver so to pray to the prophet, even though he started the religion is an unforgivable sin unless you ask fro forgiveness before death.  They say the Muhammed is simply a prophet, who they believe to be the LAST prophet.  They believe in other prophets too, such as Abraham and Moses and Jesus Christ, all are mentioned in the Kor'an.  They believe that these were just men, they were human like us whom Allah used to teach the way one should live.  Muslims are also very open to other religions believing that Allah sent prophets all over the world who shared his word and that the slight differences between religions actually came from the different interpretations, human error.  It is a fascinating religion to learn about especially with all of the negative stigma we have in the States.  

This building is also one of the most spiritual places I have ever been.  I will probably go pray in the mosque a few times while I am here since anyone, not just those of the Islamic faith, are welcome.

 Here is the outside os the Grand Mosque.  There are beautiful details every where, you don't even have to look close.

 Here is a closer picture of some of the details from the outside.

 ME in front of the mosque.  I was super colorful this day!

 When you enter into the mosque, as a woman you must wear a hijab (head covering) and an abaya (the long dresses)  This is simply out of respect and so there are no distractions.  Muslims do not stand around and talk or socialize in the mosque, they simply come to pray.

 One interesting feature of this mosque is that there is an outside courtyard that can be used for praying. It is just as beautiful as the inside. The floor gets really hot during the day though! I walked over it and I burned my feet!

 This is the inside prayer room.  The carpet in here is from Scotland and the bulbs are from France. Pretty much everything from inside the mosque comes from all over the world.  I think it is interesting that they take pride in this because it makes Islam see so world-wide.  The carpet is actually also has geometric shapes on it that correlate with all the rest of the designs in the mosque.

A look down the side of the prayer room.  The things in the middle are little desks that they can place anywhere in the mosque for a lesson.

 Along with the geometric shapes, Islamic artists will do calligraphy. All of the calligraphy along the top are arabic inscriptions from the Kor'an.

 Some of the men in our group in a thob (can't wear shorts!) listening to a brief lesson about the Kor-an by our tour guide.  She truly explained this religion so well and made it seem so beautiful... nothing like I have read or heard about before.

A window :)

Another shot of the glass bulbs and the doors 

This clock chart displays the different praying intervals.  At each of these times, the call to prayer in made from the mosque.  Each time the call starts by saying "Allah is greatest"or something along those lines. It's to remind everyone that Allah comes first in life.  Muslims also do not have to drop down and pray right then and there when the call is heard... they just have to pray between the times in order for their religious duties to be fulfilled. All the prayers normally only equate to about 30-40 minutes per day.

View looking up into the dome.  At the time the dome was built, it was the largest fiberglass dome ever made.

A page of the Kor'an.  Interesting fact: Mary in mentioned in the Kor'an.  They believe that she was a virgin who gave birth to Jesus and the section about her is the 19th chapter in the Kor'an.  This is considered the heart of the Kor'an.  They believe it shows that Allah can create using any thing.  He can create human with man and woman (as usual).  He can create human from no man and no woman (Adam).  He can create human with just man (Eve) and lastly, he can create human from only woman (Jesus).   

The doors are absolutely beautiful and intricate. 

Window 

 Outside prayer space.  

Looking down from the balcony.  The carpet has lines all the way across it.  It is better to pray in groups in the Islamic faith.  Individuals are supposed to stand with feet and shoulders touching, it makes the prayer stronger.  the men are normally in the front and women stand in the back.  They do not see this as a women are lesser but as a comfort thing.  When Muslims pray, they bend over and kneel and stand... the when say they don't want a man's face right by their behind so they stand together. 

 The outside courtyard.

This is from the outside courtyard as well.  Before microphones were invented the prayer leader (which can be anyone, even children) would stand in front of the concave and speak towards it, this projects their voice very well.  There is also one inside prayer room.

 Me in my outfit :)  I was the only one in an orange hijab (I think it's because of my red hair)

Me and my roommate Tricia 

 The concave in the prayer room.  The man next to it was actually doing the call to prayer.  It was very beautiful to listen to.

Me in the center of the prayer room

Me and one of the other teachers Laura.