Grover and Tylene Take on Code Blacks, Red Alerts, and the weekend...almost!

Well my dear friends, what a week it has been.



It is Wednesday and it feels as though a month as passed since I last wrote. The events of the last week have made me appreciate the many blessings at home, the job that I left and protocol. The next time I hear anyone complain about protocol I am going to remind them how important it is to have in place!



Sunday started like every Sunday starts. I was sleepy. Didn't feel much like getting my lazy butt out of bed. Got to work just before 7:00. Tutored a student who comes for extra help twice a week and started our day.



It was about 9:45 when my team leader popped in to mention that there had been a bomb threat called into the school and that, when given the go ahead, we would be clearing out of the school using fire drill procedures. To make a long story short I learned the following things:

• Charlotte's Web, the original animated motion picture, although all about a pig, is a good movie to watch whilst the bomb squad is sweeping the entire school...did I mention we didn't actually leave the campus that day?
• Always, always, always carry your cell phone on your body...you never know when you'll need to phone parents to pick up their kidlets.
• Phoning parents to pick up their kidlets is much easier to do when parents respond by saying things like "Certainly, I'll come right away" as opposed to "Sorry, everyone is asleep. Can we come in a few hours?" I guess the phrase, "We've had to evacuate the school" means "Please come pick up your child in the next few hours!"
• Did I mention rather than leaving campus at any point, we stayed and watched a movie.
• Trying to get students to the bathroom and avoiding the military people and bomb squad people is challenging when there a bomb threat has been made...they're everywhere (which is perhaps why, in most circumstances, we evacuate...at least in other parts of the world. BUT I AM NOT BITTER!)

That was Sunday. Monday began with ISA testing that our Grades 3, 5 and 8 students would be taking. It was around 9:00 that I was pulled out of testing to be informed that a suspicious device was found in the high school boys bathroom. They had evacuated most of the high school and we were just waiting for the word from the authorities as to when the rest of us would go. As it turns out, within the hour, the whole school was evacuated and by 11:00 most parents had come to pick up their children. Children were delighted to have two shortened school days. Many parents were really annoyed at having to come pick up their kids for another day. Teachers returned to work that afternoon following a brief staff meeting ensuring us that everything was safe.

And that, I guess is what it means to teach in Kuwait. The whole bomb thing has kind of worn off...had a great conversation with mom on Monday night when I got home from school. Have great friends here that we've been able to chat about the events. Had a staff meeting on Tuesday to sort of debrief, which was much needed. Tuesday's return to work was relatively normal, with the exception of extremely low attendance...I had 8 students missing. Lower elementary had classes of 2 - 10. Wednesday was our first "real" day back to work. And what a day it was.

Wednesday is what is affectionately known as Red Flag day. Red Flag days, you might remember from earlier posts, happen when there is so much dust in the air that children can't play outside at all. Having experienced both -30 weather (and colder) as well as red flag days, I'd have to take a -30 day any day. The air is so heavy with sand that breathing is difficult. I've come home to find my apartment lined with a fine layer of dust...everything was closed, thank goodness, but the dust is so fine it comes in as the wind is blowing. At one point today, the sky was such a dramatic orange it looked like something you see on television. I took some pictures and will post them rather soon!

Anywho, that's a week in review. I am doing much better now than I was earlier in the week, that is for sure...but I don't think the weekend can arrive soon enough. We're all ready for a break. I think even dear Henry has realized the stress I've been under and has started to come out of his shell a bit as he whines for cuddles throughout the night, and snuggles up close when it is finally bed time!

Rest assured that I am safe. If anything, the events of the week have helped to point out where we (the school) needs to iron out some of the wrinkles in such protocols. May I never have to experience such days again...okay, I'll settle for another red flag day or two, but the others I can do without.

And on that note, Grover and I are gonna sign off. Need to make some supper before snuggling down with a few episodes of Will & Grace before calling it a night. Lots of love coming your way!

T & G