The Adventures of Grover and Tylene: Karaoke, Cakes and Count Downs

Well, so much for ensuring that I am writing every week. You know what they say about the best intentions. At any rate, here I go again...only 12 more of these (provided I manage to write each week until I leave for the summer...who knows, my summer might be so entertaining that I blog weekly then too!)

I guess the last week has been like most in Kuwait...chaotic! Oh, but where does one begin? Let's begin this week's diatribe with the wonderful world of school. Our Grade Fives are about to embark upon this endeavour called "Exhibition". As it's title may lead you to believe, it's a really big show. The challenge is the show is whatever the children choose to make it! In theory, it will be a great opportunity to show what the students have accomplished in the 8 years that they have been a part of the Primary Years Programme. I am hoping the 50+ hours that have gone into planning for the unknown will pay off, and that the students will rise to the occasion. They know two things...the Transdisciplinary Theme is Share the Planet. The central idea is the verse of the school song that my kidlets helped write in the fall..."though we're young, we can reach out to the world in which we live; with caring hearts and understanding there is so much we can give". I am confident that each group will be able to identify at least one topic that they can explore that will, in some small way, make a difference. We'll see how it goes. At this point, all I can do is encourage and guide. Other than that, it's up to them!

Outside of school, the past week has been spent in the clinic being pumped full of antibiotics for the never ending sinus infection that is a result of being allergic to the country in which I'm living. Now, I know that I have gone off at length about the allergy issues that I'm having, but seriously! You'd think that, by now, some pharmaceutical company would have figured out some sort of allergy drug that would work for people like me! I have discovered that an air purifier and humidifier at home has made a huge difference. Spent this past weekend at home and wasn't troubled by allergies at all...the entire time I was in my apartment.

One of the highlights of the past week was celebrating the 50th birthday of another new teacher. It was a great evening of good conversation, genuine fun...danced a polka or two, sang Karaoke and was in charge of baking birthday cakes. Dancing was a blast...discovered that of the table of six at which I was sitting, four didn't know what a polka was...they are also from the States...coincidence? I think not!

As for the birthday cakes, I must admit that I have inherited a certain "baker extraordinaire" gene from mom! I baked a a double batch of carrot cake (because the fancy baker decided to buy a new cake pan with detachable sides, that requires 2 cakes to make it look like it's filled), two chocolate cakes (there may have been a third that, in 25 minutes, became so burned that the cake AND the brand new $30 cake pan both hit the garbage) and a cheese cakes, as well as made some delicious little cuban lunch treats. Scheduling time last week was a delicate task...with daily trips to the clinic for 1.5 hours; as well as 2 hours of tutoring twice a week, working full time and doing prep work for exhibition, there is little time to mess around with cake baking.

Despite the chaos, it was a great success. One more skill to add to the impressive list of "wife skills". Many have asked whether I get tired of being the "baking designate" to which I reply with an unwavering "no". I love all the time I get to spend in my kitchen...very therapeutic. If only I had the freezer space necessary to keep up with my kitchen time...however, after a batch of turkey soup, perogies or chilly (how do you spell that word...as in the food, not the country or the temperature), there is very little room for anything else.

So here I am, 11 weeks and 4 days from the end of my first year in Kuwait. At times, there is a part of me that thinks, "I can definitely do this for many more years." Then there is another part that thinks, "International teaching...that I can handle...just in a country that I'm not allergic to." and of course, there's the part of me that says "It's time to come home, miss family and friends too much!"

Who knows what the future will hold. All I know is that I am having an experience that I will never forget. I have grown in so many ways, and have met many people. Who would have thought I could ever pick up and move to Kuwait...in and of itself, that's quite the accomplishment!

Lots of love to each of you!

G & T