Free birdie!

My parents have always respected my decisions... have trusted me ... and I know what I do is what they would do for me!

So I have no regrets with what I say or do!

I have and will always fight for what i believe in.

No one changes this about me... not even u!

If they trust me... u'll have to too!

_________________________________________________________________________________

H - I am gonna buy you a rasberrypi! Cant wait to see your excitement
-_________________________________________________________________________________
Me - Kitty ? I kinda want Harold the cat now from Mr. B.
I want it to cuddle with me.
Still have to meet this cutie cat!
<3
I'm in love with it already without meeting it!
Soon <3
:) New words to add: Habibti, Anti Helwa , Anti jamela - These make my day! So do you :)

To an Angel!

Any expression of Thanks will fall short...

But here it is.

Thank you

For always being there...

During nights at uni when you consoled me while I cried over Physics Labs and Math concepts...

During the events and all the preparations...

The heartbreaks and heartaches...

For dealing with me in every sort of mood...

For making me smile through all the tears and the lows...

For showing me a new city that I loved and taking care of me...

For being the first person of contact when I moved to a new place...

For making me smile and accept things at McDonalds on Skype...

For picking up all the pieces of broken glass and sticking them perfectly...

For never questioning but just loving...

For forgetting your birthday and being empathetic and understanding of my loss that day...

For always knowing when I am sad and need to just talk...

And for today for showing me once again you'll be always there...

And for being able to cure every problem and mood swing...

They say God made mothers to be there for children, I totally agree on that...

But God made an Angel like you for me!

Canim, Thank you. 

Show me that you care!

I wouldn't have ever imagined that my one student would respond the way he did...

From the defensive, mean, rude evil tiny person... today he went from being all that to polite, nice and pleasant to deal with. I hope you know I really care! I want you to pass and to do well in school! I am not here to make your life miserable and today you showed me that you wouldn't make it any more miserable.

I am happy!
I made a difference :)

Thank you!

This entire week has been a blast. Been treated at the Crowne Plaza, Hilton and had some great fun times with all my new friends.

In short: spas, gyms, zumba classes, becoming a nurse to samiyah, then babysitting with samiya :P, playing poker with popsicle sticks, grand mosque, souk visits, disney, breaking bad, coop, lulu, cab driver recipes, and a lot of other things.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The fun stuff aside, I don't even feel like I am turning 23. Well they say age is just a number right... but to be honest birthdays are those days that are special only because of the people around us. I miss home a lot right now.  For the last 4 years, Kedi , Sis, mom and dad always surprised me. The boys even did that last year and boom now its a whole new cup of tea. I know at 12 o clock today there wont be no sister saying happy bday or mommy blessing me. But at the same time, I am so thank-full for all the love and support from my family. Tomorrow I will go have dinner with a new family that I've formed overseas. People whom I now trust and I know will have my back.

It's an emotional time of the year to be alone, but then not really alone. To miss those I love, but to love what's here. I am so thankful for my parents and sistah to have been solid and have always supported me. I am so thankful of canim and habibi. You both are special and life wouldn't be the same. And most of all I am in awe and I am so blessed to be part of 197. Without you all, DMS wouldn't be the same.

Teesh, your like always there! Thank you :D
Cath - your mommmy to us all!
Law - your like the tech hub, and also umm the nerd check!
Miya- hehehe brown movie love <3
Furo- your mommy overseas!
Mr. D - Mentor and friend.  Your so awesome that I kinda love u like a daughter!

Last but not the least, have to thank ludu baby, R, Har, Arj, Pete, Chi, Martini, Aria, and all those that talk to me on a day to week basis. You make me feel loved and keep me in the loop always. I love you all and you are so special!

So this 23rd Bday, I thank the great one for blessing me with all the special people in my life! I hope to be wise, to love always, to be strong and to always have fortitude!

V

Love

There are some days where I feel like I am talking to stones , some days where I am talking to the wall, and then there are some days where I am talking to real students. I have to talke each day, one day at a time.

I remember the first week thinking WHY.. OMG WHAT DID I SIGN UP FOR...but you know what.... if you love what you do... you can make others love it too!

And I smile while I say this... but I do love them. The bad annoying ones... the ones that do not get the personal space concept and will be in my face about the H.W....the one that yells Tim hortins... the ones that tell me Mssss your so pretty... the ones that say Mssss I hate Math.... and the girls that just need a comforting hug. I love you all. I hope you will understand that I only assign the 40 to 50 questions for your benifit and for you to do well.

I hope all days will be like this crazy yet rewarding.

I hope I can make the difference and not give up!

V

One month in...

So hello there...

It's been a while so let me update you with whats going on!

1) The girl who hated cooking now wants to call 20 people home and wants to host a dinner party!

2) Tutoring is good money in this part of the world and you can actually get to teach!

3) Everything from Chapatis to groceries can be delivered.

4) The cold water is hot and the hot water is cold.

5) Your parents and siblings will always love you even if you lose track of time and extraction of tooth days (Sorry Sistah)

6) If one plan fails... something else will work out! (Invites to Shisha {Which I dont do}, Invites to Matts awesome breakfast even though I showed up with few cookies and nothing else, Coop Trips, Fahaheel, BB episodes and random movies)

7) As much as I'd like to get a few of them suspended, I still love them. And I can be of high tolerance but at the same time have a few blow outs. Voltage issues here :P

8) New faces... great places... new experiences... learning curves.

9) When you find someone you can share your clothes with it (Teesh) ... I miss you sistah! Not just because my wardrobe got split in half. But because your the equal to in my equation.

10) Sweep your house everyday as you can find the dessert inside.

11) Being positive ... yet not forgetting the old... but learning to accept the new and learning to be responsible.

Breaking down :(

                I would have never imagined that grade 10 students could give me such a hard time. I teaching with so much patience, giving so much review and being so kind and caring... to be told in my face Miss you dont teach us well... miss your harder than the worst teacher. Bah! Meh! #teacherissues

              Thankfully the admin supports me. I will stand up for what I believe in. I will not give in nor give up! Today when I go home I will reflect even more, its my class and I am going to fix this mess. Thank you Mr. Dominic for being my support when I broke down. It was a hard day for me today :(

              If you read this... dont ask me what happened and why. I tried to give a test and the result was an epic fail. Will give it again tomorrow. Its not fair, I am not perfect... I am learning however!

Peace!
V

Coffee Spills

I am at school and have a test I should be making for my Grade 10's but I could laught at the events that have occured so far into the day!
1) Printer jam - my finger tips are black and my printing gets stuck and then gets copied twice!
2) Copy room - Its packed and the machine breaks down and everyone seems to need stuff copied!
3) G.10 - The kids work decently but not together and there is a huge extreme! Half my class has 5 sheets done , the rest 2!
4) G.9 - Umm marking the quiz is going to be annoying!
5) Coffee Spills - David I miss you! I wish we could talk more and keep it in touch. Remember how we would grab coffee and walk... and then my coffee would almost always spill. Happened again today! Thats what made me think of you! Will msg you soon! I promised to keep in touch and I will try my best too! :D
6) Students keep asking me why I dont teach them... and then when I ask them why... I got told by two Grade 9's "Miss you teach better" :D
Makes me Happy!!!!

Back to making 4 versions of the test so kids dont copy! (Eyes Roll)

TGIT!

Smile

Catherine thank you for the hug when i most needed it!
Lawrence thank you for being the first person to say its ok!
Canim thank you for returning the smile!
<3 <3 <3

Not giving up so soon! Something has to work out!

When the days are not so nice and rosy!

      So today was a terrible terrible day... 1st and 2nd periods were good and things just went downhill. No one listened ... the noise... the chatter got to me. So I called in the teacher next door! Wait was that a smart move... maybe not. But I was just done. Thanks to the VP that supports me as well. But oh my God what a disaster of a day!

Tomorrow God give me the strength to start fresh! May I be able to get through my lesson and to be able to take it as a new day!

Dont ask me what where why how... because unless your in my shoes you wont understand... but just pray for me that I can, I will and that I wont give up!

Love you all for the support and encouragement!
This is going to be work in progress!

As Canim always tells me -> Be positive! I am trying and tomorrow will be a new day!

V

Adventure into the dessert!

     What an interesting day I've had! Literally another road trip adventure today! Mr. B took us out into the dessert for an adventure. We drove through pretty much a road in the wilderness and to the Iraq border and then around the border back into Kuwait city and back home to Mahboula. There were times when none of us knew where we were going... but just kept going in what looked the correct direction. The dessert is rugged and the beauty hard to appreciate... but there is an oasis in the middle and it was amazing! The Bouyban Island was so interesting. We went into a no exit.. why dont ask me I wasn't driving! The bridge so pretty. We couldnt go to the island as it is restricted but o well was an awesome experience! The camels were neat! And the drive on non-open highways even more thrilling. C and L are awesome :D Mexican place was great food! Over all what an amazing friday!

 


      When you can house party here like you party at home.. ooo well ! You know it makes up for a lot of things. The house party was amazing! Felt like Hamza and noel would drop by anytime... lol but they dont exist over here on this side of the world! Great fun times lots of laughter! And omg was he hitting  on me??? AWKDDDDD !

 
      Came home and cooked a it for the week! If you know me, you'd say she hates cooking.. oh well I did! Its not as bad anymore! I can manage! Whose daughter am I? :P
Papa and angela happy birthday! Papa you may be so far but I know your looking at me and guiding me always! I know that you must be so proud of me :D Angel doll! Happy BDay <3 <3 Cutie pie! May God bless you always!

     So this is it for today peeps! Going to sleep now! Its been an awesome day!

Good Night!
V

My first week teaching!

      I've just began my first week of teaching and I know a few years from now I'll look back at this and have a hearty laugh about it. From basically having no clue to how the school discipline system works to finally having to do duty during lunch and asking kids to go outside who were twice my size and two heads taller than me... its been a crazy, unique, different, interesting learning experience.

My first day of school was chaotic.. waking up was so hard and waiting for the kids to experience my first class was all the more thrilling! My first day was something that I wasn't prepared for. Never had I experienced a teacher version of the first day back and omg I was left surprised. My students are 'students'. They talk, the dont read and they find it hard to focus. However, lessons learned of what not to do on the first day of school!

The rest of the week was good too! Just so tired from the lack of sleep. I never realized how much paperwork would exist! Oh well ! I'll keep learning!

Off to bed :)
<3 <3 <3
Double Closet! Woot woot ! Good Luck!
V

I survived!

I apologize to all my peeps that I cant tell you in detail what all happened today! But I made it. The grade 9's and 10's were far more better than the grade 11's. Thankfully the 11's were just a cover. I learned so much today that never ever crossed my mind! There is so much more to teaching than I ever thought off!

I came home exhausted and was in no mood to use my voice that was already strained. I hope tomorrow is a good day. Definitely drinking 3l of water tomorrow!

Happy Feast! Some day... I'll be able to go to velankani and celebrate it!

Also I lost 3 light bulbs in my appt today! And thank God for Abdou who fixed them! All my lights are now fully working!

www.edmondo.com -> trying this one out as a teacher/ class website! Pretty much facebook for school!
Lets see how it goes!

This is it! Hopefully I get more sleep!  Got to go back to prep! But peeps I'll ans all the viber msgs, the skype unanswered calls and the whats app's! Just trying to figure out a routine for me and my kids!

V

And tomorrow will be my first day teaching!

                  I am excited and nervous at the same time. The classroom is all set, the textbooks ready to be distributed and wow my dream come true moment. Thank you everyone for all your support these last two weeks.

And it's going to be ok!

            Turns out that I misjudged myself ...  I CAN share, I CAN open up and most important of all I CAN do it. Today was a new day... I went into my classroom knowing what I wanted to end up with, realizing that I AM an open book and it is up to me to fill it all in. As I sit on my bed and just comprehend all the amazing things that happened I want you to know, that I am going to be OK! And most importantly we're going to be OK and you're going to be OK!

Sometimes getting to know a person changes how your relationship ends up with them. I could be hostile... but it's even better for me to give in, be a bit better, make her feel better and have a easier year. As we ease into our new roles, I forget that its just not me dealing with everything new! I might have ignored the others at Arkan, the few people I forget to ask how they are doing back in Sauga... and sometimes I forget to ask my own family whats going on?

But at the end of the day, I just needed to ask and they were there. Sadly it wasn't me asking ... the other half did on my behalf... but surprisingly it was all I needed. I am not saying that the best way to deal with "I want my mommy" is to figure out a way to reach her and not give me empathy and 'be nice' :P to me, but all I am saying is that thank you for telling poppy that I just needed them. Waking up to mommy's call was amazing! Spoke to daddy on skype, who should totally receive an award to coming on cam and being able to use it so well! I am impressed! I remember what my prof told me last year...I am going to have to give a chance to let people in and to let them know how I feel... to stop keeping it in and to have 'feelings', to be able to say and express and most importantly to tell them how important they are in my life.

So here it is:
1) To mommy and daddy - I love you and I know you're so proud of me. I saw my dad getting all emotional on skype today and telling me he'd come online tomorrow to talk to me! Mommy I love you! You know that I miss you!
2) Poppy - umm we are one unit! Theorem - no need for proof, refer to umm last 22. something years!
3) Him - I know this is different, I know this is difficult... but you promised me to be there for me! All I ask is atleast try to work things out. Today was a new start... lets keep the momentum going. I did wake up eventually - went and made a cheese sandwich (KRAFT AND LAUGHING COW ARE AMAZING!!!!).
4) Canim - You are an angel! I had Tabouli , and Dolmak today! Techekurlar and Eveeeetttttt!
5) Har - heheheh for asking me my stories and keeping me in the loop! I do want a cute 'kit-kat'. Pleaseee! I hope its so fluffy!
6) R + S + A + Chi + Arj + Aria + Everyone! How you know me so well.. sometimes surprises me! But <3 <3 <3
7) Shah I miss the dancing!
8) To the new staff and all the new friends I made: today's lunch, then the card game, ensuring we are there for each other and the movie night just now makes me realise that I am building a new family away from home!
9) Aunty - I am in awe of you taking my side today! I am in awe how you know there is a problem. Thank you for stepping in and giving us a helping hand... we were in dire need of it!
10) The grey shirt and black tie!  The random swings.. the understanding... and a great friendship I'll always cherish! Thank you for calling me a strong sexy women! :D Helps to have the ego boosted!
11) David - You patience is to die for and I have so much respect for you! All the walks all over the parks and trails is what I'll always cherish! Also I kinda passed a few courses because of you. Thank you for always guiding me and giving me your opinion and being honest and a great friend!


Thank you special people for being positive around me always. For ensuring I am always happy and don't feel low at all. For making me always believe and re-affirming my thoughts to let me know I CAN do it. I do feel loved, cared for and in good shape to start my teaching career!

V

They say don't laugh so much... you'll cry eventually!

There are some that make you feel like you just got hit by a truck or at times when one is at their lowest point they bring you even more down... and today this is how I feel.
I miss my mommy... I miss my sista ... I miss those friends of mine who were mine! I know you boys still love me off.. its just we are all so far away!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

So there were 5 lil fruits. The apple, the banana, the melon, the lichi and the grape! The apple loved them all. One day the apple was really really sad because of the banana. Miscommunication on a few things , irrelevant ones made it sad. The apple cried out to the banana.. but he did not get it. They kept fighting until the poor lil apple burst out in many more tears. The apple whose very good friend was the melon and the grape... spoke to them who calmed it down. The banana told the lichi to go check up on the apple. However, apple and lichi were one unit anyways. Lichi made the apple stronger and told it to not worry about banana that much. Lichi and Lichi's mommie loved apple so much that it would be more than enough. And apple knew it in its heart that Lichi was right. So though not all the fruits were in sync with apple... the imp ones were. Thank you lichi, grape and melon. <3 <3 <3
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

On the brighter side of the day, Kidzania was awesome! Why were these things not there when we were kiddies. Loved it. Spend some great time there!

Mommy n poppy me loves you!
Har...I kinda do want a kit-kat :P
Canim ... thank you for always being there!
Poppy ... m your cookie
Thanks to this awesome support system + jellybean + a few other => I still sleep with a smile on my face!

Feeling much better

V

      The number of things that go on in my mind are so many that choosing and picking to write a few is quite a hard task.

 So I'll share with you something that struck me today: Just because I have a different passport than many others... I am respected. Its sad... its terrible! They dont understand what global citizenship means. They just dont get it. How could you ask the ladies and treat them like your better than them? Did you forget that if you were not privileged to receive education, you might be doing a job that maybe considered 'lowly' or may make you incompetent in this 'rich' world?

______________________________________________________________________________

On the bright side... the culture here spoils me. Imagine getting your groceries bagged and then carried out for you + the guy finding you a taxi to go home... nice na! You bet thats how we got treated today! 

Also thanks to that awesome bakery dude who gave us Egyptian cake. Tasted exactly like the East Indian Coconut cake. Yum Yum Yum!

Regardless I refused to take the 100 plastic bags they were giving me. Rather used my one awesome recyclable bag.

Bought biryani masala... plus dal! Lets see how this goes!

______________________________________________________________________________

Today is the first day of Frosh for this year at Uni!

Remember Har, Arj, uj +ia , chi, Canim... we all met this week 5 years back! I miss you boys! Those sunny days, the carefree life, the foozball times and all our memories are so special! <3 <3 <3

To the oldies and the new ones ... thank you for being an important part of my life! Yeh dosti special hai bhai!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Poppy

awww bubudollie you are never alone! I am your chinti pinti na. Me loves you <3 <3 <3

I dont need words to tell you these things!  I know you miss Jelly too! He misses sleeping in between :P

______________________________________________________________________________

I am doing exactly what someone told me I am good at... Canim I never believed you then.. now I do!

Being positive is what it is all about! It makes me strong! It makes me overcome the small barriers!

PS : Bought 3 pairs of sandals! And they are so pretty and yet so practical! :p

Night!

V

WASTAAA!!!!

       

1) WAASTA
This is a Kuwaiti thing. Whom do you know and what they do are important players in how work gets done. I guess its everywhere in the world where this does happen... but omg here this is how anything or everything gets done!

2) Are you enjoying in Kuwait?
Oh please dont ask me that question.. its kinda stupid dont you think? Well it is fun! But I am here on the goal of becoming an educator... and the heat... work hours... and plus umm (its dry) ! Enjoying?
I am getting used to my 2nd week. When I start enjoying... Oh I will let you know!


3) YoGA!
So yoga mat - CHECK
Yoga partner - CHECK
Now we just have to do it! LOL

4) FAHAEEL
I like this place!

5) Learning to calm down! To be patient and to keep smiling!

So got my classroom ! Still setting it up!
Going to teach Grade 9, 10 Math :D

Shopping is always therapy!

- V

New beginnings!

So it's been a week since I left home, and wow it could be pretty overwhelming! The first day was scary... being alone in a new new place... waiting for the bus I had missed! Thank goodness for the lil angel Ms. H, without you I'd have been so lonely! The day was actually fun going to Vee Lounge and having a good night. Since then there have been no tears just new experiences!

My School is a big school... 2300 students with almost 400 staff! I am not sure which grade Math I am teaching but soon we will figure it out! I am interested with all the talk on behaviour issues with the kids acting up... but like hopefully my first year teaching will be a positive experience. Living alone is interesting ... I really feel like I am living on residence of UTM!

The malls- Avenues, 360, Alcout are amazing! The super markets are filled with everything I'd find in Toronto. The culture shock was not so much ... maybe because I was prepared for it. Not exactly sure!

So to the main point... to all my loved lollys in T.dot and around the world ... I miss you! Parents + nan + loudu- Muah. Canim thanks for being the first person I spoke to since coming here! Poppy I love you. H you are awesome.. keep me in the loop with all the happenings and the tech!  S you always understand me. R thanks for the cooking tips! Kedi thanks for keeping a subtle eye!

The funniest part of my first week is that I was someone who refused to cook, who said I'll find guy who would cook for me... but here I am... cooking for myself! Turns out I am pretty good at it too :P At least so far I've only had success with the cooking :D

Woot Woot!
So cheers to new beginnings! New friendships and great memories!

Buildings lit up always!













Cooking for the first time!