tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66775077510121516002011-04-21T16:27:57.379-07:00Travel Divanoreply@blogger.comBlogger191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-37930632558552053272008-06-30T08:45:00.001-07:002008-08-14T19:49:56.274-07:00

Unlike last summer, in which the majority of my classes were theory based, this summer's classes are more hands on. I am especially enjoying learning how to teach independent living skills under blindfold. Cooking simple meals which involve operating an oven, chopping, blendng, mixing, and cleanup, although somewhat frustrating while under occlusion, has also been quite fun - especially after

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-7939313788017895572008-06-25T16:52:00.000-07:002008-07-17T20:41:23.868-07:00

June 19th, 11:30 p.m... Sixteen hours is a pretty long time to be cooped up on a plane - especially if you hate flying. With that said, it was pretty cool to fly over the Persian Gulf. Looking down from the plane I could see clusters of brightly lit islands scattered across sea; it was dusk and the view was stunning. Reaching the North American continent early the next morning, my neighbor -

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-5375623201754045272008-05-31T09:36:00.001-07:002008-06-17T13:28:44.718-07:00

As the school year comes to a close, I find myself looking forward to returning to the U.S. for the summer. Going home will be good for my soul. After two months in the states, I hope to feel refreshed, renewed, and ready to return to the Emirates for one final year before moving back home permanently to start a new career working with visually impaired and blind children. Although I still have

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-33505435608457766552008-05-24T02:48:00.001-07:002008-06-23T09:42:15.251-07:00

Note: photos for this post are incomplete and will be added on an ongoing basis... When it comes to shopping in the middle east, I prefer to visit the local Souks, or markets that are known for selling traditional items at a fraction of the cost that you would purchase them for at a mall. Also, the cultural experience of shopping in a Souk - which is full of the sights, sounds, and smells of

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-31349488194624918492008-04-30T10:43:00.000-07:002008-05-11T07:44:50.778-07:00

School AssemblyNational Day CelebrationWell, it's hard to believe that another school year is almost over. Teaching a class of 27 rambunctious second grade students - the majority of whom are boys - has been very

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-6725721531155270512008-02-16T10:50:00.000-08:002008-08-20T16:18:43.160-07:00

Growing up in Los Angeles in the 70s, the sound of Santana dominated the airwaves on the radio. Each song played from that era brought back memories of my childhood in Southern California. Therefore, it was with great excitement and anticipation that I accepted my co-worker's invitation to accompany her to Santana's first ever performance in the Middle East.His "Live Your Light" tour was a huge

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-18065308905376622442007-12-18T23:28:00.001-08:002008-05-11T07:48:10.316-07:00

...closing my eyes tight, and holding on for dear life, I started to pray: "Lord, if you allow me to arrive at my hotel safe and sound, I promise that I will NEVER get on another one of these damn bikes again! Please Lord!! PLEEESE!!!" It seemed at though God was preoccupied with other, more serious concerns because no matter how much I begged and pleaded, my prayers seemed to fall upon deaf ears

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-17445546958525569212007-12-18T22:37:00.001-08:002008-04-23T11:01:47.989-07:00

It was almost midnight, and I was tired, cranky, and lost!!! Exiting the subway after leaving the night market, I had no idea which direction I was or should have been heading. Turning left instead of turning right, my sense of direction blurred and cloudy due to sheer exhaustion, I walked into what looked like the Red Light District almost bumping into and tripping on the high stilletto heels of

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-78708156869478081072007-12-13T03:09:00.000-08:002008-01-02T05:25:01.911-08:00

Although I had passed by and taken numerous photos of the famous Burj Al Arab hotel, I had never had the opportunity to set foot inside - until now. My boss, Marian, was having a birthday celebration and invited a few of her colleagues to join her for drinks at the Burj.The first 7 star hotel that I'd ever set foot in, wasn't as over the top as I'd heard. Arriving a few minutes early, we were

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-594002304851857252007-12-03T08:11:00.001-08:002008-01-02T06:47:25.625-08:00

The Jewel of the Gulf is the best description that I can think of to describe Oman. From its warm and hospitable people, to its lovely warm turquoise beaches, and varied landscape, Oman lives up to its name.Upon entering the city of Muscat, I was impressed by the gorgeous landscaping, and overall cleanliness of the city. The abundance of flowers, green grass, and palm trees (remember, this is the

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-84433654450777327452007-11-28T00:53:00.000-08:002007-11-29T10:18:49.339-08:00

Not much of a dancer, and seriously lacking in the rhythm department, I was initially reluctant to sign up for belly dancing classes at the Sharjah Ladies' Club. Hearing how much fun it was, however, gave me the push that I needed to go ahead and give it a shot. Although I find many of the moves difficult to execute, I am having fun (and amusing my fellow classmates) trying. The music has a

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-43359207747350422592007-11-09T12:46:00.000-08:002007-11-29T10:31:05.797-08:00

I first met Camille several months ago at the Sharjah Ladies' Club - the local women's only health and fitness spa and club. We were enrolled in a Pilates class together. Camille is an African American Muslim who is married to an Algerian man and has three adorable and rambunctious children. She has been living in the Emirates for about three years now. Stunningly beautiful with a million

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-47235480253192213022007-11-01T22:45:00.000-07:002007-11-07T09:58:35.019-08:00

Walking along the dusty, and bustling main road through Petra's centuries old ruins, I marveled at how such a magnificent city could be carved out of stone and rock without the assistance of modern day tools, machines, or technology! At first glance, it looked like an elaborate set from a Hollywood action adventure movie. Could Petra have been the inspiration for the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-13931117170412562862007-10-24T19:58:00.000-07:002007-10-26T06:04:07.215-07:00

"Are you dodging bullets?""How do you manage to escape from the bombs?""You'd better be careful! Aren't they kidnapping Americans?" "Why would you want to live there? It's not very safe."These are some of the questions that I have been asked before and after moving to the United Arab Emirates, which is located in the gulf region of the middle east, to teach 2nd grade at an international school.

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-23123696433943788892007-10-21T05:20:00.000-07:002007-10-26T03:04:59.926-07:00

My apprehension quickly turned from relief to curiosity when I realized that I was about to be given a private tour of various rooms within the castle that I would not have found on my own. This unofficial Bedouin docent, proud of the castle and its history, turned out to be both sweet and harmless. "Look in here! " he exclaimed. "This is the wine cellar." On and on we ventured from room to

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-71090314243738257452007-10-14T11:33:00.000-07:002007-10-23T11:23:36.353-07:00

Contrary to popular belief, not all middle eastern countries are oil rich nations. Jordan, which produces no oil, is in fact, very poor and many Jordanians live either barely above, or just below the poverty line. However, what Jordanians lack in material wealth is more than made up for in the kindness that they extend to foreigners who visit their country. I was extremely impressed with their

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-14369851346032320902007-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:002007-10-09T10:03:11.442-07:00

This is an expression that I came across on the Black Travels Forum which refers to the experiences of blacks - both positive and negative - who leave their comfort zone in order to travel abroad.I have been traveling internationally for about ten years now, and living abroad for two. Over the years, I have received emails from African Americans who are interested in traveling overseas, and

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-88365611101620859332007-10-07T20:39:00.001-07:002007-10-19T10:23:18.516-07:00

When I decided to embark upon the journey of pursuing an online Masters working with visually impaired children at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I was filled with excitement, anticipation, and fear. I was excited because I was finally pursuing a career that had sparked my interest over eleven years ago when I volunteered to work in a VI classroom. Yet, I was fearful

Travel Divanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677507751012151600.post-40593417903500056412007-10-05T08:01:00.000-07:002007-10-19T10:36:02.277-07:00

Well....after living and working abroad for over two years, I have finally taken the time to sit down and actually set up a blog of my overseas adventures....better late than never! Prior to moving to the Emirates, I lived and worked in Prague, Czech Republic for 15 months. I left that cold, grey and stunningly beautiful historic city in favor of the hot, dry westernized city of Dubai, United

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