TRACK & FIELD



Me and Lee

A little T & F anyone??  Well the "spring season" is finally here and I couldn't have been more excited to begin coaching TRACK & FIELD!!!! Only the best sport on the planet.  When I signed up to coach T & F I didn't realize that it would only be for 8 WEEKS!!!! Plus my WWW trip was in there as well as Spring Break!!! Which really only leaves us 6 weeks of true T & F practice.... depressing! The shortest season ever, but I came to realize at our last home meet- ECC (Emeriates Coastal Conference)  that you really wouldn't want to go much past April or the heat is unbearable!  Now we are just looking forward to MESAC (Middle East South Asian Conference) which is coming up fast and hosted by our rival Dubai School, DAA (Dubai American Academy).

At ECC- The American School of Dubai, where I teach and coach, won all their divisions against the surrounding schools, and everyone had a great time. Many records were broken and new personal bests were set. It was a great day all around! Proud of my ASD track stars, especially the throwers, now that I have gone over to the dark side.... of coaching throwing. ;) Miss you my fellow E-town athletes and EC track days.

Wouldn't be a Track meet without my Walkin Taco!



My first twilight meet in Abu Dhabi-a beautiful night and a great first time cultural experience coaching track & field across the street from the largest mosque in the Middle East all the while the -Aadhaan "call to prayer" is playing in the background.

Weekend with J!

My friend J- (way back from my days at CAMP NABS) came to Dubai for a short visit over from Hydrabad, India......



 Let the FUN BEGIN!

We had a great weekend of sightseeing and getting lost around the city in search of camel races.  Had an evening at Wild Wadi water park, strolled through the Dubai Mall in search of Taco Bell... which has now gone out of business... NOT COOL.  And even the Mall of the Emirates for a wonderful roast beef sandwich from Hardees. (I no longer take anything for granted, being that J lives in INDIA... my experience with Delhi Belly... no thank you, I would never make it.) 

We also went dune bashing and spent a night desert camping!  There were a few times we had to dig the cars out of the sand and even took out a bush at one point, but driving in the sand couldn't have been more fun.  We were just glad Kingsley is a good desert driver.  Later in the evening we almost couldn't find our way back to the campsite, since it got dark and well everything looked the same... rolling hills of nothing but sand.  Luckily 50 some FJ cruisers pulled up, a local caravan of Emirates, helped us get unstuck and we magically found our way.  We stayed up all night sitting by the campfire in the middle of nowhere...talking with friends, drinking, listening to the guys on guitar, and playing with Jackie and Sean's kiddos, great times.

The following day we drove out and back to the road (which seemed like a uber easy task since as we were driving in and looking for the most "perfect" campsite spot I thought to myself we were for sure never getting out of there alive). It was one of my most favorite weekends in Dubai and I am so glad J was able to share it with me. Now it looks like I really need to give India another shot and get back there soon... Hydrabad anyone?

J & Sha take on the Ginormous Sand Dunes!!!!

CANES Tournament

Who Do You Play For?!?!?!

Last Home Rugby Tournament of the Season.  I missed the tournament in Sharja the week before due to week without walls, but we had this home tournament to play in which determined the final standings of the league before the Final Finals. (Confusing yes... I know).

Since I had been playing on the A squad for a number of games and we now had more girls to put together a B squad, I played on both. I would generally come in at half time and play in the second half of the A squad games, and then go and start the B squad games.  Overall it was a great day with a tiring 9 games of Rugby in all!!

Beating the Jebal Ali Dragons yet again

The last game we played in the B squad against Abu Dhabi, I ran towards a girl and she palmed me square in the face, causing an instant bloody nose. I thought it was broken, but in the end it was completely fine. Barely any bruising and the swelling went down after loads of ice was put on it.  I wasn't allowed back on for that game, but I was able to play in the last game for the A squad and even scored a tri!

It was a wonderful day of Rugby- Canes taking another first place with zero tri's against us! Now we will go into the final tournament as the team to beat!

Champions- Dubai Hurricanes- #1 Women's Rugby League

Family Sushi Night

 Cooking for one is never very enjoyable, so the gals I play rugby with had a great idea.... every other Sunday we get together for a nice home cooked meal at someone's house. With only 7 people involved you get an amazing meal every other Sunday and host once every two months or so. Just me, Cara, Phil, Yonnie, Shorty, Kingsley, and Melissa- wonderful catching up and just making time during the week to get together and enjoy a nice meal. 




Saki Bomb

Yonnie

 I hosted a few weeks back and had a  Sushi night. We rolled all sorts of yummy rolls, followed by my favorite frushi (fruit sushi) and ended with Katie's famous Saki Bombs. We had a fantabulous evening of food and fun!

Cara

Katie

 








We're on a BOAT



Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcake = AMAZING

For my friend Deb's Birthday, she got all her friends gathered and went on a nice yacht for a sunset cruise.  It was a gorgeous night cruising through the marina harbor and enjoying some drinks with great friends.  Katie brought amazing cupcakes and we had a small bbq right on the boat. 



Deb the Birthday Gurl

Deb & Griffin!!


After the fun evening on the boat we relaxed poolside out on the Palm while the birthday celebration continued on into the night. Good times.

Katie, Me, and Deb





Week Without Walls

When I applied for my teaching position at ASD, one of the top reasons I chose this school over others was because of their Middle School Week Without Walls Program.  Being able to take a group of students to another country for a service learning project tied in with outdoor adventures... what could be better?!?!  I was very excited to learn that I would be the new 8th grade N. Thailand Trip Leader.  Taking 20 students to Chang Mai!

An Afternoon Relaxing at the Hot Springs

Traversing within the Caves

Since this trip has ran before in the past, it was fairly simple making sure everything was in order and that our 9 days in Chang Mai were action packed and filled with 3 full days of service learning volunteer work.  We were able to take the students to Karen Village and help build a cement wall around the school yard. We mixed cement, layed brick, plastered, and even painted.  On our last day in the village two students even designed a mural to paint on the school wall.  Everyone played with the school children and worked really hard to finish constructing 7 portions of the wall, and even more segments plastered and painted. 

Mural designed by two of my 8th grade students



Melissa and Me

On top of all their work, we were able to go hiking, caving, rock climbing, kayaking, and rafting on traditional bamboo rafts. I had a great time chaperoning this trip along with Jake, Thomas, and my new Wisconsin Friend- Melissa, who was our trip nurse from Rice Lake! A fellow scrap-booker, I was sad to learn that Melissa was moving home- back to WI after our WWW trip came to an end. (Jake was also from Wisconsin oddly enough, poor Thomas having to put up with us three cheese heads. He is from Belguim; I also coach swimming with his wife Beneditta.) 

  

  Another place we were able to visit was an Elephant Sanctuary. Here they take in wounded and homeless elephants (those that wander the city streets begging for food) and give them a nice home. We were able to feed them and even take them to the river for a bath. Throwing the ice cold water onto these elephants was a blast, but eventually the kids had more fun soaking one another than the actual task of bathing the huge creature in front of them. This only lasted for a brief moment before the elephant was back on land and rolling around in the mud puddles.



Bathin the Elephant



We even got a nice big elephant kiss on the cheek with its ginormous trunk. Before leaving we had the kids roll up their sleeves and get right to work shoveling elephant dung into bags that were to be taken to the recycle factory where they make it into paper products. Later we took a visit to that "factory.” It was a great experience and as they kids said, we were able to buy a bunch of "recycled crap".

                                                                

We visited some Buddist Temples got to talk to some monks and learn about their way of life.


 Every night before bed Melissa and I got a wonderful Thai Massage, it was the most perfect way to end the day.Up in the hills north of Chang Mai it was so cold- it reminded me of home. Getting all cozy under a big blanket all in our own little huts, it was a great week.

The last night of our trip we lit traditional paper lanterns, where we could make a wish and send it up into the sky, they were beautiful.

Make a Wish

Our nine days in N. Thailand were spectacular, the people, the food, the service learning projects, and adventures we went on were a great opportunity I was lucky to be a part of..... once again I LOVE MY "JOB".



Just another day of work :)