Sailing Club

 Now that my Middle School Climbing Dream Team came to an end I was soo excited to head down to the Marina Sailing Club with Fuller and "supervise" a bunch of our kiddos sailing.

It was a gorgeous night, I was able to take a few photos of the Burj Kalifa and Burj Al Arab and enjoy some time relaxing out on the sea.  Taking a few photos of the kids and hearing my favorite little frenchmen yell over 50 meters away, "Youz can not take photoz of me, it waz not in ze contract!" Once again I love my job.

One of my Favorite Peoples in Dubai... Miss Fuller

My first Rugby 7's Match!

 By joining the Dubai Women's Rugby Club- and playing Rugby 7's for the Hurricanes, not only was I able to travel to Doha-Quatar, Kuwait, and just around the corner to Jebal Ali, but I made a ton of new friends that I am happy to say are now like family.

Tackeling a girl from Sharja!!!! GOT HER!!!

  Playing Rugby with these girls for the past 8 months have really made Dubai feel like home.  Transitioning from a few games of Rugby 15's to Rugby 7's wasn't easy, but all my teammate really helped me get the hang of things.   From playing on the astro turf in Jebal Ali to the Sand lot pitches in Kuwait I have had loads of fun, running like crazy in the back line, as the Hurricanes Wing. I only wish Lozza Bauschie was living in the UAE as well and then everything would be PERFECT, remembering all the good 'ol times of EC Rugby as well as the Lady Rats of Southern Cross.

And another one from Abu Dhabi!!!!! Wait.... that's PINK BOOTS!!!!! Got her too!!

ASD FIELD TRIP

Indoor Ice Rink, TGI FRIDAYS, and some Happy Feet, what more could I ask for.... I love my job!

At the end of the quarter, to help our kiddos prepare for their trip to Greece... moving as a unit, getting a long in public, etc. we left school one morning to spend the day at the Dubai Mall. We started at the ice rink watching heaps of 6th graders make their way onto the ice, many of whom it was their first time on skates. Jordan, Alyssa, and I all being Wisconsinites loved the ice and snow, only wished to be back in Eau Claire that day. After skating we enjoyed a great American Lunch of TGI Fridays :) followed by a showing of Happy Feet TWO... and I must say not as impressive as the first, but then again the first one wasn't the greatest either. There was a slight hiccup that morning when there we no busses to take us, but in the end everything worked out and all the kids had a fabulous time, (myself included).

Fancy Dinner Partys in Oman

I continued my random weekend visits to Oman attending Fancy Dinners with free food and drink and plenty of dancing with my friend Jason along with endless glasses of Champagne! We Watched the Iron Chef type cook offs with fancy people they fly in from France, and sat next to famous sirs and madams from all over the place.  The UNICEF charity dinner was amazing, yet I couldn't have felt more outta place. All great times with wonderful people and it's always fun to get all dressed up and trek over to Oman.

Muscat Oman

Thanksgiving I was lucky to have some new friends (I met when camping) to spend time with down in Muscat, Oman. We had a great time with plenty of food. And although there wasn't an American Football game on, I enjoyed playing lawn games and eating my turkey outside in the grass on a beautiful sunny day!!! I did still miss the fall and smell of Autumn leaves... it just wasn't the same, but good none the less. This is only my second Thanksgiving ever spent away from family, but I am sure grateful to have met some new friends far from home.

After Thanksgiving, Jason gave me a tour of Muscat...including the HUGE mosque as well as the Fish Souk.... I have yet to go to the Goat Market....perhaps that is because I know I will go back to Dubai with a new friend if he takes me there.

INDIA- Delly Belly

Coaching swimmers in India would have been way more fun and exciting had I not gotten Delhi Belly!.... but I still had a GREAT time and even got to sit in a Tuk-Tuk!!!!

The final swim meet of the season Roanne, Benedetta and I took 24 of our top swimmers to Delhi, India. We had a great couple of nights hanging out in a "fancy" hotel as the kids spent time with host families.  Our long days were spent pool side, cheering the kids on, taking times, and heaps of photos. They won a ton of medals and awards. They did a great job competing at MESAC. ( Middle East South Asian Conference) It was the first time we even had our school mascot- the Falcon, travel with the team, and pumping up the crowd.  The host school was very nice, high secuirty- (more than ASD), and even monkeys strolled through the campus.  We enjoyed a fabulous meal with all the swim parents and experienced the crazy taxi ride home- with changing a flat tire on the side of the highway.  When the meet days would come to an end we were off to the markets, enjoying the shops and food vendors. Even though I stayed far from these vendors, I somehow managed to get a lovely little amoeba living in my stomach.... not fun. The rest of the trip and for three weeks afterwards I was digustingly sick.  If you are ever in Delhi- Aviod the ice cubes at hotels as well!!

My first camping trip to OMAN

Musendaam Camping & a Dhow Cruise.... was just what I needed after a long week of school. We finished school on Thursday, and I headed out to Oman for a 3 night camping trip. We stayed on the beach one night, and then drove to a spot high over a mountain to this remote bay. It was gorgeous, I was lucky to find a few acasia trees to put my hammock up in, since I didn't really think this one through before packing my camping gear to Dubai. (Mainly desert camping...aka... no trees.... aka... tent hammocks are applicable) But I made it through everything, and even had a few goats below me some nights as they walked past raiding the campground for food. The following morning we went on a Dhow cruise. We even saw a bunch of dolphins swim along side the boat!  It was another fabulous day of snorkeling, swimming, and having flippie contests off the boat. As locals just stared at the "crazy tourists." We also took some amazing hikes through the mountains and I was able to get some mini trail running in. It was a great time and I was glad to have made some new friends who love the outdoors as much as I do.