Round Two.....

I started my summer with a visit to France....Lovely!!!

After this nice little break I spent the rest of my time running around visiting friends, family and anyone else I hadn't seen since my departure...It was fun, lots of catching up and story swapping...It's amazing how many things go on in just a few months!! But anyway, here is a brief run down of what I've been up to!!

There was a big send off, but alas I didn't take any photos, but suffice to say it made me happy, so I'll leave you with this one....

There were nights on the town...

And there was a blinding Sunday Dinner - Thanks LEW!!

It was fun...

I came, I drank, I recovered...

And I headed back to Kuwait a happy camper...

I headed back to Kuwait for my second year teaching after a busy summer...The school has expanded so it was a busy time...Classrooms to prepare, teachers to get on flights, always the joy of paperwork to complete! Staff handbooks to prepare etc... But the importantthing is that most of it got done!! I'm here, along with a lovely group of newcomers for a whole new batch of adventures!!! Work has started, children are in school (in their hundreds) and weve all survived the challenge of Ramadan and flu season - why do those two things always arrive together I wonder??? I'm back in the flat with my girls, and we're still getting up to our old tricks....I'll post more details of those at a later date!! This is just a quick low down of the basics....

Of course I am still on the hunt for a husband...Joking Dad, this is Mr Terry, he teaches Drama and helps us organise all of the 'fun' at school!!!

Girgian came along...This is a traditional day linked somehow to Ramadan...Don't really know the particulars except that it is somehow similar to Halloween in that children give and are given lots and LOTS of sweets and chocolates!! We all dress up in traditional clothes and enjoy Drama, music, dancing and generally just a lovely day. So I thought it'd be a nice opportunity to show you some of the new gang...

So all in all, a good start to the year!!! A new contract, a new language, lots of new people.....And of course Girgian, which means LOTS of sweets and chocolates!! Who wouldn't be happy with that eh??!!!! So until next time....

Massalama for now!!!!

My last few weeks of this year...

Well it was nearly our last week here in Kuwait with the three

flatmates all together so we hooked up with a contact and went out on a

little boat trip for the day! We went out with the intention of scuba diving,

It didn't quite work out that way...PARTY CENTRAL is what happened!!

Anyway, it was a good day and I thought I'd make it probably my last entry

of this academic year...This isn't the boat we were on but it is lovely isn't it....

As you can see the three of us had a great time...

And we ended the day with this sunset...

Well that's not actually how it ended - the boat got stuck

after the tide went out and we had to wait until midnight

to go home!!! But this view made it all worthwhile!!!

My Latest travels...

So what's news I hear you ask..... I went to Bahrain a few weeks ago for the weekend, and I am ashamed to say THIS is the only photograph I managed to produce from the whole experience!!! It was my 3rd trip to Bahrain but the first for pleasure, the first two were Visa related and were literally day trips that took me from the airport to the Embassy and back again!! So this time there was more to do (actually...I didn't do ANYTHING!!!!) oh my! Anyway, I posted the photo as it's the only momento I have!!!!

I also went to Dubai for the weekend last week. It was so nice, everything was so clean and greenery EVERYWHERE!! I saw the man made indoor ski slope...I visited the Emirates Mall, I took a stroll down by Dubai Creek (where there were some lovely luxury Cruisers floating around, and Dows (spelling??) decorated with fairy lights)...I spent a whole day relaxing in a pool on the roof of a hotel... And generally just relaxed!!!! I had a good time, in fact I had such a good time I forgot to take any photographs!! Sorry!!!!

Just a little update!!!! And hopefully a few laughs...

Well I thought it was time for a little update.... first of all sorry it took so long!!!! The latest news in Kuwait... let me see.... Well it's coming up to the end of the school year so the children are going a bit stir crazy and all the teachers are exhausted!! Roll on summer!!!!!!

My paperwork is done and ready for the end of the year so I'll go ahead and smugly tell you that this is where I spend my weekends and spare time:


Sorry I just couldn't resist!! this is 'The Palms', which is the Health Club I joined...It's a really good time of year to be there right now - not too hot, not too cold!!! I actually took this picture last Thursday (first day of the weekend here) from my sun lounger!! Ha ha, bet you all want to punch me now...


I did some sight seeing from the Kuwait towers - the main featured tourist attraction of these parts...I don't have the exact measurements but they're pretty high!!!!

Check out the view...



We did the Terry Fox run...


5k may not seem like far...but add in the 40 degree heat and it soon became a challenge...This was undoubtedly my favourite part:


The victory pose after finishing...


And our recent trip to our local 'Kuwait'hair salon left us looking a little bit like this....



So I will leave you with this philosophy - if she doesn't speak English...Don't let her pick up the scissors!!!!!!!!

Hope you're rnjoying the blog...I'll keep updating!!!!!

Lately in GBA...

Well.... It was just another day around Christmas time when Little Old Miss Emma (Oh she of the great ideas) decided it would be a good idea to plan a whole school 'Health Week'.... being that healthy lifestyle choices are not the kind usually made in this part of the world!! Anyway, everyone agreed it would be a positive learning experience...So I planned, and I planned and I planned... And in all honesty it went well!! we learnt about Terry Fox, we learnt about keeping our bodies happy and healthy... we learnt about healthy food and drinks, and on the whole had a good time!! Here are some of the things we did:

We lerned how to make juice...

We trained very hard for sports day...

Although Mr Terry and Miss Emma seemed to be pratising for the 'special olympics'...

Look Mama... I'm a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sports Day came and went...and this is my first ever trophy.....Ok ok, it's not mine, it was the winner's cup from the parents race - I was just carrying it to the car....although it did feel good to hold it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas in Kuwait!!!!

So it was Christmas day, it was Kuwait... and it was absoloutely pouring down with rin (so at least something felt like home!!), there was a flat, there was a Christmas Pudding and... not the recipe for any normal holiday!!! This is how it went...

This is the closest I got to a kiss under the mistletoe....

Here's a sample of us after our dinner of bbq lamb and chips (I kid you not!!!)...
Christmas is a big thing here in Kuwait!!!!


Well, not that big.....


Oh how I miss my family... if only I had an ice cream to cheer me up...


Oh look at that... there is a GOD!!! See....greedy Emma wherever I am!!!!

How I spent my 27th birthday - I woke up to this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe that getting older is a reason to celebrate out here???? This was brought in to school for me by the parent of one of my students - they really do make a big effort to make you feel at home!!!!

I thought it'd be strange as it was my first year away from family, but everyone made a huge effort to make me feel at home, I had so many presents from friends, students and teachers that I really didn't know what to do with myself!!!! All in all, a good year!!!

Meet the flatmates..... There's me (obviously - the brunette one in case you've forgotten), Lisa the ginger Irish one, and Brette the blonde Canadian, we're quite a bunch, young, sometimes dumb, but usually having lots of FUN!!!!



And they say there's no partying.....







Quad biking in the desert... This is the day we decided it was time to see some of 'rural'Kuwait, ha ha ha.... We went quad biking (and thank you for the comments but I will take this very public opportunity to defend myself against the accusations of being a Welsh 'Miss Daisy'and say SLOW CAN BE FUN TOO!!), we went to see the Iraq border (don't even ask why) and just generally had a good old time!!!!

A peek into life here...

So you want to see what life is like out here, and what we do for fun.... here you go!!!
This is the Kuwait Nomads RFC playing at home - check out the pitch, sandy eh??!!

My new motor!!!!

Meet the neighbours!!!!!

Just a regular Friday night out.......


Only kidding......This is actually the Kuwait that I see.......



These are the parts that make me HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





This is the view from my living room at sunset.....So you see its not all doom and gloom!!!

I converted!!!!!!!!! Ha ha only joking... This is me just a couple of weeks into my contract, thought it'd be a good photo to scare the wits out of you dad!!!!!!