*I’m not sure exactly how I found Jill’s blog, battered suitcases. Nor am I sure if I realized that we went to high school together before or after I started following the posts. Funny how the blog world works that way sometimes. What I am sure of is, I love reading her stories of travel and teaching. I’m fascinated by her experience teaching in Abu Dhabi. Jill was nice enough to answer all my questions, here are a few of her responses and photos.

How did you find the opportunity to teach in UAE?
The school district I was working for at home announced it would need to lay off 144 teachers. I realized that there was no way I’d be getting a teaching contract for the fall. I decided it was time to look for other options. I began to look into teaching in Alaska and Australia. I was nearly set on Australia but very confused by the visa process. My very good friend from teachers’ college was laid off around this time. She found an opportunity to teach in Abu Dhabi through Search Associates. During her interview she asked if her friend could come too. Her interviewer told her to have me email my resume in. Abu Dhabi was never my intention, but I saw an opportunity. I emailed my resume and had a phone interview the next day. My contract was signed a few days later.
What was your teaching experience before this?
I substitute taught for one year and spent another (fantastic) year on a long term substitute contract as a librarian.
Did you need a TEFL certification?
You don’t need a TEFL certificate to teach in Abu Dhabi but you do need a valid teaching certificate and two years of teaching experience.
What does a typical work week look like?
There isn’t one! It all depends on your school and the school schedule itself might change mid-year. The most recent schedule at my school required teachers to be on campus from 7:15am – 2:30pm. Of course, I was usually at school before 7:00am and often stayed much later than 2:30pm, and add a 45 minute commute each way. Contrast that with my friends who have a 10 minute commute and can leave school at 1:30pm! It all comes down to your principal. In general, the primary teachers teach six 45 minute periods each day to two groups of students. For example, you might teach one group of students periods 1, 2, 3 and a different group 4, 5, 6, with period 7 being your break. Of course it’s never that simple and each day of the week will have a different schedule. Depending on your school you’ll be in meetings after school 2-3 days a week. And there are always surprise field trips, lectures, parties, and activities that no one will tell you about until five minutes before!

What are some of the perks of your job?
The best perk of the job is being so close to so many other amazing destinations. I never thought I’d ever travel to Oman. Now I’ve been there at least 5 times and feel like it’s an undiscovered worthwhile destination. Since moving to the UAE I’ve been able to visit 25 countries. As someone who loves to travel, that’s quite the perk! Other perks include plenty of holiday time, a bonus at contract completion, and airfare home.
What do you do for fun in Abu Dhabi?
One of my favorite things to do for fun in Abu Dhabi is go desert camping. Incredible sand dunes are only three hours away and if you’re not so much concerned with the scenery an easy 45 minute drive outside of town will do. You can camp just about anywhere you like. It’s an amazing experience to be out in the dunes and under the stars. Camping season is between November – April so you can tease your friends and family back home with stories of camping in January!
Where did you meet your friends there?
Typically teachers here arrive in large groups so it’s easy to meet people in the beginning. Some of my friends I met this way. Others I met through friends or we worked at the same school.
How did you transition into your new life in Abu Dhabi?
The first few months in Abu Dhabi were pretty rough. I didn’t have an apartment. I didn’t have a car. I didn’t even have my passport! There was very little communication from my employer and rumors were going crazy. Eventually I got my apartment which helped me to feel settled and allowed me to cook healthy food. I obtained my drivers license and rented a car which took away the stress of getting to and from work every day. And I received my passport back with a nice little residence visa inside which allowed me to begin planning my first trip. After a few months I fell into a nice routine of working, napping, and socializing.
How do you cope with hard moments (loneliness, culture shock, homesickness…)?
I tend to be a very independent person so I don’t get as lonely or homesick as some people. I enjoy spending time alone and working on small projects like sewing or baking. That being said, sometimes I get really grumpy (like this past Christmas) or especially stubborn (Thanksgiving 2010) and can’t figure out why. I’ve realized it’s usually homesickness. My coping method at that point is to just let myself cry. That’s probably not the best way to do it, but it helps in the end! I also keep a blog that helps me feel connected to friends and family, and more recently have begun using FaceTime on occasion. As far as dealing with culture shock I’ve found that it helps to just think of things in terms of telling a good story. You might be incredibly frustrated or annoyed at the time… but in the end, it’s another good story.
What are some of your best memories of teaching in Abu Dhabi?
I taught the same group of girls for two years and we really bonded. I was their first Western teacher and they were my first class of my very own. At the beginning of our second year together one student came up to me to say, “Miss Jill? I love you too much, much much.” That’s one of my favorite memories.
What are some of your best memories of life in Abu Dhabi?
So many. One in particular stands out as I’m writing this. My friend Molly and I wanted to visit a new emirate for New Year’s Eve. We set out after school on what should have been only a few hours drive. It turned into a much more complicated affair that involved incomplete overpasses and a bloody nose. Eventually we reached our destination and set up our tent in the dark just minutes before midnight. We had a little toast and went to bed…only to be roused from our sleep by men shouting in Arabic and random unidentifiable screaming. We did not sleep easy. The next morning we exited our tent to find that we had not only set up camp in someone’s front yard, we were right smack in the middle of a herd of goats. The random “screaming” had been explained. The owner of the home came out to offer us tea (we think) but we were ready to move on. I still laugh when I think about that experience.
What are your favorite foods there?
For the most part, traditional Emirati food is something that you are only exposed to in a local home. Being vegetarian and not fond of dates, it’s not my favorite cuisine. However, Lebanese food is really popular here. From my apartment window I could see three Lebanese restaurants on my block with a fourth going in around the corner. I really like fatoush, which is a salad made of lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, and if it’s really good, pomegranate. And being ever a fan of snack foods, I love Square Crisps which are basically just salt and vinegar chips but much much tastier.
Any advice or encouragement for someone thinking about teaching in UAE?
You must be flexible. Begin stretching now.
*Thanks Jill for sharing your experience and answering my questions! Don’t forget to check out her blog battered suitcases to read more about her travels and experiences in the Middle East.