Pranks and Tricks and It's Not Even April Fools Yet!

Hey guys! You last heard from me as I was heading to Senior Formal. Well, I basically found out it’s much more my style than prom in the U.S. Why? Because it’s prom but less skin. It’s the only time I’ve seen my guys dressed up in tuxes and bowties and girls in some of the most conservative yet stylish dresses. Anyways, I had a lot of fun because I didn’t feel like I had to babysit them this time and I could be my weird self since I knew them a lot better than at the Senior Dinner in October.

Beyond that, this last week hasn’t been really exciting. I’ve been doing a lot of work because I am trying to get it all done before Spring Break in Italy (WE LEAVE TODAY!!!) I’ve joined the intermediate class of jiu jitsu and gone a few times-it’s a lot better when you haven’t done jiu jitsu two nights in a row. It’s still very tiring but much better than being completely exhausted for a week.

This week at school was also Spirit Week-so basically you can dress like an idiot every day for a week because of the different themes. But then students screwed it up and didn’t go with the themes-they just dressed how they wanted. So then it was cancelled for students but teachers could still follow the themes as long as they followed the rules. We had: Sunglasses Sunday (stupid, I know), Mismatch Monday, Twin Tuesday, Wacky Hair/Hat Wednesday, and Jersey Thursday (it’s what it always is for teachers, unofficially).
Today I am literally just sitting in my classroom doing nothing and I believe I chose to do so correctly because I only have 3 students in my class right now. So, rightfully, it was good I didn’t make a project due or plan anything. Students will already hate me enough when they come back and start rehearsing for their play or start learning how to debate in a painful step-by-step process. It’s more painful for me than them, believe me. On a completely different note, I had a French teacher come ask me if she could use my classroom after school 3 days a week. I said it was okay and she went on to explain that she saw the Drama Club play and was so moved by it that she’s making her French class do a French play. I was kind of shocked honestly. Then she said I was helping-so she tricked me. I’m a little angry but, honestly, I can’t do too much anyways because I don’t understand anything that will be going on haha. Anyways, that’s all for me. I will not be able to communicate really for another week as it is spring break and I will be in Italy without service. Chao!

Always Playing Catch Up

Hey it’s been a while!

It’s been so crazy busy here between my school, my show, Carnival and just catching up in grading that I haven’t been able to write for a while. Well, since I last posted these are the highlights:

On Wednesday, March 8, the school had what they called Sports Day. It was basically a day off from school and the entire high school traveled to a field where they played Ultimate Frisbee, football (soccer to us), volleyball, basketball, bubble soccer (kind of) or just sat around and talked all day. It was a fun day except for some kids being very childish or immature. We got back a little early so we got to just hang out while all the students waited for rides and left.

On Saturday, March 12, there was a Drama Club practice where the kids performed for the first time together for Mrs. Kazerooni and Dr. Mohamed (owners of the school) to try and get parents approved to come. We impressed them and got the approval we wanted. There was also a practice for the Fashion show and Talent Show I had been working with as a part of the Carnival.

A few days later, Tuesday, we had practice for Drama Club all school day and even for a while after school. It was crazy because we didn’t have lights for half the day, therefore we couldn’t do makeup, and then we had everything all at once. Also, the auditorium we performed in is not very suitable for a “real” performance like what we were aiming for because there are tiny, tiny rooms off to the side where actors and actresses must wait and hide silently. Every sound from backstage carried out to the audience and if they were looking out at the stage, they were probably seen by audience members.

We finally had our Drama Club performances on Wednesday and Thursday last week! It was very good and I was majorly impressed with the students and what they accomplished. I got lots of praise from parents, students, and teachers the next few days and even today. From the sounds of it, they have never seen a show in the school where students had to perform in “professional lighting” and where audiences were actually sitting in the dark. I even had a student say it was the first time she’s seen a show where everyone had their lines completely memorized! Overall, it was awesome and it went over fairly smoothly. I’m happy it’s done but I’m sad because that means that most of these students I’ve been working with will graduate very soon. We did awesome for two nights of production and many people not really wanting to go but being very supportive in the end. Many teachers and students have already said that they are excited for next year’s performance and asked if I could do another one this year (NO WAY!).

Lastly, this past Saturday was Carnival. Tons of students and their families were there. Carnival here is exactly what it sounds like-chaos, children, fun and screams. Oi that was a day. Anyways, since I had to work in the auditorium as a self-appointed stage manager for the fashion show and talent show (with another teacher-Miah), I came early enough that I would be able to look around and see what booths everyone had and what businesses were represented around the school. And to eat, that’s the important part. Everything was fairly cheap and delicious and it was really nice outside so I was sad I was going to have to stay inside the rest of the day. It was pretty good for the most part and things went fairly smoothly-except for running about 45 minutes late because someone included a huge presentation that they didn’t tell anyone about (not bitter or anything). There was also a riot. That’s why the 2^nd show ended early. Without getting into too many details, there was 2 shows. The first one was for parents and the school owners for the most part. The 2^nd one was for students. During the 2^nd show, there was a small group added in that couldn’t perform in the first one. There was a miscommunication about that and they actually weren’t supposed to perform in either show, so when we told them they couldn’t perform, they freaked out and started getting the audience riled up and then when the students started chanting, we shut down the entire show because we had lost 

control. There was only 1 show that didn’t get to go again but still. It took a good 30 minutes to get all the pissed off students and adults out of the auditorium but it was a mess-some teachers were screamed at or even physically assaulted because of this riot. Oh, but don’t worry, it gets better. Seniors are getting a reward for all of this miscommunication and, to my knowledge, no one has been suspended or anything because of their actions.

Anyways, I need to go get ready for the senior formal-which is the equivalent of prom and then some in this country. See ya!

When Life Gets You Down, You Know What You Gotta Do? Just Keep Swimming!

Hey everyone! Sorry I’ve been crazy busy lately and I feel like I’m running around with my head chopped off. Because of that, this post will be fairly short and to the point.

I’ve still been going to jiu jitsu pretty consistently and, much to my surprise, it’s already been 2 months. If you forgot, 2 months means it’s been about 25 classes and at 25 classes in Bahrain you go up to the intermediate class. So by the end of this week, I’ll be moving up to a different class and going different days but for the same time frame.

Thursday night I went to Sherlock’s with Kate, Nolan and Kendall and I got fish and chips, of course. Then Friday I went to Texas BBQ and Wafflehouse again but with Jess, Kate, Eva, and Jessica. Once again, very American of me but that’s okay.

Other than that, I have another week and a half of going completely crazy and not sleep because of all the stress from school. Next week on Wednesday and Thursday I have my Drama Club show after school and then the Carnival, which has the talent show I’ve been working with, on Saturday. So basically I can’t relax until spring break. No problems there. I’m still working with the talent show which is actually fun but a lot of work outside of and during school and then the Drama Club show I feel confident in but there’s so many small details to worry about until then and I’m doubting more and more as it gets closer. Because of all this, I’m becoming grouchier and snapping at people but I expected some of it. I’d say the main reasons I have to complain are because the talent show was thrust on my shoulders and I didn’t really have a choice and also because I don’t have much help when it comes to the Drama Club show. The person who I am trusting with the lights and set design is also doing a lot for the Carnival in general and my student director isn’t entirely reliable.

Other than that I’m not doing anything. Most of my free time is spent doing work for something or simply sitting because I need a minute to catch my breath. I just found out yesterday that my Drama Club trip to London has been fully approved and that we’re just talking to the embassy to see how long visas and such will take. I’m pretty sure, however, that the trip won’t happen anymore because I originally planned the trip for last month and most of the kids have to choose between London or another trip so, by this time, they’ve already chosen the other trip. This morning, I also found out that I might not have been able to do 2 nights for my Drama Club play performances because Thursday nights in this area are not so good. Despite my comments I had to get the numbers just to prove that I need to have it 2 nights instead of 1. Luckily I did a few hours ago. Now, however, I cannot invite parents until the owner of the school watches and approves of the show. She wants to see a full dress rehearsal (next Tuesday morning) and then give her approval for the performances the two days after.

Anyways, I’m getting really annoyed just talking about all of this so I’m going to stop before I start taking it out on people. I will probably not post again for 2 weeks unless by some miracle I can’t find anything else to work on.