From the Midwest to the Middle East: Year One, In the Books

On June 20, I will be leaving to head home to the states (for summer)! The students' last day was May 28 (officially); however, I only had a few students that final week (May 24-28). On Sunday I had 4, Monday I had 3 and the rest of the week I had only 2. We played A LOT of UNO. I am on an official UNO hiatus. That week, I also attended two students birthday parties (one on Wednesday and the other on Saturday). It is so incredibly fun to see students outside of the classroom (I think it's because I am not officially in charge).

Now that the students are gone, I am doing nothing. Literally nothing. We have a checklist we need to get done, and mine is done. It wasn't that big of a checklist. I could have done it in a half day. So this past week with no kids and nothing to do I have been watching Netflix, working on my online class for TESOL, reading (two books already finished), playing solitaire, watching "Band of Brothers", and I think that is it. If I made it sound great, I didn't mean to. I am all for doing nothing once in awhile, but I still have until June 17. I still have to wake up at 5:30am. I am going to work to do nothing, when I could be at home (in the grand ole' state of Minnesota) a few weeks earlier. So, to be honest, it is annoying; BUT home is on the horizon, so I can (and will) deal.

I have decided to take all this extra time, to write this post about a few realizations I have had while overseas for a year (well 10 months).

Things I have Learned and/or Realized:

1) It is not easy to be in a country where the culture is so much different than home. I feel like a lot of people could realize this without moving to a new country; however, it's the little things that add up to make it hard.

2) I am improving on my control issues. Some of you may not know that I have control issues, but I do. Serious control issues. I drive the car. I have a hard time letting students take control in a lesson. If I feel like I don't have control in a situation, I get stressed. In Kuwait, I don't drive. I only have control of my students (I know that sounds horrible) for 4 maybe 5 lessons. I don't have control the rest of the time. I don't have control over getting to or from school. I don't have control in a lot of different situations while traveling. I had to deal. I think it was an improvement for the better.

3) Meeting people from other countries is, hands down, the coolest.

4) I have learned a very limited amount of Arabic.

5) I hate generalizations and stereotypes. I know I make them subconsciously, but I try very, very hard to be aware of this, because I hate it. I have seen a lot of stories about hate towards Muslims (just one example, there are plenty of others), but I am surrounded by this religion. I did not experience one bit of hate from anyone here. I did not experience one instance in which I felt unsafe or threatened. Also, I don't like the generalizations and stereotypes made about Americans. Yes, I fulfill these stereotypes sometimes, but that doesn't mean I am a stereotype.

6) I will probably always plan out my life one year at a time. Yes you can ask me what I am doing next year. After that? No clue where I will end up (Hope and I are working on it).

7) It is really, really easy to lose yourself when you are in a place very different from home, and when all of your friends and family (people that are a part of who you are) are thousands of miles away. There were lots of times when I didn't feel like myself anymore, but overcoming that truly helps you develop into a stronger person.

8) I am becoming a stronger person each year. I am becoming more comfortable and confident in my body, personality, and profession.

9) Even though I am becoming a stronger person, I will probably never be very good at being an adult. Young at heart, always.

10) I love living alone, but I really miss living with a best friend. (enter: Hope)

Things I Miss from Home:

1) Obviously family and friends. I can't even begin to list the amount of people I miss.

2) Running outside at sunset.

3) Tank tops, shorts, spandex,

4) Mexican food

5) Melody (my car, I mean driving itself, but especially driving my baby)

6) Simplicity. Let me explain, living at home and in the states is extremely simple. If I need something, I can easily run to the store and get it. I know exactly where to go to get it. Here? No idea. So much more effort.

7) Efficiency. America is efficient. It may not seem that way, but trust me. It is.

8) Alcohol. (Sorry kids under 21, but you will understand some day - BUT NOT UNTIL YOU ARE 21)

9) Being outside. Kuwait isn't really set up to go outside for a nice walk, run, or even just sit and read. It's also 115 degrees here. so there's that.

10) The color green. I would be totally 100% fine for not experiencing sand this summer.