It's the weekend here in Saudi. Some of the teachers have got 'cover duty' today, but not me... I'm pretty much on holiday. All potential lesson planning has been put off until tomorrow as I have taken myself for a walk around the city (albeit with a short taxi ride to begin with). It's a relatively new city.. still being built. Modern buildings rising from rubble.. there is construction everywhere. I have just been up to the highest point in Riyadh - the Kingdom Tower - off King Fahd Road - known as the 'necklace' if you are being polite or 'bottle opener' if you are being unkind. It is, at 302m high, the 54th tallest structure in the world, topped with a 300-tonne iron bridge known as the 'skybridge'.
It is also the end of my first proper week on the 'biggest language programme in the world' and I have got into the swing of things, although I have little time during the day to plan much. I am only really concerned about one lesson, which is my observed lesson. It is the only time I am actually checked on my performance... I only hope it is in the morning with one of my Level 3 classes, not in the afternoon. My Level 1's are fine, obviously low ability, but the classroom is small and there is no air conditioning. We all want to change rooms, but for now I am allowing water/toilet breaks because I feel sorry for them! I'm having fun with the E-Podium and drawing on the smartboard... I can now put this experience on my CV. There are continuous assessments for all students and they are being encouraged to take part in different kinds of learning - including socratic dialogues and mind-mapping, which they are not used to. In terms of being used to learning by rote and memorising, they are very similar to the Chinese and Korean kids. You think they are young adults and most of them dwarf me, either by height or by width, but when they see even a cartoon drawing of a female they start giggling, so you realise how sheltered a life they lead. Having said that, they all use the internet and have a strong awareness of western culture, movies and music... even if they are not openly encouraged to have it through education. They pretty much all have blackberries (parental note: it's a kind of mobile phone with-in built keyboard). The other day I had a lesson on being a tourist in different cities around the world. When I asked what New York was famous for, one said 'skyscrapers'. Then I had to ask them what an Arab might do in New York. I was wary of where the conversation might go, and had been warned to be careful. 15 of the hijackers from 9/11 were from Saudi, of course. The books have been culturaly vetted, I'm told. We are not supposed to talk about religion or politics for obvious reasons, but they are curious, as you might expect. And they are very polite and keen to learn, too. One class invited me to Chilli's - which was voted best 'restaurant' by my Level 3 students, but I declined. The students would have paid for me.. but they expect something back in terms of higher grades! It's also technically an obligation of my contract to spurn gifts. Although..... hmmm.... maybe a camel for the long journey from Wells -> Fakenham.
The big news for me is that I won't have to teach in my final week as the university is closed and there is basically no students. The Haj pilgrimage approaches, as does the Eid_Al-Adha festival. It remains to be seen whether I will stay until my scheduled flight home on 18 November... but I intend to and take the last week as holiday. I have mentioned it to the programme manager, just before he had to entertain dignitaries from 'the British Prime Minister's office'. He said that "I am being discussed". Potentially I could earn 1250 GBP for doing bugger all. Sshhhhh! Don't tell anyone.
I came here, essentially, for the serious cash injection. But I will leave, I am sure, with increased confidence about being able to step into any classroom around the world and teach. It has also given me insight into Arabic/Muslim culture and life which is centred around prayer 5 times a day. I have become used to not drinking, and I am usually tired enough to sleep. It is possible to live without drinking, I have found, as well as other things we are so used to in the western world. I have plenty of carbohydrates and cheap Bengali curries so far... but I am now tempering it with salads. I spent less than 10 riyals on a basket of veg in the supermarket... and will do at least 4 meals. Cereal and Gronala bars in the morning.. coffee at all other times.
I hope to go the desert before I leave.. the Empty Quarter lies to the south, and there are camel races outside the city district. Will have to borrow a 4WD, however. I will keep tabs with the other teachers who live in the hotel, and catch a ride with them if they are going. Safety in numbers.. speaking Arabic is a bonus if you live here, but Urdu goes a long way as many of the migrant workers come from the India and Pakistan, just like my taxi driver today, who just wanted to talk about cricket! He was sad about the Pakistani cricketers involved in this summer's spot-fixing shame, yet he still overcharged me for a ride to the city centre!
Anyway, I can hear afternoon prayers being announced, so I better get out of this coffee shop before they close! Or the Mutaween (religious police) will be after me.
TP
P.S: Escaped the mutaween and took a lift to the top of the second of the main towers, Al-Faisaliah, before navigating my way home using some basic Arabic.
