Chrissy May, English-Education major and 2013 graduate, has set out for a real adventure for her first year post-college. She’s teaching for the year on the other side of the world, in the United Arab Emirates, and she has shared with us here her story so far. Keep up with her experiences by way of her blog, posted below.
Sand storms, camel crossings, and nothing but sand as far as the eye can see. This is where I live now. Approximately 6 weeks ago I moved to the United Arab Emirates to teach 7th grade language arts at a private school here. When most people here UAE they think Dubai and the amazing buildings there. Well my school is 3 hours from Dubai and almost 2 hours from any big city. It is a little town in what is called the “Western Region” of the UAE, which is composed of all deserts.
You may ask: what brought me to what seems like such a desolate place? And honestly my answer to why I chose to move here is never the same. It was not because I needed a job; I had other offers. It was not because I was trying to escape. Instead, it was because I wanted to travel, challenge myself in teaching, and take advantage of every opportunity while I had the chance. Basically I moved out here because all I could think was “why not take the job?” Life is too short to not take big leaps every now and then.
I teach a majority of Emirate students and all of my students are English language learners. It is a daily challenge but has been well worth it so far. As a UP graduate I am grateful to come to this place with a strong background in culture relativism that UP classes have instilled within me. It allows me to appreciate this unusual culture, distinctive religion, and very different societal beliefs. If you would like to hear more about my work abroad feel free to check out my blog below: