Last month my wife and I (plus kids) met with friends in Dubai who had been teaching there since last year. They were leaving the next day for a vacation before starting work in Qatar. We all taught in Myanmar a few years ago and our paths have crossed a few times since.

On the way back to Abu Dhabi, we stopped by a food truck park with a post-apocalyptic theme called “Last Exit”, right by the border of the two emirates. It was really cool and well-designed. They used a lot of re-purposed materials, which was appropriate for the theme and made use of things that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

This thing was monstrous.

I found a classic Sony Trinitron TV here, the same kind that my grandparents had in their house.

The food selection was great. We got Chinese baos with shrimp tempura, and it was so good that we got a second one for the road. I’ll find any excuse to go to Dubai just to get these on the way back.

Not long after this was the last week of school. Last days at an international school can be difficult because someone you know is bound to leave the country.

One of the best things about international teaching is the people you work with, specifically other expats. You go through the same challenges of being in a different land and learn to look out for each other quickly. They are some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met simply because they took the plunge to live abroad. I’m going to introduce you to some of those people here.

Meet Nigel. He is from the UK but has spent most of his adult life living in places like Thailand, the UAE, and Ukraine. To the untrained ear it sounds like he has one of several stereotypical British accents. But he has lived abroad for so long that he has modified the way he speaks so that people can understand him. His accent is really a toned-down mishmash of a few different accents. He is off to teach in Kiev in a few weeks. Good luck buddy!

Sweet has been my Learning Assistant for the past two years. She is from the Philippines so I get to practise my poor Tagalog on her. She usually just ends up switching to English. She and her family have lived in Abu Dhabi for a long time but frequently go back to the Philippines. Like many expats, she finds being back home a little bit weird because people have a hard time relating to her situation and experiences. I can identify with that 100%.

This is Winnie. She is from Vancouver and has been teaching Grade 3 in Abu Dhabi for 3 years. Winnie is a foodie. Whenever my wife and I want to go out and try a different cuisine, she’s always up for it. Winnie is moving to Hong Kong to teach Grade 5 and is looking forward to exploring that part of the world. Her lifestyle will be much different than in Abu Dhabi; for one she won’t have a car. She plans to keep teaching abroad for the foreseeable future.

Meet Mark. Mark lived in Hong Kong for 8 years and even had his own TV show there. He has lived in Abu Dhabi for 4 years, enjoys being an art teacher, and will probably stay for many more years. He absolutely loves the expat lifestyle of living abroad, but also being able to go home to Canada once or twice a year.

This is Caroline. She worked at the school many years ago, left for a job in finance, and ultimately decided to come back to teaching. Her family has lived in the Middle East for a long time. Although she and her husband are from the UK, her son has set roots in Oman and identifies himself as Omani. She is moving back to teach at a small eco-school in Muscat and be with her family. Have a spare room ready for us, Caroline!

Thanks for stopping by!