As we enter into November we are beginning to get more into our groove here in Doha. We spent Halloween watching trick or treaters from various expatriate families run around the neighborhood. It amazed me that these parents pack their bags with Halloween costumes and decorations for Christmas and Easter baskets for the spring. These are all things we need to start thinking about I guess. So when we come home this summer we have to plan for all of the holidays that seems crazy. I think our child will have a lot of homemade costumes from Pinterest and we will make Christmas costumes because he wont know any different.
We did go to a house party to hand out candy which was really fun because I always grew up in a neighborhood that didn't have many people. We would put out a basket and let kids take as much as they wanted and then went on with our trick or treating. I am sure my dad was in the basement watching movies and ignoring anyone who came to the door. It was fun to hand out candy.
Teachers always seem to work for our breaks, now that we are coming out of a break we are preparing for our next break which is at Christmas time when we will spend it both in Minnesota and in Texas. I am not sure how this is going to go because I feel like I get bigger by the minute and my back has been killing me. I have been doing a ton of yoga to try to combat the problem. We shall see, hopefully I will just be so excited jet leg wont even effect me. I have heard that it is easier to go West than it is to go East because of the time change. I am sure it will be hard to go back to work after we return but Josh has been fabulous and makes sure I get my baths and yoga time in.
Since we have returned from Sri Lanka I have been meditating daily in the mornings at 5:00 AM, even on the weekends. Just in the last couple of days have I really felt like it is working. My meditation teacher says that in meditation you can only move sideways and forwards, never backwards. I think I finally began to move forwards. I started the week having a very upsettable mind with my students and have come to a point where I have expectations but you are not going to make me mad. Kids are kids no matter where they come from or how much money they have. I find that my students are very similar to my kids that I taught in the projects of Austin. They want instant gratification and some work hard but most need a little push in the right direction, and there are always those three students that need a constant push in the right direction. I am trying to be more calm and detached from my job. I know being detached sounds like a bad thing to do but I have been reading about this and when you are detached it makes it so you can be more reasonable and less emotional about the outcome, it is easier to stick the facts instead of taking it personally. We shall see how it works. I have to remind myself every thirty minutes of my mantras and to be calm and peaceful but it is working for the most part.
Josh and I have been having a good time just living, doing what we have always done. Making meals on the weekends and doing family dinners during the week. We have made a lot of adjustments and have struggled in our relationship at times here but we have done a great job working together to be a team. It is different here in Doha but we discuss these differences and similarities often. I really enjoy my husband and amazes me how much of a natural born traveler he is.
Right now Josh is playing on the school basketball team. They are playing some high school varsity team and he claims they are going to school them with there old man strength, we shall see when he gets home:) He also plays volleyball once a week and plays on another basketball team on Saturdays. So watch out Luling, when he comes home from Christmas he is going to have some moves.
I have been teaching a yoga class to the teachers at my school once a week and it is really enjoyable. Everyone is so appreciative and I get practice for when I have a yoga studio someday. Josh and I have spent a lot of time in the past week dreaming about our brewery and yoga studio that we will have someday, hopefully soon. Josh has started a business plan for it which I am not really sure what that means I just trust that he is better at business than I am:)
So for the most part life has been good. Teaching is challenging but I am trying to conquer everyday with a smile on my face.
Sending everyone lots of love!
Emmy
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The Wonders of Sri Lanka
My turn to discuss Sri LankaJ
Oh how amazing it was. I want to write
about it before I forget. I find myself
writing blogs as I am experiencing the event and then once I get back from the
adventure I am too tired. I am going to
push through and make it happen this time.
Day 1: we arrive in Sri Lanka and the sun is setting. I have convinced Josh that we needed to see elephants. After lots of research with people that have
been there and contacting different safari companies we decided to go to Yala
National Park which was 6 hours from the airport after arriving at 6 pm Josh
was not excited about this pipe dream of mine.
The journey was precarious to say the least the roads were one lane with
traffic coming and going in both directions in the dark. We took turns sleeping
and got to see the nightlife of small villages as we traveled along. Eating the many snacks that we packed to
sustain us until who knew when. Our
driver did not speak English and was quite pleasant because he played American
tunes and let us sing and play name that tune.
After 6 hours of questioning if this was the right decision on my behalf
we arrived at a rickety hotel at 1 AM. I
had heard from people this was the place we had to go to see animals in the
wild, so here we were.
Day 2: We woke up at 5 am after a nice little nap, with
peacocks outside our door we were ready to go.
The driver was there on time and we bumped down the road to arrive at
Yala National Park. We saw two leopards;
lots of peacocks, some wild bore that kind of looked like elephants, water
buffalo, deer and some monkeys. I began
to have a mental questioning of the meaning of life because we hadn’t seen
elephants and the day was nearing 9 am and they later it got the less our
chances got. We took a detour to see the
Indian Ocean and I finally had come to terms with no elephants, because Josh
told me that I needed to embrace the experience and let it be what it was. I was forcing myself to believe this. Then our driver runs over to us and says
“LET’S GO!” We eagerly jump into the
jeep and race off. It felt like the
moments in the movie where you didn’t know what was going to happen but you
hoped for the best. We bounced around a
corner and there they were a mama, baby and toddler sitting there eating from
the tree. Life made sense in that moment,
the journey was all worth it and I was instantly feeling a lot less anxiety
about the meaning of life. We watched
the elephants walk side by side and give each other love. It made me feel tears in my eyes and really
excited to be a mom. The whole journey
was so amazing, I felt like Josh really went outside of his comfort zone for me,
and in the process we got to fall even more in love with each other.
After the Safari we picked up two packages of Pringles and
some Cokes that really brought us back to life and ready for the seven-hour
drive to Hikkaduwa Sri Lanka, which are where, our friends Ann and Jason were
staying. It was really neat to drive
through each village and watch them go about there daily tasks. Josh slept which I am sure was nice for him
as well. It was quite a feat to get
through the first 24 hours in Sri Lanka, we were ready for some beach time!
Then we were off to town to shop and see how the hippies
live in Hikkaduwa. There were lots of
crafts and message places, all of which brought me excitement. We ate a nice meal for dinner, as we ate we
stared at the calming water and talked about enlightening things like weaving
your life by likes and dislikes and how that makes people angry. All of which made total sense at the time and
still makes sense to me but probably not everyone.
Day 3: We woke up to some good Sri Lankan breakfast curry
potatoes and tea. We went back to town (Hikkaduwa) to look at the shops and to
eat lunch that consisted of a cheeseburger that was made by a Dutch expat and
pretty amazing. Once we returned from
town it was time to put on our swimsuits and get ready for the parade. We swam in the Indian Ocean while we waited
for this infamous parade to begin for a town holiday. Boys with flowers strapped to their bikes ran
up and down the rode to inform us that the parade was beginning. This is one of the best parades I have ever
seen dancers of all sorts, brace bands and bull wipes. The excitement and the talent was endless and
so eclectic. I took a ton of pictures
and my favorite part was seeing the little girls smile in their dance costumes. My least favorite part was seeing the chains
hanging from the elephants necks, everyone tried to convince me that this was
necessary because what if the elephants got out of line that would be
dangerous. I understand that but
elephants don’t need to be in parades either.
It was fun to see a parade with talent and not candy just pure beauty.
Day 4: We hired a driver named Upali to take us around to
some of the tourist attractions around the area. Our first stop was a moon stones mine, which
started with teaching us how to harvest cinnamon. Then we got to see the entire process of
getting the moonstone from the mine all the way to the store ready to
sell. We went from the miners that were
working harder than I though humanly possible and ended in the shop that was
pristine with men in suites selling gems from all over the world. I of course bought something because they did
a good job at selling me with all the different people having to shine and mine
the stones just for one ring.
Next stop a Buddhist Temple; this was one of the things I
was most excited about! We walked up
what seemed like hundreds of stairs that seemed to lead nowhere and then we
reached the top and found a Temple that didn’t seem that special. After continuing to explore we came across an
amazing view that overlooked a jungle.
If I was a Buddhist monk this is where I would like to call home. We explored got to see a statue of Buddha
lying down which is super amazing I am not sure why but we saw it. As we were leaving I saw two monks sitting on
the front porch and I tried to slyly walk past them hoping they would at least
smile at me. I got better than that;
they invited us in to teach us about the four noble truths. These are kind of like the ten commandments
of Buddhism. We sat down and were given
all kinds of knowledge by the most peaceful man; he was absolutely inspiring
and has driven me to meditate again.
There was also a 90-year-old monk sitting peacefully petting a cat. This experience was absolutely unforgettable
and is the entire reason people travel.
I will never forget him.
Next stop lunch we went and ate a cheeseburger again which
was not very Buddhist of us but “baby needed food.” We of course shopped a little bit and then we
went back home to contemplate the day.
Day 5: At this point in the trip I was absolutely exhausted
but we had paid Mr. Upali to take us to on a river cruise and to a turtle
hatchery. Both were nice I was a little
detached at this point and not very interested.
We had our feet eaten by fish; there are these fish that will eat the
dead skin off your feet. I thought this
was absolutely horrible and Josh loved it.
It was still a nice day with friends; I just wish I could have been a
little less tired. On the river cruise
we got to see some really large lizard that I am sure is related to
dinosaurs? After our adventures we ate
at a very sketchy Chinese food restaurant and none of us got sick. Then we went home and rested because we were
absolutely exhausted.
Day 6: To Colombo we went.
It was our friend Jason’s birthday and we woke up to breakfast and Mr.
Upali brought a cake that his wife made.
It was such a sweet gesture and very unforgettable. As you can see this was a pretty
unforgettable trip, Sri Lanka is full of friendly people and a culture that
needs to be discovered. After a couple
rounds of happy birthday we were off to the train station for Colombo where we
would fly from the following day. One of
my favorite things to do when I travel is to stare out the window and watch and
observe how people live around the world.
With the window open I stared and took as many pictures as I could. Josh and I also discussed how to raise a
child properly in the first six weeks of
life and a man stopped by to give us a three hundred year history of Sri Lanka,
all of which were very interesting.
Once we arrived in Colombo Ann and I decided to venture out
to the market and see what it had to offer.
True to the Trip Advisor reviews it was dirty and very chaotic. I bought some fabric for a baby blanket and
two bouncy balls that had the world painted on them, after that we gladly left
and got ready for Jason’s birthday dinner.
After a night with our friends we were off to bed to wake up
and head for the airport at 6 am. The
trip to Sri Lanka will be a memory that Josh and I will always have. Thank you for coming on the journey with us
in these three pages of stories and enlightenmentJ
We miss you and love you all! Now it is
time to eat some lasagna and go to bed.
I have gone to bed between seven and eight every night since we have
returned and this weekend my agenda is international movie day(s)!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
A Week in Sri Lanka
Hey everyone! I'm glad to be back home in Doha, after a six day trip to Sri Lanka. We had a ton of great experiences. I'll list some and then expand on my two favorite experiences. If you want to hear more about one that's listed, just comment and I'll be glad to do it!
Things we did:
- Loosely planned adventures
- Crazy cab rides
- Sri Lankan Safari
- Batiks
- Masks
- Parade
- Beach
- Moonstone Mines
- Sea Turtle Hatchery
- Cobras
- Buddha Statue
- Tsunami Photo Museum
- River "Safari"
- Cinnamon harvesting
- Fish Pedicure
- Buddhist Monk convo
- Buddhist Temple
- Sri Lankan Breakfast (lunch & dinner)
- Met great people
- Enjoyed great friends
- Tea
- Arrack
- "Factories"
- Bus Rides
- BurgerS
- Train Rides
- Wreck(s)
- Colombo
- Mosquito Nets
- Fell in love
- Probably some things I'm leaving out
Buddhist Monk Convo
We sat down and spoke to a monk about the four noble truths. He let us know he could explain it to us, but that people spent their lives in search of understanding them. The first was that life is suffering. The second is that the origin of the suffering is within us. The third was that there is a way to end that suffering. The fourth talks about the path to end the suffering.
It all sounds like a very pessimistic way to look at the world. However, when you look deeper, you realize that the idea is simply realistic, rather than pessimistic. The monk made references to information I had contemplated during some of my spiritual journey and gave practical knowledge using deep insight. Many people cause suffering to themselves through jealousy and always wanting the next THING. In reality, the people are causing the suffering to themselves and they are the cure to the suffering. The THING they want is never enough to end the suffering, only they are.
He talked about his travels to Europe and how he respected the work we did as teachers. He acknowledged that he had trouble teaching schoolchildren during his travels and you could see that he appreciated four people staring at him and actively engaging in what he was teaching. He conversed in a way that seemed truly at peace. He left us with holy string that he tied around our wrists. I'll wear mine until it falls off.
Tsunami Photo Museum
This may be a weird thing to put in my favorite category, but it was truly eye-opening. You got to see and hear the stories on pieces of paper collected by a woman whose house was ripped away in the 2004 tsunami. There were trash bags and rotten boards for walls, but the museum was no less significant.
One story told of how a woman lost a child after the first wave and was with her other child looking for their lost family member when the second wave hit. The second child got swept away with the second wave and the story ended with the mother still in search for her children years later.
By being on the area that the wave hit, you were able to feel the story as you read about it and saw pictures of it. One of the pieces of the museum that spoke to me most was how appreciative the Sri Lankans were of two things: the sea that brought the wave and the people of the world.
There was a sign that spoke of the sea giving life to Sri Lankans, taking it away and that the people would depend on the sea to give life back. The forgiveness in those words is something that spoke to me. More than forgiveness, there was hope and appreciation. The people were thankful to have the sea so that they could continue to use it for their daily lives.
There were multiple places that talked about appreciation to governments and private organizations from all around the world. As we walked around, people would smile when we said we were from America. They wouldn't hesitate to let us know that when the tsunami hit, Americans were there to help them. I have heard the argument about how we have to "take care of our own first." In my opinion, we do a pretty damn good job of taking care of our own. There are many people out there that we can help also. It made me even more committed to my belief that when the people of the world are in trouble, Americans don't have the duty to help; they have the honor of helping. So many times, people around the world are struck by natural or man-created horrors and it is up to the leaders of the free world to protect and help the citizens of the world.
That day, I was so proud to be a US citizen. It wasn't because of American pride or money that people appreciated America. It was because of the side of America that is human. The side of America that helps other people around the world, regardless of their nationality or skin color. People loved us because we loved them.
Thanks for all the love!
Things we did:
- Loosely planned adventures
- Crazy cab rides
- Sri Lankan Safari
- Batiks
- Masks
- Parade
- Beach
- Moonstone Mines
- Sea Turtle Hatchery
- Cobras
- Buddha Statue
- Tsunami Photo Museum
- River "Safari"
- Cinnamon harvesting
- Fish Pedicure
- Buddhist Monk convo
- Buddhist Temple
- Sri Lankan Breakfast (lunch & dinner)
- Met great people
- Enjoyed great friends
- Tea
- Arrack
- "Factories"
- Bus Rides
- BurgerS
- Train Rides
- Wreck(s)
- Colombo
- Mosquito Nets
- Fell in love
- Probably some things I'm leaving out
Buddhist Monk Convo
We sat down and spoke to a monk about the four noble truths. He let us know he could explain it to us, but that people spent their lives in search of understanding them. The first was that life is suffering. The second is that the origin of the suffering is within us. The third was that there is a way to end that suffering. The fourth talks about the path to end the suffering.
It all sounds like a very pessimistic way to look at the world. However, when you look deeper, you realize that the idea is simply realistic, rather than pessimistic. The monk made references to information I had contemplated during some of my spiritual journey and gave practical knowledge using deep insight. Many people cause suffering to themselves through jealousy and always wanting the next THING. In reality, the people are causing the suffering to themselves and they are the cure to the suffering. The THING they want is never enough to end the suffering, only they are.
He talked about his travels to Europe and how he respected the work we did as teachers. He acknowledged that he had trouble teaching schoolchildren during his travels and you could see that he appreciated four people staring at him and actively engaging in what he was teaching. He conversed in a way that seemed truly at peace. He left us with holy string that he tied around our wrists. I'll wear mine until it falls off.
Tsunami Photo Museum
This may be a weird thing to put in my favorite category, but it was truly eye-opening. You got to see and hear the stories on pieces of paper collected by a woman whose house was ripped away in the 2004 tsunami. There were trash bags and rotten boards for walls, but the museum was no less significant.
One story told of how a woman lost a child after the first wave and was with her other child looking for their lost family member when the second wave hit. The second child got swept away with the second wave and the story ended with the mother still in search for her children years later.
By being on the area that the wave hit, you were able to feel the story as you read about it and saw pictures of it. One of the pieces of the museum that spoke to me most was how appreciative the Sri Lankans were of two things: the sea that brought the wave and the people of the world.
There was a sign that spoke of the sea giving life to Sri Lankans, taking it away and that the people would depend on the sea to give life back. The forgiveness in those words is something that spoke to me. More than forgiveness, there was hope and appreciation. The people were thankful to have the sea so that they could continue to use it for their daily lives.
There were multiple places that talked about appreciation to governments and private organizations from all around the world. As we walked around, people would smile when we said we were from America. They wouldn't hesitate to let us know that when the tsunami hit, Americans were there to help them. I have heard the argument about how we have to "take care of our own first." In my opinion, we do a pretty damn good job of taking care of our own. There are many people out there that we can help also. It made me even more committed to my belief that when the people of the world are in trouble, Americans don't have the duty to help; they have the honor of helping. So many times, people around the world are struck by natural or man-created horrors and it is up to the leaders of the free world to protect and help the citizens of the world.
That day, I was so proud to be a US citizen. It wasn't because of American pride or money that people appreciated America. It was because of the side of America that is human. The side of America that helps other people around the world, regardless of their nationality or skin color. People loved us because we loved them.
Thanks for all the love!
Friday, October 11, 2013
A short trip around Doha
I put together this video if you want to see a little bit of Doha. We've moved since I made the video, so the place I call home is now different. Check it out below:
A Trip around Doha
A Trip around Doha
A Culture of Hospitality and Dedication
I hope I never forget the moments of greatness I've seen in Doha. On the last day of school before the Eid Al Ahda break, which was yesterday, students had tons of food that they brought to school. I used the corny joke of reaching toward their food and acting like I was going to take a piece of whatever they had. In America, all I had ever seen was a, "No, this is mine" reaction. All day yesterday, kids consistently offered me what they had. There were kids fasting (even though it's optional) so that they could understand how the poor feel. Two things I appreciate most about Islam is the dedication that is shown and the hospitality that is shared. Five times a day, you can hear the call to prayer all across the city at every mosque. The people stop their day and pray. You see a commitment to caring for the poor, to the point of even inviting the poor to your house. You see a commitment to hosting and sharing the wealth they have. I look forward to more experiences like the last few days. I will take from those experiences the piece of me that is dedicated to the things important in my life. Eid Mubarak!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Coming out of the woodwork...
Here I am after many posts and weeks. I always say that it takes three weeks to adjust and I think after my sixth time of doing this whole leave your life behind you I am realizing that it takes me about five weeks to come out of the woodwork. At first I am in shock and then I have to shut out my old world in order to cope. I am back and ready for you to be in my life. Last night Josh's birthday was the tipping point. Josh had interviewed for a principal job and did not get it. I also received some feedback from an instructional coach that I needed to do more direct instruction. For those of you that are not in the teaching world I will explain direct instruction to you: it is a way of teaching that is scripted to ensure that students get enough repetition. For those of you who know me well I am not a direct instruction kind of gal or teacher. Josh also did not get the job because he doesn't have enough experience with direct instruction. Blah, blah, blah... I was a complete disaster because I thought teaching abroad I would find the answer because I definitely was not finding it in Texas. Now I am teaching with teachers from all of the US and world and come to find out education is messed up everywhere. I have this belief that someday the president will have the opportunity to meet me because I am such a fabulous teacher. Well that is only going to happen if I keep pushing the through the boxes that these education organizations keep TRYING to put me in. I refuse to teach in a certain way if I don't see that it helps students and especially if it puts them to sleep. The worst thing a student can ever say to me is "you are boring miss." Hell no that is not going to be me. So I decided today that I am not going to be in search of a school that works for me, I am just going to force schools to work with me because I am so damn good that can't get rid of me. Also, the next time my instructional coach comes my way I will let him know that I am not interested in being coached on direct instruction. I am going to be one of those teachers that stands on desks and gets to meet presidents not reads from a script. I of course will read from the script for 45 minutes a day but if there isn't a script please don't ask me to invent one so my kids can sleep through another period of the day. That is my rant on education! I do want you to know that I am not going to chalk this experience off as a loss, I do have so many things to learn from the great teachers that surround me, I just won't get into that nasty box.
On a brighter note we are having a baby! We are going to Sri Lanka in a week! We moved into our new house! We went swimming this afternoon and heard an amazing call to prayer.
For those of you who this baby thing is new to we are due on March 29th and we are 95% sure it is a boy. We have narrowed it down to two names and Josh keeps trying to pressure me to flip a coin so that it is decided. He claims this is spontaneous so I will go with it when really it is a ploy to help him plan. We are beginning to learn each others ways. Marriage has been great and we have been going strong. It is very interesting to travel with a spouse, I like it. I am so excited to go to Sri Lanka with Josh, he is so friendly to everyone and likes to chat with everyone from taxi drivers to cleaners. Everyone at school knows him because he has taken the time to learn their names. We will maybe post some pictures once we get back from our trip.
Oh yeah, the reason we are having the break is because it is Eid Kabir when everyone travels to Mecca on the Hajj. We are having our fourth celebration for this holiday tomorrow. It is kind of like the many Christmas plays that we get to see before the big day!
One more thing, out great friends Seamus and Mary heard that I didn't get my glow in the dark bathtub so they sent us glow sticks, I really love me some glow sticks. Josh surprised me by creating a glow stick bathtub. It was great, now I have created a glow stick meditation area that is calling my name. Please send us emails telling us about your life because we get tired of talking about ourselves and miss you so much.
Love you,
Emmy
P.S. Keep changing the world one day at a time. Today my mantra was "be the change you wish to see in the world." Steal it if you need some inspiration today, it sure got me through the world.
My favorite part of the day was when people asked me how I was and I was honest instead of giving the obligatory fine or good. Ok enough wisdom from me; we love you and keep in touch!
On a brighter note we are having a baby! We are going to Sri Lanka in a week! We moved into our new house! We went swimming this afternoon and heard an amazing call to prayer.
For those of you who this baby thing is new to we are due on March 29th and we are 95% sure it is a boy. We have narrowed it down to two names and Josh keeps trying to pressure me to flip a coin so that it is decided. He claims this is spontaneous so I will go with it when really it is a ploy to help him plan. We are beginning to learn each others ways. Marriage has been great and we have been going strong. It is very interesting to travel with a spouse, I like it. I am so excited to go to Sri Lanka with Josh, he is so friendly to everyone and likes to chat with everyone from taxi drivers to cleaners. Everyone at school knows him because he has taken the time to learn their names. We will maybe post some pictures once we get back from our trip.
Oh yeah, the reason we are having the break is because it is Eid Kabir when everyone travels to Mecca on the Hajj. We are having our fourth celebration for this holiday tomorrow. It is kind of like the many Christmas plays that we get to see before the big day!
One more thing, out great friends Seamus and Mary heard that I didn't get my glow in the dark bathtub so they sent us glow sticks, I really love me some glow sticks. Josh surprised me by creating a glow stick bathtub. It was great, now I have created a glow stick meditation area that is calling my name. Please send us emails telling us about your life because we get tired of talking about ourselves and miss you so much.
Love you,
Emmy
P.S. Keep changing the world one day at a time. Today my mantra was "be the change you wish to see in the world." Steal it if you need some inspiration today, it sure got me through the world.
My favorite part of the day was when people asked me how I was and I was honest instead of giving the obligatory fine or good. Ok enough wisdom from me; we love you and keep in touch!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Thanks for waiting...
We're kind of starting to fall into a groove here! Hopefully we can be more regular with our blog posts. Emmy has been meaning to post for a couple of weeks, so you may get a bonus post soon after this one.
Like the last time, I'll let you in on a few things that went on and write a little more about the ones that were coolest.
We're still not home
We got news a little while back that we'd be moving. The moving process has not yet started. From what I understand, the best thing is to be patient so that any necessary repairs can happen BEFORE we move in. We're keeping our promise we made to the school to be flexible, so we're staying in our temporary housing for the time being. However, that could all change tomorrow.
School started!
As of our last post, we hadn't told much about school. It's a beautiful campus with lots of construction going on around us and a ton of open space. We have a small classes that are no larger than 10 in any classroom. It really gives you an opportunity to get to know your students. Knowing, understanding and using the culture of your students is something I think every good teacher should do. There has definitely been a learning curve, but I lean on the students. They do a great job teaching me about the local culture. I've talked to parents in person and on the phone. The students love to have a phone call to their parents about the good things they are doing in class! On the other side, the students seem to be really interested in my culture. When they heard I was from Texas and didn't own a cowboy hat or boots, they were amazed! They didn't think I had the Texas accent and some kids gave me their best Texas accent to show me how I should talk. I've went along with it and now open every class by saying, "Howdy, y'all!" The kids love the energy and many respond back with a howdy. It's been tough getting started without knowing students very well, but the students are great and getting more fun by the day.
I play a ton of team sports
I love team sports. Running is just boring unless there's a task to go with it. I've started to jump into groups that are doing activities throughout the week. I have regular activities, including Monday football (soccer) with students, Wednesday yoga with Emmy and some colleagues, Thursday staff volleyball and Saturday early morning basketball at the American School of Doha. Each one is fun in its own way and lets me be active with some really cool people.
We had a great night out
We're finally getting caught up with what work and life demand and now are getting to sneak some time to ourselves. Last night we went to a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant called Afghan Brothers. It was awesome! You got to have a traditional meal, eat with your hand (only the right), and we got a ton of food for about $8 a person. After, we went to Souq Waqif, which is a market that is near our temporary housing. The night was great (about 85 degrees) and the souq was awesome. Of course, Emmy got a few things and I got the best cup of carak (a really sweet hot tea with milk) that I've had so far. We meandered around for a while and I saw the coolest swords and daggers ever. I will own one of them one day.
Thanks and love to all those following our lives. Know that we love, miss and care about you. We have room for visitors and are glad to host if anyone wants a few nice days this winter! Until next time, Peace in the Middle East!
Like the last time, I'll let you in on a few things that went on and write a little more about the ones that were coolest.
We're still not home
We got news a little while back that we'd be moving. The moving process has not yet started. From what I understand, the best thing is to be patient so that any necessary repairs can happen BEFORE we move in. We're keeping our promise we made to the school to be flexible, so we're staying in our temporary housing for the time being. However, that could all change tomorrow.
School started!
As of our last post, we hadn't told much about school. It's a beautiful campus with lots of construction going on around us and a ton of open space. We have a small classes that are no larger than 10 in any classroom. It really gives you an opportunity to get to know your students. Knowing, understanding and using the culture of your students is something I think every good teacher should do. There has definitely been a learning curve, but I lean on the students. They do a great job teaching me about the local culture. I've talked to parents in person and on the phone. The students love to have a phone call to their parents about the good things they are doing in class! On the other side, the students seem to be really interested in my culture. When they heard I was from Texas and didn't own a cowboy hat or boots, they were amazed! They didn't think I had the Texas accent and some kids gave me their best Texas accent to show me how I should talk. I've went along with it and now open every class by saying, "Howdy, y'all!" The kids love the energy and many respond back with a howdy. It's been tough getting started without knowing students very well, but the students are great and getting more fun by the day.
I play a ton of team sports
I love team sports. Running is just boring unless there's a task to go with it. I've started to jump into groups that are doing activities throughout the week. I have regular activities, including Monday football (soccer) with students, Wednesday yoga with Emmy and some colleagues, Thursday staff volleyball and Saturday early morning basketball at the American School of Doha. Each one is fun in its own way and lets me be active with some really cool people.
We had a great night out
We're finally getting caught up with what work and life demand and now are getting to sneak some time to ourselves. Last night we went to a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant called Afghan Brothers. It was awesome! You got to have a traditional meal, eat with your hand (only the right), and we got a ton of food for about $8 a person. After, we went to Souq Waqif, which is a market that is near our temporary housing. The night was great (about 85 degrees) and the souq was awesome. Of course, Emmy got a few things and I got the best cup of carak (a really sweet hot tea with milk) that I've had so far. We meandered around for a while and I saw the coolest swords and daggers ever. I will own one of them one day.
Thanks and love to all those following our lives. Know that we love, miss and care about you. We have room for visitors and are glad to host if anyone wants a few nice days this winter! Until next time, Peace in the Middle East!
Monday, September 9, 2013
An overview of the experiences
The last couple of weeks have been great. So sorry we haven't been keeping up with the blog, but we're back at it and determined to give you some good reading. So you can just read the parts you want, I've titled separate minisections about some things that have gone on.
I was made vulnerable
I went to get a haircut. It was a very cool experience. A trying part of it was offering my neck to a guys with a straight razor who doesn't even speak the same language I do. We figured it all out and he was excellent! I got a haircut, beard trimming, a straight razor edge up all around and even a quick massage at the end. All of that cost about $9. It was a great deal.
I held a guy's hand
I was walking back from getting my haircut and sweating profusely after a few blocks when a man approached me. He introduced himself, then held my hand and we started walking. It's customary for men to hold hands and walk in the Middle East, so I just went for a walk for about half a block. We exchanged names, where we were from (I told him Texas and he told me Pakistan), and our professions. He happened to be a driver. I talked with a man at the school about what was going on and he said the man was probably looking to see if I needed a driver. Unfortunately for him, I'm not that rich.
I held a falcon
I got to hold a falcon on our high school retreat. It was held at my vice principal's house, which is beautiful. In Qatar, citizens are given land and a loan to build their home. This home required a little more than the loan. It was such a magnificent house. My principal brought some traditional Qatari clothing to wear, so I dressed up in a Thobe (the robe), a ghuttra (square piece of cloth on the head), an ogaal (the decorative black top that looks like rope), and a quaffiya (worn under the ghuttra to hold the ogaal in place). My picture was taken and is on Facebook if you're interested.
We can drive
Our driving tests went well, because we had a ton of help from our school. They helped us through every step of the licensing process. Now we officially have our temporary license. Also, we scored a little car to help us get around. It is called a Nissan Tiida and it does the job of helping us with our commute.
I had a wreck
It wasn't my fault, but I did get rear ended just two days after getting my temporary license. I was waiting at a roundabout and got a little nudge from behind. I wanted to clear the roundabout and get the guy's info, but apparently he didn't know that was the plan, so he kept going. I've put in a police report, with the help of a great friend at school named Mohamed. We'll see whose insurance ends up having to pay.
We are legal
We officially have our Residency Permit, which gives us such joy. We now have the opportunity to leave the country on trips, apply for a permanent license, and a few other things. This process generally takes weeks or even months, but we have a great guy helping us out (see Mohamed above).
I smoked Shisha
Most people know it as Hookah, but it's very common here in Qatar. We went to a place called Koora (Arabic for Soccer/Football). It was like a sports bar in the States, just sold flavored tobacco instead of beer. My good friend Jason (from Chicago) and I were picked up by Mohamed and we went out. We met one of Mohamed's friends from the Qatari National Team at Koora (I forgot to mention that Mohamed used to run hurdles for the Qatari National Team). He was from Egypt origninally, but moved to Doha over 15 years ago. He directs the shooting team and invited us out to shoot when we had time and also picked up the entire tab. If there is one theme here in Doha, it is that everyone is ready to host you, no matter where they are from. Most of the time, all I can do is say "Shukran diz dak Allah Khair," which means thank you very much.
We have a home
After living in temporary housing and waiting for our housing at The Pearl to open up, we came across the need for a snap decision today. We had an opportunity to take housing in the Education City Community Housing part of town and we took it. We are bummed to not have the glamorous Pearl life and are especially bummed to be moving away from two of the best friends we've made since coming here (named Jason and Ann). On the flipside, we thought it best to move closer and toward more people for all of the benefits that it provides. It also gives us a place to call home, rather than a place to call temporary housing. We'll be receiving more info soon on where we will be, what the accommodations are and when we can move in. We'll keep you informed.
OH YEAH...AND WE STARTED SCHOOL!
I was made vulnerable
I went to get a haircut. It was a very cool experience. A trying part of it was offering my neck to a guys with a straight razor who doesn't even speak the same language I do. We figured it all out and he was excellent! I got a haircut, beard trimming, a straight razor edge up all around and even a quick massage at the end. All of that cost about $9. It was a great deal.
I held a guy's hand
I was walking back from getting my haircut and sweating profusely after a few blocks when a man approached me. He introduced himself, then held my hand and we started walking. It's customary for men to hold hands and walk in the Middle East, so I just went for a walk for about half a block. We exchanged names, where we were from (I told him Texas and he told me Pakistan), and our professions. He happened to be a driver. I talked with a man at the school about what was going on and he said the man was probably looking to see if I needed a driver. Unfortunately for him, I'm not that rich.
I held a falcon
I got to hold a falcon on our high school retreat. It was held at my vice principal's house, which is beautiful. In Qatar, citizens are given land and a loan to build their home. This home required a little more than the loan. It was such a magnificent house. My principal brought some traditional Qatari clothing to wear, so I dressed up in a Thobe (the robe), a ghuttra (square piece of cloth on the head), an ogaal (the decorative black top that looks like rope), and a quaffiya (worn under the ghuttra to hold the ogaal in place). My picture was taken and is on Facebook if you're interested.
We can drive
Our driving tests went well, because we had a ton of help from our school. They helped us through every step of the licensing process. Now we officially have our temporary license. Also, we scored a little car to help us get around. It is called a Nissan Tiida and it does the job of helping us with our commute.
I had a wreck
It wasn't my fault, but I did get rear ended just two days after getting my temporary license. I was waiting at a roundabout and got a little nudge from behind. I wanted to clear the roundabout and get the guy's info, but apparently he didn't know that was the plan, so he kept going. I've put in a police report, with the help of a great friend at school named Mohamed. We'll see whose insurance ends up having to pay.
We are legal
We officially have our Residency Permit, which gives us such joy. We now have the opportunity to leave the country on trips, apply for a permanent license, and a few other things. This process generally takes weeks or even months, but we have a great guy helping us out (see Mohamed above).
I smoked Shisha
Most people know it as Hookah, but it's very common here in Qatar. We went to a place called Koora (Arabic for Soccer/Football). It was like a sports bar in the States, just sold flavored tobacco instead of beer. My good friend Jason (from Chicago) and I were picked up by Mohamed and we went out. We met one of Mohamed's friends from the Qatari National Team at Koora (I forgot to mention that Mohamed used to run hurdles for the Qatari National Team). He was from Egypt origninally, but moved to Doha over 15 years ago. He directs the shooting team and invited us out to shoot when we had time and also picked up the entire tab. If there is one theme here in Doha, it is that everyone is ready to host you, no matter where they are from. Most of the time, all I can do is say "Shukran diz dak Allah Khair," which means thank you very much.
We have a home
After living in temporary housing and waiting for our housing at The Pearl to open up, we came across the need for a snap decision today. We had an opportunity to take housing in the Education City Community Housing part of town and we took it. We are bummed to not have the glamorous Pearl life and are especially bummed to be moving away from two of the best friends we've made since coming here (named Jason and Ann). On the flipside, we thought it best to move closer and toward more people for all of the benefits that it provides. It also gives us a place to call home, rather than a place to call temporary housing. We'll be receiving more info soon on where we will be, what the accommodations are and when we can move in. We'll keep you informed.
OH YEAH...AND WE STARTED SCHOOL!
Monday, August 19, 2013
An opening word from Josh
Yesterday marked a big day in my life (this is Josh talking, now). I finally ventured beyond North America to see this beautiful world. For anyone who doesn't know the story of how the adventure started, I'll let you know.
Emmy has always had the dream of teaching abroad. I have always had the dream of settling into a community and making a positive contribution while setting roots there. When I decided I was going to marry her, I knew that we had to share each others' dreams. After I proposed, I pushed Emmy to truly examine whether she wanted to teach abroad with me, or if it was just kind of something she said she wanted to do. She let me know she was committed to doing it. From that point, I was committed to living her/our dream. I knew if I got a principal job right out of college, I wouldn't want to leave, so the conversation to teach abroad became a "now or never" type of deal. Obviously, we chose the "now" option.
Fast forward to our arrival in Doha. We arrived to a country that is very different than anything I was used to seeing in daily life. It has been amazing!
The last two days have reinforced my belief in people to the fullest. We showed up knowing virtually no one, and have felt so much support already. Our administrators showed up to greet us at the airport. The people of Doha have went out of their way to help me at any store I go to. The people I will be teaching with are so entertaining and passionate about not only teaching, but life in general. We have had two Qatar Foundation employees that have extended themselves beyond anything expected to make sure we felt comfortable with our arrival. As of day 2, the people from Qatar and the people attracted to Qatar have been the greatest part of the journey.
We have gotten close to unpacking everything now and the place is beginning to feel more like a home. I set up my speaker and have been playing everything from Nelly to Zac Brown as we unpacked.
We've gotten to Skype with our families, which is a great experience. It truly makes the world much smaller. Just seconds after I logged in for the first time in our apartment, I received a video chat request from my parents. It was good to see them from across the world, and I think they felt reassured that they could reach me after the Skype date.
I also woke up at about 3:30 this morning, still struggling from the time change, and had a Skype date with Emmy's brother, Sachel. Doha's people are great, but I want to stay in touch with the great people I already have in my life, as well. Keep in touch via Facebook, email, or send me a Skype request. My Skype name is joshua.machicek. We're also looking for more ways to keep in touch, so stay tuned.
Thanks for all the love and for taking time out to keep up with our lives. Best wishes until next time...
Emmy has always had the dream of teaching abroad. I have always had the dream of settling into a community and making a positive contribution while setting roots there. When I decided I was going to marry her, I knew that we had to share each others' dreams. After I proposed, I pushed Emmy to truly examine whether she wanted to teach abroad with me, or if it was just kind of something she said she wanted to do. She let me know she was committed to doing it. From that point, I was committed to living her/our dream. I knew if I got a principal job right out of college, I wouldn't want to leave, so the conversation to teach abroad became a "now or never" type of deal. Obviously, we chose the "now" option.
Fast forward to our arrival in Doha. We arrived to a country that is very different than anything I was used to seeing in daily life. It has been amazing!
The last two days have reinforced my belief in people to the fullest. We showed up knowing virtually no one, and have felt so much support already. Our administrators showed up to greet us at the airport. The people of Doha have went out of their way to help me at any store I go to. The people I will be teaching with are so entertaining and passionate about not only teaching, but life in general. We have had two Qatar Foundation employees that have extended themselves beyond anything expected to make sure we felt comfortable with our arrival. As of day 2, the people from Qatar and the people attracted to Qatar have been the greatest part of the journey.
We have gotten close to unpacking everything now and the place is beginning to feel more like a home. I set up my speaker and have been playing everything from Nelly to Zac Brown as we unpacked.
We've gotten to Skype with our families, which is a great experience. It truly makes the world much smaller. Just seconds after I logged in for the first time in our apartment, I received a video chat request from my parents. It was good to see them from across the world, and I think they felt reassured that they could reach me after the Skype date.
I also woke up at about 3:30 this morning, still struggling from the time change, and had a Skype date with Emmy's brother, Sachel. Doha's people are great, but I want to stay in touch with the great people I already have in my life, as well. Keep in touch via Facebook, email, or send me a Skype request. My Skype name is joshua.machicek. We're also looking for more ways to keep in touch, so stay tuned.
Thanks for all the love and for taking time out to keep up with our lives. Best wishes until next time...
Sunday, August 18, 2013
We Made It!
After many good-byes and lots of love we have arrived in the city of Doha at 6 pm local time (we are eight hours ahead of American central time zone). The journey began on Saturday with some breakfast tacos and a Machicek gathering in the backyard. Followed by a Mexican lunch because nobody does Mexican like Texas. Once we arrived at the airport we were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to pay any money for our luggage. Of course we had to do some shifting around because my bags were five pounds over and Josh's were five pounds under. He likes to be prepared and I like to sneak items in until the last minute:)
First we flew to Chicago, which was a very predictable flight that many of you have taken. Once we arrived in Chicago everything became real. I am one of those people that is in denial of what I have gotten myself into until it is far to late to freak out. Waiting to board our flight to Qatar there were people from all over the world speaking all kinds of languages. After a summer of small town Texas and small town Minnesota I was not used to seeing so much culture. The first thought I had was "Wow what the hell are we doing?" Of course after accepting my fate I decided to embrace the culture and I remembered why I force myself to do crazy things like this, because it is good for the soul. The entire time Josh is cool calm and collected and this is his first big traveling experience. He never ceases to amaze me.
Once we have boarded the plane we are seated next to three small children that can't help but cry for love and who knows what else. The people in front of us proceed to put their chairs all the way back and once again Josh is super chill about it. He just moves his movie screen and carries on. I of course proceed to stretch out because we were lucky enough not to have someone sit next to us. I continued every chance I got to push on the seats in front of us to let them know their actions were unacceptable.
After sixteen total hours of flying we arrived in Qatar and it was night time here. The heat as we walked down the jet bridge was like coat of humid hot air that brings instant profuse sweating. We realized real quick that the heat people told us about was real. The bus dropped us off at customs where we quickly met five other teachers that are going to be with us and living in the same apartment as we are. They are all very nice and interesting people, Special Education teachers are a very interesting bleeding heart kind of people.
We were then greeted by our principals and many others to help us get to our apartments. This is when Josh and I discovered an email was sent out to inform us we would be staying in temporary housing because our apartments are still being built. I was really excited for my light up bath tub we saw on Google Images of the Pearl Apartments. The new place is ok but no light up bath tub. My heart is disappointed while my head is saying "Emmy in Peace Corps you would have considered this place a mansion." I am just waiting for my head and heart to reconcile this debate or for the Pearl Apartments to be finished...
Qatar is the hottest coldest country I have been to so far. We haven't figured out how to control the AC so right now I have on sweat pants, a sweat shirt and a scarf. I stepped outside while my fourth piece of toast for the night was cooking and set my body into major confusion, is it winter or is it blazing hot summer? I guess it is both, Qatari's can afford to turn the AC to 60 degrees, Natural Gas is not a scarce resource in these parts.
It is now 2:43 in the morning and I have taken my nap and ready for the day. Josh is sleeping like a baby in the next room. He has never had to get over jet leg before and he will probably be ready for whatever life brings him tomorrow. I on the other hand have decided that I needed to get up and eat another piece of toast with Laughing Cow cheese and some popcorn from the Chicago airport.
Tomorrow at 8:15 we will get picked up and then spend the day being poked and prodded so they can make sure we are fit to stay in Qatar. After that we are going on a shopping trip which is a must. I have already created a long list, starting with some nice sheets that don't feel like sand paper. The time has come for me to try to force myself back to sleep.
We will be in touch to inform you of all the adventures that come our way in the next couple of days. We have arrived safe and sound, now the fun of acclimating begins!
Love you,
Emmy
P.S.
Many of you have been asking for our address:
Emmy and Josh Machicek
Awsaj Academy, Qatar Foundation
Education City, PO Box 6639, Al Luqta Street
Doha, Qatar
I love snail mail and always looking for pen pals.
First we flew to Chicago, which was a very predictable flight that many of you have taken. Once we arrived in Chicago everything became real. I am one of those people that is in denial of what I have gotten myself into until it is far to late to freak out. Waiting to board our flight to Qatar there were people from all over the world speaking all kinds of languages. After a summer of small town Texas and small town Minnesota I was not used to seeing so much culture. The first thought I had was "Wow what the hell are we doing?" Of course after accepting my fate I decided to embrace the culture and I remembered why I force myself to do crazy things like this, because it is good for the soul. The entire time Josh is cool calm and collected and this is his first big traveling experience. He never ceases to amaze me.
Once we have boarded the plane we are seated next to three small children that can't help but cry for love and who knows what else. The people in front of us proceed to put their chairs all the way back and once again Josh is super chill about it. He just moves his movie screen and carries on. I of course proceed to stretch out because we were lucky enough not to have someone sit next to us. I continued every chance I got to push on the seats in front of us to let them know their actions were unacceptable.
After sixteen total hours of flying we arrived in Qatar and it was night time here. The heat as we walked down the jet bridge was like coat of humid hot air that brings instant profuse sweating. We realized real quick that the heat people told us about was real. The bus dropped us off at customs where we quickly met five other teachers that are going to be with us and living in the same apartment as we are. They are all very nice and interesting people, Special Education teachers are a very interesting bleeding heart kind of people.
We were then greeted by our principals and many others to help us get to our apartments. This is when Josh and I discovered an email was sent out to inform us we would be staying in temporary housing because our apartments are still being built. I was really excited for my light up bath tub we saw on Google Images of the Pearl Apartments. The new place is ok but no light up bath tub. My heart is disappointed while my head is saying "Emmy in Peace Corps you would have considered this place a mansion." I am just waiting for my head and heart to reconcile this debate or for the Pearl Apartments to be finished...
Qatar is the hottest coldest country I have been to so far. We haven't figured out how to control the AC so right now I have on sweat pants, a sweat shirt and a scarf. I stepped outside while my fourth piece of toast for the night was cooking and set my body into major confusion, is it winter or is it blazing hot summer? I guess it is both, Qatari's can afford to turn the AC to 60 degrees, Natural Gas is not a scarce resource in these parts.
It is now 2:43 in the morning and I have taken my nap and ready for the day. Josh is sleeping like a baby in the next room. He has never had to get over jet leg before and he will probably be ready for whatever life brings him tomorrow. I on the other hand have decided that I needed to get up and eat another piece of toast with Laughing Cow cheese and some popcorn from the Chicago airport.
Tomorrow at 8:15 we will get picked up and then spend the day being poked and prodded so they can make sure we are fit to stay in Qatar. After that we are going on a shopping trip which is a must. I have already created a long list, starting with some nice sheets that don't feel like sand paper. The time has come for me to try to force myself back to sleep.
We will be in touch to inform you of all the adventures that come our way in the next couple of days. We have arrived safe and sound, now the fun of acclimating begins!
Love you,
Emmy
P.S.
Many of you have been asking for our address:
Emmy and Josh Machicek
Awsaj Academy, Qatar Foundation
Education City, PO Box 6639, Al Luqta Street
Doha, Qatar
I love snail mail and always looking for pen pals.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Thank you for participating in our journey.
Dear Readers,
Josh and I are creating this blog because in two weeks we will embark on an adventure of teaching in Doha Qatar and we want you to be a part of it. I, for the first time will become Mrs. Machicek and be teaching 5th grade all subjects. Josh, Mr. Machicek, will be teaching high school science and one algebra class. We have done one preliminary pack which did not go very well and ended in tears due to my inability to leave things behind. It is impossible to bring your entire life in two suitcases. Josh did fabulously with this even though his clothes are much bigger than mine. It makes me wonder why am I attached to things and why do I have so many things. Shopping is actually a burden; I do still love it:) We will attempt to blog a couple times a week about all of our experiences from teaching to going to the market. When we arrive at 6pm Doha time we will be greeted by our principals and then escorted to our apartment. We will be living at The Pearl Apartments and from the images on Google I am super excited about the light up bath tub. Josh is being realistic and waiting before he gets excited because "maybe the pictures aren't exactly what we will have." The first week will be spent doing medicals, all of which include a chest x-ray... The following weeks will be spent training for our new jobs which we know very little about; I feel like a first year teacher again. School begins just after Labor Day and I am sure by then we will be ready for the students to arrive. At that point we will know a lot more (inshallah: God willing). With two weeks to go until we leave the feeling of excitement has crept in. Since June 7th we have been homeless, we have many great people taking care of us along the way. But, the time has come for us to have a home again. I am currently in Minnesota saying my last good- byes. I am going to get to that and drive to Minneapolis too see Chelsey and Stephanie my dear friends from Bemidji.
Love, Emmy
Josh and I are creating this blog because in two weeks we will embark on an adventure of teaching in Doha Qatar and we want you to be a part of it. I, for the first time will become Mrs. Machicek and be teaching 5th grade all subjects. Josh, Mr. Machicek, will be teaching high school science and one algebra class. We have done one preliminary pack which did not go very well and ended in tears due to my inability to leave things behind. It is impossible to bring your entire life in two suitcases. Josh did fabulously with this even though his clothes are much bigger than mine. It makes me wonder why am I attached to things and why do I have so many things. Shopping is actually a burden; I do still love it:) We will attempt to blog a couple times a week about all of our experiences from teaching to going to the market. When we arrive at 6pm Doha time we will be greeted by our principals and then escorted to our apartment. We will be living at The Pearl Apartments and from the images on Google I am super excited about the light up bath tub. Josh is being realistic and waiting before he gets excited because "maybe the pictures aren't exactly what we will have." The first week will be spent doing medicals, all of which include a chest x-ray... The following weeks will be spent training for our new jobs which we know very little about; I feel like a first year teacher again. School begins just after Labor Day and I am sure by then we will be ready for the students to arrive. At that point we will know a lot more (inshallah: God willing). With two weeks to go until we leave the feeling of excitement has crept in. Since June 7th we have been homeless, we have many great people taking care of us along the way. But, the time has come for us to have a home again. I am currently in Minnesota saying my last good- byes. I am going to get to that and drive to Minneapolis too see Chelsey and Stephanie my dear friends from Bemidji.
Love, Emmy
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