The Rare Desert Moose...

Mom vS e-mailed and mentioned the rain they had in Hamilton... well, we haven't had rain, but I have played hockey on real ice while the temperature outside was in the forties!

The Kuwait Mooseheads is a recreational hockey-league that plays once or twice a week at a local skating-rink. On Sunday, we had our first game of pickup. Wow, it was nice to skate again... I brought my equipment with me to Q8 this year after a year-and-a-half hockey drought (pun intended). It went well, I felt great (until the next day--talk about sluggish!) and the level of hockey is much more my speed and is very recreational... i.e. we actually enjoy the game rather than just trying to win!

Very exciting, indeed. That's me, by the way, after our ice-time. 

Scott (left), a colleague from AIS and Michelle from ACA (another school) chat before our first on-ice hockey session. 

 

 

Day 1... again!

B&R take a moment in Brent's new classroom with the self-timer to memorialize their first day back in the classroom for 2006-2007.

So far, so good... 

The vS Clan

The whole gang together in Stratford, July 2006. Thanks to the kind neighbour who took some excellent photos with Sean's camera.

In a few months this pic will be obsolete as, DV, we'll have a new addition courtesy of the RuleDuinens. 

Sibs

July, 2006. Photo: Sean Blaine

The 'Staalduinen Sibs: Brent, Dennis, Kirsten, and Sharon. Taken on a lovely July day where the whole van Staalduinen clan was together for some food and much-missed fellowship. 

Firsts (again!)...

We've been back in Q8 for two weeks as of yesterday. Wow. Full first two weeks.

School is back into full swing--after the first week, which is full of craziness and course changes, hopefully we can settle on regular attendance lists and stable student levels. (And, of course, be able to give assignments and assessments, much to the students' chagrin!)

We are also again getting used to Kuwait's temps and quirky weather patterns. Thursday saw 48-degrees plus wicked humidity, and we had a mild dust storm on Wednesday, just enough to tickle the throat and coat everything with a fine layer of powder. Today looks to be somewhat cooler, with a predicted high of 44. I ran this morning at 29-degrees, and it almost felt cool--amazing what a person can acclimatize to, eh?

B&R

A Good First Day

I don't remember looking particularly forward to the first day back at school after a long summer. Quite the opposite, in fact--I'm sure my old teachers might testify that I was downright surly!

However, that wasn't the case yesterday, as the AIS student population trickled back through the gates to begin 2006-2007. Spirits seemed to be high especially, I noticed, around the grade 12's, of whom I taught a good portion last year in my 11 English Media class. Being a senior at AIS is quite the thing: extra privileges, the respect of the other students--earned or no--and all sorts of "seniors-only" events laid on by Student Council.

Lots of smiles and "good-to-see-you-sir/miss," which is always a neat thing as a teacher to hear!
Well, day 2 today: let's see if the spirit continues...

B&R

Back at it...

So I started a run club at AIS. Today was its first day... up at 515 to run at 530. Only one other person showed up (yay, Ray Wiens!). Here's why: today is also our first day back in the classroom for 2006-2007. After a hectic week of meetings--one really can't have enough, eh?--and prep, AIS opens its doors to students in about an hour.

I started the day by stretching my legs in the ealy morning cool (only 32 degrees)--I wonder what our students were doing? On my run down by the Gulf I noticed a few groups of boys out for a last summertime swim, but I didn't see any of my students. A last breakfast with sibs, perhaps? A good sleep in (after all there's nothing like being tardy on one's first day)? A good cry?

It's hard to know without asking, of course. But that's the neat thing: we get to ask. Very shortly, too. After a summer off, Rosalee and I are both excited to see our students again and jump back into teaching--we're so thankful to have jobs we look forward to so much.

Wish us well, all--we're thinking of you guys too!

B(&R)