Superficial Joy

No posts for so long! But I'm going to try to get you up to date. A few weekends ago I participated in this amazing event called  Darkness into Light . It began in Dublin, Ireland to support  Pieta House , an organization that works for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. It has spread over the last few years to numerous cities around the world. Emma spent the night and Darlene came over at 3:30. Attendees gathered at 4 a.m. for speeches and awareness about mental health issues, then walked 5 km in the heart of Abu Dhabi as the sun came up. It was amazing to be with so many people coming together for a good cause, especially one that is so close to my heart. I have lost several students and several more friends to suicide and I found myself crying as I listened to the speakers. The Irish Ambassador to the UAE spoke as well. I felt comforted by the familiar sights and sounds of an early morning event. The air was really cool (like 80 degrees!) an

It's time to celebrate!  I earned my PADI Open Water Diver certification! One of the items on my bucket list since I knew I was coming to the UAE has been scuba diving. Imagine my shock when, on my first day of work this semester, the teacher in the classroom next to me invited me to get my certification with her and 2 others in Fujairah, a city in the UAE about 3 1/2 hours from Abu Dhabi. This was definitely a sign that I was in the right place. I rode the fence for a while a nd I may have waited until the last week to get the 15 hour online portion done.  The anxiety of doing something new was grand. The last time I felt that was when I arrived in Galway, Ireland alone to begin my Master's program. Coupled with the fear of the unknown was images that old movie  The Abyss  that always freaked me out. Breathing under water felt claustrophobic even sitting in my living room.  I believe in "fake it 'till you make it," though, and when the weekend