Superficial Joy

 Although I know without a doubt that leaving Israel now is the right thing to do, there is sadness in moving out of a place I've been for 3 years. In a grand paradox, the year I am leaving is the year I feel the most at home here. I no longer struggle to pump gas, ask for help or push my way to the front so I don't get left off the bus. I know how to get cash at the ATM, I know my neighbors and how to get to church each Sunday on the bus.  As I am writing this, I am on my final train trip hone from work. I have not felt super connected to a lot of my coworkers, but the bonds I did make are deep and strong. Two of my closest friends left last year. This year I made some new friends but the person that I walked through all three years with was Mark. I call him my teaching partner even though he taught a different grade. We started in the middle school the same year--the year of Covid. It was a terrible year made bearable by trudging through it with him.  The Israeli countr...

For a while I thought I might come back to the United States because I knew I was done with Abu Dhabi. But a few close friends, and some acquaintances, told me they didn't think I was coming back. They were right! I am delighted to announce that I will be moving to Israel next year to join the staff of the  Walworth Balbour American International School ! My mind was mostly much made up when the school year began--it is time to leave Abu Dhabi. I like my job and love my friends and the community I have found here, but I don't love the weather. It is  so  hot! After all, I left Texas in part because of the heat (the other reason was the cockroaches, which we also have here in the UAE). And there is so little to do outside. I was rather spoiled by the weather and activities in Boise--skiing within an hour of finishing the work day, running in the mountains regularly, riding my bike to work. This has been an excellent first overseas job. Thus I attended a job fair ...