Timelines, Waiting, and Patience!

“If you want to heat water until it boils, and you watch it while you wait, then it seems to take a very long time. In the same way, anything that we wait for with eager attention seems to take a very long time: like waiting for someone to arrive, waiting for the phone to ring, waiting for a letter to come”

Many people who know already and who will want to know about how long this journey will be. This opportunity is about patience, patience, patience, waiting, waiting, waiting, and more patience and waiting.  Here is “MY” timeline

·      October - complete application

·      A few weeks later (October) completed the phone interview and told I would go on to the next step

·      November- received and email asking if I was still interested in the position

·      A few days later (November) I had yet another interview and told I would move forward with the next round after the new year (2015)

·      January- received an email asking me to choose a few dates and locations to do the In-person Interview

·      February- The day after having my first little girl, I received an email with an In-person Interview Date in New York the next week.

·      February- after interviewing on a Tuesday (10^th) I was notified by email on the 18^th that I had been offered a position. The offer letter was due to be returned by February 27^th.

·      February/March- this time was spent obtaining the needed documents and certification.

·      February 27^th- GOT MARRIED!!!!!!

·      March 25th- Submitted all documents to ADEC

·      April 13^th- received an email from my recruiter that my Visa was being processed by ADEC

I have been told that we will arrive anywhere from early to late July so we shall see. What I have realized is that if I keep waiting, then the wait will be excruciating! So I have decided to focus on other things like closing out the school year (May), moving out (May-June), my son’s birthday (June), my VACATION (June).

I figure that once all that passes it will be time to leave……So my advice to anyone would be to now wait for the water to boil, find those benchmarks in life and focus on them until your Golden Ticket arrives……

Questions and Answers.........

So again....the purpose of this blog is to document my experience and help answer any questions that families, administrators, and others have regarding this experience.....I woke up this morning with a bunch of questions....well...maybe not a bunch AND a HUGE REVELATION!!!

I would like to think that I am fairly knowledgable about the process and what to expect, but there are a few details that I am still in the dark about and if I am in the dark, I am sure that others will be too. So when I get there and find out the answers to these questions, I will give others more information than I had at this stage of the process.

Most of my questions are with regard to housing. Now remember, I am traveling as an administrator so I get a housing allowance (113,500 dirhams per year)  due to my family size and I will be responsible for finding my own housing. With the housing allowance provided, most administrators live in villas, as opposed to flats (apartments). The upside with living in a Villa, is that you get you a great deal of space. However, there are some amenities that are available with flats (gym, pool)Some of the pictures on-line look amazing! However, you never know what will be available by the time you get there or where you will need to look due to location of the school that you are placed in. So a few questions that I have are:

1. Upon arriving, where will we stay?
2. How long will we stay in that hotel until we are moved?
3. What is the process for obtaining housing (e.g. working with a realtor)?
4. How much freedom will we have to negotiate with landlords? 

For me, I will have some time to "get my affairs in order" because the plan for my family is to come in September.

HUGE REVELATION!!!!

With my "future" resignation, it suddenly dawned on me that this will be the FIRST summer in about 6 years that I can literally "shut my brain off"!!! I am SO excited about my summer plans, but mostly I am just excited about being able to sit somewhere near water or poolside and think about absolutely NOTHING! NO new school initiatives, NO staff to hire, NO back to school week to planning, NO staff developments to lead, NO budgets to develop, and NO master scheduling:) LOL

Ahhhhhhhhh.......LIFE WILL BE GOOD..........

WOW!......What an interesting few weeks!

So this has been a pretty few good weeks for me! My baby girl Maddy (Yum Yum) continues to do well for starters. She is such a blessing! Even though she is addicted to her mom's breast and wants very little to do with the outside world right now, I enjoy her. My wife and I are still trying to wrap our heads around this new paradigm of marriage, baby, and international move. I was approached about another opportunity, but I am not going to speak anymore about that until I gather more information. Oh, my wife's family and I are interviewing for Family Feud next weekend. The jury is still out as to what we will wear for the taping:) LOL

I also got a very encouraging email from my recruiter stating that everything was full speed ahead with my visa, so as many of you know or WILL know, it will be a LONG WAIT..............She stated that I would probably be in one of the first groups to come over..but who knows:) She also stated that it would be mid July. I have a countdown on my phone that has an end date of July 31st. So according to this, I only have 104 more days!!!!

This will be me waiting on the Golden Ticket email! LOL

I also found out a few weeks ago that one of my good friends also got accepted to the sandbox and will be in Al Ain with me. I think that is pretty cool to personally know someone who will be in the same position as me. I think we both we be able to support each other. UNFORTUNATELY, the Incognito part is slowly fading as there is a rumor floating about my school that I am leaving. I just smile when asked and I normally respond by saying something like, don't believe everything you hear or if that were true, I would have told you:) LOL I will keep everyone guessing just a few more weeks and then formally announce my departure........and wait for the parade!

Oh, I also bought a few gadgets that we will need like a power strip and plug adapters. Just trying to knock out the small stuff. Still debating on luggage at this point, but I have started purchasing Ziploc Vacuum Bags! I'm also trying to lose a few lbs before I go. I managed to workout 3 times this week which was a HUGE improvement. I also ate A LOT better.....I know...I know....the diet is the most important thing! You can't outwork a bad diet!!!!!!

THE RIGHT POSITION IS SEEKING ME NOW...

THE RIGHT POSITION IS SEEKING ME NOW

I see myself in the right position in the business world. That position is also seeking me. There is a divine activity at work in the universe and nothing can keep the right position from me. I allow all necessary inlets and outlets to open up in order for it to show up at its divinely appointed time. The ideal position comes with the ideal compensation. The right position comes with awesome business partners. The ideal position always reveals the perfect business plan.

I do my part by providing the necessary service, knowledge, and skills. I prepare myself to receive my good. I awaken each day open, receptive, and responsive to divine guidance. All that I do blesses me to be a blessing to others. Thank you, Wisdom- in me, through me, as me, around me, through the Christ within. And so it is.

... for the Lord knows everything that is in the heart
and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts of men;
if you seek him, he will be found by you;
1 Chronicles 28:09

Daily Thoughts from the Hill
Copyright: Hillside International Truth Center, Inc.
Bishop Dr. Barbara L. King - Founder Minister/World Spiritual Leader

Where did this come from......

So I am sitting in my office on this cold Atlanta morning trying to catch up on teacher observations, ordering items for next year, emails, and some other odds and ends. I keep thinking, where will I be this time next year; waking up to a beautiful sunrise, or packing for a quick weekend getaway to Dubai, or planning to go to the beach in Abu Dhabi, or seeing some of the many sites in Al Ain with my family. What a huge contrast to what I am doing now:) The latter sounds so much more exciting and fun but a funny thing happened to me this week........

Before you can understand why I'm conflicted you first must understand my drive. I have spent about 12 years in education with 8 of those being in administration. I spent 2 years as an elementary SPED teacher, 2 years as a middle school SPED teacher, basketball, track coach, and football coach. I then moved and worked a few months (literally) as a high school SPED teacher. ALL the WHILE, I knew I wanted to be an administrator. I left no stone unturned, no opportunity did I let pass me by. If there was a chance to lead, be apart of, or learn something from any experience, I was involved. I was promoted to Admin Intern within months of working at the high school. An Admin Intern is nothing more than an AP without the pay:) After doing that for a year and a half, I was promoted to AP. While serving as an AP, I monitored early bird, which were classes that started before the actual school day, I served as AP during the day, and night school principal.....YES, LONG ASS DAYS!! But I knew what I wanted!!! An opportunity came to lead an elementary school that had just opened. It was beautiful and had all the amenities of a new school. It even had mini lounges for students and staffs to work in. And it was working with a population of students that would allow me to continue to  work with...low socio economic African American students. This had always been my educational life's work and my only experiences thus far in my journey had been working in these types of schools. So the opportunity to lead one, and a NEW one was exciting. Now mind you, I had only been an AP for a year, but over the past few years serving as an AP and Admin Intern, I felt like I had logged enough hours equivalent to 10 years as an AP. So I stepped out on faith and applied....and what do you know. After countless panels, and interview/interrogation by the Superintendent I was hired.

Yes, I admit initially I was in over my head but I learned the job and I worked hard at it. After three years (and a divorce) I wanted a change. I wanted to start over somewhere new and Atlanta was intriguing to me because I had spent many summers there as a child but had not visited quite as much as an adult. I even managed to steer clear during the FREAKNIC days:) LOL Atlanta was also looking for new leaders after the "Cheating Scandal". So I interviewed and was placed at one of the lowest performing schools in Atlanta. One year later........we were a Georgia Reward School for being in the top 10% for Highest Progress. It was hard work...it was a lot of work! What made it more gratifying was that I felt like I was changing a community that deserved better for its children! Children that looked like me and but for the grace of GOD, could have been me.

Which brings me to these new feelings..... I had an unannounced visit by the Chief Academic Officer on Friday and we spent, or should I say he spent, most of the time sharing his vision for me and my school. It was awkward because he was asking me to serve in a few different capacities for next year and that he wanted to provide mentorship to me, necessary to get to the "next level". This meant a great deal to me as I love smart people and I love learning from smart people, especially those that have DONE THE WORK and not just read about it. The fact that he had been a former Superintendent twice was also appealing because he had credibility. Later in the afternoon, I have a scheduled meeting with the Superintendent and my Associate Superintendent. This meeting was to last only 30 minutes, but the conversation was so rich and I felt so empowered (maybe because I am leaving) to tell her what I liked and did not like, that we spent almost an hour and a half talking. She gave me a huge compliment as she was leaving that meant a great deal to me because I felt like she was being honest, and she also told me that no one had ever talked to her like I did. Yes, I have been know to "push back":) Toward the end of the day, I received a phone call from my Associate Supt's aide who wanted to let me know how much my name had been circulating throughout the district the past few weeks and how much the Supt. enjoyed our conversation....As Ice Cube would say...today was a good day....BUT it wasn't over!

Shortly after that, one of my teachers who I had been counseling for a NEEDED career change/shift came and notified me that today would be her last day. Hallelujah!!!.....but there's more.

I am not going to go into all the details but a parent brought a students back to the school to alert me that she had caught him with the vacuum cleaner cord wrapped around his neck trying to kill himself. We spent about 2 hours talking about him, the family dynamics, resources, and how to heal the entire family. There were SO many moving pieces that Iyanla: Fix My Life would have had to devote a whole season to it.

After that I sat in my office trying to absorb the highs and lows of the day....and a few simple questions came to me....IS THIS WHERE I BELONG? IS THIS MY LIFE'S WORK/CALLING? WILL I GET AS MUCH JOB SATISFACTION THERE? WILL I FEEL FULFILLED?

I understand and do not stand in judgement of those who are taking this opportunity because they are fed up with where they are, or want to make more money, or think that it is easier...but my journey has never been about that. I have always wanted to do the right thing by kids and as a result have been blessed to be well compensated, even though I would like more. So my spirit is conflicted. Admittedly, I have not been in contact with GOD as much as I should have the past few weeks.

I'm somewhat amazed because last week I was so excited and wanted to pack and leave immediately! 7 days later, I sit and wonder....IS THIS REALLY the best decision for me?

Did I really just start packing......

SO this is my reality....well some of it at least....How do I fit what you see and sooooo much of what you don't see in two cases....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Im not even going to fool myself...I see extra baggage fees $$$$$$ in my future.

I began the process tonight by boxing up all my winter sweaters....I felt amazingly "glutness". How many purple sweaters can one person have? I didn't even realize I have like 3 red sweaters...and I'm not talking about a red one, a red stripe one, or a different type of red sweater. I'm talking about the SAME DAMN RED SWEATER:) LOL I really am ashamed, but it was nice knowing that with the exception of a few light sweaters, for the next few years I won't have to worry about snow or weather below 50 degrees! 

New Friends, Great Conversation, Same Excitement, Similar Worries

This weekend I had an awesome opportunity to meet some other teachers who are traveling along this  highway. I highly recommend other teachers who are similarly located to get together and talk, laugh, vent, and just open up about this WILD and CRAZY experience! As an administrator, as times, it was somewhat uncomfortable to hear teachers talk negatively about their administrators and their schools. I was thinking to myself, is that me....is that my school? I think far too often administrators and teachers end up on the wrong side of the isle working against each other, rather than finding ways to work together and support the work of all. One of my "new" friends asked me why I was leaving and I think she found my answer enlightening. I am leaving because of some of the same reasons that teachers leave:

1. Feeling unsupported
2. Higher levels of accountability without any high levels of guidance/support
3. Having to do more and attain more with less
4. Having to push more initiatives to teachers (who know better) and make them sound like those initiatives are what's best for kids.
5. Feeling like each year, no matter the gains made the previous year, you have to start back at the bottom of the mountain pushing the rock back uphill

But I am also leaving because:

1. I can allow my wife to focus on motherhood!
2. I can expose my kids to the other side of the world
3. Financial freedom
4. We can afford to have our parents to come and stay with us for extended periods of time
5. The opportunity to travel!!!!!
6. The opportunity to LIVE outside of the rat race and hamster wheel!

Overall, everyone was excited. Some of us a knew a little more than others about the process and what to expect....but then again, that's what this experience was about..SHARING with each other. I look forward to the next one in May...but for now...packing and waiting is my life:(