So, I'd been here just over a month, I guess, when I turned on the car radio and heard, "text 'million' to #### and you could have a chance at winning one million AED!" So I did (while stationary-not while driving). And I did. Well, I didn't win a million AED, but I won a chance to sky dive and a savings bond, THEN I won a CHANCE to win a million AED. I was on stage at a big concert (Alicia Keys), and on TV and everything. I didn't win the million, but I did win a trip for two to five cities in Europe. I hope I can go. It will be this summer, if I can. It's paid for, but there's not time off now to take it. We'll see.
And in the last two weeks I've been diagnosed with both poly cystic ovary syndrome and migraine headaches. The headache was pretty spectacular and still is with me, really. I went in for a brain scan, but it had to be rescheduled.
It's now scheduled for Monday. Monday I had an appointment to be observed teaching by the biggest grown-up bully I've ever met in real life. He's my boss's boss and he's a complete waste of space, to put my feelings for him as kindly as possible. This guy was just outraged that I brought in a rental contract the other day. See, it's been three months and my rent still isn't paid (by the school. They pay, I pay them back.). But they wouldn't pay the rent because they kept insisting I had to have something new every time from the land owner. The land owner couldn't/wouldn't produce anything for two months, then the school wanted something different. Truth is, they don't want to pay. I'm still on my probation period and they could still decide to fire me. They're trying to force me to take out a loan to pay the land owner myself so that they're not stuck holding the check in case they don't like me.
Everything is a game here that's all about a Dirham. And I hate these kinds of games. Hate them very much.
Anyway, this guy blames me for not having this done. Nothing in the world I could do to have it done, but he seemed to take it personally that my rent wasn't paid yet and because of this, I did something non-academic at work--I turned the finally signed contract in (it was of course returned again without being paid). How in the hell else am I supposed to get it done and taken care of if I don't hand it in? Completely ridiculous. A fairly large kerfuffle ensued and now this guy has made it is priority to assess my teaching skill himself--to decide whether or not I'm up to the rigorous standards (cough! *crap* cough!) of this fine establishment, and if I "get" to (have) to keep working here for the rest of the contract. Or if maybe I need to be screwed with some more and made to do another observation to see if I've improved any. That seems most likely to me. Just to keep the pressure on, you know.
So, he's going to have to re-schedule his bullying now. How do you think he's going to feel about that?
And I guess when the next one comes around I might be in surgery for the ovaries. They want to do it. I'm reluctant because I have my son to take care of alone. But I have the insurance now. If I get sent back to the States, I'll never be able to afford it. Well, maybe, if the Obama care thing works out and is something I can actually pay for. But being poor in the States means being worthless, so we'll see. I guess.
