A reflection on my work here ... back home, as a dean of student services, your direct contact with students is constant. That has been my world for 11 years (as a dean), and more than double that amount of time if you add up all my years in higher education. As a dean, that contact included/includes (if I'm on a leave of absence, just what is the correct tense for that verb?) both stellar student leaders, and students who made some really interesting choices that brought them to my attention, and not in a good way.
With that being said, here in Abu Dhabi I currently see students throughout the day, but I am not interacting with them directly. And I see students as I visit our campus sites, and as I walk through the college where our management offices are located. I have to say, I miss the interaction with my (yes, "my") student leaders (that's a shout-out to ASOCC!) ... but I am not missing the crazy moments and dealing with really challenging students, at least not right now.
I kind of knew I needed a break from that part of the position. It's a mix of emotions when it comes to that part of the job. It's great to help a student see things differently and turn themselves around and succeed. It's frustrating when it's a wild battle with a student over their behavior and choices. So right now, when I overhear the students talking to one of our lead teachers or managers about a complaint or about their own behavior, while I have the inclination to respond and jump in that fray, I have to say I am enjoying not having to do that on a regular basis. The position I'm in is helping me let go and not get in the middle of that intensity, and instead support and empower the teachers, staff and managers to handle those moments. (And they handle those situations well.)
Speaking of perspectives, had a minor emotional meltdown Friday morning. The good news is that it had been several days since I had been weepy. That's progress. Technology is great when it works. Sometimes the home internet connection is not as consistent as I'm used to, and skype calls are choppy, with 3-5 second delays in sentences. You combine that with a Friday morning, and weekends being when I miss Tim and the pups and home the most, well, it's a bit of a perfect storm. But as Tim reminded me, being able to skype a couple of times a day even if it isn't perfect, and being able to email, beats having to wait for weeks for a letter in the mail. (Not to knock hand written notes, but "yay" for instant communication when you are 8400 or so miles away from home!)
And, thanks to Tim generating some good ideas, I will start getting out more, see some sights, even if it's on my own. I have fun running around doing errands with Tom and Danielle, as they purchase items for the villa, and sharing meals and hanging out. We all agree we need to add in some fun things to the necessary tasks. This afternoon (about 5 p.m.), Tom and Eric and I and Grover (their pup) took a walk, just outside the villa compound. (I struggle with the word "compound", but that's what the complexes are called here.) There is a separate gate for a sheik's villa (our villa, times 5) that's on the compound, but the security guys are lovely about letting us walk in and out of that gate, as it is really convenient.
Obviously, we are facing west (sunset and all !). This is a waterway coming inland, that flows past our compound. What you see is a grove of mangrove trees; the government is protecting them, and encouraging their growth. Funny things, mangroves; my brother explained to me that they grow in salt water, their roots grow up, and they are nourished by the dew. Beyond the mangroves, is the Gulf. I want to go hang out on the beaches along the Gulf sometime soon. (Lovely chairs and umbrellas you can rent.) Reportedly some beautiful beaches. So, sharing my view ... my perspective on a Saturday afternoon here in Abu Dhabi.
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