Getting the girls registered for School in Saudi Arabia was like applying for college. There was a large registration packet for us to fill out for each of them. They both had to take an assessment test and both had interviews. We arrived in Saudi Arabia only 5 days before school started, so for 4 days we were at the school everyday. The security at the school is a little intimidating with lots of military personnel. Every time we went to the school that week we noticed more armed 50 caliber machine guns and military personnel with fully automatic rifles. Our last count was 8 but I'm sure we did not see them all. They are in vehicles, in bunkers, and camouflaged. Rachael took her assessment test and interview Saturday, the day before school started. We didn't know if she was accepted until Saturday night but was told that some things needed to get approved by the government so she didn't go to school on the first day.
Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, was Hannah's first day of School.
Dhahran High School (DHS)
Monday, Sept. 2, 2013, was Rachael's first day of school.
Dhahran Elementary Middle School (DEMS)
Checking out the toilet. lol!
Marty calls it their "Rock Star School Bus"
We now realize the Security at their school is also because the School shares the 1st. Security check point with the American Consulate. There is a second vehicle check point and a "walk-in gate" where everyone must show an ID and visitors have their bags x-rayed and walk through a metal detector. We were also told that the loss of the students ID represents a breach of security and should report it to the main office immediately. For security reasons, we are also not allowed to take pictures of the school grounds. New to us; in the student handbook there is a marriage policy, a pregnancy policy and non-discrimination policy. Rachael and Hannah will have a few virtual school days, which means that they will stay at home and do schoolwork on the computer. November 5th. and 6th. are virtual school days.
The school campus is huge, almost like a small college. The Campus has Elementary, Middle, High School, A British School which also consists of an Elementary, Middle, & High School, and The ISG, (International Schools Group) District Office. It is equipped with two soccer fields, Softball or Cricket field, four gyms, Auditorium, Library or Learning center, Cafeteria, Coffee shop, school store, three sand play areas, Pre School, Nursery for children of school staff, Nurse office and many other offices. We heard that there was also a Rock Climbing wall, I know Rachael will find it.
The School week is Sunday through Thursday. The Schools mascot is a Scorpion. The Schools are accredited schools offering an American curriculum to culturally diverse students. The school offers classes and extra curricular activities like in the States. But they also offer things that the girls would not have had the opportunity to do back home. For Clubs they offer; Cheerleading, Chess Club, Student Council, Choir, Jazz Band, Tutoring Club, Wrestling, Drama Club, Habitat for Humanity, Model United Nations, Prom, Running Club, Debate Club, The Stinger (a student run newspaper), National Honor Society, Ultimate Disc Club (frisbee). For Athletics they offer; Table Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross-Country, Cricket, Basketball, Badminton, and Softball. Then they offer something called WOW Week (with out walls). It is service trips to other countries. They have the opportunity to go to Austria for a Ski Trip, Bali Green Camp, Cambodia, Malaysia, Oman, Spain, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. They believe that these trips are priceless learning experiences for children in the areas of serving, culture, and skills. WOW week gives the students a time to truly experience international education outside of DHS walls. These trips are scheduled in February.
Hannah is on the Volleyball team.
Rachael has a great art class and music class. Rachael will have the opportunity to join a string Orchestra. She can choose from violin, viola, cello, and bass. The class is in an orchestral setting using the Suzuki method.
Rachael told me that the teachers make school fun by the way they teach. They use more hands on activities and give the kids more breaks. Rachael believes that she has 5 school breaks each day. The bus gets to school early so she has time to play with her friends before and after school. They do get a 15 minute break in the morning, a lunch break and a 15 minute break in the afternoon.
Hannah and Rachael are both taking Arabic classes and they both really like learning to speak the Arabic language. They have been trying to use it when we go out. Some examples: Thank you (shuck-ran laka), Welcome (ah-lan wa sah-lan!) Yes (na-'am), no (la), My name is (is-mii...)
Hannah really likes to write in Arabic and she uses apps on her iPod to translate English into Arabic. The Saudi guy's that Marty works with are also trying to teach him Arabic. He said that when he eats breakfast and drinks tea and coffee with them, they teach him how to say things like salt, sugar, coffee, tea, cup and things like that.
Hannah's Arabic writing
It was weird to hear our girls come home from school saying that they did not have school on Sunday because the King declared it part of the National Holiday. The Saudi National Holiday was Monday, Sept. 23rd, but because Sunday was a school day, the King declared it to be part of this years holiday. It gave everyone a 4 day weekend. This holiday is like our 4th of July, Independence Day holiday back home.
The Flag of Saudi Arabia, the sword means power.
Rachael and Hannah are holding the flag backwards, but what is interesting is that a real Saudi flag is manufactured to ensure the words read correctly, from right to left, from either side and the sword points to the left on both sides, in the direction of the script. The inscription is the Islamic creed, or Shahada. The Shahada or Islamic declaration of faith. The Islamic declaration of faith is "There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God. The green of the flag represents Islam and the sword stands for the House of Saud, the founding dynasty of the country, or the military strength and power of Saudi Arabia. Just a quick history lesson!
Hannah and Rachael have adjusted very well and they both really like going to school here. They said that the kids are very friendly and that the behavior is much better than back home in our schools. The kids don't talk when the teacher is talking and say please and thank you. They have friends from all over the world. Friends from; Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Turkey, Egypt, Holland, The Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Spain, Cuba, Brazil, India, South Africa, South Korea, China, Canada, U.S. and the list goes on!
Noor was born in Houston, Texas and
moved to Saudi when she was four
moved to Saudi when she was four
Ignacio if from Brazil
Emma is from England
Yasmina is from Egypt
Yuntong (Lucy) is from China
Rachael's class mates: Omar -Saudi Arabia, Leena -Saudi Arabia, Almaha -Saudi Arabia, Suhayl -Bahrain, Ayda (DiDi) -Palestine, Mary -Washington, USA, Yuntong (Lucy) -China, Yasmina -Egypt, Imaan -Pakistan, Juyong -Korea, Seok -Korea, Rafic -Lebanon, Norman -India, Maryam -Pakistan, Emma -England & USA, Saood -Pakistan, Ivan -Calaforina,USA, and Selmin - Turkey. Rachael's teacher is Mrs. Beth Martin. Mrs. Martin didn't start teaching Rachael's class until the first week of October because she was waiting on her Visa. We understand because we know how that process is!
So this is the scoop on Hannah and Rachael's start of their school year in the ISG School in Saudi Arabia.
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