Take notes.
National Day in the UAE is kind of a big deal. Having now experienced my third National Day here, the process for celebrating is finally starting to make sense to me. (At least the way my school does it.)
Here’s what you do:
#1: Begin preparations at least 2 weeks in advance. Make sure you pull students out of class for song and dance rehearsals. Send home lots of memos and interrupt Ms. Jill’s teaching as much as possible. (That last bit is really important.) As the big day draws near, split your (academic) time between patriotic crafts (fun!) and performance rehearsals (not fun!).
#2: Begin to cover the school with as much patriotism as possible. The bigger the flag, the better. You might even want to recreate a Bedouin camp in the courtyard, live animals included.
#3: Have a parade complete with military and ambulance escorts. Don’t forget Sheik Nemo!
#4: Stage a National Day performance. This is what you’ve been building towards for the past 2 weeks. Invite mothers, nannies, and siblings to join. Enjoy the chaos.
#5: Leave the place in shambles. The maids will clean up.
xo, jill
[Ok, so that’s a bit tongue in cheek. But really… it’s fun, bizarre, and frustrating, yet still a very special experience.]
