What makes you happy? by my students: Hadeel and Esra'a
Four months ago I started my coop training as a practicum teacher. I started this experience as I promised in my previous post with a positive atitude. In fact, After the first week I was not positive at all, but I preferred to keep these feelings for myself. There were times when I complained to my dad and my close friends about how horrible was it to deal with you. At other times I consulted my teachers about some of the things I have came across. The only thing I avoided was blogging about all these negative feelings because deep in my heart I knew it was good and I had to be up for it.
13 weeks have passed now, and I am leaving the school next week. And here is something I didn’t expect to say one day: “I will miss you.” I really do not want this experience to end. I will miss the days we spent together, the times we laughed, and had fun. I will never forget the times you got on my nerves, and made me lose my temper. I won’t forget the hundred times you begged me to speak one “Arabic” word, and I refused. I will always remember how rebellious you were the first few weeks. I have watched you grow from lazy, disrespectful and irresponsible students, to active, respectful, and responsible students who drew a smile on my face every morning.
I hope I touched your small , innocent hearts, and made a change, But what I am sure of is that you guys changed something in me. You made me a better Khulood. Khulood who understands the importance of herself as a teacher.
To everyone I taught this semester, I learned from you a lot of things. I want you to know that you are so special, and I won’t forget you. I am sorry if I wasn’t there for you when you needed me the most. I am sorry too if I hurt anyone of you unintentionally. Always remember what I taught you, and make sure you take your learning seriously because you will definitely need it when you grow up.
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU 
Here is a poem I wrote especially for you <3
I am leaving
And my chair will be empty
But don’t stop believing
That I’ll love you to infinity
Stop grieving
There are things to learn plenty
Your hands are waving
And your tears running down gently
I am leaving
But don’t stop believing
That I’ll miss you to infinity
Your teacher: Miss Khulood
Hola! Ms. Teacher is speaking to you today. Summer is over and I’m back to college to finish my practicum. Despite how much I hate teaching, I’m excited to prove myself wrong. I am trying to give it a try this time without prior impression about the whole experience. I will try to eliminate any hatred feelings about teaching and kick an ass this semester. I hope I don’t suck at this!
Well I’m kinda lucky more than other students who are going for practicum this year. It was a great experience that I got trained at Aramco Professional Training Centre by knowledgeable teachers from different countries around the world. I attended lots of helpful workshops with Aramco Staff development Group. One of the best sessions I attended was about Coaching and Counseling as a teacher. I gained a lot and I’m so thankful for everyone there who offered the best for me.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned :D
Ok folks, I am back to my dear baby blog. I am becoming so lazy these days and I am not as productive as usual when it comes to writing. I have tons of ideas in my head, but something tells me: “Not now“. I keep procrastinating and this is what I hate. Anyway, I am setting now in my office at Armco Professional Training Centre, well, doing nothing but tweeting and chatting with my friends. I am almost done with the summer training, two weeks Insha Allah and I will be flaying back home to my lovely family. I miss them, I miss my parents, my naughty sisters, our stubborn driver, the cozy living room, my colorful bedroom, mommy’s cooking, our house green garden. I miss EVERYTHING *Sigh*
Ok let’s talk a bit about Ramadan this year. First, let me say “Ramadan Kareem to all my blog visitors“. Yeah I know I am late but ” Better late than never.” Everyone in my family thinks that I have a horrible time because I am spending Ramadan alone. Actually, It is not that bad. I am “Mrs. Cheif” so I will survive “Don’t worry!” I go to work at 7 a.m and get back at 1 p.m. I take a nap for 2 -3 hours and then I start cooking Iftar. After having my Iftar, I watch couple of tv shows on the internet since I don’t have a TV. By 8:20 p.m I start praying Taraweeh and then I head to the gym from 10 to 11:30 p.m. I take a walk after that, drink Lemonade in my way back to the dorm, and hit the hay at 12:30 a.m. “See, it is not that bad” :D
That’s all for today. Have a blessed day
Three weeks have passed since I started working at Aramco. At first, I thought leaving my family to live in a dorm with a total stranger is not a good idea, but daddy encouraged me to do so. He wanted me to explore life away from them and to depend on myself. So, he arranged everything with the training coordinator and I flew to Dhahran ALONE (This mean that I was brave enough to fly alone despite having aerophobia). The plane landed there and we found Aramco driver waiting for us (Summer B Students). Once we passed the main gate of Aramco camp, we felt that we entered another whole world. You could see kids walking alone (safely), women driving their cars (Just like men). I paused my thinking and then I asked myself: Am I still in Saudi Arabia?
In Aramco, people live their life as they chose it to be. No one comes to you at the restaurant in a mad rush to scream (Cover your face), or ( Who’s that guy with you, show me your ID). Even Aramco religious employees there are different. They are so kind and polite and would never tell you what you should have to do. In Aramco, I learned that not all men are wolfs. Some are so sweet. Everyday, I have a little conversation with the filipino bus driver who smiles for everyone. In the supermarket, the workers there always welcome me with (Good Morning, how can I help you?). And the black American guy who (by coincidence) always find me at the ATM machine promised me that he will learn Arabic because he likes Saudi females (they are polite and nice.. this is what he thinks of us)! A foreigner believes that we are polite and sweet while, unfortunately, our society thinks of us as (not trustworthy) and other times, we are just like (a dangerous infection ) and we should be kept away from men.
Here, everything has a rule, and a value. Those strict rules that everyone must follow (even the big boss), are what make some things valuable. And not like the (I would like to call it .. indisciplined society), people here are allowed only to care about their own business. I guarantee you guys, no nosy and snoopy people (As far as I have seen till now).
To conclude, I have seen all the wonderful things in here. And believe it or not, people here are normal just like any human, but what makes them special is being Aramco employees. Disciplines and good behaviors are not an innate characteristics which humans are born with ( so don’t put them in a community with NO RULES and expect them to well behave). They are more of well-modeled and effectively demonstrated acts which can be transformed to other people in the society. Aramco is doing a great job in producing a well-educated and disciplined generation, and I wish that EVERY institution, company, administration in Saudi Arabia follow the blueprints of Aramco great policies.
I have been trying to write about my graduation ceremony since Saturday night, but I couldn’t have the right words to describe my feelings. Some surprises just leave you speechless, and it is better to just lift up your head with pride while the tears are filling your eyes.
On 18-6-2011, I had one of the most unforgettable nights of my life. I started to look at my college life differently, and I saw the hidden side of every misfortune I have gone through during the five academic years. I felt the joy in every corner of the hall. I noticed the happiness shining from the graduates mother’s smiles. I smelled the bright future from the aroma of the roses that were filling the place. I saw the courage and determination in the faces of the graduates.
At 7:15 p.m, we lined up in the corridor. We were excited and happy knowing that once we enter the hall, we will see our families. They played the graduation procession song, and we entered the hall while everyone was clapping for us. The chairs were labeled with our names according to our CGPA. We walked around the hall until we reached our seats. Then, they started honoring the students from all departements.
Around 9:30, the graduation ceremony ended and the guests left the party. But graduates, faculty, and the college administration stayed until 12 a.m. We talked, laughed, danced, and said “Good-Bye.” Actually, it was the hardest moment: to say “Good-Bye” to your lovely classmates after 5 years of studying together, and your devoted doctors and instructors who helped you throughout your studying.
Saturday, 18-6-2011 was and will be one of the best days of my life <3
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