Colds, sunburns and homework..

We've had a busy few days. Both kids had shared a cold with each other, so both missed a day of school this week. Which led to homework to catch up on. This weekend we went to a friends house so the hubby could help them with their internet. These houses all have concrete walls, so wireless internet is quite tricky. He likes to say the walls are like kryptonite :) We had a lovely time though, it's the kids friends from school. We ate some chinese food, had some wine, and chatted the night away. They are a very nice family, and we love to spend time with them. Their son was home from boarding school, he's a very nice boy. I learned that i don't have to worry about monkey's grades to much! I found out he is where he should be. Apparently his targets aren't for the end of the year this year, but for the end of his stage. Which is year 9. So it seems it's more about the stages, than the years. He is key stage 3, which is years 7 to 9. So his target was a 7b, and he was at a 5b. Well it hadn't changed at the time of his report. So i was wondering how in three months he was to go up that much?! When he hadn't moved at all, but it's not supposed to go that much. So he has until year 9, not the next 3 months. What a relief! I hope that made sense to someone, as it barely does in my head. Basically he is doing find, and i think i might understand this system a bit more :) Monkey got to sleep over with his friend that night, and he was happy. Midget was sad, she wanted to stay but her friend had gotten what they all had earlier in the week. It worked out well though as she had forgotten to get me an invitation so i would know about her other friends party. The mom called the next morning asking if she was coming... oops. So i ran her over there and she got to stay for part of it. So it all worked out in the end. Boy do i miss doing nothing sometimes! I believe i should put a meter in the car for all the back and forth we do here. But the kids are having fun, so that's what counts. So that is all we have been doing. Catching up on school work, trying to teach midget her times tables and division, which is no easy task. Helping monkey on his project, which is doing at the end of this month, and trying to keep the germs at bay :)

Geocaching...

So my hubby has a new hobby. Geocaching... although they haven't found anything yet, they have had fun trying a few times. Which i believe this hobby goes with the logic of it's half the fun getting there. There are apps for his phone, and blogs and forums giving locations for these said "caches". So here is the definition of it:
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook where the geocacher enters the date they found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (tupperware or similar) or ammo boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little value. Geocaching is often described as a "game of high-tech hide and seek," sharing many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, letterboxing, and waymarking.

Hubby had some gps coordinates for a couple of them about 30 minutes from here. We drove out and found the coordinates, finally found the container, but it was empty :( Talk about alot of build up for nothing. But the guys had fun looking. Midget and i were a little worried about snakes, as we had just seen a news show about snakes, and had read about snakes in the desert. We waited in the car.. Maybe there is a cache in a nice snake free zone? Midget and some friends went with the dads and looked, and found none but had loads of fun digging. I might just need to go plant one they can find to keep their spirits up :)
A ‘muggle’, in Geocaching terms, is a non-Geocacher, a person not playing the game, and usually not aware of Geocaching. The term is based on ‘muggle’ from the Harry Potter book series by A. K. Rowling which refers to a non-magical person.

The concern with muggles is that they may discover a Geocache, either accidently or by seeing a Geocacher accessing it, and then possibly destroying it. This is referred to as the Geocache being ‘muggled’.
Apparently the muggles get to them...

So there was an empty tube inside the little hole in this barrier in the middle of a desert field.

There was supposed to be one in a pile of rocks on top of that hill, but none :( There was a gecko nest!

The nose plug make de ear hurt....

So poor little midgets ear was sore, and her nose was oozing green goo. It had stopped and she had no fever, and then last night it came back. So, rather than sending her to school, I took her to the SEHA Clinic here. You can walk in and see someone. It's a nice new building around the corner from our house. Of course as I walk up, the signs are in arabic with arrows. This doesn't help me, so the guard tells me ladies go that way! Um, okay, thanks? Sure enough, ladies to one side, men to the other. OH how I was wishing for my lovely Dr. Talbot in his Hawaiian shirts who has card for Monkey since he had his first ear infection when he was 2 1/2, and he cared for midget since her first snorty little piggy breaths.... :( But no, we had DR. something something Muhamed something something Alkazariad. And no, he didn't have a lovely hawaian shirt on either. Once we got it, there were the sith all around us, and a few british or dutch ladies. When we took our number, and were called back 15 minutes later to fill out the registration forms the lady was nice in her monogrammed hijab, that was quite cute, it was in crystals no less. She had to repeat herself a few times, but was nice about it and smiled. Then we were sent to the other side, which i was baffled at as it was the "mans side?" But apparently if they send you there its ok? Once they call us, and these people never say her name right, she is alice here...? We go in and went in the wrong room, sat there and was looked at oddly by the dr. Finally after about 5 minutes of him staring at an xray, which was a mammogram, this other guy says are you alice? Well, actually no, but sure lets go with that... You are here, and points to his room. Well when you call someone back, how about you wait for us with the door open so we know that? Once he looks her over, and he was nice. He says she is fine. Really? Because i tend to think green goo oozing out of any body part, is not. So i said her ear was sore and she had green stuff out her nose? He says she fine, and points to his ear, and says the nose plug makes da ear hurt... Wow, really? You went to med school where again? But then gives us some medicine, so no infection requires medicine? Strange.... But he also gave us some nose spray for allergies, which i am wondering if it is too. The dust has been blowing for a month, but is supposed to stop soon. Strange experiences :) But just remember, if your ear ever hurts, the nose plug does it... ;)

Funny things...

So Midget and Monkey have these wonderful friends from school. Sweet, sweet kids. It works out well too, as the boy is in Monkey's grade, and the girl is in Midget's. They have one older sister who is at that horribly rough age, and she is funny. A flashback to those angry years :) But they are British, and I still am amazed at the differences in the children. I have come to the conclusion that we Americans are quite loud, and we don't stop our own thoughts from coming out. I yell at my kids, and pretty much every one i know does too. I didn't went they were small mind you, but now I do. Maybe from sheer frustration? It's not right, i'm not mean, just sometimes their comes a point where if i don't yell i will go mad. But their friends mom, is just the nicest, most polite wonderful person I have ever met. I adore her. I have never ever heard her raise her voice. There is just this way she says her children s names, with the sound of disappointment, and a pause, and that is it.
"Oh, boy quantity one....". I swear i feel so bad after screaming at mine. But the other day her daughter was driving her crazy i could see it, and it came...
A slight raised voice, and an "I'm so irritated". I am thinking that was it, full on British rage? It's just funny. I admire their restraint. But then i wonder is it good for them? Do they have people get all pent up and go crazy in post offices? Do their moms lose it and drown their kids? I wonder who is living a healthier way? I mean really, half the moms i knew back home were on anti-depressants. Maybe they just have a better hold on their emotions. It's just funny to me to see how different we are, but we can still get along so well. I thank heaven for her kids though, they have certainly brought immense amounts of joy to mine. :)
As for our break, as it is mid-term break here. We had fun the first part, and then boom... Midget got an awful cold, and we've been rather home bound. It has certainly been bad timing. Monkey had his British friend sleep over, which of course didn't sit well as his sister couldn't come for her. Poor little one....

Jebel Hafeet

When we went to the airshow in Al Ain, we also stopped off at the mountain there. It's called Jebel Hafeet. It is a beautiful drive up there, and it's hard to believe it's out here. I was quite surprised by the safety walls along the side, in a good way. They were actually there :) The views were amazing on the way up, and even more so on the way down. Apparently the road up the mountain is famous. They use it to test drive Jaguars, Mercedes and it's in several car commercials. At the top there is a look out, a restaurant with rides, of course, why not? It was a little strange actually, it felt a bit like the twilight zone. It's beautiful though isn't it?

Dan Rather in the making...

So my little man is working on a project for school. I think it is turning into more work than he would like. However, it was such a good idea, his teacher has now hounded him into begrudgingly doing it. I'm excited about it too though. His project is going to be a movie on diversity in the UAE. There is a beautiful series of statues here, that sparked his imagination. Plus, you can't help but notice the different nationalities.
So today, he got in his email a meeting invite :) There is a lovely, lovely woman who works with his dad. She is such a sweet lady. Midget loves her, she talks about her fashion sense. She sends little gifts home for her with her dad, and in return midget sends special drawings of fashion shows, and princesses. So she is from Jordan. She has agreed to be "interviewed" by our budding Dan Rather. They have a conference room all set up for tomorrow. He's got his flip camera all set, and his questions are all written out. I can't wait to see this :) So what he is doing is he is interviewing some grown-ups, and then some friends from school, and some neighbors. We have a small melting pot going on around us. So this should be quite the project once he completes it.

Dubai Mall :)

So we went to the Dubai Mall, which claims to be the biggest mall in the world. I had though that was Mall of America? Maybe that is the biggest one in America? So this mall is so big, I doubt we have seen half of it. It's got a fabulous aquarium in it. When i saw aquarium, i mean full blown wall of fish, inside there is sections with all kinds of fish, snakes and other things, and oh, a glass bottom boat ride, and room where you can dive to get PADI qualified. I mean what mall doesn't have that right? The kids LOVED the aquarium. I was happy, as they were both spouting out facts about different animals. The penguins from midget, as her class is called the penguins. I love them anyway, and she seems to know every fact there is :) Monkey was all into the crustaceans. They had just learned about them in science. It was nice to hear them learning, and made me feel warm and fuzzy about their education, as it's half the reason we came out here. We then went shopping a bit, they have a pottery barn kids, oh that store is my biggest weakness! Their bedding is such good quality though, and they had a purple quilt midget loved, so we had ordered it back home. It was on backorder, and that was a big reason she was sleeping in her room was to earn it... oops. So they had it, once i cancelled mine today, i went back and got it. However, while we shopped midget had the time of her life!!
Kidzania is a city for kids. Now our museum back home had one street of a city for kids. This place was AMAZING!! I didn't even get to go in, but you can bet i am going next time. She checked in with the emirates airlines people, and it was just like the airport. She got a ticket and all. when she goes in, she got an acct, earned money, got her nails done at the salon, had a concert, rode in an ambulance... now this i saw and i was so amazed... there was a real ambulance it looked like it was on a golf cart frame maybe? But it was driving around, with lights and sirens, and there were kids inside being dr's and patients... can you believe that?? there was an airplane in there, a fire truck, cop car, and everything you can imagine. There are grown-ups working in the building to help the kids and do things like nails and make up... poor girl got her make up done. When i saw the kids coming through the migration office-where you get them at.. just like customs :).. i was thinking please lord no... there make up was awful, blue eye shadow, pink cheeks and hot pink lipstick. But i knew it, she had called us from her phone all along. "mom, i'm in a move, don't call me", "mom i'm getting baskin robbins, is that ok?" "mom, you aren't coming to get me are you?", and the last one "mom, i'm getting my nails and make up done, is that ok", i thought she was kidding... but no. When she came out, there she was, looking like a crazy person had put her make up on. Worse thing was she knew it, she was embarrassed. I told her it looked fabulous, but omg.. But she had the time of her life :) I can't wait to go in with her next time.. i was so jealous :) Monkey wandered with us and got some new skinny jeans. We saw the little skate park in the skate shop. Which is a small bowl, and not at all what we heard it was. But we watched the guys skate for a while. He liked that. I think he liked the time with us alone too. We went to the hershey store and got 3 bags of twizzlers. We are set for the movie theater now!
So then today as i mentioned i drove with the kids, from Abu Dhabi to Dubail Mall, all by myself! This is huge, I've been so scared to do it. It only takes an hour, but the roads aren't like home, you can't just make a u-turn, it's an ordeal if you miss an exit. So i white-knuckled it into Dubai. Made it there, got her bedding and had lunch at Chilli's. I was quite pleased with myself.

My little man, happy at taco bell.. before we knew of the lawsuit :O

Midget with her boarding pass at kidzania

:)

At the aquarium

Glass Bottom Boat

Really neat Fountain

Cooking....

So cooking here is a great thing, but there is a challenge at times. I have to admit I was very much a cook of convenience. While hubby was away, it would be most frustrating to spend an hour cooking something, to have the 2 kids snub there nose at it, or pick at it like birds. Yes mom, I used your phrase :) So often it was a drive thru, which is lacking here, or velveeta shells and cheese, or fish sticks, a giant ham slice. That way I would atleast know they would eat.
So now that we are here, and there is a grown up here besides me to eat, cooking is a good thing again. But, there are no conveniences. It's very much a cooking from scratch kind of place. The convenience foods that are available, are a bit pricey. So, a friend who came here with us has this fabulous cookbook. She said there is a website, and it's fabulous! I am so excited to try some of these recipes and get the book. She is called the Pioneer Woman. She too got uprooted and moved, to the country, not the desert :)
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/
So the woman cooks from scratch. Which is what they seem to do here. It is very economical. So, the hubby will be thrilled with this!

Al Ain Air Show

So Friday we decided to have some fun and go on a little day trip. Al Ain was having their annual air show, and we used to love going to the air show back home. It only took an hour and a half to get there, so that made it even better. The weather was absolutely perfect, which after the week of sandiness we had was much appreciated! There were planes from all over. Saudi, Turkey, America, Italy, Russia and a few other places i don't remember.
There was one plane called Catwalk. It had girls that walked along the top and all around the plane, crazy! Even worse, they were gorgeous scandanavian girls, in yellow and black catsuits with ears and tails. The men certainly enjoyed that.
We sat in the stands and watched them fly for a bit. They even did a imitation war scene. They had jets fly by and drop pretend bombs. That was kind of neat, and the kids (when i say kids i mean kids and hubby)loved that.
Then we walked around and looked at all the planes. Hubby and Monkey really enjoyed talking to the pilots and climbing on the planes and helicopters. The pilots were very nice, and midget made a new friend in one of them named Nasser. Sweet man. Overall a super fun time!

How funny is it that the saudi arabia jets did this?

Colds...

Not the chilly kind, the stuffy head, fever wish you could rest kind.... and oh i would LOVE some Nyquil about now. Don't know whether it is the sand swirling around that has gotten us all sick, or just a regular cold. One by one we've gotten it. The sand was flying around for about 3 days, and it's EVERYWHERE. So i've been trying to get it all up.
I read this interesting article in the newspaper here. I had hear the term "third-culture kids", they used the term "expat brat". I prefer the first :) However, i can get the latter also.. It is a nice article, and I hope my children embrace the lifestyle as these children do. Interestingly enough Monkey was talking with our neighbor in the car on the way home about what they wanted to be when they grow up. Monkey had a long list, but all realistic things. :) A travel writer, a engineer who would make parts for the rockets, or a helicopter pilot. As for midget, she's going to be octo-mom i fear, with her 8 dolls :)

Teenagers put paid to the myth of 'expat brats'

Sarah Hedley Hymers

Last Updated: Feb 2, 2011
The "expat brats" who are anything but, from left to right: Robyn Glennie, James Bonner, Laura Worger and Rohit Zachariah.

The "expat brats" who are anything but, from left to right: Robyn Glennie, James Bonner, Laura Worger and Rohit Zachariah.

Tina Chang / The National
Laura Worger, 16, was inspired by Dubai's architecture to pursue a path to engineering.

Laura Worger, 16, was inspired by Dubai's architecture to pursue a path to engineering.

Tina Chang / The National
Rohit Zachariah, 16, counts Donal Trump among his influences for wanting to become an entrepreneur.

Rohit Zachariah, 16, counts Donal Trump among his influences for wanting to become an entrepreneur.

Tina Chang / The National
James Bonner, 16, aims to be a politician to improve the lot of people, already having received the Chief Scout Gold Award bestowed by the British Consulate for significant contributions to charity.

James Bonner, 16, aims to be a politician to improve the lot of people, already having received the Chief Scout Gold Award bestowed by the British Consulate for significant contributions to charity.

Tina Chang / The National
Robyn Glennie, 13, was voted by her class as the person they would be most likely to go to for help and aspires to be a teacher.

Robyn Glennie, 13, was voted by her class as the person they would be most likely to go to for help and aspires to be a teacher.

Tina Chang / The National

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From other shores, bringing with them their own cultures, customs and, of course, children, expats make up more than 85 per cent of the UAE population. Ever since moving here, I've heard the offspring of this demographic referred to, rather scathingly, as "expat brats". "Brat" by definition means unpleasant child, so it was with some trepidation that I set out to discover what this generation is made of.

Far from discovering an underbelly of little monsters, I was met by articulate, well-educated and emotionally intelligent young people who compare favourably to their counterparts in some other countries.

Louise Maister, 28, a teacher from the UK, used to work at a school in Liverpool before she came to teach in Abu Dhabi, and believes children here are better behaved than at home.

"The children are amazing and require very little discipline - a few stern words keeps them in line," she says. "It's not seen as cool to behave like a rebel, in fact quite the opposite is true. Back in the UK, it's a very different story. It's becoming increasingly difficult to manage the larger classes and some teachers genuinely have to worry for their own safety."

Certainly, in less strictly governed societies, multicultural melting pots can lead to all kinds of conflict, but here in the UAE, with its low crime rate and sunny climes, children soak up the influences of different cultures and enjoy varied social activities originating from all corners of the globe, including wakeboarding, skiing, kickboxing and any number of after-school groups, from good old Scouts and Brownies to the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Such diverse influences and opportunities are set to pinball these kids towards exciting uncharted futures, but where exactly is this über-generation headed? I met four so-called expat brats to find out.



'I want to be an engineer'

Australian Laura Worger, 16, moved to the UAE when she was 10. The architecture of the region is among the inspirations that make her want to become an engineer

All parents like to think of a daughter as their little princess, but Laura Worger's composure is such that I'm actually reminded of the few times I've been in the presence of the British Royal Family. She is graceful, engaging and relaxed as she tells me about her national identity.

"My lineage is a bit confluent, to be honest," she admits, and I'm left wondering if I've ever heard anyone below the age of 40 use the term "confluent". "I identify as Australian," she tells me, "but I was born in Scotland to English and Rhodesian parents. We moved to Australia when I was a baby, so before living here that was where I called home."

As Laura talks about her many travels afforded by now living in a far more central location (she most recently returned from a charity expedition in Nepal), I'm reminded of a famous quote by TS Eliot: "... the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." Or as Laura eloquently puts it: "Moving to the UAE has not only allowed me to experience Dubai and many other places, it's also allowed me to experience Australia, as I can now truly appreciate its cultural differences."

When she arrived in the land of landmarks, she was instantly struck by the UAE's feats of engineering. "So many things about the region fascinate me," she says. "For example, the lighting and sound rigs at various theatres and seeing the construction of Dubai's Metro - I can't stop myself trying to figure out exactly how everything works."

In preparation for her future career as an engineer, Laura has completed a Design and Technology GCSE, and is studying Physics and Mechanics at AS level at Dubai College. "This should set me up for a good university placing come 2013," she says, thinking ahead in a way that children often don't. "Though it sounds clichéd, I'd really like to work on resolving our energy problems by developing more efficient wind power, or work in automotive engineering to create a more eco-friendly, aerodynamic hybrid car."

Surprisingly, at the school Laura attends the traditionally male career pursuit of engineering is as popular with girls as it is with boys. "If being a female engineer is seen as unusual or a difficult path for a woman to follow elsewhere in the world, then I'm even more motivated to do it and do it well to prove that I can, regardless of gender," says the dedicated 16-year-old, who limits herself to just one hour of TV each evening. The educational MythBusters is her favourite show - she just can't get enough of the "engineering face-offs".



'I want to be an entrepreneur'

Rohit Zachariah, 16, born to Indian parents in Saudi Arabia, considers the US tycoon Donald Trump among his role models

Rohit Zachariah is headstrong and single-minded. The first words he says are: "Donald Trump says, 'What matters most is where you want to go', and what matters to me the most is becoming an entrepreneur." He looks like he means it.

"As a young child, I became interested in the business world through my family's ventures," explains Rohit, who would regularly read out the day's business headlines to his grandfather and organise the family collection of Business Week magazines. "I was amazed at how simple ideas like the Post-it note could be transformed into multimillion-dollar businesses."

Until he arrived in the UAE, Rohit's exposure to business, beyond that provided by his family, was limited to watching his hero, Trump, tutor apprentices on his hit TV show. But when Rohit's family moved to Dubai all that changed. Entering GEMS Wellington International School, Rohit came under the tutelage of Sajid Hussain, an innovative curriculum leader for the Business Studies and Economics Department.

Hussain selects entrepreneurial students from Years 10 to 13 to showcase, market and sell products to the public at the handmade goods market ARTE (Artisans of the Emirates), allowing students to experience all facets of a real business environment. The project has been a huge success with students and shoppers alike.

"Back in March, I experienced my first real business venture at ARTE when I took charge of my Year 10 business group, Chillax," says Rohit. "Our idea was to help people relax by selling them coconut water and customised stress balls. Some saw our business idea as bizarre and risky, but taking risks and having faith in yourself are cornerstone characteristics of being an entrepreneur. The risk paid off as we not only made a profit, we also won the Best Stall Design award."

For their second ARTE fair, Rohit and his team created Smart Cards, a trivia card game with an eco theme designed to spread awareness of global issues - they're pursuing an international patent. In the meantime, Rohit has been appointed assistant managing director of Young Business Minds, the student organisation responsible for running business ventures. "Honestly," he says in earnest, "to achieve what I have in the last few years in the UAE is absolutely astonishing for me and I'm honoured to be part of such a forward-thinking school."



'I want to be a politician'

James Bonner, 15, from the UK, has already won awards for his commitment to charity. He volunteers for the UAE's Mission for Seafarers' Angel Appeal, and his ambition is to improve life for other people

James' parents have a mantra: "You can be whatever you want to be." Having taken this advice to heart, their son has decided to aim high - he'd like to return to the UK some day to take over from the British prime minister.

"Given the chance, I'd do all I could to make sure that every person in this world gets a fair start to life - an education, medical treatment, clean water - no matter where they're from or what religious beliefs they hold," he promises with utmost sincerity. "Then, I'd do all I could to prevent climate change, to make sure that sulphur and carbon dioxide emissions remain low, and to find alternative energy resources to crude oil so our great grandchildren and theirs can live in a clean world."

It's a fairly rousing political speech, albeit one we might have heard before, but James isn't merely spouting hot air like so many politicians. He's already dedicated much of his youth to making a difference, and he credits his move to the UAE for his greater understanding of the world's demographics.

"Living in the UAE has greatly affected me. There's such a brilliant blend of religions and cultures here, it's impossible not to be influenced," he admits. "There are loads of different nationalities in my peer group and over 80 different nationalities in my school. I'm not bothered where my friends are from or what religion they practise, and I have no time for people who think otherwise."

Last year James was honoured with an award by his school, Jumeirah College, for contributions to charity, and in November he received the Chief Scout Gold Award bestowed by the Consul General at the British Consulate on Remembrance Day. To achieve such an accolade, significant contributions to charity must be made.

James says his most successful event to date was a fund-raiser that included everything from table-top sales to raffles and raised more than Dh5,000 for the Angel Appeal launched by the Dubai branch of the Mission to Seafarers to build the world's first seafarers' support boat. The boat visits vessels anchored offshore to provide unprivileged crews with supplies and internet access so they can contact their families - a rare treat for seafarers who can be at sea for long periods on poorly equipped boats.

The event was more than a financial success, says James. "In raising this money, we brought together so many people from the community - not just Scouts, Cubs and Guides, but also parents, siblings, friends and passers-by - all with the common goal of wanting to help raise money for charity.

"Often, when I'm visiting the UK, I'm shocked by people's opinions on other religions and races. Living here I've learnt an incredible amount about other cultures, which has helped me understand people from all backgrounds - it's an opportunity that should be cherished by everyone lucky enough to live here; it will aid us all enormously in the future."



'I want to be a teacher'

Robyn Leigh Glennie, 13, from Zimbabwe, was voted by her peers as the person they'd be most likely turn to in times of hardship and trouble. A nurturing role in teaching spells out her perfect future

Robyn is from Zimbabwe, where career aspirations for young girls are virtually nil. As Robyn's mum, Crystal, points out: "We Zimbabweans don't expect too much from life - just food on the table, petrol for the car and hopefully good health."

However, just as Robyn bid farewell to her Year 5 schoolmates before leaving for the UAE, she received a goodbye note from her teacher, Miss Beecher, who said she expected to see Robyn working for the United Nations one day. The message struck a chord with Robyn and has fuelled her career aspirations ever since. Now in this land of opportunity, she's working towards her goals.

"I'd love to be a teacher," enthuses the fresh-faced, freckled 13-year-old, whose popularity with her peers can be measured by the fact she was voted the person they'd be most likely to go to for help. While Robyn appreciates the level of education afforded to the middle classes in this part of the world, the sensitive teen is also aware of those less fortunate.

"Living in the UAE, I've seen just how many people of all different nationalities need education but can't afford it," she says. "So, when I'm older, I'd like to travel around this continent and my own to help educate people in any way possible. I was born in Africa, so it's really close to my heart and would mean a lot to me to make a difference there."

On reflection, Robyn sees other benefits to her UAE education: "Since attending school [Jumeirah College] here I've made friends from lots of different cultures and nationalities and I think it affected my social development because I've learned how to mix with others and not be racist."

Like most UAE teenagers, Robyn likes Facebooking with friends; she also enjoys wakeboarding, dancing and playing hockey, but while most kids her age would credit Lady Gaga or the Jonas Brothers as their idols, when asked whom she admires most in the world, Robyn says her ex-teacher Miss Beecher gets her vote.

"She was very 'out there'," recalls Robyn, "but she was a great teacher and a lot of fun. I see myself working with the children of Asia and Africa in the same way, making sure they have a really good education, and, maybe a little later on in life, working for the United Nations just as Miss Beecher told me I would."