Dubai Little League

Before moving here to Dubai, much of the research I conducted about living here revolved around kids' sports and activities. We are used to a busy lifestyle and enjoy keeping our kids active, so it was important to us that the kids find a good fit for their various activities.

Since the time Connor started playing baseball 2 years ago, it has quickly become one of his favorite activities. I was excited to discover a youth baseball league here in Dubai called Dubai Little League (DLL). In my research, I noticed that the annual baseball registration takes place at the beginning of the school year in August/September, so I just assumed that we would have to sit out for a year. I contacted the league and inquired about registration for both Connor (baseball) and Kaitlynn (softball), expecting to be told that we would have to wait until the summer to register for next season.

Dubai is quite the transient community, with people and families moving in and out, coming and going, all throughout the year. I guess because of that fact, it is the norm to expect personnel transitions in every situation. The same applies to kids' sports, we learned, because we were thrilled to find out that Connor could join DLL mid-season. In fact, after a brief email exchange with the league, Connor was placed on a team, scheduled for practice, and booked for his first baseball game in a few days! Of course, then the panic set in because Connor hadn't played baseball in 6 months nor did we even have any of our equipment. The coaches and fellow parents, all being understanding of our situation, offered to loan us some baseball gear while we waited for ours to arrive. It was yet another lesson in Dubai living, where everyone has experienced the transition of moving internationally and lends a helping hand.

In a few short days, we loaded up and set out for the Dubai Little League baseball fields. The entire park is sponsored by Emirates Airlines, and we were impressed with the facility. I immediately noticed the urban skyline as a backdrop to the fields -- what a view from the ballpark!

As we explored the park, it didn't take long to feel right at home. I have such fond memories of long days and nights at the baseball fields, and it was reassuring to know we would be having the same experience here in Dubai.

As Connor's new coaches and teammates arrived, everyone was so kind and welcoming. Soon, Connor's first DLL practice was underway. He settled in and had such a big smile as he began getting his groove back on the field.

Fun story from the first practice: Connor and Jeff both wore their favorite Katy Falcons jerseys from Connor's select baseball team last season. When Connor's new coach arrived at practice, he immediately commented about their jerseys. As it turns out, DLL was in the process of putting together a tournament team, and the team name was going to be the Dubai Falcons! The team was having a "tryout" that same weekend, and Connor was invited to participate.

Just a few days after the initial email exchange with the league, Connor was on the baseball field playing for his new team, the Red Sox. He didn't have his jersey yet and he was quite rusty, but Connor fit right in and made an impact right away. During his first game, he played catcher a few innings and even made a big play at home to get the opposing runner out. And he *should* have thrown a big out from catcher to 2nd base, but we don't argue with the umpires. Ha!

Side note: you may notice from the pictures that the umpires in DLL are actually teenagers. I commented to Jeff that they may be on to something here. Parents are a lot less inclined to argue calls when the umpires are just well-meaning kids!

A week later, during Connor's second game as a Red Sox player, he had one of his all-time best games. He hit the 2nd home run of his baseball career, which also turned out to be the 2nd home run that I've missed. What bad luck for Mom! (I was at home receiving the delivery of our belongings from the US.) And during the same game, he ended the game as catcher making a big out at home. Needless to say, Connor is SO happy to be back in the swing of things with baseball here in Dubai!

Al Barsha Pond Park

As we settled into our new routine with school, it was taking longer than anticipated to get the kids' after-school activities squared away. We found ourselves with several hours of gorgeous weather in the afternoons, and I wanted to get outside and enjoy it. My neighbor who recommended that we visit Global Village also recommended a local park, Al Barsha Pond Park. Al Barsha is the area of town where the kids' school is located, so the kids and I decided to visit the park one day after school.

Have I mentioned that the weather here is amazing this time of year? I can't help myself, it's just so beautiful! We pulled up to the park and immediately noticed the beautiful scenery. Living in a desert climate, you are usually surrounded by brown sand so any sort of greenery and lush landscaping really stands out.

When we entered the park, we immediately noticed an area with several different types of bicycles and pedal cars. We decided to rent the big pedal car that seats 4 people. There were two huge tracks around the perimeter of the park: one was a softer surface designed for joggers and walkers, and the other was a bricked pathway for bicycles and pedal cars. We set off to explore the park, and it was so much fun!

One of the things we've noticed in the city of Dubai is the large population of feral cats. They are usually very friendly, and many are even quite sociable. As we pedaled around the park, we noticed one such cat and the kids just had to stop to pet them. Kaitlynn and Connor are quite the pet lovers, so they take any opportunity to get some animal love. As they were enjoying one of the little cats, several others popped out of the bushes to join the party. It kind of broke our hearts that we couldn't adopt them all, but we made sure to give them a lot of attention.

Also along the park's bicycle path were several pocket parks as well as fitness center areas. We tested our bar skills in one such spot.

The park also had tennis and basketball courts, a snack bar, and nice restroom facilities. We even saw signs advertising various weekend activities including yoga classes and a monthly farmers market. What a cool spot! We were delighted to have found such a beautiful park to enjoy some quality time after school.

First Day of School in Dubai

The kids' very first day of school here in Dubai was loooooong anticipated. Their last day of school in Katy was Dec. 1, and their first day back in 2018 was Jan. 7. That's 36 days without school, in the middle of the school year (not that I was counting or anything)! Let's just say Mom was MORE than ready for their very first day at Dubai American Academy (DAA).

Back in September, I visited Jeff here in Dubai and scheduled multiple school tours. We had chosen for the kids to attend a school with the American curriculum, and I quickly zeroed in on DAA based on feedback and reviews from other parents. After our tour in early September, I cancelled our visits to other schools because I was convinced that the kids would love DAA.

DAA moved to a new campus for the 2017-2018 school year, and the facilities are amazing. I was blown away during my tour and I couldn't wait for the kids to visit. We scheduled a tour for the kids in mid-December after we moved and adjusted to the time difference. I think they were feeling apprehensive, but by the end of the visit they were definitely feeling some excitement as well.

Side note: Did you notice the tall United Arab Emirates country flags (red, green, white, and black) draped over the buildings in the above photo? The UAE celebrates National Day each December 2, marking the union of the seven emirates. When we arrived in Dubai, the country had just celebrated its 46th birthday and there were UAE flags draped all over the city in celebration of the holiday. Quite young for a country!

Fast forward to January 7 for the kids' first day of school...the biggest change for us was the school uniform. I've mentioned before that I was excited for this part -- no more agonizing "what to wear" issues in our home! (As I type this, it has now been 2 weeks of school and I'm even more convinced that school uniforms are a Mom's best friend!)

The kids had some first day jitters, mostly over their uniforms as well as the typical feelings when starting somewhere new. But they both had great attitudes and seemed excited and enthusiastic about what the day would bring.

Side note: I didn't realize until later that the uniform shop had given me an elementary school tie for Connor instead of the full men's tie that the middle school kids wear. I was so embarrassed that he spent his entire first day in that tie, but luckily Connor doesn't care about that stuff and shrugged the whole thing off.

Upon arriving at school, I first wanted to get Kaitlynn situated in her 3rd grade classroom. We went up to the elementary school area and there were several other kiddos waiting to be taken to their rooms as well. Kaitlynn looked so cute and couldn't wait to meet her teacher and classmates.

Finally we were taken back to Kaitlynn's class. Her teacher is Ms. Jennifer (they use first names here) and is from Ireland. She had the sweetest smile and greeting for Kaitlynn, along with her precious Irish accent. I immediately loved her and I know Kaitlynn did, too!

I watched Kaitlynn walk into her classroom and she was instantly surrounded by several friends who wanted to meet her. It just warmed my heart to see the kindness of her classmates in welcoming Kaitlynn.

Next up was getting Connor settled in the middle school section. We made our way there and found many other new students were starting DAA that day as well. It turns out that 80+ new students across the school joined DAA in the new year, so Connor and Kaitlynn were in good company.

The middle schoolers were welcomed with a brief introduction in the library. We received Connor's schedule and had to make some adjustments right away, which thankfully wasn't a big deal. (He had been enrolled in choir as an elective. Anyone who knows Connor would know that taking choir would be nothing short of torture for him, ha!) The kids were given some instructions on their new schedules which are based on a 8-day block schedule. It seemed complicated at first but like anything else, the kids quickly adjust.

And then it was time for Connor to be off to class! He was escorted by the middle school ambassadors to his classes, and he even was given another tour of the school to help on his first day. When it was time for lunch, all of the new kids met the ambassadors in the library and went to lunch together so that they would have friends to sit with. I was encouraged and relieved to learn this, because isn't the lunch period always the hardest part of being at a new school?

After seeing the kids off to their classes, I stuck around the school for a while completing some additional registration tasks. I also started asking questions about sports and after school options, because we were beyond ready to get involved in additional activities.

Fun fact: DAA has an active presence on social media, and the Courtrights made an appearance on our first day. Cute!

It didn't take me long to realize that the school arrival and dismissal each day would be somewhat of a challenge. The DAA campus is located right next door to another big American school, and there is a single two-lane street that is accessible to both campuses. Thousands of families rush through that one roadway for drop-off and pick-up, making the process a bit tricky at times. Two weeks in, I'm finding that my "commute" to/from school is about 60 minutes each way, most of which is spent either waiting in a parked car or in a long line of cars trying to get out onto the main roads.

Back to the kids' first day, I made sure to visit the uniform store to pick up the correct tie for Connor. And I also managed to get a couple of hours alone for the first time in over a month, hallelujah! But soon it was time to pick up the kids, and I couldn't wait to hear all about their first day. I waited for them in the school lobby, and I was surprised to see that the place was abuzz with excited families. There is a café in the lobby area, and apparently it's commonplace for family members and friends to grab a snack or coffee and hang out while waiting for the children to be dismissed. Very different from what I've been used to!

The elementary kids are dismissed a few minutes earlier than the middle school kids, and I was greeted with a big smile from this girl of mine. She had a great day! She made several new friends, and they even asked to sit by her at lunch. Her favorite part of the day was PE where they were doing some gymnastics, so of course Kaitlynn was happy to show off her tumbling skills.

Next up was Connor. I couldn't read his expression at first which made me worry, but he rated his day as a 9 out of 10. Woohoo! I was thrilled to hear that, because we all know how tough middle school can be. Connor had nothing but positive things to say about his day, and he even met a couple of fellow Houstonians who shared a love of the Houston Astros and Los Cucos Mexican food!

I can't describe the relief I felt when the kids were both smiling and happy after their first day. I was so thankful to the DAA teachers and staff for ensuring the kids had a positive experience. Connor told me later that he was surprised by how friendly and welcoming the other students were. "Back home," he said, "when a new student shows up, everyone notices them but immediately goes back to their own groups. Here, everyone came up to me, asking me where I'm from and saying hi." I've been told that this is the norm in Dubai -- every student has experienced the transition of moving in/out of the city, so they are far more understanding and welcoming of the new kids. What a blessing!

One last note about the kids' new school in Dubai. As part of the standard curriculum, all students are required to take Arabic language classes. The teachers are experienced with managing the different levels of learning, as many kids come in with zero experience or understanding of the language. Connor and Kaitlynn were definitely feeling some trepidation about this part of their new schedule, but their teachers began working with them right away to get them started on the fundamentals. Kaitlynn came home after her first day, excited to show me her name in Arabic. Cool!

Global Village

One of our new neighbors mentioned to me that we might enjoy checking out Dubai Global Village while the weather is nice this time of year. I hadn't heard of it before, but she described it as a huge destination where you can "visit" all of the countries and cultures from around the world. We couldn't wait to check it out.

When I looked it up for more information, I learned that Global Village is basically a huge outdoor entertainment venue/park for shopping, dining, and family fun. The park is divided into dozens of sections, each that are decorated to represent a different country. In each country, you can experience a bit of the "local" culture, shop the country's wares, sample some native meals or treats, and even enjoy live entertainment from that country's performers.

During the ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival, Global Village opens its gates at 2:00 pm on Fridays instead of the usual 4:00 pm. We decided to show up right at 2:00 to check it out. There were MASSIVE parking lots, all empty, as we drove in. Walking to the entrance was quite the sight.

When we first entered, we were in a courtyard area with various shops along with miniature landmarks from around the world. The Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, and Burj Khalifa were some that we spotted right away.

As we walked further into the Village, we could then see the entirety of the park and all of the various countries represented. It was a gorgeous day, perfect for walking around and exploring the Village and all it offered. Since we were there when the gates opened, the park was mostly empty for the first hour or two that we were there.

The kids were most excited to explore The Americas, while Kaitlynn probably enjoyed Africa the best due to all of the products we found with her favorite zebra print. Because we were there so early, we missed most of the live shows which didn't start until the end of our visit. But we saw the many stages in each country as well as in the open park of the Village. You could tell that the place would be hopping in prime time.

We told the kids that they could pick out one thing each to purchase from the various country shops. Connor found this American skull ninja head covering in Mexico and Kaitlynn found kinetic sand.

We had eaten lunch prior to our visit to Global Village, which turned out to be a mistake because there were so many food and dining options that we could've taken advantage of during our visit. But we managed to sample some of the Global Village street food, including Turkish ice cream (which was quite the "show" in itself, when the vendors put on a performance serving it up) and fried spiral potatoes.

By the time we were ready to leave, it was 5:00 pm and the Village was becoming quite crowded. As we walked out, throngs and throngs of visitors were streaming in. We couldn't believe all the people! And remember those massive, empty parking lots? All full. Completely full. As it turns out, Global Village ended up meeting capacity for the afternoon and they stopped selling tickets. We were happy to have enjoyed the experience during the calm afternoon away from the frenzy of the crowds.