A Leap Of Faith SIU Alumna Teaching In The Middle East by Greg Scott
“Dubai is like living in a real-life episode of The Jetsons,” she says. “I wasn’t ny career move is an adjustment. accustomed to seeing Arabic But it’s truly a leap of faith when this change occurs on foreign land. people in native dress. There SIU alumna Lara Mazzone left Brehm aren’t too many Americans Preparatory School in Carbondale, where here, either; which isn’t too she held a position as a special education surprising. instructor for seven years, to teach “Also, I had to get used to taking a taxi everywhere. And English at Emirates International School they are scary. In Dubai, everyin Dubai. The 2003 English graduate just one drives like they are on completed her first year of teaching in their way to the emergency the Middle East, admitting that the iniroom. It was a huge adjusttial culture shock almost resulted in an ment from my calm, laid-back abbreviated stay. life in Carbondale. ” As a matter of fact, Mazzone was so Mazzone lives close to a 12overwhelmed that she didn’t leave her lane super highway and the apartment alone until her second week metro. Additionally, a language in the country. barrier presented challenges. She says most of the teachers are from the United Kingdom. “I had the most difficult time understand- With a student adorned in native clothing, the SIU ing what they graduate says her culture shock soon diminished. were saying. You don’t realize how different “It’s amazing because you can earn a their language is,” she says. much better salary without paying “I had to familiarize myself taxes,” she says. “And there are more with so many slang words.” holidays here, which present more So Mazzone learned a opportunities to travel. I had only been second language, which is to Canada and Mexico and wanted to referred to as “Queen’s see more.” English” in Dubai. With a Mazzone says the school also pays for her housing and other expenses. She two-year contract at the teaches 16 hours weekly, compared to six school, she was determined classes per day in the States with one to make the adjustment. period off for planning. Another reason She had been intrigued she left the country is she commenced about the Middle East for an online relationship with someone some time after learning of who had left his native Italy to begin a a friend’s experience teachMazzone says she has learned a second language in Dubai, something she calls “Queen’s English.” new life in Dubai. ing in Abu Dhabi.
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Southern Alumni