Yesterday in the news:
"Saudi, Egypt lead Arab states in cutting Qatar ties, Iran blames Trump"-Reuters
"Saudi Arabia cuts all ties with Qatar, seals borders"-Saudi Gazette
"Bahrain, KSA, Egypt and UAE cut diplomatic ties with Qatar"-Arab news
Next Tuesday, we are traveling to Bahrain for a 4 day Reader's Workshop before leaving the Middle East.
March 22, 2017: On this day, a terrorist attack occurred on the Westminster Bridge and near the Palace of Westminster in London injuring more than 50 people and killing five. Jake and I greeted our twenty-four Model United Nations [MUN] students and their families at the King Fahd Airport beginning at 10:30 PM as we prepared to depart FOR LONDON. Stress levels were high and our parents were concerned. We reassured them that we would take care of their sons and daughters and were quite certain that security would be firmly in place by the time we arrived there. [Fun fact (not) the BEST time to visit a country is immediately after a terrorist attack because the security will be on overload and tourists will be scarce, NEW knowledge for us that I didn't care to learn.]
March 23, 2017:The first flight was seamless. The second leg to London was another story. I noticed that the student sitting next to us had not returned to her seat for what seemed like a very long time. Then, we heard, "If there is a doctor on board, please identify yourself to the crew." Heads perked up, my gut had "that" feeling. "Jake, she's back there standing, something's going on, I'm sure it's one of ours...."
As I approached the rear of the Lufthansa aircraft, there was 1 doctor, 1 medical student, 2 fight attendants and our other student sitting, sobbing and panicking. Auf Deutsch, they were discussing pupil irregularity, sharp pains and neurological concerns. I introduced myself [in German] and requested that medical personnel be waiting for us upon landing at Heathrow.
Within a minute after landing, a team of three [Heathrow Medical Emergencies Team] boarded and conducted a medical examination in the back row of the plane. Jake and I made a plan that I would stay with our student through the next steps and he and Zainab [our colleague] would take the rest of the group through immigration & passport control and wait for a message from me in the baggage claim area.
In the end, our student checked out fine, we got the medicine we needed, I signed my life away as her guardian and she and I were escorted and prioritized through every phase of the airport by one of the Directors of Security for Heathrow. Through this experience, I not only bonded with our student, but with Mary, the doctor. We are clearly kindred spirits and someday we'll meet for fish & chips and beer and tell our life stories to each other.
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| Mary, Medical Staff at Heathrow Airport in London |
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| Jake with John Wayne at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
March 24, 2017
Arrival at Haileybury
Founded in 1806 and boasting the first international curriculum in the world, parents send their 11 to 18 year old children to this independent co-educational boarding school. In the 2016 Sunday Times, Haileybury was the highest co-ed boarding school for IB Diploma results. Their aim is to get every pupil into their first-choice university. The campus is amazing and the dining hall is straight out of a "Harry Potter" movie. I explored every inch of the campus during the conference breaks. The Haileybury students, dressed in their crisp dark blue uniforms and shiny shoes, moved quickly between buildings. Privilege, wealth and high society. What a childhood for $40,843.00 a year.
One evening, through their dorm room windows, I saw bunk beds, matching dressers and 3 boys practicing their soccer bumps. They were dressed alike in school t-shirts and shorts. I stopped and watched for a minute and felt sad, really sad. I had flashbacks to our time raising our blended family of 4 kids who ended up with a public education from Aitkin and Crosby-Ironton school districts. Probably not the academic caliber these young boys were getting, BUT.....we had family movie nights in our jammies wrapped in our favorite blankies while inhaling Rossailin's Supreme pizza and devouring pans of gooey Rice Krispie treats. I smiled thinking about the family suppers and all the family meetings where we worked out life together. There were many talks on the deck while a fire burned in the small chimera. I'll take the 205 4th Avenue South East JRW Boarding School over Haileybury ANY.DAY.....and I hoped that our kids would feel the same way.
 Opening night of the Model United Nations Conference 
The conference opening remarks were given by John Cox, Director of the John Locke Institute. Learn more here:John Cox, Director of the John Locke Institute I quickly started jotting all over the program as he began talking.....He talked about the importance of international cooperation versus the trend of isolationism being promoted by England with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump with this "America First" platform, which is quickly morphing to "American Alone." We need to be ready to listen to good ideas. "It'd be enough to just stop building walls, stop separating people and their relationships. Stop erecting walls. Don't just do something-stand there. Just stand there and think." We need to care more about human beings and less about lines being drawn on a map. We need to care about people and their freedoms. Leaders must ask themselves, "What can I do for people, rather than national interests?" He challenged us to "Be the 1%" and then added, "You know who you are." And finally, as he said, "Be humble, gentle and sparing when you have power over people." WOW.
MUN Team 
The "Building Bridges" Model United Nations Conference consisted of 50 different schools representing 8 countries. Our team dedicated many hours to the following issues: Access of humanitarian aid to war zones, removal of landmines, international collaboration to reduce terrorism, non-governmental access to explosives, desertification in the sub-Saharan region, overpopulation and limited resources, acidification of the oceans, managing the environmental impact of sewage, limiting the effect of urbanization of the environment, whaling, food waste, sustaining coral reefs, ensuring equal economic partnership between nations in the fight against climate change, integration of first-generation immigrants, income inequality in developed nations, cross-border tax avoidance by multinational corporations, sustainability of external debt, social and economic integration through sustainable urbanization, rights of prisoners of war, same-sex marriage, trafficking of children, refugees in Europe, child marriage, unlawful police killings, rights of indigenous peoples and breastfeeding in public. WHAT HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT LATELY?
This is our Model United Nations Leader, Zainab! She is amazing AND a mother of twins. We attended the "Act of Observance" on Mothering Sunday at the Haileybury Chapel. I found myself feeling nostalgic for mass. [Shocking, I know.] I enjoyed singing the hymns and being in the church. As Chaplain Briggs began his sermon about the different dimensions of "Mothering Sunday," out came my pen to jot notes again, all over the program. I wrote: "We need peace to reign over the earth...forgive all the hatred and prejudices that pull the rug out from under our humanity...Let us commit to serving with peace and understanding...turn away from the ways of war and towards the way of peace....my children are the best pieces of me." To learn more about the Haileybury Spiritual Life. To learn more, click here: Haileybury Spiritual Life
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March 29, 2017
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT: "The State Department warned U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to Saudi Arabia due to continuing threats from terrorist groups. Violence in Yemen had spilled over into Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions. This warning superseded the Travel Warning issued July 27, 2016. [Right before we left for Saudi.] Threat of Terrorism – Terrorist groups, including ISIS and its affiliates, have targeted both Saudi and Western government interests, mosques and significant religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners.
Saudi authorities have announced that 34 terrorist attacks, some resulting in significant loss of life, occurred in Saudi Arabia in 2016. These included three coordinated bombings on July 4, 2016, in Medina, Qatif, and near the American Consulate General in Jeddah. The Saudi authorities continue to vigorously counter terrorist activities and have announced that they thwarted over a dozen terrorist attacks over the past year.
Conflict in Yemen: Violence from the ongoing conflict in Yemen has spilled over into Saudi Arabia. Saudi media outlets have reported that since March 2015, more than 40,000 projectiles have been launches into Saudi territory from Yemen, including at least 30 missiles."
AND OVER OUR COMPOUND, THE FIGHTER JETS CONTINUE FLYING ...
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT: "The State Department warned U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to Saudi Arabia due to continuing threats from terrorist groups. Violence in Yemen had spilled over into Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions. This warning superseded the Travel Warning issued July 27, 2016. [Right before we left for Saudi.] Threat of Terrorism – Terrorist groups, including ISIS and its affiliates, have targeted both Saudi and Western government interests, mosques and significant religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners.
Saudi authorities have announced that 34 terrorist attacks, some resulting in significant loss of life, occurred in Saudi Arabia in 2016. These included three coordinated bombings on July 4, 2016, in Medina, Qatif, and near the American Consulate General in Jeddah. The Saudi authorities continue to vigorously counter terrorist activities and have announced that they thwarted over a dozen terrorist attacks over the past year.
Conflict in Yemen: Violence from the ongoing conflict in Yemen has spilled over into Saudi Arabia. Saudi media outlets have reported that since March 2015, more than 40,000 projectiles have been launches into Saudi territory from Yemen, including at least 30 missiles."
AND OVER OUR COMPOUND, THE FIGHTER JETS CONTINUE FLYING ...
April 4, 2017
We arrived in Cairo.
We arrived in Cairo.
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My camel, "Michael Jordan." He made funny noises and was stinky. Riding camels is super uncomfortable. Never again. From Cairo, we boarded the cruise ship and sailed down the Nile River! Our cruise ship is suited for 150 passengers and only 50 were on board. Tourism has dramatically declined since the revolution occurred.  This is my all time favorite, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut! She planted 2 trees at the entrance to her temple. She built houses for the poor, she built boats, she brought Henna to Egypt and she was one of six women who ruled in ancient times. Her temple is adorned with the five point star representing the 5 points of our life: body, soul, name, shadow and blood.  All dressed up on the cruise ship for "Egyptian Night!" Games, music, dancing and a whole lot of fun!  Grinding down alabaster is just like digging an ice hole on Lake Waukenabo in the middle of January. Mad skill set.  Meet Badawi, owner of the Alabaster Factory in Luxor, Egypt. We "wheeled and dealed" for 30 minutes on our purchases.  With my Nubian friend, Sherif. I bought two handmade bracelets from him. He is such a happy soul. 
April 9, 2017 And here we are at the Aswan High Dam. It's the 3rd largest in the world, built from 1960-1970 with 5,000 engineers and 35,000 workers. It consists of 6 tunnels and 12 turbines. This dam has created the largest man-made lake in the world, Lake Nassar. The dam is protected by the Egyptian Army and includes 5 missile launch pads and a no-fly zone. The dam consists of 43 million cubic meters of granite. MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE IN EGYPT "two deadly bombings targeted Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were aimed at a vulnerable religious minority on one of the most important days on the Christian calendar. The death toll rose to at least 49. At least 27 people died in a blast inside a church in the northern city of Tanta, and 78 people were injured, according to Egypt's state-run news agency Al-Ahram. In Alexandria, 18 civilians and four police officers were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a Coptic church."-Google News April 10, 2017 This was the day we HAD scheduled to visit the Coptic [Christian] Churches in Cairo. Due to safety concerns from our tour guide, we changed our minds and toured the Islamic Area instead. This was the BEST decision. 
Our first time visiting a mosque. We're standing inside the 19th century Mohammed Ali Mosque at the Citadel, which was home to the rulers of Egypt for almost 700 years. The Citadel was founded in 1176 by Commander Salah ad-Din. The mosque was built in a Turkish style with 9 domes and 2 slender minarets. Mohammad Ali cared about agriculture, education and the water of the Nile River. He built textile factories and schools as well as a great arsenal and army.
The Next stop was the mosque and school of the Sultan Hasan. His sons are buried in this mosque. We're standing in front of the pulpit where the Friday sermon is delivered. Sermon topics include teachings from the Quaran, the Prophet Mohammad and/or current issues. Friday Prayer is the most important day of the week. Muslims stand side-by-side, in equal footing before God-Allah. The first chapter of the Quran is read. The nose, face and forehead are placed on the floor, which is the submission position to God, Allah. Eslam, our tour guide and new friend, showed us and spoke part of the prayer. It was amazing.
 We relaxed at a local shop. [The President of Egypt is standing right behind us.] This was a GREAT stop for people watching, facing a very small and crowded street filled with people, mopeds and carts. 
Here is the restaurant where Jake tried his first grilled pigeon.
In my travel journal, I practiced writing "Wyant" in hieroglyphics and made a "Top 15" list of what I learned on this trip. 1. Water unites all religions. 2. "Life stability" symbols are my kind of symbols. 3. In China, boy/girl twins=Dragon [Mitchell] and Phoenix [Megan] 4. Cartouches are cool. My given name is: Amy Marie Wyant and my royal name is "Mogwa of the Great North Woods." 5. When someone is pregnant, plant seeds in two pots, if the barley grows first, it's a girl, if the wheat grows first, it's a boy. 6. The Goddess ISIS was amazing. 7. The upper and lower crowns of Egypt look like a bowling pin and sauna bucket. 8. Kings were buried in three coffins, a trinity, three is a very special number, Father-Son-Holy Ghost. 9. There are "44 Nevers," much like the "10 Commandments." 10. The Pharohs' organs were placed in canopic jars. 11. To mummify, the body was left in salt for 40 days. 12. Afterlife=Karma=Heaven 13. The eagle is a symbol of strength and protection. This was just reaffirmed. 14. Kings were buried facing the west, where the sun sets. I want my ashes spread when the sun sets. 15. I know the five pillars of Islam now. April 11, 2017: As we departed from Egypt, the U.S. Mission issued a statement that all personnel were advised to avoid identifiable places of worship for the next two weeks. U.S. citizens should maintain a heightened state of alert, avoiding crowds and public gatherings, at all times while in Egypt, and are reminded that the Egypt Travel Warning issued by the Department of State on December 23, 2016 remains in effect. April 15, 2017  This was our Easter Saturday as our work week starts on Sunday! We made Mom's sour cukes for the first time, Jaskowiak chicken and mashed potatoes. Although quiet and no Easter Bunny action, we had a very nice holiday! April 16, 2017  On Easter Sunday, I introduced Easter egg coloring. Pictured are Ayman [Sudan], Ammar [Dubai], Mahmoud [Sudan and the USA], Saad [Pakistan] and Sari [Egypt.] "My boys!" May 20, 2017: The director of GEMMS [Guidance & Educational Mentoring Services & Support] Arabia invited me to present at the "GEMMS Empowerment Camp 2017" to 100+ students from six different schools in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The workshop topics included: Being pro-active, Turning around negative self talk, Goal setting, Writing personal mission statement, Examining one's life timeline and charting future course, Techniques to manage teen lifestyle and stress, Incorporating gratitude to daily life, The 21 day challenge and setting SMART goals. The students wanted photos with "Mr. Jacob" and I and we were busy with selfies for almost 25 minutes. We felt quite famous. There's a "thirst" here for this type of information. I found it inspiring and extremely sad at the same time. 
May 18,2017: Cowboy Salsa Day: Imagine 25 sixth graders with sharp knives, chopping onions [there were tears] and learning how to slice & dice! I taught several kids how to use a can opener and they learned to remove the seeds from the green, red and yellow peppers! So much fun and only a few minor cuts. It was the talk of Middle School!
May 18, 2017 Check out the theme of our high school senior prom!
 May 25, 2017 Middle School 6th Grade Language Arts Banquet  Areeba is one of my favorite students this year. She and her family have made the decision to go back to Pakistan because of the changing economy in the Kingdom. Fees have been increased, expats are being let go, the largest natural resource is not enough anymore to sustain this wealthy oil nation and most of all, the "Saudization" of the Kingdom is being implemented. Learn more here: 2030 Areeba read this original poem at the banquet, we cried.
Countdown for Pakistan
by Areeba Siddiqui
Life got miserable
Never felt that way
Life got emotional
Day by day
Made a list of things to
do before we go
“Pray for me so we can stay”
Life got emotional
my cat died the other day
Why us?
Packing night and day
Life got emotional
The other day
2 more months
Never felt that way
Life got emotional
Gonna miss them all
every day
With my teaching colleague,Douaa and my vice-principal,Sylvia
Excerpt from my banquet speech: "...Today, I feel HOPE. Because of my last school year with you, my students, I feel HOPE. This was an unexpected engagement, this moving to Saudi Arabia and teaching to a classroom filled with so many nationalities, personalities, cultures and religions. AND parents, your sons and daughters have SO much energy. WOW, for this 50 year old, some days I went home exhausted but always with a happy HEART. And what have we done this year? We’ve built understanding and mutual respect through our relationships. The human experience does not have borders. We have commonality. We are more alike than we are different. We’re fathers, mothers [some of us are lucky enough to be Mothers of Twins], daughters and sons. And after Mr. Jacob and I raised our four children in the United States, one thing I know for sure that no matter where you go, kids are kids: they are dealing with peer pressure, bullying, crushes, self image, gossip, grades, clothes, best friends, enemies, best friends, fighting, best friends and DRAMA all wrapped up in love, laughter and learning. The larger narrative that WE are all a part of will help heal our world by us just meeting each other and experiencing this shared life. As the famous poet Maya Angelou once wrote: “I note the obvious differences in the human family. Some of us are serious, some thrive on comedy, We love and we lose, We weep and laugh, We thrive and we fail, We are born and we will all die. In minor ways we differ, in major ways we're the same.” With confidence I SAY this: THE future leaders of our world are sitting right here in this room and this fills me with hope. Go forth and be the best version of yourself. You are always welcome at our campfire in Minnesota. Shokran."
May 26, 2017  This is who I work with every day! A very lively Middle School Staff from Canada, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Philippines, Russia, South Africa and ONE TALL AMERICAN! 
June 3, 2017
MEANWHILE BACK IN LONDON: The death toll rose to seven following the latest terrorist attack to strike Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May blaming the “evil ideology of Islamist extremism” and vowing to conduct a review of the nation’s counterterrorism laws. London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed that seven people were killed in Saturday night’s incident that saw a van mow down pedestrians on London Bridge before the vehicle’s occupants got out and started stabbing patrons of nearby bars and restaurants. That toll does not include the three attackers, who were fatally shot by officers within eight minutes of the first emergency call, Dick said. London Ambulance Service earlier said it had taken “at least 48 patients to five hospitals across London.”-CNN
On June 17th, we're flying to Ljublijana, Slovenia via Istanbul.
We'll also be in Austria for one week.
There are NO TRAVEL WARNINGS issued for Slovenia or Austria.
However, in the United States...... The world can be dangerous and unpredictable. This is nothing new. But life goes on. There's goodness everywhere, every day. In the 1990's, neo-Nazis were on the rise in Berlin and I had a student tour scheduled to explore 3 days there. Some of my students were Jewish. We STILL traveled to Germany. We had a great time.
The world can be dangerous and unpredictable.
This is nothing new.
But life goes on.
There's goodness everywhere, every day.When the Iraq War began 2003, I had another tour scheduled for Europe. There were concerns about safety but ultimately the decision was made to travel all over Europe. We had a great time.
The world can be dangerous and unpredictable.
This is nothing new.
But life goes on.
There's goodness everywhere, every day.
Friends and family expressed concerns about living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Hell, I had concerns. But I remember telling our children that there are good people everywhere. The world can be a dangerous and unpredictable place, but life goes on. It always has and it always will. Do not live in fear. If you just believe the headlines and base your view of our shared world on Google news or Fox News or CNN or PBS and never venture out to explore the human experience, then you just might miss meeting the Badawis or the Serifs. You'll never learn about about the Mamalouk architecture or the Islamic calendar first hand or tour several mosques in the heart of Cairo. You'll miss the invitations to visit Pakistan and Beruit. AND, you won't have the opportunity to work closely with Douaa who was so proud to show me how to wear a hijab today and gifted it. We had a great time. 
The world can be dangerous and unpredictable.
This is nothing new.
But life goes on.
There's goodness everywhere, every day.
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First thing I'm going to do when I get to Waukenabo is lay down in the grass in Mom's yard and feel the calming energy of HOME and thank God that there is goodness everywhere and every day and enjoy life going on and on and on and on and on.
