Time with a friend

Michael and Lillian

Michael Chittenden and I started at GEMS Education in Dubai on the same day in August 2002.  We were staying at the same Dusit hotel and met on the very first morning when collected by driver to go to the office for the start of our induction period.  Michael had been recruited from a top Australian school, although a Kiwi, for what he thought was leadership of a Dubai school.  I was allocated that job and he was sent off to Doha.  Our paths crossed many times during the next 6 years as Michael made visits to Dubai and me to Doha.  He was also dispatched to sort out a mess in a school in Jordan.  He did another stint in Libya and as we both left GEMS about the same time we have worked in different places yet stayed friends mainly by the exchange of emails.  Michael stayed with us once at our second villa in Dubai.


About six weeks ago an exchange of emails found we were both in Doha at the same time and a few beers later Michael agreed to 'drop in' on Cyprus on his way to Malta to see some friends.  It has been good to have him here this week and late nights chatting putting the education world to rights along with the English rugby and cricket teams has been a nice way to spend a few hot days.  Blue skies and sunshine all the way, although as I write this there are a few white clouds to be seen.  Go away!


Apart from drinking, eating out, bike riding, walking and swimming in the sea the only event of note was  short trip to Choirokoita, a neolithic village about 30 minutes drive from Pervolia.  It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and dates from the 7th millennium BC.  Amazing to think all that time ago collective labour set about building a village on the side of a hill within the meander of the Maroni river.  We climbed to the top and wondered how it was all done.  On the hillsides around there was plenty of evidence of scrub fires caused by the hot summer sun.  Everywhere is very dry now and the fields of cut wheat and barley are now just but dry brown areas awaiting ploughing for new crops.  Large 'swiss rolls' of straw are being collected.

Discovered a great app for the iPad which allows you to listen to UK radio over the internet.  Three days of having the England Australia 1st Test on has not impressed Lillian.  My love of cricket is the only thing that she has never shared with me.

Michael followed the tradition of collecting a stone from the beach, decorating and placing in the garden in a position of his choosing.  A maori tattoo.