One of the things that struck me right away about school life here is how familiar it feels in some ways—and how completely different it is in others.

Back home, assemblies usually began with a scripture reading. Here, it’s a recitation from the Qur’an in Arabic, followed by the national anthem. Before break, we sit with our tutor classes and unpack the Hadith of the day—a short teaching that links directly to how we live, treat others, and take responsibility. It’s a reflective start that feels meaningful, even if the format is new to me.

The rest of the school day runs much like any other. The big difference is the scheduled times for Salah (prayer). Boys perform wudu (cleansing) before they join in. It’s woven naturally into the day, and the students handle it with respect.

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From Google to Teams

One adjustment I didn’t expect to feel so strongly is the shift from Google to Microsoft Teams. Everything here runs through Teams, with lesson prep and student work stored in OneNote class notebooks. The lesson planning format is remarkably detailed—far more structured than what I’ve been used to in South Africa. It feels intense at first glance, but it’s also very clear and organised.

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Notice Boards with Purpose

Another cultural difference is the emphasis on notice boards. Each class has one outside the room, which must grow and change as the year progresses, while inside boards have strict rules—national identity, student reflections, and teacher feedback all need to be visible. At the moment they’re still a little bare (students have only just come back), but by the end of the week we’re expected to have things like classroom agreements and pieces of student work on display. It’s all about showing learning as a living, evolving process.

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Pings, Announcements, and Beards

The daily rhythm is kept on track with a neat little system: the intercom pings three minutes before every class change, then an announcement (Arabic and English) calls the next subject. Simple, but effective.

One detail that surprised me? A number of boys already wear beards—something culturally normal here but definitely a change from what I’m used to seeing at school.

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Science Teacher Heaven

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Everyone Shares the Load

Something I really appreciate is that everyone here shares in the daily chores. From senior staff down, duties like bus supervision, corridor duty, canteen shifts, and behaviour monitoring during assembly or Salah are part of the routine. It creates a strong sense of shared responsibility rather than passing the “less glamorous” tasks down the chain.

Each floor also has a security guard, who essentially functions as a hall monitor—keeping an eye on the flow of learners. As for the boys themselves, they’re just that: typical boys—boisterous, energetic, full of life. But beneath the energy they’re well-mannered, respectful, and, at the end of the day, simply kids being kids.

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Deans and Nurses

And then, we have deans. I’ll be honest—I had no idea what exactly they did before I came here. But here there are three of them, constantly roving the corridors and helping with learner matters. For a South African analogy, imagine a permanently employed grade tutor whose whole job is just grade tutoring.

Also, one of the old “get out of class free” excuses back home—the mysterious headache or sudden tummy bug—hits a snag here. Why? Because there’s a nurse on campus. Learners can head straight there and pick up an aspirin or whatever is needed. It definitely makes you think twice about how sick you really are!

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The Magic of the Emirates ID

On the personal side of things, I had a small milestone this week: my Emirates ID arrived. Under two weeks from application and it was hand-delivered to school security. With it, I’m now officially on medical insurance, able to apply for a UAE driving licence—and, most importantly, I used it to set up my home internet.

I walked into the store on Tuesday evening at around 7 p.m. and ordered fibre internet. By Wednesday night it was installed—complete with TV box and Amazon Prime. Fast, smooth, and surprisingly affordable.

What fascinated me, though, was the technology built into the ID card itself. It has four validations (chip strips, barcodes, the works), and at the cell phone store the system simply swallowed my card like an ATM card. Everything about me—banking details, work information, account setup—was there. No need for three months’ bank statements, proof of address, or the endless pile of paperwork I’d be asked for back in South Africa. Just the card, and that was all they needed.

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First Paycheck, First Remittance

This week also brought another milestone: my first UAE paycheck. And of course, the first task was sending money home. That moment hit me—I’ve officially joined the ranks of migrant workers, living in a hostel (although to be fair, it’s a very comfortable, well-equipped one).

After work today, I’ll wrap up a webinar I’m multitasking through, grab a taxi, and head out for a few hours of “malling”—stocking up on supplies and just soaking in the bustling atmosphere. It seems to be the default weekend hobby here, and I can see why.

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Every day here feels like a blend of the familiar and the new. Different rituals, different systems, but at the heart of it all, the same sense of young people learning, and me learning alongside them.