I know it feels like I only just arrived and I'm leaving already - well it's a year since I started this blog and I still have a couple of months to go but I am starting to reflect on my experiences already.
Where to and why?
Off to Kuwait to International Academy Kuwait as Head of secondary - starting 21st August 2016.
I have absolutely loved my time in China, the people remain a delight and I have loved working with these students, they are so warm and welcoming and they work incredibly hard (well most of them!) It has been quite challenging at times, the weather can be so cold in the winter and the buildings, particularly our apartments, are just not built well enough to keep out the cold. I also, to be honest, haven't loved the food - some of it is great but they use every part of an animal which can be unnerving to my sensitive palate! You also can't get away from the fact that China is not a clean country by western standards and the pollution in Chengdu is higher than Beijing and Shanghai at times.
I'm also ready to get back in to school leadership, being head of IT has been great but hasn't really stretched me and I'm not quite ready to take it easy just yet. I'm sure Kuwait will bring it's own challenges - temperatures in the 40s and 50s not the least of them but I will have access to western goods more easily and the time difference to 'home' and Debbie and family is only 2 hours which is so much more manageable. The proximity to home also means we can meet up in Europe for short holidays.
I have made some wonderful friends here in China, particularly some of my colleagues who I will be trying to tempt to Kuwait with my beach pictures and western food, though absence of alcohol may limit some of them! Not sure how I'll manage myself but I'm sure it won't do me any long term harm and may even be for the good!