Nice dinner last night at Qasr Nakheel, Palm Palace. The evenings of sharing meals are a big deal here, as there isn?t much else to do and these serve as R&R sessions for us all. I?ll miss this gang ? good people trying to do good work in an environment that needs a great deal of rehabbing.

The past few days quite a few students have stopped me and said ?heard you were leaving, sorry for that, and good luck.? Several have also said I know you only know me because you throw me out of the library, but I like you anyway ? sweet, I think. I don?t teach here, so my contact with students is mostly as ?library hall monitor,? trying to keep the decibels down to a reasonable level. For the most part, the students here are like those anywhere else but less experienced in an environment where they are responsible for their own work and behavior – good kids, mainly, just in need of a little discipline and guidance.

Today is last day at work. AUK will close down for Eid and then a winter break. Several colleagues already have traveled, with almost everyone else bugging out ? and why not! I?ll make the rounds later today to say ?bye? ? I?ll still be around until 2 January so I?ll be able to tidy up office and leave stuff organized for Amna.