SO LONG, FAREWELL, AUF WIEDERSEHEN, GOODBYE ANNIE KIRKALDY After 29 years as an expat living in Kenya and Egypt, and 20 of those years in Dubai, it is finally time for me to head home to the UK. I will forever be grateful to former bursar Captain Higgins for taking me on as ABRSM Administrator in 2011 after many years trying to find a job (never underestimate the power of a 40-yearold Grade 5 piano certificate!). As someone told me at the time, ‘if you’re over 40 Dubai College is the only place you’ll get a job!’ The best part of my new role was sitting outside the practical exam room listening to the mostly glorious music that I could hear through the door while I proofread the Shamal, always hoping for another rendition of my favourite Grade 4 piano piece 'Chez le forgeron' by Maikapar. After almost two years I moved on to be the first Sixth Form Administrator (and was also Exams Assistant for the first year!), supporting the team there and trying to keep quiet and corral over 200 teenagers which was never easy, especially when one
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of the prefects made more noise with his ‘shushing’ than any low level chatter! It was a delight to help put together the inaugural Year 13 graduation ceremony and a challenge making sure no-one missed out on a Year 12 work experience placement. A favourite memory from this time is when Head Girl Alice Lovett asked me if a sea plane trip would be a nice surprise end-of-year gift for the Sixth Form team. Great idea, I said, only to arrive on the dock at Jebel Ali Hotel and see Mr Lambert looking a little green. Who knew he was not keen on flying? The fabulous gift turned out to be a white-knuckle ride over the Dubai coastline! I wanted to depart the Sixth Form before it was my daughter Daisy’s turn to wear a blue shirt so I was delighted to join new headmaster Mr Lambert as his assistant in September 2015. I couldn’t believe my luck – the view from my new office in D block looked out over the stunning twin
