Meetings...Meetings...and MORE Meetings.....

Know it's been a while since my last blog, but been very busy!  On Monday and Tuesday, all the EMT's (English Medium Teachers) had meetings!  For those of you who have had the joy of going to meetings that last all day, several days in a row, you can remember how your brain becomes so full that your mind just can't take any more....and your rear begins to ache from sitting in uncomfortable chairs!!!!  Monday was very interesting....Had to be downstairs at 7:45 to get on our bus.  Been a LONG time since up that early.  Ironed my clothes the night before (long skirt and long sleeve blouse...very professional), set my alarm clock and was up early!  Eager to learn about my school.  Go downstairs and wait in the lobby.  Soon I see something I can't believe.  There's a person in shorts and a t-shirt, 2 people in blue jeans, and one of the guys with blue jeans is wearing a hat cocked to the side..I said to myself "WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING????" As we head to the fleet of buses outside (8 of them), and board the air conditioning is working....thank you lord!  It's already 90 degrees and its only 7:45!

Our buses pull into a state of the art school in Abu Dhabi for our training.  This fairly new facility is colorful, with lots of glass, and smart boards in every room.  We are hearded into a common area where we are asked to sign in and give our mobile numbers.  Everyone here sends SMS texts, including the banks and your employers, so it is vital to have a cell number.  We receive a packet with out name on it stuffed with information.  Eager to know my school,  tear into the envelope only to find an 8 page contract.  On the left side, it is written in English and on the right side, it is written in Arabic.  No grade level or school is written, so no information.  I looked at the label on the front of my envelope and it says C3( Cycle 3)-High School.  My heart sank to my toes....I've never taught high school a day in my life.  Immediately spoke to a person in charge and she crossed it out and made it C1 (Cycle 1-Grades 1-5) and assigned me to small groups with other Early Childhood people,

 Side note-KG1-3 years olds, KG2-4 year olds (Kindergarten), 1st-5 years old.  So as you can see grade levels do not mean the same as in USA. 

Went into a huge auditorium with comfortable seats (or at this time I thought they were!)  and waited for the meeting to start.  I saw my friend Andrea across the room, so I moved to sit by her.  First thing she told me was they sent the man home who came in shorts to change clothes!  GOOD FOR THEM!  The thing I've noticed here is that they have definite standards and do not play around. As I was waiting for the meeting to start, I noticed the front row of the auditorium.  It had 5 small circular tables like you'd see in a "club" (only seen in movies of course!) scattered down the first row and very ornately decorated with flowers.  Fresh fruit, nuts, and water were on each table. Obviously some important people would be sitting here.  As the meeting began, we were asked to rise.  In walks a long line of men in kandoras.  See the picture below.  


As they go to the front row, other members of the ADEC group, come up and start rubbing noses with the men in the kandoras.  This is a sign of having a very close relationship with someone, a friend, and that you are happy to see them (it's a sign of respect).  I must admit, I stared a little, but had to realize that this is part of Arabic culture...I'm the strange one here.  They were then seated on the front row around the decorated tables.  These are the heads of the Abu Dhabi Education Council and are addressed as His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili (ADEC Director General) and H.E. Mohammad Salem Al Dhaheri (ADEC Executive Director of School Operations) spoke to us and welcomed us.  Some spoke in English and others had to have translators. 

All teachers will appreciate the next part.  Code of Conduct came next.  Remember those WONDERFUL powerpoints we have to sit through.   The most interesting part was dress code.  Depending on your school, dress code will be decided by the principal.  Men might have to wear the kandoras(above) or suits.  Ladies might have to wear abiayas (see below) with/without the head dress (shela) or might be able to wear kandoras for women (very colorful....kinda cute...looks like a really nice choir robe with lots of color and adornment.) Dress code will be strictly enforced here. Sent home if not dressed correctly...just like the guy in shorts!  These people don't play! 



The next part of the presentations was my favorite!  I met the "Real Housewife of Abu Dhabi".  Sara Slem Mohamed Al Suwaidi.....we called her Sara.  Sara was dressed to the max with immaculate makeup. (Women here really take care of themselves) She told us the dos and don'ts of classroom teaching.  Sara was a women who understood her role and was very straightforward with the information.  She has a great sense of humor, but was very precise in her statements.  Some interesting things I learned are:

 Israel is called Palestine here and not allowed to use any maps that say Israel.  Persian Gulf is called the Arabian Gulf and can't use maps with Persian Gulf.  Not allowed to use any materials in classrooms with pigs or dogs.  Dogs are considered unclean animals and if a dog touches a person's body, he/she is considered unclean and must wash.  No Clifford the Red Dog, Biscuit, or Three Little Pigs :(  When shaking hands or passing something to someone else, only use right hand.  Never show the soles of your shoes to someone or the bottoms of your feet, co nsidered very rude.  All humans come from Adam and eve and there is no evolution.  Not allowed to mention Christian bible stories because they have a class in Islam. ADEC has approved materials that will be given to us and we have to be very sensitive with what we introduce to students.  They are very specific with expectations. 

Shortly after, we took a 2 hour lunch break during which we had to eat, take photos for school id and fingerprinted.  I was looking for fried chicken, potatoes,etc.....nope...finger foods.  Arabs eat small meals during the day and a large supper/dinner.  There were lots of interesting choices, but my favorite was the watermelon (go Cordele!).  After lunch, we heard about professional standards and school structure...just what you want to hear after eating!  Chairs were not near as comfortable after lunch!  Then, we finally got to come home @4:00.  My brain was TIRED!!! Went to an early supper and to bed early.  Tomorrow we will learn about curriculum.  I will do a separate post for that....lots of info...Until we meet again!!!! :)

 

Teacher Store, Spinney's, and the Laundromat

Last night was a restless night for me.  In Abu Dhabi, building crews work 24 hours a day (day crew and night crew).  On the road next to our hotel, workers are doing road work.  BEEEP, BEEEP, BEEEP (trucks backing up), machines smashing concerete, and other random sounds made for a restless night.  My friend, Andrea Brown, talked about an app that plays quiet noise...So, downloaded it and choose rain...sounds like rain falling on a spring day with the wind blowing and an occassional thundering in the distance.  Slept like a baby for about 2 hours!  Will definitely use that to go to sleep tonight! 

After my nap, Andrea and I went to a local teacher store.  Don't know if I have talked about directions here, but finding a place is hard sometimes.  Directions are given in terms of behind the HSCB bank and up two streets on the left.  There are no street addresses, only P.O. box numbers.  Someone recommended a store on Facebook, so thought we'd try to find it.  Many cab drivers here speak very little English and there are lots of new drivers who don't know the city well.  We were a little leary of going off into the great unknown, so asked the concierge to tell him where we were going...arrived without a hitch!  The teacher stores are mostly in malls, of course.  Because we don't know what grade we will teach until Monday, we looked in general at the materials.  Being the OCD person that I am, I packed an entire suitcase full of bullein board kits, sentence strips, borders, reward charts, stickers, etc.  Those who are teachers will understand...sometimes you just have to have your STUFF!  Not knowing what would be here was troubling to me, so I brought MY STUFF!  There was a good variety of items to choose from and we will definitely come back when know grade level. 

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Spinney's, my new favorite grocery store.  It reminds me of Stephen's in Vienna.  Just the right size and does not overwhelm , people will help you, and have good variety of foods.  The most exciting thing is the "back" room.  Through a sliding door, there were my old friends....ham, bacon, sausage, pork chops, roasts, Pop Tarts, and Ranch dressing.  This room has pork products...not sure why Pop Tarts and Ranch dressing are there, but pork must be involved someway in the preparation.  Oh, and there's Spam...can't say I've ever had Spam, but they have interesting flavors in addition to the regular (cheese and olives...yuck!) and their were Vienna Sausages...never had those either.  I realize I've been sheltered!  There are lots of fresh vegetables and they have bagels!!!!! First time we've found bagels. Dr. Pepper is REALLY hard to find here.  Andrea LOVES Dr. Pepper the way I LOVE Diet Coke and been looking for it for days...there it was!!!!  When we rounded the corner, I did the happy dance! Might seem silly, but get excited when some little piece of home is found...it's the small things. 

Staying in a hotel has its benefits, but there comes a time when a girl needs to do laundry...it's been three weeks.  The hotel will do you laundry, but very costly.  We found a laundromat really close and decided to make an evening of washing our delicates!  Nicole, Andrea, Ethan, and I packed up and headed over to Lavenderia Laundry.  Very nice people.  Remember those washing machines when you were in college where you used 2 quarters to wash....that's them!  You load your clothes, they provide the laundry soap, and dryer sheets.  2 hours later, your delicates are clean and dried...you fold.  For 20 dirhams (about $5.50), I have all my clothes clean...well worth it!  Clean pjs for my restful sleep tonight.  Good night, my friends!  It's been a good, good, day! :)

A Real Scorcher, Lunch with a New Friend, and the Emirates Palace

The past few days have been the hottest since our arrival.  120 degrees with 85% humidity is well....HOT.  The humidity is what gets you.  Glasses fog up the minute you walk outside and there is an oppressive wave of heat that almost knocks you down.  I break into a sweat just waiting on the taxi.  Been trying to stay cool the last few days and drinking lots of water.  Shon Rand, my friend from Andrew College who is currently here, asked Andrea Brown and I to take a picture for the newspaper (not sure if Cuthbert Times or Albany Herald), but we might be in the paper today!  Just proof I'm still alive and well in Abu Dhabi!  Please note it was really hot and we walked a really long time to take this beautiful picture...so if bad hair day...you understand!  

Nicole Cruz (Ethan's Mom), Andrea Brown, and I ate lunch with Rachel, a friend of Nicole's.  She's been a teacher in Abu Dhabi for several years and really helped us understand the inside track.  Rachel's been through everything we're experiencing now, so we listened to every word.  I so enjoyed meeting her and talking to someone who has taught here.  Boys and girls have different schools, so  I will have all boys or all girls. Everyone hopes to get the girls, but I'm prepared for all boys.  We talked about evaluations.  Most principals here speak only Arabic and I will be teaching in English.  Very curious to see how they will evaluate what they don't understand.  As in America, good classroom management and planning will be a must.

August 27 and 28th we will have meetings and learn the names of our schools and more information about curriculum and the expectations.  Waiting eagerly to hear this information.  The good news is after the meeting on the 28th, we will probably be moved to a new hotel in Al Ain, which will be closer to apartments.  Finally be able to get power, utilities, cable, telephone, and internet set up and have furniture delivered.  I have decided to wait and order furniture when we get to Al Ain.  Found something I really like at IKEA, which is in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.  We will be about an hour from Dubai and hour and half from Abu Dhabi.  Al Ain has about 300,000 population, so there will be lots there too.  I will feel better being closer to where I'll live! 

Yesterday, Andrea and I went on a tour of the Emirates Palace.  Will post pictures as soon as download from camera.....All I can say is WOW!!!!  This palace costs $3 billion dollars and 3 years to build using 20,000 workers.  It's HUGE!  When driving up to it, you can feel the decadence from the moment your feet touch the marble.  All employees are dressed in outfits-black and gold (pictures to come) and are literally at your service.  Upon entering the palace, the first thing I saw was as a large ROLEX clock on the wall (picture coming).  The floor is made of marble that was imported from 13 countries, including Italy, and is ornately decorated (picture coming).  The palace is a very controlled environment in the fact that immediately upon entering, you are asked why you are here and there are rules stated about code of conduct for entering.  The most notable is no pictures can be taken of Arabic people and dress code requirements stated...for those who want to come here you must dress respectably.  I wore a full length dress with a wrap to cover my shoulders...don't have to cover my head.  The only place required to cover head for now...is a mosque(church). 

Upon checking in at the tour desk, we were offered Arabic tea (rosewater and cumin) and Arabic sweets while we waited. All ladies are given roses before beginning the tour!  The number of people allowed on this paid tour were small so we could ask questions.  There were about 8 people in our tour and all different nationalities.  Tour was given in English!  Our guide was BEAUTIFUL!  Ladies here really take care of themselves and have beautiful skin.(The employees come from 60 different nationalities and no locals are allowed to work here.)  There are 114 domes (rotundas) in the palace with 1002 chandeliers with the largest weighing 2.5 tons.  GOLD, GOLD, GOLD everywhere along with lots of crystal. I've never seen such elegance before.  Caught my mouth wide open several times and had to push my jaw back up!  Took lots of pictures! 

There were parts of the palace where pictures were not allow due to Arabic people being present and for security reasons.  The first stop of our trip was a beautiful auditorium which holds 1,100 people and concerts are held here year round.  It is presently under construction, but guide told us that Justin Timberlake would be singing here later this year.  My favorite thing on the entire trip was the Gold ATM.  There are two in Abu Dhabi and one is here.  Instead of making a withdrawal in cash, the withdrawl is in gold! (no, I didn't not make any withdrawals!)  Next to the ATM is a cafe which serves pastry with edible gold.  A slice of cake with edible gold costs 480 dirhams, which is a little over $130.  Edible gold can be sprinkled on your coffee or tea too. Sorry, no pictures of that...I'm just the hired help! There were two beautiful tapestries weighing 1 ton each which show the palace during the day and night.  These beautiful rugs were woven in Thailand and are huge.  The day rug is on one wall and the night rug is on the other wall.  Think of how long it took to be woven! 

My favorite part of the trip was when we went in the elevator to go an see the Presidential Suite.  Tour guide told us about all the different floors.  When entering the palace, you on the 4th floor.  The first and mezzanine floor are reserved for dignitaries visiting the country and the mezzanine floor is where the conference rooms and meeting areas are located.  No one is permitted in these areas.  Floors 6 and 7 are suites.  Floor 8 is reserved only for royalty.  Our guide said she's been here for 5 years and has never even seen it!  Security would sweep you up if even stepped foot on this floor.  We went to the 7th floor to view the Presidential suites.  Anyone who can afford the price can stay here...ready....55,000 dirhams a night!  $13,600 dollars a night!  3 massive bedrooms, dining room with crystal.  One goblet costs 750 dirhams ($200) and plate costs 1500 dirhams (over $400) (pictures coming).  Fresh flowers everywhere, a jacuzzi tub, limosine picks you up and takes you to airport, Arabic tea, huge fruit tray, Arabic pastry tray, and other goodies are included!  Can't afford this???  You can have a one bedroom suite for only $25,000 ($6,800) a night....that's more than I made in a month!  It was the most beautiful room I've EVER seen.  Won't be spending any nights here! 

As the tour ended, I couldn't help but notice how many people work in the palace.  I have noticed this everywhere we go in Abu Dhabi.  They want to make you feel special and have a positive experience.  I have been most impressed with the way I've been treated here!  Going to be so hard to wake up and experience the real world of work.  School starts Sept. 2nd and kids come on the 9th.  So ready to meet my babies!   
 

Furniture, Shawarma and Black Friday

Andrea, Nicole, Ethan, and I began our search for furniture last night at "The Living Room".  These people will send a car to pick you up just to come shop with them.  Bedding was super comfortable (a must for me) and the couches could be made to your liking by choosing your own fabrics.  Nicole found a couch and chair she really liked and ordered it.  Nothing really jumped out at me, but I did like the beds.  While waiting on Nicole to finish her order, I had the opportunity to sit, chat, and laugh with other teachers from America.  We are in different apartment complexes, so it was nice to hear about their apartment experiences. The apartments range in size, some with balconies, some with very small bedrooms, to average size bedrooms.  Most have combined dining and living room and very small kitchens.

 My apartment will be fine for just me and I think it will be very homey once I get furniture in it.  My building has been remodeled recently, so like most apartments there is construction dust everywhere.  We are in Abu Dhabi and apartment is in Al Ain (hour ride by taxi and almost 2 on bus)...very hard to hire someone to come clean before moving in when so far away.  Heard through the grapevine ADEC will move us to Al Ain to a new hotel and give time to get ourselves together.  Everyone is more than a little anxious about this, but I'm torn....All stores here store furniture and deliver to Al Ain (sounds like Uh Lain).  There are super sales going on, but we have to store all other purchases in our hotel and transport to Al Ain.  Al Ain has most of the same stores as Abu Dhabi...Do I wait or do I buy now? 

The owner of the store drove us in his personal vehicle back to our hotel.  I must say....loved his ride.  His VW Touareg SUV had an optical parking and back up assistance system.  This man backed his SUV out of a space in which someone was blocking him at the rear with only a little space.  I would've never been able to get out of this space!  I was most impressed!  His sunroom was partially transparent and had a heat screen over it...LOVED it!  As we were riding, he had his radio on and made me miss my Honda and cruising to my radio! 

After dropping us off, we picked up our passports and entry visas in order to go and get our National Bank of Abu Dhabi debit cards.  When we arrived in the bank, it was like waiting in line at the DMV.  You had to take a number and there were lots of people waiting.  At the kiosk, you had to pick teller or retail.  We picked retail on a guess and were correct.  As soon as we sat down, one of the workers asked if we were from ADEC and took us almost immediately.  We handed our documentation and were through in 5 minutes! Everyone has been so nice to us here.  I will admit that I've seen some Americans, Brits, and others who have not been so nice to locals when talking to them...this gives all foreigners a bad name.  Why can't people just be cordial????  We are in their country as guests....I don't get it.  Maybe my Momma just brought me up right????

By this time, we we all starving and headed to the food court, which is usually on the top floor.  Most of the malls so far have had 3 floors.  This mall, Mushraf has something different....In most stores and malls, there are normal escalators and there are escalators the look like the moving sidewalks in airports, but are angled like escalators.  People can carry their shopping carts from floor to floor with ease.  They are semi-magnetized so carts don't roll down...they are pretty cool.Mushraf only has these escalators between the first two floors.  If you have a cart or baby stroller, you must ride on an elevator.  There is one elevator for the entire mall.  Needless to stay we had to hurry up and wait and seemed like forever before we finally made it to the food court.  This is a new mall for us, so didn't know the choices.  Looked around and decided to try something different....lebanese.  We'd eaten at the Lebanon Flower Restaurant early, so thought we'd try some other lebanese dishes.  All of us chose "shawarma".  Schawarma is meat (in our case-chicken) which is cooked on a spindle on an open fire until done.  Meat is sliced off and served in pita or other wrappings with a variety of items and sauces. 

 
We all thought chicken would be safe and we were all hungry so we ordered the long chicken shawarma and I ordered some fries.  When our order was ready, we eagerly opened the wrap.  It looked like a long burrito.  The restauranteurs were watching us as we took our first bites because they knew this was a new experience.  There was this weird white sauce...didn't care for it, but I smiled at the people like I liked it to be nice.  As I bit into the sandwich further, there were french fries inside...different and then there were these strange tasting vegetables.  Andrea thought it might be kim chi (fermented vegetables-cabbage and other vegetables that are put in a jar with spices, buried, and allowed to ferment for weeks).  Whatever it was.....my adventurous dining was over for the evening.  Tried to eat fries to get that taste out of my mouth....ewwwwww!  Shortly thereafter, Andrea and Nicole gave up on theirs too.  We went to Wendy's and had Jr. Cheeseburgers and Frosties....yum.  Now on to shopping.....

Ramadan (holy month) officially ended today and the celebration of EID occurs...5 days of celebration with unbelievable sales.  Everybody and his brother, cousins, and distant relatives he doesn't even claim come out to buy things.  Nicole called it Black Friday....There are people everywhere and there are so many things on sale...Reminds me of Walmart the morning after Thanksgiving when the doors first open...chaos.  There is no rhyme or reason to the flow of the walking traffic.  People walking in and out. Walking into each other.  Children screaming and running....Nicole needed to go to Lulu's (Walmart) and get Ethan some formula, so Andrea and I waited outside the store with Ethan. The amount of people out was overwhelming.  Everyone wants the deals....Needless to say, Nicole made a quick trip of it and we were out of there quickly. Three tired ladies and one sleeping baby headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow we visit the Emirates palace and go shopping for appliances...pray for us! 

The Lebanon Flower, Confections, and Ethan

Andrea, Nicole, Shon, Ethan, and I decided to try the Lebanese Flower Restaurant tonight. I've always wanted to try lamb, but have been a little reluctant (Mary Had a Little Lamb Complex).  When opening the menu, didn't recognize any of the names and couldn't really identify meats by the name.  I needed pictures beside each entree.  While I was deciding what to order, the waiter came up to the table and brought a liter of water for the table to share.  Some of the bottled waters contain sodium and some don't.  This brand did not have sodium and I really liked it. 

After much study and help from the waiter, Nicole and I decided to order the Lebanese Flower Grill, which will include some of all the meats with grilled veggies.  Andrea chose chicken and Shon ordered "falafel" (he's a vegetarian).  Falafel is a ball of ground chickpeas rolled in sesame seeds and deep fried. Shortly after this, the waiter brought a veggie tray with olives, pickles, hot pepers, and sliced veggies.  I like pickles, so decided to try.  Was expecting bread and butter or dill, but this was spicy...didn't care for it.  I was excited to see pita bread come out with hummus, olive oil, and a salad with veggies and an oil and vinegar dressing.  (Yum!) 

In this restaurant, there was an open kitchen and from my viewpoint, I could see the chef cooking.  The smells coming from the grilling meat were awesome!  When our plates arrived, we were all excited to try them.  The portions were huge!  I started with the known and worked my way to the unknown.  I loved everything...including the lamb.  Everyone really enjoyed their food.  When we were finished, the waiter came and began to clear the table.  Some of us asked for a "Take Away", which mean a to go box. Today I learned something....don't expect the waiter to bring your check once the plates are cleared.  We waited a really long time for him to come back with the check, but he never came back.  Finally had to ask for it.  In this culture, they don't rush  and give diners plenty of time to eat and fellowship with friends. 

After leaving the restaurant, we went next door to their bakery.  There were cheesecakes, black forest cakes, and lots of other delicious looking cakes and desserts sliced in "HUGE" portions.  Andrea heard that their eclairs were to die for, but unfortunately they were sold out.  While waiting in line, I saw the same thing noted earlier in my blog about medical testing...Locals were waited on before foreigners and men were waited on before women.  Next, we went next door to a chocolate shop.  There are chocolate shops everywhere.  There are fine chocolates and homemade candies with intricate detail.  Nicole and Shon purchased chocolates and candies while I held Ethan (almost 4 month old).  I didn't need any sweets after holding and playing with him.....brought back memories...He is cooing and smiling and excited about all the lights.  Ethan made me smile! 

On the way to get a cab, we stood outside and tried some of the confections.  I have to say, the most interesting one was a nougat candy covered in what looked like dried roses.  We'd seen these roses when going to the souk with the other spices.  Assumed they were for potpourri....nope.  When I bit into it, it tasted like I was eating a dried rose.  I really wanted to spit it out, but decided to go ahead and swallow.  Think I still have dried rose in my teeth!  Yuck!

Well, we grabbed a taxi and headed back to the hotel....I've told you how crazy they drive around here, but don't think I've told you about car seats.  Infants are not put in car seats.  They sit in a person's lap while weaving in and out of traffic.  We had an unusally wild driver on this ride and I was really nervous because I was holding Ethan.  Made it back to the hotel ok....praise God...and when getting out, my glasses fog up as normal due to the temperature difference.  I think my glasses are the cleanest ever!  Good night, my friends!  More to come later!

The True Oasis, Medical Testing, and The Accident

Yesterday, I woke up under the weather with a stuffy nose and a fever.  Bought some Panadol Sinus (supposed to be like Tylenol Sinus, but weaker) and took with a glass of orange juice around 9:30 am.  The next thing I knew it was 5:30 pm.  When I woke up, I felt so much better.  Decided to call my friend, Andrea, and we went down to the pool.  I was afraid it would be like bathwater, but it was refreshingly cool.  There is a "real" lifeguard on duty and makes everyone follow the rules.  I looked up in the sky and there were actually clouds....high up and they were keeping the temperature in the 90's....very refreshing  when compared to 115 degrees (right).  Lounged in the pool until sundown when Nicole and her son Ethan (3 months old) joined us and played with his feet in the pool. Dan, you might have some competition! 

Last night, we ordered Pizza Hut and ate in our rooms since we were all tired.  The pizza was fabulous with "lots" of cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives. Watched a little tv.  TV here is very interesting.  There are about 20 channels that are English with Arabic subtitles.  These channels have movies and series from America.  I've watched How I Met Your Mother, CSI, Hawaii 5-0 and lots of other American shows.  These are the reruns from last season just like in America and have seen commercials for the new shows coming in the Fall.  There are also movie channels that show movies like just like TBS, Fox Movies, and TNT, but these just call them different things. The Young and the Restless is not on here, and I'm really bummed about it.  People in Abu Dhabi watch lots of the Bold and Beautiful??????  So, after much channel surfing, I snuggled up and watched Top Gun (I always cry when Goose dies!) and went to bed early.  Wednesday was going to be a big day....Medical Testing. 

My group had to meet downstairs at 7:15.  I haven't had to be up this early in....oh, a long time.  Went down for breakfast around 6:30 and ate from the buffet.  Not sure if I've told you about the buffet, but there are pancakes, french toast, omelettes, all kinds of sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, lots of types of breads (no bagels :( ), lots of fresh fruits, pastries, lots of fruits, cereals, and some strange items....baked beans (yes for breakfast), fish, jasmine rice, fried rice, porridge (yuck!), cold cuts, and cheeses.  I tend to eat the same things every morning, but haven't gotten tired of it.  Your drink of choice has to be hot tea or coffee, fruit juices, bottled water, or sparkling water.  The staff is very professional and always very courteous. 

Our tour bus took us to a health facility where we have to complete medical testing.  My first station was the UAE ID station.  I  had to be electronically fingerprinted and take our pictures for the ID card.  They really like to talk to Americans and asked lots of questions about how I like it here and the differences in America. Next, I had to wait for a very long time to have my passport and papers validated.   In this country, all natives get to skip in line and men are taken immediately. Going to take some getting used to...no one skips in line (right?). 

Then, I had to see an Arabic doctor.  His nurse was dressed in an abiaya (black outfit/dress Muslim women wear) and was very friendly.  She asked about my children and how I ended up in Abu Dhabi.  When the male doctor came in, she looked at the floor and her whole demeanor changed. He checked my skin, heart, lungs, and blood pressure (which was perfect!).  Next, I had to have blood tests and a urine test checking for pregnancy and disease.  Lastly, a chest x-ray was completed and I was finished!!!!  On the ride down in the elevator, I was the only woman....my travel agent, Omar, was with me, so I felt safe! 

So glad to finally get back on the bus and maybe rest a little on the way back to the hotel!  Nope!  On the way back, a KIA crashed into the back of our bus right beside my window!  Good thing I was sitting so high up!  The car was trying to change lanes and clipped the back of the bus!  It was a hard jolt and I hit my head and arm on the window.  Have only a bruise on my forearm and I am totaly fine!  I couldn't help but think....can't wait to see how these two male drivers handle the stress of this accident.  They walked up to each other, shook hands, calmly talked, and called the police.  When the police arrived, the bus and KIA were moved from the lane of traffic and the officer began talking with both individuals.  In America, there would be shouting, finger pointing, angry faces, and blame.  Everyone on the bus was glued to the window watching the interaction.  Their interaction was very civilized.  When the police finished with our driver and the other driver, the other driver came onto our bus and apologized to us for hitting our vehicle....that would never happen in America!  He took responsibility for his actions and faced those he'd wronged.  What can't more people be like this instead of trying to blame others for everything?  I have learned so much about myself and others on this trip already...can't wait to see what's around the corner :)

A Long Drive in the Desert, A Porsche,and a Long Drive Home

Today was the day we've all been waiting for....we drove to Al Ain on a bus.  Now this bus is like the shuttle you would ride from the airport...padded seats and curtains over the window to keep out  the heat/sun.  The sun is very strong here and there are never clouds.  We drove @ 2  hours into the desert.  Now, I'm going to be honest with you, it's not what I expected.  If you've need Mission Impossible:  Ghost Protocol, I expected the sand to be blowing across the two lane road and there to be camels walking in the road....not so.  The roads between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are 3  lane expressways with beautiful Palm trees lining both sides of the road.  There are irrigation hoses (looks like the soaker water hoses) ,but bigger to water the trees and other vegetation close to the highway around cities.  I was shocked at the amount of green.  Think I was expected sand dunes right up to the road. 

The speed limits on the roads are 80 kms. for Trucks and 120kms for cars (50 and 75 mph in America).  In the city, the drivers are very aggressive and fast.  Noticed traffic was better here.  I would feel comfortable driving here....not so much in Abu Dhabi.  About half way out trip, we began to see sand dunes in the distance.  There was a herd??? of camels walking across the dunes!!!!  Even though they were at a distance, it was still exciting.  We traveled through more remote areas and saw farms along the way.  Not sure if the farms are animals, vegetables, or fruits?  Noticed there was less greenery in the remote areas and didn't have the irrigation hoses but still not barren like you would expect the desert to be. 

After getting to the city, we arrived at what I loving call "Teacher Alley". The main road is a divided highway with housing on both sides.  There are a lot of housing complexes for teachers and several private homes in this section of town.  It looks kind of like the strip in PC without all the high rises (and the drunks).  No building can be over 4 stories high in this area.

All 5 buses met at the local supermarket area and followed each other the rest of the way to the complexes.  While waiting for the last bus, our AC went out.  It's 111 degrees outside, so you can imagine.  There was sweat in places a lady should never discuss in mixed company! :) 
While waiting about 30 minutes, the last bus arrived and we went to our complex.  My building has a sun cover to shade the area for loading/unloading.  I will be living in the Sultan Al Yarbhouni (Yar-boo-ne) Complex.  Dare you to say that three times fast!  The ouside is a dark sand color with tinted windows to block out the sun.  In case you haven't figured it out, the sun is very brutal here.  My room is 204.  The front door was a beautiful cherry color with an interesting door knob. It is in the middle of the door directly across from where the key hole normally is located. To open it, you put the key in and turn the door know to the left.  If you turn it right, the door will lock.  Different, I know. 

I was fortunate enough to receive a 2 bedroom apartment.  This building has been recently remodeled and repainted. The building has construction dust inside, but will be cleaned before I move in. There is no power to the building at this time and will be turned on closer to our move in dates. (Remember what I said about sweating!) The entire house is painted in the same color (light sand color).   Going to need to choose furniture with losts of color.   Master Bedroom is large, but has no built in closets (normal for here).  Will have to buy wardrobes to store clothes.  Curatins will need to also be installed.  The 2nd bedroom is smaller and has enough room to be comfortable for my guests.  Each bedroom has its own bathroom with a shower and tub.  The living room is large enough to have a combined living room/dining room/office area.  Now, for the part that broke my heart....the kitchen is very small and is a pea green (not sure if I can paint or not). New cabinets, but a little old school.  There is room for a stove, refrigerator, and washer and dryer combination.  Refrigerators are smaller than American and the washer also acts as a dryer.  It's not like the stacked kind in most condos in Florida.  Will send pictures when I go shopping.  Need to download my pictures from the apartment, and will post sometime tomorrow. 

When everyone finished looking at apartments, we waited outside for our replacement bus.  While waiting, a man with a white Porsche drove up.  His name was....Omar.  He looked as if he should be on the cover of a Harlequin Romance novel.  Turns out he works for the Travel Company who arranges hotels, flights, etc.  No worries, Dan...He's married.  He stood outside and chatted with all the ladies. Most people in my building are single females or females whose spouse isn't coming.  There's one married couple. 

Finally arrived with a new driver and we began our trip to the hotel.  About 20 miles down the road, someone came on the radio and told the second driver to meet out first driver and have us load onto the bus with out first driver (confused yet?).  This is our third bus!  About 40 miles down the road it started making a sound (EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE)  and the bus driver turned off the air conditioner.  It's 115 degrees by now.  I felt as if my flesh was melting....The good news is we made it back to the hotel on the 3rd bus.  Bad news is...there was sweat in places ladies should never discuss.  I was so hot, I took an ice cold shower while drinking a bottle of water!  Hydrate anyway you can! :) 

More news later, I'm drained.  Need to drink lots of water and get some much needed rest. 

Beauty, Al Ain, and 6 Degrees of Separation

Today has been very exciting.  Began my "first" day of work by attending an orientation meeting in one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever seen.  I must say, that I've never been treated so well in my whole life.  They are literally at your service.  It was nice to see everyone who came over to teach.  Lots of different nationalities and types of people.  There was lots of talk about our work visas/residency visas, which takes 40-60 days to obtain and then those who have loved ones can sponsors them and bring to the country.  Dan will not be joining me because he's taking care of the home fires!  I miss him terribly :( and we facebook often.  We signed up for our bank accounts at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi...(Neil, they might be hiring!) and turned in our passports and visas so they can begin the process of the residence visa. 

We were also given our city assignment and apartment keys today.  I will be living in Al Ain, which is half way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and will be close enough to both to enjoy what the cities have to offer.  My apartment will be in the Sultan Al Yabhouni Complex.  I will be able to go visit the apartment tomorrrow and scope it out to see what furniture will be needed.  All apartments are totally unfinished, so will have to buy everything.  Good news is we get a housing allowance to help us furnish apartments.  My first priority is a comfy bed...everything else in negotiable! :)  Will post pictures tomorrow after my visit. 

Living in Abu Dhabi without family could be hard, but I've found several good friends.  Andrea Brown and I have been shopping, dining, and seeing the town together for the past few days.  Ironically, her parents are from "Cuthbert", which is where Randolph-Clay is located and  my alma mater.  Then, she introduced me to Shaun, who is a professor from Andrew College in Cuthbert.  How weird is that.....Cuthbert is a small rural town in Southwest Georgia and 3 people from this area are in Abu Dhabi....a small world indeed! 

I miss you, my friends, but I'm having a great time!  :)

First Night Outing

Yesterday,  I went to a grocery store that was triple the size of our WalMart in Cordele. Honestly, there were at least 50% of the items that I had no clue what they were.  Stuck to buying things I was sure of and could recognize the branding.  To truly grasp what's really in the store, I will need to spend a long time just browsing.  There were quite a few veggies and fruits which I really want to try!  The Arabic population consumes lots of bread, gourmet cheeses, and pastas and various grains.  There were at least 100 different types of cheese which I will enjoy trying.  Was excited when I saw Kraft cheese.  Picked up the package and the cheese was white instead of yellow...realized that this will take some time before I feel comfortable in the grocery store. 

After over an hour in the store, I was trying to find sandwich materials and snack items for lunch. Tried a new type of bread, the white Kraft cheese, "French Cheese" lays, Pomegranite juice, and bought fresh fruits (red pairs, pomegranites, and apples).  Then, I searched for mayo for 30 minutes and was at my wits end...finally asked for help.  There were 20 kinds to choose from and none were American names.  Bought a new hair dryer...very expensive, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do! :)

Later, a group of teachers and I went out to eat after sunset.  This was my first outing at night which was outside of our hotel.  During Ramadan, a religious holiday here that last several weeks, locals fast from sunrise to sunset.  Local businesses close during normal business hours and open from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00a.m. or later.  The streets and restaurants are very crowded.  We wanted to eat somewhere outside the hotel, so asked the concierge for a great local restaurant.  He sent us to a Chinese restaurant.  I ordered sweet and sour prawns (large shrimp) and triple delicacy fried rice with shrimp. beef, and chicken, and of course....a diet coke.  Food was really good and have to task for ice here or they will serve cokes warm....ice is the thing I miss the most. 

After leaving the restaurant, we decided to walk a bit and explore.  This experience was a little scary because 70% of the people were men from all cultures.  The local working men travel in "herds". They stared at us in a way that sometimes made us feel uncomfortable. Lesson from this, never go out at night alone and never smile at any of these men...this is considered flirting.  We walked and walked and walked until finally catching a cab back to the hotel.  Our cab driver was new and got lost.  What should have been a 10 minute ride took 25.  If we were in the Amazing Race, surely would've been eliminated! :) 

Today I will be going to the local souke (outdoor markets) like in Sex and the City 2 and take a tour of the city.  Taking my camera, so hopefully will post pictures tomorrow.  Pray for me on Sunday, first teacher meetings! 

Jet Lag and Culture Shock

After a long trip and catching up on sleep, I am feeling much more like myself.  The culture is very different here.  The hotel staff has been fabulous and made us feel like "Rock Stars" on our arrival.  They literally rolled out a red carpet for us.  Gave us ice cold towels to cleanse and refresh our faces, gave us refreshing drinks, and helped us get to room quickly because we were tired.  For breakfast, we are treated to an unbelievable buffet with food from arround the world.  I actually ate "bacon" for breakfast!  Hydration is very important here, so I'm drinking lots of water.  Going through diet coke withdrawal. I am offically a diet coke-aholic and withdrawal has been hard.  I've only had two since leaving the USA on Tuesday.  That's miraculous for those who know about my addiction! 

Yesterday I went to the mall to buy a SIM card and minutes so I could call my family.  Riding in the shuttle to the mall was a little scary. Drivers are very impatient here and honk horns frequently. Cars dash in and out like in ATL.  I was impressed with the amount of security.  Felt totally safe.  Ramadan, a religious month in UAE, is going on now.  Locals don't eat (fast) between sunrise and sunset.  Big parties and buffets happen after the sun goes down.  Many restaurants and businesses are closed during the day and open after sunset with extended hours and special buffets.  At the mall, I was looking for the "food court" to take back lunch to the hotel and....all restaurants were closed.  Thought it would be no problem to find a sandwich at the hotel and all restaurants were closed.  Ended up finding a gift shop open and found a "Bounty" bar and Pringles.  "Bounty" bar is like a Mounds...chocolate and coconut. Asked where the cokes were and sales lady said we only have "water".  Guess this is my "intevention" to get off Diet Coke. 

My hotel room is very nice and comfortable and beginning to sleep on Abu Dhabi time.  Think by tonight I'll be on schedule.  My first meeting in Sunday at 9:00 am...which is 1:00am in Georgia.  My work days will be Sunday-Thursday.  Friday and Saturday are the weekend.  Think this will take some getting used to.  Sunday I will learning about my housing, start working on getting my work visa, setting up my bank account, and we will have guest speakers about cell service, car rental, and furniture companies.  By Monday or Tuesday, I should be able to see my apartment.  Will post more about that later. 

So far I'm seeing new things, learning about a new culture, and loving it all! :)

Rainy Night in Georgia

Today was a very emotional day!  Said "See you later!" to lots of friends today and ate at El Girasol (my favorite) with my youngest daughter and her VSU roommate.  Yum! 

When driving home today from taking my Mom home, it was pouring!!!! Couldn't help but think it will be a long time before I will see this kind of rain again.  Leave tomorrow morning around 10:30 to catch Groome's Shuttle in Warner Robins by 11:45, then to ATL and the adventure begins!  Will fly to Chicago, have a 3 hour layover, and then an almost 14 hour flight.  Will post as soon as possible as arriving.  Send up prayers....I don't like to fly...

Sleepless in Vienna

Awakened by my phone chiming and there it was....my itinerary! Looks like I'll be leaving on Aug 7th. It's 4:45 am and too excited to sleep! Been waiting so long for this information. It's real! In a week, there will be desert sand between my toes!!!! :)