Falafel to Fried Chicken

Exactly one week from today, I will be landing in Atlanta and my big adventure in Abu Dhabi will come to an end.  This final week is very bittersweet.  I've learned so much about myself, other cultures, and other religions by living here.  Before coming here, I didn't have a passport and had never lived anywhere other than South Georgia.   This adventure has shown me that there's so much more out there in the world.

Most people where I lived in Georgia really had no idea where Abu Dhabi was located, but were very supportive of me and sent many prayers my way while here.  I appreciate so much all the kind words and prayers for me.  I've lived almost 8,000 miles away from everybody and everything I know and love for the past three years.  God has blessed me with good friends here to support me on those really tough days.  Those friends span all age ranges, nationalities, and religions.  He has shown me there are good people everywhere.  He put these people in my path just when needed. He has also shown me that I'm a lot stronger than ever thought....God knew it.

Front of our school.  Written in English and Arabic.  Most signs here are bilingual.  

Back of our school.  Notice the solar covers that help keep the area cool.

Our reception area...lobby

Buses look different here.  

Our canteen....lunchroom.  No hot meals are served here.  Most students bring lunches from home.  A local company sells sandwiches, juice, and water to students.  

My school family has been a major support system for me while I have lived here. I live in Al Ain, which is about 1 1/2 hours from the city of Abu Dhabi.  My school, Al Wagan KG & Cycle 1, is located approximately one hour drive away from my apartment.  There is no teacher housing there, only locals have homes there.  All teachers live in Al Ain and make the long commute out to the remote school each day.  Al Wagan is located very closely to the Oman border.  It is a small, rural agricultural community with limited educational opportunities for its citizens.  This community is very traditional.  At Al Wagan KG & Cycle 1, most of the staff is comprised of women.  Mr. Fayez and the security guards are the only males in our building.

The staff at the school has been very welcoming to me and I consider them my sisters and friends.  If I ever needed anything, they would be there for me in a flash.  They've taught me that you can show love for people even if you don't speak the same language. A smile, hug, or kiss on the cheek speaks volumes.  Each morning I greeted the staff with a handshake or kiss on the cheek depending upon how close I felt to them.  People here believe that a handshake between two people makes all the bad things fall to the side and it's a fresh start to the day.  A kiss on each cheek means that the recipient is very close to you.  I've learned to speak Arabic words and they smile when I attempt them....yes, I speak them with a Southern accent.  They love me even if I'm mispronouncing it badly.

An important part to this culture is eating...just like Georgia.  Families and friends share food and time together regularly.  In the South, we prepare fried chicken, etc.  Here the food it a little different and took some getting used to for this Southern belle.  Lots and lots of chicken cooked in all different ways.  The food here is reflective of the mixtures of the cultures present.  Indian and Emirati foods are very popular here.  I've learned to like falafel, nan (bread), biryani, and freshly made hummus (nothing like the kind in America....this is totally amazing).  When we have staff celebrations, there's always lots of food.  The best cooks bring their best wares and I must admit that I've become more adventurous in trying the dishes.  Had I stayed in Georgia, these new foods would have never experienced.

At work, my dress has been different for the last three years.  I have to be covered to my ankles and at least below my elbow...I usually am covered all the way to my wrists.  I wear long skirts and long sleeve shirts from America.  I can't show any cleavage or my shape, so clothes are loose.  I am not required to cover my head with a shela or wear an abaya at my school.  While living here, I've tried to be respectful of the dress codes and the rules here.  Showing some leg and arms at work will be different for me.


I will be sad to no longer see my friends here and spend time with them, but the end of the adventure is near. The past few weeks here have been very challenging.  The exit process has been trying at times. The amount of paperwork can be a little daunting. There are many signatures which have to be received to make sure you have paid all your bills, been cleared by your housing, electricity, internet, cell phone, health cards, etc.  Many offices have to be visited (some more than one time) and for days endless running around.  I finally finished mine earlier this week.  It's the last hurdle before leaving. I'm mentally and physically exhausted from the process. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.


I will look back on this adventure with great joy and love.  God brought me here for a reason and used me while I was here. Not sure why I was here, but he does. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this chapter is meant to end and now it's time for the next chapter and the next adventure. I'm excited to be back in my home again and close to my life long friends and family. Looking forward to all my favorite foods and lots of fresh veggies.  New challenges will come with the transition back to living in the US. I ask for your prayers during this transition time.  This will be my last blog from afar....Thank you for being loyal and reading about my adventures.  All the sweet comments and well wishes have kept me going.  Hopefully I will get to meet you all face to face soon....Hugs and kisses :)

Taking the Narrow Path

Three long years I've lived and worked in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.  Each day has proven to be a learning experience and won't be forgotten any time soon.  I've met people from almost every nation in the world and experienced cuisine I would've never tried had I stayed safe and never embarked on this adventure. I don't have a single regret for coming on my big adventure. It has helped me be more adventurous, more open minded, and more positive that God is working miracles all over the world.   Living alone almost 8,000 miles away from everyone you know and love can be very daunting at first.  Many days I had to lean hard on God to help me make it through. He has blessed me with good friends who have been there for me on the tough days and the celebratory days. He has shown me that I'm way stronger than I ever thought I could be.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time about coming home.  There is a long "to do" list for here and home and only 52 days and I'll be in the air.....yikes.  I'm going to remember what a very smart lady, Dr. Gail K. Nesbitt, told me once, ."How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time. Don't let daunting tasks overwhelm you.  Just take it one small step at a time."

I have a two bedroom apartment with everything needed to make a home here.  All of this has to be sold, given away, or discarded of before I can receive a clearance form from my landlord.  I haven't even started yet, so between now and the weekend going to get myself together and start pricing items and try to begin the process.  There's a flow chart the size of a page and a half for the exit process to be able to leave this country the correct way.  I won't bore you with the details, but I'm going to ask for prayers for patience.  It's a long process and the way things are here, will have to make more than one visit to most of these to accomplish my tasks.

Only one month and the religious holiday of Ramadan begins.  This will mean that the business hours will change because Muslims fast from sun up to sun down and businesses open after sun goes down. They remain open until 3-4 in the morning when the Muslims say their last prayer before going to sleep.  Remember that long flow chart I discussed.  I will be completing it during this time so therefore, I ask for patience.

The weather is getting hotter and already hovering around 110 during the hottest part of the day.  Will be 120 before long.  Yes, it's a dry heat, but today the humidity made it feel like 114.  No matter where you are....that's hot!!!!  As the temperature rises, so does the naughty behavior at school.  A wise principal once told me that children are like sausages on a griddle when it starts getting hot.  The hotter it gets, the more they wiggle and squirm.  Like everywhere in the world, teachers and students are all ready for school to be over.  Know we love our students, but we are all like kids in the back seat of a car after a long trip....ready for a little apart time.

This morning it hit me that I only have 52 more days to see the sunrise over the sand dunes.  I see camels on the way to work and even had three visit our school during bus dismissal last week.  Not many people where I live can say they've seen this. I've experienced learning a new language and teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). Lived in a different culture and actually had conversations with people from all over the world.

What have I learned....People love their families and just want them to be happy and take care of them. People love their God, whatever they call him. People have different skin colors, but their hearts are the same. If a person is from a different religion, I don't have to agree with them, but I do have to respect them as a person.  Here, I have always felt my religious beliefs were respected and I did the same. I have never been asked to convert and I'm still a Southern Baptist.. Lastly, I have learned that no matter where I go, I need to open my eyes and find the good in this world.  Too many times, people get caught up in negativity.  I took these three years as a time to discover new things about the world, about people, and mostly about myself.  God has taught me so much.  I look forward to what he has in store for me during my last days here and when I return home.  I'm keeping my heart open!  Until we meet again :)