A is for...

For this month's A to Z challenge, I've decided on the "ABC's of Abu Dhabi" theme. So, all this month, I will be blogging about Abu Dhabi, my experiences here, as well as Arabic words/phrases I've learned so far.

A is for Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is not only the name of one of the seven emirates of the UAE (United Arab Emirates), it's also the name of the capital city of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The name means "Father of deer." It's kind of an oxymoron...a desert island. When you think of desert, you think of sand, sand dunes, cacti, camels, etc. Abu Dhabi has all that. BUT, it also has beaches, beautiful blue/green water, and greenery (trees, plants). The official religion is Muslim, but they practice freedom of religion, at least for expats. Locals must practice the Islamic faith. A cool fact about Abu Dhabi is only about 20% of the population are locals. Most of the people who live in Abu Dhabi are expats, or people who've moved here for employment reasons. The Sheikh of Abu Dhabi is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. The main language the locals speak is Arabic. The city of Abu Dhabi is only about an hour away from the emirate of Dubai, which is all kinds of awesome cos weekend trips are easy.

Abu Dhabi is a beautiful place. I love it here...not enough to make this my permanent home (even with all it's issues, America will always have my heart), but I do love it here. One thing I do not like is the weather from about April to October. It's HOT. Ugh! Not only can the weather get to be 100+ degrees, but it's also humid. Sometimes, the atmosphere literally takes your breath away.I never thought I'd be moving thousands of miles away from family, friends, and all that I know, but I'm glad I did. This has definitely been an experience of a lifetime so far! I look forward to whatever else God has in store for me during my Abu Dhabi experience!

And now for some Arabic vocabulary...

A is for Ana/Anta/Anti

Ana (ah-nah) = me
Anta (ahn-ta) = you (when talking to a male)
Anti (ahn-ti) = you (when talking to a female)