We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program...

...ONE MORE DAY TIL I SEE JANET JACKSON PERFORM!!!!! PLEASE EXCUSE MY ALL CAPS WRITING, BUT I'M JUST SO DOGGONE EXCITED! That is all. Carry on... :)

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Friday Fragments: Episode #3

Friday Fragments is hosted by "Mrs. Fours" at Half Past Kissin Time. Wanna join in on the fun? Check it out here. Basically, you take bits and pieces of your week and list them on your blog. The bits and pieces would each be too small for a regular blog post, but put together, they make Friday Fragments.

Since I missed last Friday, I'm doubling up in this post.

LAST WEEK

• Sometimes, less really is more. Last weekend, I visited the emirate of Al Gharbia, about 2.5 hours away from Abu Dhabi. We stayed at a beach resort surrounded by beach & mostly desert. There was absolutely nothing to do in Al Gharbia...and that was just what I needed. The beach was...it took my breath away. I stayed in the water for hours. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here ya go!

• On the way to Al Gharbia, my friend and I traveled on a bus full of men. There were only 4 women. Thank God for priority seating. The women sat up front near the bus driver. Could've been an uncomfortable situation.
• At some clubs, when they say they have a band, they really mean they have karaoke singers. They're not what we in the States would think a band is, but they are good.
• When they say one hour here in the UAE, they really mean, two, three, four hours. Time really isn't an issure here. Their favorite saying is "Inshallah" (Allah willing). Their attitude is "It will happen when it happens, Inshallah."
• Some of the men here are aggressive. Sometimes, not in a good way, but in a creepy, stalkerish kind of way.
• My Arabic partner was on bed rest for 2 days last week. This meant I was left in a classroom full of 3-4 year olds...alone. Did I mention they don't speak English? Cos they don't. They speak Arabic. Very interesting, I must say. But I survived.
• Speaking of school, I've learned that I LOVE fog days. When it's foggy here, the bus drivers won't drive. They wait until it lifts, then go pick up the kids. This means, school gets a late start. And we still get to end on time. Yeah, fog days are awesome.
• Saw a belly dancer perform last week. I thought she was ok, but I've never seen a performance before. Those who have weren't impressed with her. The men liked it tho, so she did her job. Watching her perform DID make me realize I really want to learn how to belly dance. Put that on my list of must do's while in the Middle East.

THIS WEEK

• Just cos we're a brand new school doesn't mean we won't have our share of difficulties. The ac didn't work in our classrooms this week, which is not good considering the fact that it's like a gazillion degrees here. We also don't have materials or resources nor do we have enough teachers. But we make do with what we have.
• Our apartment building won't have gas for another year or so. At least that's what we've been told. This sucks cos most of us bought gas stoves. Wish they'd have told us BEFORE we spent the money. Some people are having a hard time returning their stoves. Thankfully, the store I bought mine from is letting me return so I can buy an electric stove. God is good!
• Getting our UAE ID and drivers license has been...interesting. Thankfully, I'm almost done with the process. Then I'll really be official with my residence visa, ID, and DL.
• They have so many malls here! Seems like one on every corner. And these malls aren't little either. I'm talking about big elaborate malls. We're even getting a mall built RIGHT NEXT DOOR to our apartment building. Like I can seriously walk to the mall. Now that I think about it, that may not be such a good thing. Easier shopping access...more ways to spend money. Hmmm....
• Just like any other country, they have an issue with equal rights here. Classism is big. The Filipinos, who are considered the lowest class, are treated the worse. It's sad really, but it happens. Not just in the UAE, but everywhere. The more money you have, the more power you have. Sounds familar? They're really more "westernized" than they'd like to admit.
• Speaking of power and importance, the license plate tags reflect their statuses. The lower the number you have on your tags, the more power you have. The lowest number I've seen was 10. And the car was a niiiice Bentley. Must be nice.
• What about those Houston Texans!!!!! 3-1 record so far. I can't watch the football games, but I've been following what's been going on. Keep it up!
• So sad about Steve Jobs. RIP
• Last but certainly not least...I'M GOING TO SEE JANET JACKSON PERFORM IN FIVE DAYS!!!!! That's right. She'll be here in Abu Dhabi and I get to be there. In the fan pit. Close to the stage. I. Can't. Wait.

 

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Friday Fragments: Episode #2

Friday Fragments is hosted by "Mrs. Fours" at Half Past Kissin Time. Wanna join in on the fun? Check it out here. Basically, you take bits and pieces of your week and list them on your blog. The bits and pieces would each be too small for a regular blog post, but put together, they make Friday Fragments.

So, today, I've spent the last 2 hours people watching at the mall around the corner from my apartment. Here's what I've noticed...

• Letting kids run wild seems to be the norm here. LOTS of parents allowed their kids to run around the mall - especially the food court - freely...no stopping them, no watching them. I guess there's no worries about people snatching your kids. One man let his two boys run around the entire food court while he stood (his back to them) and talked to a friend. The only time he actually paid attention to them was when they somehow got on top of the counter where people order their food.
• PDA isn't as illegal as we've been told. Before moving here, we were told that even holding hands was a big no-no. I've seen so many people - Emiratis, Expats, Nationals, everyone - holding hands, putting hands on their mates' butt, snuggling, etc. I even saw 2 men holding hands (at another mall).
• There is a HUGE popluation of Asians here. Most are Filipino. They are treated the worse here by Emiratis (the whole "lower class" status Filipinos have here), but they are some of the nicest people.
• Despite the fact that showing too much skin or wearing tight clothes is frowned upon, some women still choose to wear it. I've seen women wearing tank tops (complete with bra straps showing) or EXTREMELY tight jeans.
• I guess the whole "guys in pink" thing isn't taboo here. Saw a guy carrying a pink backpack. And before you ask, there were no kids with him. One day this week, we even saw a man driving a pink SUV.
• The Emirati men who wear kandoras (seen in the pic below) are very confident of themselves. They walk with this...I don't know, swag? I guess that's the word. I've seen some attractive Emirati men. Never thought I'd find ANY man in an outfit that looks like a dress attractive, but there you go.

That's my Friday Fragments for this week. Have a great weekend!

 

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Friday Fragments: Episode #1

Friday Fragments is hosted by "Mrs. Fours" at Half Past Kissin Time. Wanna join in on the fun? Check it out here. Basically, you take bits and pieces of your week and list them on your blog. The bits and pieces would each be too small for a regular blog post, but put together, they make Friday Fragments.

So, on to my Friday Fragments...

* Obama is well-liked here in Abu Dhabi. I'd venture to say they love him. Sometimes, when replying that I'm from America, the first thing they'd say is, "Oooh! Obama! He's a good man. I like Obama."

* There are no street names here which makes getting around kinda hard for a newbie. It's all about landmarks. Now, what happens if the landmark is taken down, I have NO idea.

* Driving here is gonna be a challenge. Besides the fact that they have no street names, they have these roundabouts that seem impossible to figure out. And then, some of the people here drive absolutely CRAZY. Really. I've rode in taxis where we had to hold on for dear life. And we've had several close calls.

* They like speed bumps. They're everywhere. Seriously. No exaggeration. I mean, I understand being about safety and all, but EVERYWHERE?

* I have keys for everything in my apartment. Every room has a key. Even my living room and kitchen. So weird. My fridge has a key, my nightstands, dresser, vanity, and wardrobe (like a moveable closet) all have keys.

* The outside of my windows are dirty. I'd clean them, but alas, I can't. Not unless I wanna fall nine stories to my death. Nope. Windows will stay dirty. I wonder if they'll have window cleaners. Hmm...

Well, that's it for my first Friday Fragments.

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Busy Busy Busy - Part Dos

Remember that advance I mentioned a few weeks ago? We got it last Saturday. YAY! I must admit, any bank accounts I've had in the past have NEVER looked that good. And this will pretty much be a normal occurance (my account looking good, I mean). They deposited the advance as well as the furniture allowance. Needless to say, it was time to do some shopping. Who knew furniture shopping could be so draining! Going to different stores, pricing the items, trying to bargain with the dealers...more work than I thought it would be. I decided I wasn't going to go to a lot of different stores for shopping. I've gotten my furniture/appliances at 3 stores...each offering something pleasing to me. So I'm happy. This was definitely a lesson in bargaining. I watched one of my friends do her thing, talking the store owners down from the original price. Of course, I made mental notes. Those mental notes came in handy when it came time for me to talk the owner at the final store down. I was able to bargain my way down to 1500 dirhams ($400 USD) cheaper than what he offered. Thanks KaLinda!

I now have what I need as far as furniture and appliances are concerned. I've decided not to furnish my whole apartment right now. Since it's just me, I can take my time. Now, all I need are the little stuff like dishes, bathroom decorations, towels, pots/pans, etc. I went on and bought a real mattress...not just a cheap one. I have never splurged on a mattress before, so this will be my 1st nice one. Everything will be delivered by next week. Then my apartment will be move in ready. Of course, I'll miss this five-star hotel and the awesome treatment, but I'm happy I can move into my apartment.

The schools here are a bit different than in the US. They have KG1 (like US preschool), KG2 (Kindergarten), Cycle 1 (1st - 5th grade), Cycle 2 (6th - 9th), and Cycle 3 (10th - 12th). I found out I will more than likely be teaching KG. Not sure which one, KG1 or KG2, or whether I'll be teaching both. This should be interesting. I am so not a Kinder teacher. And KG 1? Three - Four year olds? They're so little! But wherever God puts me, I'll be ok. I'll adapt. The awesome thing about KG is (1) all KG LTs (Licensed Teachers) are partnered with a KG Arabic teacher and (2) their days are shorter than Cycle 1 - Cycle 3 teachers. Sweet! I pray God blesses me with a partner teacher I'm going to bond with. Someone who will be helpful and awesome. And who will teach me Arabic. I want to be friends with my partner teacher, not just coworkers.

I'm going to tell you the truth. I definitely see God's favor upon me since I've moved here. Don't believe me? Here's my evidence:

• I was blessed to be on one airlines for the duration of my flight to Abu Dhabi. Many people ended up having to switch airlines at one point, thus having to pay more baggage fees. I didn't. One airline flight and only $50 fee cos one of my bags went over the 50lb limit. Plus, we only had one layover that lasted less than an hour.
• Besides being absolutely gorgeous, the hotel my group (group 2) was put in has free internet for the teachers. If I'm not mistaken, we're the only group out of the 3 that has free internet access the whole time we're here.
• I got the keys to my apartment three days after my arrival. There are people who are still waiting to know where they're gonna live.
• They told us singles were gonna have 1-bedroom apartments. Mine? 2-bedrooms.
• I found out that not only is my school new, but it's also only about a 10-minute drive from my apartment. There are teachers who will have to make a 30-40 minute drive to work everyday. And they're school may not be a new one.

These are just a few examples. Why has God chosen to shower His favor down on me? I have NO idea. But I praise Him for it. No matter what comes my way during my time in Abu Dhabi, I'm ready for it...good or bad. I have chosen not to complain about anything nor will I worry about the challenges. I'm not here just to be here. I'm here for a purpose. My focus will be on God, who will in turn help me stay on that purposeful journey. I have many lessons to learn...some easy, some hard, but it's all for building my character.

The first day for teachers is this Sunday. We're supposed to get our official school letters and maybe meet our principals. I'm so excited about this school year. I will keep y'all posted!

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Busy Busy Busy - Part Uno

So, it's been almost 2 weeks since my last post. Boy, have I been busy! So busy, in fact, that I'm splitting this post into two.

First things first...the desert safari. Two words: So. Fun. I definitely recommend it when and if you ever come to this side of the world. Before we got started on our adventure, the drivers had to let some of the air out of the tires and the engines had to cool off.

After about 10 minutes, we got back in our vehicles and went dune bashing, which is when you drive up and down the sand dunes. It may not sound like much fun, but you'd have to see the dunes...like tall hills made of sand. Our driver, Yusef, was pretty cool. The ride was like a roller coaster: up, down, big drops, twists and turns. There were even times when it felt like the car was going to flip on its side. And since I was in the very back of the truck, I felt every bump. Here's a video of our experience. It can get quite bumpy.

We stopped to take pics of camels. On the ground, we saw what looked like black rocks all over the ground. It took someone (not me, thank God) to step on them to find out that those pebble-like things on the ground were actually camel poop.

Yes, this is camel poop...not rocks.

Three camels sharing a meal of yummylicious sand and poop.

The gorgeous sun set.

We had to take a break cos one of the trucks ended up with a flat tire (guess he let out too much air). Yusef was nice enough to stop and help the other driver out.

About 10 minutes later, we continued dune bashing. I admit, my stomach got a little queasy toward the end, but nothing happened. After dune bashing, we arrived at the area we were to spend the next few hours. There was camel rides, sand surfing, riding on ATV vehicles and, later, a yummy dinner under the stars. And the stars definitely shone that night. Because of Ramadan (Muslim month of fasting), they didn't have belly dancing, which I SO want to learn. Anyway, the desert safari was by far the best part of my move so far.

The rest of the week was filled with orientation and preparing the teachers for school (the vision, what we should expect as new teachers, do's and dont's, etc) They showed us a video of what Abu Dhabi should look and be like by 2030. My mind is blown away by their vision and the fact that God has chosen ME to be a small, yet significant part of it.

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Toto, I don't think we're in Houston anymore!

One week down...103 to go.

I am definitely NOT in Houston anymore! It's gonna take some time to get used to how different things are here. Houston and Abu Dhabi may be "twins" and there are similarities (the hot, humid climate and diversity to name a few), but the differences between my hometown and my new home are quite noticeable.

Before I go on, let me make a correction. In my last post, I said an emirate is a city and there were no states. That's wrong. An emirate is actually like a state. So, my new country is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), my new "state" or emirate is Abu Dhabi, and my new city is Abu Dhabi City.

Photo courtesy of www.lonelyplanet.com

So, anyway, here's how my week went:

• Sunday. We opened our bank accounts first. They already had our cards and everything. We just had to fill out the information. Later on, we had our first orientation. We found out that we'd be getting an advance of 5,000 AED (about $1,360 USD). Of course, I was excited. This will definitely help since I came here with limited funds. We'll also get a 20,000 AED (about $5,400 USD) furniture allowance. Both will be deposited in my account soon. ADEC (Abu Dhabi Education Council) hired teachers to teach and live in three cities in Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain, and Al Gharbia. After orientation, they put up some of the Abu Dhabi City placements. I was on the list! I got the key to my apartment that night! YAY!
• Monday. In the morning, we went to have our medical exams. They checked our weight, blood pressure, and skin (for skin diseases I assume). We also had a chest x-ray and blood taken (for diseases check). It went quicker than I thought it would. Very organized. Afterwards, while trying to figure out what to do, my new friend and I came across three people who were going to see their apartments, so we went with them. OMG, I live in a high rise! Like, seriously, I've always wanted to know what it felt like to live in a loft/high rise building and now I'll know. The apartments are brand new. They're not even finished yet, that's how new they are. Gorgeous view, health club (workout room, suana, jacuzzi, steam room, massage area, pool) on the roof, doorman...I'm in heaven!
• Tuesday. We had to go to the police station to have our pics taken and fingers printed. I was in group 3, which meant we went to the station at 10. At night. Before going, I ate dinner at the hotel restaurant with new friends. I decided to step even further out of my comfort zone and eat shish kabob (grilled lamb cubes). OMG! So. Good. I'm definitely a new lamb fan. The only thing is they cook it medium rare. I just can't get with eating it like that. I only ate the cubes that didn't have red in them. I must say, the pic they took of me at the police station was NOT flattering. He caught me by surprise. I sooooo hope they don't use that pic for anything. It looked like a mug shot...fitting since it was taken at a police station. Anyway, we didn't get back from the police station til about 1:30 am. Very interesting, this trip.
• Wednesday. We took a shuttle to Marina Mall. Saw some of the awesomeness that is Abu Dhabi City. This is truly a beautiful city, man. I'm thanking God every day for sending me here. We rode down the Corniche and saw the beach. OMG, how BEE-YOO-TI-FUL! Absolutely gorgeous! I've got to go one day. It's so hot, tho. But I may endure the heat just to go to that beach. We also saw the Emirates Palace hotel. Definitely a place I'm going to visit. I'm sure the price to stay there is crazy high, so clearly I won't be staying. The Marina Mall is like the Galleria Mall in Houston, only better. And it has a Carrefour (like Walmart) under it.
• Thursday. Didn't do much today. Just went back to my apartment to take more pics.
• Friday. Didn't do much today either. My morning started off rough. I overslept and missed breakfast as well as church (Fridays are their sabbath day). I'm thankful I'm in a place that practices freedom of religion. They have a few Christian churches here. We can't proudly display our Christianity, but we can practice it. This will definitely put the "let your light shine" thing to the test. I pray that God lets His light shine through me the whole time I'm here so that people, even the Muslims, will know there's something different about me. Anyway, I was having a hard time with this growth thing God is putting me through. This whole trip is about my growing in God and Him doing some reconstruction within me. Not an easy thing to endure, but it's necessary. I admit, I cried my eyes out Friday morning. But after talking to my mom, who knew what was going on even when I tried to hide it (awesome, right), and listening to my Jesus music and praying, I was fine. In fact, the day ended waaaay better than it started. My spirit was lifted. I went to a festival at the convention center. This is where vendors set up inside and sell, sell, sell. Kinda like a flew market. If you're a great bargainer (and I'm not), you can get awesome things for cheap. My first item, I didn't bargain. The second thing I wanted, I couldn't get them to change their minds. But afterwards, with the help of my new friend, who was awesome with bargaining, I got a dress and a comfy lounge around dress for way cheaper than regular price. I'm definintely gonna work on my bargaining skills! I also noticed how much they love Spongebob Squarepants. I mean, he was everywhere! Sheesh! We ended the night at a Lebonese restaurant where I ate lamb and chicken. I am absolutely LOVING lamb!
• Saturday. Today was just a chill day. Didn't do anything special. I'm trying to save the little money I do have cos I'm not sure when we're getting our advances.

So that's it. That's how my week went. Tomorrow, we go on a desert safari. Dune bashing, camel rides, sand boarding, eating an authentic meal, and watching the sun set in an Arabian desert. I SO can't wait! Enjoy my slideshow!

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