Mission Impossible

My intentions were to stay close to home today, and catch up on some much needed rest. Instead, I was out of the door early and gone most of the day.

There is an issue with my yet to arrive ID Card that required my having to visit the lady who was slow as molasses in creating some necessary document when I first arrived in Al Ain and I was trying to get my driver's license.  I waited about a half hour before she would deal with me and my issue because if she looked up my info, she would loose what she was working on.  Was there no way to save it?  Anyway, she needed to call someone, the line was busy, then they just didn't answer.  After waiting about an hour and a half, I got the verdict.  It seemed I already had an ID application in the works, from some form I completed while I was in Abu Dhabi.  You would think the system would have prevented me for even applying for another one, right?  Not so.  Of course, I didn't realize I was applying for the same document. Long story short, I told the lady I'd come back to find out what the solution will be. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd still be sitting in this office, waiting and waiting and waiting some more.  I went back at the end of the day, but it was locked tight.  Mañana.  Mañana.  Not sure what the Arabic version of this is.

When I left there I was starving, and noticed a Pizza Hut in the next block.  I stopped, ordered a personal size pizza and a salad.  This store had the same domed cover on the salad bar as the one in Abu Dhabi.  I'm convinced they have the best salad in the UAE.

This country is a desert and very little grows here besides palm dates.  So, everything - food staples, for sure - is imported.  As a result, fruits and vegetables are not always the best looking.  Meat either.  In fact, the raw chicken in the frozen sections oftentimes has a grey tint to it.  That can't be good.  The upside for me is that this is not something I would usually buy anyway, but still.

I'm surprised that I haven't seen frozen dinners since I've been in the country.  Since everything else is slow and methodical, there's no rush to make a quick dinner. These folks take their time cooking and eating.

Speaking of eating, there's a local version of fast food where they sells something that fascinates me.  In fact, I intended to go by tonight and ask them to take a picture of it.  I hope you're able to visualize it from my crude description.  The name of it is shawerma and it tastes great.

There are two spears hanging down, each with chicken that is packed tight.  It is layers and layers of boneless chicken.  This speared meat stands about three feet tall and is next to an open flame.  The cook turns the spear so that the meat cooks evenly.  Once done, he shaves off slices of meat and serves it on a pita-like bread.  It looks like a pita, but is coarser and stiffer.  He stuffs the meat in the bread, adds two or three french fries, pickles and garlic (which I ask him to omit).  He then twists the top so the ingredients don't fall out.  When completed, it's about the size of a hot dog.  It's very tasty.  The second spear holds chicken also, but it's the the red-tinted spicy version.  Haven't tried that yet.

I've only seen one drive thru eating establishment since I arrived in the country. Their version of a drive through is this - one of their workers stands outside and when someone drives up wanting food, they toot the horn and this guy takes their order and their money and returns with their food.  This scene just keeps repeating itself over and over again.

Later this afternoon, I went to the movies to see Mission Impossible 4:  Ghost Protocol.  Typical action movie.  Bad guys must be stopped.  Our guy is the only one to do it.  They fight.  Chase each other.  Fight some more.  Followed by an even faster, crazier chase.  On and on.  Not my cup of tea usually, but I wanted to see it because parts of it was filmed in Dubai.  It's worth the price of admission just for the view of the city.  Amazing aerial shots.

Did I mention it was in English?  Normally it takes a minute for a new movie to be released here, but I'm guessing because of the great publicity for the city and the country, it opened the same day here as in the states.  Of course, this is all speculation on my part.

Next, I stopped by Bath and Body Works because this mall is the only one that features this store.  I stocked up on the sweet smelling stuff and headed back home.

Before I left home though, I took pictures of the place and realized that it has a close resemblance to a brothel.  In fact, the only thing missing is a neon sign.  I've got the perfect spot for it, too.  I noticed several stores that sell beaded room dividers, so some red beads would be easy to get, too.

Of course, it was not my intention to create that kind of dwelling, but the strong resemblance is undeniable.

You decide.  (The pictures are in the order you would see things if you were walking through the apartment).

Guest Bath - 1st thing on your left when you walk in

Entryway - Bowl for keys/cabinet for purse

Kitchen

Kitchen 2

Kitchen 3

Cute Little Stove (Cooker)

Washer/Dryer Combo - Works great!

Dining Room contains sofa bed and desk.  This room was supposed to be the Living Room, but it's not well-lit.  Window faces a wall.

Coffee Urn & Serving Cart = Unique to this country and variations of it can be found in every office.

Sofa Bed

         Desk

Master Bedroom

Infamous Curtains - Yes, they're red.

Closet - sits next to wall

Living Room - Was supposed to be Master Bedroom, but the lighting in here is wonderful, so I made the switch.

Living Room 2

This concludes the tour folks.  What do you think?  Brothel, right?  

No, it's just home.  

Good to Go

I came close to skipping this tonight.  I've had two very late nights and need to get some serious sleep, but it's only 6:30pm.  If I go to bed now, I'll be up for the day at 2:00am.  So, I'm going to hang tough for a couple more hours.

Thankfully, every "i" has been dotted and every "t" crossed relative to my new place.  It's just the way I want it.  I did the last of the running around for it today, and now I can sit back and relax for the rest of the break.  Yeah!!!

Side note - When someone asks what your name is, they ask, "What is your "good name?"  It took me a minute to figure out that they simply wanted to know my name.

Side note 2 - Parking is on the street, but when everyone returns from break, we'll have to park in our assigned spots, in an underground parking structure.  I love it down there.  It's well lit and they're elevators close by.  Also, when I'm parked there, no one knows if I'm home.  I know.  I know.  I just really like my space and enjoy my solitude.

Side note 3 - There is 24-hour security here, too.  One person sits at the front gate, and another at the back.  They recognize me and my car.  Friendly guys.

Speaking of security - you see them everywhere.  I know I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. They are in the corridors of every mall.  In the stores. Outside.  Everywhere.  Again, is crime so low because of their presence, or are they that good at keeping a handle on it?  Don't know, but glad about the results nonetheless.

Side note 4 - Interestingly, I know of at least one teacher hired by Teach Away to teach here that has no experience in the classroom.  Zilch.  None.  I think that's crazy.  You need to walk in the door with some skills.  On the job training would be tough because you're trying to figure out what you're doing and you're trying to make sense of the culture.  Not a smart move.

Side note 5 - Still experimenting with making calls back home.  Google chat works well and I'm grateful for it.  The downside is you're using your computer as the vehicle and it's not as portable as a phone.  I purchased MagicJack before I left the States, which allows you to use your phone, and just tried it yesterday to pretty awful results.  Not sure if it was MagicJack or a weak connection.  Tyrone (my router) and I had a conversation about that and he seems to be working just fine now.

Ok.  My brain is fried.

Hope you're still enjoying your holidays.

More soon.  God willing, as my Arab brothers say.

Round and Round the Roundabouts

Bird Roundabout - Official Name = Baladiya Roundabout

It's 9:15 in the evening, and the sound of drilling is filling my new home.  I waited all day for delivery of my furniture. They arrived two hours past the 10:00-5:00 window.  That's OK cause they're here now.

Here's the kicker though, all of the stuff came in flat boxes!  My rationale for choosing this store instead of Ikea was the fact that the things would be assembled and ready to go.  Is this the reason it was such a good deal?

Anyway, there are three guys hard at work.  I felt guilty about inquiring where they were and satisfied my conscious by buying them a bite to eat.  Besides, I figured they would concentrate better on the job at hand, if they weren't starving.

The pictures of my place will have to wait, but I have a treat for you - pictures of some of the roundabouts (R/A) this city is known for.  I've tried taking pictures while driving around them.  Not the best idea. Thankfully someone far better at this sort of thing than me, took great pictures and posted them on the web.  Below are a select few.  Enjoy!

The official name of this one is the Castle Roundabout.  All I know is I was always a happy soul when I spotted it cause that meant I had almost made it to the hotel.

Castle R/A (I called this one the Fort R/A)

Another view of the Fort R/A

Globe R/A

Close-Up of Globe

Another Close-Up of Globe

Mandoos R/A - Haven't seen this one yet

Coffe R/A?

Sheikh Zayed R/A

close-Up of Sheikh Zayed R/A

Sheikh Mubarak R/A

This one is unique because there's traffic beneath it

Waterfall R/A

Another view of Waterfall R/A

Side note - My doorbell rang at about 9:45.  I thought it was my homesick friend. Not so.  It was the adjacent neighbor on the other side of me.  He came by to complain about the noise.  No hello.  No introductions.  Just complaining.  Said his wife was in bed.  He would have gotten more sympathy if he said he had a baby trying to sleep.  Did he really think I wanted these guys here at that time of night? What was I supposed to do?  Send them away and ask them to return tomorrow? Not off to the best start with this fellow.  

Returning to my zen state of mind now.  Deep breaths.

Side note 2 - The guys did an incredible job of getting everything together in less than three hours.  Amazing!  It looks fantastic in here, if I must say so myself.  A mirror was broken that will be replaced in a couple of days.  Other than that, I'm good to go.

Side note 3 - I bought a drill today.  You think it's too late to drill baby drill?

I will be a good neighbor.

I will be a good neighbor.

I will be a good neighbor.

Thanks again for hanging with me for a while.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!  I hope that your day is filled with peace and happiness.

My day is coming to an end and it was wonderful.

Last night when I returned to the hotel, I decided that was my last night there.  So, I closed my suitcases, stuffed the things I had been using on a daily basis in plastic bags, and sat it all by the door.  It felt great.  I woke up really early, and fell back asleep for a couple of hours, but when I did get up, I was on a mission to get out of the hotel as soon as possible.

Thankfully, everything fit in the car, so I only had to make one trip.  I called the front office to let them know I'd be checking out, stopped by there and signed some paperwork, and off to my new place - for good - I went.

When I arrived, I stored everything in one of the spare bathrooms, to eliminate a cluttered look.  (Cathy and Deb, I know you're shaking your head at my concern with clutter).  Then I ran a couple of errands.  While I was out the delivery guy called, a half hour early, saying he was on the way.  I rushed back, but he still beat me here by a few minutes.

There were three men who bought in and set up the living room set and sofa bed.  I love this stuff!  Then my quiet gentle friend and a helper, spent the next couple of hours hanging things on the wall.  The walls are made of a really solid, almost concrete-link substance that makes them really hard to work with.  But when they finished, it looked so nice.  Kind of reminds me of when a new home or business goes up and they complete the look with beautiful landscaping.  If you didn't know better, you would think the home or business had been up all along because the landscaping does a great job of making the structures look and feel "complete." That's would the wall art does here.  It makes it looked homey, lived in and complete.

The sofa bed is very much like the one I had the pleasure of sleeping on when I visited Frankie and his family.  The back is up for a sofa and down for the bed.  It was very comfortable and so is this one.  This is where I'll be laying my head tonight.

Today was business as usual in the stores and malls.  Lots of traffic.  Lots of sales.

Side note - A fair number of the labor force comes from the Philippines.  In fact, the hotels I've been in have been serviced exclusively by folks from the Philippines. Interestingly, it was young men who cleaned the rooms, not women as we're accustomed to.  Anyway, I said all that to say, this community of folks are mostly Christian and they do celebrate Christmas.  One of the Philippine salesman was lamenting yesterday that he had to work today.

I'm so excited to finish up in my new home, so that I can get back to exploring the country again.

The mountain that is in town has a road that runs up and down it, that is beautifully lit at night.  I'm told I can take this road to get to work.  Not sure I want to do that, but I definitely want to make the drive up.  Hopefully it won't be as scary as parts of the 101 on the West Coast.

Well, you all are probably waking up now, so I'm going to close so that I can make some holiday calls.

Merry Christmas!

Taking Care of Business on Christmas Eve

It was all about the checklist today.  Making sure I got as many things done as possible.  Thankfully, it was very productive.

It's Christmas Eve, but it doesn't feel like it at all.  I don't have any decorations up, no tree.  Nothing that indicates this is the holiday season.  Those of you who know me well, know that I just threw a sheet over my little three-foot tree with the lights and ornaments still on, and each year took the sheet off and it was good to go. Instant decorations!  That tree was sold or given away in the garage sale.  Wasn't in the mood to replace it.  I'm not in the holiday frame of mind, I guess.  Reminds me of when I've spent Christmas in Miami.  It never quite felt like Christmas because it was hot and folks were in shorts and flip flops.  Somehow, in my mind, it needs to be chilly, cold even.

Of course the holiday is not about the weather, but still, it sets the tone for the season, I think.

Last Christmas I was alone.  By choice.  In retrospect, it was great preparation for this year.

Tomorrow - yes on Christmas Day - I take delivery of my living room set and sofa bed.  My bottom will appreciate the softness of the sofa after spending so much time sitting on the floor.

Side note - Did I mention that the stores and businesses are laid out in clusters? For example, all of the jewelry stores are in the same part of town, next door to each other.  The cell phone stores, banks, specialty stores, etc.  It is an interesting concept if you want to shop around.  This makes it easy.  Typically, they all carry about the same merchandise, so I suppose it comes down to who you like dealing with the best.

Side note 2 - Just tried hanging something on the wall.  Made a bit of a mess, so I called for help.  The walls are made of something that is not user friendly for hanging things.  One of the men who hung my drapes will come by tomorrow.  He reminds me so much of the Native American character, Chief, in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  He's a gentle soul.  Rarely speaks, although my little homesick teacher speaks his language, and they had a spirited conversation.  He has a warm smile and kind eyes.  I always wonder what he's thinking.  I don't think he's treated well by the foreman, so I hired him directly, to bypass the foreman.  Although, as I mentioned earlier, this foreman is like the office manager or plant manager on a school campus.  You want to always be on their good side because in many ways, they run the place.

Side note 3 - I may christen my sofa by sleeping on it tomorrow night.  I am so ready to unpack my bags for good, I may move out of the hotel tomorrow instead of Monday.  I know what you're thinking.  One more day won't make that much of a difference, and you're right.  It would do wonders for my spirit and frame of mine though.  It will be a game day decision.

Side note 4 - I have Western TV!  Yeah!  So far I've seen CNN International, Style, MTV and VH1, and TMC (classic movies).  There's more, I just have to figure out where to find them.  A program guide would be helpful.  I'm told I can find one online. Assumed I would only be getting Western channels.  Not so.  They are interspersed with many Arabic ones.

Side note 5 - My stove (cooker, as it's called here) was delivered today.  Just after it arrived, I was headed to the office to let them know I needed the gas turned on when the guy in charge of the gas was walking toward me leaving flyers on doors and stopped to give me a sales pitch on the wonders of gas appliances.  So, we walked back to my place and my gas was installed, right then and there.  I was the first tenant to get the gas hook-up.  I don't know what folks, who moved in months ago, were doing for cooking.  Anyway, I'm all set to cook, whenever the mood hits me. Won't be regularly, I'm sure.  I was disappointed to discover that the dishes I bought are not microwavable.  Sparks fly when I heated something up.  My china, that I bought as I was leaving college, was also not microwaveable, but that was a hundred years ago.  I just assumed they resolved the issue of sparks flying when they're trimmed in silver.  Guess not.  My choice is to try and sell them, although I already threw the box away that they came in, or figure out a way to make it work. I'm leaning toward the latter.

Side note 6 - Exchanging things that you're purchased happens, but reluctantly. Seriously, they want blood to take something back, and then you don't get cash, only a store credit.  So, you need to be sure of your purchases because chances are, they're going to remain yours whether you like it or not.  Remember this when you go to return or exchange all of those Christmas gifts.

On that note, I'll close!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!

Ethiopian Church

My day began with a marvelous experience in an Ethiopian Church.

The church where I was headed is housed in a building attached to a hospital. There are at least three different rooms and three different congregations that are having church simultaneously.  I was headed to the church I went to last week, but accidentally walked in the Ethiopian Church.  Immediately I felt welcome, but figured the language would be a barrier.  A lovely usher guided me to a seat about midway up the aisle, and then asked if I was looking for the English church.  I said I was, but really loved what I was feeling here.

So, rather reluctantly, I followed her to the right door and entered the other church.  I saw my South African teacher, and sat down in preparation for the service to start. But something was drawing to the Ethiopian Church.  There was a freedom of worship that I knew wouldn't be evident in this one, so I ditched the English church and went to the Ethiopian one.

It was a small sanctuary.  Seated about 100 folks.  Most were women.  There were about a dozen men.  Three of the men were church leaders - leading in song, making announcements and introductions and the main speaker.  I think the man who spoke was a guest speaker.  This gathering is the most black folk that I've seen in the UAE.

The resemblances that some of the folks had to people I know was uncanny.  The speaker had a striking resemblance to Beau Williams, the gospel singer.  One of the women looked like Betty, my best friend from home.  Another guy looked just like Steve, Mrs. B's son.  It was uncanny how I could see so many folks from my world in the faces of this congregation.

They were speaking a language I couldn't understand, but every now and then I recognized them saying Jesus (pronounced like the Hispanics with an "H" sound), Alleluia and Amen.  Many years ago I remember someone said that Alleluia was universal, recognized in every language.

They were singing/chanting/humming a beautiful song - everyone in motion, not simultaneous motion - but moving to their own rhythm.  They didn't care what the person next to them or around them was saying or doing, they were in their own world of worship.

Again, I could not understand them, and yet I continued to be drawn into the service, mesmerized by their freedom of praise.

They transitioned to another song with a faster rhythm, with everyone clapping along, but they weren't clapping when you would expect them to, in sync with the drums.  And yet, this song, too, was beautiful.

After the singing, there was announcement, I think, then the introduction of the speaker.  If he was their Pastor, he wouldn't have been introduced, I don't think. Anyway, I loved this guy.  I couldn't understand what he was saying, but the cadence of the message was familiar.  He was very soft spoken, then he'd get loud, he'd tell a joke, then whisper, and back to a normal tone.  He used call and response, a lot.  He had the people in the palm of his hands.

What was evident to me today, is that charm is universal, too.  This man was charismatic, engaging and charming.  I thought so and couldn't understand what he was saying.  I can't imagine how so much more powerful it was for the folks following along with him.

I continued to listen intently.  He spoke about 45 minutes, when he abruptly stopped, and everyone booked out of there.  You would have thought it was a fire. They were probably making way for another service.  We all moved outside to a common breezeway where the other congregants from the English church were milling about.  The folks from the Ethiopian church moved to another building, maybe a fellowship hall.  I didn't go because I had promised to give a ride to a friend and her young girls and they were ready to go.

Next time I'll go see what happens next with the Ethiopians.  It was an incredible experience that I would enjoy again.

Side note - Respectfully, I saw more women with booties today, than any other time since I've been here.  Very shapely women.  Jennifer Lopez would have felt right at home.

Side note 2 - My VP friend that I took home lives in a fabulous villa.  It's a two-home compound across the sheet from the Emirati who owns the property.  It is a magnificent home.  Eight bedrooms, and four full baths.  Maid quarters.  Marble everywhere.  Light fixtures that sparkle.  It was absolutely gorgeous!  It is located in a fabulous residential area, where the homes make the McMansions in the US look like miniature doll houses.  These homes were massive!  HUGE!  All surrounded by fort-like fences, but enough gates were open to see many of the homes and go WOW!

Side note 3 - A Maybach passed me on the road today.  It was one of the cars featured in Sex and City 2, which was filmed on location in Abu Dhabi.

Side note 4 - It is an impressive sight seeing men of all nationalities trekking to the mosques for services.  They come from all corners of the area, heading to the nearest mosque.  You can hear the call to prayer all over this city, too.

Side note 5 - Some men wear skirts.  They look Indian or maybe from Bangladesh.  I haven't seen any work in skirts, but rather you see them when they're lounging around out front of their building or going to the corner market.

Side note 6 - This is definitely a hierarchical society headed by the Emirati.  Everyone seems to know who's in charge.  There's not the parting of the sea, but almost, when an Emirati shows up.

Fascinating place.

More soon.

Things I Like

I'll get to the things I like in a minute, but first let me touch on something I don't like. I promise I will keep a positive attitude throughout, but I just have to say this - I don't like milk.  Never have.  I'm lactose intolerant, so the fact that I'm not fond of it is OK.  However, since arriving here, I've had a taste for it on cereal, especially at night.  But here's what happened:  Twice.  TWICE.  I poured milk on a bowl of cereal to discover as I was pouring it that it wasn't skim milk, but buttermilk!  YUCK! SUPER YUCK!  Note to self - pay attention to the labels.  Funny thing, if this had happened when I first got here, it would have made more sense that I would screw up a purchase.  After scores of shopping excursions, and plenty of milk purchases, you'd think I would have gotten it.  Not so.

OK, now that that's off my chest, let me share the things I like.

The hoses in the bathrooms.  They are magical.

The Hose!

(The pictures I've included are from my hotel room, but they're the same in my apartment.  I'll take pictures there when my furniture arrives).

The virtually instant water boiler.  Takes about 30 seconds for the pot of water to boil.

Water Boiler

Actually, this next thing isn't something I like necessarily, it's just different from what I'm used to.  That is, the switch that must be turned on for the socket to work. I don't know if that means every socket has it's own fuse, or what.  Note that most of the sockets are the three-prong ones like we have on our washers and dryers. The other kind is a two prong one, with rounded prongs.  It is usually found in the bathrooms.  The three prong ones have flat, kind of square prongs.

Typical Socket

I burned out my hair dryer first thing when I arrived.  I used an adaptor to plug it in, but the dryer got super hot.  Too much juice coming from the wall?  I don't know.  It wasn't safe to use it, so I chucked it.

The last pictures are of the closet.  This one is built in , but most just set against the wall.  They're big, taking up most of the wall.  This one has cupboards that reach the ceiling.  I assume you can store things up there, but you need something to stand on.

Closet

Opened Closet

Side note - Forrest suggested, and I agreed, that my new wireless router should be named.  He's Tyrone.  I spent some quality time with him today, catching up on TV shows.  It was a joy watching them without the constant interruption of weak or lost signals.

Side note 2 - I used to watch a ton of TV.  That decreased drastically when I moved into the hotels in Sacramento.  They had different cable systems.  I didn't know when anything came on regularly because I TiVo'd everything.  I think it was a weening off, if you will, in preparation for living here, since seeing a live American show is rare. Interestingly, I scrolled through channels and have seen the Today show at night. It was live, but with the nine hour time difference from the East Coast, it was night here when it broadcasted live there.  So, I probably haven't watched three hours of TV since arriving in the UAE.  I purchased a TV with Western programming, but so far everything is still in Arabic.  I know watching TV is a great way to learn the language, so I'll probably keep a couple of Arab channels, but I'm hoping to get the Western channels soon.

Side note 3 - A dear friend just read my previous post, and reminded me that I forgot to mention, and to be thankful for, my health.  So very true.  None of this would be possible if I as in poor health, so yes, thank God I am well.  Actually, my little homesick friend has been sick since she arrived in this country.  Bronchitis progressed to pneumonia.  She's seen a doctor a couple of times, and is much better.  So, yes - I'm incredibly grateful for my good health.

Side note 4 - It's a very chilly 57 degrees outside this morning.  You need a light jacket for sure.  It'll warm up to about 75 by mid-day.


Side note 5 - Having breakfast at my new place.  It didn't make much sense filling the refrigerator and cupboards in the hotel just to move it again in a few days. Besides, sipping coffee and writing to you in my new home is a pleasant way to start the day.  


Side note 6 - I'm especially thankful for family and friends, too.  


Happy Holidays!

Gratitude

This is the second time I'm writing today, but I won't post until tomorrow because I left my computer at my new place.


Random thoughts first - 



I saw two young guys cruising in a silver and black Rolls Royce.  They definitely wanted to be sure they were seen because they kept going back and forth through the mall parking lot.  Could have been there to pick up someone, but I don't think so. They were showing off their ride.


Some of the women wear burkas that look like half-masks.  It covers their mouths and chins.  You can see more of their face, but a first glance, they look like guys in drag.  Not the most attractive look.


All Emirati men, both young and old, wear sandals with their robes - mostly brown, but I've seen black and white ones, too.  But what I have not seen is a man with crusty feet.  There's a salon for men on every corner where they get haircuts and their beards trimmed or sculptured, as I described recently.   I'm thinking they get pedicures there, too, cause they have pretty feet.  If there is such a thing.


There is almost always the strong smell on incense in the malls.  You can easily locate the kiosk where the guy is firing up and burning many different scents.  It reminds me of guys smoking reefer in college, trying to mask the smell with the incense.  It didn't work. It also reminds me of the Catholic Church.  When someone dies, they fire it up at a funeral mass, and on the occasion of a high mass they bring it out, too. Funny how smells jar certain memories.


I've only seen one brand of gas stations and they are all full service.  Not having to pump your own gas is a real treat and harkens back to the days of old.  


The native folks are really a beautiful people.  I saw a guy in the mall yesterday that was just gorgeous.  Stunning even.  I was old enough to be his momma, but that didn't keep me from enjoying the view.


Now to the real message for today - 

I've been thinking about a line my dear friend Deb M. taught me.  It's "Lord I apologize".  It is usually succeeded by something that probably should be left unsaid.

I couldn't get that phrase out of my head, not because of an inappropriate thought, word or deed, but because of my ungrateful attitude in reference to my rental car.  I met a friend, the couple with the two boys that left Abu Dhabi just before me, out shopping today.  It was good to see them.  During the course of the conversation about where to find bargains, she asked me if I had a car, and I talked about my hooptie.  Then I felt awful because they don't have a car yet, and here I am complaining about the one I have.   They have to get a cab everywhere they go, and with two kids, that's not easy.  Also, the wife's school is 90 minutes one way, so her commute is long.  I didn't even ask how she gets to and from work.   I was just remembering how I griped about my 45 minutes, that will soon be 30 minutes.

Shame on me for my ungrateful attitude.  I just posted about being thankful wherever you are, but in the case of my car, I was anything but.

Everyone needs someone in their life to check them.  My brother, Forrest, who is ten years older than me, is that person in my life.  I hope I'm that person in my sons' lives.  I think when you don't have someone who can be totally honest with you, is when you're more apt to go off the deep end.

Forrest and I talk almost every day, but for the last week or so, because of spotty internet coverage, we haven't been able to chat.  He is so much more than a brother. Because of the age difference, in many ways, he's more like a father figure.  As I mentioned before, he is the reason I left home and went to college.  And when my scholarship ran out after two years, he paid my way through school.  He's a terrific counselor and is definitely the reason Ben and Frankie lived to adulthood.  He has been, and continues to be, my confidant.

Anyway, I said all that to say, Forrest is my rock and my moral compass.  I can count on him to always be honest with me.  However, as of today, I hope my circle of friends and family will widen to include more of you who will join the ranks of setting me straight.  I give you permission to virtually slap me if you ever hear me whining or feeling sorry for myself again.  I know better, and still I'm guilty of it.

So, I decided, on this day, the one month anniversary of my being in the UAE, I want to spend the rest of this time sharing my gratitude for the most fantastic month of my life!

I'm thankful for the extraordinary time I've had of exploring this new world.  For all of the things I've done and the great people I've met.  Take the woman from New York who was waiting for her husband to arrive to share the experiences.  I know what you're  thinking.  You're tempted to feel sorry for me because I'm not sharing the experiences with someone special.  Stop right there.  I share them with you every day, and I do what I want, when I want, so I'm good.  More than good, I'm great!

I'm thankful for this blog, so that I can keep a record of all of the wonderful things I've seen and done and I'm thankful to be able to share it with you.

I'm thankful for the people I've met, the strangers who have helped me to navigate these new cities.

I'm thankful for the man, who just yesterday, motioned to me that I was driving the wrong way.  I was in a parking lot, but still, it could have gotten ugly.

And yes, I'm thankful for my rental car.  I'm thankful that the weather is wonderful so most days I can open the windows and enjoy a fresh breeze.  I'm grateful it's good on gas.  I'm grateful that I can shop anytime I want and not have to worry about hauling bags around, trying to catch a cab.  I'm grateful that I have a car to find and attend church.  Even when I was getting lost, I wouldn't have had those experiences of seeing new things - often accidentally - if I wasn't driving myself around in my rental car.

Gratitude is a choice.  I choose to be thankful everyday.

In Love - Part 2

Imagine this.  I'm in my new apartment.  Sipping steaming hot coffee. Sitting on pillows still wrapped in plastic.  Facing a blank wall.  The windows are open.  A light breeze is blowing the curtains to and fro, ever so lightly.  The smell of new permeates the place.  You know, like the smell of new shoes or a baby doll unwrapped out of the plastic for the first time.  I love that smell.

I left my fully furnished, very comfortable hotel room to be here so that I can take advantage of my new WIRELESS Internet.  Thank God for it!

Forget the Ferrari, I'm totally and completely in love with my wireless router.  Yes. My WIRELESS ROUTER.  Never, ever have I appreciated a piece of equipment so much.  The speed is extraordinary.  It's just he and I.  Yep.  It's a guy.  No one else sharing the air space or whatever space the router uses.  No one interfering with me and my online quest to read the news, catch up on the latest celebrity gossip, download pictures of Zadie, or sharing my thoughts with you.  Not since I closed up my home in Sacramento, have I experienced the utter joy of a stress-free online experience.  The adage, "You don't miss the water til the well runs dry," is so apropo.  Folks, let me encourage you to enjoy your router.  Take care of him or her. Appreciate all that he or she does for you.  You'll be glad you did.

The curtains are up.  It's amazing how just that little addition has changed the feel of the place.  It's no longer cold and sterile.  I's becoming warm and homey.

The foreman who took care of this for me, is running a racket.  I know.  He knows I know, but he's the guy who can get things done.  So, I'm OK with it.  He had me to pay him for the work, although two other guys actually did it.  He then, would pay them.  I'm thinking I could have hired them directly, but I can tell, I need to have a good relationship with this guy, to ensure that my time here is pleasant and productive.  Besides, otherwise, he's a nice guy.

I know what you're thinking.  She has gone over there and lost her moral compass. Yeah.  Yeah.  I know. That may be true, but I learned long ago, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, as long as the Romans are not doing anything illegal or totally immoral.  A little bit immoral is OK.

Someone is on the way to hook up my combo wash/dryer unit.  It was supposed to happen late yesterday, but I was OK with the delay.  By the end of the day, I was totally exhausted.

There's a store called the Al Ain Co-Op Society about two blocks from here.  It's much bigger and nicer than I imagined and the prices are comparable to the big chain stores.  I'll have to go there in a minute.  I think I forgot to use deodorant this morning.  I share this not to gross you out, but to share how much I appreciate deodorant, too.  One of the men who hung the curtains was ripe.  Really ripe.  I wanted so much to loan him one of my bathrooms to shower and put on new clothes and deodorant, but I didn't want to offend him.  I'm not sure if this is a culture thing, or just a hygiene thing, but it's common to have your sense of smell under attack with fierce body odor.

There is so much yet to explore in this area.  I accidentally went to the border of Oman again.  Explained I was lost, and was able to make a u-turn to get back in the UAE.  I'm anxious to see all that is out there, both in the UAE and Oman, but I want to have my home in order first.  Once that's done, then I'll hit the road again.

Yesterday I shared pictures of the outside of the apartment complex, but didn't mentioned anything in the post.  It's located in a residential area, with stores and malls about two miles away.  The government is renting out a whole wing for the ADEC staff, so I'm pretty sure everyone around me is a teacher or administrator.  I lived in my last place in Sacramento for ten years, not knowing who my neighbors were, and I was very OK with that.  I'm hoping for the same anonymity here.  My closet neighbor, down the hall from me, is the young homesick teacher I made reference to in an earlier post.  She shared that she likes hanging out, like she did in college, which she just graduated from yesterday.  I reminded her I could be her momma, and I never was the hanging out type.  I shared that I'm a lone ranger and like it like that.  I think she got the message that she should continue to be on the lookout for someone else to hang with.  It definitely won't be me.

I know.  That sounds harsh.  As I shared earlier, I believe folks cross your path for a reason, but I don't think the Good Lord sent me over here to babysit grown folks. Help them to grown in independence, yes. Babysit, no.

I've never been so proud of a place before.  Everything that is in here, or will be in here, is a reflection of me.  Just me.  My other places had remnants of married life, family life.  Things we'd bought together when I was married.  Things we had for the boys.  This is just a reflection of me, for me.  It can be as girly or masculine as I want it to be.  It's totally my decision.  I don't have to confer or compromise with anyone else.  I like that.  A lot.  Could be why I'm still alone, huh?

Anyway, I know I've gone on and on about nothing really, but I've had a great time doing it.  Reading these is probably like talking to a long-winded person . . . after a while you just tune them out and check in with a nod or grunt every now and then. With this, you can check out the topic, see how long-winded I am today, and simply skip most of it and scroll down to the end.  I promise.  I'm not mad at you.  I'm just glad you're checking in at all.

Until next time . . .

Second Look

Random Thoughts:

I wrote this entry this morning, but couldn't get online to send it.  I'm thrilled to report that I have WIRELESS Internet in my new place.  It was hooked up today.  I didn't think to take my laptop with me to take it for a spin, but I will tomorrow.  I move in on the 28th.  The last of my things will be delivered that day.  Can't wait!

Now for today's post:

Al Mauriji Village
My New Home

I know I mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. The Emirati men have the most groomed, well-kept beards I've ever seen.  In fact, I would go so far as to say they're sculptured, works of art.  I'm sure I am more in tuned to this because of the men that dominate my world - three brothers, no sisters, and two sons, no daughters.  If ever I get bold enough, I'm going to ask one of them to take his picture to show you what I mean.  Suffice it to say, the expertly trimmed beards lend an air of aristocracy on the wearer.

There are two dear friends in Sacramento that I'm reminded of often.  In fact, every time I'm on the road driving, I think of them.  Cathy W. and Deb M. are the most organized folks I know. I was told that the UAE government hired a Swiss firm to come in and create addresses for the country.  However, after working on it for a year, they found it impossible to master, and ditched the project.  I'd bet everything I own that Cathy and Deb would have this city organized with addresses in less than a week.

Speaking of Cathy and Deb - They're the ladies who helped me clean out my incredibly junky, filled-to-the-brim, garage (and house).  With every purchase I make now, I'm buying things with the thought of selling them a couple of years from now, just in case I'm on the move again.  You'll be happy to hear ladies, that I'm thinking as a minimalist, and as you know, that is a real stretch for me.

View of Al Mauriji Village
Driving Up

Getting back to the roads and driving again for a minute - now that I have the GPS, I'm totally dependent on it.  I struggled so much with trying to remember landmarks, now I'm letting the machine do all the work.  I'm hopeful, in time, I'll start to "see" the way the city is laid out in my head, and then I'll be able to make the connections so that it makes sense to me.  In the meantime, the GPS is helping to keep me sane. The fact that this country doesn't have addresses is a well-kep secret.  Someone, somewhere, should have shouted it from the rooftops.  In all of the travel books, and get-to-know the culture and the country books, no one mentioned this. Maybe, this little fact is kept under the radar because it might deter tourism. Mmmmmm.  Just a thought.

Community Room, Gym
& Rooftop Swimming Pool

Final word on traffic - I kept trying to figure out why it takes so long to get around the city.  I'm two miles from the nearest mall, but it takes about 15 minutes to get there. After timing it a couple of times to figure out what the deal is, I've concluded it's the roundabouts and speed bumps every quarter to a half mile.  The roundabouts are faster than sitting at a light, but navigating through them definitely takes time.  As far as the speed bumps go, I espouse to (my late brother) Terry's theory, which was the faster you go over them, the less you feel 'em.  Unfortunately, no one else got this message.

Fort Roundabout
Near the Hotel

Yesterday I saw a motorcycle left running on a curb.  It was a delivery cycle.  The pizza guys and other delivery guys ride motorcycles with a box on the back of the seat where another person would be riding.

Speaking of bikes, it has been extremely rare to see someone riding a plain old bike. I'm guessing it's for safety reasons.  As I've mentioned before, everyone takes a very laid bad approach to living, EXCEPT when they get behind a wheel.  Then it's on.  The question becomes, how fast can I get from point A to B.  I would say that at least 90% of the drivers I see on the road are men.  That explains it, right?

Flamingo (???) Roundabout

I don't think the word has gotten out here that smoking is bad for your health.  I'm surprised at how many folks I see smoking - young and old natives.  Interestingly, I've never seen a woman smoke, nor have I seen any of the laborers, those folks who are seen but not seen, that constitute the work force, smoking.

Intellectually, I know we're approaching the holidays, but for some reason, I'm not nearly as conscious of it.  In fact, I have to remind myself that Christmas is less than a week away.  Of course, this is a Muslim country, and as such, the folks don't celebrate Christmas.  The larger chain stores have Christmas trees up and decorations for sale, but it is extremely low key.  I'm grateful I did my Christmas shopping early while I was waiting around to depart.  Otherwise, it would have been easy to forget.  Thankfully, the churches I've attended are good reminders.

Finally, it's not unusual for folks to take a second look when they see me.  I think they're trying to figure out if I'm one of them.  Whatever "them" is.  Most of the folks who look like me are Arab, so I wonder if they think I'm just a wayward, haven't-figured-out-how-to-dress, sista.  Of course, when I open my mouth, I totally give it away and I'm recognized as just another expat.

OK.  Just one more thing - my curtains will be hung today.  It was arranged by the foreman of the apartment complex, which has a "side" job of taking care of the tenants.  All under the table, hush hush.  I love this guy.  More about him later.

Got Perm?

To my guy readers, you won't appreciate this, but to you ladies, you'll totally understand my utter amazement and total excitement when I found the perm products for my hair.  I bought a dozen boxes of the stuff before I left Sacramento because I had no idea whether I could find it here.  Because of weight restrictions, I could only bring two.  A friend will mail the remainder as soon as I get a mailing address, but it's no hurry now because I can find it locally.

Speaking of mailing, the test postcard and package arrived in New York on the 16th. I mailed it on the 5th.  It was supposed to take three days.  Oh well, considering how far it had to travel, I'm OK with that.  More than anything, I'm happy it arrived.

On more thing about mail - I went to rent a post office box, but I was advised against it until January because of the rate.  If I purchased it now, it would cost $25 for about two weeks.  If I wait unil January, I'll pay $73 for the year.  So, soon and very soon, I'll have a way to receive mail.  YEAH!  I didn't realize how much I missed it.

Side note - I hope you don't mind my sharing a few of the latest pictures of Zadie Faye, my one year old granddaughter.

Pensive

Thank God for the Google Boys and all of the tech folks who have made it such an ease to get information and keep in touch.  As recently as 2005 when my son Ben was living and working in Indonesia, the communication via email was primitive and seems archaic by today's standards.  Last week, I  emailed a friend asking her to share a document, and I had the response immediately.  Even though we're 10,000 miles apart.  I still haven't figured out how radios work, so I have no earthly idea how this magic happens, I'm just very glad that it does, again and again.  Can you imagine what the world will look like when Zadie, is grown? Space age, for sure!

Random Thoughts:

I was too tired to post last night.  Yesterday was another long day of getting my new home set up.  Lots of back and forth.  It was long, but very productive.

I tried hanging curtains last night because I wanted them up first, but I will take advantage of hiring someone to do it.  Those of you who know me well, know that I'm pretty self-sufficient.  I did everything in my home myself - hanging things, setting up the computer, and hooking up the electronics.  However, the ceiling is high and I'm not comfortable on the top rung of the six-foot ladder, so I'll get one of the maintenance men to do it.

A casual meal

The curtains need to be up because the windows open up to the main street of the complex.  The natural light is wonderful, but to avoid being caught with my pants down, so to speak, I need the privacy that the window coverings will bring.

Grocery carts are called trolleys.  I know because I walked out of a store with my hands full and promptly fell down the steps leading to my car.  Thankfully, I landed square on my bottom.  When I did, an Emirati man who witnessed this escapade, asked me why I didn't use a trolley.  The issue wasn't the bags really, it was something wet on the marble sidewalk that I didn't see in time.

I'm fascinated by the sidewalks here.  I think because Ben was in a wheelchair for months and a dear friend uses a motorized chair, I'm probably more conscious than most about level ground and smooth curbs.  It appears, this country has neither.  It is a contrast of the old and new in streets and curbs, too.  Some sidewalks are made of cobblestone - rough and bumpy.  Others are marble - smooth and shiny.  It is not uncommon to find open holes in the sidewalk, or wooden planks covering most of an opening in the street.  So, note to self - always be careful where you're walking.

That was soooo good!

I tried to upgrade my hooptie car for a nicer model yesterday, when I discovered breaking the monthly contract would mean being charged an exorbitant price.  I opted to keep it instead.  The issue is not so much the car itself, but the rank smell of cigarettes inside it.  You don't realize how offensive old, stale, lingering cigarette smoke can be until it engulfs your very being.  Funny, I love the smell of cigars, but cigarettes, no so much.

There was a display of Camel Cigarettes that caught my eye in the store yesterday. Do they still sell them in the US?

Most cars here have black windows, not just tinted dark, but totally black.  I'm guessing it's to keep the fierce sun out, but you can rarely see the other driver.

Enjoying a book

I switched over to a Mac laptop just before I left Sacramento.  Boy, was that a shock to my system.   I owned an iPhone and was thrilled with its ease of use, and expected the same thing with the Apple laptop.  Not so at all for me.  It was lesson after lesson in frustration.  Thank God for my brother Forrest who talked me off the ledge several times when I was ready the chuck this sucker and then jump.  I made dozens of trips to the Apple Store to get help.  Thankfully, I'm good to go now. When I got the Mac, I needed to transfer all of the files from my PC to it, which went fine, but somehow I lost my iTunes library in the shuffle.  Today, I found it. YEAH!!!

You don't realize how much you lipread when you're talking to someone, until that option is not available.  Most of the native women wear veils over their faces, so when talking to them, their mouths are covered.  It is so much harder to understand what they're saying without the benefit of seeing their mouths.

Women are not bothered here.  The men are very respectful of the women.  No unwanted advances, no impromptu encounters (unless the woman initiates it), no hassles of any kind.  I think that's why it's so safe for women to be out late at night alone.  Of course, I'm rarely out after the sun goes down, but on those rare late nights, I wasn't anxious or fearful for my safety.

Last thought - I am so thankful for the wisdom that comes with growing older.  I don't think I could have made this kind of drastic change in my life when I was younger. Somehow with age, you recognize that somehow, some way, things will work out. As I like to say, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, so rest assured, everything will be OK.  Maybe not as soon as we want them to be, but eventually, all will be well in the world - your world - again.  Maybe it's not just wisdom, but faith too, that has helped me to reach this understanding about life.  Whatever it is, it's a good place to be, and I'm very grateful for it.

Shopping - Part 2

Today was a twelve hour day of shopping with just over an hour of being lost.  This time I was lost because of HORRIBLE directions!  I was actually in the parking lot of where I needed to be when I called and was told I was in the wrong place.  These directions were flat out bad.

Thankfully, my lost times are growing shorter now that I'm using the navigational system every time I leave home.  God bless the man, or woman, who invented these things.  They are truly a life saver.

As I said, I went shopping.  Not my favorite thing to do, but I was just returning to stores finalizing purchases, as I did most of the heavy lifting yesterday.

Some things here are very reasonably priced - furniture (solid wood, king size bed and mattress with three-piece wardrobe is less than $1000), large and small appliances, dishes, pot and pans, etc., while other things, like electronics - cell phones (iPhone 4=$700), car rentals (leasing my hooptie car for a month=$476), navigational systems ($250), etc., are not.  Gas is relatively cheap, though.  It cost $20 to fill up a car the size of a Toyota Corolla.

Let me go back for a minute - I purchased a wardrobe because my new place does not have closets.  That's true of most homes here. There are no bedroom closets, no linen closets.  No storage space at all, except for the kitchen.  There are cabinets in the kitchen.  Interesting.  Has to be a guy's design.

It took some doing to find a plain sofa.  Most were very ornate and flashy. Lots of frilly and shiny material.  The light fixtures and lamps had "crystal eyedrops" hanging on most.

There is at least one Ikea in this country.  It's on Yas Island, about fifteen miles from Abu Dhabi.  I'm told when you purchase from them, they deliver and put everything together for you at no extra charge.  They deliver as far away as we are - about 100 miles.  

I'm really looking forward to finally unpacking.  By the time all of my things are delivered, in about two weeks, I will have lived out of suitcases about three months. I purchased things from three different stores and I have three different delivery dates.  The first is on Monday, one on Christmas (Merry Christmas to me), and the final delivery is on the 28th.  The last date is when my bed will arrive.  I'll be completely moved in my New Year's Eve.  Yeah!

Well, there are more errands to run tomorrow.

Until then, be well and enjoy life.