Things Are Looking Up! Yup!

My heart is pounding so hard it can burst out of my chest.  Today is Monday, the 7th of July, and I'm only 3 days away from the last day of school for teachers and 6 days from putting my feet on American soil once more!  My mood swings have been going out of control in the last few months but lately it's mostly been on the upside.  Keeping myself busy and building foundations to solid friendships have been tremendously helpful - hanging out and catching up with people, hosting movie nights at my place, painting the town with friends throughout the weekend, celebrating birthdays, having one too many bubblies over fabulous brunches, getting pampered at salons, watching World Cup matches at various venues in Abu Dhabi & Dubai, and trying out new restaurants are just some of the many things that have occupied my social calendar. 

Knowing that I have devoted followers of this blog and Youtube videos have also encouraged me to stay upbeat and positive on my AD journey despite the fact that I haven't updated them as often as I would like to.  Anyways, here is another video for your viewing pleasure!  The next time I update this, I'll probably be on Stateside! Woohoo!  Even though I'm having a lot of fun here and little parts of me are beginning to make AD my new home, 'Merica is where my heart's at.  ;)

It Gets Lonely Out Here...

...even if you live in the hustle and bustle of the city.  I know I shouldn't be complaining, especially when I have friends who are trying to survive in the middle of nowhere, but I did say from the very beginning that I would keep it honest and keep it real here - that I would express myself and include feelings that I so desperately want to dismiss.  It's like if I say them out loud, they become real.  It's so much easier to paint a pretty picture and hide behind a veil of denial.  I could do that and attempt to fool myself and fool everyone but it wouldn't be right.  I think people should know the whole truth and understand what's happening from all angles.  As hard as it is for me to do this, I am going to face my problems head on. How? Well I guess I can start by acknowledging that the problems are real so I can deal with them and hopefully overcome them accordingly.

Loneliness is not just boredom. It's a state of mind & being - and that's what makes it so dangerous and so overwhelmingly difficult to deal with when it hits you, especially when you least expect it.  Sometimes it can hit you like a freight train - it knocks you down so hard you're out of breath.  You feel empty inside, like a piece of your heart is missing, and it's almost impossible to fill that void.  There is actually a lot of things to do here, plus another major metropolis is only a couple of hours away.  But when loneliness attacks, you find it difficult to get yourself off the couch and out the door.  Your energy is down, your motivation is low, and you just don't want to do anything even though you really, really, really want to do something so badly.  It's like your mind is holding your body captive and you simply can't move.  

I hate being the bearer of bad news but the monster that is loneliness is real.  I'm usually a glass-half-full type person - nothing can keep me down for long, no matter how bad it gets.  I don't know what's happening to me.  It's not like I haven't been away from home, away from my family before.  But I guess living across the ocean is a whole other beast than being a long 6-hour car ride away from home, heck it's definitely worse than being across the country from home.     

I know I could Skype with family and friends, and I'm grateful that this technology exists, but it's just not the same as coming home to someone and being able to vent to them, laugh with them, sit quietly with them, chat away with them, argue with them, make plans with them, go grocery shopping with them, do something stupid with them, etc. etc. etc.  So I guess those of you who are coming here with someone, the whole family or at least one other person, count yourself lucky.    

I know I'm strong enough to get through this rough patch and I will but I thought I should share this with everyone.  Right now I'll just keep myself busy while trying to steer clear of food so I don't emotion-eat and pack on the pounds that I'll probably regret later. Oh and I'm avoiding malls as well so I don't just emotion-shop and spend all my money away.  I guess the only things left to do are watching tv, surfing the net, and working out.  Ughhhhh I need to get myself out of this hole.
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Despite what I've written above, I am a person of my word (though a few weeks late).  Here is my latest video.  Once I get out of my rut, I'll probably make the next one on the JT concert that I went to a couple weeks ago.  

Hashtag Fail!

It's 11pm on a Tuesday night - hump night...as in "it's the middle of the work week" in the UAE.  

I'm feeling weird and inspired simultaneously so it's time to write something however long or brief this post ends up being when I'm done typing.  I'd like to take this opportunity to document some hilarious "fails" that I've experienced in my personal, day-to-day and in the teaching world.

Fail #1: Random Fog Day
Due to a fog on a random day there was only a few students for Period 1. Normally all the students who are present would run around the school and play until the fog lifts and the rest of the kids arrive. However on this particular day the four sixth grade boys who were present decided to come into class.  Surprised by this I jokingly and also sincerely said, "Oh! You came to class. You must miss us huh?" Not missing a heartbeat the boys replied, "A/C!" 

They came into class because of the refuge that the a/c in our classroom offered, nothing else.  FAIL!!!

Fail #2: LG Washing/Drying Machine
I bought a brand new washing/drying machine and after only 1.5 weeks of being functional it decided to flood my kitchen for a total of 6 times! I called the customer service of both the store I bought it from and LG many, many times - they sent out servicemen to repair my machine 4 times.  I finally had enough of it and kept demanding for a replacement - after insisting this numerous times they gave in and said they would give me another new one.

I got a brand new replacement on a Thursday afternoon after a long work week, thinking that it must be my lucky day that it came just in time for me to do laundry on the weekend.  I was just so excited and had too much faith in the brand that is LG that I decided against my best judgement and threw in some really nice bed sheets and pillow cases into the thing.  After only 1 minute of washing, the machine made some funny vibrating noises, sounded off some music, and displayed an error message!!!  The "Life's (Not) Good" saga continues even after a month of this hot mess!!!  FAIL!!!  

Fail #3: Professional Development
Apparently every English Medium Teacher (EMT) at my school has to lead a PD before the end of the school year.  Even though my coteacher and I have only taught here for maybe 6 weeks, we were not exempt from this and got thrown into the fire.  Up to the challenge we prepared a PowerPoint and a small packet of materials on teaching writing for our workshop.  Upon arrival into our classroom, one of the EMTs said, "Got something good for us?" I answered, "Absolutely! It'll be the most stimulating PD you'll ever attend!" He responded, "We'll be the judge of that." (We are a sarcastic bunch.)   

My coteacher and I were trying to get our attendees to brainstorm qualities that they look for in a great piece of student writing, they gave us a funny look and said, "Are we talking about our kids here or our kids back home?" This was followed by cricket, cricket, cricket.  Then there were more awkward silence and reluctant involvement throughout the 30-minute PD.  When we were done, they gave us a big round of applause!?!? Come on now, stop playing...I saw some of you nodding your heads and dozing off!  FAIL!!!  

Hashtag: End of School Year Blues, Hashtag: Nobody Likes PD, Hashtag: Teachers Can Sometimes Be the Worst Students, Hashtag: Jaded and Cynical 

School & Work - Not Boring, Surprisingly!

Thanks to House of Rose I have an important topic to talk about - school and work! How fitting that this topic should come up as I had just finished lesson planning for next week and thought that I should update my blog. Doesn't hurt that Spotify is playing an eclectic mix of music in the background as I'm typing away. 

Where to begin...

First, I must declare that everyone, and I mean every, single EMT, HoF, or whomever, has had a totally unique experience traveling to, living, and working in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, my journey is not a one-size-fits-all and cannot be considered as a generic preview of what can be expected when coming to teach in this country. In fact this is the main reason that it's fun meeting and talking to other educators, heck anyone living in the UAE, since everybody has a one-of-a-kind story to tell. I have had the pleasure of acquainting with and befriending people from England, Ireland, Cameroon, Jordan, India, Palestine, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Egypt, Scotland, Mauritania...and the list goes on and on.  

Okay, let me get into the main subject at hand, starting from the top. I must create a list/timeline to help me with this...

- I got my medical check and fingerprinting for my residency visa/Emirates ID done 3 days after arriving in Abu Dhabi.

- I found out my region placement (Abu Dhabi) and that I was on "reserve" during the general orientation, which took place on the first day of the following week (6 days after arrival)...and this was followed by 3 days of subject-area, cycle-relevant training at a hotel.

- I finally received my school placement at the end of the next week, almost 3 weeks after arrival. I'm placed at an all male-staffed, all-boys school about a 35-40 minutes drive from city center. The school serves students from Cycles 1-3 but it's divided into two buildings with Cycle 1 on one side and Cycles 2 & 3 on the other side. Due to a limited amount of space on the Cycles 2 & 3 side, Grade 6 is in the Cycle 1 building even though this grade level is a part of Cycle 2. 

Since my school is all-male staffed and teaches boys exclusively, I have been assigned there with another female EMT so that we could co-teach and manage our students more effectively together since this is a very interesting and unique situation for all parties involved - teachers, admins, pupils, etc. Nobody was sure how this would play out or how it would affect school culture and the learning environment, especially how our students would respond to us. Luckily, things have been moving along just fine and our boys work quite well with us. All limbs & fingers are still intact, our brains remain in our heads, and we are still breathing and going to work! Woot woot! They adhere to our routines and listen to our directions for the most part - well with plenty of reminders, of course, and one of the reminders involves being sent to our social workers/disciplinarians (they don't enjoy that very much so they try to redirect themselves and behave). 

Our kids are silly, animated, sometimes unmotivated, sometimes eager to learn, sometimes too much to handle, but sometimes will melt your heart...all in all I have enjoyed working with them and grown to like them quite a bit. Not that they don't make me want to pull out my hair or at least sprout some white ones from time to time but they are not vicious or violent or mean...they just eat too much candy and have too much energy for their own good. Could they be more focused? Sure. Could they behave better? Sure. Is there room for improvement? Yes and always - this goes for everybody in general. However, I can't blame them or anyone working with them for some of the challenges that are present because of the language barrier. Imagine being asked to do something that you're not good at (and don't find enjoyment in doing for some) and having to do it every day. This explains some of the frustration, lack of motivation, and disengagement.  It's an uphill battle but also a unique opportunity for everyone. There's a lot of hand gestures and facial expressions involved, that's for sure, and you have to celebrate small victories when they happen - they do happen and they will happen.  It definitely helps being surrounded by positive staff members whom you can exchange stories with and lean on for support. Healthy doses of intrigue, amazement, breakthroughs, and laughter are injected in the work week as well.  Like I said, work is definitely not boring.   

- The AMTs and EMTs at my school teach anywhere from 18 to 24 to 30 periods each week. Most classrooms have about 25, plus or minus a few students, each class.  

- We're not overflowing with resources but we're not necessarily lacking in them either. The essentials are there for the most part and we make do with what we have for the rest.  Some of us use our own funds to bring in the things we want but they're not like do-or-die items.  If it's reasonable and permission is given in advance, my school reimburses what we purchase, which is awesome.  Sometimes what we need is right there in front of us but sometimes we need to ask around and hunt those materials down. Communication is key. 

- Oh and finally, my daily routine consists of getting up around 5-5:30am, start driving around 6:15am, and get to school before 7am. The school day kicks off with a 15-minute, all-school assembly where the kids do a few exercises to get their blood pumping, sing the national anthem, and watch a presentation put up by one of the classes. Then some talented students play live music to dismiss everyone from the assembly. After a full day of teaching with a prep period or two and a short lunch break in there, I usually make my way home around 1:30pm on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays while I do the same around 2:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays due to professional development. 

Welp, this is all I can come up with for now.  I was hoping that this entry would be more logical and structured when I first started writing but it ended up being a jumble of disorderly thoughts. I blame this on the caffeine-sugar rush I got from the cup of coffee I drank. Nonetheless I hope this post sheds some light on what the work could be like and is somewhat helpful in preparing you for what could be coming your way.

Balance

People always talk about work-life balance but what about the balance between being social and finding solace in solitude or being fit & healthy and finding complete satisfaction in eating something guilty & sinful? Part of my goal of being in Abu Dhabi is discovering who I am, what I'm made of, and what I want in life. Honestly it is a lot harder that I thought it would be. Not that I believed it would be without its challenges but I also wanted to be ideal that this self-discovery and its revelations would come to me like it did for Isaac Newton with the fall of an apple beneath a tree. I was too optimistic, too ideal but one can only wish and dream, right? 

I have met some really amazing and incredible people since I've been here in the AD. Heck, I felt like I knew them even before I landed in Middle Eastern soil, thanks to Facebook and other social networking avenues. Truly, I should be counting my blessings that I have the opportunity to build on some solid friendships that have begun to develop here, and I should be further grateful, and I am, that I have found happiness in many aspects of my life plus living in such a phenomenal place on top of it all.  Abu Dhabi is exciting - it's full of culture, it's diverse, and most importantly it's safe - many people can attest to that. Yet somehow, some way, I still find myself feeling completely empty inside, filled to the brim with loneliness and sadness and worries, and I don't even know why, which is the hardest and most mind-boggling part. As people get older, they become wiser (hopefully) but this wisdom also comes with a price - they begin to see the truth. With truth and knowledge they become more guarded with whom they let into their inner circle, whom they call friends, in fact whom they count as family. Not only is money an important commodity but so are time, effort, and trust. Right now I'm just rambling. I have a lot on my mind and in my heart but I don't know what to say, how to say it, or who to say it to. Everyone seems to be incredibly busy these days and has their own set of problems to deal with - I just don't want to add mine on top of theirs. Even if I wanted to talk or try to they could only listen for a little while and then have to rush to take care of their own matters. How can I blame them? So I ramble and let this blog be my escape. I guess if I have my closest around me, right here with me, I would feel so much better. Unfortunately, they are not. 

Spring break is officially over in t minus 4 hours and it's back to lesson planning, classroom management, and teaching. I just made it sound a lot worse than it actually is but really who wants to go back to work and reality? During this holiday I have visited Dubai twice, went out West to bbq with friends over food & music, biked along the Corniche, ate pastries sprinkled with gold leaves at the Emirates Palace, and so much more. I have also experienced several difficult conversations with family, had massive headaches and heartaches over them, and dealt with not 1 or 2 or 3 but FOUR floods in my kitchen, thanks to my nifty little washing-drying-combo machine. Currently, I'm waiting for them to call me and hopefully bring me a new one in the next few days. Not that I am in love with doing laundry but having clean clothes is kind of essential. Anyways, I hope to blog with a more upbeat attitude in my next post but until then enjoy the videos below. Looking at them does make me happier and know that it's not all bad after all. 

Trying to Keep Up

Another post to make up for the lack of them for the last few weeks! So much has happened that it's been difficult finding the time to make videos and post updates. Alas, Spring Break is upon us and I finally have the hours and minutes on my side. So I shall indulge you all with less words and more videos. Hopefully, the pictures and clips speak for themselves the experience I have had here in Abu Dhabi. There has been some bumps along the journey but it's been mostly great if not awesome! Being placed at a school where you feel comfortable, welcomed, and supported does make all the difference in the world. The kids have been manageable and I must admit I'm beginning to adore them, more on some days than others, but I do enjoy working with them overall thus far! I pray that things continue to go smoothly into & throughout the next and final trimester.

Major Update and Tips Galore

I remember the time when I went cliff jumping in Jamaica. I was so scared that I kept tiptoeing to the edge of the cliff, looked down, and then backed up to the wall about 15 to 20 times. I couldn't get over my fear. But as my friends were getting packed up to return to the hotel, threatening to leave without me, I finally convinced myself that it was now or never and my motto "live life with no regrets" came to mind...so I jumped. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences I've ever had in my life.

The entire Abu Dhabi experience has been like that for me thus far. Every time I feel afraid, doubtful, or anxious...every time I face a challenge or obstacle...I tell myself that "this, too, shall pass" and "I will survive and live to tell the tale". Despite all the ups and downs I've gone through since leaving Chicago, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Before I came here, I read and followed many, many blogs, soaking up as much knowledge as I could, and I've often wondered why people wrote frequently at the beginning, then went on a month-long hiatus, came back, and finally dwindled to little or no updates. I, of course, understood that it was the novelty of everything when the journey first started and gradually & sometimes suddenly the writers got busy, especially when work and life caught up with them, but still I was determined to break the vicious cycle. Well, it does pain me to admit that I became one of those bloggers - I did go on a month-long hiatus because I did get swamped with work-related matters the moment that I received my school placement and was told to report to work. After several weeks of running around like a headless chicken, the dust is finally beginning to settle. Hopefully, I'll be better at updating in the weeks, months, and years ahead here in the UAE!

Tips at Random:
- Clothing: You may have read that it is highly advised to dress conservatively in a Muslim nation. In reality, though, expats/tourists dress in a wide variety of ways, from short-shorts to long skirts, and nobody seem to mind (or at least have not said anything). Now I wouldn't recommend dressing too liberally at government-related, religious, or official, business-type establishments (unless you don't mind drawing some attention), but most people have been fine wearing what they usually wear in their home country at malls, restaurants, and other casual public places. I, personally, enjoy wearing long dresses and shirts and lean more on the conservative side but you must decide for yourself what you're most comfortable with once you get here; whatever you choose you're more than likely going to be fine. However, I do want to leave you with "DON'T OVER PACK YOUR SUITCASES". You can find basically everything here at Lulu's, Carrefour, and malls, malls, malls.

- If you're from the US, your NBAD branch is NBAD Direct. It's no big deal. You just fill out an extra form regarding taxes. Everyone else is another branch because their country's tax laws aren't as complicated.

- Copies of documents: I would bring maybe 5-10 colored copies of the passport and only 2-3 colored copies of the work (entry) visa that the travel agency (Nirvana) sends to you with your travel itinerary. Why only 2-3 for the work (entry) visa? Because it's the STAMPED work (entry) visa that vendors, companies, and agencies accept here. The only way to get the stamp is to arrive at the Abu Dhabi Airport and get it from the immigration officer right before you collect your luggage. This means you will have to politely ask the front desk to make copies of the stamped work (entry) visa when you check in at the hotel. Oh, do have your authenticated docs, originals of docs, a couple copies of those docs, and maybe 5-10 passport-type photos. Honestly, I've only been asked to provide 2 so far but having some extra lying around wouldn't hurt, especially if they give you a peace of mind.

- DO bring 2 passport-type photos in a BLUE background. They're for your school I.D.

- Desert safari: It should only cost you around 120 dirhams per adult (less for kids) if you've gathered a small group of 4-8 people to go and the company picks you all up in Abu Dhabi. The safari should cost less per person if the company picks you up in Dubai (around 80-100 dirhams per adult) because the camps are closer to Dubai. ** Please make sure the company KNOWS you're in Abu Dhabi if that's where you're being picked up. Our first attempt failed because they thought we were in Dubai, which led to confusion, delay, frustration, and cancellation. **

- Places to buy essentials: (1) grocery and everyday products at Lulu's, Carrefour, or Spinney's >> (2) electronics and appliances at eMax [there's one at Dalma Mall] or DG Sharif [there's one at Mushrif Mall] >> (3) furniture at IKEA [Yas Island], Home Centre [one at Marina Mall and another at Dalma Mall], Danube Build Mart [big one at Dalma Mall and small one at Mushrif Mall], Pan Emirates [Madinat Zayed or MZ], and The Living Room [MZ] >> (4) abayas at Blue Diamond near [MZ or Abu Dhabi Mall] >> (5) carpets & rugs at the carpet souk near [Al Mina Port] >> (6) School supplies at The Book Shop near [Al Wahda Mall] or huge bookstores [one at Al Mina Port and one out in Mussafah] >> ** The aforementioned places are only some of the establishments to purchase things at. There are probably many others that offer better quality products and/or lower prices but I didn't have the time or patience to investigate. If you keep your eyes peeled, explore, and do your research, you'll discover some great deals, different places for different things. **

- Cars: Buying is the most economical way to go in the long run but most of us don't have this type of funds when we first arrive. The next is leasing but beware of having debts in this country. Then there's renting - it should run you around 1600 dirhams (more or less) per month for the smallest & least powerful cars but full insurance is included in that amount. Make sure to mention that you're with ADEC. Again, shop around - Hertz, Fast, United, etc. ** Most car rental companies require a credit card to place a security deposit (~1050 dirhams) "hold" on in order to hire one of their vehicles ON TOP OF forking up the amount (1650 dirhams) for the rental, which can be paid with cash, debit card, or another credit card. The security deposit of around 1050 dirhams will NOT be charged or taken out of your credit card at the time of rental but a "hold" of that amount will be on it - this is just in case you damage their car, get a traffic violation while using their car, or run off with their car. Btw, people have said great things about Capital One credit cards that do not charge international or foreign transaction fees. Again, please do your homework before enrolling. :)

- About a week or two after you've gotten your medical check and Emirate ID fingerprinting, email your EMT support or visit the ADEC office in person to inquire about your passport, resident visa, health insurance card, getting school attendance fingerprinting done, getting school ID done, ERP number (which should also be on your health insurance card), and ADEC email since you may or may not get emails about their status of being ready.

- Call the toll-free number (800 number) on your Emirate ID receipt to see if your Emirate ID is ready for pick up. If it is ready, you will pick it up at a post office - the main one in the Madinat Zayed area of the city if you're placed in Abu Dhabi (city).

- Driving License: I'm not sure how it works for other countries but for those of you coming from the US you will need to get your driving license (from home) translated, bring the driving license original, bring your passport original (which should also have your Emirate residency visa inside), bring your Emirate ID (may not be necessary), and then apply for the Emirate driving license. The cost of translation should run you ~100 dirhams (less if you have a hook up aka a translator named Suhail [sp?] that people know from Facebook >> he charges around 60 dirhams) and the cost of the Emirate driving license itself is 200 dirhams.

- If you're placed in Abu Dhabi, do not be surprised if you have to put down 5000 dirhams for a security deposit for housing and another 1000 dirhams for utilities. They are refundable when you close out the accounts but until then you're short up to 6000 dirhams out of your 20,000 dirhams furniture allowance right out of the gate.

- Starting money (US Dollars): Bring $2000-$4000 as a single and $3000-$6000 as a couple/family when you first come over to the UAE. Your furniture allowance and first pay check may or may not arrive after 3-4 or more weeks after arrival in the country. Some people waited longer when they landed at an awkward time in between pay periods.

- Housing: You will be shown and assigned to housing only after you get your furniture allowance. Once you see and get keys to your apartment, you're expected to be out of the hotel within 5 days of receiving those keys.

- School placement: Everyone's experience has been vastly different from one another. Mostly positive and some negative - it didn't matter which region, which cycle, and whether it's at an all-boys or all-girls school. It's the luck of the draw and it comes down to your school's culture, support from administration and colleagues, your attitude, and resources. Ultimately, it's what you make of your situation, good or bad. Just don't make assumptions and psych yourself out just because you get placed at an all-boys school, wrong cycle, and/or wrong subject area (expertise). You may be pleasantly surprised.

I hope you find my mega update helpful. I do apologize, though, if you find this post less picturesque but maybe the video below makes up for the dryness. Enjoy!

Welcome to Abu Dhabi - The Land of Contradictions

Some people call it the Land of Contradictions while others might say the Land of Hurry Up and Wait. Good or bad, Abu Dhabi is definitely a place unlike any other. It's both progressive and traditional, fast-paced and leisurely, rich and humble...the list goes on and on. Some inhabitants rush about, pushing and shoving, as they go through their day while others move in a slow and graceful way as if floating on clouds. I've been here two and a half weeks and I'm constantly, and I mean constantly, discovering habits, interactions, and practices that both peak my interest and boggle my mind. I've even dedicated one of my Facebook albums to such findings called "Only in Abu Dhabi". 

I mean seriously, where else in the world would you find a stunning, white Lamborghini in the middle of a mall next to a Bath & Body Works? Only Abu Dhabi can make such a luxury item seem mundane. In another instance...

No biggie. I would like to order a children's play area with a side of roller coaster plus a bunch of arcade games, jumping gyms, and carnival rides inside a mall. (And yes there is a gazillion malls here.) This country is every kid's dream - clothing stores after clothing stores, toy shops after toy shops, sweets stands after sweets stands, play areas after play areas - Abu Dhabi has dedicated itself to catering to its next generation. It's family-oriented to the extreme.

Before I continue to ramble on and on about the various intrigues of this exciting nation, let me take you back in time to where it all began:

Week 1: 
After a 6-week delay that almost ended my life from the waiting, anxiety, and boredom, I finally received an email containing my travel itinerary on a Thursday morning around noon. I almost burst into tears from relief and shock. My mind was going all over the place, lacking focus. I somehow managed to confirm my travel details, call my love ones, and announce the good news to my friends and second family (members of a group that I joined that kept me sane) on Facebook without losing my head. The whirlwind was followed by two days of packing, going-away meals, and hugs and goodbyes.

Thirteen hours after I boarded Etihad 150, I arrived in Abu Dhabi, UAE with another ADEC English Medium Teacher (EMT) named Laura whom I have gotten to know over the past couple of weeks and am happy to call a friend. A lovely Nirvana agent, equipped with an iPad and our names on it, met us at the gate and guided us through the entire security process - eye scan, passport and entry visa stamps, and luggage pick-up. At the airport exit, another Nirvana agent drove us to our temporary home, the Ibis-Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate Hotel. It was not the most glamorous of hotels but wonderful nonetheless. The check-in was easy as long as you don't panic over the fact that the front desk WILL, I repeat WILL, take away your passport and original, stamped entry visa and make copies of them for you instead. (Advice: Take these copies with you everywhere you go. You will need them to apply for, buy, and register for various things. Ensure that whichever company or agency needs them make copies of these copies. They keep a set and you keep a set.) The front desk is tasked with the collection of these items to hand over to Nirvana, whom will then pass them on to ADEC and other government agencies to process our residency visas plus other relevant materials. Upon entering my room, I immediately connected my Sony Vaio and iPhone to wifi (thank heavens everything worked), figured out that there was a switch for everything electric, Skyped with family, and posted pics on Facebook once again. I also exchanged about $30 dollars into dirhams at the hotel despite the poor exchange rate and chatted with a few EMTs at the bar of an Italian restaurant onsite. After a shower that took a while for hot water to come on but don't worry it will come on eventually, I slept a restful five or so hours. Darn you jetlag! 

Breakfast time was always an excellent opportunity to meet people and figure out things to do for the day together. Upon discovering that the hotel provided a free shuttle to Mushrif Mall, a bunch of us decided to go there to get some essential to-do's done: {1} exchange currency (right now it's 1 USD to 3.66 AED - rate is actually negotiable especially if you're exchanging a relatively large amount of money like $500 or more), {2} buy SIM card for cellphone at either Etisalat or Du, {3} purchase prepaid data and minutes + SMS/text messaging (at Etisalat it is 100 AED for 1G of data a month, 40 AED for the SIM card, and whatever amount you want to pay for minutes [30 cents per min.] + SMS [18 cents per text] - I later found out that Du might be a better company to go with since it lets you roll over your unused data while Etisalat does not AND has wider, more reliable coverage but don't quote me on this; I heard this from other people), and {4} buy some grocery at Lulu's since lunch and dinner are not provided. We met more EMTs in the evening and had a delicious yet pricey meal at the Italian restaurant Gabbiano.

The next day some of us decided to visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is a place of worship and as thus one should dress conservatively, meaning women should have long sleeves down to their wrists and skirts/pants down to their ankles along with a scarf to cover their head. Don't worry if you forget to do so. The venue offers complimentary abayas with hoodies to wear in a changing area down the escalator. The Grand Mosque was immaculate, majestic, and breathtaking. Every detail was well thought out and no expense was spared - absolutely a place that one should visit in his or her lifetime. 

On Wednesday evening, basically everyone was informed that we would get our medical check done the next morning, early next morning, like 6am for some and 8am for others next morning. Naturally, I got the 6am slot with half of the group and off on a shuttle we went. Our experience at the medical center would be best described as an organized chaos - the staff knew what needed to be done and we had an idea what needed to be done but it was the manner in which these tasks would be accomplished that came into question. My word of advice is be patient - don't act so eager and think that getting to the front of the line automatically means you're served first. Keep your cool or risk looking foolish and desperate like a little boy waiting for his first facial hair to show up. It's a "lottery" system so it's anybody's game. Just hang on to your ticket, look up at the tv screen that flashes the "lottery" numbers, and go only when it's your turn. Remember this is the Land of Hurry Up and Wait. Wait is inevitable. You either wait before or after so deal with it like nobody can touch you. Bring a snack, drink some water, listen to music. Be cool. Slowly and surely the medical staff will register your info (passport and stamped visa copies), weigh you, take your blood pressure, give you a general look over/consultation, draw your blood, collect your urine sample, and x-ray your chest. When the medical check is done, Nirvana will transport you to the fingerprinting and ID center, that is if they arranged for this to be completed on the same day as the medical. At this building, you will get digital fingerprinted and picture taken. 

The rest of Week 1 consisted of visiting more mega-malls and hypermarkets, exploring the heart of Abu Dhabi City, eating at Lebanese Flower (a local favorite), enjoying some strawberry shisha, checking out the hotel's rooftop pool area, and going to Souk Qaryat Al Beri. The videos below capture more of my experience. That's all for now. Serving up Week 2 summary in my next post.  

                    

Still Here, Haunting Chicago

Christmas. Check. New Year. Check. Mid-January. Check. So why am I still here?  I'm praying hard, really hard, hands clasped and eyes closed tightly hard, that I can keep Chinese New Year, Super Bowl XLVIII, and Valentine's Day unchecked.

Don't get me wrong. I love all those events but I have to get the next chapter of my life started.  

I understand that the pace of life is different in the UAE than it is here in the US of A but I'm not there yet. Why am I already feeling the effects of their leisurely lifestyle? For future ADEC teachers who are reading this, yes, the waiting is real! I was originally told that the anticipated departure would be 12/26 - 12/28. Less than a week before that, an email informed me that there was an unexpected delay in visa processing so now the time to leave could be sometime in mid-January. Well, it's over a week past mid-January and I am still obsessively checking my inbox for the golden ticket as are about 100 teachers from different parts of the world. It's not the waiting that's killing everyone, it's the not knowing. Most have already rented out their homes, sold their cars, quit their jobs, and taken their children out of school. With daily spending and funds running low, people are beginning to be desperate. At this time a lot of positive self-talk and deep breathes are essential to survival. As much as I would like to refrain from Facebook and checking my email morning til night, my recruiting company tells me that I need to do just that, encouraging such compulsive behavior. Teach Away says that it's important that I check because the e-ticket could come any minute and I need to confirm my passport information promptly for the travel agency to issue it. So the roller coaster of emotions continues, hopeful, disappointed, hopeful, disappointed.

To my family and friends who are reading this, I really don't mean to be Becky the Friendly Ghost, hanging around and not letting go. I'm wondering why I'm still here as much as you are. One thing we do need to get straight, though, this gig is not a hoax - a handful of teachers have already landed in Abu Dhabi, meeting each other and exploring the city. I cannot wait to be one of them, soon, very soon I hope. Until then don't be shocked to see me around!

A random thought (because I simply cannot leave this post on such a depressing note) - I am excited about Chicago's Restaurant (Two) Week! Already made plans with friends to visit ZED451 for dinner. Maybe I'll get a chance to try out GT Fish & Oyster as well! Nom, nom, nom away!

Funemployment and Karma

Though some individuals like to call unemployment "funemployment," not having a job simply sucks no matter what you call it.  Just because you don't have money coming in doesn't mean bills stop arriving at your doorsteps, that is unless you admit yourself to a monastery and commit to fasting aka starvation until you get yourself on your feet once more.  

Okay, yes, for the first few days, it's "fun", it's liberating. In fact, you may find yourself making snide comments about how your friends are stuck in the 9 to 5 grind, slaving their lives away, while you're in your pjs at noon, snacking on Cheetos and watching Ellen DeGeneres on t.v. You may even go as far as having grand delusions about creating the Next Big Thing, becoming your own boss, and living the fast life of the rich & famous - sticking your middle fingers up to all the haters in the world who thought you wouldn't make it. 

 

But after a week or two, all these delusions begin to fade away and you come face to face with the harsh reality that you're going to go...

At this very moment, I am unemployed, not funemployed, because of my own foolish will and doing (I quit my job of six years in June of 2013) and waiting for my golden ticket to arrive in the form of an email, announcing that I will be off to Abu Dhabi to teach English for two and a half years. Every day that I wait I go through a roller coaster of emotions, from anxiety to excitement, from optimism to depression. Seriously, waiting is the worst. It gives you too much time to think - think about the good, think about the bad, think about miracles, think about the impossible. As I positive self-talk and try to motivate myself to be productive, refraining from checking my emails every other minute and driving myself off the wall, I realize something. I realize how blessed that I actually am. At a low point in my life, I find myself surrounded by supportive family and friends, even friends whom I haven't met yet via a couple of groups that I joined on Facebook. Yes, it does get a bit frustrating and embarrassing when you're constantly being asked "when are you leaving?" but I am alive and well with a roof over my head. My family takes my car off of my hands, relieving me of debts that I cannot afford to pay at the moment; a friend gives me a place to stay so I have somewhere warm to sleep until I leave; my boyfriend drives 3+ hours every weekend to see me and spend time with me, showing commitment toward our relationship; other love ones lend me their ears when I need someone to talk to and offer words of encouragement, laughter, and friendship. I cannot ask for more. Sometimes I don't think I deserve their kindness, but if I do maybe it's because I have been a good person, a good friend, that I have been there for them in their times of need. As one proverb says, "What goes around comes around." Maybe, just maybe, I have built up enough good karma that all these blessings and generosity are showered on me.  

Everything happens for a reason, I truly believe that, and God has a path for me to walk through. I will follow Him willingly, patiently, and faithfully on this new journey that He has planned for me. When this next chapter begins, I have no doubt in my mind that it will challenge me and change me for the better. Ladies and gentlemen, friends and no foes, this one will be...