I am Learning...

Since August 12, 2011, I have been in the UAE.
  Abu Dhabi, as a matter of fact, and August 11 is the last day I had cell phone service. It has been amazing how little I have missed it. Since I am able to communicate with everyone near and dear to my heart, yet thousands of miles away, it has been easy to do without it.

Yesterday, my new employer asked us for our mobile phone numbers... uh... I don't have one. I haven't even tried to get one. I wasn't sure what company to go with, even though there are only two choices. Especially since I didn't know where I would be placed in the Emirate.
Have I found life difficult without a mobile phone?
... uh only once, or actually twice.
Funny, one was yesterday and the other was tonight.
Yesterday, two new friends invited me to meet them for dinner at a Mexican food in a mall close to my hotel.
Even though I wasn't hungry, I wanted to join them for camaraderie and conversation. I arrived at the mall about thirty minutes early, so I could check out cell phones, only to find I had not thought things through and brought along a copy of my passport and work visa.
  Insha'allah, tomorrow I will look for a phone plan. Hmmm, well, I walk over to the mall directory and find the restaurant. Hmmmm, Mexican food, Mexican food, Mexican food... hmmmm there are no any restaurants with Mexican food....
well guess since I am 20 minutes early, I will just wait in case they show up anyway.
Long story short, they went to another mall, and I had hot chocolate at Starbucks (they don't have Chai tea in the UAE Starbucks) and then took a taxi back to the hotel when they hadn't shown up...
My phone had voicemail with one of my friends calling to let me know which mall they went to the Mexican food restaurant.

Then there was tonight. Same friends made plans to meet at another restaurant we both knew at 7 pm. We laugh and say, as we are planning, there is only ONE of them isn't there?
So I show up at the Lebanese restaurant and get a table for 3. Of course, I am early, and reading while I am waiting for fasting to end (it is Ramadan). Then I decide to ask the waiter if there are other locations... and guess what... why yes, yes there are... 3 in fact.
Hmmm, well luckily, there were two ladies at the table next to mine, with a baby. One was an LT also, and in the newest group to arrive and they asked me to join them and I did.
Two new friends made, but wishing I had a phone to call my other friends occurred more than once.
After dinner I caught a taxi to the mall to look at phones and plans with my paperwork in my purse. After a trip downstairs to the Carrefour to check out the options, I went upstairs to the provider kiosk to check plan options. The guys at both counters were very helpful.
I returned downstairs to price phones and pick out a number. Then there was the sim card and the buying of the minutes. 45 minutes later, I pay for my new phone and time and then....

the printers are calling my name....
I need some copies of my paperwork, and the hotel charges so much for copies, I thought it might be cheaper to buy an inexpensive printer and print them myself. 37 USD will buy a printer that comes with a bag to carry it in, because it is compact.
After returning to the hotel with it, I unbox it and attempt to set it up, only to find, there are no drivers compatible for my Mac...
Heavy sigh....
Guess I will pay for the copies and try to sell the printer to a friend...
Insha'allah
I am learning lessons in patience...

Abu Dhabi Adventure

Others: "So where are you going to be?"
Me: "I am not sure yet, somewhere in Al Gharbia..."
Others: "Oh... is that where you wanted to be?"

Me: "Well, when they sent the email about Delma Island, I replied and said I would love the island... but of course I did some research before I responded."

Others: "When will you know for sure?"

Me: "I don't know."

Others:" What is there to do there?"

Me: "I don't know, perhaps fishing, swimming, gardening... I really am not sure."

Others: "How long will it be before you find out where you will be living?"

Me: "I don't know."

Others: "How will you get furniture, etc. to your place there? Will the furniture companies deliver?"

Me: "I don't know." 

Others:"Aren't you nervous? Don't you want to know? Why would you want to go there?"

Me: "Not really nervous... more excited than anything. Of course I would like to know, but I am ok with waiting to find out. I have many reasons for wanting to go to the western region. Just as you have reasons for wanting to be in the city."

Slowly the wrapping is coming off the gift. I have a general idea of where I will be. I know what cell phone company to go with. I know to wait to think about buying furniture. 

In the mean time, enjoying the sights and culture. 

The Big Move

I now reside in the United Arab Emirates.
My final destination appears to be Delma Island
in a few weeks.
Right now it seems there are about 600+ people
from all over the world
hired to work as teachers
and we are staying in 3 hotels in Abu Dhabi...

For a week I have been thinking about my first post
to write involving my newest adventure

it hasn't been hard to think of things to write about
It is beautiful and lavish here
the people are very warm and friendly
oh, and when I say "the people"
I, definitely, definitely, mean the emirates....

but the story that comes to mind today,
in the spirit of this blog
that is for my children

is a Christmas story.

I love holidays, as you know
and probably my favorite as an adult is Halloween
one of the things I know I will miss from the US
is celebrating Halloween

However, as a child
my favorite holiday was Christmas

I remember my dad, A Ray, loving Christmas
in fact, he enjoyed all the other holidays too,
and is probably the main contributor
of my love for celebrating any holiday
real or conceived for a reason to celebrate
 every chance I get.

Every Christmas, for as long as I can remember
I hated having to wait to see what my presents were
I could not stand not knowing
The anticipation was pure torture

The beautiful wrapping of so many treasures
sitting out in plain sight
just waiting til I could caress them
and admire with wonder and excitement
for they had to be
the desires of my heart
surely everyone knew
as I am positive I told them
EXACTLY what I wanted.

As an adult, my skills as a pseudo detective,
interpreter of meaning, super secret sleuth,
I must say,
are directly results of my experiences
during the holiday season as a child

searching behind closed doors,
under beds,
in secret spots
and even
*gasp*
unwrapping and re-wrapping
gifts with such precision
to be undetectable
or at least in the eyes of a child
they were

it was best for me to know what the gift was
because if it was something
I did not like or didn't want
I could act surprised and happy to have it

as I am horrible at hiding displeasure
or disappointment.

the thoughts of Christmas
and the sneak peeks
have come to mind
because as I wait in this hotel room
to find out more
about the teaching adventure before me
I am not unwrapping the gift early.

I am waiting
patiently
to learn where I will be (if it changes)
what my new home will look like
what all the logistics are

while other teachers (many arrogant americans)
are emailing, antagonizing our employers and others
and spouting off information
that may or may not be true.

So I guess, my boys,
sometimes,
and I hate to admit this,
it is better to leave the gift in the box
with the beautiful wrapping intact
the way the bearer intended
until the time arrives,
the time set aside to open it.
Have Patience...

Easy as Pie

Chocolate Icebox Pie from the Tip Top Cafe in San Antonio

Having never lived outside of Texas, much less the United States, you might think I would be nervous, or scared, or even a bit looney.

When in fact, it has been quite easy (after jumping through all the proverbial hoops) to prepare for and look forward to. Saying goodbye hasn't even been difficult, because I feel like I will communicate with everyone easily enough once I am in Abu Dhabi.
It has been a whirlwind-ish two weeks, filled with time with friends, meals at favorite restaurants and attention to the details of having "it" all together and ready to go.

Now, some darn good meals, some much more expensive than others have passed my lips of late.
However, the tastiest was the tried and true Tip Top Cafe. My friend, RJ, introduced me to the (or one of the) oldest and best restaurants I know, so it was only fitting that we go there as our last outing before I leave the country. Onion rings to start, as usual, tough decision on the dinner but we both ordered the chopped steak (best anywhere) with brown gravy and grilled onions. But nothing beats their chocolate ice box pie. I order mine as soon as I sit down, because they tend to sell out sometimes, and I missed it one time.... learned my lesson then. It is so loved and ordered often that you can't even buy a whole pie, and they limit how many pieces one person can order to eat in, or carry out.

As each delicious morsel melted in my mouth, thoughts of Ya (my mother) came to mind and how she enjoyed her cream pies right up until the end. A tear started to form, and then RJ and I discussed regular business of the day and my sentimental thoughts dissipated.

A few days later, while enjoying a decadent meal with another old friend, he shared how his mother's doctor, who is German, gave her advise to move towards quality of life and not quantity of life, as she is in her 80's. It was so heartwarming to hear a Dr. thought what my mom and I thought after we found out her days were numbered and her pleasures few.

When my days are numbered, please do not deny me pie or other decadence. I am here for the quality of life, not quantity.

Now, as I board a plane tomorrow, keep in mind, I love all my friends, my boys, and those who have truly touched my life and are now gone from it, for whatever reason. My choice to leave, whether you agree with it or not, is MY choice. Because I choose quality of life and adventure of seeing new places, meeting new people and learning new things, preparing for it and looking forward to it was as easy as pie and just as sweet.

Late Night Ramble

Everyday
everyday I think of things
I want to write about
in 500 words or so
and when I sit down at the computer
they are gone
sometimes I think about them for days
and finally get them out of my head
and on the screen,
but not to the extent of my other blogs
where there are some days
of two or three posts...
or there were
a few years ago...

In three days
 I leave for Abu Dhabi
in the Middle East
where I am told
I am as safe as I am in the US
as long as I follow the rule
"when in Rome..."

Many thoughts resurface
of big changes I have experienced
in the not so distant past
that didn't turn out the way I wanted
or even resembling anything "good"

at least
not at the time

and then I am reminded
that to become stronger
we must face adversity...
well I know I haven't seen as much adversity
as many people
but I think I have seen enough
to feel like an amazon
strong enough
to take anything on...

This move is for many reasons

The first is to
satisfy my adventurous spirit
of seeing the world
and having the opportunity to do it

The second is
 to have a chance to continue teaching

It became abundantly clear
in the last 8 months

as I searched
 to find myself
regain:
myself,
my inner strength,
my life,
my sanity

that there are many things
I CAN do
and I might enjoy doing
but the one thing
I truly WANT to do
is teach
and to teach very young children

and that just wasn't going to happen
in Texas
any time soon,

The third is the opportunity to save
over half of my salary
pay no taxes on it
have housing provided
and still be able to travel
to anywhere I want
with reasonable costs

the short list
of travel destinations?

Italy
Germany
France
Greece
Australia
New Zealand

So, three great reasons to work overseas
plus, children are grown
no grandchildren in the next several (please) years
parents are both dead
Unattached with no plans to be
anything else again...
It truly is
a great time to have
The adventure of a lifetime

and then return to the states
when I have saved enough to retire
and start a whole new adventure
living off grid
with no bills


that is the plan...

Let's Roll