10 lessons leant (so far) in UAE.

Desert Log:

• Months here:4
• Sleeps till home visit: around 10 (yes I know its actually more - but you know, sleep issues)
• Times its rained: 2 (each being the day after I washed my car #murphypffttt
• Days its been hot: all

Life Lessons Learnt:

1) Walking over freshly mopped floors will lead to bruised knees.

2) When changing bedding heading head first into the giant king sized duvet cover will lead to complete panic, loss of breath and inability to find exit (damn you IKEA with your small duvet cover exits.)

3) All beaches should be free, they are not - none of them here are- but they should be.

4) you can order anything and have it delivered in UAE. (not with much ease when you live in a new building... and the language barrier.. ) conversation in abbreviated form as follows... 

me: I am in building C4 apartment number 2306
Tele person: so you are in 6 ?
me: no Im on 23rd floor, apartment number 2306..
Tele person: oh yes maám, so you on first floor
Me: NOOOOOOO I am on 23 floor
Tele person: third floor, apartment 2
Me:  fits of rage... takes everything in me not to throw and smash phone on floor jump on it mutter some choice words. Retreat to safe environment,  attempt to calm my farm whilst counting to eleventy thirteen thousand.

5) When attempting a flirt move, try not to blush the colour of 36 tomato's as this is a dead give away of the game plan, and one can, and has been called out on this.

6) whilst on the flirt topic, in future when meeting members of the opposite sex, attempt not to literally move entire head in search of a wedding ring.. this too gives away the game plan, and more often then not leaves you looking like a right arse cheek.

7) The GHD has no power in the UAE. The magical no frizz machine is useless to this humidity - Abu Dhabi is like the GHD's Krytonite.

8) When purchasing carpets for your lounge/ dining room - beware to always check all immediate classrooms in your surrounds, your need for kid friendly things can branch out into your home if one is not entirely aware. (apologies to Year one and three teachers whose classrooms now look, to me, like my lounge - or apologies to me for my lounge looking like a classroom- I AM KEEPING THE CARPET MOM AND ANJA!! )

9)  Although "adulting" is still a challenge I am starting to get into the swing of it, well by the swing, I mean I fall off, bruise my knees, get lost in the wilderness of duvet covers etc... I am, in fact, still alive (at times just barely though)... which means I have done well.. Go me !!

10) 24 degrees here means everyone pulls out there jerseys and scarves.. 'cause its winter... mmmkay

10 Is enough for today.. all my thinks are finished for the day.

from the middle of the world (ish)

So I did it,

I made the move to the Abu Dhabi to be and things so far, in my vast three week knowledge are going swimmingly. I am still living in a five star hotel – agggggggg shame poor me… however have got the keys to my apartment just need to  get some furniture.

Furniture at this point is a worry for me, I have never bought it before and I am afraid I will go crazy and buy everything, and then being the weirdo that I am, will hate it all. Why don’t the teach us what our taste in furniture is at “be an adult” school .. infact why don’t they have “be an adult school” I think I certainly would benefit from said school and perhaps feel less threatened/adultly retarded at the IKEA store.

Moving here and having all meals provided (via 5 star buffet and school lunch) is not helping the waist line – but in good news when I move to flat and buy all the furniture I think I am going to live on air as food because it costs the same as what I have been paying since I got here.

I have experienced many new things in this new country (I say new as rumour has it the country is only like 50 years old)  the extravagance for one is just out there. I swear the malls and shopping and gardens and homes are something to behold. The weather is cooling down and is around 41 every day (was 46 every day when I arrived) still mists the old sunglasses when going out side... but getting cooler....

There are so many expats I am actually sure there are more people from other places in the world than locals. At our church on Sunday the said there were around 39 different nationalities there, in one cinema church of around 300 people. (Awesome peeps I should add)  

In other good news the locals like big butts and they cannot lie.. however the locals are not Christian.. hence we are back to square one with the relationship status. Hahah not that I am complaining !

 

I do not yet have a car – so at present I get fetched and dropped at work and at the hotel – which I pretty awesome .. feel a little VIP ish (although, I really shouldn’t) and the school I am at is incredible – the grounds are beautiful on a little place called Saadiyat Island (check it)  Its huge! And the school is honestly more beautiful than I can describe and run so well – working for incredibly amazing people and feel so privileged.

Must finish off for today, life is still happening here and I have things to do and people to see...