Tuesday, January 31, 2012

You are moving where ?

The word was out - we were moving to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Jeff would report to his new job, September 1, 2011 and I would join him in February 2012.
Everyone was shocked, surprised and would ask, " you are moving where?" Is that in India, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Asia ? A customer service representative from Century Link asked me, "Is Dubai in Ohio?" Really, Ohio?
Other common questions, do you have to wear a burka and be covered from head to toe? Can women drive in the UAE? Is it safe? What about all the terrorists? Do they sell gold bars in vending machines in Dubai ? What will you eat ? Do camels run wild ? Hmmm....I knew I better get better acquainted with Dubai and the gold bar question intrigued me.
I could not get enough information about my new home, like a sponge, soaking it all in. I bought all the books I could get my hands on, researched the Internet for information and watched any and all programs on TV. House Hunters International was currently airing two episodes about two different families that relocated to Dubai and it was fun to watch and see the sites around the city. We watched them once, saved the episodes and then watched them over and over .
After all my research and spending one week in Dubai in October, I realized that I can do this and not let fear drive my decision. The prospect of exploring new countries and doing the things we had only dreamed of was exciting.

And yes, it is true, gold bars are sold in vending machines.

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