It's Official I am a Housewife

The paperwork is all completed,  documents attested - four times, twice by the United States and twice by the United Arab Emirates, mounds of paper signed, my blood has been drawn and chest x-ray completed. I am now a legal resident of two countries, the United States and United Arab Emirates. I received my UAE legal residence visa today, after being photographed (it is so hard to not smile), then finger and palm printed. The finger and palm printing process was so high tech, I felt like I was participating in a CSI episode.
It's official.... I am a "housewife". That is my official listing on my legal residency visa for the UAE. I have never been "just" a housewife before. It is a strange and and foreign place for me to be in.

But an afternoon out and about afterwards... my attitude has been changed.

I spent the afternoon looking at villa's with a new friend. When we were done villa shopping we stopped at the Al Qasr Hotel, by Jumeriah Beach for high tea. I have never been in a Hotel quite like this before and you would not believe it unless you witnessed it for yourself. One word ...opulent. The high tea was served on the balcony, over looking the Persian Gulf,  there was a light breeze, fabulous service, good food and great company...okay maybe I can "just' be a housewife.

Only in Dubai - what a life !

How the Weekends Work in Dubai, Call to Prayer and Hyper Panda

In the United Arab Emirates, the work week is Sunday through Thursday. The Prayer Day/ Day of Assembly is held on Friday, with Saturday being the last day of the weekend. Because the UAE is a Muslim country all non Muslims attend their worship services on Friday as well. It has taken a little getting used to but I think Jeff and I have finally adapted to the weekend change and even kind of like it. Every day of the week, not just on Friday's prayer day, there is a call to prayer that is broadcast throughout the city from atop the beautiful Mosque's five times a day. There are a lot Mosques and they seem to be located within a mile of one another all over Dubai. No matter where you are at in the city, you can here the call to prayer. Almost daily, I am awakened by the first call to prayer of the day, which is broadcast before dawn. I really don't mind the early wake up call, actually getting used to it. The others are done at mid day, late afternoon, sunset, with the last call to prayer being broadcast in the evening. These specific times are published everyday in the local newspaper and they change daily, based on when the sun rises and sets. The call to prayer broadcasts last a few minutes each time - they are engaging and intriguing. I have grown to admire the faith of the men that attend these mandatory prayers in person at the mosques or prayer rooms five times daily and are impressed with their devotion.

On Saturday, the last day of the weekend, it is off to the stores to shop. Even though people have shopped during the week and probably every other day leading up to Saturday, there is a mad dash to the countless stores or malls in Dubai. It is like all 1.8 million of us in Dubai are beckoned to the stores and we cannot stay away. We come in hoards!  Did you notice I said "we"? Jeff and I are always there, adding to the crowd like everyone else.

There are several "biggie" department stores in Dubai that remind me of Walmart or Target in the States and people flock to them like flies. Carrefour seems to be the most popular, but other stores  are in a close race for second runner up... Hyper Panda, Lulu's Hypermarket and Ge ant's. At night, these stores are all a blaze in bright colored lights. You can see the stores from miles away.

The picture below is of Lulu's Hypermarket, which is located close to the Mall of the Emirates. Isn't it pretty and vibrant!

These stores have just about everything a person could need or want, from washing machines, food items that you would never think of and of course, shisha or hookah pipes (a water smoking pipe). And the names of the stores are not only cute but perplexing - Hyper Panda ? ! Jeff and I tried figuring that one out for an an hour and still went away stumped. We just don't get it, Hyper Panda for a department store?

The stores have employed so many little helpers you cannot make a move with out one of them asking, "hi ma'am, can I help you" and they add to the already incredibly crowded stores, but their customer service is over the top and they are ready to help or assist at every turn or question. I am impressed at the friendliness of the employees. If any of them are having a bad day you would never know it. We can all learn something from them. The stores also employ a few people to staple the bags shut that you happen to bring in from other stores. Yes, that is all they do is staple the bags shut and they are quite good at it. Like I have mentioned before, everyone  has a job, no matter big or small.

But more than anything else, I love the crowds of people. Where else in the world would you find such a diverse mix of nationalities and languages. Everyone has there own story as to why they are here, in Dubai. It is exhilarating to be included in that mix.

My recommendation though, (which I should listen to) avoid the stores on Saturdays - do something else. You would think we would learn our lesson after one exasperating experience of Saturday shopping and trying to find a parking spot, but no... 

It is Saturday night, the weekend is over and we survived another day of shopping. The last call to prayer is being broadcast as we leave Lulu's Hypermarket and it is comforting. People are everywhere, walking, driving, carrying bags or pushing shopping carts. Languages from all over the world are being spoken around me, horns are honking, kids are running around, the smell of spice and salt water is in the air - the city of Dubai is all a buzz.

The work week starts all over again tomorrow.

Next Saturday, I make a solemn promise to not go to one of these overcrowded department stores or malls. I will stay away, no matter how hard the temptation may be.

Two less people will not be shopping next Saturday, do you think we will be missed?

I don't know if I can do it and stay away, but will try.

Making blueberry muffins - anyone read Arabic?

Do you ever have the need to bake? I am really want to bake something...
Step one:

Go to the local grocer in a sand storm and shop. Make sure eyes are covered, the sand is really blowing today.

Step two:

Buy one box of blueberry muffin mix - yeah - I found something familiar! The muffin mix was happily sitting on the shelf at the small local grocer named "Aswaaq". The cost of the blueberry muffin mix was 8.5 dhs (@ $2.20 U.S currency). I cant wait to bake them for breakfast.

Step three:

Hmmm - I should have turned over the box at the store and looked at the cooking instructions. Oh, no, now what?

It should be as easy as one, two, three, but all the the instructions are in Arabic. At least they have included picture's on the box and the measurements of the additional items are not only in metrics but in measurements I understand.
How hard can this be ?

Step four:

Hire an Arabic interpreter, Skype my daughter Taeler or just go for it. 

Where is my daughter when I need her. Taeler is studying Arabic  at B.Y.U. in Utah, but I cant Skype her now it is too late. Darn that 10 hour time difference. 

Step five:

OK -I am going for it. I am good at following pictures..at least I hope so...keep your fingers crossed.

Step six:

Eat finished product.

The blueberry muffins did not look pretty but they did taste the same and Jeff was sweet to give them a try.

Step seven:
Never underestimate yourself ! Thanks goodness for pictures.

Arabian sunset and dinner at the Burj Khalifa

Dinner at Madeleine's Saturday night was delicious and the Arabian sunset was exquisite. French cuisine, a light breeze and great company - I was in heaven for 2 hours. If your party pays 70 dhs per person ( @ $18.75 US dollars) you can sit on Madeleine's terrace that overlooks the Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, a mere 160 stories. The base of the Burj Khalifa is in the picture and it is mind boggling how the base of the building dwarfs all of the tall skyscraper's around it. Did I emphasize tall?

The Dubai Fountain is almost as astonishing as the Burj Khalifa. No costs were spared and $217 million was spent on the construction of the fountain and it definitely shows. Every 20 minutes there is a different fountain and music show - people clamor to see the shows, standing rows deep, taking pictures. I would love to survey the crowds and find out where all of these people are from, are they tourists, shoppers, do they live in Dubai - no, really, where do they all come from ? The only crowds I have seen like this before were at Disneyland. When the show is over the crowd will clap, cheer and then they disperse, but very shortly another new group of people appear, waiting for the next show to start. The best part of the show - it is free.
Besides the fountain and music shows, a few men in traditional Arab dress are standing around holding falcons, which are wearing cute little hats. You can take their picture for only a few UAE dirhams, but the line was too long to wait. I have time and will go back and get the coveted picture in the future. Maybe if I am lucky, I will be able to hold the falcon myself.
I was so happy to be on Madeleine's terrace Saturday night, sipping my diet Pepsi, watching the fountain and music shows, one after the other and as the sun started to set - spectacular ! The evening was perfect.

FYI...
There is an observation deck on the Burj Khalifa's 124 floor and the cost to ride the super fast elevator to the 124 floor is @ $25.00 US dollars. To  make sure you get a ticket, it is advised that you purchase them at least a month in advance. When my youngest daughter Taeler comes for a visit in May - we are going to the top !

How Do I Keep Myself Busy - I Want To Be Me Again

Getting bored .... time to re- invent myself ...meeting new people...what will I do with my time...learning the nuisances of a new country ...fitting into a different culture...missing family and friends...who am I...what do I have to offer...should I get a part time job...volunteer my time...do my kids miss their mom...how do I just be a housewife...learning to bake and cook with metrics...
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I am used to being on the go, constantly, jumping in my car and going here and there, working full time, balancing multiple schedules, being around my kids and family, playing with my darling grand daughters, going out with friends, taking care of a home, etc..  some days I never got anything on my "to do" list accomplished because my days were so crazy.
All of that has come to a screeching halt! I am now in a country 9000 miles away from what used to be home, everything familiar and who I was. Besides my husband Jeff, not one other person in this country of millions knew me when I arrived. Everyone I have met since the day I arrived, knows nothing about me from my past, have never met my kids and most of them say, "you are Jeff's wife or this is Jeff's wife". That is what I have become, "Jeff''s wife". Don't get me wrong, that is not a bad thing, I love being Jeff's wife, but it is time to start re inventing myself, to become Debbie again.
The people in Dubai, especially other expat wife's, have been very kind and inviting. Most of them have been in my position before and they are compassionate, reaching out to anyone new that moves in. I have met many amazing women, expats from countries all over the world, gone to lunch several times and now have their phone number as a contact in my phone ( I am so happy that I finally have a phone that works here). Several of them are "teaching me the ropes ", the do's and don'ts of Dubai. If I called one of them to help me, they would be here in an instant. It's just not the same - right now - but as I become more familiar and spend time with them, many of these women will become good friends, probably friends for life. It is true, time takes care of everything.
If I ever had a spare moment at home, I loved to bake and vacuum, just ask my kids. OK, I know that sounds quirky, but it made me happy. Living in our high rise apartment in Dubai, I have had to adjust, everything is done for me and that is a little hard getting used to. I spotted a vacuum out in hall yesterday and thought about kidnapping it for a half hour and vacuuming my apartment. But my better judgement came back and I knew I should not even think about it. It is somebody else's job  to clean for me and I need to let them do it. Besides it would not be me that got a stern talking to if I did kidnap the vacuum, it would be Jeff. As a side note...There are camera's on all the traffic lights. If you are caught either in person or on camera running a red light in the UAE, the first time you are caught, your car is impounded for 160 days and you are fined heavily, the second time you run a red light, your car is impounded and you are put in jail for a period of time. If I am the one that commits the offense, Jeff would go to jail. I will behave....
And the baking - everything is in metrics ! I have made chocolate chip cookies three times and I think I finally understand my oven and what the strange symbols and temperatures mean, but most of the labels on food items and recipes are in metrics. Goodness, I have so much to learn.
This really is not a pity party, just trying to make sense of my new life and who I am now. Right now I am in a place that is very foreign to me and it is not just the country - you think you know yourself , then all of sudden your life drastically changes and you have to step up, dig deep and give it every positive bone you have in your body to move forward and make it work. I know that in three months I will be in a much different place then I am today, and hopefully will have some answers about myself, understand the country and roads better, know how to use the money, understand a few Arabic words, grasp metrics's and hopefully get Debbie back. Maybe if I cant have the old one, how about a new and improved Debbie.

Today I picked up my new SUV - yeah !  Our SUV will give me some freedom to go out and explore Dubai while Jeff is at work. I am looking forward to this having this new vehicle and what it can offer me.

Stay tuned and if anyone has any helpful suggestions pass them along.

Sea Shells and Swim Suits

The beaches of Dubai have crystal white sand and turquoise blue water. Close your eyes and just imagine. They are stunning and captivating. When I walk on the ultra fine sand it feels like I am walking on plush white carpet and that is no exaggeration, the beaches are amazing. It almost sounds like I work for a Dubai travel agency, doesn't it. :)
The best thing about Jumeirah beach, is the short 8 minute walk from our apartment and we try to get to it frequently. Jeff and I are not normally sun worshippers, in fact, we try and stay out of the sun, but the beaches in Dubai are hard to resist. So with a large floppy brimmed hat, layers of sunscreen and sunglasses I hang out on the beach. Doesn't that conjure up a typical tourist look? 
A common question I got before I left Utah, "are the women in Dubai able to wear swim suits on the beaches and at the pools ?"  Yes, women are allowed to wear swim suits on beaches and at the pool, thong bikini's are highly discouraged. I guess I wont be wearing mine (jk). Women need to wear a cover up over their swimming suit going to and from the beach or pool areas and swim wear is not allowed to be worn away from those locations. A women can get a modesty ticket from the Dubai police if swim wear were to be worn out in a public setting other than where it is deemed appropriate and it is considered offensive. Most of the beaches also designate a "women only day" of swimming one day a week. No men allowed.
 How cool is that !
Besides the soft sand and color of the water, in the early morning, I am astonished at the number of different sea shells that the tide has carried in. The above picture shows the the beach after sun up and how littered it is with sea shells. Sea shells galore and more than one person can pick up! The first time Jeff and I visited Jumeirah Beach and saw all the sea shells, we ran around like two crazy people trying to pick them all up. We were like two little kids in a candy store, but now we know better. There will be more sea shells tomorrow, the next day and the day after that... Besides the sea shells, the tide also carries in lots of star fish, jelly fish and other sea creatures, we check them for a pulse or any sign of life and throw the living (creatures that we are not afraid to pick up) back into the sea. I don't recall ever being on a beach and seeing this many sea shells or star fish on one stretch of sand, even from my experiences living as child in Hawaii. Supposedly, it is like this every morning.
When you are on the beach, you forget everything else going on around you and in the world. The sea has a very calming and soothing effect on me. I love it. Maybe that is way so many people hang out on beaches, it is natures way of doing therapy and we don't even know it.
After I get done writing this post, I may have to take a walk and hang out on the beach for an hour. The sea is calling me to come visit!

Camels on the Interstate and Smiling

Guess what I saw on Dubai's interstate today ? It was an open truck full of camels. They looked so happy, you may see the slight smile on one of their faces as I captured this shot going 65 miles per hour (@ 100 kilometers - still working on my metrics). There was a herd of them lying down in the bed of the truck. It appears that it is easier to transport a herd of camels, than one horse and takes less equipment.
Jeff and I speculated where they might be going and when he mentioned it possibly could be the camel slaughter house, because camel is eaten in the Middle East, I would prefer to think of them being transported to a sandy oasis, running free and frolicking. But only in the middle east and a few other places would I see camels speeding down the interstate, sticking their heads out the sides of the truck like a dog and loving it.

How big is this Mall ?

The Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in the world. Jeff and I braved the Saturday crowd and spent five hours at the mall today. In five hours, we were only able to see less than 1/4 of what it has to offer. There are so many fun things to see, an over abundance of food selections and any retail store known to man kind is open in the Dubai Mall, 1200 + to be exact. More than anything else, it would be fun to take the day, find a comfortable chair and people watch. There are probably more languages spoken at the Dubai Mall then anywhere else in the world. I have quickly learned that there is one thing that is consistent across any nationality or country in the world -no matter where you come from, people like to shop and eat!

Cute father and son looking at one of the fountains

We had been running around most of the day and were hungry. There were too many restaurants to choose from and we could not make a decision, so we decided on Texas Roadhouse. Yes, it is the same Texas Roadhouse that is open in the states and people were swarming the hostess like flies to get a table. When we approached the podium to add our name, the small Filipino employee, said, "howdy partner, welcome to Texas Roadhouse". So cute...
The food was identical, right down to the peanuts, tasty rolls and raspberry butter. They also do western line dancing and put people on the saddle for their birthdays. It was hysterical to watch the Filipino and Indian workers line dancing to a few western songs. Bless their little hearts, it was a good effort on their part.

Line dancing at Texas Roadhouse in the Dubai Mall

Besides the Dubai Mall being the worlds largest shopping mall in the world, it also houses other stores and attractions that are also considered the largest, biggest or most in the world, (Dubai has the official Guinness world record plaques to verify it) such as, the worlds largest acrylic panel aquarium and under water zoo, the largest candy store in the world called, "Candylicious", (that is really the name - I could not make that up), the most fountains in one mall, and so on and so on. Like I mentioned earlier, there is too much to see in one day, it could take many days or a week. After five hours my feet were tired of walking.
Dubai mall also sits right next to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. The Burj Khalifa was featured in most recent Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise, scaling the outside of the skyscraper. It makes me anxious just to think about it. 
All of it is quite extraordinary!
There are no plaques to verify it, but I can personally attest that the Dubai Mall parking garage is the worlds largest,with a mere 14,000 parking spaces. Jeff and I got lost in it for one hour, wandering around looking for our car. They definitely need a shuttle service like Disneyland. It is recommended that you take a picture of the parking level number posted closest to your car with the camera on your phone, supposedly it will help you find your exact location when returning. Jeff took a picture and it still did not help. Goodness gracious !

One wall of the largest candy store in the world - "Candylicious"

Besides the Dubai mall, there are 67 other malls in Dubai, with 8 others currently under construction. Wow, that is a lot of malls ! No matter the day or time, the malls are always busy. Jeff and I and were in the one of the malls on a Monday morning and I could not believe the crowds - doesn't anyone work? People definitely shop until they drop in this city. If shopping was an Olympic sport, they would certainly be the gold winners.

Each of the malls has their own unique theme and extraordinary extractions, such as an indoor ski resort, which includes live penguins that are adorable. I will blog about the indoor skiing at a later date. It is so awesome it deserves its own post.

Okay family and friends - I need shopping companions. Anything you want to find, or not, is here. Any takers?

Fun fact @ the Dubai Mall - 54 Million people visited the Dubai Mall in 2011. It was the most visited leisure destination, which includes New York City, Times Square and Niagara Falls.

Is it a sand trap for cars?

The buildings and architecture in Dubai are amazing, stunning to say the least.You would have to see it for yourself to believe it (let me know when you will be coming), but for many of these buildings, the parking lots are a big sandy mess and have a lot to be desired. Many of the parking lots are large over sized sand traps for cars. Cars get stuck all the time in these crazy parking lots, including yours truly. But the people of Dubai are pros at getting cars out of the sand, they have tools in  their cars that will assist with the escape and know exactly how to rock the car to get it free. A team of car rockers showed up when we got stuck and it was impressive.

The parking lot in the picture is a sandy mess but does it prevent people from parking in it - No ! There should be a sign posted on this particular lot, "Drive away quickly and do not think twice about parking in this lot". Even with a warning, I still think that people would park here. We can watch from our balcony one car after another getting stuck. 

Are they daredevils or just naive ? I love an adventurous spirit but really? We were naive when we got stuck, and now we know that the ruts and large loose sand piles in parking lots should be avoided at all costs and we should look elsewhere for a parking spot. 

What happened, why are parking lots left unfinished? Hmmmm....more to come on that question.

Yes Ma'am

Our family went on a Caribbean cruise in December 2007 and it was pure heaven. Cruise employees waiting on you at every turn. If I raised my hand, a diet drink appeared out of nowhere. We were all sad to get off the boat and go home, it was back to reality and we would have to do things for ourselves again, knowing we would never see such great service again. But I am living it again and have found that same and even better service in Dubai!
In Dubai, I feel like I am living on a cruise ship, pampered and niceness at every turn. I cannot recall ever being called called Ma'am and Madame so many times in my life. I really should start keeping track of  the total number of times that I am called that during the day.
The apartment employees were we live go out of their way to treat you like a queen and king. If one of the staff spot us in the lobby, we are greeted with a hello ma'am/ sir and how are you ? After a slight bow, they practically sprint to the elevator to push the buttons. My challenge is to get to the elevator and push the button before any of the apartment employees see me. I don't mind them pushing the elevator buttons, but they must sense we are coming or have eyes in the back of their heads. If you are carrying any sort of package, they take it away from you, carrying it up to your room.
While in the gym running this morning, I was asked by the gym employee if he could bring me a fresh towel, twice, if I would like a drink of water, three times and to let him know if I needed help off the tread mill ( OK - I admit that question worried me a bit, I don't think I look that feeble). The only thing he did not ask is if he could run for me, which if I would have asked, he probably would have jumped on the treadmill and finished my run.
I know what you are thinking, these employees are working it for a big fat tip, but in the UAE you don't generally tip and, believe it or not, it is their job to provide outstanding service.
The ma'am's and madame's don't stop at the apartment, I get them everywhere I go. While in line at the gas station to get to gasoline, one of the stations employees approached the car window and asked, Ma'am can I get you anything ? I looked around to see who he was talking to and realized it was me. Diet Pepsi, please. He was back lickity split with a diet Pepsi and a thank you ma'am, have a good day.


The attached picture is of the nice young man that sprinted inside to get me a diet Pepsi. He was so happy to pose for my picture and wanted to make sure the coffee sign was also photographed.

The United Arab of Emirates is unique, of the 8.4 million people that live here, only
11.4 % of its population is native to the country, the other 88.6 % of the inhabitants are made up  other nationalities, the biggest percentage of them are laborers from countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The have come to the UAE to make a better life for themselves and their families, many times leaving the families behind in their native country.
While test driving a car yesterday, the salesman had one of the their laborers ride with us. We didn't know for sure if he was supposed to be our chaperone, but the conversation with him in the car was insightful. He said he had lived in Dubai 15 years and only visits India once a year to see his wife and family if it works out. Being apart from Jeff  the past 6 months has been hard enough; I cannot even imagine 15 years.
The apartment employees like many others make any where from $400 - $600 a month but for them it is a good wage. They work long hours, 6 days a week, sometimes seven. Many of them live in places called, "Labour Camps" and are housed with 4-6 people to a room, bathrooms and kitchen areas are usually community areas shared by even more people. But as the man from India on our test drive elaborated, " this is my life and it is better than I would ever have at home".
Most of the laborers understand that they are here for a specific job, to provide service. They continually smile and are ubber courteous. Norman, our housekeeper comes in every day to do a few housekeeping things, the last time Norman came in I was home. He said thank you ma'am numerous times, bowing as he walked backwards out my door carrying our garbage.  He was thanking me for taking out our garbage ! How cool is that.
In the short time I have been in Dubai, I have grown to appreciate the kindness and over the top exceptional service received from these under payed and generally over worked employees and will certainly miss the pampering and ma'ams when I return to the states.

One Big Mac Meal Please

Before I left Utah, a common question was, "what will you eat in Dubai?" When living in the states I did not indulge frequently in fast food but on that rare occasion when I just had to have a burger and fries I would swing through a drive up. Well the choices are pretty much the same in Dubai, UAE. 

Western culture has made their mark on the world, especially when it comes to fast food. Every where you go or look their is a western fast food chain - KFC, Burger King, Hardee's (did you even know that they were still around?), Carl's Junior, Subway, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Starbucks. They are in the malls, attached to grocery stores and co-ops (the McDonald's in the picture is attached to the United Emirates Union Co-op), on the ground floor of the apartment high rise complexes, in gas stations, department stores or as a stand alone. And just in case you do not know what fast food chain it is based on color and /or symbols, their name is on the front of the building in both Arabic and English. Taxi cabs are covered in advertisements of several of the fast food chains. You cannot get away from them. 

Two big differences between the states and Dubai is drive up windows are not nearly as common as in the United States which means it could take a little effort to make a visit to your favorite fast food joint and for all you diet coke lovers, Dubai is a Pepsi country - yes!! I would wholeheartedly agree that a ice cold diet Pepsi makes anything taste better, especially a burger and fries. Pepsi is number #1 in Dubai but I have yet to find it on tap. I will keep searching... Now don't fret you diet coke drinkers, it can be found on occasion, in a few places.

In Muslim counties the meat cannot contain any impurities, which means absolutely no hoofs, veins, beaks or other bad stuff. The word from other expats is that the burgers and chicken sandwiches are much better than you can get in the United States. Each of the fast food chains also offer a special twist to the menu. Pizza Hut offers a " shwarma" pizza, turkey sausage instead of pork sausage, along with 3 other recipes or combinations unique to the middle east. The McDonald's in Dubai offer a Mega Big Mac Meal - count them... four all beef patties on a sesame seed bun ! Who can eat a sandwich that big ? McDonald's also has on their menu a McArabian in either chicken or beef, served up in Arabian bread which is delicious. Hmmm - sounds good!

I have not tried any of the fast food chains yet, but did eat at a "Chili's' on Saturday night to find out if the chips and salsa are the same in Dubai as they are in Utah... they were...delicious!

When that occasional need for a burger flares up and I am so happy that an old familiar friend, McDonald's, is close by if needed.

You may be wondering - who is the guy in the picture of McDonald's ? That is the beloved leader, Shaikh Mohammad, the ruler of Dubai. His picture is everywhere. On high rises and when I say high rise - his picture can go the entire length of the building, on the front of stores, on homes, in the malls, restaurants, along  highways and freeways. The pictures of Shaikh Mo are never small, always larger than life and imposing. He is always watching. Shaikh Mohammad's picture, along with a few others are also required to be hung in all businesses and schools. Shaikh Mo as he is called, is very popular and well liked among the people of Dubai. And who would not love this man, in December, on UAE National Day, Shaikh Mo gave the national goverment employees a 35% - 100% pay increase. Governor Herbert are you listening?

You Wash Your Clothes with That ?

"What's behind that door ?" I asked, as I examined my new kitchen, wanting to become familiar with it.
Behind a small door, right next to the oven is my washing machine and dryer combo. It is a cute little piece of machinery, but did you catch the little and it is a two in one. After the wash cycle is done it converts to a dryer. A dryer ? I am kind of a laundry freak, so I am just a little nervous. It is very small and Jeff advised me that it can only handle @ 4 kilo's of clothes at one time. Kilo, what is a kilo ? Okay now I know and have learned that a kilo is about 2.2 pounds. My washer and dryer combo can handle about 8 (ish) pounds of clothes in one setting, depending on what it is.I should have been listening or paying more attention when I was being schooled on metrics because I will need to know it to live in the UAE.

I am here

After months of preparation, planning and sad goodbyes I am finally in Dubai, UAE. I arrived here on Thursday night, March 1, only a short 22.5 hours on two airplanes and 6 full length movies later. I toke my life on the airplane with me, which consisted of  4 bags of luggage and one very large box that had a bike and anything else that could be stuffed in around it. I am sad to mention that not all my shoes got to come with me but then I realized that I am in the shopping mecca of the world so now I don't feel so bad afterall.
Passport control in Dubai is very tight and once you make it past the screening of your passport, you need to go through a security check of not only your carry on luggage, but also all the luggage and oversized boxes that you have brought with you. I am certain it was comical to watch myself and a very small man from India lift my oversized box on the table to be screened. The Emirate Airport security guard laughed out loud as we wrestled with the box and elbowed the other security guard next to him to watch. Maybe I will end up on a Dubai, UAE funniest home video show.
The sites, smells and sounds of Dubai, United Arab Emirates are very unique. The last call to prayer for the day was being broadcast as I exited the airport to locate my husband, different languages were being spoken all around me, the smell of salt water and spices were in the air and men kept asking if they could assist me (I am sure they were wondering - what is in that box!). One man even asked if I needed to use his phone to call my husband, waited for Jeff to arrive and helped load the car. Chalk that up for Dubai hospitality.
It is three in the morning and I cannot sleep. Jet lag and the change of time is taking a toll. It is early morning Saturday in Dubai but Friday afternoon back home. Everyone keeps telling me - two weeks and you will feel like yourself again.
The hustle and bustle of this big city is in full force so early in the morning. We are temporarily living in a big one bedroom hotel apartment on the 15th floor with a sea view and I can hear the taxi's and traffic outside. There have been some sand storms recently (not as bad as the one in the latest Mission Impossible movie) so the skies have been hazy. On a clear day you can see from our balcony the man made "palms" island and the crystal blue sea water.

Our apartment hotel - Grand Mid West Towers - Media City, Dubai

There is so much to see and write about - I am looking forward to being out and about, learning and experiencing all there is to offer in the United Arab Emirates.

Fun fact - Muscat, Oman is an hour from Dubai and it is one of the oldest cities in the world, while Dubai, UAE is one of the newest. What a contrast.