Women are #1 in Dubai

Two common questions I got before I left the states and get now from friends and family back home is, " how are women treated in Dubai ?"  "Are they treated like second class citizens?" There is the perception that women are treated poorly, disrespected in the Middle East and I believed it myself before I got here.
In Dubai, UAE,  the Middle East, it is quite the contrary, women are treated very well and held with high regard, respected. No second class citizen here ! The structure of the society in Dubai, and the United Arab Emirate's in general are highly supportive of women.
In fact, women get special treatment in many different ways, such as:
* Many of the beaches or swimming areas are closed one day week for women and children only.
* There is a pink line Taxi service just for women, including the taxi driver. Isn't that cute - the "pink" line.
* Many of the business establishments have women only lines. You commonly see women only lines in the banks and some stores. Isn't that a nice concept ?  If you are a woman, you can go straight to the front of the line, getting your business done quickly. It is almost like glorified butting, an express lane for women only.
* The metro rail line offers women only cars. They are a little nicer than the other cars and no men are allowed to ride inside. If men are caught inside the women cars they are asked to leave.
* The salons are women or men only, no mixing of gender, but wouldn't we prefer it that way?
All of the special treatment is not only done as a sign of respect but it is also in line with the traditional beliefs and culture of this country.
As a western woman, I have been treated very well. Arab hospitality has been top notch and welcoming. I was a little concerned, or should I admit, afraid, about coming to this country and being treated as an outsider and not being respected as woman, but I have quickly learned that is not the case. The nationals are as interested in us as we are in them, we fascinate them. They are warm people that are extremely social, which can mean sitting down to a drink or food, while doing business or just to get to know one another. And kissing ...everyone welcomes you with not one kiss but two or three kisses on your cheeks. I have always been a hugger, but it takes a little getting used to the kissing, especially when you don't know the person.
One thing I have learned in the short time being here ....women are all the same... no matter where we are from, color, race or nationality, covered or uncovered - we are all the same. We worry about our families, especially our children, appreciate a good hair stylist and just want to be appreciated and loved.
 We as people think we are so different, from one country to another, but in reality we more similar than we would ever imagine. Astonishing isn't it !

Shore Leave in Dubai - Thanks for your Service

The US Navy rolled or should I say floated into town, via the longest carrier in the world the USS Enterprise. It is docked in Dubai for the next four days and Jeff and I had the pleasure of meeting four outstanding service men today from the carrier and had the opportunity to play tour guide of Dubai for five hours. I have only been in Dubai two months and I am ready, confident to be a tour guide - aren't you impressed !? The driving scared them just a little, but that should be expected. Everyone is terrified when they first experience Dubai driving ,then you get used to it.
When you come across another person from your home country, you are so excited, hoping to make a connection in some small way and we did. One of the service men, Hyrum, knows our son Nathan !How awesome is that ! I am always surprised at what a small world we actually live in and it seems to get smaller all the time.
The USS Enterprise has @ 4600 service men and women on the carrier, and was deployed the first of March 2012. The young men mentioned that they would be back in Dubai sometime in October, being away from their families for an extended period of time.

It was our pleasure getting to know these exceptional four men, spending time with them showing them the sites of Dubai...Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, The Marina, Dubai Mall, etc. They were mesmerized by the city.

I am seriously thinking about volunteering with the USO. When US service men and women come into Dubai for short stays the USO provides support and help in many different ways. Several of my new friends currently volunteer, saying that it is very rewarding and the service men and women are very appreciative. In some small way maybe I can give back to them for all they are doing for me and my family.

Thank you guys for proudly serving our country and letting us spend some time with you today. It was fabulous.

Saturday Night on Dubai Creek and No Arrests !

No worries - no arrests taking place, at least not this time. Notice that I am smiling !
I have asked several different Dubai police officers if I could take their picture and these two are the first that agreed to it ! They  were happy to smile for the picture and go along with my request. Funny thing...the police officer with the phone to his ear was not really speaking with anyone. His phone rang earlier, before we took the picture, he said goodbye in Arabic and continued to hold the phone to his ear like he was talking. Maybe he wanted to look busy for the photo ? Was he acting ? Didn't think I should ask, but doesn't he looks official with this phone to his ear and hand tucked into his belt ? I thought so! I was just happy to get a picture.
These two happy police officers were friendly and more than willing to be engaged in conversation. They asked what country we were from (we were with two other couples, one couple is from the United Kingdom and the other couple is from Canada), but of course  the minute I spoke, they knew which country I was from and said, "Oh , you are one of those Americans". One of "those" Americans ? I asked - what does one of "those" Americans mean ? You know - you are one of them .....hmmm....all right, we can leave it at that.  But they quickly followed up, " we like Americans"  - " they are OK". I was so glad to hear that I, being one of those Americans, is OK.  It could be a lot worse, a lot, lot worse , you never want to be on their "not" OK list . At that point, these two officers would no longer be smiling and I would probably be crying.
We were in an area of the city called Bur Dubai situated by Dubai Creek. It was decided to have dinner at Bayt Al Wakeel Restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in the city, sitting on the balcony that over looks the creek. Dubai Creek is wide and deep, not what I had conjured in my head as a creek, and for 2 dirhams ( .50 cents US), they will take you across the creek on the abra, an Arabic water taxi. See picture below. Can't beat that for .50 cents.

Looking at the menu, the only food item I recognized was the word hummus. One of the women familiar with the restaurant, agreed to order for all of us, the food was delivered and I still questioned, "what is it"? Food dishes kept coming , things I had never seen or I am certain, eaten before. The friend that ordered the food said,
"be surprised and enjoy". I never did get a straight answer on what we were eating, and eating in the dark didn't help, but overall it was actually pretty good.
Dinner was done and we were off, exploring on foot the older part of the city, specifically the souqs of Bur Dubai. Souq is the arabian word for market.
The souqs are all hustle and bustle, pushy vendors selling pashima scarfs, Arabian lights, Turkish plates and wears, pointy Arabian "genie" shoes, sandals made from camel leather, Indian foods, incense, more camel this and camel that, traditional clothes, and other things that you probably could not find anywhere else. As you walk down the alleys, the workers drape scarfs on you and get right in front of you trying to make eye contact. They continue to use numerous tactics to lure you into their individual shop and if you like something in their shop, let the bartering begin. The alleys and shops were alive tonight - crowded , grungy and filled with smells like you have never smelled before. I kept thinking to myself, "what is that smell ?" As we passed by a small restaurant and other shops, you could smell the shisha waterpipes. The shisha smoke is sweet, fruity and actually smells good when you get a faint whiff. Like I have mentioned before, the smells of Dubai, the Middle East are very unique and I am really like them.
Besides the goods mentioned earlier, there are textiles and fabrics of all kind and color. Sewing shops galore and they are at every twist and turn. My friend Syd would love it here. Anything you want sewn or made, it can be done here for cheap and it is gorgeous.
We were away from the glitz and glamour of the city and as we got deeper into the maze of alleys and side roads, it was as if we had stepped into a third world country.

The deeper we got into the alleys the worse the lighting became, becoming more narrow, dirtier, the smells more intense and stronger, the incense was thick, no English was being spoken, but none of that prevented us from still looking, exploring . We even came upon a Hindu Temple that was tucked away down one of the alleys. It was hard to take it all in, there were so many things I had never seen before, but I loved it and wanted more. All of it was so awesome, I love this place.
It would probably be best to visit these souqs during the day, but this little trip to the souqs and Dubai creek- what fun !
Once we move to our new apartment, I will need to come back and  purchase some things for my new home. I am planning on decorating with the rich, Arabian colors that are so abundant in Dubai.
This place intrigues me, so I will be back... a lot. There is another area of the city, similar to Bur Dubai, that I still need to explore in the near future and can hardly wait.
I am fascinated and amazed at the glitz of the new city, but  intrigued and invigorated by the old, traditional shops in the old part of the city. Two different worlds, one city ! I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night and thank goodness no arrests.

Where are all the outlets?

Where are all the outlets and how do they expect women in Dubai to do their hair ? What about electric toothbrushes ?
I have discovered a fascinating fact - bathrooms in Dubai only have one shaver outlet - that is it. I have found a place in my apartment were I can do a "daisy chain " to plug in both my straightner and blow dryer that will not blow the fuse or outlet, but it is not even close to the bathroom.
When we start looking for a new place in the next couple of months, I told Jeff, "our next place will have outlets in the bathroom". Well come to find out, none of the bathrooms in Dubai or as I keep being told, nor do European countries, have outlets in the bathrooms. What ? Can that be true ?
While I was looking at villa's with a friend a few weeks ago, I asked the realtors about outlets in the bathrooms. One of them said very sternly, " you silly Americans, you love to electrocute yourselves". I do ? I think I have tried to avoid electrocution as a regular practice and have known from a very young age that I should not shower with my blow dryer. My mother taught me well.

The other realtor said so simply, "outlets in bathrooms will kill you". Then she looked at me like,"I can't believe you even asked that question". Okay then, that tells me everything I need to know. I was even told by the two realtors, "most people buy a villa that includes a dressing room for women to do their hair and makeup in".  Have I really lived this long without a dressing room ? Have I been missing a vital woman accessory and did not even know it.  Add that to the list of things we need or want in our next place - Debbie's dressing room. It is on the list. I was wondering way IKEA and other furniture stores in Dubai advertise and sell dressing tables, now I know. You can get a dressing table in all colors, shapes and sizes. I guess I better go buy me one and have it ready to go when I move in to my new place, which will hopefully have a dressing room. Why not !

Sorry Jeff - the man cave may have to be sacrificed for Debbie's dressing room.

A Day Worth Experiencing

When you are new to a city or country, you initially see only the "surface" or tourists places, but then it becomes time to dive in, adjust and start living a normal life . You cannot be afraid just because it is not what you are used to, it will probably be different, but who knows, maybe it will be even better than expected. Believe me , I am speaking from experience. To live a normal life in the UAE, you need to make everything legal. There seems to be an over abundance of paperwork, documentation, you feel like throwing  your arms in the air and giving up, but you don't, you know you need to get it done.
Today is the day and I am going to got it all done, completed...
I applied and received my UAE drivers license, went to a doctor for the first time, applied and received an Emirate ID card and got my new debit card.

Running around is not the problem, the first issue is trying to understand what people are saying. Bless their hearts, everyone will try and speak English, it is not them, it is me. Sometimes I cannot understand, even when they are speaking English.  At the "Golden Falcon Laundry " close to my hotel apartment, I walked in and dropped off six of Jeff's dress shirts to be dry cleaned. How hard can this be? The man behind the counter said something to me three times and when I turned to the woman behind me (hoping she understood what he was trying to say), she shrugged her shoulders and said, "don't know ". When I picked up the shirts the next day, the owner said, "how come you did not want Mr. Jeff's shirts cleaned, they were dirty? But I did want them cleaned. He proceeded to tell me that the counter help asked me three times if I wanted the shirts cleaned and he could not understand what I wanted, so they only ironed the shirts. Oh no, they ironed dirty shirts. Chalk that up as a learning experience. The owner said, if you cannot understand the help just say "clean and press". Got it. I paid for the ironing and left the shirts to be "cleaned' and "pressed" again.
The picture below is of the Golden Falcon Laundry - The men that work here are experts at ironing shirts like none other.

Understanding people will get better over time and by the time my three years is up and I return to Utah, I should be able to understand people perfectly. But one thing is certain, I need to take an Arabic language class sometime in the future. Then I could understand, what people are saying about me. That would be fun !
The second issue is thinking that you have all the reguired documentation as so stated. You have gathered and compiled what is on the list, but when you go back it is always different, something else is needed or you have to pay addtional monies. No problem...
The UAE loves paperwork and everything needs to be verified, over verified, stamped, approved and verified one last time. It is absolute craziness, but it works for them, is very fast and wow, are they efficient. Everyone living in the UAE, needs an email address and cell number, there is no way around it. There is no door to door postal delivery in this country. Email and text messaging appears to be incorporated into the official notification process, doctors appointments, bank communications, along with in person delivery.
Everyone living in the UAE, longer than 30 days on a visit visa, is required to have and carry on them at all times an official Emirate ID card. After being finger printed, a picture taken with out the slightest smile being allowed, a letter from Jeff stating that he is okay with being my official sponsor and other mounds of paperwork, I received my official Emirate ID card. One big paperwork obstacle done. Later in the day, Jeff received a text, telling him the location he needed to come to pick up and officially sign for my Emirate ID.  I was not allowed to pick up my own card, my sponsor needed to sign for it. But I did not care, all that matters to me is that it is done, the card is in my wallet.
Off to the doctor... Managed health care is done in the UAE. I was nervous for the appointment, especially because I did not know what to expect, but I was put at ease the minute I arrived. The hospitals and doctors seem to be top notch, the buildings are clean, fairly new and extremely efficient. The waiting rooms - empty and under control. I had to wait five minutes and the receptionists and nurses kept apologizing. To my surprise, not a lot of paperwork. Maybe the US should take a look at what the UAE has done and incorporate a few of these things.
Everyone living in the UAE will soon be required to have health care and it will be available to all employees and their families via their employer or if you are an Emirate National or goverment employee it is covered by the government plan . I can only speak for Jeff and I, but we have a plan through a well know insurance company and pay monthly, a very minimal premium. The cost is less than 1/2 of what Jeff paid for an entire month in the States. It is so worth it and I have my own medical card.
We can see any doctor of our choice and never pay a co pay or any monies towards the cost of the pharmaceuticals or other medical expenses. How sweet is that for managed care.
When you make an appointment, the doctor is blocked out for a period time for only you. Need I say that again? Only me!! No overlapping appointments are scheduled. It was very casual and great to speak with Doctor Ottmar from Germany, that wore old converse sneakers. How cool is that ? He scheduled me to go get an x-ray while we were discussing my issue, then said " go get an x-ray,  radiology knows you are coming over, come back after and we will discuss, I will be waiting". The whole process was quick and I felt like the doctor  was not distracted by other waiting patients. Sure enough, by the time I had walked back to his office, he had already looked at my x-ray and was ready to talk and discuss. Wow - was I impressed or what?!
If you need any medication, or other services, such as physical therapy, etc, you can get your medicines at the pharmacy on site and the other services are scheduled before you leave. It is like one stop shopping and you get everything you need in one appointment, at one location and it the total time was @ one hour.
Could medical care really be that easy, uncomplicated and no additional money out of pocket? Okay, I am sold.
The drivers license process was just a little different but still fun to experience...
The drivers license division has some very special rules and for expats it depends on what country you are from as to whether or not your previous driver training and drivers license will be acceptable documentation to get a license in the UAE. They are OK with US drivers training and licenses that have not expired. For other countries, IE, India or the Philippines the drivers training and their licenses are not accepted and they are required to take and complete UAE driving school before you can apply for a drivers license, which is fairly expensive. All sponsors, in my case, Jeff, needs to submit a letter stating that he approves me to drive and accepts responsibility for my driving actions or should I say mishaps. I felt like a teenager all over again. I can be naughty and Jeff will take the fall.
It costs me 510 ( $127.50 US dollars) dirhams to get my drivers license today. 100 ($25.00 US dollars) dirhams for the eye test and 410 ($102.50 US dollars) dirhams for the drivers license itself. To find the eye test room, you almost needed a map. It was outside the main building, way out back with plastic hanging in place of the door. The very small building was over crowded, including a woman yelling in Arabic to an officer. I was asked what I needed and was motioned to sit down by a woman dressed head to toe in black. At that point our lack of communication started and I could not understand a word she said, nor she me. A random man sitting in front of her with an even harder accent to understand,  kept butting in, trying to translate for the two of us. Too bad I didn't have a video camera, the whole exchange was pretty entertaining. The woman eye examiner shoved an old, worn book in front of me, flipping the pages very fast and said, "what numbers you see".  She was flipping the pages so fast I started guessing what I had seen, 3, 5, 8, maybe 6 - but she did not seem to care if I missed any or not, but I did get a thumbs up sign from the man trying to translate for the two of us. Yeah, I must have passed the first test... next ...then she put a few rows of numbers on the wall with a projector and held a piece of torn cardboard over each eye and I think she said, " what do you see". The random translator man kept whispering loudly the number being projected. The  woman examiner paid no attention, asked for the 100 dirhams I owed for the eye exam and officially stamped the paper in triplicate. Thanks to the  friendly pretend translator- I passed! I don't know how, but all I cared this that I passed. Does that mean he has to to ride around with me ?
After the eye exam, it is back to the main lobby, while one of the driver license examiners reviewed with a fine tooth comb the documentation. I was sent to the copy machine to make one more copy, even though there was the same copy in my stack of documents. No arguing, just do it. Unfortunately, I did not have two coins needed to make a copy, but the under paid Indian national working in the lobby, pulled out his tattered wallet and handed me two coins. I said, no, no I will wait for my husband, but he put his hand over his heart and said " no problem ma'am". When Jeff came into the room, I had Jeff give him a 5 dirham note ( $1.25 Us dollars). The employee was very appreciative and really did not want to take our money, but we insisted. Kindness goes a long way !
Yippee, I was finally approved, no more documentation needed, paid my 410 dirhams ($102.50 US dollars) and was sent me the final office for a picture.  A happy Emirate man, said,"lets take glamour shot". Within 5 minutes I had my drivers license in hand and the happy Emirate said, "I am good at picture, you agree ?".  Best drivers license picture ever taken  - I agree !
Check that off the list ! All I need now is my debit card and life is good.
The bankers come to you - they offer personalized service and you never go to them. Even while we were buying our car, we never visited the bank. They came to us. The bank sent me a text asking  my location and was it convenient to deliver my new debit card. Certainly come on over. Check that off the list - done ! A lot has been accomplished today, no more documentation needed, I am legal in all aspects to be in Dubai, UAE and it did turn out better than expected.
This experience has made me think of the refugees and migrants from other countries that end up in the United States, Utah in particular, years and years ago when I worked with many of them. There was so much red tape, paperwork and of all the things we asked and required them to do. I am certain is was overwhelming and probably not as easy as it was for me in Dubai.
Wow - I finally get it and can maybe in a small way can relate and understand so much better than I did years ago. Lesson learned - a day worth experiencing, if anything just to learn that.

To Work or Not To Work ...That is the Question

Am I getting bored ? Okay here is it goes - Yes , I am getting bored - just a little. I feel bad for even saying it out loud. This city is so fun and amazing that I am sure some people would say, "how can you ever get bored in a place like Dubai "? But, I keep thinking, while Jeff is at work, I could be:
*Doing something that would contribute to our household - It is very strange to not have my own income or at least be a contributing member.
*Go back to school and broaden my education/ skills and mind. Why,not ?
*Find a full time or part time job - I have always liked to work. Some would say, "You should enjoy the fact that you are not working", but for us work- a-holic's, we find the stress and activity of a good days work very fulfilling. Idle time or if we are not contributing, it drives us nuts. Now that I don't really need to work I should just relax and take it easy, don't commiserate. It is so hard to explain.
*Find something that will help me feel fulfilled.
*Keep me busy during the day and out of trouble. I love to shop, but really...how much shopping can one person do every day.
 Right now, I can find enough to keep me busy, but I can tell that it will not be enough in the future.
But then it goes back to the big question, if I decide to work - full time or part time time  -  what would I do? Jeff keeps asking, "what would you be interested in doing that you have never done before"? Well, all the things that interest me would take a little schooling. Should I go back to school ? Am I too old to start over?  How about volunteering my time to one of the many volunteer organizations around the United Arab Emirates ?
So much to think about. No decisions need to be made now, but maybe sooner than later.
What do the rest of you think ? I would love to hear.

Camels, Camels and more Camels

We decided to venture outside the city of Dubai today and go south east, into the desert. There were red rolling hills of beautiful orange sand everywhere, all around us, as far as your eyes could see. One thing is certain about the Middle East, where there is desert, expect to see camels - lots and lots of camels. Camels are one of the few animals that are equipped to survive in the deserts scorching heat, blowing sand and they can go days without water.
Camels meander, they are great at it, and we witnessed it first hand today as several of them decided to meander in front of our car and the cars in front of us. It was so fun to see them as they strolled across the road like they had all the time in the world. A small Toyota truck full of men went around the rest of us that were mesmerized and waiting patiently, speeding by the camels without any concern (see above). In fact the camels starting running along side the truck, almost like they were racing the men. Could camels be competitive ?  
Camels are large, noisy animals and it sounds like they are complaining, moaning and groaning constantly. You certainly could never sneak up on someone with a camel. When we stopped our car to wait for a couple of camels on the road, two others raced up to our car just as I snapped their picture (see below). It was impressive how fast they can run, especially in sand. The two camels were next to my window in a flash, batting their extremely long eye lashes at me and acting as if they wanted to be my friend. But all I could think as they got closer to my window, "what if they spit on me". Is that true that camels spit ? I wasn't willing to find out and quickly rolled up my window. Sorry guys, we can be friends with the glass between us. But aren't they cute and adorable !

Camels are beloved in the United Arab Emirates, if you hit and kill a camel with your car while it is crossing the road, you could be charged 20,000 dirhams ( @ $5,100.00 US dollars) to replace it. If the Bedouin herders get to you first and claim it is their best racing camel, the fine or replacement fee could be even more than what the police would charge. One important fact to remember here - camels are never at fault for crossing the road and /or being hit by a car.

Strangely though, at several camel sightings today, we noticed that they like to meander and stroll in single file. Isn't that interesting ? In movies, camel caravans are also depicted and as always walking in a single line. Jeff said it so simply, "camels are followers, if one walks, the others follow". Could it be that simple ? There must be more to it than that, but it is definitely a camel thing.

Camels fascinate me and it was great to see them in their natural element today. I definitely will have to research and find out more about them, since I live in a camel loving country in the Middle East.

Lets go for a ride to Dubai Womens College...

The best way to learn the city is to drive it. I am used to mountains and the Great Salt Lake to keep me going the right direction in Utah. In Dubai, you have the sea side or desert side, but it is still easy to get lost. We have a "Garmin" that is semi useful, but the programmed navigators can't pronounce the Arabian words or names, which means they either spell out the word or mispronounce it so badly you cannot understand what they are saying until it is too late. Actually, it is very funny but sometimes we are tempted to toss it out the window and navigate on our own. Has anyone, besides me, been angry at their "Garmin"?
I was feeling adventurous today, so I decided to drive the 28 miles and pick up Jeff from his second work office located at Dubai Women's College which is very close to the next Emirate, Sharijah. There are so many interesting things to see along the way I thought I would write about it.
Yeah, I was so proud of myself for finding the entrance to Sheik Zayed Highway, but then soon realized I was going the wrong direction. Instead of going north, I went south and ended up at the Dubai Marina. The Dubai Marina is amazing and it will be our new home in the future. You can get a high rise apartment that overlooks the sea, marina or both. The beach is very close and there are too many shops, restaurants and stores to mention within walking distance. It will be completely different than what we are used to living in Utah and we have decided that we want to live as different as possible here, especially now that we have the opportunity. Why not !
The picture below is of a small section of the Dubai Marina skyscrapers. Note the high rise on the left that is in the process of being completed . It is an architectural wonder and twists. So cool !

Finally, was able to find the correct ramp and got the car turned around. I am going the right direction now. Here we go....

Dubai is a long city and as you travel on the Sheik Zayed Highway to the North, you pass through the downtown business district, between rows and rows of skyscrapers. It is breath taking ! The buildings are all shapes and sizes, each different and unique. Reminds me a little of Dr. Seuss land, buildings you would only dream of but never build. When you travel through this stretch of road the first, second and third time, you are in awe and can't help but crank your neck to see everything around you or look up to see the full length of the buildings.
Dubai is a desert, but sometimes it is hard to tell . In some places along the highway, there are stretches of green grass and flowers. Wow, flowers - I am certain a lot of water is used to keep the grass green and flowers in bloom, but it is beautiful.

Don't tell my husband I was driving and taking pictures at the same time....shh, its a secret.

Dubai has a new sophisticated elevated rail line called the Metro (you can see a station in the above picture - right corner)) - and guess what, they have eliminated the drivers. The cars are high speed and driven by computers ! There are several options for the rider, pay more and sit in first class car or if you are a women and don't want to ride with the men, there is a women only car, or you can pay the regular fare and sit with the masses .

Besides the elevated rail,  there is an extensive bus service that runs all over the city. The royal family did not like the thought of people waiting for the bus in the hot sun and replaced benches with air conditioned, glass, waiting stations. You see the air conditioned stations everywhere and I have seen a lot of them on my way to the college. After I took the picture, I could not resist and decided to step inside. They are better than I expected - so clean you could eat off the seats. I promise I won't, but notice at how clean it is on the street around waiting station ... spotless, no trash.

See the picture below.

Guess what I saw - flamingos ! I went around the block, did a U turn, twice and pulled off the busy road, trying to get a good picture. Those darn birds would not look up, no matter how much noise I made, jumping up and down clapping my hands. They must be used to crazy women, jumping up and down flapping their arms. Hopefully, next time I will be able to get a better picture.  But have you ever seen pink flamingos just hanging out ? For me, it has only been at a zoo.

I drove through five tunnels on my way to the College like the one in the picture below - love them! The city planner made good use of the space and have tunnels running all over, or should I say, under the city. Each of the tunnels are different, artistic and beautifully lined with colored tile, depicting Arabic symbols, words and sites around the city.  Notice again, the clean streets.

White buses transporting labor workers are a common sight on the roads and highways of Dubai and the employers of these laborers spend a great deal of time transporting workers to and from their jobs 24/7.  See picture below. The employer is the sponsor of their Visa and have a hold on the employee while they work in the UAE. If the workers wants to leave the employer, it needs to be approved with an official letter releasing them to work for someone else, if not, home they go. Many of the laborers live in labour camps or lower income housing, a lot of times provided by the employer. They could sleep up to 6 people in a room, with kitchen and bathroom areas being shared by many more people. It sounds pretty bad to most of us, but I keep being told that it is so much better than what they have at home. But it is still hard to identify with, isnt it?!

Then I happened upon a burned out worker bus abandoned in a sandy lot along side the road I was traveling. I could not resist, which meant quick lane changes to get the picture. I hope all the workers made it out safely.

Still driving and taking pictures ...Jeff must not know...

I have seen my fair share of food delivery motorcyclists today -speeding and weaving in and out of lanes on busy highways and roads. They are crazy men on motorcycles ! If you order 25 or more dirhams worth of food ( @ $7.00 US dollars), food can be delivered from most of the restaurants to any location in the city. They deliver to beaches, into the malls, your home...anywhere. A few days ago while at the beach, I witnessed such a delivery. A motorcyclist rode his bike on to the sand to deliver coffee and breakfast from Caribou Coffee to a group of four women that had just completed their yoga class. What a life.

The motorcyclists are notorious for passing between cars on the highway going at a high rate of speed, which happened to me today and it scared me to death. The motorcycles and taxi's seem to have a love/ hate relationship and it is terrifying to witness, but I am certain both of them were trained at the same school of "nonsense" driving. Good gracious!

The sun was starting to set when I came around a corner and right in front of me was a portion of the Dubai downtown district skyline - beautiful. What a site to see, the Burj Khalifa and surrounding skyline.  It is astonishing to think that the other skyscrapers in the picture are 50, 60, 80 stories high, but they look miniature, tiny, in comparison to the 160 story Burj Khalifa.

I made it to Dubai's Women's College all by myself . What a drive - I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

What I Have Learned in 32 Short Days about Me and Dubai

Wow - time really flies. I have been in Dubai over a month and I am still thriving - in fact I needed this adventure. I don't know what I was afraid of before I left Utah. Maybe the unknown ? The thought of leaving everything behind that was familiar to me was scary. A little push to get out of ones comfort zones should be mandatory for all of us at one time in our lives. 
It has been one learning experience after another, a huge lesson in life and my eyes have been opened. I feel like a child learning and discovering new and different things every day, believe it or not, even food. Aren't you proud of me ? Before, or should I say, pre - Dubai, If I could not pronounce the name of the food item, I would not eat it, but I have changed and willing now to give it a try.
I ask a lot of questions - about everything  - and take more pictures then are necessary. Some days it is an all out assault on my senses. Seeing, hearing and smelling things that I have never encountered before or want to ever again. I will save that for another blog.
Dubai definitely has a distinct smell - I say, it is a mix of salt water and spices but people that have been here a while don't smell it anymore. I hope, I don't get so used it in the future that I don't smell it anymore. It is one of those special things about Dubai, the Middle East. 
It has not been all roses and puppies, but almost - there has been both the good and the bad. It has been an adjustment, a little hard at times when I am missing my family and friends, especially my kids and grand daughters, but how lucky am I to be meeting new people. People that I have met and done things with are from all over the world. If I would have not come to Dubai, my life would not have been enriched from knowing them. Another bonus, Jeff and I are together 24/ 7, except when he is at work and we have loved it.
A few other things I absolutely love....
* The beach - The best and cheapest therapist around! I cannot get enough of the crystal blue water and white sandy beaches. It is especially nice in the early morning after a run. Besides me, the only few people on the beach are doing yoga or picking up garbage. I have picked up enough sea shells and star fish to fill two hurricane glass containers and feel the need to get more.
* The diversity, mix of countries and cultures-. Anything goes here, no matter what it is, except for dressing immodestly. Around the city there are constant reminders to dress appropriately, modest, IE, like the reminder below that is displayed at Emirates Mall. 
You see it all in Dubai, traditional or national dress on women depending on their country, modern dress or "western" dress as it is called, women totally covered head to toe, whole faces covered, only eyes showing, mental masks covering faces and men wearing traditional dress for whatever country they are from with the corresponding head wear or not. I especially love the Indian's national dress - so vibrant and colorful. How could you not be happy when you wear so many bright and happy colors. I think it would make you smile all day long.
Overall - I didn't think I would but have found that I love being part of the diversity.

* The crazy driving. Never in my life have I experienced driving like this. All the different nationalities and countries bad driving habits melted together in one city. You feel like you are gearing up for the Indy 500 every time you get in your car. Defensive driving at its best and it is not for wimps or the faint of heart. Round abouts, U turns, an over abundance of speed bumps, being allowed to go 20 over the speed limit on major highways, sudden lane changes, etc. Besides the crazy drivers and an over abundance of taxi's, there are pedestrians everywhere. With one eye you watch the other cars around you and with your other eye you watch for pedestrians. I have been told that pedestrians on the road ways is not as bad as other countries, like India, but I think it is pretty bad. Sadly, pedestrians are hit and killed all the time on the roads of Dubai. People dart out or run cross main highways, freeways and busy roads constantly. They are in places that shock me. All of sudden there is someone in front of your car and there are other cars all around you. On Saturday, Jeff and I saw a group of young boys playing cricket on the green space in the middle of the 8 lane highway. Hmmm - I don't know how they ever got across the road to even get there. Scary .... Where are their mothers?
Everyone around Dubai says, "You say a little prayer when you get in your car and hope for the best".
Overall, I think I have the hang of it and find it exhilarating! Love it !
* The outstanding customer service. I told Bablue ( he is from Bangladesh), one of the hotel staff yesterday, that he has spoiled me to the point of no return. He is insistent on carrying any bag I have to my room, opening the door for me and thanking me profusely. I will never be able to return to the United States after experiencing day after day this "over the top" customer service and kindness. He just smiled, bowed and said " have the best day ever Ma'am".
* The sounds of Dubai - Incessant honking, loud birds, Arabic music, different languages and call to prayer five times a day. The noise is annoying, constant and comforting all at the same time. Dubai never sleeps, winds down a little in the early morning hours, but never sleeps. The city is in a perpetual state of motion.
* The diversity in business. Old and new, opulent and run down. It is so fun to explore both, but the little run down stores intrigue me the most. They beckon me and scare me a little at times. The picture below is of one of the alley grocers off of Opulent Jumeriah Beach Road. The grocery store had two small aisles and was packed to the ceiling with dusty "stuff" and there was cat sitting on one of the shelves. Doesn't it sound awesome!

* The Gulf News - I have traded in the Salt Lake Tribune for the Gulf News. It is slanted but so fun to read. It gives me a flavor and insight to what is going on in the Gulf Region and how issues are handled. If you commit what is considered a crime here, IE, having an affair, not paying your bills, feeding stray cats or hitting a camel - you are in the newspaper.

Enough about me - here are a few more things that I have learned since moving to Dubai...

1. As mentioned in a previous post, the United States has had a profound impact on the world and its inhabitants. Clothes, food, cars, entertainment, phones, dance, catch phrases, sports teams, business....everything.
2. Arabs and Muslims that I have encountered seem to like Americans. Americans are highly regarded and have a fairly respected status in the UAE. When I speak, people always say, "Oh, you are an American, I can tell by your accent". I did not think that I had an accent, and would consider  my "accent' pretty boring compared to all the others around here. I also get asked about stars, like the Kardashians, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Justin Beiber,etc, all the time. Isn't that funny ! Like, I would even know them.
3..  The United Arab Emirates is one of the safest places to live , with one of the lowest crime rates in the world - less than 2%  for millions of people.  The penalty for minor offenses is severe and there is a zero tolerance policy for most crimes. To drink or transport alcohol in the UAE, you need be non Muslim and carry a "red card". There are only a few places in the country were alcohol is permitted or sold, which includes some selected hotels. If you are caught driving drunk, you might as well kiss it all goodbye. You are arrested, fined heavily, jailed and when your jail sentence is over, deported, with no chance of getting any of your possessions back. Your are also banned from coming into the UAE in the future. Taxi drivers are also instructed to bring people that are drunk to the police station and then you are fined and jailed for public intoxication.
You can be out all hours of the night and it is safe. No harm would come to you. I can run outside in the early morning hours and it is perfectly safe.
4. Dubai is fun, easy living.  Before I came to Dubai, I was told it would be like living in Disneyland and I have found that statement to be true. The only thing that is missing is the zippity do dah music playing all over the city, like it does at Disneyland. Dubai is all about fun, leisure time, shopping and dedicated to a good time. The city is also very family oriented, maybe a little too much so. Anything you want to do, is here, or coming soon! Every store you have ever heard of or not, exists within one of the 68 malls in the city.
5. Dubai is sparkling and pretty - even in a desert, with sand blowing a good share of the time - the ruling family does it right in Dubai. Skyscrapers, glass and gold are a glow all over the city. They even have window washers that go on outside of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and shine it up. That is one job I would never want or do, no matter the pay offered.
Gold is beloved in Dubai and it is everywhere.
I have never seen so many gold plated objects in my entire life, including cars. If I had a gold plated car I would hide it in my garage for fear it would be stolen, not here in Dubai. Those individuals that have a gold plated car like to drive them around for everyone to see (all about status and show) and the possibility of the car being stolen - well, it just would not happen in this city. The Al Qasr Hotel's drive up is lined by 21 karat gold plated life size horses (see the picture at the top of the blog). They are absolutely exquisite!! There is also a flag pole that was constructed and stands in Dubai that represent the 7 Emirates. The flag pole cost 2 billion dollars, yes, that is 2 billion dollars and is 21 karat gold plated. See the picture below. 
And for all you iPhone users - how about a gold plated iPhone? You can get them here.

I am on my way out for more adventure and photos.

OK, I will admit it, our Dubai re location has been worth it. I definitely have grown as a person from being here.

Pretty soon I will be a darn good tour guide - any takers ?