It is true time does fly. Quickly...
Two years ago, one of our daughters was getting married, another was awaiting the arrival of her first child (our beautiful grand daughter Ellie Grace) and my husband and I were in the middle of preparations to shake up our lives and move to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
It is hard to believe that two years has come and gone. We have lived an adventure like none other. More than the adventure it has helped me grow and expand, change. I am a different person than I was two years ago.
My life two years ago was great. I was happy and content with the life that my husband and I were living. In my own little corner of the world, life was perfect. But now I realize that I was missing out and that there was more to life then what I was living. More people to meet, more countries to visit.
Like most Americans, we vacationed within the U.S. or right outside the U.S. boundaries. We had our usual vacation haunts...California/Disneyland, Hawaii, Caribbean or Southern Utah. All beautiful, amazing destinations, but guess what I have learned? There is more; so much more to see, live and experience outside the circle of the United States. Americans, get a passport and visit the world !
We recently vacationed in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined vacationing in Istanbul. It is definitely a city that everyone needs to visit.
In a couple months, we are going to Ukraine. Ukraine - this is another country that I would have never imagined that we would have as a travel destination. The list of countries and places Jeff and I want to visit is lengthy.We can hardly wait to plan the next adventure/trip.
From the United Arab Emirates, everything is close (relative to how far those places are from the United States). I just don't know if we will live here long enough to see it all.
What else have I learned in two years living in the middle east ....
I have learned about the Muslim faith. The little I knew before arriving in Dubai was very sparse and not necessarily correct. It is a beautiful religion and I am impressed by the faith and dedication of its members. The call to prayer reminds me five times a day about how I need to be more dedicated to my own beliefs. If I am driving and hear the call to prayer, I love to roll down my window and listen. It never gets old for me and I doubt it ever will. The call to prayer will be one thing I miss when I return to the United States.
People are people, no matter your country of origin and we all want the same things for our ourselves and our family. What are they ... comfort, love, health and security. We all want to be happy.
Meeting and visiting with people from all walks of life has been an amazing experience. I would have missed out on not knowing these wonderful people had I not come to Dubai.
I have learned that I need an accent! To live and work in Dubai, you need to speak Arabic or English, but English is the connecting language. Believe me many of them say they speak English but I would beg to differ. When you need a person to translate another person's English then that is a problem, almost comical at times. Sometime I just give up and if the question is too complex ... never mind.
We have had repairmen that have shown up to fix something in our apartment and it is a struggle to understand one another. Before you know it, I am using incomplete sentences, leaving out words and speaking louder than normal. Why do I do that? Most the time the repairmen just shake their head, say "OK, OK" several times, then leave. I have learned to NEVER say "OK" back to them because it could get me in trouble if I agree to something that I do not want to happen.
More importantly, I have decided that I need an accent. First I was thinking an English accent, then French, then welsh, but my ultimate favorite is South African. Too bad I can't buy one. I would be the first in line at the store. My flat, monotone voice is not cute like everyone else that lives in Dubai.
In Dubai and across the UAE, Americans are fewer in number that most of the expatriates that live and work here. It is hard to tell a person's country of origin until they speak. When I speak, people will say, "oh, you are an American or " you are from the Americas". Then they proceed to tell me about their relatives that live in the U.S. and when and if they themselves have visited. Many people I meet or speak with want to go to the United States and cannot get visas no matter how many times they apply. I hear this a lot..."One day I hope to go to the U.S. It is my dream."
Who would have thought I would like apartment living ! Actually, I have found that apartment living suits me fine. The longer I live in an apartment, the more I realize that I do not need my big house in the United States. Jeff and I are thinking about selling our home and down sizing, sooner than later. We have a house full of stuff we never use and it is time to get rid of it. Sorry kids, if that is upsetting to you ! My good friend Kelly always says, " Before 50 you accumulate as much stuff as you can get, after 50 you get rid of it." That is exactly my stage of life. The less the better and no yard work.
Love, love, love living on a high floor. Being on the 58th doesn't seem that high anymore. Maybe we will need to go higher if we decide to move.
I have been surprised to learn that I am a beach/sea person. Now that I have lived by the sea and have a beach close enough to walk to, how can I go back to not seeing it everyday, walking along the white sand ?
Utah doesn't have a sea and beach front. Oh no, that could be a real problem. My overall love for the beach has surprised me. There is something therapeutic, calming when you are down on the beach, listening to the sounds of the sea. It seems to beckon me. When we decided to move into our apartment, one of the selling points was the full sea view. The view from our balcony is breath taking.
I know I am sounding a little strange but it is true. Alright I will stop....
When I first arrived in Dubai, everything was new, unusual and different to me. Two years later, I am getting used to the kookiness of this country and I have adjusted. Things do not seem as unusual or different as they did when I first arrived. The saying around Dubai is ..." If you fight the craziness it will eat you alive, if you adjust to it, you will thrive." I guess I am thriving.
What is life like now, two years later...
We have circle of friends that we cherish. Some of these good friends have already left Dubai, but others have come into our lives. Jeff and I have grown closer. Living 9000 miles away from home certainly will make or break a relationship. The good news is it has strengthened ours. We only have one another - that's it. I work part time (keeps me sane and out of the malls) and we have made a little home for us in our apartment in the sky. I think I have been here too long, my taste for shiny and sparkly has changed. Never liked it before but now I love it and camel encounters cannot happen enough for my liking.
The last two years has flown by so fast. We have one more year on our contract and after that will see what life throws at us. I don't think I am ready to give up this adventure just yet but thank goodness we made the decision to give it a try. We have been the ones that have benefited from this most. We needed it !
Two years ago, one of our daughters was getting married, another was awaiting the arrival of her first child (our beautiful grand daughter Ellie Grace) and my husband and I were in the middle of preparations to shake up our lives and move to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
It is hard to believe that two years has come and gone. We have lived an adventure like none other. More than the adventure it has helped me grow and expand, change. I am a different person than I was two years ago.
My life two years ago was great. I was happy and content with the life that my husband and I were living. In my own little corner of the world, life was perfect. But now I realize that I was missing out and that there was more to life then what I was living. More people to meet, more countries to visit.
Like most Americans, we vacationed within the U.S. or right outside the U.S. boundaries. We had our usual vacation haunts...California/Disneyland, Hawaii, Caribbean or Southern Utah. All beautiful, amazing destinations, but guess what I have learned? There is more; so much more to see, live and experience outside the circle of the United States. Americans, get a passport and visit the world !
We recently vacationed in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined vacationing in Istanbul. It is definitely a city that everyone needs to visit.
In a couple months, we are going to Ukraine. Ukraine - this is another country that I would have never imagined that we would have as a travel destination. The list of countries and places Jeff and I want to visit is lengthy.We can hardly wait to plan the next adventure/trip.
From the United Arab Emirates, everything is close (relative to how far those places are from the United States). I just don't know if we will live here long enough to see it all.
What else have I learned in two years living in the middle east ....
I have learned about the Muslim faith. The little I knew before arriving in Dubai was very sparse and not necessarily correct. It is a beautiful religion and I am impressed by the faith and dedication of its members. The call to prayer reminds me five times a day about how I need to be more dedicated to my own beliefs. If I am driving and hear the call to prayer, I love to roll down my window and listen. It never gets old for me and I doubt it ever will. The call to prayer will be one thing I miss when I return to the United States.
People are people, no matter your country of origin and we all want the same things for our ourselves and our family. What are they ... comfort, love, health and security. We all want to be happy.
Meeting and visiting with people from all walks of life has been an amazing experience. I would have missed out on not knowing these wonderful people had I not come to Dubai.
I have learned that I need an accent! To live and work in Dubai, you need to speak Arabic or English, but English is the connecting language. Believe me many of them say they speak English but I would beg to differ. When you need a person to translate another person's English then that is a problem, almost comical at times. Sometime I just give up and if the question is too complex ... never mind.
We have had repairmen that have shown up to fix something in our apartment and it is a struggle to understand one another. Before you know it, I am using incomplete sentences, leaving out words and speaking louder than normal. Why do I do that? Most the time the repairmen just shake their head, say "OK, OK" several times, then leave. I have learned to NEVER say "OK" back to them because it could get me in trouble if I agree to something that I do not want to happen.
More importantly, I have decided that I need an accent. First I was thinking an English accent, then French, then welsh, but my ultimate favorite is South African. Too bad I can't buy one. I would be the first in line at the store. My flat, monotone voice is not cute like everyone else that lives in Dubai.
In Dubai and across the UAE, Americans are fewer in number that most of the expatriates that live and work here. It is hard to tell a person's country of origin until they speak. When I speak, people will say, "oh, you are an American or " you are from the Americas". Then they proceed to tell me about their relatives that live in the U.S. and when and if they themselves have visited. Many people I meet or speak with want to go to the United States and cannot get visas no matter how many times they apply. I hear this a lot..."One day I hope to go to the U.S. It is my dream."
We Americans take what we have for granted. Live outside the country and you will learn to appreciate our country more than you do now, I guarantee that.
Who would have thought I would like apartment living ! Actually, I have found that apartment living suits me fine. The longer I live in an apartment, the more I realize that I do not need my big house in the United States. Jeff and I are thinking about selling our home and down sizing, sooner than later. We have a house full of stuff we never use and it is time to get rid of it. Sorry kids, if that is upsetting to you ! My good friend Kelly always says, " Before 50 you accumulate as much stuff as you can get, after 50 you get rid of it." That is exactly my stage of life. The less the better and no yard work.
Love, love, love living on a high floor. Being on the 58th doesn't seem that high anymore. Maybe we will need to go higher if we decide to move.
I have been surprised to learn that I am a beach/sea person. Now that I have lived by the sea and have a beach close enough to walk to, how can I go back to not seeing it everyday, walking along the white sand ?
Utah doesn't have a sea and beach front. Oh no, that could be a real problem. My overall love for the beach has surprised me. There is something therapeutic, calming when you are down on the beach, listening to the sounds of the sea. It seems to beckon me. When we decided to move into our apartment, one of the selling points was the full sea view. The view from our balcony is breath taking.
I know I am sounding a little strange but it is true. Alright I will stop....
When I first arrived in Dubai, everything was new, unusual and different to me. Two years later, I am getting used to the kookiness of this country and I have adjusted. Things do not seem as unusual or different as they did when I first arrived. The saying around Dubai is ..." If you fight the craziness it will eat you alive, if you adjust to it, you will thrive." I guess I am thriving.
What is life like now, two years later...
We have circle of friends that we cherish. Some of these good friends have already left Dubai, but others have come into our lives. Jeff and I have grown closer. Living 9000 miles away from home certainly will make or break a relationship. The good news is it has strengthened ours. We only have one another - that's it. I work part time (keeps me sane and out of the malls) and we have made a little home for us in our apartment in the sky. I think I have been here too long, my taste for shiny and sparkly has changed. Never liked it before but now I love it and camel encounters cannot happen enough for my liking.
The last two years has flown by so fast. We have one more year on our contract and after that will see what life throws at us. I don't think I am ready to give up this adventure just yet but thank goodness we made the decision to give it a try. We have been the ones that have benefited from this most. We needed it !
