Category Archives: Pre Abu Dhabi
Departure date has arrived!
All I have to say is whoop! whoop! Got my ticket info today. I leave 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug 14 and arrive in Abu Dhabi 7:20 p.m. the next day. I have a 9-hour layover in Chicago, BUT I’ll get to see my buddy Michelle because of that layover. It’s gonna be a llllloooooonnnnngggg flight, but I am soooooo ready.
Abu Dhabi here I come! Okay, I now have 5 days to get the rest of my stuff in order. I’m really going…
Still waiting…
I have nothing new to report. I’m just getting antsy waiting for the big ticket. Rumor has it the second group is expected to arrive 8/15-20. I probably will cry if I’m not in that group because I doubt Group 3 would get there before the big orientation on 8/24. Like any teacher I want to be there from day one. Playing catchup always sucks.
Most of group one has received housing. Three of the people I’ve become friends are in a brand new building on a gorgeous complex in Abu Dhabi. Another friend is based in Al Ain and has not gotten the chance to see her new home yet. I’m happy for my friends (although wishing my Al Ain friend wasn’t still in the dark about her place), and at the same time I’m jealous. I want to be out there with them shopping for my new home and getting excited about my new school. I know all in due time.
Last week I was glad I wasn’t in group one because it gave me much-needed time with my kids. Below is the link to the blog I wrote about it for Teach UAE. My kids are all busy getting ready for school or new jobs (or as in Kaylene’s case both), so now I’m ready to go, go, go! I’ve signed up to sub, but haven’t picked up a shift yet. Hopefully, tomorrow there will be one for me to pick up, and, hopefully, tomorrow there will be ticket info. Aaargh hate not knowing…
Okay, on the the nicer side of me (the balanced, appreciative me of last week), here’s all about learning to let it be: http://teachuae.com/learning-let/
This pic is in the Teach UAE post, but I’m sure I’ll want to go back to seeing it again when I’m FINALLY over there. Our last supper together. Kyle was in town for a few days, and it was a wonderful visit.
the big goal post
The good news is I’m no longer freaking out about not being in the first group to fly over. I’m totally at peace with it all until the next batch of tickets go out and my email stays ticketless. I’m sure I’ll relive all those stages of grief again! The bad news is I’ve been sick (so it’s a good thing I’m not flying). I’ve not had a cold this bad in a long time. The problem is it’s hard to get anything done when you’re hacking up a lung, so now is as good a time as any to write down my goals for this upcoming journey. It’ll be good to go back this time next year, and see what I’ve accomplished. P.S. this will probably be a very boring post for most of you, so no worries if you move on to something else right now.
Personal/Family wishes:
- I want to fly my children to different parts of the world. This first year I hope to get them to at least two countries they’ve not been to yet. More would be nice, but considering I’m flying them from the U.S. it’ll be costly, so we’ll see how it goes.
- I’d like for my apartment to be my little nest, not just a place to sleep. It’s really important to me to have a home to escape to. What I like most about this is for the first time I’m building a nest just for me, so I’m designing it NONmama style!
- Since I’ll be on my own I’d like to get more regimented with my writing and reading. Actually do it daily versus when there’s free time (or when I’m too sick or lazy to do anything else). Maybe I’ll even put together some sort of plan of what I’m writing — who knows?! Is it a book, more articles, what?
- I hope my parenting from a distance will help my children discover more of who they are. Oh how I hope they find what makes them special and fine tune it. I really, really do.
- And while I’m pretty grounded I too hope to discover more of who I am, and how I fit in this crazy world of ours.
- I hope to embrace change even when I don’t understand or like it, and I hope to remember to calm my shit down when it overwhelms me.
- I hope to become part of my new community of so many countries and add more people to my lifelong friendships.
- I know I’ll never be fluent in Arabic, but I’d like to integrate more than just a few words into my life there. I really do want to connect with the people who are making this journey possible for me.
- Be the best tour guide ever for my friends and family who are coming to visit. I cannot wait to show off my new ‘home.”
- And last but not least, please oh please don’t let me accidentally offend the people around me. I’m so loud and so obnoxiously me that I’ll have to work hard at keeping it down while keeping it real (or something like that).
Career
- I want to figure out what to do to help my students learn this thing I’m teaching not because they have to, but because, eventually, they’ll want to (ha! isn’t that what all teachers wish). Oh, how I hope I get to see some kids light up with their own magic, which has always been my favorite part about teaching here.
- Build relationships with the teachers, admin, etc. I’ll be working with — not just the English speaking ones. There’s so much for me to learn.
- Figure out where my next step should be. Will I stay in the classroom, or should I move on to something else when my time there is done?
- Um, not fall flat on my face. It’d really suck if I failed at this.
Financial: Basically save while I spend! Hahaha sounds so simple. Okay, so year one I want to pay off:
- Credit cards (should have this one accomplished the first few months)
- Student loan (possible IF my $5.000 grant comes though like it should)
- Car loan — pay it down enough to where I can either sell or decide to just go ahead and keep it (lord knows I do love that car, but is it wise to hang on to it).
- I’d also like to start contributing to another retirement plan. The goal is to start this my 5th month there — by then I should have paid off a good chunk of debt.
Travel: OMG there is so much I want to see! So for year one I’m saying I’ll go to the following places:
- Germany (summer 2015 soooo doing this one!) and possibly Amsterdam
- Oman (I’m cheating here since it’ll be an easy one to do)
- Turkey
- Jordan and the dead sea
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
- a place I never heard of before I decided to move to Abu Dhabi (don’t know which one yet)
- an Asian beach — so many to choose from, so we shall see where I end up!
- other emirates in the UAE! Hello? A girl needs to learn the lay of her new land.
- India
Okay, I think that’s enough to list. Of course there are more places in Europe I want to see, more places in Africa, ha! more places in general, but this is just year one. Hmmm, wonder if I’ll actually get to see all those places.
This is a pretty long list. Sorry if I’ve bored any of you, but this one is written more for me. Wow. I wonder what will be going through my little pea brain this time next year. Cannot believe that any day now I could be writing from an air conditioned pod somewhere in Abu Dhabi!
So this is the part that sucks…
It’s 1 a.m., and I cannot sleep. My son is still up watching T.V., and the damned thing is irritating the hell out of me. That’s not the reason I can’t sleep. I am freaking the hell out because about this time next week a group of teachers are flying to Abu Dhabi. While I am very happy for them, I am not yet one of those teachers.
A group is flying out July 30th while the rest of us drool like mad dogs waiting for the magical email from Nirvana (of all names) travel agency. We were warned that there is no rhyme or reason as to who gets selected to fly when, and that we will fly out in several groups (sadly some of us won’t get there until September/October). I read the blogs. I prepared myself for the worst, and now I’m not even close to the worst (hello? it’s only July!) and I’m having a hard time.
There is plenty of time before school starts. There is still plenty of time before July 30th. I might still find myself going then, which is also part of the problem. That’s in a few days. My new life could begin just like that.
Am I ready? Have I said all my goodbyes? Gotten all my ducks in a row?
I applied for this job 8 months ago, and now it feels like all of a sudden it’s here. Except it’s not, but it might be any minute.
The not knowing the when, where, etc. is the most nerve-wracking part about this whole experience. I feel sorry for my family because from their perspective it must seem like I want to hurry up and leave them, which is so not the case. I just want to know when I’m leaving. I guess what it boils down to is that I worry that for me this trip will not happen. I know that’s crazy talk, but there you have it. Even crazier is I have a good life here, so it’s not a bad thing if I don’t go. But, insert toddler temper tantrum here, I really want to do this.
Christmas in July…
A few months ago one of my besties, Ericka, said she’d like to throw a Christmas in July party for me since I won’t be here this Christmas —- and anyone who knows me knows I LOVE the winter holidays. From Halloween to New Years it’s one food, drink and laugh filled celebration after the other. To my new Abu Dhabi friends be prepared to play and not lose weight.
What I love most about that time of year —- other than all the lights and craziness —- is that it’s always about being with the people I love the most, so while I will embrace my new life I will also be quite homesick (although my peeps are coming to visit me so it’s all good).
Anyway, I suggested we go ahead and do it at my house since I have a big pool we can all escape the heat in. Before I knew it a facebook event page popped up, and we were inviting people from all over. Unbeknownst to me another one of my besties, Monica, secretly RSVPd. The whole time she had been posting that she wished she could fly in for the event but money was tight, and blah, blah, blah. This is the same woman who claims it’s her birthday every month, so I should’ve known better, but I didn’t and I just about peed myself (okay maybe I did a little) when she walked into my kitchen.
Here’s the crazy beotch stuck in the cooler
She stayed with us through Tuesday, and oh my goodness it was just like the holidays —- except we could use the pool! We had so much fun that I barely even thought about my upcoming move, which is a good thing because I think about it way too much (um, if things work out the way I’m hoping I should be on a plane within the next 3 weeks).
Wednesday I met up with a former department chair who is now retired and looking great (way to go Liz!) and yesterday I met up with some others moving to Abu Dhabi, including a couple who aren’t teachers but I hope we end up living in the same community. Something tells me they’d be great neighbors/friends to have.
Today is the first day where I have absolutely no plans, which is why I’m in here typing away and posting party pics. Of course this also means I have time on my hands, which means I’ve checked my email too many times to see if my e-ticket came in —- KNOWING that nothing will go out until Ramadan ends, but I like to torture myself.
Okay enough of my rambling and onto some of the pics. I wish I had more, but, well, we were having too much fun. What can I say?
Hahahaha a Tres Leches cake made by non English speakers, so my name and fun is misspelled, which of course made this the perfect cake for the party. Thanks Debbie! It was an awesome cake, and I want to hug whomever decorated it.
The calm before the storm. The party preparers (although I didn’t really have to do much) chilling before getting things ready for the night ahead, which didn’t end until the wee hours Sunday.
Even black Santa partied. 
The two crazies together…
hahaha Joe loves crazy 
Just some of the party pics. Needless to say after awhile cameras were forgotten, which is the way it should be! Although I’m so bummed that I didn’t get any pics of the Premier crew. It was soooooooo good to see some of my buds from the very first school I ever taught at. Greg, Monika and Dave I am so happy you came. It’s official we all have to get together again, so I can take a photo!
The next day we went to Jimbos for breakfast, which is an establishment (hahaha dive bar) that serves free breakfast when you order a drink. Then we came home watched the World Cup, Drunken History and Naked and Afraid — much more fun to watch these shows with friends over. Besides it’s about all that we could handle at that point.
A post party party with just a few of us. Aaron and Tanner kept us entertained with their diving off the roof antics. If I can figure out how to do it I’ll post video later.
somebody taking a nap in the pool…
awww even the floats are tired
our final party before putting Monica on a plane. The pink flamingo is her gift to me. I’m to bring it every where I go and take pictures of it. Hahahaha my flat flamingo!
Again, I love my people! I will soooooo miss all of you.
Moving while staying put…
I’ve been busy, but not busy enough to keep me from trolling through all the Facebook pages. One of the things I’m looking forward to is NOT being addicted to Facebook updates. You see this is my Abu Dhabi lifeline right now. It’s how I get my “what’s it like over there” fix, but like all addictions it provides more wasted time than highs. Whew! luckily it’s not an addiction that actually costs me money, or damages my health (my sanity, on the other hand, might be in question).
There are A LOT of “buy my stuff” posts going up right now — from those of us who are leaving our countries and those who are returning to their countries. It’s one big virtual yard sale mayhem. Every now and then I’ll see something from Abu Dhabi posted, and I’m like nooooo don’t sell that yet. I want it. Can’t you wait until I get there.
Meanwhile, I’m throwing out stuff I’ve had for years and done nothing with. Sooooo, the irony here is that I’m paring down what I have (and realizing how much money I’ve wasted on crap throughout the years) while fantasizing about buying more junk —- just in another country. How effed up is that?
And, I’m one of the lucky ones. I only have to get rid of extra clothing. So many of my counterparts are having to get rid of furniture, appliances, THEIR HOMES. I can’t even imagine how stressed and exhausted I’d be if I was also selling my house. I am soooooo, soooooo, soooooo glad we decided not to sell. It’s bad enough to have given up the security of my job, and the insurance that goes with it (although I am on the sub list, so money will come in if I don’t get shipped out in early August like I’m hoping). I’d be totally whackadoodle if I also had to move to another place until moving to the UAE.
I’m also lucky that because I don’t have that extra “get rid of house” stress that I have more time to enjoy the things I love the most. I’ve been doing a lot of hiking, reading, hanging out with friends and family, lounging with my pets, and floating in the pool. This is probably the most laid-back summer I have ever had, and I’m so grateful to be having it!
Of course that will all change in about six weeks. Since I was hired in February, I’m hoping to be in the first batch of teachers sent over. Hoping doesn’t mean that’s what will happen, but for now it’s what I’ve got.
Oh, and I’ve also been doing a little bit of writing. Nothing to brag about, but my hikes (and I do sooooo love them, although I skipped hiking this morning) sparked two blogs in one day. One is about the hikes themselves, and the other is about how the death of a fellow hiker keeps reminding me of what’s important.
Here’s my Teach UAE clip (with photos): http://teachuae.com/dirt-beneath-feet/
And here’s my StoryShare post (hahaha with some of the same photos): http://storyshare.org/bits-grounds-us/
Going back to go forward…
The thing about going back ‘home’ for a visit is that your senses surprise you with scents, sights and sounds you didn’t even know you missed. Who knew I longed for the smell of wet azaleas? Even better: I got all giddy when we drove past the Ladysmith exit on I-95, which leads to the community where I bought my first house. It’s been eight years since I’ve visited Virginia, and to be honest I’ve had no real desire to go back. It’s not that I don’t love my family and friends, or that I don’t notice the beauty the state holds. It’s just that I like using vacation time and money to go to new places. I’ve also moved a lot, so it’s just a few dots on the map of all my former homes.
Now, that I’m moving overseas I felt it was time to go for a visit (plus my daughter really wanted to visit with her father). Richmond and Fredericksburg changed a lot while I was gone — all for the better. Restaurants and breweries are popping up all over the place. I don’t know why they didn’t figure out that this was a mecca for beer sooner. Everyone I know there loves beer … hello?! Southern Virginia where some of my family lives didn’t feel all that different, but I only spent a few hours driving from Chester to Colonial Heights to Prince George. Can’t say much about the actual towns, but, when you go into the gas station near where my mother lives it still could be the backdrop for any episode of Swamp People, Duck Hunters or Honey Boo Boo. I’m being unfair because there are also some lovely estates in Prince George. My mother, a German with the accent to prove it, also does not fit the gas-station stereotypes, and she too gasses up there. So it’s all good.
Time flew by because we pretty much went from one house to the next, but I’m so glad we did. It’s sad that we don’t always realize what a good life we’re having until we go back after years of being away. I am soooo lucky to have had the chance to live and grow there, and I cannot wait for my old friends to come visit me in my new home, or online where we chat anyway. I’ll try my best to post as much of my new home, so they can feel like they’re there with me.
As for Abu Dhabi, the terminal we flew out of just happened to house Etihad, Emirates, and Turkish Air, some of the airlines my new employer uses to fly us on over. Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe Dulles Airport will be where my layover is, so that I can have one more whiff of Virginia before I go — and one more beer with my buddies! Look how cute they all are…
The last two pics almost define summer (add lake or river water and you have trifecta) for me: fire pits (in Arizona we do this in the winter time) and crab cracking. I hate the mess, but yum yum! Thank you to everyone for such a wonderful time! I miss and love you all!
Summer vacay begins!
I’m sitting here waiting for friends to arrive so that we can float and sip in the pool. It’s been a busy weekend. My last day of work was Friday, and Aaron graduated same day. We feasted and went to see the latest X-men movie, which was fun. On Saturday we went up north to camp and watch the meteor shower. While we didn’t see anything amazing in the heavens we did manage to have way too good a time — came home absolutely exhausted. Since today is Memorial Day, it’s still a normal day off. Tomorrow, however, begins the work week, and I get to do absolutely nothing if I wanted to. Right now I’m sooooo looking forward to some down time, although there won’t be much of it. Kaylene and I have a trip planned to D.C., then Joe and I will visit Kyle in Colorado, and, well, you know there’s the whole planning to move to the Middle East thing. But, TODAY I get all wrinkly in the pool. Amen to time off!
Two of my monsters. Kyle was lost in the crowd. I’ll post more about him after the Colorado visit. I’m sure there will be some great pics there!
And, here’s the latest blog posted for Teach UAE (I truly do feel like I’m living in parallel worlds — my Arizona now and my Abu Dhabi tomorrow): http://teachuae.com/this-is-what-its-all-about/
Think they’ll notice…
The above photo and my following post was first published on Teach UAE Magazine’s blog at http://teachuae.com/think-theyll-notice-im-little-different/
But I’m too lazy to write another blog post, so I’m posting below. The only thing I have to add is I’ve been so caught up with my upcoming move that I haven’t done a whole lot for another big event in my life — my son’s graduation. So, I’m busy with that right now. Okay here’s the blog:
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I’m closing out the school year like I always do. While I’m going through the motions, I am not the same person I was just a few months ago. I love this time of year. There’s Mother’s Day, my birthday, the last day of work, and woo hoo, the first day of summer break. It’s normally all about celebrating me and my much-needed free time.
Up until this weekend I’ve totally been my yee-haw-it’s-almost-over self, but then it hit me that oh wow, this is the beginning of my goodbyes.
My first adios came from my tax accountant when I emailed him to see if I could still use his services while overseas. His response was: “You’ll have to get someone else. It’s been nice talking to you.”
I joked about how I just got dumped and that I’d be looking for a new accountant with a brand new, more expensive calculator. But, just like that, the guy whose been whipping out my refunds is gone.
Then I spent the weekend rummaging through old photos with my daughter. My youngest will graduate next weekend, and, of course, we were looking for the humiliating baby shots to show off to his buddies. A few days ago, I was boasting about how much living I’m going to do without having to worry about my children. Now, I miss the little buggers. For the first time ever I got nostalgic over loaded diapers and bulky strollers.
Luckily, before I could get misty eyed, my daughter opened the wedding album.
“OMG you were so skinny,”she says. “You’re anorexic compared to the way you are now.”
I kindly reminded her that she has my figure and that she too will one day have my current physique. That shut her up and got me back to appreciating my upcoming kid-less life.
The exclamation point to the new me came early Monday morning when I went to a meeting about how this year’s data is being used to mold next year’s activities. I didn’t have to go but I wanted to (which is so unlike me). I almost cried at the test results being shared. Not because they were poor grades, but because I realized that I won’t be there to help out with next year’s objectives.
Hello? I’m getting choked up over numbers and objectives.
The good news is I’m pretty sure there will be plenty of data for me to blubber about and get attached to in Abu Dhabi! I also sense that I’ll be my old chipper self-planning for next year’s summer break. Until then, I’m trying to fit into my old world while anticipating the new.
Losing it just a bit…
I’m also getting lazy on you guys (whomever you may be). Below is a post on the blog I write for Teach UAE magazine. This way I meet my weekly posting goal here, and I once again share how crazy I’m going over this whole change-my-world thing. Three more weeks left of work here, and then it’s get ready for the big move — IF I don’t go legit insane. Oh, and the reason for my odd ailment fears is that when I land in the UAE I will be tested and x-rayed for an assortment of diseases. If I show evidence of having had, or currently have, any of them I’ll be sent back home.
How is this for being a few pegs shy of normal? I’m an obnoxiously happy camper today because I had a freckle (okay it’s an age spot) removed from my scalp. I’ve had this for at least 10 years, but all of a sudden I’m panicked that it’s cancerous. It wasn’t but the doctor offered to freeze it off anyway. The poor guy tried to keep from going cross-eyed over my prattle of potential ailments because it seems I was worried about a lot more.
“I had chicken pox in my thirties. I was told (or maybe I read it online) it could’ve scarred my lungs. Could that be mistaken for TB scarring?” Before he could answer, I blurted out my next fear, “I had the first set of hepatitis shots when I went to Ghana, is that going to give me a false positive?” His eyes go big when I say, “I’d know if I had syphilis, right?” And now that I think about it he may have thought I did because doesn’t syphilis eventually cause you to go insane?
After advising me to breathe and to explain what was really bothering me, I told him that I’m afraid. I’ve quit my job of 10 years and with it will go my insurance. I have until May 31st before my American benefits run out. What worries me the most, though, is going to Abu Dhabi in August only to get sent back because of some unknown illness —- with no job and no health insurance.
The doctor calms me down by reminding me of how healthy I am (my kids have seen him way more than I have in the 12 years we’ve been going there), and then he tells me what he can do to help me out. He throws in some extra tests to be done with my blood work, gives me my second round of hepatitis shots (apparently my blood work will show that I have the antibodies not the disease), and offers to do a TB test (which I declined because I had one done a few years ago at work).
“Relax. You’re going on a fantastic adventure,” he says. “Now let’s get that spot removed for you.”
As the nitrogen crackled away, I almost cried tears of relief. It’s going to be okay. I’m really going, and nothing freaky is going to deport me. Yes, the enormity of my upcoming move sometimes overshadows my excitement over it, but it is all going to work out. Now I can go back to obsessing over what I’m packing, what I’ll be teaching, where I’ll be living. Too bad the doctor can’t cure me of those worries.
bettina without borders 