Well, 12 hours to Amman, Jordan, 3 hour layover in Amman, and a 2 hour flight to Dubai later... I made it!!! What a journey! Who would think sitting for so long can be so exhausting? Although I was plenty prepared for my journey: lumbar roll, an eye mask, earplugs, a book, an ipod, flip flops, neck support pillow, when I arrived at 1am on Wed, the 19th.... literally 2 days after I left, I was pooped.
After spending 6 weeks here this spring and now coming back to live, my first thoughts were "wow, this place is really clean and new" (last time I was coming from India, so you can only imagine my reaction!). Then as before, another almost immediate thought was "if there is an easy way and a hard way to do things, here everything is done the hard way." To make a long story short, in order to work here, I have to get my license authenticated 3 times. Not once, not twice, but 3 times. I had completed the step 1 when I was here in the spring. I was home the WHOLE summer, but yet, it was told to me just a couple of weeks before I was leaving that I had to get this Step 2 authentication... (a US Authentication from Washington, D.C.) which of course takes 3 weeks and didn't make it back in time before I left. So my work was expecting these papers and as gentle and as polite as I tried to make it sound, "umm... it would have been nice if you told me this in JULY, when I accepted the position, not a couple of weeks before I was leaving," I look totally incompetent because not only did this other authentication not make it before I left, I realized that I didn't include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Oops. So basically to make a long story short, I had to have it couriered to the US from here to do it all over again... which will take another couple of weeks. Grrrr. Hence:
Lesson #1 of My Life as an Expat: Patience is your Friend
Lesson #2: Always, always be as polite as possible when dealing with locals here. I can't emphasize that enough. Whatever sounds the most cheesy and fluffy to you, that's how you communicate.
So besides dealing with that, the other not-so-fun thing was that my back had taken a turn for the worse and really acted up... to the point where I literally couldn't get out of a car and was walking slowly and with a great limp. As a health care professional, I admit, we make the worst patients. Although this started the last couple of weeks in Chicago when I was packing and moving, I mostly ignored it (aren't I such a great patient? Yes, you can say so) except for keeping an eye on my body mechanics, because I had to get this stuff done! Okay fine, I admit, I'm stubborn and didn't ask anyone for help. So here I am in Dubai... and my Week 1 mostly consisted of me maxin' and relaxin' at home lying on my back. I was supposed to start work a few days after I arrived, and after the 2nd day here, there was NO way I could work or even stand or walk for more than 5-10 minutes at a time, so I said I was ill (which was true) and asked for a week delay, which thankfully they didn't have a problem with. I only had a problem that I haven't even started yet and they probably think I'm an incompetent fool by already delaying my start AND this mess with the stupid authentications. Sigh...
BUT on an upbeat note, I literally came at a PERFECT time! The weather has been FAB-U-LOUS... sunny everyday and in the 80's and 90's! It's greeeaat and that alone just puts me in a good mood. I've "exercised" (which pretty much has been the thing I miss the most considering this summer I was exercising twice a day doing running, swimming, biking, yoga, tennis, and weights) by dabbling in the outdoor pool and the ocean. Yes, you Chicago people, late October and I'm hanging out in an outdoor pool. Woo hooo!!! (okay, I'll try not to rub it in too much!).
Soo.... although I told myself I wouldn't write on this blog unless I had some interesting things to say, here I am talking about my back pain and me doing nothing. Hmm.... well, I'm bored (which is a word I NEVER say!), and writing this is keeping me somewhat entertained. I do admit I'm suffering from "newbee syndrome" (I just made that up, BTW) in that I am feeling a bit lonely and out of sorts.... again, not being healthy and not being productive with my life just yet, does take a toll. And of course just knowing the 2 people I am staying with vs having a whole community in Chicago can be a downer. BUT, this is what Life as an Expat is all about! Starting over, new environment, new place, new people... I know in no time I'll be back on my feet (literally and figuratively) and will be missing these days when I'm just lounging around thinking of stuff to do :-)
Lastly,
Lesson #3 of Life as an Expat: Per other expats or people that have moved to new places: It takes 6 months to a year to get adjusted to your new life.
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