Ah haa... so some time has passed. I realized my blogs have mostly been travel updates, so just wanted to tune in to My Life as an Expat being 15 months in.... almost hitting the 2 years mark. Wow! Where does the time go?
But 1st off, thanks to Ramadan (Ramadan Kareem everyone!), I now am working 20 hours less a week and I have to say it's soooooooooooo sooooooooooooooooooo nice. Not having to drink or eat during the day hasn't been that big of deal just knowing that I can see so much more daylight and have so many extra hours free. Niiiiiice! I really feel for people who are fasting because Ramadan this year falls smack in the middle of summer, and it must be really REALLY hard to not drink water ALL day in this heat. Respect to them. I don't know if it's because I'm more used to the heat, but this summer really doesn't seem too bad to be, it hasn't been as humid as before. BUT of course I can drink throughout the day (just hidden) so it makes it a wee bit easier.
So here are some updates:
Home life: REALLY loving my apartment! I REALLY hope they don't raise the rent next year. Eeek! It really feels like "home" to me. I'm keeping it basic and REALLY trying to not accrue too much extra stuff. I learned my lesson when I literally and figuratively broke my back cleaning up my old home to come out here. I don't want to make the same mistake! I live right in the downtown area and a majority of my friends live almost walking distance AND a lot of my activities are also close by. Really happy with it!!! Being so central is great and makes me even consider downtown life when I get back to Chicago :-)
Activity life: I will be going into more detail of this in my next blog (hehe), keeping fairly busy with sport and exercise. With most of my friends being from various sport groups I am involved in, it's easy to get more and more involved in different activities. Some days I am even doing 2 sports and really have to think about what I am doing each day. I enjoy it, feel in good shape, and it definitely keeps me busy.
Dubai life: Ahh.... the one word people sometimes describe Dubai is convenient. Not to say everything is easy, because it's not, but it is a convenient place to live. Just the other day my car battery died, and all it took was a phone call and next thing you know the battery people came to my work, changed it, and it was done! I didn't even skip a beat with work. I think it's easy for people to feel lazy too because they have delivery for everything, food of course, tools (Ace delivers here), pharmacy, you name it! Now that I look back, I feel my 1st year was so/so, not bad, not excellent, just... okay. Now I feel much more comfortable and adjusted and even considering prolonging my initial "2-3" years. Most everyone says that when they come, but really, this place kinds sucks you in. We'll see!!! As usual, things are always changing here, internally and externally (always construction!), so always new and interesting things popping up.
Expat life: Although yes, this has become a bit of "home" for me, I of COURSE totally miss my parents and family, my friends, and the city. Summer's are always hard because the summers in Chicago is aaaaahhh-mazing. I definitely go through moments when I feel REALLY homesick (more than when i was traveling)... even for silly stuff, but then life goes on and you become more and more adapted to this "new" life, which is now not seeming so "new."
Social life: It's been good! I don't have nearly as many friends as I did back home, but the friends I do have are good people and I'm happy to have them in my life. Although mostly British (there are a lot of Brits here), it's nice to add some diversity to the mix. Like me, they are not into clubbing and the high end stuff that Dubai is famous for, and are into the low-key gatherings. Such as this weekend we are going to the Spice Market (local nut shopping!) in the old part of Dubai and then Heritage Village for some local eats. And then the next night getting together for light food and drinks at this cool restaurant/Cafe with a group of people.
Work life: And this is where the mostly positive things come to an end. Wah wah. If anything has given me high blood pressure, it is this. It's too long of a story to explain here, but let's just say I am now "keeping my options open." Some things have been total crap, to put it nicely, and other things are "that is so Dubai," which is the negative side of Dubai life. It's definitely been a BIG BIG learning lesson for me, I've prematurely aged and now have more grey hairs, but still trying to just stay calm and positive. Thank gaaawwwwddddd that I looooove what I do, otherwise I would probably be home back in America. So that gets me through the day, at least I am independent with my work and have good relationships with my co-workers (well, most of them). I'm just now going through a particular unfair and unjust situation that I need all the positive support I can get... 'in shallah' I get through it... my poor heart! I know I'm being vague, but I'm sooo disheartened and upset about the whole thing, don't have energy to write it all out. All and all, as a colleague told me, things here in Dubai can be about lessons, and although it's not clear what this lesson is because I did nothing wrong but somehow got the short end of the stick, I'm sure one day it will come to me :-)
Travel life: Ah ha! You know I can't go too long without a travel plan! To be talked about in my next blog....
To be continued....
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