Back to Sugar Land we went literally a day after we got married. Our situation where we were was not good for us and needed a place quickly. Of course, with both of us out of work, the only cash flow is out of the bank and not in to the bank. So this put us in a very tough spot. Where to go... ugh it seemed like a nightmare in the making.
I called my friend Lance, who was also my realtor. He was holding on to my washer, dryer and fridge. He had been trying to sell it while I was gone but had no luck. He mentioned putting them in a garage sale. I called him to let him know it was okay to do that since we were getting in a tough spot and did not want to have too much to travel with. Lance had them stored in his parents house- which was empty. He had the place on the market for quite some time with no offers. He made us a deal we could not refuse. He needed someone to move in to the house to make it look lived in and also help clean it up. The house is paid for so there would be no rent, but we would have to take over the utilities and also spend the time helping to paint, landscape and clean. We took the offer and have been living here for going on three weeks now.
The house is one that needs a lot of TLC. It is an older house located in Sugar Land. It has three bedrooms, two full baths, a small kitchen and breakfast nook as well as a living room. There is also an add on in the back of the house that is perfect for a game room. While we had Kirks pool table, we decided not to put it up since we were not sure how long we would be here. The house included a fridge, love seat and two chairs.
The house is about 2000 sq ft. We don't have a lot to fill it, but at least it looks lived in! Kirk moved the washer and dryer in to the laundry room. The dryer plug needs to be changed since it does not fit our dryer - which means we are stuck for now drying our clothes outside on a makeshift line across the back fence. It is kind of comical and we joke all the time that we are "living in a van down by the river".
Our first week was spent cleaning, taring down wallpaper, trimming trees, fighting cockroaches and filling in holes. It was quite a chore, but the place actually cleaned up really nice. Our second week was spent on our honeymoon in Roatan, Honduras so the place sat empty. This is our third week and we already have a plan. We cleaned again the first day since we had set off bug bombs before we left. Now it is time for laundry, wall texturing and painting. Kirk is planning on doing some much needed landscaping. We are trying to give it as much curb appeal as possible. Yet we don't want to do too much either because we don't really know what Lance wants done and also, whoever buys this place will need to do some major remodeling. This place is a contractors dream!
Of course the job hunt continues on a daily basis. Kirk is more than ready to go back offshore and start diving. I am still holding off to see where his career takes us. I would hate to get a job here and then have to quit because we end up moving to another State or possibly another Country. Once we do figure out where we will end up next, our first priority is getting our kiddos (dogs) back home with us. Boy do we miss them!
Next post will be about our honeymoon!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 9, 2010 - Our Wedding
Kirk and I finally tied the knot on July 9,2010. It was a simple yet beautiful ceremony. You all know that we had planned on getting married on July 20th, so...what happened?
Well, lets see...what didn't happen! Our original plan was to marry in Greece. We had the perfect plan. All fell through when we found out that it was just a play wedding and not the real thing. In order to actually marry there we would have had to jump through too many obstacles. About that time, the company Kirk works for was slow, so he decided to come to Dubai a month earlier than planned. It was all working to our favor and the plan changed to marry in Dubai and then honeymoon in Greece as well as a week in Dubai.
Just after Kirk arrived, we found that it would be even harder to marry in Dubai then Greece. Since Kirk had been divorced, they wanted us to wait a minimum of 8 weeks to get the divorce approved and then our upcoming wedding approved. Then, we both had to JOIN a church. The law in Dubai is that you cannot "shack up" without serious punishment and jail time. So, Kirk went and stayed in a hotel. At that point, things were getting too complicated to get married outside the US. So our next plan was to fly to New York and marry there. Simple, easy and fun.
Things were already bad for me with my job, so Greece was put on the back burner since we were not sure where we would end up in a month or two. That month or two turned in to a week - Only a week after Kirks arrival, we were back on a plane heading to Houston. Now both of us were unemployed. Not a good thing to start our lives together. However, we were just so happy to be with and have each other it really did not seem that bad.
We had already paid the travel agent our down payment for Greece and could not reclaim it. Our wedding and honeymoon was still on, but now on a major budget. The idea was to find a place that we could just use the down payment and nothing else. Our next idea took us to PA since Kirks family is there and they wanted to throw us a party. And of course they all wanted to meet me. The problem was, we could not figure out a way to use our down payment for that other than the plane tickets. And it would not have been much of a honeymoon for us.
Then my sister thought of going on a cruise. That was the perfect idea! We started looking around and found one that left out of Houston/Galveston.
New obstacle - our travel agent does not do cruises. Discouraged, we decided to bring a little happiness and went down to get our marriage license. We were really excited about it. The license was good for 30 day with a three day waiting period. They gave us a list of Justice of the Peace to choose from. All but one seemed too far away.
By now I was getting discouraged. Our beautiful Greek wedding was turning in to a fly by at the court house - most likely in jeans. I made Kirk promise me a regular wedding when we get back on our feet in a year.
I called the Justice of the Peace and she had an opening that Friday. Since we did not know what direction our lives would turn by next week we had to take it. To our delight, she does her ceremonies at a little garden in League City. The thought of a quaint garden wedding thrilled us since we did not have to hammer down the isle of the court house. I decided to wear one of the two wedding dresses I picked out. The one that was for the evening dinner was perfect for the event. We called a few friends to come join us. The day was almost perfect - it was too hot and a few of our friends were already pretty "toasty" (from the alcohol, not the sun).
Below are some pictures for you - we married at 6:00 in the evening in the 7th month on the 9th day in 10th year of 2000. Pretty cool! All we are missing is the 8! - of course that is just me being a dork!
Well, lets see...what didn't happen! Our original plan was to marry in Greece. We had the perfect plan. All fell through when we found out that it was just a play wedding and not the real thing. In order to actually marry there we would have had to jump through too many obstacles. About that time, the company Kirk works for was slow, so he decided to come to Dubai a month earlier than planned. It was all working to our favor and the plan changed to marry in Dubai and then honeymoon in Greece as well as a week in Dubai.
Just after Kirk arrived, we found that it would be even harder to marry in Dubai then Greece. Since Kirk had been divorced, they wanted us to wait a minimum of 8 weeks to get the divorce approved and then our upcoming wedding approved. Then, we both had to JOIN a church. The law in Dubai is that you cannot "shack up" without serious punishment and jail time. So, Kirk went and stayed in a hotel. At that point, things were getting too complicated to get married outside the US. So our next plan was to fly to New York and marry there. Simple, easy and fun.
Things were already bad for me with my job, so Greece was put on the back burner since we were not sure where we would end up in a month or two. That month or two turned in to a week - Only a week after Kirks arrival, we were back on a plane heading to Houston. Now both of us were unemployed. Not a good thing to start our lives together. However, we were just so happy to be with and have each other it really did not seem that bad.
We had already paid the travel agent our down payment for Greece and could not reclaim it. Our wedding and honeymoon was still on, but now on a major budget. The idea was to find a place that we could just use the down payment and nothing else. Our next idea took us to PA since Kirks family is there and they wanted to throw us a party. And of course they all wanted to meet me. The problem was, we could not figure out a way to use our down payment for that other than the plane tickets. And it would not have been much of a honeymoon for us.
Then my sister thought of going on a cruise. That was the perfect idea! We started looking around and found one that left out of Houston/Galveston.
New obstacle - our travel agent does not do cruises. Discouraged, we decided to bring a little happiness and went down to get our marriage license. We were really excited about it. The license was good for 30 day with a three day waiting period. They gave us a list of Justice of the Peace to choose from. All but one seemed too far away.
By now I was getting discouraged. Our beautiful Greek wedding was turning in to a fly by at the court house - most likely in jeans. I made Kirk promise me a regular wedding when we get back on our feet in a year.
I called the Justice of the Peace and she had an opening that Friday. Since we did not know what direction our lives would turn by next week we had to take it. To our delight, she does her ceremonies at a little garden in League City. The thought of a quaint garden wedding thrilled us since we did not have to hammer down the isle of the court house. I decided to wear one of the two wedding dresses I picked out. The one that was for the evening dinner was perfect for the event. We called a few friends to come join us. The day was almost perfect - it was too hot and a few of our friends were already pretty "toasty" (from the alcohol, not the sun).
Below are some pictures for you - we married at 6:00 in the evening in the 7th month on the 9th day in 10th year of 2000. Pretty cool! All we are missing is the 8! - of course that is just me being a dork!
Now it is off to Roatan, Honduras for our honeymoon!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
June and beginning of July
Excuse the small caps on some of my sentences. I am using Kirks computer and it does not do caps on some letters.
A week after Kirk arrived we had some problems and had to return home. Too much to go in to now and not sure that I really want to relive it at this time. maybe sometime in the future. Lets just say it was an eye opener for us both and we have some tough times ahead of us now. I was returned to my home office and will soon be joining the unemployment line, along with the millions of others across this country.
even with everything that has happened and what we are experiencing now, we are in high spirits. while it is stressful, we are both trying to be very positive and know that the future hold some amazing things for us. I told Kirk before that we we can just get through this together then we know we will be stronger together and last a lifetime. So far that has held true and we become closer each day. I did not think that was possible as we were already meant to be together, but it is. what a wonderful feeling. Also to have someone stick by me in this turmoil and support me - well....that just speaks volumes of his love for me - and my love for him.
So now we are back in Houston for a bit. we are still planning our wedding since we already have it paid for, but the plans seem to change on a daily basis. we can't get a refund so we are going to go for it, but as cheaply as possible. Later on in life we will have what we need and be able to travel then. The wedding went from Greece to New York. we would still love to have it in NY but funds are limited and we would not be able to do all the things we want to there. Now it is looking like a possible cruise out of Galveston and then up to Pennsylvania to meet his family. Here it is almost a year since we started dating again and I have not even met his family. Seems strange to have not had the pleasure of meeting them before i make them my family for life. But I guess that does not matter since Kirk is the most important part of my life. I know that I will love them and hope that they love me too.
Kirk gave up everything for me to come to Dubai. Now it is my turn to return the favor. Our goal is let him find his dream job and I will go with him wherever that takes us. If he is able to get a job overseas, then I have my choice of where to live in the US. If he gets a job in the States, then I will join him there. my career is very general so I am able to get a job anywhere, while his is very specialized. we need to go where his work takes us. And I think it is time for me to change my career and finally do something that makes me happy. Time to start soul searching. Someday, our plans are to buy a piece of property and raise animals. we talk about having a kennel and also a horse boarding stables. we also want a few cattle - but we have mixed ideas on that. I want pets, he wants beef - if you get my drift. right now it is a dream that will hopefully come true in the not so far future. we are playing the lotto now ; )
As far as a stable place to live, well that has yet to be seen. we are staying at one of his friends houses right now but that will end in less than a week. It is too unstable here and not a good environment for us. And unfortunately it is one of those times when you learn who yours friends really are. we have had a few offers from family to help get us back on our feet. Looks like within a month we will be taking someone up on that offer. For now, we have a friend that has offered us a house to stay in for free. It is empty and on the market but has not sold. He believes it has a better chance of selling if there is someone living in it. Of course we would pay the utilities. It would also give us time to put everything large that we still own here up for sale. Our new car - which I will tell you about next - does not have a tow hitch and it would be too hard on the transmission to haul anything across country. we have a 4 year old fridge, brand new washer and dryer, chemistry table, new pool table, etc. Craigslist here we come!
we have been back a week exactly yesterday. Our first goal was to buy a used car so that we were not relying on anyone to tote us around. After 3 days of searching we were about to give up and buy the lemon that seemed to be the best deal out of everything we saw. I can't believe how people trash their vehicles around here and how much they want for them. we were starting to think that we would have to finance a newer vehicle. Just before we put in an offer for a 2000 Jeep Laredo that was beat to heck, we decided to look at just one more Jeep. we were both so discouraged by this time, it couldn't hurt to just take another hour to look at another pile of junk. The minute we saw the 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport we knew we had made the right choice to wait and before even test driving it we were ready to call the other dealership and tell them no thanks. It is hunter green and in very good shape with 104,000 miles on it. The interior was so clean and in great shape - it looked almost brand new inside. The outside has a few dings and scratches, but that is to be expected of a 10 year old car. It drives great too! even has a brand new a/c unit.
Driving it home though, the check engine light came on. we are not worried about it but before we make any long hauls across the country we are going to take it to have the engine fully checked and also have the tires replaced. It will need a little tlc, but both of us take really good care of our vehicles so we don't mind. we just want something that we can rely on and know that it will get us where we want to go. we are both very comfortable with our first large purchase together....and we were able to get a great deal on it with cash down and no payments.
Oh - yesterday we found out that our hunter green Jeep used to be red! A few scratches on the front grill revealed her true color!
I have some pictures from our last day in Dubai that I will put up later.
This blog now will become our blog for all of the adventures to come...including all the trials of being unemployed.
A week after Kirk arrived we had some problems and had to return home. Too much to go in to now and not sure that I really want to relive it at this time. maybe sometime in the future. Lets just say it was an eye opener for us both and we have some tough times ahead of us now. I was returned to my home office and will soon be joining the unemployment line, along with the millions of others across this country.
even with everything that has happened and what we are experiencing now, we are in high spirits. while it is stressful, we are both trying to be very positive and know that the future hold some amazing things for us. I told Kirk before that we we can just get through this together then we know we will be stronger together and last a lifetime. So far that has held true and we become closer each day. I did not think that was possible as we were already meant to be together, but it is. what a wonderful feeling. Also to have someone stick by me in this turmoil and support me - well....that just speaks volumes of his love for me - and my love for him.
So now we are back in Houston for a bit. we are still planning our wedding since we already have it paid for, but the plans seem to change on a daily basis. we can't get a refund so we are going to go for it, but as cheaply as possible. Later on in life we will have what we need and be able to travel then. The wedding went from Greece to New York. we would still love to have it in NY but funds are limited and we would not be able to do all the things we want to there. Now it is looking like a possible cruise out of Galveston and then up to Pennsylvania to meet his family. Here it is almost a year since we started dating again and I have not even met his family. Seems strange to have not had the pleasure of meeting them before i make them my family for life. But I guess that does not matter since Kirk is the most important part of my life. I know that I will love them and hope that they love me too.
Kirk gave up everything for me to come to Dubai. Now it is my turn to return the favor. Our goal is let him find his dream job and I will go with him wherever that takes us. If he is able to get a job overseas, then I have my choice of where to live in the US. If he gets a job in the States, then I will join him there. my career is very general so I am able to get a job anywhere, while his is very specialized. we need to go where his work takes us. And I think it is time for me to change my career and finally do something that makes me happy. Time to start soul searching. Someday, our plans are to buy a piece of property and raise animals. we talk about having a kennel and also a horse boarding stables. we also want a few cattle - but we have mixed ideas on that. I want pets, he wants beef - if you get my drift. right now it is a dream that will hopefully come true in the not so far future. we are playing the lotto now ; )
As far as a stable place to live, well that has yet to be seen. we are staying at one of his friends houses right now but that will end in less than a week. It is too unstable here and not a good environment for us. And unfortunately it is one of those times when you learn who yours friends really are. we have had a few offers from family to help get us back on our feet. Looks like within a month we will be taking someone up on that offer. For now, we have a friend that has offered us a house to stay in for free. It is empty and on the market but has not sold. He believes it has a better chance of selling if there is someone living in it. Of course we would pay the utilities. It would also give us time to put everything large that we still own here up for sale. Our new car - which I will tell you about next - does not have a tow hitch and it would be too hard on the transmission to haul anything across country. we have a 4 year old fridge, brand new washer and dryer, chemistry table, new pool table, etc. Craigslist here we come!
we have been back a week exactly yesterday. Our first goal was to buy a used car so that we were not relying on anyone to tote us around. After 3 days of searching we were about to give up and buy the lemon that seemed to be the best deal out of everything we saw. I can't believe how people trash their vehicles around here and how much they want for them. we were starting to think that we would have to finance a newer vehicle. Just before we put in an offer for a 2000 Jeep Laredo that was beat to heck, we decided to look at just one more Jeep. we were both so discouraged by this time, it couldn't hurt to just take another hour to look at another pile of junk. The minute we saw the 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport we knew we had made the right choice to wait and before even test driving it we were ready to call the other dealership and tell them no thanks. It is hunter green and in very good shape with 104,000 miles on it. The interior was so clean and in great shape - it looked almost brand new inside. The outside has a few dings and scratches, but that is to be expected of a 10 year old car. It drives great too! even has a brand new a/c unit.
Driving it home though, the check engine light came on. we are not worried about it but before we make any long hauls across the country we are going to take it to have the engine fully checked and also have the tires replaced. It will need a little tlc, but both of us take really good care of our vehicles so we don't mind. we just want something that we can rely on and know that it will get us where we want to go. we are both very comfortable with our first large purchase together....and we were able to get a great deal on it with cash down and no payments.
Oh - yesterday we found out that our hunter green Jeep used to be red! A few scratches on the front grill revealed her true color!
I have some pictures from our last day in Dubai that I will put up later.
This blog now will become our blog for all of the adventures to come...including all the trials of being unemployed.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Kirk in June
Kirk arrived 24 hours ago. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to have him here. Of course, our plans have changed significantly in the past month on what we are going to do. We are now planing a July wedding in New York City. Right now it will be at the City Hall, but we have some other things we are thinking about too.
New York is an easy flight in and out for us. We were having a hard time getting married outside the US so we are happy to head closer to home just to make sure we are legal in Dubai. Since we are trying to do the right thing, Kirk is living in a hotel right now for the next month. He will not move in to the apartment until we are married. This will cost us extra money, but it will keep us out of trouble and out of Jail. They say there are a lot of couples living here that are not married, but I just don't want to take that chance. Plus we enforce the laws and company policy on our employees - I need to stand by what I say to others and abide by the same. We get to spend a little bit of time together each day and that is much better than not seeing each other at all. I am happy to have him here!
When I picked him up from the airport yesterday I went to go touch his arm because I was so excited to see him. In the UAE it is offensive for a man to touch a woman in any way in public. And if we showed any kind of affection for each other we could be arrested and thrown in jail for 3 months. We have to watch ourselves really well here. I am so used to holding his hand and being close to him. Once we got in to his hotel room to drop off his stuff, he burried me in his arms and we just hugged for what seemed like hours. It was such a nice feeling.
Kirk will get a bit more acclimated here and get over his jet lag before he starts job hunting. He will start aggressively on Monday. Until then, we will spend what time we can together. It has been almost 4 months since we had seen each other. It is almost like we are starting to date all over again. I am glad I get to experience that again with him.
A couple of days before Kirk arrived I received another care package from my mom. It contained my big pink fuzzy blanket, my pillow, hair dye and some shirts I bought online. I slept on my pillow for the second time and boy did I miss it! That is the best pillow EVER!!!!
Working the night shift is so different. I am the only one in the office for most of my 12 hour shift. So it is quiet and I get a lot done. However, it is also so very boring. On nights when it is slow I feel like I am going to fall asleep. I drink a lot of tea or coffee to keep myself awake. I also try to pace out my work load so that I don't have to worry about too many long breaks that would tempt me to wander over to the comfy couch and doze off. I don't plan on ever sleeping on my shift but I know the others before me and the others at the other locations do. I think there should be two people on this shift in each location to hold each person accountable for staying awake! Ahhh but two people means half the work load and way too much time on my hands! I will stick to just one of me thank you!
New York is an easy flight in and out for us. We were having a hard time getting married outside the US so we are happy to head closer to home just to make sure we are legal in Dubai. Since we are trying to do the right thing, Kirk is living in a hotel right now for the next month. He will not move in to the apartment until we are married. This will cost us extra money, but it will keep us out of trouble and out of Jail. They say there are a lot of couples living here that are not married, but I just don't want to take that chance. Plus we enforce the laws and company policy on our employees - I need to stand by what I say to others and abide by the same. We get to spend a little bit of time together each day and that is much better than not seeing each other at all. I am happy to have him here!
When I picked him up from the airport yesterday I went to go touch his arm because I was so excited to see him. In the UAE it is offensive for a man to touch a woman in any way in public. And if we showed any kind of affection for each other we could be arrested and thrown in jail for 3 months. We have to watch ourselves really well here. I am so used to holding his hand and being close to him. Once we got in to his hotel room to drop off his stuff, he burried me in his arms and we just hugged for what seemed like hours. It was such a nice feeling.
Kirk will get a bit more acclimated here and get over his jet lag before he starts job hunting. He will start aggressively on Monday. Until then, we will spend what time we can together. It has been almost 4 months since we had seen each other. It is almost like we are starting to date all over again. I am glad I get to experience that again with him.
A couple of days before Kirk arrived I received another care package from my mom. It contained my big pink fuzzy blanket, my pillow, hair dye and some shirts I bought online. I slept on my pillow for the second time and boy did I miss it! That is the best pillow EVER!!!!
Working the night shift is so different. I am the only one in the office for most of my 12 hour shift. So it is quiet and I get a lot done. However, it is also so very boring. On nights when it is slow I feel like I am going to fall asleep. I drink a lot of tea or coffee to keep myself awake. I also try to pace out my work load so that I don't have to worry about too many long breaks that would tempt me to wander over to the comfy couch and doze off. I don't plan on ever sleeping on my shift but I know the others before me and the others at the other locations do. I think there should be two people on this shift in each location to hold each person accountable for staying awake! Ahhh but two people means half the work load and way too much time on my hands! I will stick to just one of me thank you!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Too many lessons
The past few weeks have been very tough for me. I have had to learn some hard lessons and really had to humble myself. I hit 10 years with the company I work for yet it seems that the past few months I have been working for a different company. The two divisions are NOT the same - in any aspect except the main name. If I could, I would go back to the other division in a heart beat. But I am here so I need to make the best of it.
I have given up (willingly) my previous duties and I will now be working in a different capacity. I say willingly because I am relieved to be out from under it - but it was actually taken from me. I am sure glad they did because I was drowning and couldn't keep up. It is bitter sweet. I now have to concentrate and do my best in my new role. This new role will bring me to working nights for a while. I will pretty much be back on USA time.
My biggest and bestest care package will be heading my way in less than 10 days. Kirk is coming to live with me here! He leaves Jun 15 and will arrive Jun 16 in the evening. I am so excited and it will take a lot of the stress off my shoulders. I can finally relax and know that everything will be alright. As long as we have each other to lean on, life will be grand. I am incredibly grateful that he is willing to give up everything to be with me. I will return the favor once my year here is up.
Since Kirk is coming out early, we will be married as soon as possible. We have decided to give up Greece for now as it is just not financially smart for us to spend that kind of money right now. Plus Greece is in much turmoil and looks like a civil war may break out soon. We are going to look in to going to Thailand for a week and then spend the rest of our vacation here in Dubai or in the surrounding areas. Of course all is up in the air right now and I will know more once he gets out here and we can plan a little better.
Kirks main priority, besides come here with me, will be to find a job. He is looking at working in Asia and making Dubai his home base. We will see what all pans out once he can spend some time looking around here and putting his resume in. His job is one that is very specialized and in high demand so it should be very easy for him to find something.
Tonight I had some free time so I actually got out to see some sites. I went over to the Irish Village for Dinner. There are several restaurants that surround the Dubai tennis stadium. It was very peaceful and I settled on Sushi. It was okay, but I really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. Next time I go, I will take some pictures.
I have given up (willingly) my previous duties and I will now be working in a different capacity. I say willingly because I am relieved to be out from under it - but it was actually taken from me. I am sure glad they did because I was drowning and couldn't keep up. It is bitter sweet. I now have to concentrate and do my best in my new role. This new role will bring me to working nights for a while. I will pretty much be back on USA time.
My biggest and bestest care package will be heading my way in less than 10 days. Kirk is coming to live with me here! He leaves Jun 15 and will arrive Jun 16 in the evening. I am so excited and it will take a lot of the stress off my shoulders. I can finally relax and know that everything will be alright. As long as we have each other to lean on, life will be grand. I am incredibly grateful that he is willing to give up everything to be with me. I will return the favor once my year here is up.
Since Kirk is coming out early, we will be married as soon as possible. We have decided to give up Greece for now as it is just not financially smart for us to spend that kind of money right now. Plus Greece is in much turmoil and looks like a civil war may break out soon. We are going to look in to going to Thailand for a week and then spend the rest of our vacation here in Dubai or in the surrounding areas. Of course all is up in the air right now and I will know more once he gets out here and we can plan a little better.
Kirks main priority, besides come here with me, will be to find a job. He is looking at working in Asia and making Dubai his home base. We will see what all pans out once he can spend some time looking around here and putting his resume in. His job is one that is very specialized and in high demand so it should be very easy for him to find something.
Tonight I had some free time so I actually got out to see some sites. I went over to the Irish Village for Dinner. There are several restaurants that surround the Dubai tennis stadium. It was very peaceful and I settled on Sushi. It was okay, but I really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. Next time I go, I will take some pictures.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Christmas in May!
I was so excited to get my second care package from my Mom! I could not wait to rip in to it and see what awaited me. When I get a care package here it is like Christmas!
The package contained many items but the first and most important was my actual wedding dress! I have two dresses, one for the wedding and one for the evening. We will be taking pictures at both times so I wanted to make sure I had two different dresses. The wedding dress is really pretty and just perfect for me. It is a very elegant style that can I can still be barefoot on the boat. I tried it on right away before even looking at what else was in the box. To my surprise, it fit perfectly! I won't have to alter this one at all...As long as I don't gain or lose any weight.
Mom tried to pick out shoes to go with the dress, but they were too busy for the dress. So I am on my own now to try and find the right sandals. My evening dress I think I might see if I can find a low heal sandal for, but the wedding dress needs a very plain yet feminine flip flop or sandal. I am sure this means I will have to take a day off sometime in the next two months to go shopping!
The rest of the box contained all sorts of goodies. One thing that I cannot find here is Mac and Cheese - so I now have several boxes of that. The canned tuna here is packed in oil or salt water - I now have three cans of tuna in spring water. Mom has stocked me up on rice crispy treats, flu medications and a year supply of gum!
I LOVE my care package! I can't wait for the next one! THANK YOU MOM!
Yesterday I received an email that the head of operations for our mission is in town and planned a lunch for all of us here in Dubai today at noon. The offices will be shut down for an hour so that everyone can attend. It is a mix between a meet and greet for brass and also to show appreciation for all the hard work we are doing here. On a side note to that - it is also a celebration for my 10 years with the company. I can't even believe I made it through 10 years! I am a little nervous but I think it will be a very nice lunch. I wonder if they will give me my 10 year pin today???
The package contained many items but the first and most important was my actual wedding dress! I have two dresses, one for the wedding and one for the evening. We will be taking pictures at both times so I wanted to make sure I had two different dresses. The wedding dress is really pretty and just perfect for me. It is a very elegant style that can I can still be barefoot on the boat. I tried it on right away before even looking at what else was in the box. To my surprise, it fit perfectly! I won't have to alter this one at all...As long as I don't gain or lose any weight.
Mom tried to pick out shoes to go with the dress, but they were too busy for the dress. So I am on my own now to try and find the right sandals. My evening dress I think I might see if I can find a low heal sandal for, but the wedding dress needs a very plain yet feminine flip flop or sandal. I am sure this means I will have to take a day off sometime in the next two months to go shopping!
The rest of the box contained all sorts of goodies. One thing that I cannot find here is Mac and Cheese - so I now have several boxes of that. The canned tuna here is packed in oil or salt water - I now have three cans of tuna in spring water. Mom has stocked me up on rice crispy treats, flu medications and a year supply of gum!
I LOVE my care package! I can't wait for the next one! THANK YOU MOM!
Yesterday I received an email that the head of operations for our mission is in town and planned a lunch for all of us here in Dubai today at noon. The offices will be shut down for an hour so that everyone can attend. It is a mix between a meet and greet for brass and also to show appreciation for all the hard work we are doing here. On a side note to that - it is also a celebration for my 10 years with the company. I can't even believe I made it through 10 years! I am a little nervous but I think it will be a very nice lunch. I wonder if they will give me my 10 year pin today???
Monday, May 24, 2010
Planning
I am struggling with trying to help plan our wedding and working so many hours. The wedding itself is fun, but I just can't find a whole lot of time. We have not even discussed registering. I think with this being a destination wedding (very similar to eloping), me working in another country and the fact that we have both been through this once before kind of makes it a mute point. We are old enough also to already have everything we could need.
I was reading a friends blog and found she is struggling with the same issue, yet different circumstances. Another friend of mine here had mentioned a new concept for registering. I can't remember what it is called but I think it is something similar to a stock shower or stock gift. It is where people buy stocks based on what they wish for you in life. Some examples would be: wishing you a healthy life - they would buy stock for you in a green or organic company; wishing you many travels - buy stock in airlines; wishing you a family - buy stock in Johnson & Johnson, etc. Gift cards are always great too since that is something that can be used later when I return home. I have no idea what to do and I am sure Kirk and I will have this talk soon. But for now I think we are just happy to get married and spend our lives together and our only wish is that if someone can join us for the special day that is more than enough for us. It would be an honor to have friends and family join us - be we know that it would be too expensive, especially in the economy now. I am very happy with a blessing and best wishes. Maybe once we establish our home, we will have a house warming and belated wedding party!
I am finally settling in to life here. My schedule will change again next week but I am hopeful that it will stay steady at that time. I will be working noon to midnight, with a few hours extra on nights when flights arrive late. It is still 7 days a week - which I really don't mind as long as I can get one or two days off in the next coming months. I planned on working 7 days a week anyway so it is not too bad. The long, changing hours is what is doing me in. My body finally gave out this past week and I got a migraine that was so bad I was sick to my stomach and was seeing spots. I had to go home - spent the next 24 hours in bed sleeping. When I finally woke up - I felt like a brand new person and ready to start all over again!
The door bell rang and my third care package has just arrived! I know it is my second wedding dress (yes, I have two) and some surprises from my mom! Going to go open it now and get all excited!!!!
I was reading a friends blog and found she is struggling with the same issue, yet different circumstances. Another friend of mine here had mentioned a new concept for registering. I can't remember what it is called but I think it is something similar to a stock shower or stock gift. It is where people buy stocks based on what they wish for you in life. Some examples would be: wishing you a healthy life - they would buy stock for you in a green or organic company; wishing you many travels - buy stock in airlines; wishing you a family - buy stock in Johnson & Johnson, etc. Gift cards are always great too since that is something that can be used later when I return home. I have no idea what to do and I am sure Kirk and I will have this talk soon. But for now I think we are just happy to get married and spend our lives together and our only wish is that if someone can join us for the special day that is more than enough for us. It would be an honor to have friends and family join us - be we know that it would be too expensive, especially in the economy now. I am very happy with a blessing and best wishes. Maybe once we establish our home, we will have a house warming and belated wedding party!
I am finally settling in to life here. My schedule will change again next week but I am hopeful that it will stay steady at that time. I will be working noon to midnight, with a few hours extra on nights when flights arrive late. It is still 7 days a week - which I really don't mind as long as I can get one or two days off in the next coming months. I planned on working 7 days a week anyway so it is not too bad. The long, changing hours is what is doing me in. My body finally gave out this past week and I got a migraine that was so bad I was sick to my stomach and was seeing spots. I had to go home - spent the next 24 hours in bed sleeping. When I finally woke up - I felt like a brand new person and ready to start all over again!
The door bell rang and my third care package has just arrived! I know it is my second wedding dress (yes, I have two) and some surprises from my mom! Going to go open it now and get all excited!!!!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Strange In Dubai
I finally had some time to sit and share a few photos. I worked until 3:00 AM this morning so I get to take a couple of hours off this morning before I head in to work. Of course it is the afternoon here so I can't sleep.
I have been asked to put together a bunch of graphs to show our progress. This includes ALL of our work and not just mine. I am up for the challenge but it sure is a challenge. I have no idea how to present all of the data and what exactly they are looking for. I need to paint a picture of everything these operations are doing to show that we desperately need help. Hopefully I can come up with something good.
Yesterday I had a chat on sametime with another employee about business. Then it changed to a bit more personal and he stated that he remembered me from way back when I was working for the company in CA. He recalled all of the help I had given him over the past 10 years and he could never forget me for everything I have done for him and other employees. That made me feel really great to know that I truly have accomplished something - and something good. It makes it all seem worth it just to hear things like that.
I have been asked to put together a bunch of graphs to show our progress. This includes ALL of our work and not just mine. I am up for the challenge but it sure is a challenge. I have no idea how to present all of the data and what exactly they are looking for. I need to paint a picture of everything these operations are doing to show that we desperately need help. Hopefully I can come up with something good.
Yesterday I had a chat on sametime with another employee about business. Then it changed to a bit more personal and he stated that he remembered me from way back when I was working for the company in CA. He recalled all of the help I had given him over the past 10 years and he could never forget me for everything I have done for him and other employees. That made me feel really great to know that I truly have accomplished something - and something good. It makes it all seem worth it just to hear things like that.
This is a picture outside I took after watching this guy hoe this entire space with one little tiny spoon. It is about 110 degrees out and he is fully covered. There is nobody else helping him. I see this all the time and it just makes my heart hurt for the laborers here. They work so hard with no proper equipment for pennies.
This is the dinner I had one night from the restaurant down the street. It is lebanese and actually really good. They give too much food but it is all very healthy other than the french fries. Lebanese food always comest with a big plate of vegetables, olives and pickles. I don't like the pickles here at all. They are way too salty.
I took this picture at the hospital when I went there to visit the operations. On the female ward, they decorate the outside of the doors since nobody is allowed inside - especially men. It was really cool to see and I thought it was a great idea. It tells everyone that walks in to the woman's ward which one had a baby and if it was a boy or a girl. Also, see how neat and clean it is - and very private/quiet too!
I carry my camera with me now so hopefully I will be able to share more pictures with you soon! Time to start getting ready for work...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
May I please have some Half and Half for my coffee?
As you can imagine, working long hours - I can't resist a few cups of coffee throughout the day. I LOVE my coffee with a half a teaspoon of sugar and a whole lotta half & half. To my dismay, Dubai does not seem to even know what half & half is! Not even cream! I can't find it anywhere!
What they do have is plenty of milk in a box or can. I have been using rainbow milk in my coffee. It is condensed milk in a can. While it is not the same, it will do since I have no other choice. Oh, and trying to find a fresh brewed cup of coffee is unheard of! I can get an espresso at the coffee shops, but no fresh brewed coffee. Everywhere I go it is Nescafe freeze dried coffee. Lets just say I am trying my hardest to get used to powdered coffee with canned milk.
Unfortunately that is all I have time to write. I need to get to work to start my 12+ hour shift! The only other news I have is the wedding date changed due to availability - July 21. We will see if it stays at this date. Other than that - work, sleep, work, sleep. I have not done anything to mention. I wish I had some spare time to see this beautiful place!
What they do have is plenty of milk in a box or can. I have been using rainbow milk in my coffee. It is condensed milk in a can. While it is not the same, it will do since I have no other choice. Oh, and trying to find a fresh brewed cup of coffee is unheard of! I can get an espresso at the coffee shops, but no fresh brewed coffee. Everywhere I go it is Nescafe freeze dried coffee. Lets just say I am trying my hardest to get used to powdered coffee with canned milk.
Unfortunately that is all I have time to write. I need to get to work to start my 12+ hour shift! The only other news I have is the wedding date changed due to availability - July 21. We will see if it stays at this date. Other than that - work, sleep, work, sleep. I have not done anything to mention. I wish I had some spare time to see this beautiful place!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Ugh...
The only reason I am on right now is because my work computer crashed. Right now, I feel about as big as an ant. I have programs on my computer that only I have access to and I may have just lost ALL recorded data for the project since day one. Funny thing is - I was going to back it up today because I was afraid this might happen. Just one day too late. And wouldn't you know it - all the "big wigs" just came in today to be here for a few weeks. They want to view our operations and see why we are asking for more help. Ugh... Lucky for me though I pulled all of the numbers together last night on my job to show that my position has grown ...ready... 680% since I took it over. Um, yeah, I think I need help.
Since I have no access to anything, and we have no IT person here, I have to wait and wait and wait. We are hoping to get someone in here within about three days - a person who is passing through on his way to R&R. I am starting to wonder why on earth we would be here without an IT person. We have about one computer crash a week. My understanding is the computers are good, but with all of the encryption, anti-virus etc they add to them overloads and corrupts the systems. Since I receive and respond to about 150 emails a day I can just imagine what I will see when I can get back on. I am already having anxiety over it.
One of my coworkers is trying to take apart my computer now to see if he can extract and recover all of my data. I am praying and trying to stay positive.
In the meantime... I am now a Visa Dubai Resident! I also have my drivers license! I don't have a car yet since I was waiting to get used to this place. I am finally figuring out my way around here - at least the area I live and work in. I discovered a Gloria Jean coffee house in my neighborhood! Wooohoooo! I don't know if it is open yet, but hopefully it soon will be.
I walked to work a few days ago and it was actually a very nice walk. But today it was so hot that I just about melted when I stepped outside. It has to be over 120 degrees today. I have never felt heat like this ever in my life. And we have not even hit the hottest time of year.
Since I had some free time on my hands I decided to take a trip over to the hospital so that I can see where the tail end of my work ends up. It is such a beautiful hospital. I got the full tour, including the laboratory where all of our blood work is done. It is the second most advanced facility on this side of the world and it was amazing. They have machines in there that can read 10,000 samples an hour with over 20 different tests on each.
My coworker/contractor took me to the female ward (they separate woman and men here). It was so quiet and there were beautifully decorated doorways where woman had just given birth. I will add the picture on here later.
My work schedule will be changing a bit and as of this coming tuesday I will only have to work out of one office. I am happy with the change and think it will work out just fine. It will also give me about 30 minutes to an hour more time (cutting out travel time) to do my work. My only concern about moving to this new facility and not working at the office is that I won't be able to take care of Sissy and Jersey anymore. Oh! Did I tell you? Sissy is pregnant! Her belly is huge! I am sure she is going to have those little ones any day now! With it being so hot, she is miserable. She lays on the cement with her belly in the air and her paws on the side of the building. She looks like she is playing dead. I feel so bad for them. I asked if I could have pets and was given a big fat NO! Yes sir, understood.
As far as getting out and seeing the sites - fat chance. I work and sleep. Then start the process over again the next day. I am stressed to the max and can't seem to find time to get anything more done than my daily routine. I have added reports, processes, and projects everyday and I can't even touch them. I had to write a simple outline of my job function - bullet points - one liners - leave out the simple details...it was three pages long.
So, long story short - I wish I could share with you my great adventures but I just have none to share with you at this time. I wish I did, but I don't.
Kirk is coming along with the wedding plans nicely. I put in my 2 cents every now and then but he is mostly planning it along with the travel agent. In all my life I have never met a man who enjoyed planning the wedding - or let alone plan a wedding! The major part I am contributing to it is my dress (I actually bought two) and I have to write my vows. I have not started on the vows yet, but need to get going on those. Kirk is already done writing his!
Here is the scoop on the wedding... We will be leaving on July 20 to head to Santorini, Greece. The Santorini will be preformed on a yacht by the captain on the afternoon of July 22. After the Santorini, we will enjoy a fun day of sailing, swimming and snorkeling around the islands. The rest of the trip will be enjoyed on one of the other islands and then in Athens to see the ruins. We will return to Dubai and have a few extra days off to explore the UAE and possibly Oman - returning to work on August 8th.
Since I have no access to anything, and we have no IT person here, I have to wait and wait and wait. We are hoping to get someone in here within about three days - a person who is passing through on his way to R&R. I am starting to wonder why on earth we would be here without an IT person. We have about one computer crash a week. My understanding is the computers are good, but with all of the encryption, anti-virus etc they add to them overloads and corrupts the systems. Since I receive and respond to about 150 emails a day I can just imagine what I will see when I can get back on. I am already having anxiety over it.
One of my coworkers is trying to take apart my computer now to see if he can extract and recover all of my data. I am praying and trying to stay positive.
In the meantime... I am now a Visa Dubai Resident! I also have my drivers license! I don't have a car yet since I was waiting to get used to this place. I am finally figuring out my way around here - at least the area I live and work in. I discovered a Gloria Jean coffee house in my neighborhood! Wooohoooo! I don't know if it is open yet, but hopefully it soon will be.
I walked to work a few days ago and it was actually a very nice walk. But today it was so hot that I just about melted when I stepped outside. It has to be over 120 degrees today. I have never felt heat like this ever in my life. And we have not even hit the hottest time of year.
Since I had some free time on my hands I decided to take a trip over to the hospital so that I can see where the tail end of my work ends up. It is such a beautiful hospital. I got the full tour, including the laboratory where all of our blood work is done. It is the second most advanced facility on this side of the world and it was amazing. They have machines in there that can read 10,000 samples an hour with over 20 different tests on each.
My coworker/contractor took me to the female ward (they separate woman and men here). It was so quiet and there were beautifully decorated doorways where woman had just given birth. I will add the picture on here later.
My work schedule will be changing a bit and as of this coming tuesday I will only have to work out of one office. I am happy with the change and think it will work out just fine. It will also give me about 30 minutes to an hour more time (cutting out travel time) to do my work. My only concern about moving to this new facility and not working at the office is that I won't be able to take care of Sissy and Jersey anymore. Oh! Did I tell you? Sissy is pregnant! Her belly is huge! I am sure she is going to have those little ones any day now! With it being so hot, she is miserable. She lays on the cement with her belly in the air and her paws on the side of the building. She looks like she is playing dead. I feel so bad for them. I asked if I could have pets and was given a big fat NO! Yes sir, understood.
As far as getting out and seeing the sites - fat chance. I work and sleep. Then start the process over again the next day. I am stressed to the max and can't seem to find time to get anything more done than my daily routine. I have added reports, processes, and projects everyday and I can't even touch them. I had to write a simple outline of my job function - bullet points - one liners - leave out the simple details...it was three pages long.
So, long story short - I wish I could share with you my great adventures but I just have none to share with you at this time. I wish I did, but I don't.
Kirk is coming along with the wedding plans nicely. I put in my 2 cents every now and then but he is mostly planning it along with the travel agent. In all my life I have never met a man who enjoyed planning the wedding - or let alone plan a wedding! The major part I am contributing to it is my dress (I actually bought two) and I have to write my vows. I have not started on the vows yet, but need to get going on those. Kirk is already done writing his!
Here is the scoop on the wedding... We will be leaving on July 20 to head to Santorini, Greece. The Santorini will be preformed on a yacht by the captain on the afternoon of July 22. After the Santorini, we will enjoy a fun day of sailing, swimming and snorkeling around the islands. The rest of the trip will be enjoyed on one of the other islands and then in Athens to see the ruins. We will return to Dubai and have a few extra days off to explore the UAE and possibly Oman - returning to work on August 8th.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Too many things to write about!
It has been a while since I wrote in here (other than my cats that I posted earlier today). The long hours are not letting me have much free time. I will try to remember everything that has happened.
1. Don't use the ice cubes!!!
I have been told that when you are out of the US don't drink the water unless you boil it for a few minutes before hand. I have been doing that and have not really had a problem...until now. Two nights ago it was so hot out that I got ice in my water at a restaruant. Well...unless you are certain they use bottled water for their ice - don't get it! Ugh...my only day off (not really because I still have to work form home) and I can't leave the house for more than 20 minutes! I don't know what I am going to do when I have to go back to work tomorrow! But one good thing that came out of it (no pun intended) - I used the b-day for the first time! LOL
2. Beach
Last Friday when my friends Nancy and Veronica were here I got to spend a little time with them. Nancy and I went down to the beach last Friday. The beaches themselves are beautiful - white sand, emerald blue warm water, nice setting. The exprience of the beach was terrible and I won't be going back to a public beach here ever again. 90% of the beach population was male - and they are just down there to get a glimpse of the handful of girls that actually wore bikkinnis. The water was packed with only about 3 feet between people - and of course mostly men. The only woman going in the water were covered from head to ankle...even some in jeans! I decided to save my sanity and wear my pants in to the water. I was still staired at since I have lighter skin, green eyes and my bikkinni top on. Wearing my pants in the water was uncomfortable and weird. Both Nancy and I decided to leave early since we were both just so uncomfortable. If I ever have time to go to the beach again I will get a membership at one of the resorts to use their more private beaches.
3. Singing in the rain
On Thursday it rained. It rarely rains here - usually about twice a year in the winter. So this rain was a big deal. It was a California rain though and not a Texas rain. I barely got damp walking a half mile to work in it. But it was nice to feel the few drops and to have some cloud cover. It has been a month since I have seen a cloud.
My job is becoming more demanding and I am having issues with keeping time constraints. If I don't receive all of the information to build a report I can't finish it on time - and then of course I get the nasty grams. All I can do is simply apologise and state that I am still waiting on the information from others and that it will hopefully be here soon. I seem to be doing a lot of apologizing. It is also hard to fit it all in 80 hours a week. I need more time, but I also need more rest. I sure hope they get some more help. I think all of us will be burned out soon. In the mean time I keep trucking along. My spirits and work ethic are high and I guess that is all that really matters right now.
That is all I can think of for now. More to come! Chow!
1. Don't use the ice cubes!!!
I have been told that when you are out of the US don't drink the water unless you boil it for a few minutes before hand. I have been doing that and have not really had a problem...until now. Two nights ago it was so hot out that I got ice in my water at a restaruant. Well...unless you are certain they use bottled water for their ice - don't get it! Ugh...my only day off (not really because I still have to work form home) and I can't leave the house for more than 20 minutes! I don't know what I am going to do when I have to go back to work tomorrow! But one good thing that came out of it (no pun intended) - I used the b-day for the first time! LOL
2. Beach
Last Friday when my friends Nancy and Veronica were here I got to spend a little time with them. Nancy and I went down to the beach last Friday. The beaches themselves are beautiful - white sand, emerald blue warm water, nice setting. The exprience of the beach was terrible and I won't be going back to a public beach here ever again. 90% of the beach population was male - and they are just down there to get a glimpse of the handful of girls that actually wore bikkinnis. The water was packed with only about 3 feet between people - and of course mostly men. The only woman going in the water were covered from head to ankle...even some in jeans! I decided to save my sanity and wear my pants in to the water. I was still staired at since I have lighter skin, green eyes and my bikkinni top on. Wearing my pants in the water was uncomfortable and weird. Both Nancy and I decided to leave early since we were both just so uncomfortable. If I ever have time to go to the beach again I will get a membership at one of the resorts to use their more private beaches.
3. Singing in the rain
On Thursday it rained. It rarely rains here - usually about twice a year in the winter. So this rain was a big deal. It was a California rain though and not a Texas rain. I barely got damp walking a half mile to work in it. But it was nice to feel the few drops and to have some cloud cover. It has been a month since I have seen a cloud.
My job is becoming more demanding and I am having issues with keeping time constraints. If I don't receive all of the information to build a report I can't finish it on time - and then of course I get the nasty grams. All I can do is simply apologise and state that I am still waiting on the information from others and that it will hopefully be here soon. I seem to be doing a lot of apologizing. It is also hard to fit it all in 80 hours a week. I need more time, but I also need more rest. I sure hope they get some more help. I think all of us will be burned out soon. In the mean time I keep trucking along. My spirits and work ethic are high and I guess that is all that really matters right now.
That is all I can think of for now. More to come! Chow!
"MY" Cats
I finally have pictures of both the stray cats that I feed. I am one of many that take care of them. These pictures don't do justice to their true personalities. Their names are (and this just what a few of us call them, not sure what the others have named them) are Jersey and Sissy. One of the guys named Jersey because he said the poor cat is "hung like a Jersey bull". He is quite endowed for a cat hahahaha. Sissy got her name because I think she is Jersey's sister.
This is Sissy. She has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. You really can't tell in the picture, but they look like deep emeralds - and they almost glow they are so rich. She also has the loudest meow I and talks non-stop. As you can see here, she is talking to me. If you look closely, she is missing all the teeth on the lower right side of her jaw. I am not sure how it happened, but I can imagine she was probably kicked and abused. She is very friendly, but still has a wild side to her and we can't pet her for very long.
This is Jersey. He looks seriously mean but he is the sweetest of the two. Jersey does not have a voice and he tries really hard to meow but only looks like he is hissing at you. He is the one that had the mangled leg a few weeks ago. You can see it in the picture a little, but this was taken after it started healing quite nicely. With all of the nutrition he gets I am sure it boosted his immune system so he could heal better. I am happy to say he is walking around now and is getting fat and sassy. He is such a lover. If he could, he would be touching me all day long or sitting in my lap just purring away. When I am outside and don't pay attention to him (sometimes I have to do that otherwise he will follow me right in to the building or the subway) he will lay on my feet like he owns me. I think he might have a home soon. There is an Indian lady in the building that told one of the other guys that works for a different company that she would take him but she has a female cat and she can't afford to have them fixed. He has kindly offered to pay for both cats to be fixed so she can take him in. As for Sissy, we still need to find her a home.
Something strange about Dubai: The people here HATE cats and dogs as pets. They think they are filthy animals and the people that own them or touch them are just as worthless. However, showing off how much money you have (or don't have) is very big here. So, the ones that really want to show their wealth will buy exotic and endangered animals and then proudly display them for everyone to see - as their pets. This is a very sad situation. I have seen a black panther with is claws ripped out and his teeth filed down to nubs riding in the back of an Astin Martin. One of the ladies that feeds the cats has seen a baby monkey forced to ride on the rear view mirror of a mercedes going down the freeway. These people are cruel and heartless. I really with the government here would crack down on such abuse.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
"Thank you for being YOU"
Today was a slower day for me and I had a bit of down time. I am very happy for this since I am getting the hang of it and getting more proficient. Tonight I told one of the supervisors that I am ready to take on a bit more if they are ready to teach me. I think that caught them by surprise since what I do is already a full time job. But I am happy to pull my weight.
I am feeling much better too. I think this cold is finally finding its way out of me. Now I have a new problem. I have been walking so much that I now have blisters on the balls of my feet. I have never had a blister there before and it makes it difficult to walk. Tomorrow I am wearing my flip flops in to the office to give my feet a rest. You would think with all of this walking I would be losing weight. NOPE!!!
Tonight when leaving the hotel office there was a very sickly stray cat out front looking for food. My other two kitties are at the other office and this is the first time I have seen a cat at the hotel office. Poor thing looks like he is on his last legs. I feel sooooo terrible for these animals. There was a man in a long robe standing outside watching me just look at the cat in pitty. He kept smiling at me and it kind of startled me out but the streets were full of people so I knew he would be harmless whatever his intentions. He then asked me if I was going to take the cat home. I replied "no, but I wish I could". I went back inside the hotel and went to the restaurant. They gave me a napkin full of chicken and I took it outside for the cat. The cat was already making its way down to the next building. The man in the long robe ran after the cat and helped herd him back towards me. The poor thing ate like he had not eaten in a week. The whole time the man stood and just watched my interaction with the cat. When I finally walked away to catch a taxi the man yelled after me and simply said "Thank you for being YOU! You have a kind heart!"
While I have never required any acceptance for my actions towards animals, it was nice to hear a complete stranger give thanks for just being me. Others here look at me in disgust for even petting an animal - and here is the one compassionate soul on the street who cared for this cats well being as I did and acknowledged with a smile and a few words. He could not have come at a better time. It is amazing how such few words could have so much meaning to me and an impact that reminds me that I am doing the right thing and it is good.
Now I wonder about this elderly man in his robes. Where he comes from, what religion he is. It was obvious that he was not a native. His robes were light blue and he did not wear a head dress. He spoke good english and he was kindly spoken (not soft, but kind). There are so many accents here that I am not sure exactly what nationality he is though I would presume it was India or close to India.
If I could go back I would have a conversation with him and find out about who he was. This place has me scared to talk to anybody. I think I need to start letting my guard down just a little bit. Even yesterday a woman passing me by in the street dressed in their regular attire - head to toe black robes with black head scarf (though she did not have her face covered like some) - gave me a warm, wonderful big smile and nodded at me as if to say hello. These little friendly gestures are making me a little more comfortable here.
It has been a wonderful two days. I hope there are more to come.
I am feeling much better too. I think this cold is finally finding its way out of me. Now I have a new problem. I have been walking so much that I now have blisters on the balls of my feet. I have never had a blister there before and it makes it difficult to walk. Tomorrow I am wearing my flip flops in to the office to give my feet a rest. You would think with all of this walking I would be losing weight. NOPE!!!
Tonight when leaving the hotel office there was a very sickly stray cat out front looking for food. My other two kitties are at the other office and this is the first time I have seen a cat at the hotel office. Poor thing looks like he is on his last legs. I feel sooooo terrible for these animals. There was a man in a long robe standing outside watching me just look at the cat in pitty. He kept smiling at me and it kind of startled me out but the streets were full of people so I knew he would be harmless whatever his intentions. He then asked me if I was going to take the cat home. I replied "no, but I wish I could". I went back inside the hotel and went to the restaurant. They gave me a napkin full of chicken and I took it outside for the cat. The cat was already making its way down to the next building. The man in the long robe ran after the cat and helped herd him back towards me. The poor thing ate like he had not eaten in a week. The whole time the man stood and just watched my interaction with the cat. When I finally walked away to catch a taxi the man yelled after me and simply said "Thank you for being YOU! You have a kind heart!"
While I have never required any acceptance for my actions towards animals, it was nice to hear a complete stranger give thanks for just being me. Others here look at me in disgust for even petting an animal - and here is the one compassionate soul on the street who cared for this cats well being as I did and acknowledged with a smile and a few words. He could not have come at a better time. It is amazing how such few words could have so much meaning to me and an impact that reminds me that I am doing the right thing and it is good.
Now I wonder about this elderly man in his robes. Where he comes from, what religion he is. It was obvious that he was not a native. His robes were light blue and he did not wear a head dress. He spoke good english and he was kindly spoken (not soft, but kind). There are so many accents here that I am not sure exactly what nationality he is though I would presume it was India or close to India.
If I could go back I would have a conversation with him and find out about who he was. This place has me scared to talk to anybody. I think I need to start letting my guard down just a little bit. Even yesterday a woman passing me by in the street dressed in their regular attire - head to toe black robes with black head scarf (though she did not have her face covered like some) - gave me a warm, wonderful big smile and nodded at me as if to say hello. These little friendly gestures are making me a little more comfortable here.
It has been a wonderful two days. I hope there are more to come.
of course, more pics
I have read articles on the "slave" labor here. I definitely see a the difference in class structure and it is disheartening. I believe there is a high amount of human trafficing as well. I don't even know what to say about it right now since I have never really experienced such a tragedy.
I have two stray male cats that I help take care of that hang around the office. One of them has the prettiest eyes I have ever seen. I hope to take pictures of them soon. The other one doesn't have much of a voice and as of yesterday he has a mangled leg. I am not sure what happened to him but he is in so much pain. I tried to find a vet, but they are few and far between here. I would have to wait until I get a car before I venture out to find them. Otherwise I would have not hesitated to take him right away. For now a bunch of us are feeding them very healthy food and trying to get them healthy. I am very happy to see that I am not the only one caring for them. This country is not a pet friendly country. Most do not have pets and they consider them very disgusting animals. If you pet one, the locals won't come near you thinking your are now dirty.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Vows
I have not mentioned it here since we don't have it set in stone yet, but Kirk and I are engaged (if you didn't already know). He has been asking me for months and I told him it would not be official until he asked my father first. Well, a few weeks ago he finally got the courage and also the time (he works offshore and has a hard time getting reception) to call. To my delight, he also called my mom to ask her permission as well. Now we are trying to plan our wedding with him offshore and me in Dubai. A difficult thing to plan was just made 100 times harder by our work schedules/careers.
We have the blueprints to our wedding. I am not sure if we should call it eloping though since there will be few, if any, guests. We have decided to marry in Greece on my first R&R - end of July, beginning of August. This last week we came up with the idea of renting a yacht off one of the islands and getting married on the bow of the boat. After the ceramony there will be food and drinks (of course champagne). The rest of the afternoon will be cruising around and finding great places to swim, snorkel and dive. We hope that the few close friends and immediate family we invite can join us for a very relaxing and fun day. But we know how expensive it may be so we are also happy to just enjoy the day by ourselves.
Both of us are getting a little frustrated that we can't spend more time planning and putting it together. When Kirk gets back to shore, he will research a good travel agent to help with the plans. Any suggestions? Preferably in Houston?
It will all come together in the end I know. I am just a little impatient and want things put together fast so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. It will be a great day no matter what!
We have the blueprints to our wedding. I am not sure if we should call it eloping though since there will be few, if any, guests. We have decided to marry in Greece on my first R&R - end of July, beginning of August. This last week we came up with the idea of renting a yacht off one of the islands and getting married on the bow of the boat. After the ceramony there will be food and drinks (of course champagne). The rest of the afternoon will be cruising around and finding great places to swim, snorkel and dive. We hope that the few close friends and immediate family we invite can join us for a very relaxing and fun day. But we know how expensive it may be so we are also happy to just enjoy the day by ourselves.
Both of us are getting a little frustrated that we can't spend more time planning and putting it together. When Kirk gets back to shore, he will research a good travel agent to help with the plans. Any suggestions? Preferably in Houston?
It will all come together in the end I know. I am just a little impatient and want things put together fast so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. It will be a great day no matter what!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
More Pics
This is the view from my balcony. If you look really carefully, you can see the worlds tallest building. No, that is not smog - that is actually the sand hanging in the humid air. Very strange.
This is my living room.
This is the kitchen. The long cabinets on the right are actually the fridge and the freezer. All the kitchens here seem to be made for short people. I have to bend down to use the counter tops.
The bedroom. Huge king size bed - again, just like the hotel, it is as hard as the floor.
The master bath. There is a shower behind the door on the right. The bathtub is long, but very skinny. I still have not figured out the toilets yet. I thought the one on the left was a b-day but I am not sure because if it was, then why is there a hose hanging on the wall between them? It has its own running water faucet that is hot and cold water.
Now the hose thing just grosses me out. They have them in all the public restrooms here too. And of course there is poop all over them. When someone uses them they spray all over the walls, toilet and floor. It is so unsanitary. I can't even imagine why anyone would even touch one!
Strange things in Dubai: Every day the sirens blow several times a day. On them is a man singing the call to prayer. I was told that when there is a call to prayer, all muslims must stop what they are doing and kneel down to pray. I hear the sirens at least 5 times a day and I have yet to see one single person praying.
They have hightened security in the subway, which I take everyday to the hotel. They are being cautious after the bombings in Russia. The subway is very nice and clean and there are police guards stationed all over the place so I feel very safe there. One strange thing I found about the subway - the first car of the train is for "gold members". Not sure how you become a gold member. The second train is for woman and children only. No men are allowed in it at all. The rest of the train is for both men and woman. I did not know this until today when I hopped on the train in the first car and got kicked off, so I went to the second car and watched as they kicked off all the men that didn't know it was woman only.
It is almost 11 at night and I am going to head up to the roof for an evening swim. It is such a nice night out. Night all!
Pics
This is the view from the roof of the hotel. They put all of the pools on the roof - I guess to save room. 
View from my room. I must get ready for work now. Hopefully I will be back on tonight to post the pics of the apartment.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Way It Is
This is a hard life. I can't even imagine what it would have been like if I went to Afghanistan instead of Dubai. At least here I have some sort of freedom and I can sleep in my apartment in silence instead of with 150 other woman.
So far I am enjoying my duties and I am learning more each day. I have a very long way to go before I am sufficient though. I thought I would be moving at a faster pace (work wise) than I am. But I guess it will just take time to adjust and dig my heels in. I have to bite my tongue a lot and just try to do my best. However, there are a few things that I have to put my foot down on and I am not willing to budge. Of course, I think that is making me look like a bad seed. So let me tell you about me before I tell you about that.
For the last week I have not been physically feeling my best. I have a case of the travelers sickness (won't go in to detail but I think my mom calls it Montazuma's revenge lol). Three days ago I woke at 3:00 am with a closed throat. I could barely breathe and I could talk even less. Of course, I was required to go to work and I did not want to already start missing days. I started off my 15 hour day popping pills and drinking hot tea. Throughout the day it got a little better and I gained my voice back by mid morning. Today is day three of the soar throat and while I feel like it is getting a little better, I started to cough up bloody phlem. By this afternoon my legs and feet were so swollen I couldn't even see my ankles. I am looking at them now and they have not changed. So as you can imagine, I am not in the best mood or frame of mind to do any heavy thinking. Tomorrow is my day off and I plan on sleeping it off. Hopefully it will help.
**I had written a novel here but once I got it all out I decided that it best be left unsaid. Can't vent my disagreements with work on an internet post. I need to learn to pick my battles and hold my ground on the most important issues.
So tomorrow is definitely rest and relaxation. I need the time to get my mind and body straight so I can go in smiling on Saturday ready to work my butt off.
So far I am enjoying my duties and I am learning more each day. I have a very long way to go before I am sufficient though. I thought I would be moving at a faster pace (work wise) than I am. But I guess it will just take time to adjust and dig my heels in. I have to bite my tongue a lot and just try to do my best. However, there are a few things that I have to put my foot down on and I am not willing to budge. Of course, I think that is making me look like a bad seed. So let me tell you about me before I tell you about that.
For the last week I have not been physically feeling my best. I have a case of the travelers sickness (won't go in to detail but I think my mom calls it Montazuma's revenge lol). Three days ago I woke at 3:00 am with a closed throat. I could barely breathe and I could talk even less. Of course, I was required to go to work and I did not want to already start missing days. I started off my 15 hour day popping pills and drinking hot tea. Throughout the day it got a little better and I gained my voice back by mid morning. Today is day three of the soar throat and while I feel like it is getting a little better, I started to cough up bloody phlem. By this afternoon my legs and feet were so swollen I couldn't even see my ankles. I am looking at them now and they have not changed. So as you can imagine, I am not in the best mood or frame of mind to do any heavy thinking. Tomorrow is my day off and I plan on sleeping it off. Hopefully it will help.
**I had written a novel here but once I got it all out I decided that it best be left unsaid. Can't vent my disagreements with work on an internet post. I need to learn to pick my battles and hold my ground on the most important issues.
So tomorrow is definitely rest and relaxation. I need the time to get my mind and body straight so I can go in smiling on Saturday ready to work my butt off.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Clarification
Just so ya'll know how the operations work here - here is a briefing. We have 4 offices. Three are in Dubai and I work between two of them. The ones I work at - one is an actual office building and the other is out of a hotel. My apartment, which I just moved in to on Friday is close to the office building. I can walk to work but then I have to take either a taxi or the subway to the hotel office. The forth office is in Abu Dahbi which is two hours away in one of the other UAE's. I will not be mentioning on here what kind of work we do or what company I work for - for safety reasons alone and I am sure you already know or you understand the issue. While it is very safe here, I will not take chances.
I will be posting pictures soon, but it will be inside my apartment, views, or touristy things. I won't be posting what each facility, including the apartment look like from outside. I have a cool view of the city limits from my balcony and once we have a clearer day, I will take a picture. Directly in my line is the worlds tallest building. However, with all of the sand in the air it looks as if there is a brown haze (very similar to smog) that covers everything.
Today I spent most of the day in the office and then headed over to the hotel. Tomorrow morning I have to leave for the hotel at 5:00 am as we have a very large group departing. Today was a short day with only 12 hours working. So tomorrow will be a VERY long and tiring day for me. It is already after 9:00 pm here and I am just getting home.
Something strange: I will try to put something that I find very strange in every blog. The customs here will give me plenty of writing material. This morning Kirk called me at 4:45 am to talk with me. We have set this time since it is my morning and his evening and it works out well. The evening before, I was talking to him - I can't remember if it was email or call or instant message - and I told him that I had set my alarm for 5:00 am. When he called at 4:45 he got the front desk and told them to ring my apartment (the apartment runs like a hotel) they told him they did not want to ring me since I was not going to be up until 5:00 am. When he told me this, we were both shocked. How on earth did they know I would be up at 5???? I had just moved in and this was only my second day here. So they are either able to read everything I write or listen in to the phone conversations. We have no idea but it was really freaky. However, I have to laugh because at least they were curtious to watch out for my beauty sleep!!
By the way... If you have not guessed, I am not the greatest speller in the world. And my spell check does not work without a mouse. At this time I do not have my mouse plugged in so you are just going to have to get used to my mistakes.
Time for bed - good morning to those in the States
I will be posting pictures soon, but it will be inside my apartment, views, or touristy things. I won't be posting what each facility, including the apartment look like from outside. I have a cool view of the city limits from my balcony and once we have a clearer day, I will take a picture. Directly in my line is the worlds tallest building. However, with all of the sand in the air it looks as if there is a brown haze (very similar to smog) that covers everything.
Today I spent most of the day in the office and then headed over to the hotel. Tomorrow morning I have to leave for the hotel at 5:00 am as we have a very large group departing. Today was a short day with only 12 hours working. So tomorrow will be a VERY long and tiring day for me. It is already after 9:00 pm here and I am just getting home.
Something strange: I will try to put something that I find very strange in every blog. The customs here will give me plenty of writing material. This morning Kirk called me at 4:45 am to talk with me. We have set this time since it is my morning and his evening and it works out well. The evening before, I was talking to him - I can't remember if it was email or call or instant message - and I told him that I had set my alarm for 5:00 am. When he called at 4:45 he got the front desk and told them to ring my apartment (the apartment runs like a hotel) they told him they did not want to ring me since I was not going to be up until 5:00 am. When he told me this, we were both shocked. How on earth did they know I would be up at 5???? I had just moved in and this was only my second day here. So they are either able to read everything I write or listen in to the phone conversations. We have no idea but it was really freaky. However, I have to laugh because at least they were curtious to watch out for my beauty sleep!!
By the way... If you have not guessed, I am not the greatest speller in the world. And my spell check does not work without a mouse. At this time I do not have my mouse plugged in so you are just going to have to get used to my mistakes.
Time for bed - good morning to those in the States
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Lost in Transition
I have been here a week and I have been running the whole time. I have not had much time to even eat and sleep. I have been working non-stop from 5:30 am to up to 10:00 pm. I don't do well on less than 8 hours of sleep. But so far I have been able to keep up. Today is Saturday and it will be my off day here. Hopefully I will be able to get on here a little more often to keep up with everything that is happening. I will be forgetting key points if I don't.
First off, I am not adjusting as well as I thought I would. With everyone in high gear, I have not had anyone show me how to get places. I can get from the hotel to the office through the subway - thats about it. The taxi drivers don't know where you are going and I can't give directions. Last night I had my first experience going from the apartment to the hotel all by myself and it was a nightmare. By the time I made it there I was an emotional wreck. the taxi driver was lost and was one that did not treat woman with any kind regard. Between him yelling at me in God knows what language and being where I didn't recognize a single land mark I lost it. I finally made it to the hotel and then was afraid to leave and go back to the apartment when the time came.
I have been shadowing the operations crew for the last week. This will not be my job but I need to see what they are doing and understand it. Next I will be leaning my job. I will be setting up the MDC here in Dubai. MDC stands for Mobilization Deployment Center. So far I am a one woman show and I will be running it all by myself. I have help setting it up and I sure hope that they bring in another person to work along side me so that I can take time off when needed. Plus it would help to have a coworker to bounce things off of and so that we can improve the processes when we get it up and running.
I have learned not to draw attention to myself. I don't want to let them know I am an American or what company I work for, work we are doing here etc. I can't hide the fact that I am a woman so I will have to deal with the issues related to that when they come up. So far it has not been too bad. I had a problem with they guy that stamped my passport, and one with a guy in the elevator but that is about it - other than the taxi driver. I also got what they call "stalked" yesterday morning. I guess it is there way of hitting on a woman. He kept his distance but it freaked me out. Nothing like being circled and stared at not stop. It took me a while to figure out what he was doing. At least now I know what to look out for and take myself out of the situation fairly quickly.
Enough for now. When I think of more I will log back in. It cost me over $300 for 150 minutes of internet time. So I will make these very brief.
First off, I am not adjusting as well as I thought I would. With everyone in high gear, I have not had anyone show me how to get places. I can get from the hotel to the office through the subway - thats about it. The taxi drivers don't know where you are going and I can't give directions. Last night I had my first experience going from the apartment to the hotel all by myself and it was a nightmare. By the time I made it there I was an emotional wreck. the taxi driver was lost and was one that did not treat woman with any kind regard. Between him yelling at me in God knows what language and being where I didn't recognize a single land mark I lost it. I finally made it to the hotel and then was afraid to leave and go back to the apartment when the time came.
I have been shadowing the operations crew for the last week. This will not be my job but I need to see what they are doing and understand it. Next I will be leaning my job. I will be setting up the MDC here in Dubai. MDC stands for Mobilization Deployment Center. So far I am a one woman show and I will be running it all by myself. I have help setting it up and I sure hope that they bring in another person to work along side me so that I can take time off when needed. Plus it would help to have a coworker to bounce things off of and so that we can improve the processes when we get it up and running.
I have learned not to draw attention to myself. I don't want to let them know I am an American or what company I work for, work we are doing here etc. I can't hide the fact that I am a woman so I will have to deal with the issues related to that when they come up. So far it has not been too bad. I had a problem with they guy that stamped my passport, and one with a guy in the elevator but that is about it - other than the taxi driver. I also got what they call "stalked" yesterday morning. I guess it is there way of hitting on a woman. He kept his distance but it freaked me out. Nothing like being circled and stared at not stop. It took me a while to figure out what he was doing. At least now I know what to look out for and take myself out of the situation fairly quickly.
Enough for now. When I think of more I will log back in. It cost me over $300 for 150 minutes of internet time. So I will make these very brief.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Wheels Up!
I finally have the clearance I need to go "wheels up". My security clearance went through on the 17th. I still don't have my CAC and LOA to head to Afghanistan but I can wait it out in Dubai. Looks like it could be 4 to 6 months before I get those. When they come through they will fly me to Kuwait to get them.
I am pretty sure my Directors did an "oh sh....". One saw me in the hall at work Friday and said they had forgotten to get me out and I should have gone earlier this week with some of the other HR folk. So now I get to fly today with the Deputy Director in to Dubai. I am so nervous and my stomach is doing flip flops. In less than 7 hours I will be headed to the airport to start my travels to the other side of the world. It is an exciting adventure, but it is hard to leave my family. It is really starting to hit home now.
Last night I packed up my trunk. I had to have to of my girlfriends come over and sit on it just to get it closed. This morning I finished up my laundry and once I take a shower I will start packing my suitcase. I already have a box that I have filled with stuff that I have to mail home since I was issued a HUGE sleeping bag that takes up half of my trunk. I am having a hard time deciding what I need and what I want to take with me. I really want some comforts of home just to keep me from getting depressed when I get over there. I put together an album (Thank you Uncle Jim and Sam for the album!) with pictures of family, my kiddos (my dogs) and me and Kirk. It only has a few pages filled but I NEED it so it goes in the bag even if I have to put a few more shirts, shoes or pants in my package home. I can always buy some new clothes once I get over there, but I can't buy new pictures of my loved ones.
The last two weeks have been filled with thoughts from everyone that had already been over in either Iraq, Dubai or Afghanistan. We are learning what to do and what not to do based on some of the cultures we will be working with. I am already aware that I will be considered "property" in Dubai by the locals. It is said "Men are for pleasure, woman are only for making babies". Whatever floats their boat, but being who I am - I will not let them treat me bad. I will make sure that if a restaurant or store treats me like "property" then I will no longer spend money there and tell everyone I know not to go there either. Maybe it will hurt their pocket book if I can't stand up to them. I have every intention of going there and respecting them and their culture. I even taylored my wardrobe to fit their requirements. I have loose fitting clothes, higher necklines, and all shirts cover my shoulders. I have even informed Kirk that when he comes to visit he has to be respectful as well. Men are allowed to touch other men, hold their hands and kiss in public. But a man cannot touch a woman at all in public without bringing shame to themselves. So at the airport I may have to have someone else pick him up just so he doesn't even shake my hand! I would want to give him a BIG hug and kiss and if I did, we could both be thrown in jail. That would not start his trip off on the right foot! Hahahahaha
I must mention that I have met and made some really great friends here in SC. My classmates are wonderful. I do believe that I have made three friends that will be friends for life. Brittany, Nancy and Veronica are such a blessing. We stuck together like glue - not only for safety reasons but also it is nice to hang with the girls when 90% of the rest of us are men. It was a bonding experience like I have never had before. We are all sad that I am leaving today, but excited to meet up in Dubai before they head to Afghanistan. I thank God everyday that I met such incredible woman to share the journey with.
The picture below from left to right is Nancy (in the glasses), Me (being a goofball), Leslie, Veronica, Brittany, and Maryam. All are very special to me and I am going to enjoy working with them and continuing on a lifetime of memories.
I am pretty sure my Directors did an "oh sh....". One saw me in the hall at work Friday and said they had forgotten to get me out and I should have gone earlier this week with some of the other HR folk. So now I get to fly today with the Deputy Director in to Dubai. I am so nervous and my stomach is doing flip flops. In less than 7 hours I will be headed to the airport to start my travels to the other side of the world. It is an exciting adventure, but it is hard to leave my family. It is really starting to hit home now.
Last night I packed up my trunk. I had to have to of my girlfriends come over and sit on it just to get it closed. This morning I finished up my laundry and once I take a shower I will start packing my suitcase. I already have a box that I have filled with stuff that I have to mail home since I was issued a HUGE sleeping bag that takes up half of my trunk. I am having a hard time deciding what I need and what I want to take with me. I really want some comforts of home just to keep me from getting depressed when I get over there. I put together an album (Thank you Uncle Jim and Sam for the album!) with pictures of family, my kiddos (my dogs) and me and Kirk. It only has a few pages filled but I NEED it so it goes in the bag even if I have to put a few more shirts, shoes or pants in my package home. I can always buy some new clothes once I get over there, but I can't buy new pictures of my loved ones.
The last two weeks have been filled with thoughts from everyone that had already been over in either Iraq, Dubai or Afghanistan. We are learning what to do and what not to do based on some of the cultures we will be working with. I am already aware that I will be considered "property" in Dubai by the locals. It is said "Men are for pleasure, woman are only for making babies". Whatever floats their boat, but being who I am - I will not let them treat me bad. I will make sure that if a restaurant or store treats me like "property" then I will no longer spend money there and tell everyone I know not to go there either. Maybe it will hurt their pocket book if I can't stand up to them. I have every intention of going there and respecting them and their culture. I even taylored my wardrobe to fit their requirements. I have loose fitting clothes, higher necklines, and all shirts cover my shoulders. I have even informed Kirk that when he comes to visit he has to be respectful as well. Men are allowed to touch other men, hold their hands and kiss in public. But a man cannot touch a woman at all in public without bringing shame to themselves. So at the airport I may have to have someone else pick him up just so he doesn't even shake my hand! I would want to give him a BIG hug and kiss and if I did, we could both be thrown in jail. That would not start his trip off on the right foot! Hahahahaha
I must mention that I have met and made some really great friends here in SC. My classmates are wonderful. I do believe that I have made three friends that will be friends for life. Brittany, Nancy and Veronica are such a blessing. We stuck together like glue - not only for safety reasons but also it is nice to hang with the girls when 90% of the rest of us are men. It was a bonding experience like I have never had before. We are all sad that I am leaving today, but excited to meet up in Dubai before they head to Afghanistan. I thank God everyday that I met such incredible woman to share the journey with.
The picture below from left to right is Nancy (in the glasses), Me (being a goofball), Leslie, Veronica, Brittany, and Maryam. All are very special to me and I am going to enjoy working with them and continuing on a lifetime of memories.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
March 11, 2010
Today is Thursday and I am exhausted. The classes are the work schedule are easy, and even sometimes darn right boring. I am emotionally exhausted. This is the hardest move I have ever made. I did not think it would ever be this hard. Trying to pack the right gear in the right luggage - trying to sell or lease my house - trying to deal with my emotions as well as Kirks emotions - uprooting my doggie kiddos to live with my family where they can't get along with the other animals in the house - leaving my family for a year or more. I am not at the end of my rope yet but it is sure taking a toll on me and it is starting to physically show. My anxiety is kicking in, along with acid reflux...ugh. This will be the third time in my life that I have experienced acid reflux and I can't stand it. So now I am not even hungry because I just don't want to have to deal with it.
I am keeping myself busy with classes and trying to stay social. Tonight I went out with three other girls from class to a steak house down the road from the hotel. One of the girls has been very quiet and does not talk very much. Tonight she talked up a storm and we found out that this will be her third tour in the Middle East. She has learned to keep her head down and not bring attention to herself so that she does not have to deal with the men. Her instincts kick in and she just does not want to have to deal with anyone. Turns out she is a really cool woman and someone I really enjoyed hanging out with tonight. She even gave me all of the warnings I should be looking out for in Dubai and when I travel in to Afghanistan - which I will tell you some of them now.
Blondey - I will call her that to protect her name (and she is the only blonde in our class) took me through her experiences in Kuwait being a woman in a Muslim country. Apparently Muslims believe, or act, like the way to date is to stalk someone. She has been followed in car and on foot repeatedly, men walking up and bumping her and then turning around and doing it again over and over, etc. I hope this does not happen to me. I don't think I would be so nice. I might just have to give them the "thumbs up" which is apparently a rude hand gesture. LOL If they keep it up I will have to give them the "OK" sign - another rude gesture. - yes I am a dork, I crack myself up!
Something strange in SC: The restaurant we ate at was in a popular shopping center. The storefront right next to the restaurant had a bunch of stuffed animals in it. It finally dawned on me after staring in disgust for a bit that it was a taxidermist! I have never seen one since they seem to be off old roads in the middle of nowhere. It was so strange to me to see one right in the middle of a busy shopping plaza.
I am keeping myself busy with classes and trying to stay social. Tonight I went out with three other girls from class to a steak house down the road from the hotel. One of the girls has been very quiet and does not talk very much. Tonight she talked up a storm and we found out that this will be her third tour in the Middle East. She has learned to keep her head down and not bring attention to herself so that she does not have to deal with the men. Her instincts kick in and she just does not want to have to deal with anyone. Turns out she is a really cool woman and someone I really enjoyed hanging out with tonight. She even gave me all of the warnings I should be looking out for in Dubai and when I travel in to Afghanistan - which I will tell you some of them now.
Blondey - I will call her that to protect her name (and she is the only blonde in our class) took me through her experiences in Kuwait being a woman in a Muslim country. Apparently Muslims believe, or act, like the way to date is to stalk someone. She has been followed in car and on foot repeatedly, men walking up and bumping her and then turning around and doing it again over and over, etc. I hope this does not happen to me. I don't think I would be so nice. I might just have to give them the "thumbs up" which is apparently a rude hand gesture. LOL If they keep it up I will have to give them the "OK" sign - another rude gesture. - yes I am a dork, I crack myself up!
Something strange in SC: The restaurant we ate at was in a popular shopping center. The storefront right next to the restaurant had a bunch of stuffed animals in it. It finally dawned on me after staring in disgust for a bit that it was a taxidermist! I have never seen one since they seem to be off old roads in the middle of nowhere. It was so strange to me to see one right in the middle of a busy shopping plaza.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Third Day of Class
Today I got two more bags of medications that I need to find room to pack. It is so strange to me to have to go through immunizations and several rounds of antibiotics all before I go. They even tell me that I need to go to the store and pick up a few more over the counter medications. My bag is filled with meds.
We went through security clearance and had to sit through videos and pictures of "what could happen to you if you are not vigilant on staying safe". Yeah, it made me soooooo sick. Nothing like watching people get blown up by car bombs, IED's, etc. They even showed what the shrapenal - bolts and nails put in the bombs - can do. I am getting all woozy just thinking about it.
I made a date with the girls in class to go out to dinner tonight. It is after 6 and I have yet to hear from them. Hopefully I will be able to hold out a bit longer for them to get out of class. My classes end early, if you consider 11 hour days early. I am spending my evenings on certification classes that need to be complete before I deploy. Today I did my Human Trafficing and Afghanistan/Taliban certifications. There is some really scary stuff that goes on in the world that we rarely hear about. Hundreds of thousands of woman and children are kidnapped every year and sold around the world in to slavery and sex slavery. I knew it existed but never thought it was that bad. I was trained on how to protect myself as well as spot certain activity to report to authorities to protect others. While they are only classes on-line, they are very informative and really keep me as an active reader.
I am exhausted as usual. I have about 6 more hours of certifications to complete so I had better get at them.
We went through security clearance and had to sit through videos and pictures of "what could happen to you if you are not vigilant on staying safe". Yeah, it made me soooooo sick. Nothing like watching people get blown up by car bombs, IED's, etc. They even showed what the shrapenal - bolts and nails put in the bombs - can do. I am getting all woozy just thinking about it.
I made a date with the girls in class to go out to dinner tonight. It is after 6 and I have yet to hear from them. Hopefully I will be able to hold out a bit longer for them to get out of class. My classes end early, if you consider 11 hour days early. I am spending my evenings on certification classes that need to be complete before I deploy. Today I did my Human Trafficing and Afghanistan/Taliban certifications. There is some really scary stuff that goes on in the world that we rarely hear about. Hundreds of thousands of woman and children are kidnapped every year and sold around the world in to slavery and sex slavery. I knew it existed but never thought it was that bad. I was trained on how to protect myself as well as spot certain activity to report to authorities to protect others. While they are only classes on-line, they are very informative and really keep me as an active reader.
I am exhausted as usual. I have about 6 more hours of certifications to complete so I had better get at them.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Sunday Class
Today we filled out more paperwork and then hit first aide. I was soooooo bored! They say it gets more boring as the days go by. AND if you forget to sign the roster for each class you have to take it again a week later. I am making sure I sign each and every one twice!
The building was full with people like me in training. Several classes were going on. My class has around 30 people - 4 other girls besides me. I was very happy to see that I was not the only girl. All were going to Afghanistan except me and one other guy who was also going to Dubai. I had to introduce myself to him since he did not make any effort - young kids....lol
I met some guys down in the lobby that have been here for over 2 months waiting to go out. They rented a car this weekend so I am going to tag along with them to dinner tonight since there does not seem to be anywhere here to go except Ruth Chris and The Waffle House. Ruth Chris is too expensive and Waffle House is just plain nasty. The guys were saying they even got sick there and it was filthy....ahhh just like Houston. I guess chains don't change state to state. They just called so I am going to go get ready. Nothing like a night on the town with complete strangers!
Greenville, South Carolina
My first stop - Greenville SC. I believe I will only be here a week - at least I hope so. This place is beautiful but I don't want to have to stay in a hotel with a stranger for two weeks. So far I am lucky and the only woman here so I have my own room. But they made it clear not to get comfortable and they would be moving me as soon as another female arrives. Since all training starts on Sunday I am keeping my fingers crossed that there won't be another one.
Lee, my boss from my previous job picked me up from the airport and had me over to dinner at her house. It was absolutely lovely! She has a beautiful house and wonderful family. My favorite two things were Annie, their family dog and the backyard had a creek running through it. If I have the chance, I will go back and take a walk down by the creek. Lee and I split a bottle and half of sparkling wine so I was feeling pretty spunky! LOL
MDC (Military Defense) training starts at noon. I guess I am the late shift. Most of the men I talked to yesterday start at 8. And yes, it looks like I am the only female here for LOGCAP. There are men everywhere. I met two females this morning but both were guests visiting family in the area and only here for two days. Bummer. I hate to say it, but everyone I have met in the hotel so far are not the kind of people I usually keep company with. Dare I say a bunch of back woods country boys? They are polite enough but so far they have been the "know it all" types - keeping my language very CLEAN here. Still good guys though. Most are heading to Afghanistan as truck drivers, maintenance crews, etc. I am the only one heading to Dubai and the only one with an office job. One guy has been here waiting for his assignment for 4 months! That is just crazy and I would go home and wait. Luckily I have my assignment and I am actually late getting there so they are going to push me right on through and kick me out of the country in one week- possibly two weeks.
I will write more once my training starts. I hope it is interesting!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Immunization Shots
Yesterday I had my shots. I thought it was going to be a few in one arm. As it turned out it was a few in each arm. Strangely, my body reacted quickly to them and right after she pulled out the needle, my skin automatically repelled it and drained out. They had to give me extra to make sure I received the minimum dose. The nurse said that meant I had very healthy skin. Not sure if I believe her or not since we all stared in wonder as it drained out.
The symptoms are not as bad as I was expecting. I have slight flu sickness with fever. This afternoon I had a hard time keeping down my breakfast and lunch. Tonight seems to be better and I was starving. I still have the fever and my left arm has a huge lump in it. My right arm is just a bit soar - like someone punched me. I am sure I will be all better by tomorrow.
Yesterday morning Kirk got a call to go offshore. He turned it down thinking he would be a bad boyfriend for leaving me two days before I depart. It was not looking good for him in the eyes of the company so I made him call back and accept the job. He left last night. I am now staying here with his roommate, Nick. It was a very sad day for both of us. It will be about 4 months until we see each other again. This trip is three weeks and then when he gets home he will head out to Mexico for two to three months. Hopefully after that he will be able to fly out to Dubai to spend some time with me. Our first vacation has already been decided - Greece. I am already looking forward to that vacation!
Friday I have to head in to work bright and early. That means getting up at 4:30 am to make sure I am there by 6:45 since I am over an hour away now. Robert, the driver, comes to load up my household around 9. I will head out from work to make sure he gets everything and "supervise". It should not take him that long.
Tonight I started to pack up my foot locker and suitcase. I WAY over packed. I have already filled a large box with stuff that will have to go in to storage. Even with condensing, I still have more than I have room for. I hope I can fit it all in. I am going to be paying a pretty penny at the airport for my luggage for sure. It is hard to pack a household full of stuff in to one footlocker, suitcase and backpack. How do you decide what to take and what not to take. While packing I was trying to think of my trips to Afghanistan and I packed all of my boots. When I arrived at Kirks I realized I didn't have any nice sandals for the office in Dubai. So that created a shopping trip! Yeah, I over did it there too. Tomorrow, in my spare time, I have to go back to the mall and return a few items.
My flight for Greenville is set for noon on Saturday. I already have dinner plans with my boss, Lee, from my previous department. She has invited me over for dinner with her family. I am really looking forward to spending some time with her while I am in South Carolina. It is always nice to know someone in new places. I know a few others that are getting ready to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan so it should make the training go by nicely. One, Bryan, has already hit Afghanistan and he is actually enjoying it. The camps are allot nicer than he thought they would be. He emailed me today and told me that when he was in Dubai for a day he was propositioned by a hooker within the first few hours of stepping off the plane. I have heard they were abundant there so it should be interesting to see if I can distinguish them from others.
Here is what I know so far about my adventure to Dubai. I will be staying in a furnished apartment that is 1/4 mile away from the office. I will have a car and be issued a cell phone and computer. The office is running 7 days a week at 80 to 100 hour weeks. I have never worked that much in my life so it will be quite a challenge. I guess I will be feeling my Dad and Sisters pain since they seem to work long hours at the family business.
I know I will be traveling Afghanistan. I just don't know how often or how long I will stay. Good news is I get an extra 35% in pay when I go.
My arms are tired now, so I will clock out.
The symptoms are not as bad as I was expecting. I have slight flu sickness with fever. This afternoon I had a hard time keeping down my breakfast and lunch. Tonight seems to be better and I was starving. I still have the fever and my left arm has a huge lump in it. My right arm is just a bit soar - like someone punched me. I am sure I will be all better by tomorrow.
Yesterday morning Kirk got a call to go offshore. He turned it down thinking he would be a bad boyfriend for leaving me two days before I depart. It was not looking good for him in the eyes of the company so I made him call back and accept the job. He left last night. I am now staying here with his roommate, Nick. It was a very sad day for both of us. It will be about 4 months until we see each other again. This trip is three weeks and then when he gets home he will head out to Mexico for two to three months. Hopefully after that he will be able to fly out to Dubai to spend some time with me. Our first vacation has already been decided - Greece. I am already looking forward to that vacation!
Friday I have to head in to work bright and early. That means getting up at 4:30 am to make sure I am there by 6:45 since I am over an hour away now. Robert, the driver, comes to load up my household around 9. I will head out from work to make sure he gets everything and "supervise". It should not take him that long.
Tonight I started to pack up my foot locker and suitcase. I WAY over packed. I have already filled a large box with stuff that will have to go in to storage. Even with condensing, I still have more than I have room for. I hope I can fit it all in. I am going to be paying a pretty penny at the airport for my luggage for sure. It is hard to pack a household full of stuff in to one footlocker, suitcase and backpack. How do you decide what to take and what not to take. While packing I was trying to think of my trips to Afghanistan and I packed all of my boots. When I arrived at Kirks I realized I didn't have any nice sandals for the office in Dubai. So that created a shopping trip! Yeah, I over did it there too. Tomorrow, in my spare time, I have to go back to the mall and return a few items.
My flight for Greenville is set for noon on Saturday. I already have dinner plans with my boss, Lee, from my previous department. She has invited me over for dinner with her family. I am really looking forward to spending some time with her while I am in South Carolina. It is always nice to know someone in new places. I know a few others that are getting ready to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan so it should make the training go by nicely. One, Bryan, has already hit Afghanistan and he is actually enjoying it. The camps are allot nicer than he thought they would be. He emailed me today and told me that when he was in Dubai for a day he was propositioned by a hooker within the first few hours of stepping off the plane. I have heard they were abundant there so it should be interesting to see if I can distinguish them from others.
Here is what I know so far about my adventure to Dubai. I will be staying in a furnished apartment that is 1/4 mile away from the office. I will have a car and be issued a cell phone and computer. The office is running 7 days a week at 80 to 100 hour weeks. I have never worked that much in my life so it will be quite a challenge. I guess I will be feeling my Dad and Sisters pain since they seem to work long hours at the family business.
I know I will be traveling Afghanistan. I just don't know how often or how long I will stay. Good news is I get an extra 35% in pay when I go.
My arms are tired now, so I will clock out.
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