Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been meaning to do it for a while but work and eBay betting have taken precedent! My Jan. 19 to 24 trip to Abu Dhabi was an enlightening experience! Luckily I packed lightly (two carry-on bags) so I didn't have to worry about losing luggage. There were three layovers each way so it made for long trips (48 hours roundtrip). My stay in Abu Dhabi was barely 72 hours and it went by very quickly. I arrived in Abu Dhabi about 1 am Saturday which was 9 hours ahead of Florida. The Petroleum Institute rep greeted me at the airport and was able to fasttrack me through Customs. Who you know plays a significant factor in getting things done in a timely manner in that part of the world. Anyway we were quickly on the road and we got to my hotel in about 20 minutes. It was dark so the most noticeable impression, like first being in Cairo six years ago, was the driving. Much more eratic over there.
I woke up at about 9 am and had a delicious buffet breakfast was delicious. Then I wandered outside behind the hotel where the pool and workout facilities and located. I relaxed in a chair and began reading the local English language newspaper but sson fell asleep. I awoke about an hour later and met my contact from the library early in the afternoon. He was very friendly and showed me around the island city. Darcy and I could adapt there as it is more laid back than here and Dubai! Driving is bad but we can adapt - people's sense of personal space is almost non existant. Much construction there and many small, skinny highrises. Living near the corniche (waterfront) is obviously the nicest and most expensive place to live. Rent is cheaper as you move south (inland). Doesn't appear the rental apartments are as luxurious as here and the expensive villas are better but more expensive. We'd have to settle for an apartment and I can't remember if many had balconies or not.
Taxis are everywhere and fairly cheap and clean. There are many Indians, Pakistanis and Philippinos in the service industry so in some ways it doesn't seem like you're in the ME. Seeing the local Emirate men dressed in their pristine white robes and women in their black robes and veils is eye catching. Interesting how this culture has embraced technology and some Western values while retaining their own identity. It was somewhat amusing seeing women fully veiled and talking on their cell phones! It was refreshing to watch BBC and Euro news and getting a different perspetive on world events. I even watched some Al Jazeera English programming. It seemed a bit like a MTV show. There would be opportunities for us to socialize with expats and live the Western life which would be fun. But you'd lead a somewhat isolated life by not wanting to explore and travel which is what we'd do!
The Petroloeum Institute interviews went well I think. Very nice faculty there and staff were eager to answer my questions. The school does a lot of preparation for new candidates moving to the area. It's obviously common so they seem to know what they are doing. There are only a few books that I managed to find about visiting the UAE. Spectrum Guide to the United Arab Emirates has many good photos. Culture Shock! United Arab Emirates: A Guide to Customs & Etiquette, Perspectives on the United Arab Emirates may be worth buying if we move there.
Since I have an interest in this part of the world I honestly have few concerns about moving. People that we mention this aren't quite sure how to react and we realize that it's Western frame of mind. The expats I talked with there aren't obsessed with 9-11, terrorism news and endless American debate about security issues. So it would be a nice change to listen to other news albeit from a different perspective! The latest story about the Mohammed cartoon with the bomb in his turban is tragic. I see both the Eastern and Western perspectives but I have no answer for how it should be handled. I suppose it's part of why I want to move there and try and make a difference in young students' lives.
I quickly realized the emphasis of adapting to a different work environment and language and cultural differences. Also teaching BI classes to ESL students will be interesting and quite different from here. Their new library is very nice and I see many similarities between what the school is experiencing now and what NSU was experiencing four years ago! Much money to spend on a book approval plan, new building, rapidly increasing staff size and new policies needed.
I've heard no official word yet but that is okay. I'm patient and besides, I have much work to do here with FLA committee work, making sure that my article is finally published, ordering books and revising the new approval plan for next FY. Darcy continues with her lovely bellydancing (she's practicing with a friend as I type). I have bought several McFarland NHL figures (all Oilers of course!) I've also been buying some Star Trek (TOS) comics from Gold Key, Marvel and DC in an attempt to complete my collections. I haven't spent this much money in years and figure I deserve it. Plus if we move overseas it's better if I buy these items now while it's easier and cheaper! That's all for now...
A nice recent photo of Darcy posing with her new bellydancing dress.
posted by Michael at 6:43 PM
