Missin and Reminiscn

It feels like I have been gone for a while but, it really hasn't been too long at all! I mentioned in my first post that some really close friends flew in to say bye to me when I left Boston.

Thanks Nikki, Andi, Dani, Abby, Meg and Annie for coming my way to say bye! It was a great time with all of them and here are some of the fun times we had... you all should go visit these places they are some of my favorite in New England!

The North End in Boston with Andi, Kristen and Christine

Meg in Hampton, NH

Annie and Nikki at Singing Beach in Manchester By the Sea

I never took any pictures with Dani and Abby- but, I know someone has them so send them to me and I will add them on here!

Ladies Night

My sister-in-law Jessie plans the events for the hospital. My first Saturday night here she had a women's dinner for Oasis' 50th Anniversary. I had the opportunity to go and be a part of the evening. Here in the Emirates the government is run by a Sheik and the term Sheik or Sheika (for a woman) is used before any royalty's name. At the women's event one of the women from the ruling family, a sheika was the guest of honor. The founder of the UAE had one of his sons at Oasis Hospital and she was representing that family at the dinner.

Here in the UAE local women do not mix with men, this means that any event large or small men and women are in seperate rooms. At the dinner even all of the serving staff and security had to be women.

It is also uncommon to find local woman who are willing to be photographed but, this woman Ahalam who I work with and her mother were willing to stop for a picture.

Work it Out.

Yesterday I finished my first week of work. My official title at the hospital is Assistant Director of Business Development (looks good on paper) but, I mostly will be working in the Marketing Department. The departments is a one man show right now and I will be the 2nd person in the department! I will work with a man named Jomy who is from India but has lived most of his life here in the Emirates.

I also started Arabic lessons this week. My teacher's name is Latifah and she is actually from Oman. She lives just over the border so she commutes to and from Al Ain. Many of the translators at the hospital are from Oman. It's more like driving over a state border for them!

The desert is winning right now

So, I have always taken pride in the fact that I never get sick when I travel abroad. I have been to about 8 countries and have stayed away for up to 3 months and have never been sick. In Mexico not even Montezuma's Revenge could get me! Here in the desert the heat is winning.

I am exhausted and have a sinus infection that is making it hard to sleep. I went to the doctor today and started anti-biotics. I'm sure it will help but, the stubborn part of me hates that the desert heat is winning this battle!

Completely unrelated- this picture below is of me and Trey. I am wearing a pair of the white gloves that a lot of women here wear to protect their hands from the sun while they are driving or walking around outdoors. Being fair skinned here is considered beautiful. The white gloves are a stark contrast to the women's black abayas.

"It's Freaking Friday"

This is a famous quote from Christine "It's freaking Friday"- anyone who ever lived at 15 Ashland Street or was even there when Christine got home from work knows exactly what I mean when I say this.Let me give you a run down of a Friday evening at 15 Ashland. You hear the door lock jiggle and then the door flings open and Christine drops her things and before you see her you hear "It's freaking friday" and the party begins! I loved hearing that affirmation that the weekend had arrived.

Here this takes on a whole new meaning. Thursday is our last day of work for the week. Friday is the Holy Day here- Muslims worship on Friday's. For me it's a day of relaxation and rest.

Today I woke up and went to the gym with Jessie (trying to join her healthy habits). We stopped back home so I could get pants on- I wore shorts to the gym but those are not ok for public places. Next, it was off to the store (imagine a Super Walmart on steroids) from groceries, hair dryers; about 15 to choose from, soccer jerseys (not like imitation brands at Walmart, this is where the steroids come in they were the real brands) and washers and dryers. Literally they had everything you could ever need.

After the store we headed to Jessie's house to make lunch for some company that we had. It was wonderful to be sitting around with Emirati women for a meal. There is no better way to get to know people and a culture than to sit down and talk about life. The four women arrived completely covered in their abayas. I felt nervous at first- it was such a strange feeling- I have been seeing these women for the past 4 days and have

even met many who were dressed like them at the hospital. We sat down to lunch and I quickly made friends. I am hoping to have one of the girls come to my apartment when I move. I need friends here and I need to make them fast! I was surrounded by so many girls at home!

My gym membership is already paying off because after the girls left we went to the pool at the gym.

Here I am enjoying the heat. It was so much easier to enjoy the heat when I was wearing typical summer clothes. A bathing suit and a cover up felt amazing after wearing sweaters and jeans in this desert heat.

Then I was off to the mall to change some money and I bought a straightner! I will get to look totally normal soon.

Here we are in the desert

So, the title of this went from "It's getting hot in hur" to "You can't take off any clothes" (I am a woman living in a conservative culture) to it's current title because duh- I moved to the desert and what more could I expect than temperatures in the 100's. It was about 115 degrees today. It made me angry and then I met a woman who gave it to me like it is. She asked the usual "How's it going?" I said "Good" the polite good we all respond with and she was quiet and looked at me like that's it, you just moved all the way over here from America and all you got is "good". So, my jet lagged self added "It's hot, really hot" and she looked back and said "Yeah, so it is and it's not really getting better". That's the reason for my current blog title- Here we are in the desert.

I did all my HR paperwork and I am just about ready to get to crackin' at work. Sunday is orientation and Saturday I will help at a women's event for the hospital. My weekends here are Friday and Saturday- we always work on Sunday.

Tonight after work was church- it is an Anglican service. That's pretty different from what I am use to at home. It was nice though and I liked going to church with family. I'll put up some pictures tomorrow!

I'm Here!

I am here safe and sound. A real post is coming!

Holding it together

Christine kindly reminded me on my way to the airport that I should "hold it together" that's just where I am at right now. I am in the airport in CT and I am taking another little piece of advice from my older brother "don't think about life and hard things on the way over, flying makes you tired" and something to the affect of, "you don't have the energy for that".

But... I am beginning this new adventure to work at Oasis Hospital in Al Ain in the UAE.

First we should go over what I am leaving behind and who I am asking to come along.

1. A job as the Development and Marketing Coordinator at Whittier Street Health Center

Not so sad to leave this behind- there were so many changes already happening that my job wasn't really the same anymore anyway.

2. My Family

Jared is my youngest brother and is a senior in high school. He is the kicker for the football team. I got to see his first game of the season. He is getting ready to apply for college and that's a HUGE decision.

My sister Jessica works in Malden one town over from where I was living and I saw her at least once a week. Her husband is in a doctoral program for Physical Therapy. (They are staying behind to anchor the family in Springfield where they own a home).

My parents are always there with arms wide open. Really, wide open arms- they let us go but, they always let us come back home.

3. Some oldies but goodies. Nina and Desiree- childhood friends who are starting families in Western MA.

4. 15 Ashland Street

This one will get a whole post on it's own later. It's a place I love that needs a lot more than just this paragraph. It's the first apartment I ever had of my own. I lived here for 2 years with roommates and they too deserve some attention on here. Lauren, Elin, Sarah, Julie and Christine more to come on them soon!

5. Monday Night Dinner and the people who attended this. You guys are free to have shephard's pie, hash and sloppy joe whenever you would like (some of the foods that were banned because I hate them)

6. Seven Mile Road Church and my Thursday night small group (some of you know this as small souls or Bible Study) long story short it was the reason I was out until midnite every Thursday.

7. College Friends- they are scattered on the North Shore and all over the country. Somehow I got to see them all before I left! Thank you for flying into Boston for a final summer weekend!

8. The only girl who can deal with me all the time- happy, sad, excited, mad and it goes on and on...

Christine- you should get to know this face, you will hear about her a ton on here. She has shown me over the 4 short years of our friendship how to be a friend. Over the past 2 months since I have decided to leave she has been no different. She made sure that as I left New England it was a true farewell!

Like my blog title implies I need all of you to read this blog and leave me comments. I need you to come to the desert with me!

Patience

I'm packing up and will have a post up here soon!