Hello High life!

Well. It's day 6. Six days that have been incredible! I never have to clean up after myself. I get a lovely wake up call every morning. The worlds coziest bed on earth, with as many pillows as I can fit on the bed. I have a turn down service that puts my slippers right beside my bed, refills my water, and engages in pleasant conversation. I never need to worry about toilet paper running low, not to mention running out. I get shampoo and body wash replaced after every use. I have a free gym and swimming pool. I have two flat screen HD tv's and a collection of DVD's. I can play a CD in my room and the speakers carry into the bathroom, incase I am having a shower and am not finished with my music yet. I never vaccuum, dust, or clean a toilet. I am brought irons on demand, and they are taken away on demand. I get a paper at my door daily, and it's taken away when I don't need it anymore. We have a laundry service too. Just send if out, and it comes back folded or pressed, and smelling like I don't even do my own dishes! Can you beat this life? It's incredible!!! Lack of space perhaps, if you have two kids (like one of our teachers does)...but it's far to big for just little ol' me on my own.

Anyway, the set up here is pretty great. I'd be ok to stay for a long time. Just moments ago, the room service people brought me up a fresh fruit bowl because I'm a VIP! Me! Talia! A VIP! It's ridiculous! I hope they don't finish the units for a good month and a half or so. The only downside, other than storage space (as most of my things are in suitcases on the floor), is that we have to buy dinner every day. We can't cook healthy meals for ourselves, or buy veggies or fruit in bulk. Plus, it gets expensive. But, breakfast is free, so if you're smart, and you take some reserves, it'll last the day. But it's mostly pastry. If you take the fruit, you have to steal utensils and plates, and it's a big thing. ANyway, we're here for a quote of another two or three weeks, but, by the way things seem to be going with building, I'm going to try and get comfortable!

So, our dream 5 star hotel is about a fourty minute drive to the school. The hotel is directly down town, and the school is in a suburb called Khalifa A. The suburb is full of big school and business buildings, but they're all surrounded by dirt and desert. There is one small strip mall, near the school, and a few shops relatively close on the way back into Abu Dhabi, but for the most part, there isn't much out there to do...only work, and then leave. The area where they're bulilding our houses is in Khalifa B. Basically it's about twenty minutes South West of our school, and it's even more in the "middle of nowhere" than the school is. In fact, there is absloultely nothing out there except for dirt....dirt...and more dirt. Some companies, like our schools are building homes and such, but it's really not going to be a place to hang out, only sleep I expect. I guess the Khalifa A area will be the next hang out...within ten years it'll be completely developed, and everyone will want to be there. Everyone will want to live in Khalifa B...but, we're at the start of the change over, so, I'm probably gonna have to come back in ten years and see what happened to it.

The school itself is really nice. I like it alot. Some of the classrooms seem small, like they don't have enough room for all of their desks, let alone having a reading corner or storage space, but it's all good. My Kindergarten room is fabulous! It is separated into two sides. I have one for quite table work, pencils and pens, crafts, and tables, and one for fun play...like Carpet time, reading corner, play/imagination centers. It's lovely. Plus, I have bathrooms!!! And the bathrooms have windows in them, at adult hight so I can see if anyone is playing in there instead of doing their business! Ha ha. It's perfect. We have some supplies, but really not enough to do a whole year. I hear some stuff is coming, so let's cross our fingers. For now, I can get through the first and second month. There are whiteboards, desks, computers, and toys, and books all ordered, but being in an Arabic country, you learn that nothing happens when it's supposed to, and nothing comes in when it should. The houses should have been done in May, the white boards put up last Saturday, the desks in last week...nothing happens when it should. I'm hoping that things come in before school begins on the 30th, but who really knows?

I've been doing decorating in the classroom, and I moved all of my furniture around, so now it's all in a place that I like. It's neat and sorted too...and because I don't have much stuff, it looks really clean! Ha ha. We'll see how long that lasts I guess.

I wrecked my knee the other day whilst running on the tredmill, and I got to go to the doctor...which was so fun! It's quick and efficient. One other teacher, Ally, from pennsylvania came along as well. We took a taxi in, and apparently we were in the "rich people's hostpital" And, it was fantastic service. After a long wait, we got in. Ally went first, she popped her head back out within 5 minutes and said they'd sent her for some tests, which I thought was going to take forever, but I went in while she went to do that. Meeting the dr was hillarious! Everything he asked you was said in the most excited way, and when you answered him, you may as well have told him he'd one a trip to Diney land with his response!

"Miss Ritz, did you do this while running!

"Yes"

"Ah! Yes! Hmmm, and do you have a family history of any diseases?!

"Diabetes?"

"hooo Hooo! Yes! Ok....."


Basically, you can't tell how hillarious this was with the dialogue, but let me tell you...i've never been to a more enthusiastic doctor, and probably never will again. And, what's more, he sent me for x-rays, which I had taken and brought back to him within ten minutes! After looking at them I was given a perscription for pain and some ointment for the muscle, and he told me to get a knee brace...and then it was done! The pharmacy was done within a minute with my order...The only downside was that I had to pay upfront. Too bad I guess because I don't have a lot of Durhams. Normally I guess health care covers it, but I don't have my card yet, so for now I'll have to wait to get reimbursed.

Looking for my knee brace was fun too. I couldn't find a size that fit in the price range that I wanted, and they showed me every product in the store, and tried to get me to buy it, even though it didn't fit, and they could see that. It would be a small, and I'd try it on, and it wouldn't fit, and then they'd bring me another small!!! The same one!! And it still wouldn't fit... funny. I finally did find one, but, man, they wanted that sale! Ha ha.

The malls here are sweet...as are most of the builidings. They are mostly standard with regular stores, the rich malls have stores like Banana republic, and the poorer malls have tacky barter shops...there is a huge range. Prices on clothing is compareable, if not a bit higher, but prices on food is comparable but a bit lower. There is a store here called Lu lu's, which is like Wal-Mart. It carries everything. In fact, the Lu lu's that we went to was in the basement of the Al Wahad mall, and it took up the entire floor! Like a super wal mart I guess. Almost to big for my tastes, but it's one of the only places to get some of the American things. There is also a grocery/multipurpose store called Spinny's, but it's expensive. However, I'll go there to get specialty items if I need them....but I know me. I won't need them. I'm too cheap. Ha ha.

Some of the buildings look like spaceships. one new tower that they're building is leaning completely. But they're the way their building it. Very strange, and also, super cool. Construction workers here are almost all Egyption or East indian. And they never wear hard hats, vests, harnesses, goggles, or work boots. They hang off of the 18th floor of new buildings, grabbing on to only the rebar hanging out the side, and do some work with the other hand! They are all gonna die!!! Or at least they have a death wish! Strange mentality for workers at home, who live in saftey town and get sent home if they don't have their boots or choose not to wear work glasses. It's amusing, but I am worried everytime I watch them.

Other than looking around at buildings and going to the mall, I also have a favorite night time hang out. Ten minutes away there is the Crown Plaza hotel, and underneath them is a pub called Hero's. It's fantastic. Like a cozy pub at home. Joy and I go often...in fact, they know our orders. She walks in and they say "good evening mam...stella?" And Joy justs laughs, and nods as we are brought to our table. I of course order a Malibu with pineapple juice, or a diet coke depending on the evening. There was a quiz night there, where we met some other expats who we now hang out with as well. They are all men, all in their late twenties to early thirties, and evey one met at Hero's and works at different jobs. It's an interesting mix. Some of them work in accounting, some with HR, some with financial planning, and some with contract negotiations...and then the teachers! I guess everyone knew we were teachers after finding out we were from Canada without asking what we did because almost all of the Canadians here are teachers. I for one and not sure about that, but it's funny anyway that they guessed so quickly.

The hero's pub is one of the only places to drink in public. Most of them are in the basements of hotels. Otherwise, there are a few night clubs around, and some alcohol stores as well. Most of the alcohol purchased has to be bought with a licence, which none of us have, but there is a store in the basement of a hotel on the road from Khalifa to Abu Dhabi that sells it without a licence, so, everyone did a stop there and stocked up on some things. I plan to get some when I get paid, and after Ramadan. I seem to have missed the boat for this time. Our new friends names are Vic, Lance (long A), Sandy, Nathan, and Chris. Funny guys. All from somewhere in Britian. I think one is Scottish, and one is from Whales, the others might be from London. I think our group and their group will bond. They're good fun.

In fact, last night, we all went to a fancy place called Shangi-la. We met some of their other girl friends, there, and another guy who is married to one of the girls...I think they're names are Adam, Kaitlyn, and Tamera. Really nice people for sure. So, we dressed up, put on heels, and went out. The Shangri-la is a district with many fancy hotels in it. Each hotel has different stuff in it, like restaurants, night clubs, and more. Out the back, there is the most crazy fabulous view, and it's right on the water which is lovely. You can see the grand mosque all lit up...hey, side note, small piece of trivia...the largest piece of carpet in the world is located on the floor of the grand mosque, Abu Dhabi. Nice. Anyway, we went in to the restaurant in this place, and first of all, it's super swaky. People walk around all the time with bottles of Wine for you to taste, and then they'll pour you some if it's up to your standard. People pull out chairs for you, and set your napkin on your lap. The food...oh the food! It's a buffet. When you walk into the area, it's as if magic has happened. They have raw meat and sea food and you choose what you'd like and how you'd like it, and they cook it for you. Roast, steak, chicken. They have indian food, asian food, pizza, salads, sauces, all types of potatoes. It was amazing! And one step up from any buffet i'd been to previous. Then, the desserts which are right in the middle. They make fresh Crepes, and put lovely ice cream in side them...they have chocolate fountains in dark, milk, and white chocolate. You can dip whatever you'd imagine into them. Dainty cakes, and pastry's, layerd things in shot glasses. Ah! I ordered my Malibu and pineapple juice for my drink, and the people brought me a shot of malibu in a glass, pineapple juice in a tiny jug on the side, and ice cubes with a serving spoon so I could make my own cocktail as strong as I would have liked it...amazing! It cost about 100 bucks for the night though, which I did not anticipate when we were invited, so now i'm back to strict budget for the rest of the week. We do get paid though on the 1st for a couple weeks of work, so I'm sure things will be just fine.

What else? Hmmm, I don't even know. Today is Friday, and right out my window there is a loud speaker shouting out the sermon for the day. People are in the mosque getting the sermon in person, but for whatever reason, it's important to broadcast it to the world as well....I hope it doesn't go on forever, but I'm planning for about 4 hours of it. Ha ha, I'll have to turn my movie way way up!

Tomorrow is the start of Ramadan. The whole city is gearing up for it. Grocery shopping, and getting everything ready. Tonight, everyone will eat a huge meal for the kick off, around 4 in the morning before the sun comes up. Then, tomorrow, all of the places where you can eat food will have heavy curtains put up. No one can see inside. Also, if I eat, drink, chew gum, sing, dance, or put on lip chap, I could get in trouble with the police. I have to dress way modestly. Not in a berka per say, but long sleaves., high necklines, and zero shorts or tanks. No big deal, except that it is 45-50 degree's outside. The humidity is what does it though. It's kind of gross how wet you feel at any given moment while outside. But it's not a big deal in the heat, everything is air conditioned, and you're almost always inside. I doubt if I'll get a tan for a long while, and I will feel more cold than hot most of the time. The air con is usually freezing!

Stores will be closed all day until about 7. If I want food or anything else, I have to buy it late. That is ok with me, except that all of the Muslims go out at 7 as well to party with their friends, because restaurants all open as well, and so unforunately, taxi's will be hard to get, so I might not get to go out very often at all. We shall see. I'm sure I'll be fine.

School's here, locally won't even open until After Ramadan, which ends on the 17th. Our school, being international will, but we only work half days! Ha ha, this job is great! Also, Ramadan ends on the 17th, and that evening, and into the next day there will be big parties! I figure, I'll just join in and party with them for my birthday. Actually, we've decided to book a boat for my birthday, eat dinner on it down the river and then it takes you to a sweet man made island where they have some cool stuff to do and see. Some of my closer teacher friends will come, and it should be a fun night.

I believe I have left you with enough to think about. Ha ha, Please, have a super few days and we'll catch you again later!

Cheers. Talia.