I just miss my friends

I have done this whole move thing before.  I have left my Home, my Family and my Friends and done the “start-over” regime.  This time is different.  This time, I don’t have the comfort of all my friends a simple phone call away.  There is not an easy way to share all the funny stories of life and all it’s humor.  I find myself carrying on commentary in my head.  I guess that means I have simply become my own friend.  Either that or I am going nuts.  There hasn’t been a day that I don’t miss my girlfriends.  I have some really, truly, wonderful girl best friends.   I have spent years collecting them.  I know, I know, ”Make new friends and keep the old, some are Silver and the others Gold.”  But, I’m just not there right now.  I don’t feel like making friends.  Sometimes, it feels too complicated. And time consuming.  Itd is almost like dating.  There’s the size up, the dance around the money and status, where are you from, Blah.   It is so much work to make new friends.  Then, I have my sweet Sienna.  She too, is missing her friends.  I put on a big smile everyday this week and enthusiastically encouraged her to have a great day and make new friends.  She came home from School yesterday and was very sad to announce that she was the only one that doesn’t know the other kids’ names and couldn’t play along in their games.  It occurred to her that they all knew each other and she was left out as the ONLY one who didn’t have friends.  Wow.  That just broke my heart.  She later explained this same thing to Dave.  That just broke his heart.  It hadn’t occurred to us that she didn’t understand what it means to enter a school in the Third and final term for the School year.  She had her head up and said she will work hard to meet new friends and remember their names and Sienna will. I will work hard to learn from my Daughter in her plight to make new friends. But I will keep the old; to me they will always be shiny, precious GOLD.

It can be a Mans place around here

This can be frustrating at times.  But, it is also very entertaining.  Dave and I have always had very distinct roles.  After Sienna was born, we made the decision for me to stay-at-home.  After years of this, we had a really workable schedule and usually pretty functional system of responsibilities.  Basically, Dave left the home to go to work and I stayed home to keep the family functioning and in order, including the home.  I handled all things like the obvious child caring and homecare, groceries, meals and money matters.   Money matters; banking, bills, bill pay and all money budgeting and management was my responsibility.  This torch has been handed over to Dave here in Dubai.  I’m not sure this is permanent but, for now he was here first and had to set things up originally as per his Company protocol.  But, also because this is a VERY male dominated culture.  It is a new role for to him to be in charge of paperwork and phone calls and a bit nice for me to…NOT.

This week, Dave learned a valuable lesson in attention to detail when it comes to “boring” paperwork.  In the midst of his paperwork sign-in for work, there was a Bank presentation and loads of documents to sign to get things in order for Banking and direct deposit.  Dave got bored and started scribbling his signature on each page.  Ooops.

Last week, Dave had to write out several Checks for me to handout: Customs clearance, Furniture and School tuitions. This week, all four checks were sent back/ refused.  Why, we ask?  Evidently, one of the many scribbled signatures was one they used to scan in and became the “True” signature for signed checks verification through the Bank.  Each check he signed was refused based on a non-match to his scanned scribble and potential fraud alert.  We have since learned that this means; a three hour visit to the main Bank branch in Abu Dhabi  (for Dave) and many phone calls to and from each and every place those checks were refused with an explanation of the situation (for Dave) and now a follow up to make sure everything has been fixed, again all for Dave to complete.  His name and responsibility lie on the checks and accounts.    Giggle.

I’m not sure how long this will last but, for now I will take the money he hands me and spend it in the same fiscally responsible fashion to which I have perfected in our “former” life and allow him the opportunity to learn and grow from his new responsibility ;)

International education

Simply, one of the main reasons we are here. I have been asked countless times, "Why leave America?  Why Dubai?"
Why Dubai, UAE?  That is an easy answer, UAE offered the most valuable opportunity at the time.  Luck is,  opportunity meets preparedness.  We were prepared for the opportunity, what we weren't exactly prepared for we have managed to put in order and now consider our position lucky on many levels.  Here is one...

Why leave America?  Well, we are not "leaving", we are living outside of our Country.  We will always be American, we are Citizens and that will never change.

We all live in a fast-pace Global World.  It is everyone's desire to keep up, make ends meet and at the end of the day, try diligently to get ahead.  There are a billion definitions and variations of what this means.   To our Family, it means being diverse and open to knowledge.  Our children will learn and experience that the world is round.  That you can not drive from one side to other.  That the United States of America is not the entire World, logistically speaking.  We will submerse our children in the actual cultures that truly make up the USA and in doing so, they will learn the true Freedom that is, America.

The kids are both registered and ready to begin school at The Regent International School Dubai, starting April 25.  This will be the Third trimester in the 2010/2011 school year.  This was the only school that would allow our children to start in the third term and it is very necessary they get the next three months education.  I have been to the campus, met teachers and staff.  I have met happy parents of happy students.  I feel good about this decision for now.  We will have the next three months to decide if this placement is a fit for the 2011/2012 School year.  In this region, once you begin a School year, you must finish with that school.  You can not change schools mid-year.

They issue placement testing to ensure proper grade-level placement.

Myles was a perfect fit for his age group.  Age 4, FS-1.  This is the first of two years of Kindergarten. Exactly what I had anticipated.

Sienna, born on the last day of the age cut-off for classroom placement by age, could have gone either way.  That is the same for her in the States as well.  She would either be the very youngest one year or one of the older ones in another.  I did start her in Kindergarten in the US because she was ready.  She did excellent in her classroom in Nevada.  She has always done excellent, back from preschool at Discovery Learning Center to her Kindergarten prep program with Ms. Hucke (classroom size six students to one teacher)
I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this testing.  This is a whole new ball game here.  Education is very different.  It is obvious by simply walking the halls in her classroom age group.  The walls are covered in Paintings by the children replicating Monet.  There are International days, where each child comes to school to teach of their Culture and Country.  There are Global maps outside the classroom doors with a flag for each child representing their home Country.  The US Flag is on some of them.  There are paragraphs written by 5 year olds, collectively telling storybook tales and then illustrated.

Let me just say, I started feeling nervous.
Sienna's academic testing left a lot to be desired by their standards.  However, based on "potential" and the Assessment Official's observation, they feel she is best suited to finish out Y1 and start Y2 in September.   To this I say, Wow.

We will embrace our children's education and plant the seed where the Officials see fit.  We will nurture the seed and hope for the positive and healthy growth of our little flowers ... for now.

Back to the Fish

Dave has been making fun of me for the last week about that darn expensive Hammour fish.  Tonight, we had UAE locals over for a visit and of course Dave had to bring out the ole Fish story.   Hahahhaha, ya, many laughs at my expense.  "You could buy two of those dresses and a pair of shoes for the price of that fish."   ha.

But, I learned a couple fun facts.  The Hammour FIsh is the most expensive fish in Dubai.  It is pronounced Haam-moooooor (with a roll on the "r"). So expensive, that it has become a common cliche to say of big spenders or men of true wealth, "He is a Hammour."
 
Nice.  That would have been good to know a week ago.

Also, the best part of the Hammour fish, is the meat in the cheek.  Which in my case, got thrown in the trash because I thought it looked a tad repulsive.

Mind boggling and constant conversions

Let me just say, Wow. I feel like my brain is in Mathematic overhaul right now. I can’t really seem to grasp the thinking bit in a new chart. So, I am constantly working the conversions. Talk about a headache. Here are some examples:

Time Difference
UAE is 11 Hours ahead of California
UAE is 10 Hours ahead of New Mexico
I calculate this everyday for every friend I have all over the World in different time zones.


Speed: KPH to MPH
Multiply MPH by 1.6 KPH

Money: AED to USD
Multiply 3.65 by 1USD
Or in the case of prices all being in AED, Divide AED by 3.65

Temperature: C to Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit 32 = 0 C
*(very boring) No matter which direction you want to covert, Fahrenheit to Celsius or Celsius to Fahrenheit, always first add 40 to the number. Next, multiply by 5/9 or 9/5 just like the first method. Then, always subtract out the 40 you just added to yield the final result. To remember whether to use 5/9 or 9/5 when converting from Fahrenheit to Celsius or Celsius to Fahrenheit, just simply remember, F (for Fahrenheit) begins with the same letter as Fraction. 5/9 is always a Fraction; while 9/5 is also a fraction, in this form, it is Clearly a whole number plus a fraction (1 and 4/5). Thus, if you want to convert Fahrenheit (F) to Celsius (C), then use the Fraction 5/9; Celsius (C) to Fahrenheit (F), use the other, 9/5, which is Clearly not just a fraction.

So, in summary:

A very hot day in Dubai is anything over: 100 Fahrenheit or 38 Celsius


A great temp inside our home for Thermastats= 78 Fahrenheit or 26 Celsius


Electrical Outlets
I actually haven’t figured this out yet. But, it is some serious business;)
So far, I have caught a snack bag of popcorn on fire in the Microwave (Turbo speed, burned in 2.5minutes), Dave has blown up countless step-down converters for pulling too much voltage/wattage (which is another conversion)

Everything is calculated differently. No inches here for measuring furniture, it is in Centimeters… Meters and Kilometers for distance, no Miles. No more ounces for beverage, it is ml.


**I like to think of myself as pretty bright but, as of late I have been feeling kind of dense and have actually entertained the idea of sitting in on some of Sienna’s classroom.

Heartbreaking realities. I am humbled by my freedom, the freedom I inherited simply by being born into America.

We are so very fortunate.  So fortunate in fact, that it is a difficult thought to believe that our reality is not entitled.  It isn’t and it is very obvious to me now.  I think I am on stimulus overload.  On one hand there are lights, beaches, beauty, seemingly a utopia.  On the other-hand, there is much different,  other-side.

I can’t tell you how many times in the last few weeks that I have been asked,

“How old is this child…?”  Then, it is followed by a story about children being care for in another Country and loved from afar by either Parent.  I have heard this equally from the Mother and Fathers alike, currently working in Dubai, away from their children.  Their comments are heartbreaking.   “I have (number and ages of children) back home, I see once every 2 years.”  I can’t even imagine.  The thought floods me with tears and sadness.

UAE offers opportunity to make money to support a Family.  However, it is not always enough money or opportunity to migrate the whole Family.  It is a difficult conundrum to comprehend from my very spoiled perspective. 

Not everyone is born with the same rights and privileges’ as my Family and me. I feel very thankful for the rights I was issued by simply being born in the fortunate side of the globe.  God Bless America, we really are free.

Hug your children big and close tonight, because you can.

Cinnamon or Cinema?

The language barrier has been cause for many situations, some uncomfortable and some just plain funny.  I am going to start a small series here within my blog to archive them for entertainment. 

First, let  me start by saying how absolutely incredible I find it that people all over the World learn several languages and I only have a grasp on one.  Sad really.  I appreciate and admire their knowledge.  "Their" meaning anyone who knows more than my Mono-lingual self.

Yesterday in one of the local coffee shops, not Starbucks.  (Starbucks, is no longer a coffee place I visit.  They fall short on every level here by taste comparison)  I ordered my usual Latte and Dave ordered a Cappuccino.  I was having cinnamon envy and asked the nice lady for cinnamon.  Politely, she begins giving me directions is the best English she could manage.  I realize she is giving me directions but, I wasn't clear why.  So, I repeat myself about the Cinnamon.  She repeats herself with the directions... to the CINAMA. 

Ohhhhh, I get it. This time I say Cinnamon and use the Universal fingers sprinkling over my coffee and point to Dave's coffee, repeating the Word Cinnamon.

There is a Universal language I am realizing and sometimes it resorts back to using hand signs.  

Using the restroom in the UAE

I have been giving this a lot of thought.  Each and every restroom, including all those in our home come equip with the squirt hose beside the toilet bowl.  Dave has given me the whole rundown on eating and addressing others with right hand exclusively.  Here's why, the left hand is used for wiping the "areas" after using the water-tool (not sure of the true name of the squirter).  Okay, so at first thought I was pretty much grossed out.  Then, I have more carefully analyzed my thought process.  Here it is...

In the USA, we do our business and wipe with dry, cotton paper (using our hands) until we see or "not see the presence" to decide we have wiped the area enough to assume it clean. 

In the UAE, toilets come equip with a small, very personal shower to use after each "soiling".  Logically, it seems to reason that the butt is getting a much more thorough cleaning when showered after each, "use".  Right?  
On a side note, I do wonder how the said area is dried after each mini-shower.  There are no towels, paper towels or any other drying type paper except the same dry, cotton toilet paper.  And we all know what happens when that paper gets too wet ;)

I am curious if there has ever been some bacterial research done to compare the two methods for true sanitary awards.  Sounds like a cool Science Project for a teen (Not my kids, someone elses for sure ;)

Anyhow, everyone is anticipated to wash hands thoroughly after the restroom business.