Heading Out!

Today, my journey began with saying good bye to my brother and my sister in law.  She's real more like my sister and definitely one of my best friends.   They are going to take care of all of my stuff state side; thank goodness!

Then it was time to load the car for the airport!  Not bad right!  Don't ask me how I was able to stuff my life into 3 suitcases, 1 carry-on and my laptop bag.  It's it amazing how little we really need to live.

We head out for the airport and a good bye dinner with Mom, Dad, my beautiful niece and her handsome husband.  Then a final picture with my two favorite people.

Blaise and Christa

Hasir

I checked in at Turkish Airlines and this young, handsome
and charming ticket clerk checked me in.



While I was waiting at the gate for my flight, this magnificantly beautiful Saudi mother of two caught my eye because of the beautiful abaya she was wearing.  As any pushy American would do, I went over, introduced myself, and asked if I could take her picture. In Arabic her husband asked her what I wanted.  He said that I could take her picture but without her face. So I did!  Isn't it fabulous!







I slept most of the way from Washington DC to Istanbul.   When I wasn't sleeping I was watching episodes of the Big Bang Theory and reading on my Kindle. It wasn't until I got off the lane in Istanbul that I met one of my new colleagues, Irma Diaz.  Here we were traveling 5229 miles never knowing the other    
                                                      bundle of nerves was only a couple
                                                      of rows away.  Please met Irma.

She and I spent a couple our hours during our layover chatting over coffee.

Just across from the coffee kiosk was a Turish Ice Cream booth. 

It was a blast to watch the vendor put on quite a show while

he was dispensing ice cream.  Here he is.

When we left for the gate we meet up with three more colleagues: Ben, Beth and Maureen.

And then we headed for Abu Dhabi.

We landed in Abu Dhabi at 2:08am.  We were met by this lovely ambassador and went on a whirl wind tour of  retina scan, passport & visa checkin, carry on scan, luggage claim and transportation.  We aparently bypassed customs due to the early hour of the morning.

When we got to the transportation all of my Teachaway colleagues took a bus to the hotel.  I got a private chauffer drive car.  It is good to be and AIDC recruit.  It was 3am when we got the the hotel.  I tried to sleep but it was only 7pm to me.  When I did start to drift off, about 5am there was this loud continuous sound.  I realized it was my first call to prayer. The UAE is mostly Muslim and the call the prayer sounds five times a day and can be heard all over the city.  There is a gorgeous Mosque just 2 blocks from the hotel. It was an amazing Arabic chant with music that sounded for about 2 minutes.  It was wonderful.

 

Well, I'm a little tired and a bit overloaded so I will catch up with all of you after our General Orienation meeting tomorrow morning at the Abu Dhabi Education Council.  Having a fabulous time!