Catholic Mass in Abu Dhabi!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

After a full morning at the Abu Dhabi Health Ministry having our residency visa exams and fingerprints.  I decided to have a quiet afternoon and then I ventured out alone to Mass at Saint Joseph's Cathedral which is about 2/3 of a mile from the hotel.  It sits between a Mosque and a Protestant Ecumenical Worship Center.  This church has 100,000 parishioners.  There are a total of  22 Masses from Friday morning through Sunday evening.  I went to the 4:30pm Mass on Sunday.  This picture does not do the church justice.  It holds about 1000 people and it was standing room only by the time Mass began.  They have no mistlettes or song books.  The entire liturgy is projected on 2 huge screens in the front of the church. 

At the end of Mass I was able to click off this picture of the alter.  But they are trying to shuffle us out as soon as possible because the next thousands parishioners are waiting to enter for the 5:45om Mass.  There is a beautiful grotto to our lady in the court yard but it was so busy my picture is not very good.  So next time I will get a better picture of the grotto

It's all about the shopping!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Al Wahda Mall is about 3/4 of a mile from the hotel.  So Monday a bunch of us decided to walk to the mall.  I might have made a different decision have I known how dangerous a walk down the street was in Abu Dhabi.  This danger is not of a criminal nature but of an infastructure nature.  I had been warned that the sidewalks were a tripping hazard and that one of the teachers from the first group fell on the first day and broke her leg.  These should have been my clues to taking a taxi instead of walking but I was feeling strong and had it in me to do.  Less than a quarter of a mile out I decided I needed to lengthen the strap in my purse and down I went.  No scratches, no blood, no torn skin.  But I went down like rock and fell on my purse, which was painful. I got up and moved along with the entire group asking again and again was I alright.  Other than a sore breast I was fine.  So we carried on to the Al Wahda Mall.






Our first stop was the exchange to change all of our money.  Then on to Lu Lu's Hypermarket.  The best I can do to describe this store it to say that it is Target on steroids with the addition of Lowe's.  By size it is 3 times bigger than a SuperWalmart.  We spent three hours in Lu Lu's. I did not make it through the whole store but I got groceries and a couple of abayas. Luckily we took a cab back so there was no walking. 

THE CORNICHE

After our brief meeting at ADEC, a bunch of us decided to head to the Corniche (beach area) on the shore of Abu Dhabi.  Jennifer, Laqueeda and her kids (Kamea and Kalil), Christine, Alicia and Shannon.  The cabbie first tried to take us to the "Ladies Only" Beach.  The beaches here are a bit segregated.  There are ladies only, family and bachelor men only.  Single ladies are allowed on the ladies only and the family beaches but the single men are only allowed on the bachelor beach.

The water here is the clearest color of blue.  So blue that it turned a couple of the girls into fashion models.  The water was ice cold and to some very sore tootsie it was wonderful.  The water is so clear that you can see my toes in the picture below.  The Cornich is more than just a beach.  It is also a shopping area.  Very much like the boardwalks on the east coast back in the states.

Our First Meeting at ADEC

After breakfast with my new pals, Shannon and Alicia, we headed to the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

This was our first orientation meeting at the Abu Dhabi Education Coucil (ADEC).  We had planned to be early but the front desk at the council was a little confused on where we should be. This was our second trip to the HQ building and they finally figured out that we were in the right place. 








. It was a short meeting only about 40 minutes.  We opened our bank accounts and started our residency visa process. After the meeting, a few of us headed out on our first real adventure in Abu Dhabi.

OUR FIRST DAY IN THE UAE

 

This is the most amazing city. 

Beautiful architecture.

There are 2 mosques right outside my window and I can hear the call to prayer which is incredible. 

Most know English well enough to understand.  I am having so much fun. I meet up with Shannon, Jennifer, Christine, Alicia and Tammie yesterday (WED). We are all just getting to know each other but everyone is really cool. 

Five of us went to dinner last night at the Arabian House Restaurant. It's just two blocks from the hotel. I had Mutton Shwarrma. It is like a gyro. They (2) were really delicous, only they your curly parsley, which we all know should only be used for decoration. The 2 New Zealand girls whose names escape me at the moment has fried fish. One had fries and the other had fried rice. Tammie also had shwarrma and Sharon had salad and veggie soup. They served the most wonderful flat bread and 3 plates of veggie as complimentary starters.  My meal only cost 10 dirhams which was only $2.78 US dollars.  What a bargain and I got lunch out of it too because I couldn't eat it all.  We also had falafel; which was excellent.  I am not a fan of hummus or chickpeas and was very surprised to find that falafel contains this item.  I am now a fan of falafel but still not a fan of hummas.

Once dinner was completed and a brisk walk back to the hotel.  I was done for the day.  With the final call to prayer floating through my window I drifted off to sleep.

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!

I'm on my way!

Yes, I finally got my Visa and my e-ticket.  So now the insanity has begun.  Check out the list:

1. Repack bags for the 4th time!  Check
2. Call 2 brothers, 2 Aunts, a Niece, 2 Nephews,
    and 4 bestfriends.  Check
3. Pack up my room at Mom and Dad's so that my Mother
    gets her guest room back. Check
4. Return the book to the library. Check
5. Dust and vacuum my room.  Folks are having dinner
    guests.  Check.
7. Print off Visa and e-ticket. Check.
8. Call Turkish Airlines to confirm the flight.  Check.
9. Charge the camera battery. Check.
10. Charge the cell phone. Check.
11. Call school districts to stop subbing.
12.  Give sister in law THE BLANKET.
13. Get more money.
14. Have Monday breakfast with brother and sister in law.

Most of list was done between 10am and 3pm.  I'm exhausted but really excited.  Already shed a few tears and I'm sure there are more to come.  But I am so excited I just can't hide it!

I will really miss family and friends but this is meant to be and I finally get to teach in my own classroom.  Thanks to all my family and friends who have supported me physically, emotionally and spiritually. I love you all more than I can express! Je te volim! Ich liebe dich! Je t'aime! Ti amo! اىا بآهئبآك 

Living Vicariously..........

Many of my ADEC (Abu Dhabi Education Council) colleagues arrived in the UAE yesterday.   So while I wait for MY ticket and visa I will live vicariously through their adventures.  

So far I know that the flight will not be bad and that an representative will meet us at the airport to help us through the airport processes.  Here are the photos of the hestitant rep. with Tamika Gordon and Tammie LaBarge Holt, my colleague and new friend.   Hopefully I will get more pictures of her new adventure soon.



I have also learned that the internet in the hotel is costly.  $50.00 per week and that a few groceries will cost a chunk of money.  Also for some odd reason breakfast included hotdogs! They are staying at a 5 star hotel called Murjan Asfar Hotel Apartments.

 

 This is where my adventure will begin hopefully sometime this week.  Until then I will continue to live vicariously.....



Patience and Flexibility

It has been a couple of weeks since I have posted.  I have been very intent on practicing and succeeding at being flexible and patient.  Although I have practiced relentlessly I have not been completely successful.  Fortunately, I have the most loving family and friends who all have prayed and supported me during what has seemed like an endless wait to head to the other side of the world. 

I am happy to report that the wait is nearly over.  On Wednesday I received word that I HAD indeed received security clearance and that in the next week my visa and e-ticket would arrive.  Excited does not seem to do justice to the feelings I am having.  I feel like a 13 year old girl who just got the shake hands with Justin Beiber at his concert.  Too graphic, sorry!

So, the count down has begun.  I am making my final rounds to all of my friends, calling my favorite aunts for one final phone call and peep talk before leaving.  My Mom decided to throw one last blow out tomorrow for the whole local family.  Now, it's the final push, last repack and checking off of the final departure checklist.