Wikipedia defines an expatriate (sometimes shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of the person's upbringing. What this definition fails to define is the emotional side and complexity of being an expat.
When I was leaving the US, several people told I was brave to be taking on this move. Little did I realize at the time just how brave I would have to be. I never thought living 12,000 miles away from my family and friends compared to living 900 miles (while in Seattle/San Francisco) would make such a difference...but boy does it ever.
As I start my 2nd month of living here, it's all becoming a reality that this is not a vacation, but definitely something permanent. The friends and colleagues that I am meeting will be my new circle and "family" for the next few years. But the interesting thing is that they are all in the same boat as well. 85% of the population of Dubai are expats, that means you have the largest melting pot of cultures in the world! Fairmont The Palm has nearly 60 nationalities of colleagues, pretty impressive. (and over 700 employees for a 381 room hotel! That's nearly 2 employees per guest. Quite a service ratio!) Everyone of those people have gone through, and are going through the same thoughts, feelings and emotions that I am. We have all left something behind...family, friends, pets, homes, and more than anything...comfort.
Everyday is a new challenge, whether it's work related or personal life related. Nothing is comfortable anymore. Yes, I certainly miss waking up and curling up on my incredibly comfortable brown corduroy couch (hope you are enjoying Kurt and Mindy!), which I now have a lovely IKEA cardboard couch the hotel as nicely provided me :) in terms of comfort. But the comfort I really mean is the ability to just call my mom on my way home from work (calls=scheduling over facetime/Skype now), or walk across the street to get a Starbucks (no coffee shops without driving from Fairmont The Palm, and Starbucks is far and few between), or understanding the various food items in the employee café or grocery store (I still have NO idea what I am eating half the time!). And the list goes on and on...My friend told me recently that being an expat means you sacrifice a lot, yes it appears you're "on vacation 7 days a week" and while the sunshine, beaches, night life, etc is all wonderful, the deep longing for that comfort will never go away.
As time goes on, things settle more and each day gets easier and easier. I learn more about my job and role that I play within Fairmont (separate blog for work life to come :), I meet more people (that is one thing that is amazing here! Everyone is SO welcoming and inviting. Not cliquey like home where everyone is stuck to their core group of friends. Here everyone is open to bringing on new friends, meeting new people and really acting like a family), my home becomes more of a home (I still cannot WAIT for my shipment to arrive...Christmas x10 when it does!!), and a routine of some sort is starting to form.
In the long run, life of being an expat will be the greatest time of my life because of the new perceptions, lessons, obstacles, and adventures I will take in. Life is a roller coaster and you just have to hold on...and keep your eyes open to enjoy the ride!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Driving in the UAE=craziness!
One thing I have noticed that is absolutely insane is driving here! Holy smokes am I happy that I didn't bring Betty with me...she would be destroyed by now...and me too! People cut each other off, change lanes without looking, drive VERY fast, tailgate (and I mean ride your bumper like 2 inches away), and flash their lights at you if you don't move over lanes. It doesn't matter how fast you are going, if you aren't fast enough for them, they will let you know! On top of all this, kids don't have car seats (can you imagine!) and they pile mom, dad, sister, brother, grandma, aunt, uncle, and their extended family into one car. I have already witnessed at least 4-5 accidents since I arrived, 2 of which I am sure were fatal...so sad.
The cars are amazing though...every luxury car can be found. Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche...you name it, someone drives it...and a LOT of people are driving these cars. Unbelievable the amount of $$ people spend on their cars here. Then they drive them like crazies...ha!
Another thing about driving here is the road system...basically it makes NO sense. Whereas most cities are built on a grid, Dubai just has long, long roads with no ways to cut off to the other side because a median is in the middle. It's the weirdest thing. In order to get from Fairmont The Palm to my house, we drive down a street called Hessa. We then have to completely pass my building because there are no ramps to get off. We completely circle around this large area (to the point that my building can no longer be seen) to eventually come back to my building on the other side. So strange! In such a developed city, that wants to be the most iconic place in the world, you would think they had streets (and a postal system) figured out! Oh yea...on top of everything, there are very few streets with actual names. For example, I do not have a street name for my apartment building. When I had to have my stuff delivered from IKEA, it was the strangest thing. I put down the following: "Manhattan Building B904, located in Jumeirah Village Circle 2, close to Atlantis Accommodation, major street nearby is Hessa or Al Khail"...and somehow they miraculously found me! Anywhere else you would just list your address and it would be fine.
SO...if you want to send me something, you need to send to the hotel because they have a PO box..ha!
Once I get my resident visa, I will be able to buy a car. I need one in order to drive around to sales calls and to my different properties in Dubai, as well as Abu Dhabi. However, I'm scared to death to drive given all of the above (how am I going to map my sales calls in a GPS??) oh boy! I think I will need to buy some sort of SUV to stay safe as well. A Volkswagen Tiguan is what I am thinking...see picture below. Other thoughts from all of you?? I would appreciate any suggestions!
The cars are amazing though...every luxury car can be found. Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche...you name it, someone drives it...and a LOT of people are driving these cars. Unbelievable the amount of $$ people spend on their cars here. Then they drive them like crazies...ha!
Another thing about driving here is the road system...basically it makes NO sense. Whereas most cities are built on a grid, Dubai just has long, long roads with no ways to cut off to the other side because a median is in the middle. It's the weirdest thing. In order to get from Fairmont The Palm to my house, we drive down a street called Hessa. We then have to completely pass my building because there are no ramps to get off. We completely circle around this large area (to the point that my building can no longer be seen) to eventually come back to my building on the other side. So strange! In such a developed city, that wants to be the most iconic place in the world, you would think they had streets (and a postal system) figured out! Oh yea...on top of everything, there are very few streets with actual names. For example, I do not have a street name for my apartment building. When I had to have my stuff delivered from IKEA, it was the strangest thing. I put down the following: "Manhattan Building B904, located in Jumeirah Village Circle 2, close to Atlantis Accommodation, major street nearby is Hessa or Al Khail"...and somehow they miraculously found me! Anywhere else you would just list your address and it would be fine.
SO...if you want to send me something, you need to send to the hotel because they have a PO box..ha!
Once I get my resident visa, I will be able to buy a car. I need one in order to drive around to sales calls and to my different properties in Dubai, as well as Abu Dhabi. However, I'm scared to death to drive given all of the above (how am I going to map my sales calls in a GPS??) oh boy! I think I will need to buy some sort of SUV to stay safe as well. A Volkswagen Tiguan is what I am thinking...see picture below. Other thoughts from all of you?? I would appreciate any suggestions!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
First Impressions
My first week in Dubai has been full of many ups and downs. Life here is very dynamic here in many ways, yet very slow in others. Simple things like a postal system do not exist. (getting my items delivered from IKEA was very interesting! putting down landmarks to identify where I live, rather than a house address.) Yet, the architecture is unbelievable! Everything is about bigger, faster, more glamorous, glitzy, etc when it comes to hotels, malls and buildings. Construction is going on everywhere you look...more residences and hotels are being built all the time. Trying to bring more people to Dubai!
My biggest challenges in the first week have been:
1) adjusting to the time difference (12 hours from Seattle)...complete adjustment for the body clock
2) not having internet/TV in my apartment (which won't happen for at least 1 month. This process will start once I have a resident Visa, which could take about 1 month itself...patience is KEY here! Things do not happen in the same time frame they do in the states. There are no processes and procedures that have logic behind them. They just do the same thing with every scenario, doesn't matter how this situation differs from the last.)
3) Missing my family and friends at home! And especially missing the birth of my new nephew Dylan Gary Graff on Jan 3rd. Being so far from home will be an ongoing challenge...especially not having internet to connect with everyone!
4) Getting used to LONG hours! People work from about 8:30-9am till around 6:30-7pm here...and sometimes longer till 9pm or so. Now I see why we get 1 month of vacation! ha
5) Not having a car to get around. From where I live it's about 15 min to work, downtown and Dubai Marina...so very central, but it's still remote to any shopping, cafes, restaurants to grab something for dinner or go grocery shopping. Thank goodness for my dear friend Lana Torlo that has been driving me around to get my house settled and to my new colleague Eduardo who has been my chauffeur to/from work! (Eventually I will get a car, but of course need a resident visa and bank account before I start that process)
6) Not having alcohol in my home...ha! You cannot buy alcohol unless you have a permit (for your home anyways, you can buy drinks at bars and restaurants however.) Thank goodness for my friend Staci who bought me a nice box of South African red wine to help me get by until I get my permit :)
7) Learning my new role...3 hotels means: 3 new teams (and names I'm not used to hearing make it more challenging to remember them :), 3 different styles of hotels, 3 different demands and wants for types of business into the hotels, and lots of accounts and promotions to remember! Whew, I'm exhausted!
8) Waiting for my shipment of stuff to arrive! This process will take 6-8 weeks...long boat ride for my precious goods. It will feel like Christmas when they arrive!
9) Missing The Olympic Cafe at my hotel in Seattle :( Food isn't quite like Florica's cooking! Lots of new food to get used to and learn what it is...ha ha
10) Again...missing my friends and family at home...and my Ben :(
My biggest gains/excitement in the first week have been:
1) Meeting new friends from Holland, Ecuador, Italy, Bosnia, Greece, Belgium, Philippines, Australia, Lebanon...I'm sure I'm missing a few
2) Trip to IKEA to make my place start to feel like home! (Pictures to follow)
3) Ability to use my friend Charlotte's internet/TV while her husband and her are traveling in Thailand for 2 weeks!
4) Starting a new job, working for the BEST company in Dubai (well I think so anyways)...and my base hotel is located on the man-made Palm island with beautiful views...WOW
5) Getting my laptop and phone from work...so I can stay connected with all of you!
6) Clubs! Getting my heels on and makeup done by my dear friend Lana...just like old times! Definitely wonderful to connect with my girl
7) Enjoying a Starbucks (twice!)...and it was just like home..yum
8) 3 days of rain...ha ha, did NOT think I would see that. But it's nice to clear the air and calm the dust...refreshing. Never thought I would enjoy rain :)
9) Learning more about the Arabic culture...absolutely fascinating culture. The people are so friendly and VERY respectful to women. All doors are opened, women go first in everything, drinks taken care of, etc. I actually think women dominate here! Learning about the history of the UAE, the current Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum (he's the one with the Dubai vision), and so much more.
10) Taking in this iconic and fascinating city! WOW is all I can say
Pictures of my hotel on The Palm and Fairmont Dubai to follow, as well as my new home!
My biggest challenges in the first week have been:
1) adjusting to the time difference (12 hours from Seattle)...complete adjustment for the body clock
2) not having internet/TV in my apartment (which won't happen for at least 1 month. This process will start once I have a resident Visa, which could take about 1 month itself...patience is KEY here! Things do not happen in the same time frame they do in the states. There are no processes and procedures that have logic behind them. They just do the same thing with every scenario, doesn't matter how this situation differs from the last.)
3) Missing my family and friends at home! And especially missing the birth of my new nephew Dylan Gary Graff on Jan 3rd. Being so far from home will be an ongoing challenge...especially not having internet to connect with everyone!
4) Getting used to LONG hours! People work from about 8:30-9am till around 6:30-7pm here...and sometimes longer till 9pm or so. Now I see why we get 1 month of vacation! ha
5) Not having a car to get around. From where I live it's about 15 min to work, downtown and Dubai Marina...so very central, but it's still remote to any shopping, cafes, restaurants to grab something for dinner or go grocery shopping. Thank goodness for my dear friend Lana Torlo that has been driving me around to get my house settled and to my new colleague Eduardo who has been my chauffeur to/from work! (Eventually I will get a car, but of course need a resident visa and bank account before I start that process)
6) Not having alcohol in my home...ha! You cannot buy alcohol unless you have a permit (for your home anyways, you can buy drinks at bars and restaurants however.) Thank goodness for my friend Staci who bought me a nice box of South African red wine to help me get by until I get my permit :)
7) Learning my new role...3 hotels means: 3 new teams (and names I'm not used to hearing make it more challenging to remember them :), 3 different styles of hotels, 3 different demands and wants for types of business into the hotels, and lots of accounts and promotions to remember! Whew, I'm exhausted!
8) Waiting for my shipment of stuff to arrive! This process will take 6-8 weeks...long boat ride for my precious goods. It will feel like Christmas when they arrive!
9) Missing The Olympic Cafe at my hotel in Seattle :( Food isn't quite like Florica's cooking! Lots of new food to get used to and learn what it is...ha ha
10) Again...missing my friends and family at home...and my Ben :(
My biggest gains/excitement in the first week have been:
1) Meeting new friends from Holland, Ecuador, Italy, Bosnia, Greece, Belgium, Philippines, Australia, Lebanon...I'm sure I'm missing a few
2) Trip to IKEA to make my place start to feel like home! (Pictures to follow)
3) Ability to use my friend Charlotte's internet/TV while her husband and her are traveling in Thailand for 2 weeks!
4) Starting a new job, working for the BEST company in Dubai (well I think so anyways)...and my base hotel is located on the man-made Palm island with beautiful views...WOW
5) Getting my laptop and phone from work...so I can stay connected with all of you!
6) Clubs! Getting my heels on and makeup done by my dear friend Lana...just like old times! Definitely wonderful to connect with my girl
7) Enjoying a Starbucks (twice!)...and it was just like home..yum
8) 3 days of rain...ha ha, did NOT think I would see that. But it's nice to clear the air and calm the dust...refreshing. Never thought I would enjoy rain :)
9) Learning more about the Arabic culture...absolutely fascinating culture. The people are so friendly and VERY respectful to women. All doors are opened, women go first in everything, drinks taken care of, etc. I actually think women dominate here! Learning about the history of the UAE, the current Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum (he's the one with the Dubai vision), and so much more.
10) Taking in this iconic and fascinating city! WOW is all I can say
Pictures of my hotel on The Palm and Fairmont Dubai to follow, as well as my new home!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Arrived in Dubai!
Hello friends and family!
I have arrived in Dubai and begun my new journey...and boy is it a journey! I have decided to start a blog so people can follow my journey as I venture through the ups and downs of living in a foreign country. Please feel free to follow and I will try to upload as much as possible.
Cheers and happy trails!
Linds
I have arrived in Dubai and begun my new journey...and boy is it a journey! I have decided to start a blog so people can follow my journey as I venture through the ups and downs of living in a foreign country. Please feel free to follow and I will try to upload as much as possible.
Cheers and happy trails!
Linds
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