Borrowing Internet

"That's the Abu Dhabi way!"

"Welcome to Abu Dhabi!"

Apparently "nothing works in Abu Dhabi" and it also takes "forever and a day" to get anything fixed around here.  Not that I can really complain - or should complain - but I am anyway.  I'm living in a foreign country, away from all my friends and family, not to return to them for two more years (with maybe a visit next year?).  Having reliable internet service in my apartment doesn't seem like too much to ask for!  ...but apparently it is.  So at the moment, I am alternating between reading a new JABA article for class and sending friends Facebook messages, letting them know I'm not a jerk who forgot all about them once I moved to "glamourous Abu Dhabi" ... I just don't have internet!

But enough ranting.  A quick update on life in Glamourous Abu Dhabi!!!

The Holy Month of Ramadan has just ended!  I think it might be disrespectful to be so over-joyed by this (it's like being happy that Christmas is over, I think), so I keep my exultations to a minimum ... but I'm so excited to actually experience Abu Dhabi!  Restaurants and stores keep regular hours.  The Post Office opens before 9pm.  You can drink water in public and chew gum in a cab!  Starbucks opens in time for a coffee before going to work!  It's amazing!

Another amazing thing about Ramadan ending, was Eid Al-Fitr.  This is the long weekend occurring after Ramadan is over.  Therefore, we at the school, had a nice long weekend, where we went to Fujairah for a visit.  We stayed at the Rotana Resort - google it.  It was beautiful!  

But now, we're back to work for full days - 7:30-3:30.  It to be quite honest, and with the possibility of sounding like a princess - it's exhausting!  I haven't made it to the Sheraton all week!  After work, all I want to do is go home and watch episodes of "House" that I bought from DVD Joy (five seasons for 400dhs - such a steal!).

But next week, insha'Allah, Etisilat will have the internet working again in the Blue Towers and I'll be able to actually keep in touch with everyone!  

Note to self:

Note to self: Never make small talk with a taxi driver that includes any information indicating that a) you have not lived in a certain city for a while and b) you don’t know where you’re going. Because when you do, said taxi driver will take you on a 15dirham taxi ride to the WRONG HOTEL!
Yes. This happened. All I wanted to do was go spinning. It was the music of ABBA today (and we all know how much I love ABBA) and I wanted to prove to the instructor that I’m not a weenie and could make it to spinning twice in one week.

Was I able to achieve this? No. After a ridiculous taxi ride through the city, in which I can only assume was this driver’s ploy to get the most mileage out of this passenger as possible, I was dropped off at the Sheraton Khalidiya rather than the Sheraton Corniche. Yes, the Sheraton Khalidiya overlooks the Corniche. Is this the same hotel? I think not. If I were more fastidious, I would have ran him down, banging on his trunk and demand that he give me a ride to the right hotel (or at least my apartment) at no charge … but wouldn’t that make me an Angry American? So in an effort to maintain decorum and a positive image of other expats, I let the little man drive away with my 15dirham (which luckily equals to under $4) and I sulked in the back of another man’s taxi.