Up at 3 am...

And the only thing I can think about is how I'm going to manage to get B to school next week.  I was able to find a school that didn't have a waiting list but it looks like it's a long ways out from my work.  So I'm waiting until we get there and then I'll try to find answers.  How did this all come up?  Well we went to KidsFest 2013 at Zayed City Sports Complex and there was a variety of activities there.  B played and played and had a blast.  I was able to find the tent with the school and was excited but then B found some new friends.  When they went to leave she started to cry - I realized it had been a long time since she had played with anyone her age and it was time to change that!

So goal number 1 when we get to Al Ain is to get her into school - any school at this point would be helpful but one that she can grow with would be even better.  She also is hoping to start ballet classes, swim lessons and equestrian lessons (I told her one set at a time was all that was going to happen!)  So we shall see...still waiting to head to Al Ain but it should be soon and then we will begin the next chapter of our lives.

And now we can add!

At this point we are celebrating Eid and not in our own house so B and I do things to keep ourselves occupied. Yesterday this included pool time - until it got WAY too busy and mommy almost lost it! Followed by lunch - cheese and crackers - I honestly don't know if I can eat them for another 2.5 weeks - just sayin it's gotten a little old ;-)  Then B and I laid down for a nap - I managed a 45 minute nap and she managed a 3 hour nap!  Obviously she was a bit tired but it was good for her!  Since it was Sunday we skyped with the fam - all the while B asking if she could have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  Which leads us to dinner - since B wanted spaghetti and meatballs that's what we did.  She even managed to order 5 meatballs!

During dinner B decided to start adding and did it all herself - see video ;-)

Waking Up to the Tigers

There are some things that I am working on getting used to, the first is that the Tigers are playing the Red Sox in playoffs and here I am at 7 am watching the end of the game.  But the beauty of it is at  least I get to see part of the game!  But now its the bottom of the 7th and the Tigers are in Boston and up 1-0....but I digress.

This week B and I, as well as all of Group 5 were moved from the Fairmont (our hotel with the large pool, beach and wonderful staff) to the Grand Millenium (downtown Abu Dhabi and literally next door to the Al Whahda Mall).  Now location wise this hotel cannot be beat but there is something about being spoiled and still waiting to move on to our next location that makes this a bit difficult.  We have been able to walk and shop which has been helpful but since I am part of the group headed to Al Ain there is no working going on until we get moved there.  In addition this week is Eid - it is a holiday in the UAE and therefore school is out for the week.

Although we are waiting to move to the next hotel B and I have been busy shopping!  Yesterday we went to Ikea and picked up some stuff for our new house as well as got some ideas on what we want to put into it.  Although it's out on Yas Island it was well worth the trip as we spent a good 4 hours including lunch enjoying the thoughts and shopping experience!

I never realized everything one needed to fully furnish a home when you start with nothing.  It can be a bit overwhelming but at the same time exciting!  Yet there are the little things - towels, spoons, peelers, can openers that you may not normally think about until you make a list of everyday needs in a normal efficient household...but it will come together just as B's schooling will and each and every aspect of life here!  In this thought though I must share the friends I have been fortunate enough to gather and will be able to call my UAE family in the time we are here.

There is nothing more difficult in life than death and the death of a child is incredibly difficult for all involved.  On Friday a family that I have grown to care for remembered their son who had died 1 year previously.  In that memory our Group 5 family came together to help them remember the good of this young man.  Although the rest of us had never met him, we shared this loss with them.  We met on the 31st floor of the hotel - the pool area so we could release balloons and hold a memorial for this young man and his family.  It was an amazing experience and one that B was a part of.  I can say that I was incredibly proud of this child as she was greatly concerned for her friend, an 11 year old who was working through her own feelings of having lost a brother.  Even the next morning B woke up asking if she was ok and what we should do for her.  And didn't feel any better until she saw her at breakfast and asked how she was.  This is the family we have now adopted and will continue to look for for guidance and help throughout our time here and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do that.

The game is over - Tigers have taken game 1 and now B is up...time to start another day ;-)

The first week of work...

This week has been about work and trying to figure out the balance between food and hotel life!  We've moved through the orientation parts of work and are now waiting on assignments.  I will say that the orientations we have sat through have been to the point.  No one is reading things to us nor is anyone belittling our intelligence.  This is definitely a plus in the world!

Throughout the week we've done medical checks, gotten our applications in for the UAE ID Cards (WORST picture EVER!) and even been able to get some shopping in!  I did get a chance to purchase my first Abaya yesterday at the Gold Souk (think mall with multiple buildings - each building holds a different set of shops such as fabric stores, clothing or gold - hence the gold souk!)

B has done an AMAZING job entertaining people along the way - from talking to telling those of us trying on Abayas that we are cute, beautiful and just being a wonderful kid!  I am the luckiest mom in the world as she has taken all of this in stride and it hasn't phased her as much as I thought it might.  Instead she has found the ability to enjoy the pool, shopping, food and getting to know as many people as she can!  Of course she still wants to go to school but hopefully we'll be able to take care of that soon!