I was doing really well with the whole homesick thing there for awhile but I guess planning this trip that in one way seems to be barreling down on us at lightening speed and in another way seems to be taking years to get here has just exasperated a problem that constantly lies right under the surface. Did I mention it's been a year and a half?
So I figured the second prescription that would be given out for homesickness (the first one being to ahem go home ahem) would be to list my favorite things about the United Arab Emirate (I'm including both Abu Dhabi and Dubai because I seem to spend equal amounts of time in both). So instead of focusing on what I don't like all the time let me tell you what i DO like.
10. Go to your local book store, pick up a car magazine and find the most expensive car in there. We see those cars driving around our cities every day. Maybach, we have them; RollsRoyce, everywhere; Ferarris, Benltys, Anstin Martins everyday cars around here. It's so much fun to get to see such amazing pieces of machinery cruising around the roads and parking next to you at Mc Donald's. I never get tired of it
9. Gas is cheap. Seriously gas is $1.60 a gallon. That's it. Ok ok i know the prices in the States have come way down but our gas prices haven't changed in the two and a half years I have been here. I like that. $19 to fill up my V8 sounds good to me!
8. Coca-Cola (and other sodas) are $.25. Oh yeah a quarter for a can of Coke. When's the last time you paid a dollar fifty for a 6-pack?
7. The desert is beautiful. I always thought of the desert as this dry, dusty place lacking life. And don't get me wrong it is dry and dusty but it's amazingly beautiful at the same time. The colors are amazing!
6. And that brings me to the camels that roam the dunes. Seriously I get to see camels on my way to work in the morning. How cool is that!
5. The water. Just look at that water.
Need I say more?4. We are surrounded by people from nearly every culture in the world all the time. I have made friends from every region and from places I had hardly heard of before coming here. I have friends from Europe, Wales (BTW that's it's own country... learned that here), UK, India, South Africa, Lebanon, Egypt, Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, Oman.... Seriously the list goes on and on. It's so much fun getting to know all these people and their different customs while also learning that we are all basically the same. We're all just trying to live a good life and take care of our families.
3. AMAZING HOTELS! I will give this place one thing... they sure know how to build a hotel. When you sit with a friend debating the merits of the different 5 star hotels in the country and you end up in a deadlock between 2 or 3 you know you have a problem. AND you know you have been spoiled beyond oblivion.
2. Everyone delivers. I was talking about this with Sydney the other day over lunch. One of the things to miss most about this place is that everyone and I mean EVERYONE delivers. It's way to hot out here to be expected to actually walk or drive places especially during the summer so in order to keep the business I suppose everyone from Mc Donald's to the local Grocer to the Italian restaurant all deliver. It's fantastic! As long as you have a cell phone you will not go hungry or with out bug spray.
And the number one thing I love about the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IS.......
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1. RED ORANGE JUICE! I know I know a weird number one... We have hotels, we have blue seas, we have camels but have you ever had red orange juice before? It's fabulous. It's this magic middle between the sweetness of orange juice and the bitterness of grapefruit that is just perfect. Perfect I tell you! I drink this like water. In fact my husband knows that it's more important to have red orange juice in the fridge than it is to have Coke in there (those of you who know me, know what a big deal that is) so he keeps my fridge well stocked. I'm sure you can get it in that Sates and other places in the world but I'm sure you can't get Al Rawbi Brand. This one is my very favorite brand. Yum.
3 comments:
Great list, Lindsay. And I know how you feel about homesickness...I get to cure mine in a week's time. That's cool about Al Rawabi red Orange Juice because it's my fave too.emessie
I'm really glad you wrote this list (I'm considering bookmarking this individual page for super homesick days myself). I am so happy that you get to go home so soon! There is definitely a time limit for being here without going home (and it's about 8 months...). I know this will be so good for both of you and I can't WAIT to hear about your adventures when you get back. :)
See it's not all bad is it? Home sickness ugh! Know all about that. Sometime though I think it is worse when you have a trip on the horizon. I have no idea when we will next go home, so I am trying not to think about it.
I know you will have a great trip!
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