Things to know if you are coming for a visit

NASPA, my professional organization, is bringing a group, or delegation, on a tour of the Gulf Region at the end of June. This includes a few days in Abu Dhabi. And the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) is a host campus for one of the days (Al Rowdah Academy is under IAT).

In preparation, I created a 'good to know' list for those traveling to the Gulf ... thought you might enjoy reading what I think are helpful hints for people coming here.

• Either bring a large scarf or shawl (like pashmina).  When you visit the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi (and possibly other places), you need to cover your head.  Also, while it is quite hot outside, inside the air conditioning is likely to be on full blast, and it’s nice to have an extra covering.
• Same goes for a summer sweater.  Handy to have with you.
• Wear shirts with sleeves (men and women).
• Skirts should hit below the knee, even when you sit down it is good to have it cover the knee. Pants and little longer shorts are absolutely fine.
• You will be offered coffee and/or tea.  Hospitality is a HUGE thing here. If you are not normally a caffeine consumer, you can certainly ask to have water instead.  But your hosts will be very pleased if you take a cup of coffee or tea.  Often, it is served sweet, so be specific if you do not want it sweet.  It’s okay to pace yourself and sip slowly. 
• You also might be offered a treat, perhaps a date or a cookie or a chocolate.  As with the coffee or tea (or water), it’s lovely to accept and enjoy.
• Speaking of coffee, if you haven’t had Arabic coffee, know that it is strong.  (There’s a reason they usually serve it in tiny little cups.)
• Shaking hands … watch the body language.  Most Emirati will shake hands with the opposite sex. But if the Emirati keeps their hands clasped, or puts their fist and arm across their chest, it’s a matter of comfort in shaking someone’s hand and they might not be comfortable with it. (Most are, but good to understand just in case.)
• Alcohol … while many hotels have bars and you can consume alcoholic beverages, do not do so to excess.  Public drunkenness can land you in jail.  Juices are very popular in the UAE.
• If traveling with your significant other, keep the PDA to a minimum. And it’s an absolute no-no at places like the Grand Mosque.
• It’s hot and humid, especially in July and August … (keep in mind, as I right this it is May and already 100-105 degrees most days).
• Culturally, in some situations, lines/queues mean nothing.  Do not be surprised if someone steps in front of you; it’s best to be patient.
• With crosswalks, do not assume that cars will stop for you. Do wait for the green signal to walk across the street.
• Currency … in the UAE it is Dirhams.  Take the dirham amount and divide by 3.67.  Hotels are convenient places to exchange, and have good exchange rates.
• If shopping, try to enjoy negotiating  the price.  Outside of food establishments, and most stores in a traditional mall, it’s expected that you will haggle.
• There are all types of foods here, all types of ethnic dishes and restaurants.  Food courts here are far better than those in the States.  Yet you will also see many familiar names, especially casual (Chili’s, TGI Fridays) and fast food (McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway).  Lots of coffee places, including Starbucks.
• Medications … if you need to bring medication, be sure to bring it in the original Rx container.  And a copy of the written prescription is usually advised.  Don’t bring anything with codeine in it.  Pharmacies in the UAE have many medications that you can get from the pharmacist without a doctor’s prescription.
• Most Americans love ice.  Getting ice in drinks is hit and miss, depending on the restaurant.  (More common with hotels, to get ample ice in drinks.)  More common is a drink in a bottle or can that is refrigerated.  (Many people who grew up here prefer room temperature, so you will usually be asked “room or cold”.)
• Cell phones and meetings … in the UAE, it is common for someone to take a call during a meeting, take a call during a speaker’s talk … people tune it out and keep going.
• Sidebar conversations in meetings … it is common that people will have a sidebar conversation during a meeting.  Often at a regular volume.  It is not meant to be rude or disruptive, it just is part of doing business here in the UAE. People sometimes pause if it’s someone of rank … otherwise, people just keep going along with whatever they were saying in the meeting.
• Many malls have signs on their doors, about conservative dress, and refraining from public displays of affection. 
• And there is not much open on a Friday until the afternoon hours, outside of grocery stores. So plan accordingly!

By the way -- I am game to answer questions, because I've probably only hit the tip of the iceburg with this post.

McDonalds around the world

I have not felt tempted or compelled to eat at a McDonald's here.  There are plenty of them, along with many other fast food chains familiar to us in the U.S.  Nothing against McDonald's in particular, just not all that into fast food at this point. 

I recall eating at McDonald's while in Germany, and got a kick out of the fact that they serve beer, right along with sodas.

I recently saw a print ad for a sandwich at McDonald's, called "The Mexican".

Now, I don't think I've ever gone on to the McDonald's website before.  But after seeing the name of the sandwich, and thinking "You would NOT see a sandwich labeled "The Mexican" in the States!", I had to go look at the mcdonalds.com website.  And no, no "The Mexican".  There is a similar "Spicy Chicken", but not the same ingredients.

I've got to give McDonald's credit for adapting to cultures outside the U.S.  For Muslims, having your food prepared Halal is very important.  I'll let you look "halal" up ... it's a particular way of preparing food.  And McDonald's is smart, preparing Halal food in a country that is officially Muslim.  Here's a bit from their UAE McDonald's FAQ site:

Are your ingredients halal? Where does your beef and chicken come from you ask?

All products served at all McDonald’s restaurants in the Middle East are Halal, inspected and approved by local authorities and Halal officers at the countries of export and customs officials at the port of entry. Click here to view the Halal Certificates.

Our Beef is sourced from Australia and our chicken is sourced from Malaysia.

Just had to share.

This helps make you aware of the things you take for granted

In between some tourist stops with photos, I need to share something poignant and humbling.

As time permits, I'll look at news online.  Often CNN, but also local UAE news through Gulf News and The National.

Two stories last month really made me pause, as other realities within the world grabbed my attention.  And if I am writing about it, they obviously still have my attention.  And as you pause, you wonder "what more in the world can I be doing?" ... that question I haven't answered yet, but am mulling it over quite a bit.

One story I read on the 21st of April online at gulfnews.com. There were some deaths at a trash site in Manila.

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/philippines/philippines-four-feared-dead-in-rizal-trash-avalanche-1.1172738

As I read the story, I realized what it was saying.  That people go and pick through the trash. Whether seeking treasures for themselves or to sell, or for food, I am not certain. But whatever they are traipsing through trash for, it must be very important, and a means of eking out a living or a life.  From the look of things, picking out things of value would not be an easy task ... mountains of trash, all mushed together.  And -- the article shares that shanties are allowed in the trash area. Again, to pick through for unseen treasures, let alone to live in this environment, is something that was previously beyond my imagination.

The other story that grabbed my attention and hasn't quite let go, is about a school that is being conducted in an underpass of a road in New Delhi, India.

http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/makeshift-school-under-railway-bridge-helps-students-beat-the-odds

The photo from that article:

What struck me here is both the passion for teaching and the thirst for learning.  To want to learn that much, that you will take any venue available, any physical resources you can get your hands on in order to participate in something that many of us take for granted (eg things we think are simple basics such as buildings and chalkboards).  This photos illustrates the heart that goes into this effort, by students, the teachers, the families. 

Like I said, humbling. Both stories.

Like I said, makes you ponder and consider what more you can do.  

La Traviata Concert at Emirates Palace

Throughout the year (but especially during nice weather months), there are quite a few activities and events happening in Abu Dhabi. (Dubai as well, if you are game to make the drive.)

One event that caught my attention ... a) because it was something interesting to do, and b) I have not attended anything opera before ... a concert performance of La Traviata was scheduled at the Emirates Palace for the 3rd of May.

There were three tiers of tickets to choose from.  I decided to go for the better tickets, not knowing anything about the Emirates Palace Auditorium.

You will recall a blog post about me attending a Queen's birthday party at the British Embassy on April 23rd.  At that party, I met a few people.  Two of them (Natalie and Gordon) I ended up talking to and walking around with for a good hour or so.  We hit it off, having fun getting to know each other and enjoying each other's company.  Natalie mentioned that she and Gordon had purchased tickets for La Traviata, and they invited me to have dinner with them beforehand.

You might also recall my post and photos of the Emirates Palace from a previous excursion.  It's a beautiful hotel, with many restaurants.  We made reservations at Mezlai, purported to be the only Emirati cuisine restaurant in Abu Dhabi.  While it was a bit warm, we couldn't resist sitting outside in the fresh air.  Their seating outside is majlis-style canopied tables.  A majlis is usually over-sized comfy cushions on the floor, set up in a square configuration, with food or refreshments in the middle.  Here at our villa, we refer to the living room area as well as the tv room as a majlis.  It's a gathering area, with hospitality at its core.

This majlis overlooked a beautiful outdoor area of the Emirates Palace, with fountains and a rich landscape of plants and grass.  As time went on, the breeze turned cooler. And as the sky darkened with the setting of the sun, the lighting of the building and breezeways was stunning.  The majlis itself had three walls, of a heavy red woven fabric, pulled back on one side to allow the breeze to come in.  The food selection ranged from a variety of fish (I went with sea bass with a light clear sauce and olives atop a delicious cooked spinach), to chicken dishes to lamb to biryani (a type of rice dish that can have different ingredients added to it).  We arrived later than intended to the restaurant, so had time just for a main course, but the food was ample, and quite delicious.  (The Emirates Palace, as you might imagine, is not the most inexpensive option out there, but it's nice to try it at least once!)

Then, time for the concert.  The stage set up was for a concert performance, with the band shell in place and simple lighting.  Two pianists (grand pianos facing each other, nested with each other) were the accompaniment, and they were excellent pianists; completely in sync with each other, and with the singers.  The concert is also an abbreviated (my word) version of the opera, as not all scenes are portrayed. A narrator introduced each scene, and the description was written in the program as well.  This helped to understand context, as the opera is in Italian, and the concert did not have the digital sub-titles I've heard about being used in the U.S.

I enjoyed the concert very much. The three singers were very good.  (If you are an opera fan and curious: Monica De Rosa McKay, Giacomo Patti, and Guiseppe Deligia.)

The auditorium itself was grand, as would be expected.  The gold color theme continues throughout the Emirates Palace. The proscenium arch is impressive, with a huge relief of the UAE crest at the top.  Sorry the photos don't do it justice, but you'll get the gist. 

Now, the tickets were interesting.  When you ordered online, you were told that at the box office you would learn what seats you have.  Then you go in to find your seats, and even though there is a row and seat number on the ticket, that's not reality.  There are sections for certain colors of tickets, and you can sit anywhere in a section, per your cost of ticket.  And the front 5 rows are some sort of Ministry tickets (Very VIP).  The bonus are big comfy seats with lots of leg room! And beautiful artistic lighting on the walls.  It's a very large space; hard for me to guess the number of seats, given the size of the chairs and the leg room ... but large.

Near the auditorium entrance was this beautiful area with fountains.  Try as I might, I could not manage a photo that would do it justice.  It was lovely ... again, you'll get the gist:

Now I think at some point in time I need to go see a full-blown opera.

A party at the British Embassy -- Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth!

I don't expect that it will be more than one time in my life that I get in a taxi and say "British Embassy please".  And head off to a party to celebrate the birthday of the Queen of the United Kingdom, in Abu Dhabi.

Dear  Ms Kathryn “Kate” Mueller  (900) Celebrating The Official Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  Her Majesty’s Ambassador Dominic Jermey CVO OBE Requests the Pleasure of Your Company For a Reception at 7pm on Tuesday 23 April 2013 RSVP by 15 April Dress Code: Lounge Suit /National Dress

  

We look forward to welcoming you to the British Embassy on Tuesday 23 April 2013.

Please be aware that for security reasons bags may be subject to Embassy search procedures. Please bring photographic identification along with your invitation.  

We regret that we are unable to accommodate cars on the Embassy compound. However, there is mawaqif parking in the car park opposite the Embassy, near Sheikh Khalifa Mosque and in the Corniche car park, just before the Embassy turning.  If you do require disabled access to the Embassy, please contact us in advance.

Landmarks for drivers/taxis: The Embassy is located on Khalid Bin Walid Street, between Hamdan Street (#5), and Khalifa Street (#3) across the road from Sheikh Khalifa Mosque , Arab Bank Building and close to ADIA. The Embassy is the white compound behind the Hilton Baynounah.

Please be advised that the event is being held outdoors on the lawn and ladies may prefer to wear low heeled shoes.

I went on my own. Not necessarily comfortable to show up to a party where you know no one.  And I mean no one. But I was determined to take advantage of this unique experience and stay for awhile, and enjoy another new adventure.

I decided to take the advice on the invitation and arrive by taxi.  That was after going back and forth in my mind on what to wear to such a soiree.  (skirt, short sweater with short sleeves, and the recommended flats.)

As you walk in, the first sight are large letters (about as tall as me).  Then, there are servers handing out a berry flavored tea.  You walk in a ways. And before going into a receiving line (yup), there are other servers to take your glass of tea.  You go into the receiving line, shake hands with various Embassy folks (the ambassador was entertaining a sheikh on a patio/deck area), and are warmly welcomed.  You begin wandering around the party/reception area, which is out on a large lawn.

You can type in "British Embassy, Abu Dhabi" on Google Maps and see the complex.

More servers, this time with different sodas in glasses. (No ice.)  No one is yet eating the food at various tables, or imbibing in what the bar offers.

A staffer from the British Embassy (Hanna) kindly introduced herself, and we chatted for a few minutes. 

An official welcome, and a military band from the U.K. plays throughout the evening. Some military and national songs. Even some show tunes.  They were very good, in their crisp all white uniforms.  The drummers with their amazing precision were a delight to watch.  Apologies there wasn't better lighting (was using the camera on my phone), but this will give you an idea of them:

Here's a still photo of the band:

There were several food tables scattered about.  Bite-sizes of things like Beef Wellington, Welsh Rarebit, Yorkshire Pudding, mashed potatoes with pot roast.  Some of these bite-size were served on Japanese soups spoons, other on silver spoons with the handles back backwards in half so that the the spoon sits upright with the handle.  Fruits, sliced vegetables, cheese and crackers. And desserts.

Some of the food art was beautifully crafted.  I had not seen watermelon sculpted into a flower before:

And these sculpted fruits and vegetables were fun:

For awhile, I just enjoyed the band.  And then I wandered, snacked, people watched.  At one point I stopped at a high-top cocktail table that was only half-occupied. The people (two women and a man) standing next to it were in an animated conversation.  The man turned, introduced himself (Gordon) and invited me into the conversation. The conversation had something to do with Somalia, and for a second no one could recall the name of the capital (one of those tip-of-the-tongue moments).  Gordon introduced me to both women; one didn't linger long, but the other woman (Natalie) and I ended up talking for quite awhile. Gordon and Natalie invited me to wander around with them, and we ended up eating and talking and laughing for quite awhile. Some of the conversation was about things to do in Abu Dhabi and the surrounding area; Natalie has been here four years and Gordon two years, so they are more familiar with things to do.  We exchanged business cards and have been in touch. (Next blog ...)

I've been passive in meeting people.  If I have met them through work, or random events, or church, or through Tom and Danielle, then super.  I have not had an interest in going to hotel bars and socializing with strangers (a past time for some Expats, as bars have special offerings of activities and drink and food specials), and only recently (for whatever reason) have started looking at activities such as lectures.  I've gotten to know colleagues at work, which has been great.  Basically, like in California, once I'm home, most evenings I enjoy staying in, and work on various things (blog, NASPA, writing emails, Skyping, working out). And I have been completely okay with this choice of mine.  But it was nice to meet a couple of folks.  (I've met some a small group of lovely women via a Bible study currently, and that has been very nice as well.)

Thankfully it was a cool evening that night (that day was in the mid 80's ... and yes, that is cool here!) with a nice breeze.  Cool is relative; the two weeks prior had been in the lower 100's during the day.  Not only did it make it more comfortable for all of us outside, but allowed the ice sculpture to last longer :-)

Poise Prayer Practice

At the NASPA conference I attended, the closing speaker -- Sekou Andrews -- was absolutely terrific. And of the many things he said, a phrase jumped out at me that I wrote down: Poise, Prayer, Practice.  

During the week at NASPA, I was still connected to work. (Am sure the majority of us were!) And I thought the issues I was dealing with long distance were challenging enough.  Personnel contracts, classrooms, textbooks, all sorts of daily operational issues.

And then March 26th hit.
I was hit so hard from left field, that it took my head awhile to stop spinning.  And as I struggled with decisions and options for myself (stay? go?), I tried to make sense of a sudden change.  

With no notice (and no sign of this coming), I found out that my job has changed, and within that are many factors that really rocked me.  I allowed myself to cry my eyes out several hours that week from the shock of this change, but it was mostly about how I found out (copied in on an email). Nothing wrong with the crying, but beyond deep breathing past anxious moments and letting off some pressure through tears, I had to figure out a way to get THROUGH it.

My mother-in-law gave me a book of daily devotions before I left for the UAE. There is hardly a night that I don't pick it up and read the devotion for the day. And sometimes that devotion ends up being a 2 by 4 from God hitting upside the head, and I shake my head in wonder at the relevance to a particular day.

I started to write this post on March 28th, and as I read that day's devotion, I ended up smiling slightly and shaking my head ... this particular devotion helped me not to wallow.  Here's what I read: "When we set aside our own interests and accomplishments to recognize that it's better to care for the interests of others (Phillippians 2:4), we see God's name glorified. Acting with grace and kindness toward others is one of the best ways to point people to God."  (Okay, I must cite at least the title of book: "Our Daily Bread Devotional Collection")

And, on Easter Sunday, the sermon at the service I attended, including several minutes about being given the power to forgive others. Oh, did I look up to the ceiling, shake my head, and give God a slight smile. But I have to tell you, that was powerful ... to hear about forgiveness in a context that connected with me, and then to actually go with that and let go of the negative and sad feelings.

I told Tim, others, and even myself that I wanted to handle this turn of events with dignity and integrity.  I wanted to help my management staff (now my former staff and now my dear colleagues) adjust to the changes as well. Between this daily devotion reading and Sekou's phrase of "poise" (dignity and integrity in my mind), "prayer" (something that helps me frequently and yet I need to use that tool even more), and "practice" (right now I think for me that's getting through extremely frustrating and confusing situations and keeping my sense of humor and sanity intact) ... I can do it.  Well, all that, and the love and support of Tim.  (And thank goodness for my brother and sister-in-law, as together we get through the crazier of days ... we always hope we won't all have an extreme day, all at the same time!)

So now I am the Advisor to the Director, instead of Director. I am actually enjoying working on specific projects, troubleshooting and problem solving where possible, and overseeing Student Services.  From the start I have embraced the concept of Emiratization, and I think it is good that the new Director is Emirati (she was the Associate Director), and I am sincerely hoping she can move things forward further than I could as an Expat.  And I like having more time to be a moral support and advisor to the team. I think the restructuring that is happening within the Academy will be good for the long-term.

I am taking this one day at a time, because you just never know what turn things can take ... here, and I suppose in life in general.

And I continue to analyze and understand my purpose in being here. The soft skills, like rolling with things, and maneuvering through politics (organizational and national), and maintaining dignity and professionalism when you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster ... definitely seem to be some of the things I'm here to learn at a higher level than ever before. And hopefully along the way I continue to contribute to the growth of this new Academy. 

You may wonder why it has taken me over a month to share this new turn.  Honestly, it took some time to wrap my head around it, and begin to figure out what my days would look like at work in this new role.  And I needed time to reflect on this change and the communication of it. At first it was a shock and a disappointment.  Felt like a body blow, knocking the wind out of you so hard you cannot speak. I suppose a bit of what it probably feels like to be tackled and you never saw this huge player coming at you. And you drop to you knees. And wonder what just happened. And you pick yourself up, and with the help of some others you dust yourself off, and find your footing again.