I am flying out on August 3rd. 290 hours from now I will be on the runway. My claustrophobic self will be popping the last of my Xanax since I can't take it into the UAE. This is necessary as I will be in the air in a confined space for 13 hours.
The last minute crazies have hit. I am trying to get everything done and cram last minute stuff into storage. Lauren and I discovered today that my safe, the one that the movers were supposed to put where I could get to it, is nowhere to be seen. This does cause a little problem if Lauren decides to sell her car while I am out of the country. Oh well, it is what it is.
I have been taken out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner so many times that my jeans are about to POP. I just spent 3 days in Ocean City, Maryland and it was very nice not to.....wait a minute I need to pack that...where is my......what am I forgetting now? Thank-you Wendy, you have no idea how much I needed that. One last party on Monday night and I am pretty much good to go.
I am forgetting the BEST NEWS!! My authenticated documents arrived on Wednesday while I was out of town!!! This means that my residence Visa will not be held up. Hillary Clinton's office still has not deposited the check for the original documents sent on May 31st. For those of you reading this and going to AD to teach in 2012...DO NOT try to handle authentication yourself unless you are doing it IN PERSON. Use Pro Ex. I spent $132.00 for authentication of documents that are MIA. Pro Ex started the process from step one on 7/11 and I had them back within 16 days! The cost: $339.00. Lesson learned: Priceless.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
E-tickets
Yesterday morning brought with it the first elated postings....teachers from the UK and Houston had received their e-tickets and Visas. So not fair. But this morning brought with it my e-ticket....which of course I thought I didn't get...until I rechecked my email after I drank my coffee!! For those of you traveling with me, I will warn you now that my brain does not function without caffeine. Period.
I am flying out on August 3rd. I have been calm for 4 months...now I am freaking out. Now everybody wants to take me out to lunch or dinner. I am going to gain another 10 pounds before I leave. Luckily I am flying out at 11:30pm so I will go running for the shelter of my mother's little helper and......relax!!!
The post-it on my computer is now almost as long as my screen. I have a pile of papers to go here and there. The good news is that I booked a shuttle service that someone else found for my apparently Google-challenged self. This is good news since, contrary to Derek Winker's suggestion, I did not want to ride a camel up the NJ Turnpike and be interviewed by CBS for causing the Jammo!
I am flying out on August 3rd. I have been calm for 4 months...now I am freaking out. Now everybody wants to take me out to lunch or dinner. I am going to gain another 10 pounds before I leave. Luckily I am flying out at 11:30pm so I will go running for the shelter of my mother's little helper and......relax!!!
The post-it on my computer is now almost as long as my screen. I have a pile of papers to go here and there. The good news is that I booked a shuttle service that someone else found for my apparently Google-challenged self. This is good news since, contrary to Derek Winker's suggestion, I did not want to ride a camel up the NJ Turnpike and be interviewed by CBS for causing the Jammo!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Shopping and Doctors and Packing
Update on the documents: Finally gave up since the State Department still had not deposited my check on July 9th and sent my documents to Pro Ex to start ALL OVER again for a cost of $333.
Had our pre-departure Webinar this week and true to form, like passing notes during class and texting during faculty meetings, I was on FB making fun of the stupid questions people were asking. The good news is that I was joined by about 100 other people doing the same. The poor guy running it gave more lessons on "How to Google" than anything else.
I've had to buy glasses-bifocal-since I was told that many teachers had problems with their contact lenses over there because of the constant wind in Abu Dhabi. Since I am seriously blind and people may actually see me in these, I had to get the ultralight lenses so that I'm not wear Coke bottles so tack on another $300+ to my tab. On top of that I had to get new contacts, just in case because anyone who knows me KNOWS I would rather be in pain than be seen in my glasses! Finally went out and bought clothes yesterday....long skirts and tunic type tops for work. Not bad, spent a total of $269 for 7 complete outfits. I love Marshalls.
Finishing up with doctor's appointments so that I have enough meds to last a few months. I got a little bit of a shock with the blood work the Rheumatoloigst did last week......Endocrinologist thought Sjogren's.....Gastroenterologist thought Rhematoid Arthritis.........but NO it looks like I have Lupus. Alright, just give me pill and make it go away! Someone should really get a refund because I should qualify under some Human Lemon Law.
Misinformation abounds as ADEC tells us the first group is leaving in mid August and we were told on the Webinar to be ready to travel between the first and third weeks of August. In the meantime, I will work on my tan and read another trashy novel that I won't be able to buy over there!
Had our pre-departure Webinar this week and true to form, like passing notes during class and texting during faculty meetings, I was on FB making fun of the stupid questions people were asking. The good news is that I was joined by about 100 other people doing the same. The poor guy running it gave more lessons on "How to Google" than anything else.
I've had to buy glasses-bifocal-since I was told that many teachers had problems with their contact lenses over there because of the constant wind in Abu Dhabi. Since I am seriously blind and people may actually see me in these, I had to get the ultralight lenses so that I'm not wear Coke bottles so tack on another $300+ to my tab. On top of that I had to get new contacts, just in case because anyone who knows me KNOWS I would rather be in pain than be seen in my glasses! Finally went out and bought clothes yesterday....long skirts and tunic type tops for work. Not bad, spent a total of $269 for 7 complete outfits. I love Marshalls.
Finishing up with doctor's appointments so that I have enough meds to last a few months. I got a little bit of a shock with the blood work the Rheumatoloigst did last week......Endocrinologist thought Sjogren's.....Gastroenterologist thought Rhematoid Arthritis.........but NO it looks like I have Lupus. Alright, just give me pill and make it go away! Someone should really get a refund because I should qualify under some Human Lemon Law.
Misinformation abounds as ADEC tells us the first group is leaving in mid August and we were told on the Webinar to be ready to travel between the first and third weeks of August. In the meantime, I will work on my tan and read another trashy novel that I won't be able to buy over there!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Authentication Panic
In order to teach in the UAE, I have to have copies of my Bachelor's and Teaching Certifications authenticated. This means jumping through a lot of hoops and spending a lot of money when they could just make the copies of the original there. Got through the original step just fine, Rutgers was extremely helpful. I got through the State of NJ just fine..that's when the trouble began. My paperwork is STALLED at the US State Department. They haven't even deposited the check yet and it was sent at the end of May!!! I have to get it back from there before it can get sent to the UAE Embassy for the final step.
Of course it would have helped if I had IGNORED Teach Away's half baked instructions. I just tripped over the State Department website the other day looking for the phone number and the process would be over if I had found that sooner. Apparently I should have sent it Fed Ex because sending it USPS results in it having to be irradiated before they will open it. Does this mean that my paperwork will be radioactive? Should I wear a HazMat suit when I open it and carry it to the UAE in a lead lined box?
This is very reminiscent of the fact that the payoff figure for my mortgage wasn't received by the title company until the morning of closing. They had actually sent it twice before but with the wrong closing dates. All worked out in the end but seriously...cut me a break!! Can anything ever go according to plan in my life?
I have already chosen my first excursion in the UAE. It is a full day desert safari including camel rides and 4 wheeling the dunes!! Lauren is on board for the camel but is afraid of dying if she goes 4 wheeling. This is once instance in which she reminds me of her father who was born a 40 year old fuddy duddy!
I have met dozens of people online who are going over in August to teach for ADEC so we've already developed a support system. Ramen, hummus, and dashboard microwaves here we come. I am very much looking forward to my 2 year adventure!!
Of course it would have helped if I had IGNORED Teach Away's half baked instructions. I just tripped over the State Department website the other day looking for the phone number and the process would be over if I had found that sooner. Apparently I should have sent it Fed Ex because sending it USPS results in it having to be irradiated before they will open it. Does this mean that my paperwork will be radioactive? Should I wear a HazMat suit when I open it and carry it to the UAE in a lead lined box?
This is very reminiscent of the fact that the payoff figure for my mortgage wasn't received by the title company until the morning of closing. They had actually sent it twice before but with the wrong closing dates. All worked out in the end but seriously...cut me a break!! Can anything ever go according to plan in my life?
I have already chosen my first excursion in the UAE. It is a full day desert safari including camel rides and 4 wheeling the dunes!! Lauren is on board for the camel but is afraid of dying if she goes 4 wheeling. This is once instance in which she reminds me of her father who was born a 40 year old fuddy duddy!
I have met dozens of people online who are going over in August to teach for ADEC so we've already developed a support system. Ramen, hummus, and dashboard microwaves here we come. I am very much looking forward to my 2 year adventure!!
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