The First (Almost) Week

After losing an entire day between 13 hours in the air and the 8 hour time difference, finding out that we were being placed at The Yas Hotel was awesome. This place is beautiful and huge. Ferrari World Amusement park is right next door and the Formula One track runs around the hotel. If the race was now instead of November, I would have a perfect view from my balcony.

We got to rest from Friday 1am when we arrived until Sunday evening when the "disorganized chaos" began. We were told to report for registration at 5pm and then told 4:30pm. After sitting for a half hour, we learned via "whisper down the lane" that we were supposed to be using this time to make 2 copies of our passport and work Visa. The mad rush for the 2 copiers then began. We were told to report back for orientation at 6:30-7. We (me, Julie, and Louisa) decided to have dinner first and that was a good choice. When we arrived back it was to mass confusion. There were several tables set up for us to open our accounts with The National Bank of Abu Dhabi BUT the only way to find out which table you were assigned to was to walk behind the tables and look st the lists. After standing in line for 2 hours, we were ordered out of line into the orientation which was a Power Point and Q & A session. I walked out and got back in the bank line. After proceeding to the line to drop off my copies for ADEC (The Abu Dhabi Education Council) the "whisper down the lane" began again as word got around that we needed a copy of our passport and Visa for our Medical Check the next morning. I decided to make a half dozen copies. We did finally get out of there around 11pm BUT I had to get up at 4am Monday morning for my exam!!! Being in the first group was an advantage, as we were in and out in 2 hours while the later groups took upwards of 5 hours!! Tuesday night was our group's assigned fingerprinting. We arrived at the Abu Dhabi Police Station at 8:45pm and sat there for more than an hour doing nothing while the personnel took cigarettes breaks and told us to "Silencio!" Our group got back to the hotel a little after midnight. Once again, I was glad I had opted for an early dinner. The last group of the night got back at 4:30am. There are more groups going tonight.

Over the weekend before the chaos began, I went to Marina Mall twice and AL Raha Mall once. I joinded Ahmed, the car salesman, on a 5 hour tour of Abu Dhabi that culminated at a Cafe from which the Hookah picture came. We have also had an opportunity to meet and bond with 400 some odd other teachers. The roof top pool is absolutely gorgeous and must be refrigerated. The pool is cool while the temperature has averaged around 116. Up until Sunday there had been relatively low humidity but the last few days...ugh.

View of Marina from my balcony

This "shell" surrounds most of the hotel including my balcony

Cruising through Abu Dhabi

Jumeirah Abu Dhabi open Fall 2011

Requisite hookah picture

Yes there is American food here

....and American magazines

Marina from my balcony

Kelly, Joanna, and Louisa at the "Restaurant with No Name"

My "night owl" body has adjusted to this time zone very well. I am one of the few not walking around like a zombie and taking naps. Instead of sleeping until noon like in the US, I have been up early with no problem. Apparently this is the time zone for me. If you will notice from the grocery shopping pictures, magazines and food items are in English. We are not going to be on our sightseeing tour until...we think...Sunday. Tentative plans are for hitting the Souks tomorrow and one busload is going to Dubai. I haven't decided if I want to deal with the trip to Dubai yet or just hit the Souks here. Off to the pool, yes I will take pictures.