When I first moved to Abu Dhabi, I lived in a 5 star hotel
for 5 weeks. Yes, I got a little spoiled by the walk in shower and huge
bathtub. There were some pitfalls though: having to eat out for every meal but
breakfast, which was horrifically bad anyway. Having my bed made for me and my
bathroom cleaned daily pretty much made up for that.
The first week of school I got the keys to my 19th
floor flat in Danat B and I was thrilled. I had 2 balconies and another huge
bathtub. This one was even long enough for my 5’8.5” self to lie down in. Some
people complained about the construction in the area and the fire alarm that
constantly went off for no reason, but I was happy there. Ladies Night and
Starbucks were within walking distance. Heaven.
Then I moved to Al Ain. The first 2 weeks I lived with a
friend (Yo! Jasmine) while my housing got sorted (British term for organized).
I was finally given keys to a flat behind the school. I was happy not to have
my previous 90km daily commute but……….yeah. The school parking lot is sand, the
entrance to said parking lot is sand, and the parking lot for the
accommodations is quicksand. I have seen more than one car get stuck out there.
The parking lot also contains the detritus of any and all construction that has
ever occurred in the area: screwdrivers, broken bottles, pavers, and some big
green metal thing. Add to that whatever random trash falls out of people’s bags
on the 500 meter walk to the dumpster (I refuse to call it a scow).
I walked into my furnished flat and was happy to see a
sectional that would match my rug, a TV, and a computer desk. The kitchen came
complete with all necessary items still in boxes: new pans, dishes, glassware, utensils,
etc. I wasn’t happy to see only a washer and not a washer/dryer. I’m guessing
that’s why I also got a brand new drying rack, ironing board, and iron. The
bedroom contained a king sized bed and a full wall built in wardrobe. YES! It
also came with new sheets, pillows, and a comforter. Then I walked into the
bathroom to discover that they installed a shower smaller than those in a small
RV. My first shower involved the whole bathroom getting wet and me almost
ending up on my ass. Hence the rubber pool floor. Thanks Rob!
I ended up having my washer/dryer and cooker moved from Abu
Dhabi. This decision came after the washer shot water out of the front AND the
oven took 90 minutes to make a pan of Hungry Jack biscuits. The fact that The
Mills couldn’t move in their kitchen due to the existence of my appliances
along with theirs made that decision easier.
I had walked out to
the roof once and knew that there was a whole living room set, several lounge
chairs, and a grill but I had never used it. I actually stayed in Al Ain one
weekend in December and decided to use the roof for tanning. That worked out
very well and I was a shade darker and got my endorphin boost for the week
but………….the view was not TO DIE FOR!!!
Behind the accommodations are the remains of the abandoned
worker housing from when “something” was built, presumably the school. Yes that big white thing with the ladder to
it is the water storage tank.
Look at the ant hole looking thing with the cement hole on
the top-this is apparently an incomplete sewer line. From what I have been told, it is not unusual
for this to be used as a “squatty potty”.
Next, the sandlot I had to traverse daily. The little
building on the right houses the cleaning staff for the school-all 20 of them.
Apparently, the Teacher Accommodations are the Taj Mahal to them. They are often
sent over to clean the hallways in the Teacher Accommodations because teachers are
too lazy to close the front door and the sand creates a dune in the building. On the left is the far rear of the school.
This is what happens when a country develops faster than
their public works infrastructure. The debris has no place to go.
Ahhhh…….the sun deck (aka the roof). No, that is not my lounge chair in the shade! Look
in the background and you can see the Jabel Hafeet. It supposedly has the
awesomest driving road in the world; I think the Smoky Mountains are better.
They ARE actually mountains after all.
We DO get some pretty awesome sunsets in Al Ain. The sun has
set on my time in Al Ain. I accepted a job in Dubai in February. Stay tuned for the “I have to find my own housing on a shoestring budget” zone. Lucky
me.
