Abu Dhabi Art Festival

I am going on my fourth week in Abu Dhabi and things are going great. Today was a really amazing day in Abu Dhabi because I explored a new souk and also the Abu Dhabi art festival. At the souk there are so many different kinds of stores that sell a variety of things. They had everything from carpets, scarfs, stuffed camels, ball gowns, spices, and just everything really. Even though it was a souk it felt like a big shopping mall with three different floors and a very elegant feel to it. There are so many interesting things that I can't wait to buy for myself and friends and family back home.



My henna



This says Stiney



This says Ms. Melissa







The Abu Dhabi art festival was simply amazing and I am so glad that I went. Now I am no big art buff by any means, but I really enjoyed seeing all of the art and all of the people that the festival attracted. So first let me explain the taxi ride to the festival, which was one of the worst I have taken yet. Our taxi driver didn't know where we needed to go (which is very common) but we explained it to him and he seemed to understand. So after driving in the taxi (very very very slowly) for a little bit, our driver missed the exit for the festival and got lost and had to ask for directions twice. So after that we finally made it to the art festival and he said, "oh sorry only 15 days on job." The art festival featured artists from all over the world and all different types of art. They had this really cool picture booth thing that would take your picture and then print it out in like a full poster. After you took your picture you went around the front of the booth and it fell from the top printer. It was actually really cool and I have never had a poster size picture of myself before. Aftet I got my poster picture I went and got henna done on my hand. The woman who did the henna made it seem so effortless and it is really beautiful. At the art festival they also had a man writing names in arabic. Watching someone write in arabic is simply amazing and the writing is so beautiful that it looks like calligraphy. I had him write Ms. Melissa on one sheet and Stiney on another. I am planning on having them framed and putting them in my classroom. Today was a great day...and I can't wait to have more days just like this!

Getting around in Abu Dhabi

So even though Abu Dhabi is a very modern and western city, it really has some interesting things that take a little while to get used to. So first would be public transportation. It is amazing that Abu Dhabi has such a developed transportation system when it has only been a country for 40 years. I mean that is barely any time and in that time they have developed this amazing city and system. The main way of getting around in Abu Dhabi if you don't have a car are either taxi or the bus. Now luckily there is a bus stop right in front of the hotel that I am staying at and it is a pretty great route. The bus costs one dirham per trip which is like 27 cents. On the buses the women sit in the front of the bus and the men sit in the back. Now I thought this was very interesting at first and I felt bad that all of the men were shoved in the back, but that is how things are here. The men will put their dirham in at the front and then walk around to the back entrance of the bus. The men's half of the bus can get really crowded too because there are way more men than women. There are also separate lines for women in grocery stores and at different events and things like that. Women are also bumped to the front of the line for things like taxis, buses, and other things. This was something that I was not used to in the states, but it is simply how things are. Also taking a taxi is always an interesting experience to get around. The very first taxi ride I took on my first full day in Abu Dhabi the taxi driver got into an accident. He hit the driver in front of us and then started yelling at the man he hit as if it was his fault. It was crazy! Also the taxi drivers aren't completely familiar with the city, so sometimes they don't really know where they are going. So you have to get creative when telling them where you are going. I will try to explain things that around where I am going like big buildings, parks, or malls and that seems to help them figure out where to go. Not only do the taxi drivers not fully know where they are going, they also drive pretty crazy too. They will go in and out of traffic and weave between cars, but that isn't just taxis but simply drivers in Abu Dhabi period. I am still figuring out how to best get around in Abu Dhabi, but it is getting a little easier every taxi or bus ride I take.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque visit

Hello everyone! So things in Abu Dhabi are going very well and I am enjoying every minute of it. It is so interesting to learn and see how things are different here and the different culture. It is currently an Islamic holiday called Eid and so there has been no school this week, so I have been exploring the city. Today a group of LT's (licensed teachers) and myself explored the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the few that is open to non-Muslims. The Mosque was absolutely gorgeous. Before we went into the Mosque we had to put on an abaya and a head scarf out of respect for the Mosque and man was I hot with all of that on! It was really interesting though to put the abaya on and feel how the women here do. We took a tour around the Mosque with our guide and learned all about the Mosque. The inside of the Mosque was simply beautiful, with elaborate details and extravagant chandeliers. I am so glad that I was able to visit the Mosque today because I learned so much. Oh and another interesting thing I saw today was...RAIN!!! Yeah it actually rained today for a little bit. It was crazy because I didn't expect to see any rain here. I am still not sure of when I will start in my classroom, because I am being placed in a region west of Abu Dhabi and I will have to be moved out there first before I can start at my school. As they say here Inshallah- which basically means If god wills. So things will work out when they do and in the mean time I am just enjoying everything I can!

My new Abu Dhabi life

Hello everyone! So this is my new blog to describe all about my adventures in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. I have been here for almost a week now and things are going very smoothly, well as smooth as to be expected when moving to a foreign country. I am currently staying in a hotel apartment until my housing is ready for move in. I am meeting a ton of amazing people and seeing some absolutely wonderful sites. It still feels totally crazy that this has all happened and that I am actually living in Abu Dhabi. I am so excited for all the great things to come and I will keep everyone updated.