Steve and Alison's Excellent Adventure...: Week 1

Week 1
This week Alison wrote the entry with Steve's comments and input in italics.

Steve and I have been in Abu Dhabi for almost a week. The greatest lesson that we have learned is patience! We have done a great deal of waiting – waiting for news, waiting in lines, and just waiting. We have finally caught up on sleep (after a couple of nights waking up wide awake at 1:30) and now have settled into regular sleep patterns.

We are currently staying at the Aloft Hotel near the Exhibition Center. It is a lovely modern hotel with a free breakfast brunch and it has a laundry so we can do our own wash. We have taken advantage of the pool almost everyday to relax and get a break from the heat. (Alison neglected to mention the Thursday night poolside “Liquid Rain” dance-party, complete with loud, brain-numbing techno music until after 3:30 a.m. We made the scene from 8-9, drank our drinks, and then left.)

Aloft Hotel and Exhibition Center

Pool at Aloft - Great way to end a day and relax

Another teacher who has been living in the Emirates told us on the bus yesterday that two of the most common things to do are eat and shop in Abu Dhabi. I would agree. I have never seen so many huge malls in my life. Together WE have been to 3 - Marina Mall, Mushrif Mall, and Delma Mall. (That is more than Steve has been to in a year! True, and with no apology.) Add the Gold Souk (abaya-shopping with new friends) to my list and that makes four! (Delma Mall has a Shake Shack with the best cheeseburger I have ever had abroad—and that’s Europe, Asia, Central America and Africa. We’ll be back after I drop a few lbs.)

On the job side, we had our first orientation, survived our medicals, and received our placements. We will be living in the city of Abu Dhabi with Steve teaching English in a boy’s cycle 3 (grades 10-12) school downtown near the Marina Mall and me teaching in a girl’s cycle 2 (grades 6-9) school in an area called Bani Yas. Tomorrow we will receive more information about the schools and curriculum. Students arrive on Sunday (with the teaching week running Sunday through Thursday) and we are hoping to be in our classrooms by then.

On the tourist side, we have not done much. Yesterday we visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The guidebook recommended a sunset tour, which was an excellent suggestion. (Larger than the Taj Mahal, the marble edifice was absolutely amazing.) I was particularly impressed with the many German-made chandeliers. Our nubile tour guide was delightful and informative. Today we are planning on going to the Heritage Village in the shadow of the Marina Mall.