Sunday, June 23, 2013

Bonjour! Hallo! Hola! Hey Y'all!

It's been a month so I owe you!  And it's been an eventful month since I've updated you on the haps.  It has been 10 months since I arrived in the Sandbox and I must say this has been an experience quite like no other.  I am grateful, I mean truly grateful for everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  It has been an adventure of a lifetime and I wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world.  I would have never been able to travel, learn another language (kind of), meet the people I've met or reignite my gift of singing had it not been for the decision to move myself half way around the world to the UAE.  Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been a walk in the park or a stroll in a wild tulip field just skipping and frolicking, but it's all worth it and I'm looking forward to the end of my first year here as well as the beginning of the next!!   

So what's next...well vacation for me starts in 11 days!  Wooo Whooo?!  I am headed to Paris to arrive on my birthday.  What a nice birthday gift to myself to make up for nearly 5 years of NO vacations at all? Then my next stop is Amsterdam, then Madrid, then the good ole USA to see family and friends that I love and have missed sooooo much!  It's sure to be a great time. ! I would have NEVER done this even a year ago because I was scared out of my mind.  Oh and I didn't have enough money to even travel to the next state!! lol!  But this life God has blessed me with has so far allowed me to travel to Italy, Greece, and Croatia, along with trips to Dubai!  It's true...you only live once!  I've decided that I must enjoy life to the fullest and take advantage of what the world has to offer.  So I'm going to see the world!!  I'm excited!  Pictures and videos are sure to come in the next 19 days upon my arrival in France.  WOW!  At times I can hardly believe it myself!

Life in Abu Dhabi is good indeed.  I have soooo many stories to tell!  So much funny stuff happens here it's too hilarious for me to even write about...like the argument with the security guard and the delivery guy delivering my Lebanese food to me.  Ooo Chile!  The language barriers!  All of us were looking confused!  I just heard some loud talking outside the door when my doorbell rang.  The delivery guy didn't understand he was supposed to sign in (probably because he'd never been to the building before) so the security guard followed him up to my apartment, mad that he didn't sign in.  The lil delivery man was looking crazy like he didn't know jack.  Then the security guard tells me don't order from that restaurant and 'madam don't eat this' because the food wasn't good, making 'yuck' faces and all.  I almost busted out laughing (he was hatin)...I was looking like what the hades is going on.  Finally, I just told him I ordered the food so I will pay for it.  I apologized to the delivery guy because he was really taken aback by our diligent, protective front desk security...poor thing.  I'm sure that particular delivery guy will not be back to deliver at my building.  Why did my face have to be all up in that?  Ooo Chile! I need to just write a book!!  

I recently won a singing contest at an event hosted by Virgin Radio Dubai at the Hyatt Capital Gate Hotel.  It's the leaning Hyatt here in Abu Dhabi.  I sang 60 seconds of 'Sweet Thing' by Chaka Khan and it was a hit!  One of these days, you will see my name in lights and think to yourself...that's the crazy lady who sold everything she had and moved to the other side of the world to teach in the beautiful city of Abu Dhabi, and wrote that blog that had me laughing out loud! ;)

Next week is my week to drive to work out in the desert...'Timbuktu'...almost to Dubai...LOL!  I'm sure to encounter drivers ready to run me and my lil Hyundai off the road as I drive the maximum speed limit of 140km/hr, get blown by the super strong gulf winds, maneuver across 100 speed bumps, and slam on brakes for the wild driving by others around here.  My poor lil rental car won't have any shocks, brakes, or tire treads by the time I turn it in back to them in July. :/  Bomp Bomp!

Pictures are coming soon of Paris, Amsterdam, and Madrid!  Oh the fun I plan to have...the time of my life!  I can't wait to say Bonjour! Hallo! Hola! and of course, Hey y'all! 

Much love!