Further Impressions of Dubai

I cannot believe how fast time is flying here in Dubai...I have been here for nearly 8 weeks!!! I am posting a new entry about once a week, and I want to thank you all for your meaningful support ... it makes my adventure that much easier.

Mr. Banana & I at the Terry Fox Run Dubai

Further Impressions of Dubai:

* I take the metro to work every morning at 7 am, and most mornings, as the sun is coming up it is this bright orange fiery circle that simply takes my breath away. It is unlike the sun that I have seen in any other parts in the world – and it does remind me how beautiful the world is when you open your eyes to truly see it.

* Yes, I use the metro as my main source of transportation here in Dubai. It is surprising that I am using public transportation considering I will not ever consider using it in Ottawa. In Ottawa, I paid my dues and took the bus until I was able to drive so I feel I put my time in. But here, I really do not mind.  To take the metro to work cost about $1.25 CDN each way, takes about 30 minutes, and the stops are rather close to the destinations so it’s not a big deal.

* Taxis are cheap here in comparison to Ottawa, and are necessary at times since the metro is rather limited to one main line. Taxi drivers are hit or miss – they smell, they don’t know where they are going, they drive like maniacs, or luckily are normal (I know, sounds like Ottawa!).  

* With the metro and taxis rather convenient, I have to wonder if driving will become a necessity here.  I would like to have my own car, but the drivers here are crazy & the road systems and rules are not the easiest to follow. Cars here are priced well, the gas is much cheaper, and parking is reasonable but all that adds up, and for what? Additionally, there is a zero tolerance law here so no amount of alcohol is acceptable. I do miss my little Shark – Hyundai Tiburon, and have to wonder about our future together.

* There is no recycling in Dubai ! I believe the UAE has one of the largest carbon footprints in the world per capita and I am not surprised. Plastics, paper, and glass are all thrown away in the garbage. What’s worse is that no one really drinks the tap water, so water bottles are used in excess and just thrown away. I am also guilty! Coming from Canada, where we are used to sorting the plastics, paper, food waste and general rubbish, it’s a hard concept to get used to & accept.  

* I have been going to many social and networking events. For instance, yesterday I went to the Terry Fox Run here in Dubai to support four colleagues running the 8.5 km run/walk event to raise money for cancer; I went to an InterNations event during the week, and so forth. I do find it funny that I am attending so many events here in Dubai when I really couldn’t be bothered to do so in Ottawa.  I guess when you are surrounded by the familiar it becomes easy to stay within your comfort area and not branch out, so I am happy to do it here for the time being. There are so many interesting people and I love hearing people’s story –

* I have finally met a few Canadians !!! It has taken a while but slowly but surely I have started to find them... It is a funny that I move to Dubai and search out fellow Canadians, but there is something reassuring about hanging out with someone from your country. I do miss having good girlfriends to confide in and talk with, but this will come w time.

* People have warned me against the Dubai stone. So what is the Dubai stone you may be thinking? A stone is 14 pounds, and just as first year university students gain weight, new people to Dubai gain weight – and sadly, I am one of them. This week I started exercising again, and doing my yoga tracks, but with such long work hours, social events in the evening, drinking (and drinking way more than I did back home), and sometimes sleeping, there is little time to exercise. For some reason, I am always hungry too! So now, I am now going to make more of a conscious effort to eat healthy and exercise

* Work update: I came to Dubai to work & build a career, so I am putting most of my efforts into getting settled into the job. I can only hope that my efforts will pay off ... but things are already moving in the right direction - this week I was the top coordinator on my team !!!



xox <3 xox