Dubai Update 04/11 v2

Weekly Update:

Hamster:

I got a hamster !!! My hamster is a female golden teddy bear named Safron. She is quite mischievious since she continuously schemes her escape, already knawed a hole in her plastic cage, and ate a piece of her water bottle holder right off. Safron loves carrots, and rolling around the apartment in her hamster ball. She doesnt quite like me as much as I love her, but all in good time :)

Work:

* Our team got a training day with Gary May - one of the best in influence & persuasion. Check out his blog at http://gary-may.blogspot.com/ Many useful techniques to improve your business skills.

* I have my UAE resident card !!! finally :)

* Q2 is underway so I am excited about the possibilities since I am more settled, and into the swing of things.

Dubai Business Councils:

Since I have arrived here in Dubai, I have made it a point to get out, experience new things & meet people. I started out by attending the Canadian Business Council events to meet fellow Canadians and see what the Canadian community here was all about. Seeing as I have event management experience, I do hope I will be able to help plan events for the CBC - to be able to give back, meet new Canadians and get involved. But then I started thinking about branching out and seeing how the different business councils operate, who attends, what sort of events are planned, and such. Networking is not always the easiest, it does take time & effort, but it's a great way to meet new people, experience new venues in Dubai and grow as a person. So far I have attended events of the Canadian Business Council, the German Business Council (AHK), and the Swiss Business Council - with some events being joint events with other councils.

* I had a good laugh to myself at the German Business Council since they didn't take my humour too well - a few people asked what I did, so when I replied saying "I help people to get their money working harder for them or simply get rich" and smiled - no one looked impressed...Usually, I get a few laughs but I got nothing...I should have given them a beer first :P

Job Hunting:
Our team here in Dubai is expanding !!! If you are searching for a fast paced career in a competitive environment and want to work on a great team with the potential to earn money in a tax free environment - I know sounds fabulous eh! - please leave a comment below with your contact details and I will be in touch with more information.

Party:

* To celebrate the end of Q1, the team was treated to a brunch at Media One. While I wouldnt necessarily recommend that brunch in terms of food quality or quality of entertainment (none), it was a great day spent with the team. Afterwards, we went to XL Beach Club at the Habtoor Grand ... the music was right down my alley and it reminded me a bit of Beach Club - I would definitely go back.

* On Friday night I went back to the club 360 to see Jimpster. It was a perfect night for an outdoor party since there was a light breeze off the ocean, the Burj Al Arab was lit in the background, the moon was shining, I was amongst friends dancing away & just having a nice time.

Jimpster & I

Family: I think it is an honour to meet other people's family, to see where they come from & what they are about...

* I recently got to meet Jason's family - and of course, they were wonderful ! Jason & Mel are great fun together so I cant wait for them to move here in September.

* I have also gotten the pleasure of meeting A.L. mom - such a nice genuine woman. One thing in particular that stood out so far was when we took her to see the fountains at the Dubai Mall - she was so moved that she started to cry. While Im sure it was a combination of being with her son, being in a new city, and experiencing the fountains - it did remind me how lucky I am to be in Dubai, and to be experiencing life here. At 26 years of age, I have done so much & experienced so much all over the world - and sadly, I often take that for granted.

Modeling:

I have still got it baby! haha just joking...BUT it was great to be selected for Bridal Fashion Week in Karachi Pakistan for a long weekend job. I was quite excited to go experience a new country; however, after not feeling comfortable enough with the itinerary, the details and the requirements - I decided not to participate. At the end of the day, I needed to feel comfortable with the details, and the agency did not provide that piece of mind. I do hope to get more involved in the modeling community in Dubai since it is something I enjoy being part of.  

Health:

* I am still trying to find the proper work / life balance - eight pounds gained, but eating healthy, yoga & exercise are still top priorities...just not always finding the energy, motivation or time... continuous work in progress...

Shout Outs:

* Congratulations to AT & TF for moving into their new apartment this month ! They have found a place together & are in the process of getting settled. Cant wait to see the new place :) They also have a new podcast series out - check it out at the following link http://foranexchange.podomatic.com/entry/2011-04-11T18_32_21-07_00

* Best wishes to NM for getting back to NYC for a few months to pursue her dream of modeling in the big apple. I know she can do it - just keep wanting it, stay positive & believe in yourself !

* Im excited since one of my HK friends Feng will be stopping by Dubai for a day :) always great to catch up with international friends !

xox <3 xox