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

Tiesto in Abu Dhabi

I am a party snob !!!

I have no problem admitting this. Why? Quite simply because I have partied all over the world and no where compares to Montreal ~ the electronic dance music scene, the mentality, the understanding, and the appreciation cannot be beat anywhere (with Ibiza to be tested this summer). 

On Thursday February 17^th, my friend Riz and I went to Abu Dhabi to see Tiesto. Riz had won tickets on a radio show and had offered to drive – so we were off ! The Dubai – Abu Dhabi drive is not as far as the Ottawa – Montreal drive, but a very similar concept. The show was part of Tiesto’s Kaleidoscope tour on the Yas Island in the Flash Forum, and had been rescheduled from back in October (apparently the old venue was not deemed safe). It was a 21+ event, and tickets were selling for about $40 CDN general admission.

We arrived at the Flash Forum around midnight, and Tiesto came on around 12:45am. I am not sure who the opening DJ was, but he was good – laying down some good tracks to get the crowd pumped for the headliner. There is a reason why Tiesto is at the top of the DJ list, and has been for a while now, he is amazing at what he does.  And this means that Tiesto puts on a great show: the lights, the background scenes, the special effects, his attitude/showmanship, and then the music and track selections...all combine perfectly to make for a great night. For the most part, Tiesto’s AD show was trance with hints of harder trance, electro and progressive. To be truthful, I didn’t recognize all of the tracks – of course there were the staples, Silence, Feel it in my Bones, Escape Me, and such. I was rather pleased that he played the “Cameras ready! Prepare the flash” track – not sure of the title or the producer, but it’s a hot track at the moment & I love it!!!

So far this sounds like a good night, right? Right! Well I have not yet brought the crowd into the equation...Not sure if this was attributed to the full moon, or the fact that the UAE does not know how to party, but for the most part the people in attendance were rude, obnoxious, and ridiculously drunk. Riz & I tried finding different areas in the venue, but no matter where we went people had no clue and were not fun to be around. I feel bad for Riz since he had to act as my bodyguard for the night since men were always bothering me. It seemed people were there just to get as drunk as they possibly could, and Tiesto was just the background music to their shenanigans. These people would not stop taking pictures and videos either - it's like they missed the party because they were too busy capturing it. It was more of a concert than a DJ dropping a set...Unfortunately, people could smoke in the venue, and it was a dome like structure so it retained heat quite well, so with the smoke & heat combined, it became difficult to breathe normally. Plus, whenever the beat would drop, people would raise their arms, and the stench was unbearable! For a 21+ event, the crowd did seem rather young and immature.  While I don’t like to judge people’s dancing skills, people were just jumping around to Tiesto’s set, dancing off the beat, or pushing everyone else around. It was the first time that I really missed home...

After an hour, Riz and I were ready to leave – after all the tickets were free, and we were both irritated beyond belief so there was no point in staying. But then, we ran into a group of people I had met out one night, and we hung out with & danced with them.  To be surrounded with fun people I kind of knew did make a huge difference...while the other people around us were still retarded (to be kind), it was much better.  So then we stayed for the entire set, and by the end of it, our mentalities had changed and we enjoyed ourselves. We even got invited to the official Tiesto after-party, where Tiesto himself was going to be, but Riz had to drive back and we had had enough for one night. To be honest, I really don’t think Tiesto would have showed up anyways...   

Tiesto amazes me! When he is behind the decks, he delivers. He knows how to put on a show, and delivers to his fans. He is a hard working man releasing a weekly hour long podcast, releasing bestselling albums, constantly touring the world & selling out huge venues. In following a theme with my last blog post about Tiger Woods, there will seldom be many DJs to create THE brand as Tiesto has done for himself. And while he doesn’t drop the type of music I seek out, I’m certain that any electronic dance music fan can appreciate Tiesto and his rise to fame. At one point or another on our musical journeys, we have liked something that Tiesto has released so it brings us back to that moment – and we can say wow. I will say that compared to the time I saw Tiesto in Montreal at Resolution for Day 1, he was not as into it...It is obvious that Tiesto loves to play Montreal, and you can see it in his sets, his performances, and his way of being. But who doesn’t like to party or spin in Montreal really?  

~~~

In other news, I am still adoring Dubai ~ I am meeting new people, making new friends, enjoying the job, working hard, building a steady tan & loving the beach. I think I am getting more settled as the reality is that I am not here on vacation, but this is now my life, has set in. I am trying to find social groups to join, starting to exercise again, and really, just forming a great everyday routine. I haven’t really done anything too touristy, but all in good time right.

I am smiling & happy!

xox <3 xox

Omega Desert Golf Classic

From February 8th to 13th, the Emirates Golf Club was hosting the Omega Desert Golf Classic here in Dubai. This was the first real opportunity I was going to have to see Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Mark O'Meara, Martin Khamer, and so forth, play an event live. Luckily, I was able to get a member's guest ticket for the entire week - and my boss was kind enough to let me off work a few hours early on a few days to catch the event.  While I am a golf fan, have been playing golf for many years and even have been following the PGA on television, seeing an event live brought an entirely new appreciation to this sport.

On Tuesday evening, I went to the 9 hole par 3 challenge ~ six of the top players were grouped together in groups of two. The players were putting on a short game clinic! It was nice to see them joking, interacting with the crowds, and just having a good time. There were not a lot of people, so we could get close to the tee boxes, and putting greens. As I was trying to find my way to the metro, I found that I was right in front of Tiger Woods - and I was star struck.
Chloe: Hi Tiger!
Tiger: Hey, hows it going?
Chloe: Oh not bad, yourself?
Tiger: Pretty good, thanks
Chloe: Good game out there
~ in hindsight, obviously I could have thought of something a little more clever, intelligent, meaningful, but it happened so suddenly that it was that or nothing...

The pro-am took place on Wednesday, and the real tourney began on Thursday from Sunday. The funny thing is that the weekend here is Friday and Saturday, so to see the end of the final day, many people had to ditch work (all in the name of networking of course). I went Thursday afternoon, and followed Lee Westwood, Martin Khamer, and Tiger Woods - the number 1, 2 and 3 ranked players in the world...what a grouping! Then, over the course of the next four days, I watched various groupings, but kept my focus on Tiger and Sergio Garcia. On Sunday, they were paired together - so it was quite the pairing!!!

Each day I went by myself, and did as I pleased, but I got to meet quite a few interesting people along the way. There were really not too many spectators so it was easy to get nice and close to the players - a few times I could smell their sweat. Considering there were plenty of signs saying no cell phones or cameras - it seemed every second person was either snapping a photo or using their cell phone, or both ! The caddies and golf staff were continuously telling people to stop...but it seemed the fans didnt care. A few times, you could see the players getting frustrated - and with reason.  It made me think of the times that I was on the golf course, and someone on the course with me either talked, sneezed or moved while I was putting or in mid-swing; and, the small bit of frustration or twinge I felt at that moment...well, just image that but magnified by thousands...WOW! I do understand that the players get payed millions of dollars to play a sport they enjoy & excel in, but still - having people so close and always wanting a picture must be distracting. The pressure alone would be enough to drive some people mental...

Being at the tourney was almost like a mini-getaway. This golf course is rather amazing - it is right in the city, and from many views, you can see the tall skyscrapers in the background. Green grass, palm trees, shrubbery all in the middle of the desert ~ not the most ecofriendly haha. In addition, the course is fully lit at night and stays open quite late since it gets just too hot to play in midday in the summer. For some reason, the golf course reminded me of the times I would go golfing in Florida with Pepere, my parents and family ~ maybe the palm trees and smells ~ but it brought back beautiful memories.

To be honest, I thought Tiger was going to win - or at least, I really wanted him to.  For most people that know me, you know that I don't care what he has done off the golf course because at the end of the day, he is still the best athlete my generation will ever see. I think it will be a long time before we see anyone rise to fame and be as successful and influential in any sport as Tiger has been...and at the end of the day, he has done so much for the game of golf, sports history, and given large amounts to various charities - that I can easily overlook his indiscretions (if thats what we'll call them...) Quite simply, to see him live was outstanding - he is much more impressive, athletic, handsome and fit in real life than you can imagine on tv or in the pictures.  I will say that he did shine during some shots and moments on the course, but he seemed to lack that certain drive to win - that Tiger look in his eyes. He made a small surge to the top of the leaderboard, but could not manage to do anything with it - and was not able to pull through on Sunday, as he is so famous for. I wont soon forget seeing him smiling, interacting with the children, the classic fistpump on the 18th on the Saturday as he birdied, or watching him determined on Sunday in red.

Another aspect that was rather impressive was the amount of staff, volunteers and media people needed to capture this event. You never know who is going to hit an amazing shot, so there better be cameras every where taping just in case.  For instance, the winner Quiroz had a hole in one on the 11th hole...All in all it was a fabulous event ~ money & time well spent ! For anyone who has not yet seen an event live that loves golf, I would highly recommend it...for those that arent into golf, there are always the beer stands ;)

~~~

This week a Prophets birthday is today Valentine's Day so it is dry - no alcohol. Effectively, many places have postponed vday until tomorrow...but, Thursday we have a day off to celebrate ! yippee - happy birthday Mr. Prophet !

Tiesto is spinning in Abu Dhabi this weekend too for only $40CDN so I might go check that out...bring back The Life of the Party...uae styles...

~~~

XOX <3 XOX

Dubai Update 02/11

I am still loving Dubai !

What's New?

Professional :
* last week was a good week. My target was to book 10 appoiontments & I only booked 9 - however, since Jason saw 5 qualified first prospective clients, I hit that target. Furthermore, the very first appointment I booked as a coordinator here became my first client to sign up with Jason :) so things are rolling along & Im getting more and more comfortable with everything...
* I have been having a hard time with UK people on the phone - they are very quick to end the conversation with me since they think Im American...so that is one thing that I have to work on...maybe work on my fake British accent hahaha...
* People at work are nice - women are the minority in the office. Being new Im still learning the ropes and the office politics...There are 2 Americans that work here, but no Canadians - most are from the UK. I do have difficulty understanding certain expressions and phrases, but I think Im getting used it. Actually, I have not yet met another Canadian since being here.
* I went to an International Womens Business Group Dubai networking breakfast last week. It was nice to be surrounded by like minded ladies, but I dont think I will go back. I think I can meet potential new clients out in a different venue that is less saturated - there were other financial institutions represented, and another woman from my work, so I can focus my energy on something else. I am really trying to get into the modeling and promotions here as well ...
* There are many other networking events happening in this city - I have joined health groups, yoga groups, Canadian group, etc...places where I wouldnt expect to find other ppl from my work and that I would enjoy.
* Another aside: this morning I read that Tim Hortons are looking to establish a brand here in the Gulf region. So one more thing to make Dubai feel more like home :) haha, I had a good laugh...

Personal:
* I was sick last week and on anti-biotics. Swollen glands in my neck, sore throat, body aches and fatigue - it was not the best. I had to take Wednesday morning off work because the illness and medicine were just taking a toll on me.
* On a side note, for a country that is so strict on what medicine you can and cannot bring in, it is rather easy to buy medicine here. While in Canada I would need a prescription for the anti-biotics I got this week, here I just told the pharmacist my symptoms, and he was able to sell it me.
* Interesting observance: there are different rules for men and women here...a reserved metro car for women only...and banking for women only. This banking for women only worked to my advantage last week when I opened a local bank account with the Bank in the office's building - there was a long queue in the regular section of the bank, so they sent me through to the women's side with NO wait and friendly service.
* It is increbily nice to live close to the beach !! Both Friday and Saturday afternoons I lounged on the beach - it was so relaxing to listen to my iPod, hear the waves in the background, feel the sand, and mildly roast in the sun.
* I still love my apartment - this week a French guy moved in who's interning at the French embassy, his name is Roman - 22, loves house music, DJs, nice - and Edrice, the professional Paki man is still there, although he is moving to a different apartment in the building soon. So we only have 3 people living in a 4-5 person apartment...We got wifi this week, but the television has not come yet...everyday I hope that it will be the day, but no luck yet...I have started to withhold my rent until all the amenities are in place...
* I went to a beach club party called Nasimi Beach on The Palm, at the Atlantis - two DJs from Pacha Ibiza (Juan Diaz & Rufus White) were there spinning & it was a great party. The view of the city from the palm, dancing on the sand, the lights, the entertainment, the Atlantis, the music - everything was great. I def look forward to going back to this place !  It appears that there are many DJs that I like here...it's just a matter of getting to know the venues and the promoters. There was an event booked with Behrouz and Dave Seaman, but it got cancelled; Danny Howells was also here this weekend, but I wasnt feeling 100% so I rested.

Well I will leave it at that for now...

yes Im wearing the A from pachA ibiza

xox <3 xox

Dubai Update 01/11

Life is busy in Dubai !!!

What is new with me?
* I have moved out of the Holiday Inn hotel and into a nice 4 bedroom apartment in the marina called Horizon Tower. I have the master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, a colleague Maria has another bedroom, a Pakistani professional man lives in another bedroom and one bedroom is still not occupied. Apartment sharing is normal here so I dont really feel uncomfortable living w strangers, especially since this was the norm for modeling. The apartment is quite large and has a stunning view of the marina, and in the distance, I can see the beach. This is quite a change from the winter cold and snow, especially since I keep getting updates on how cold it is in Canada. Since I moved in rather quickly, I still dont have internet, television or kitchen appliances, but this will come soon. We even have someone who comes in to clean for us a few times per week :) The building has a gym, which I have yet to even see and our pool is currently drained.
* I have completed my first week at work as a coordinator. I like the job so far, its a great work environment, and I like my colleagues. It is a bit challenging when I make the phone calls, but Im getting more comfortable and feel more at ease with everything. This week my target was to book 5 appointments - so one a day, and I got 6 ... so I was quite happy with that. There is still alot to learn so it keeps things interesting. Considering I had no previous interest in finance, I do find it mentally stimulating - it is certainly not as dry as the economics courses I had taken in University that is for sure.
* I went out networking a few times this past week: one night I went to the Yacht Club with Jason for the quiz night. We met a few people, and enjoyed the evening. Another evening we went to an InterNation event at The Address hotel; it was great to meet new professional expat people so it was well worth our time to go :) so many different people here with interesting stories !
* I have joined the International Business Women's Group Dubai so my first event is on Tuesday - a breakfast event on Goal Setting for 2011. Then 2 weeks later, there is a luncheon on The Laws of Attraction...Im rather excited to attend these events.
* I volunteered at the Dubai Marathon to help raise awareness for Parkinson's disease. Our company has sponsored a runner who has Parkinsons himself, and is running 100 million meteres in one year across the world - so here in Dubai he completed his first 100 million meters. You can check out his story if you google Alex Flynn - extremely motivational and inspiring.
* I have checked out some more nightlife as well - Trilogy, Rock Bottom, Buddha Bar. I have yet to find the "Stereo" of Dubai :P As a side note, considering I dont wear shorts and skirts often in Canada, my tattoo was never really THAT noticeable - here in Dubai, everyone keeps seeing it and asking about it. I have met someone who has even been to Stereo - so that was fun to talk about it. Im looking forward to seeing a DJ I like spin here...not sure when that will be. I have been offered a weekly DJ gig at a new club so Im looking into that with one of my colleagues who also DJs.
* If possible & time permitting, I might get into modeling and promotions here too - more info to come...
* Alcohol here is expensive - but it can be found in many restaurants, hotels and clubs. I have sampled a few drinks that are amazing but dangerous hahaha- the Ticca Bucca (5 different shots of alcohol - tastes like juice) and the BullFrog (again potent but tasty).

The city itself is great. The weather has been cool - actually there was rain a few days, and in the evenings sweaters are necessary. But everyone keeps saying how nice this is compared to the excruciating heat in the summer. Im just happy there is no snow! I have made it to the beach and walked on the sand - sometimes I find it hard to believe that this is now home. I have found everyone to be very welcoming - for the most part, people are friendly and receptive to new people. I have yet to meet another Canadian. People at work are mostly from the UK so sometimes I do struggle with the accents and expressions - but I think Im getting used to it.

xox <3 xox

Training Week

Brief introduction to my first week at work:

After a fun-filled weekend in Dubai, I started my work training this week from Sunday January 16 to Thursday January 20 ~ hours are 7:45 am to 5:30 pm. And, it was fabulous – meeting a new work team, a lot of knowledge transfer, questions, scenarios, and really just observing how everything functions. The work environment is definitely different than what I have been used to in the past, but I like it and I can see myself excelling.  

Most people wonder: what exactly does a financial co-ordinator do? Basically, I work with a senior financial consultant Jason whereby my main responsibility is to book appointments for him through networking and referrals, and his job is to provide the financial advice at this appointment. Of course, this isn’t as simple as it sounds – and it involves other responsibilties as well.

I think my forte will be with the networking – meeting new people and chatting are two things that I enjoy, and then organizing & planning our time. I have already gotten some business cards that I will be able to call once I am more comfortable with the phones. I did get the opportunity to finish my training with an hour on the phones during what we call “power hours”. To be honest, I was rather nervous – the material is still rather new, you never know what people will say – nice or not, all whilst trying to project confidence to get that appointment booked. I didn’t manage to book an appointment, but I have the weekend to rest up, move into my new apartment and familiarize myself more w everything so I can start fresh on Sunday.

xox <3 xox



PS: I have not really had proper internet access in my spare time since it has not been connected yet in my apartment...fingers crossed for this weekend !! but I do apologize for the lack of updates

First Impressions...

As we all know, first impressions are everything – and Dubai certainly knows how to make an impression.
I was extremely busy in my first few days in Dubai so here is a basic breakdown of what I have been up to and what I think so far...

·    Thursday lunch with my new work team at the hotel I am staying at (Holiday Inn Safa Park) – while I was really jetlagged, it was great to meet everyone.

·    I needed to get phone credit & a data plan so I headed off to the Mall of the Emirates with Tom, a new recruit from the UK. This mall was rather impressive with a large indoor ski hill inside, amongst other things.

·    Thursday night my consultant Jason took me out for dinner and drinks at the Marinet complex – hotels, stores and restaurants. Jason has been with PIC since Sept 2010, from the UK, 38 yrs old, married with two teenage boys, very nice – easy to get along with.

·    Seeing as the weekend in the UAE is Friday and Saturday, Friday was a free day to explore.  Later in the afternoon, Tom and I went to a market area called Karama, where there is a large selection of genuine fakes and bargaining for good prices. For those that know about my shopping escapades in China, discovering that this existed here in Dubai was a major bonus – perhaps I wouldn’t have brought 3 large suitcases with me haha.

·    Afterwards, we headed to the Dubai Mall – the worlds largest shopping mall; there are so many stores, restaurants, services and areas in this place, it is incredible!!! There is a large aquarium – with the largest acrylic glass panel, a huge skating rink, a Sega theme park, cinemas, and so much more. Surprisingly, there are plenty of stores and restaurants from back home such as Costa Blanca.

·    We were supposed to go to a birthday party, but the birthday girl had a little too much fun in the afternoon/evening & needed to rest, so instead a few people got together at a bar called Cabana’s on The Palm – the island shaped in palm tree. From there we went to a popular Western club, and then continued on to a Ministry of Sound club called Sanctuary inside The Atlantis. Fun filled night.

·    Saturday while I was rather hung over & jetlagged – tricky combination there, I still managed to go explore in the afternoon to see the Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world, and the surrounding areas. I must say that from a distance it isn’t so impressive, but up close it is pretty neat – in the daytime and at night – but I have yet to go to the top.  

·    The Armani hotel is inside the Burj Khalifa – where everything is designed by Giorgio Armani. Apparently, if you like the furniture and other things in the room, they can be purchased.

·    Saturday night I just prepped for my first day of training on Sunday ! Nice and relaxed evening, although I was so excited to start work that I did not sleep...yikes.

What do I think so far !?!?!?
** I think I very much like what I have seen up until now !!! **

While everyone in Ottawa is freezing, I am enjoying beautiful weather with a warm sun and slight breeze – about 25 degrees during the day. It is rather humid here – that was a bit surprising since I was expecting a dry heat. The dry heat will come in the summer where it is apparently unbearable to be outside. I was also surprised to see so much sand in the city – I did understand that the city was built on the desert, but it was still surprising. There are palm trees everywhere, beautiful flowers, grassy areas, parks, and beaches ! Sadly, I have not been to the beach during the daytime yet - plenty of time though :)

I see Dubai as a great combination of my favourite Asian cities, with some North American flare, and obviously, a Middle Eastern twist. English is spoken everywhere so it is easy to communicate with people – signs are also in English. In terms of food, you can get just about anything and everything here – including pork. Alcohol is not available everywhere and is more expensive; it can be found in certain restaurants & hotels. And, there is certainly money in Dubai!!!  

I was worried that Dubai would be too restrictive – but with so many Westerners here, it is rather open minded. Of course, we must be mindful of the culture here, but it isn’t as strict as I had expected.  There is call to prayer 5 times a day, but to be honest, I have only heard it a few times since being here...

Unfortunately, the Internet is expensive in my hotel room so images will follow in another post. I have started my work training so I will try to post in the next few days about that :)  

xox <3 xox