It certainly has been a long time since I've written! Thanks to all my readers for their patience. I think the main reason I haven't written in over 2 months is that nothing has been happening. It's been an extremely long 12 weeks and I'm so thankful that it's almost over!! So, in no particular order, here's an update about what's been happening (or at least what's been happening that I can remember:).
It turns out that I have 2 fractured ribs. After 1 1/2 months of continued pain, I went back to the doctor and had my 3rd x-ray taken. This x-ray showed that the 6th and 7th ribs were fractured. Now there is absolutely nothing that can be done about that, but at least it explains the continued pain and gives reason to my complaining instead of just being a wimp!! I've been trying to take it easy; not going to the gym as much and not doing weights when I go, but I really need to be back in the gym. Other than that my health is fine.
Snowy, my foster cat, is doing well. She went through heat 2 times and I have to get her fixed, but there is no pet vet in Al Ain. They have local vets that serve camels and falcons, but no vets for cats or dogs or other pets. The British vet comes from Dubai on Tuesdays, so when I get back from Turkey I'll be taking Snowy there. Her fur is growing back and she loves being brushed, but because her fur is growing back she's beginning to shed. I am definitely going to miss her when I have to give her up, but I am not going to bring her back with me; I have 2, that I miss, waiting for me at home. Cecille, a friend from Dubai, is going to take her since Fara doesn't want her back. I know she'll have a good home, but I'll still miss her.
My spring break plans have totally changed. I originally had planned on going to the Philippines with Vanny and Jane and meeting up with Charity while there. Jane just got back from the Philippines and couldn't get anymore vacation time and Vanny was convinced that we couldn't see the Philippines in just one week. I'm sure we couldn't have seen the whole country in just one week, but I didn't need to see all of it; I would have been OK with just Boracai and Manila. I think the real reason was that Vanny just didn't want to go to the Philippines. So, we're going to Turkey. I wasn't too thrilled about it, other than the fact that I was going on vacation. I was under the impression that Turkey was going to be just another Muslim country. I wanted to go somewhere totally different, and the Philippines would have fit that description. Yes, I had heard that Turkey is amazing and there's so much to see there, but I didn't really want to see any more mosques. My feelings about this trip have done a complete 180 turn as I am now totally excited about going. We have booked an excursion to Cappadocia where we will see some amazing caves, possibly sleep in a cave hotel, and take a sunrise balloon ride over the caves. Now that is something totally different!! I can't wait! Check back in a week and half for an update and keep checking Facebook for pictures.
Work is work. Suhail is Suhail. Nothing new there. It's just been a long stressful 12 weeks and we're all ready for a break.
My job search hasn't really begun. I've applied to teach in Washington DC and I've passed their application process; which began with an application, followed by a phone interview, and ending with a video taped lesson. I am now in the recommended pool for hire for the 2014-2015 school year. I'm just waiting now for a principal to contact me and set up another interview, or offer me a job. The only catch is that I wouldn't be able to accept a job, if one were offered, without passing a fingerprint and drug clearance, which have to be done in DC. Yesterday I had emailed Ammar, HR at ENS who is responsible for providing my flight back home, and asked for a ticket to DC instead of Detroit since I have to go there anyway. Well, last night it dawned on me that I asked for July 4th. There is no way in the world that I want to arrive in DC on July 4th. I'm sure the nation's capital does a great job celebrating Independence Day, I just don't want to be there for it. I'm OK with watching it on TV. Plus, I'm fairly certain there won't be many places to stay and whatever is available will probably be extremely expensive. I'll email him tomorrow and ask to change my plans back to Detroit. Thankfully the ticket hasn't been issued yet. I just hope he doesn't get annoyed with me! I'll just plan a trip to DC the following week, after the crowds have left.
Repatriating may be more than a hassle than expatriating. I'm not looking forward to the process at all. Things have to be done here, things will have to be done in the States and then there's the reverse culture shock that everyone says will happen. I've got furniture to sell/get rid of/throw away, knick-knacks to get rid of, packing to do, visa to cancel, id to cancel, bank account to cancel, secure a police check, buy another suitcase to take home some of the stuff that I've accumulated over the past 4 years, say good-bye to friends that I probably won't ever see again :(, get to Fujairah (the only emirate I haven't been to yet), research Obama Care, and lots of other stuff, in only 3 1/2 more months. Then when I get back I have to work on getting a car, getting insurance, setting up a bank account, finding a place to live (assuming I've found a job), taxes, doctors, plus lots of things that I'm sure I'm not even thinking about right now.
I am totally having mixed feelings about leaving, which I hear is absolutely normal. One day I am so ready to leave and if I had a ticket home I'd probably go right now and forget about all the stuff that needs to be done. Then there are days when I am really emotional and sad about leaving, right now is one of those times as I actually write about it and think about leaving. For a while there I really wasn't thinking about leaving the country, my home for the last 4 years, I was only thinking about leaving ENS and I was really excited about that! Then one day on my way to work it hit me that I was leaving, leaving and that I wouldn't be coming back and I almost started crying. This has been home and I've made some amazing friends, probably the best friends that I've had since my days at MSU, who have become my family and it's going to be terribly hard to say good-bye to them. I know I will spend eternity in heaven with them and that I will stay in touch with them through Facebook, Skype, What's app, and phone calls, but I also know that it's not the same. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally looking forward to being back in the States closer to my family, but I will terribly miss Kristie, Vanny, Jane, Fara, Deborah, Cecille, and many others friends that I've made at Redeemer and ENS.
Well, that's about all that I can remember. I'll be back after my trip to Turkey.
After a couple of weeks with temps near 100, we're back in 70s!! It's 79 and raining at 8:10 pm. Temps in Istanbul are in the low 50s during the day. It's going to be cold!!!
