I can't hardly believe it. Only 3 more weeks left in the UAE. How am I doing? It's really hard to explain and understand. On one hand I'm totally ready to go back to the USA and be with my family there, but on the other hand this has been my home for the past 4 years and I have made a "family" here. Lots of mixed emotions and I suppose that will continue even after I return.
I said my first real good-byes this weekend, and it was OK. Surprisingly. But then again not so surprising, because the people I had to say good-bye to, although they are as sweet as can be and were dear friends at the beginning of this journey, we have sort of separated over the past 4 years. I met Cassie and Kisha in 2010 as we boarded the bus to the Intercontinental, from Abu Dhabi International Airport, and we spent the first year trying hard to figure out our new life in the UAE together. But it pretty much ended there. Sure, we talked to each other, but life just took us in different directions. This past weekend I met up with Cassie and Kisha at the Intercon to say good-bye. It was planned that we would spend the night together, but Cassie ended up staying with Kisha while I stayed at the Intercon. I must admit that didn't really sit well with me. I booked my room under the impression that we would be together like we were 4 years ago. Plus that was what we had talked about. That right there tells you how things had changed between us over time. We went to the ballet and spent a lot of time just reminiscing. It was nice, but just not what I had expected. Feeling kind of like a third wheel, I left Saturday after check-out. We said our good-byes with promises to keep in touch through Facebook and meet up when they return to the States.
During the school week, I decided to start the exit process, so I left school early on Sunday and Thursday to get some stuff done. I went to the Dr. Erin on Sunday to get a physical, not that I necessarily need one I just wanted to have one done while I still have insurance. The thing is that nothing really got accomplished. She had to order the tests and then they needed to get approved by insurance; which they didn't, so that was a wasted afternoon. In addition to trying to get a physical I started and finished the process for a police clearance. This was a bit frustrating, but once I was at the right police station things went super smoothly. Laura and Peter had already done this process and they suggested going to the new station by Al Ain Mall, so that is where I went. Big mistake. After about 20 minutes of Emirati men telling me, in broken English, that I needed to go to the US Embassy I left and headed to the Police Directorate (main station). I should have started out there because the process was shockingly simple. There was a separate entrance for women and as soon as I entered there was a sign on a desk which said "Police Clearance." I walked to the desk, presented my passport, paid the fee, and was given a receipt so I could collect it "after 2 days." It couldn't have been any easier!! The Police Directorate is only open from 8-2 so I left at 1:15 on Thursday and I had my clearance and was home by 2:00. I sure hope everything else is this quick and easy!
I have put in the order for canceling my Internet, so that's taken care of. I need to figure out how to cancel my phone and make sure I can get a new SIM card with a pre-paid number so I can still keep in contact with friends after I cancel my post-paid number. That's on my agenda this week. The bank should be pretty easy because I don't have a loan or a credit card. I'll just have to clean out my account and transfer the money home. School maintenance came on Thursday and inventoried the apartment so that's done. I hope I'm not forgetting anything!!
3 weeks from Monday I'll be on a plane!!
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