Skip to main content

Dubai at a glance


Salam alikoum (Hello in Arabic)

Well, I have made it to Dubai everyone!

Here is a very QUICK breakdown of what I have been doing or noticing since I arrived in Dubai.

1.     The long trip
The trip was very long; I left from the Buffalo airport, stopped in Chicago, Houston and Doha before arriving in Dubai. I won’t lie…it was painfully long. Seeing my apartment when I arrived though made it all worth it!
2.     TID (THIS IS DUBAI)
Dubai is not the most organized place I have visited. Thankfully, many people had warned me about it so I wasn’t too surprised. People are often late and plans change all the time!
3.     The truth behind the glitz and glamour
Behind all the nice big buildings and the beautiful malls are lots of labor workers who are underpaid and mistreated. I am blown away!
4.     Shop till you drop
I’ve gone to the malls way too many times since I arrived, but I still don’t think I have made my way completely through any of them since they are so humongous.
5.     Staying positive
The disorganization I am witnessing is very surprising, however, the key to happiness and success here will be to stay positive. I am excited about my new role as a primary French teacher!
6.     Canada ROCKS
When you move away to a new country you sometimes realize how good your home country is. Let me tell you this: Canada is amazing!
7.     Hump day
Tuesday is the middle of the workweek here in Dubai. Weekends are Friday and Saturday and we work from Sunday to Thursday.
8.     Taaleem professional day
Our company had a professional day planned for all the teachers. It was very interesting!
9.     Butterflies
We start school next week! Feeling the butterflies as though it is my first time teaching, but I feel great and really excited!

Sorry this was so brief! I have no Internet yet, so I will give more details soon!

Ma’a salama (Good bye in Arabic)



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days.  That said, it’s no secret that I a...

Living Out a Dream

 “Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an  old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but  ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...

Back on the Dubai running scene

  “The beauty of running is in its simplicity; just you, your breath, and the road ahead.” After a long hiatus, I finally made my return to the Dubai running race scene! When I first lived here between 2012 and 2017, I took part in many road races and absolutely loved the local running community. Even after moving to Vietnam, I kept the momentum going for a while, completing a few 10km, 21km and even a full marathon, especially in my first year there. But as I got more into CrossFit in 2018, running gradually took a back seat. Since then, I’ve continued to run, but without the same structure, purpose, or goals I once had. That all changed a couple of months ago when I decided to reignite my running spark and even joined a few run club sessions. I’ll be honest; those group runs have really pushed me out of my comfort zone! I’ve always loved a nice, long, slow run, but short and speedy intervals? Not so much. Still, being surrounded by people who share a similar mindset, who challeng...