The New Road

I LOVE the new road.  The new road is a quick way to get to school.  The new road is safe for Kevin to drive on because it has a lot less traffic.  The new road makes it SO easy to go to Spinneys.  I just LOVE the new road.  The new road is the road behind the Meadows.  They are putting a walkway over the new road so people don't have to dodge traffic to get to the grocery store.   It is a wonderful road.  The new road is now my favorite travel route in Dubai.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you how to get to my house on the new road; or how to get to school on the new road because the new road does not have a name.  Just like so many other roads in Dubai.  The new road has been open for several months now and remains unnamed!  Take THAT navigation system!  

Getting around Dubai can be a little bit of a challenge!  OK, that statement alone comes with a smirk!  A little challenge?!   When we arrived in Dubai, Jim took several days away from the office to teach me how to drive here.  How to get to the school, the grocery store, the all important mall.  He drove me to those places a few times, then he drove with me a few times....then it was time for a solo adventure!   Now, almost two years later, I can go anywhere!  Driving here for the first time was just as exciting as putting gas in the car for the first time in Holland, but that is another story!  

We bought a GPS (navigation system) when we arrived here.  I had relied so heavily upon that little black box while living in Europe, I knew I needed it here.  The first time out of the box, the lovely british voice on the GPS was telling me where to go.  After following her directions ever so carefully she surprisingly said "make a "U" turn".  She would then take me back in the opposite direction and suddenly yell out - "recalculating route" as if I had done something wrong.  I must admit that my favorite phrase is "follow the direction of the road" - as opposed to what??  After a few adventures with her, I wanted to tell her where to go! 

So in this little emirate (I did not call it a country!) that boasts the tallest building in the world; the biggest shopping mall in the world, and is ready to host the biggest horse race in the world, you can't find your way around because while they were busy building these wonderful, beautiful, architecturally amazing buildings, they forgot to print up street signs!

I have learned my way around through the wonderful directions that men think women love! They go something like this:  "take Al Wasl road until the gas station with the Subway, turn right and go to the second street with the big tree, then turn left at the yellow house with all the flower pots in front.   Then I'll be the 3rd villa on the right!"    I've got it!

You can actually tell how long someone has lived in Dubai by some of the directions they give  If they tell you to exit Sheik Zayed (SZ) at interchange 3, you know they have lived here for at least 6 years.   The GPS continues to tell you to exit SZ at specific interchanges.  The exit ramps no longer refer to the roads as interchanges, the main roads actually have names.  Most of them begin with "Al", which in the  beginning made me think that "Al" was an even more popular name here than Mohammad.  I have since learned differently!

So, come to Dubai.  Rent a car!  Enjoy the adventure!  Experience my new road.  You can find it by taking the road that runs through the middle of the Meadows past the new Enoc gas station and making a left at the dead end!

Maris

Living in Dubai is very different than any other place I've ever lived.  It is kind of pretty, kind of not.  It is a big city, but not a bustling metropolis like Chicago or New York.  There are many adjustments to be made when moving to Dubai.  Aside from the obvious adjustment of living in a Muslim country, you have to get used to the heat.  You have to get used to driving in totally insane conditions, and you have to get used to not being able to find what you want, when you want it, in the stores.  Those are probably the major drawbacks about being here

On the upside, you have sunshine 99.9% of the time.  No real need to look out your window in the morning to see what the weather is ilke!  The kids go to a wonderful international school with kids from over 60 countries; this has expanded their view of the world dramatically.   And, you have people who want to wait on you - EVERYWHERE!  When grocery shopping they unload your shopping cart, ring up your order, bag your groceries and then put them in the car for you!   And my personal favorite - they pump your gas for you!  What a treat!

So today I write about Maris.  Maris is our live-in housekeeper.  When we first moved here, we were a little undecided about whether to have live-in help or not.   It is more common than not to have live-in help.  Some expats have a maid, a cook, a nanny AND a driver!  Us, well we have Maris!  

Maris is Filipina.  She is in her late 40's and came to Dubai six years ago  She has a husband and a son in the Philippines.  Maris came here to work after her husband lost his job in construction.  Maris is working to put her son through college; he graduates at the end of March!  Maris is also a new grandmother.   Her grandson is 9 months old.  She has not seen him yet and will not see him until he is almost two.
 

So what does Maris do?  Hmmm..what does Maris NOT do?   Maris gets up every morning and starts working at 6 AM.  She starts everyday by unloading the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen from whatever mess we made the prior evening.  Then Maris whistles for the dogs to come downstairs.  They run to her!   Then she walks them while I get the kids ready and off to school.  Maris does the laundry, irons everything, cleans the house, washes the cars, tends to the dogs, cleans the windows,water the flowers and pulls weeds when she is bored!  Maris ends her day at 6 PM by taking the dogs out for their final walk.  

Twelve hour days, six days a week.  Wow!   I mean, really, can you imagine?!  At the end of the day Maris goes  to her room inside of our house.  It is a small room, but according to Maris it is bigger than her last.  She has a bed, dresser, table and stool, and an armoire that we gave her.  This is where Maris spends her evenings and her days off.  

I feel truly spoiled by having Maris work for us!  So how do I think Maris likes it here?  Well, it is really hard for me to say.  If you ask her, she'll tell you she likes it.   To Maris being able to go home once a year is a luxury.  Most contracts here with the workers are written so that they are permitted to go home once every two years - if they have the money.  The housemaids have it in their contract that the employer pays the airfare for them to go home every two years, but most North American expats send their help home annually.  

Last week Maris told me that one of our neighbors - a man we have not yet - hollered at her while she was walking the dogs.  My little dog, Rascal, likes to bark at other dogs. Period.  He doesn't bark at people, try to attack them, or cause any general disturbance.  He is 8 lbs of hair that like to hear his voice when there is another dog in the area.  He is boss!  So, while Maris was walking Rascal past our neighbors' villa, this man came out of the driveway and hollered at Maris, telling her to keep the dog away from his son.  He proceeded to tell her that if the dog bit his son, he would see that she goes to prison.  Maris was quite shaken when she told me.  She did not, and had not, had the dog by the little boy; she was simply walking by.  Oh, and the family has two kids and two nannies, both who are attached to the kids when they are outside, so really no danger for the dog to get at the boy, no matter how much he wanted!  The man went on to question her as to why she even walks the dog - she simply replied that it is her job.  

Anyway, Maris was pretty upset when she told me what happened.    I told her that if he approached her again, she needs to just tell him to come talk to her employer.  I apologized to Maris, but still felt so bad.  I told her that the man would never talk to me that way and the only reason why he spoke to her, was because of who she was and where she was from.  She understood, but it has to be a difficult thing to really grasp. 

This exchange caused me to really look around; I mean physically look around.  This country is filled with people from all over the world.  There is a definite ranking system here. The locals are at the top, way at the top.  Then there are the  Americans and Brits, then there are the other expats, and then after an incredibly expansive gap the philippeana, pakistani, and sri lankan workers.   I read in a book how as expats we learn to “edit out” the workers.   How we get to the point where we don't even notice them and they blend into the landscape of Dubai.  

So today I started watching and noticing.    I watched the gardener working ever so tediously in my yard.  He actually cuts the weeds out of the lawn with a little pocket knife, inch by inch.  I watched the eight buses pick up the construction workers from the building project in the front of the neighborhood.  I watched the man whose sole job is to wipe and polish the stainless steel railings on our bridges.  I noticed the four men who come to the same spot every day with brooms and brush the boulders in the waterfall, trying to keep them algae free.   Then I watched the many workers lay on the grass at noon and sleep.  This is the life of many of these workers.  They come here, work 12 hour days, nap on the grass when they have a break.  I do think that most are very grateful for the opportunity to work.  They are considered the lucky ones from their home towns.  They are the heroes when they go home to visit.  They are the sole provider for extended families.  Every penny that can be spared is sent home.  Do you know Maris has never been to the movies?  She wouldn’t think of spending money on something so frivolous.  

As I look at them, the lucky ones, I can’t help but notice the sullen faces.  Their definition of luck is certainly different than mine.  I am truly the lucky one.  Not only am I pampered, but now I truly see everything around me.   My ability to ‘edit’ has been changed.  There are no long people blending into the landscape, but people working hard to make the place where I live beautiful.   Thank you Maris..

Around town.

We have been in Dubai for almost two years.  There are things about Dubai that I absolutely LOVE....the sun shines 99% of the time, they pump your gas for you, when you go to the movies, you get to preselect your seats, and the views of the city are just beautiful.  There are things about Dubai that I absolutely hate...the driving is scary, finding things in the grocery store is challenging, and the dust and sand can find it's way into any house.  Then there are things that are confusing...I will share these things in the form of pictures!

Target.  The place Americans love, miss, and dream about.  But WAIT!  We do have a Target - see the sign in the distance?

Before you get too excited though...Dubai Target is a little different than what we are used to!

If you find yourself truly disappointed, you can always go to the saloon.  Don't look there for a glass of wine though!  Simply pampering.

Or, you can walk around one of the many malls.  Some of them are really big, but don't worry, if you get lost, they'll tell you right where you are!

You do have to be careful driving here.  Lots of road work.  They do have helpful signs though.  

If you are looking to party, you can find places to go, just not this place!

You can even have a Happy Meal.  Too bad Waldo wasn't invited! 

We have great service people here too.  These guys usually have lots of open appointments! 

So if you are looking for a new place to settle down....Dubai is GREAT!