Week 1: Saturday 16th-Friday 2nd, July 2011

Where to begin?

This has been an incredible journey so far. It all began when I was bumped from Business Class to First Class. I was completely stunned. The staff was very hands-on and attentive to my every need, even when I kept saying I was doing well and did not need a beverage within my 5 minutes in the cabin. Being called by your first name is such a nice surprise. After some persuasion I accepted some fresh squeezed orange juice. This was followed by suggestions of wine to compliment the meals. Of course, I could not object! I believe they saw my facial expressions which included a large uncontrollable smile and wide eyed gaze. The staff would stop by every few minutes to ensure I was maximizing on my First Class cabin while flying internationally. Etihad Airways- First Class  

The last time I had anything close to this, was during a connecting flight from D.C. to NYC when some passengers refused to remove their bags of chocolate to accommodate my carry on. The flight attendant felt bad for my situation and moved me to first class. This was also the flight when we all noticed Taye Diggs and a pregnant Idina Menzel were flying coach.

Arriving at my new home, Sama Tower:

Someone from Golden Class Services (Meet and Assist Services) was waiting from me with name plaque and walked me through immigration, the eye scan, luggage pick up then to the car. My first interaction with the weather was right outside the airport. It was around 8:30pm, but I felt the lotion on my face melt away as I quickly dashed into the vehicle. That night was very humid and hot.  Thankfully there were staff members to assist me with my luggage once I got to Sama Tower. Talk about 24/7 customer service.

The Public Safety and Staff Personnel were extremely welcoming. It was very refreshing that they knew who I was and were willing to assist me. Now when I keyed into my apartment, I must have looked like a kid entering a candy store; however, I saved my outbursts of excitement after the staff left my apartment. I could not believe this My Apartment. It took me minutes to explore every space in my apartment. Within this excitement, I almost forgot about the food which was delivered for my dinner. Speechless is what I was, for the 1^st hour.  

Day to Day:

While I had envisioned what Abu Dhabi would be like, I never anticipated my level of awe would stretch this far. Granted the students have not arrived, but I personally appreciate the low key pace to get acquainted with NYUAD and the city. The experience has been eye opening and I am eager to learn more about navigating the city, and about the Emirates who are approximately 12% of the population in Abu Dhabi.  In the meantime, I have been balancing being the “new kid on the block” while trying to take everything in.  My supervisor and the rest of the office team have been extremely welcoming. From inviting me to lunches, scenic drives, taking me to various stores/ malls and taking time to introduce me to other NYUAD Staff. 

Depending on the scenario or environment, I have been hesitant not to appear too much like a tourist especially when most people around me are locals or business men. Ideally I wanted to have more pictures of the city and food-will upload more in a few days.

Instead here’s a list of things I have learned so far:

FOOD & DINING

·         Favorite food so far: Fatoush, a  Lebanese salad;  so that should not come as a surprise.

·         2 Arabic words:  Shύkran-Thank You and Marhaba- Welcome

·         Glass stove tops are not always meant to be utilized for cooking- as mine shattered during my first cooking experience.  

         Before- with glass                        After- it had shattered and been cleaned

Moral of that story, lift up the glass before use.

I was extremely worried to tell my supervisor but apparently I belong to a Hall of Fame, which includes several other professional staff who believed glass stoves could truly exist in Sama Tower.

·         Kleenex are the napkins in restaurants; unless they provide cloth ones (which is very rare).

·         If you decide to take leftovers, some restaurants will ask you to sign a waiver (sometimes pages); due to high temperatures most business do not want to take the risk.

·         Lunch is the largest meal of the day. 

·         It is seen as un-classy when people try to split the bill in the restaurant. It’s looked down upon because people believe you have money and there is no reason to put your business out in the open, while trying to pay for your meals.

·         Eating in Sama Dining Hall on the 1^st floor is 35 Dirhams-approx-$10; by the way, it’s highly branded with NYU purple.

·         The eggs are extremely yellow- think of a deep marigold. If you are not aware of this, you will have a rude awakening upon initial site. 

·         Because NYU is affiliated with HSBC we get a 50% discount from Seattle’s Best which is located in the lobby of the bank (behind Sama Tower).  I guess this is our Starbucks at Washington Square substitute.

·     American fast food chains are everywhere even in the mall food courts: This includes Subway, Baskin Robbins, Starbucks, Popeyes, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC, Fuddruckers, Cold Stone, etc. And a Texas Chicken- which was a funny sight.

NAVIGATING THE CITY

·         Cars have the right of way, unless you are and Emirate or are with one.

·         Less cars on the road on Friday due to prayer services

·         When driving the Stop signs mean yield to the drivers; avoid walking on the yellow; only when it is a red light and the walking icon is green. Disregard this could lead to an instant sprint across the street or being hit by a car.

·    Also drivers like to honk the horn just like New Yorkers.
·     When heading towards the malls or supermarkets, a taxi cab is typically 5-7 dirhams and 10 with tip. Best part- there are accessible sidewalks which allows you to wait in line and have your groceries loaded directly into a taxi.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
·   Jet lag can exist for 1 to 2 weeks; luckily, 1 week might have been sufficient for me. For an accurate response, let me see what next week holds. 
·   There is a sense of comfortable security-You can leave your cart and belongings around the stores while you shop around and every item will be safe. This is reassuring but I am still hanging onto my purse.
·    Miracles can happen with the Postal Services. My boxes from NYC arrived within one week versus months.
·   It will take time to adjust to the labor regulations and restrictions:

EX # 1: Maid service is approx. 100 Dirhams approx. $27. With the size of the staff apartments, it’s not a surprise that maid services are utilized. If you have additional rooms, it’s quite common for the maids to stay in the apartment. 

EX#2: Any of the workers in the building are extremely respectful and humble.  However, due to perceived social class, they might avoid getting in an elevator with professionals.  Best way to break this type of interaction comes from intentional conversations with the workers and encouraging them to join you in an elevator.

Next update, Week 2.........

IKEA for the first time, pictures from some of the malls which I have explored, meeting other expatriates, preparation for Ramadan which begins August 1. Prior to that, I must learn about the holiday, stock my refrigerator, and enjoy the Ramadan discounts at the mall :)