Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak is a traditional Muslim  greeting reserved for use on the festivals of Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr  The phrase translates into English as "blessed festival", and can be paraphrased as "may you enjoy a blessed festival".  Eid refers to the occassion itself and Mubarak means blessed. 

Muslims wish each other Eid Mubarak after performing the Eid  prayer. This celebration continues until the end of the day for Eid ul-Fitr (or al-Fitr) and continues a further three days for Eid ul-Adha (or Al-Adha). However, in the social sense people usually celebrate Eid ul-Fitr at the same time as Eid ul-Adha, visiting family and exchanging greetings such as "Eid Mubarak".

At the local souk, the Qaryat Al Beri Souk, a high end, palace like mini mall with little shops and fabulous 
restaurants.  This was the EID celebration for families and especially the kids.  This was at 11pm!

Wonderful decorations!

This were three hyper entertainers singing Lady GaGa Songs.
What you can't see is that they are on carts and being pushed
by people around the center court. Quite funny to look at. 

She is sitting on the sound system. 

This fish reminded me of Steve Martin,
a wild and crazy fish and friends with the
star fish  Both danced and ran around, very hyper. 

Three Words:  Missing Sweetpea Adelyn!

A restaurant I usually would never go to.....

Sea Shells recommended by Karen's friend....one of those places that going to the right location matters.  It was an experience to say the least, best part, REALLY CHEAP!  While they had sea food, it's just 

a name, not really a description of their menu.   If you don't know I am SERIOUSLY ALLERGIC REACTION  to sea food!  Having one cross contamination reaction thus far....it's more than enough!

Smoothies are the rage!  Every place has their edge of drinks.
They are very reasonable, about $3-$5 each.  YUMMY!

Karen had chicken shwarma in a wrap....looked good minus the wrap!

My smoothie was mango with splash of strawberry!

This was Angela's - not very appetizing - she said
it tasted okay!

Maggie had fries and chicken rings....she said pretty good. 

The napkin box....in the USA, we call it kleenex!

Can't make it in?  They deliver via scooter!

Three Words:  Won't be BACK!

My new school - Al Mafraq Secondary School for Girls!

The first day I traveled to the school I had to go to the ADEC (Abu Dhabi Education Office) and get my official assignment, then went to meet teachers at the Inter Continental to make the trek together.  Then, I had a call from housing. LONG STORY, but now we are in flat 901!  The flat is a little smaller, but more than enough room for us.   The funny part of getting there is of course the language barrier and landmarks.  When you call, they say they are behind the El Sultan Bakery - not clarifying the new or old, it's the old.  Well, what is neglected in the conversation, it is more than 3/4 of a mile away.  Well, two hours later,  $180 dirhams ( about $50) later ( I know really cheap!) my taxi driver Asad found it! I saw the sign and he read the arabic words!  He is now our daily driver to work!

Al Mafraq is a secondary school, a high school for girls.
I am teaching high school sophomores. In the reform, they are
the only grade other than incoming kindergarten that have
had no introduction to formal english training.  I'm being tested!

High standards are set and will do my  best to meet them.
Have had nothing but gracious and warm greetings by staff.
Excited for the new year to start tomorrow with students. 

From the road you could only see the arabic part and luckily
Asad could translate!  Close up, it has an english sign as well. 

The school is large and has a private mosque, unusual for a
girls school.  We have projectors and were handed HP laptops
the first day.   EXCITING!  I also have my own classroom.

Girls mission statement:  Honesty, Respect, Faith and Trust.

Three Words:   I am READY!!!!

Where has Gayle been?

Where have I been? Without internet since I moved in!  I have a fully equipped kitchen, although still no gas.  I have a mattress!!!!!!  Shoukran Alla!  Or Thank God!   I had my couch delivered today. Pictures to post later, but wanting to do before and after with the rooms.

Since my last post, moving in has been fun, meeting neighbors, getting settled.  The easiest part, not sure....the hardest, putting up a shower curtain rod.  I guess I have never done this before.  It is possible to break it...FYI!

So moving in has all the workers in overtime bringing all the garbage, mostly cardboard to the dumpsters - they work so efficiently, but from my apartment, they looked like ants carrying stuff.  This picture is from the back of my taxi as I headed out to run errands.

There was about 50 0f them in a line carrying cardboard. 

The cardboard from one day of deliveries!  This is not an easy
job as the heat temp was about 115* .....very hot and humid!

Three Words:  Very Hard Work!

MARINA MALL

Marina Mall....just off the largest marina in Abu Dhabi. The
boats are beautiful and the water like the caribbean.  From the water
the mall  looks like a series of circus of huge tents.  This logo
is under the ice in the rink.  The region has an obsession with proving
anything is possible, playing in snow and ice skating when it's 115 *
outside.....or 46 degrees celsius.

Like the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, Abu Dhabi on a much smaller
scale is building a ski slope in the mall. The M of the E is a lodge,
and I can't wait to see it, but in the mean time, almost done is this
slope still under construction.

Kids skating in the rink at the mall.  

Just a few feet away the mall food court begins and it has the
design of a tropical oasis, very resort like.  Real palm trees and
lots of waterfalls.  The mall is very busy and packed with patrons.
No recession in the UAE!

The center support of the tent like structure.
The support is an elevator to a restaurant at
the top of the mall.  Very popular and crowded. 

Under construction, improvements underway.  I don't think
there is a vacant store. There are many signs of stores soon to open.
One thing in the UAE, lots of construction.  Currently I heard
there are over 10 malls being built.

Three words: Pardon our dust!

Got Gold?

Just when you think you seen it all!   A vending
machine that dispenses gold. 

We thought the USA was a society of immediate satisfaction.
Fast food, self-serve everything, but we don't have gold machines.

Gold Bar anyone?  Lots of designs to choose from.
This is the gift you can give to the person that has everything. 

So, a return is in the mail and out of the
country. Also, you give them all your
banking information. Sounds just a bit sketchy!

Three Words:  I'll take two!

Let's play a game!

So, out and about in Abu Dhabi I see many familiar signs of stores and restaurants. Can you tell which signs are posted in the blog?

Here are the answers.....How did you do?

Three Words:  Familiar, but different!