We are.

We are imperceptible blips on the cosmic radar. When I think of how tiny I truly am, I wonder why we don't love one another? Cast the bullshit aside... Love one another. 

It took leaving America to realize how privileged I am. That's sad. I shouldn't have to compare myself to others to be grateful for all the opportunities afforded me. 

Life is but a dream... With such relatively short time, why do we as humans sometimes treat one another so terribly? Our hearts break for the starving dog, but not the starving person on the street? Do we not know hunger?

We are nothing. We hardly exist. 

Love one another. 

If You Want to Work in Dubai, Read This First

I am far from the first USA native to relocate to Dubai for work and I certainly won't be the last. US locals are all too familiar with the job situation in America and some people are interested in moving internationally to find better opportunities. Here are a few things to know before making the move:

1. Discrimination is Legal

In America, it is illegal to not hire someone based on their background (ethnicity, age, sex). This is not the case in the UAE- employers may specify required age, ethnicity, sex, of potential candidates in their job postings. Why is this legal? My guess is because of the large expat community, certain businesses are nationality-specific to make those nationals feel more at home (e.g. American expats would likely rather be treated by American doctors than doctors of other backgrounds). 

2. There Is No Mininum Wage

And you're typically paid a salary, not hourly. Salary is paid at the end of every month so you should be financially prepared prior to moving. Fortunately there are many contract positions so you'll have job security for the next 1-3 years. Six day work weeks are the norm for some positions, so be sure to review your contract carefully.  

3. It's Illegal to Work Two Jobs

The rationale is twofold: your employer ought to be paying you enough in terms of basic wage and living allowances for you to get by, and working a second job after your primary one will make you too tired for you to do the first one well. So you need your employer's explicit consent in pursuing another position otherwise that's grounds for termination. While it's true that the same rule exists in America, it seems to be more enforced in Dubai. 

4. Westerners Preferred

Western nationals are given preference in hiring, possibly due to our education system. Generally though, preference for job positions goes first to UAE natives, Arab natives of another country, and workers of other nationalities, in that order. Be aware that many companies set a six month probabtion period in case you do not live up to their expectations, so be honest and upfront during the hiring process.

5. Market Prices Based on Market Needs

While this is likewise true in America, in Dubai you can literally earn more as a bilingual receptionist than as a nurse: http://www.dubaifaqs.com/salaries-dubai.php. Research available industry opportunities in Dubai to determine if it's a worthwhile move for your profession. 

For more information on labor laws, check out these resources-

- UAE Ministry of Labor: http://www.mol.gov.ae/newmolgateway/english/newindex.aspx

- UAE Labor Law PDF: http://tinyurl.com/o2vwsbc

- UAE Labor Law site: http://uaelaborlaw.com

5 Benefits of Moving to Dubai

Some of you expressed apprehension about life in Dubai following my last post on censorship laws in Dubai and what it's like experiencing them as a Los Angeles native so here's a post to perk you up. 

1. No Taxes

Easily the best and biggest perk of moving to Dubai. An employer offers you $20/hour? That's $20/hour, not $16/hour after taxes. No taxes = more disposable income going back into the economy. No taxes applies to shopping, as well: price tags are true to life (no more mental guesswork calculating the cost of shoes, food, and clothes after tax!)

2. Ease of Transport

I mentioned this in previous posts but it bears repeating: traveling within Dubai is easy thanks to frequent trains, abundance of taxis, and license transferability should you want a car. During the average work day, I take the metro 3 times and it still costs less than what I would pay in Los Angeles for a single trip ($1.47 for 3 trips in Dubai vs $1.50 for one trip in LA)

3. Furnished Apartments

While one can find furnished apts in LA, Dubai welcomes the large number of expatriates by offering a larger availability of furnished apartments. Bed, couches, tables, chairs, TV, Internet, appliances, dishware... All included. Plus there's a washing machine inside every apartment! Talk about convenient. 

4. Night Life

Granted I haven't gone out yet, but "Dubai After Dark" is a very real thing. Take the architecture and extravagance normally associated with Dubai and implement it onto a nightclub. There is no shortage of drinks, dancing, and little black dresses.

5. Activity

Swimming, skiing, golfing, football (soccer), water parks, safaris, amusement parks... I can't name a single outdoor activity Dubai doesn't offer. "Time Out Dubai" is a great electronic and print resource detailing all the adventures Dubai offers. Much like LA, you'll never run out of a new experience to try. 

Dubai is a great place to live especially for DINK (Dual Income No Kids) types. It's only been a month but I am happy here and looking forward to experience all that Dubai has to offer. 

[Censored]

Today I'm going to talk about censorship in Dubai from a Los angeleno's perspective. 

To start, many things are censored in the UAE, both IRL and via Internet. The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) ultimately decides what is blocked online but some people report that there are differences between what is blocked on Etisalat versus Du, the two leading telecom providers in Dubai.

Anything that "contradicts the ethics and morals of the UAE" is blocked. Some examples of Internet censorship in Dubai include:

- content expressing hatred towards religions (especially Islam but includes other religions as well)

- dating websites (though matrimony are OK)

- gambling, pornography (including online sites such as Maxim although the print versions are available with some nudity blacked out)

Back into the real world, it's frowned upon to speak poorly of high ranking officials, e.g. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Try saying that 5 times fast. He is the Prime Minister & VP of the UAE, and constitutional monarch of Dubai. Note: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is composed of 7 emirates. Think of it this way: UAE = USA, emirate = state, & Dubai = California.

Censorship is weird, to say the least. On one hand, everyone seems to speak more politely and pleasantly about others while OTOH no one really appears to express any negative opinions. It's strange thinking about this given my diverse background (liberal feminist psych grad from LA). 

As a blogger, I inherently censor myself when writing these posts. Beyond the usual human filter of what is/not appropriate to discuss, I am constantly cautious not to reveal too much, both in terms of my exact physical location & how I feel sometimes about Dubai for fear that I may face some unidentifiable repercussion. 

In America, we are accustomed to freedom of speech. It truly is a beautiful thing and I defend it completely. Freedom of speech is a constitutional value that many Americans use to express themselves, join groups, & find both like- and unlike-minded individuals. Unfortunately some people choose to abuse that right by creating, sharing, or downloading unsavory material (I'm looking at you, Reddit). Now that I'm in Dubai though I feel conflicted because the lack of freedom of speech feels very 1984-ish but these restrictions are clearly in place for a seemingly (mostly) well-intentioned reason. 

A couple additional resources on censorship in the UAE (the irony is not lost on me):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates#Internet_censorship

http://www.dubaifaqs.com/censorship-uae-internet.php

Saturday Night Special: Dubai's Architecture

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves. 

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this experience become a reality. 

5 Items I Didn't Know Were Missing From My Life

Los Angeles is a known leader in all things whacky, expensive, and completely unnecessary. Tonight, I will present to you 5 items I've found in Dubai that rival even LA's most absurd offerings. 

Top left: swan

Bottom left: skull with headphones

Top right: golden duck

Bottom right: british skull (you can tell 'cause the teeth are missing, ha ha)

Ridiculously expensive rings sculpted into really neat designs. 

Chupa Chup the size of my head for $45. Worth it y/n?

Felt red heels with skull accents. Glam up a head-to-ankle hijab with these gangster girls!

IT'S A COUCH. THAT LIGHTS UP. I HAVE NEVER NEEDED ANYTHING THIS BADLY IN MY LIFE. OKAY, OTHER THAN FOOD, SHELTER AND WATER. BUT EVEN THEN.

An elaborate hookah pipe taller than I am. It can be yours for just 2,165 AED ($590)! (Melody not included)

  

Walking Alone at Night: A Tale of One City

On Saturday, I walked to the grocery store, my first time walking alone at night in Dubai. It was our first time cooking (Chicken Katsu) in our new apartment and we forgot to buy cooking oil. The grocery store, Choithrams, is nearby our building. 9:17pm, I'm walking out the building door when I take an extra moment to idly chat with the security guard, just in case. 

I opt to leave my purse at home and only carry the essentials: wallet, cell phone, house keys. 'I don't want anything bulky weighing me down, just in case'. My phone was on low battery when I realized I hadn't memorized my boyfriend's international cell phone number yet. I quickly checked my phone, reviewed the numbers, and made a tune out of it so I wouldn't forget. 

9:20pm, I arrive at Choithrams, pausing to play with the stray kittens I've affectionately named Rex and Penelope before entering the store. I text my bf to alert him of my arrival. Upon locating the cooking oil aisle, I realize I don't know what kind of cooking oil we need and originally figured to just pick one and go before thinking better of it and calling my bf to specify which type we need. After we hang up, I grab the appropriate bottle for our dinner and head to the cashier, satisfied by the time stamp on our conversation... just in case. 

9:22pm. Exiting Choithrams, I take a moment to pet the kittens farewell when I notice that two guys have also exited the store and have paused to watch the kittens. I wait a minute for the men to leave and then another minute to make sure they've gained some distance before beginning the trek back home. I text my bf about my departure. 

Walking back to the apartment, I throw my wallet and phone into the grocery bag so as to hide any valuables and to make the bag heavier, just in case I would need to swing it at a potential attacker. I kept my house key hidden in the palm between my index and middle fingers, just in case. Briefly I relax upon noting that there's no one else on the street...before realizing that this also meant no one would see me if anything were to happen. I hurry home.

9:30pm. I'm back upstairs inside our apartment and resume cooking dinner. 

Dubai is a safe city. It is comparable to Los Angeles in terms of safety... Except Dubai is even safer (https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12119). There were security guards inside Choithrams while I shopped. There are security guards at my work, house, the metro, and the mall. Knowing all this beforehand, why had I taken so many precautions? For a trip under 15 minutes, I had taken 9 precautions to prevent or escape an attack, fight off an attacker, and make people aware of my most recent location. One can never be too cautious but at what point does caution interfere with my ability to live in peace?

I am an immigrant, a stranger in a new land, unaccustomed to all the customs here - my naïveté undoubtedly played a role in how I decided to mitigate my risk of being attacked. I recognize that risk is an inherent component of life: whether I go out or stay at home, risks of one type or another are ever present (although I realize going out may pose a higher risk of certain types of danger than staying in). I'm not sure why I'm blogging about this; if it holds any importance, or if I will feel differently one year from now. It's just food for thought... And yes, our dinner was delicious.

A Day in the Life: Taking the Metro

Now that I've become more familiar with the city, I feel comfortable taking the metro several times a day: from home to work, work to my boyfriend's work, my bf's work to Mall of the Emirates, etc.

Price: It's a real $$ saver (between 0.50 and $2.50 per trip depending on distance) compared to taking a taxi (between $2.50 and $10 per trip). LA's subway costs $1.50 regardless of distance and taxis are $10-$20 per trip. 

I go from Dubai Marina to Nakheel when going from my work to my bf's

Time: 10 min walk from my house to the metro station, 5 mins to traverse the station, 1-2 minutes for the actual trip, followed by another 10 min walk from the station to my work. It's about a 30 min trip overall; waiting for and taking a taxi is in the same time range but is unreliable as it depends on traffic.

2 stories high

She took a midnight train going anywhere...

Speed: The metro is actually faster than a taxi since there's construction going on by my work and I bypass all the resulting traffic. RTA (Road & Transport Authority) has also circumvented the issue of who enters/exits the compartment first by clearing outlining how to enter/exit the cabin.

Well defined boundaries. How refreshing.

Safety: As an added bonus, transit authorities have extended the women- and children's-only carriage to earlier in the morning & later in the evening. While I wasn't able to snap a picture of the non-physical divide between the regular and special compartments, men usually respect the women's need to a safe space.

LA vs Dubai: Compared to Los Angeles's metro, Dubai's metro is the clear winner. Guards are located outside and inside the metro station. LA uses "tap" cards while Dubai uses "nol" cards but they can both be used for subways and buses. Nol cards up the ante though by offering various cards depending on your needs: gray (anonymous), blue (personal), gold (VIP) and red (tourist) offer different benefits whereas LA uses a "one-size-fits-all" policy. Plus in LA you're guaranteed to wait 15 minutes between trains while in Dubai it's a max 5 minute wait. In all fairness though, it seems that Dubai planned their roads better. 

See any traffic? No? That's what I'm talking about. 

Regardless, LA needs to get its shit together. 

Cultural Differences

My bf's birthday was on the 14th and he wanted a low key weekend, so we celebrated by going to The Cheesecake Factory, Ravi (Pakistani restaurant he's fond of), and Mall of the Emirates. I bought him a toy helicopter as a gift and he's been relentlessly irritating me with it ever since. 

Monkey cupcake (one ear already eaten) for his bday

Day by day I learn more Arabic. I'm fluent in Farsi which is helpful at times but otherwise I'm finding the language surprisingly difficult. Hopefully I'll pick it up while immersing myself in the culture. 

Working on the written aspect, too

Speaking of culture, I've learned that in some ways Arabic culture really isn't all that different from Persian or American culture. Other times I'll be confronted with some wacky ideas of what is considered traditional or open-minded:

Traditional (1) Today, two of my coworkers (A and B) and I drove to meet with a client. We were short on time when A decided to call the client, but realized his pre-paid phone was out of minutes. I offered A my phone but he declined. I stressed the time issue yet he refused, preferring to waste time searching for a phone shop in an unfamiliar area. We finally found a shop, B stopped the car and A ran inside to purchase minutes. While A was gone, B explained to me that A is traditional - he didn't want to accept my help because I am a woman. Tradition can be inconvenient. 

Open-minded (2) B went on to tell me that he was open-minded. Now, in Los Angeles, "open-minded" can mean many things: you're open to dating a former escort, pursuing both accounting and fire-eating, or shacking up with Craigslist strangers since they raised the rent in WeHo ("yes again, can you believe it? And now they're charging us for water and garbage too!"). B explained to me that many people marry their cousins based on tradition, but he wants to marry someone he loves, and his family agrees with him. Open-minded meant having the freedom to not marry your first cousin. #cultureshock

To me, open-mindedness is thinking "Sure, I can eat a Chupa Chup roughly the size of my head"

3 weeks in and I'm starting to realize that my new life here may not be as exciting as I anticipated since we came for opportunity (travel and work), and as such we spend most of our time working. At least it provides us with a better quality of life - we can afford a nice apt on the 12th floor of a building overlooking the marina, we can afford a maid, and we have more disposable income. So far, so good, and I hope it stays that way (or as the Arabs say, "inshallah"). 

Back of the elevator in Mall of the Emirates; we're movin' on up!

Weather in Dubai

Have you ever wanted to strangle someone when it's hot out? The heat cooks your brain, raises your blood pressure... and actually makes you more murderous (http://tinyurl.com/nkedjs3). Luckily it's past midnight here and a cool 91 degrees F ;)

                                        

                           Al Shatha Tower, behind Media One Hotel, where Dubizzle's offices are located 

What's most interesting about Dubai's weather and scenery is that you're able to get a little bit of everything: hot sand, lush greens, sparkling seas, frigid snow. In California you can see the same, but in different cities (e.g. San Bernardino vs Santa Monica vs Yosemite).

Taken at a park in Al Satwa

Yes, I recognize that a ski resort in the middle of the desert isn't biologically natural, but the snow inside the resort is 100% real, made via snow machines. There's also snowmen and snowballs and colorful lights! What's not to love?

 Ecological footprint? What's that?

Dubai Marina is truly a sight to behold; I would compare it to my bf's eyes but that would be unfair to my bf. It almost feels like I'm back in Silicon Beach... without the litter, marijuana and dreadlocks. 

Google image of Dubai Marina since I haven't taken a photo yet

We ought to be going out more this weekend and during that time I'll take more pictures so you can get a better, personalized feel for the place. Is there anything or anywhere in particular you'd like to see? Any suggestions for my next post? Please share in the comments below! :)

            

                            Bonus shot: one view from my work in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)

Social Media Managing

Some of you have asked me for details about working in Dubai so hopefully this post answers your questions.

Cubicles! It's begun. 

I began working as a Social Media Manager (SMM) for Balsam for Health Promotion JLT in July when I was still in Los Angeles but didn't move into a full time role until my arrival in Dubai. My job boils down to using psychology, social media & technology to meet our clients' goals. 

Being a SMM in Dubai differs from my work in LA in a few ways. In LA, I worked with larger teams - in Dubai, I am the sole professional in this department. As a result, I have much more responsibility now than I did before and my work has a larger impact. It's challenging, exciting, new... and scares the absolute s*** out of me when I stop to breathe.  

My boss's desk

As the company name indicates, we promote health-based info: dental clinics, overall well being, pharmaceutical products. Compared to the services I was marketing in LA (e.g. bookkeeping services), promoting health-related stuff satiates a deep craving within me to do genuine good unto the world.  

For example, diabetes is a serious problem in the UAE. I recently collaborated with a coworker to design a multifaceted plan to address issues of diabetes awareness, prevention, and management in Dubai. I'm sure this sounds boring to some people but the opportunity to create this proposal was really exciting - it feels rewarding to have semi-moved into the healthcare sector. 

And onto these comfy leather couches.

The bulk of my work involves: market research, creating & running social media profiles, search engine optimization, writing PR articles, web design/dev, editing, and Arabic-to-English translation. Being this busy forces me to be more organized. +1

I'm fortunate to work with a close, integrated team of 11 people (Syrian, Filipino) who are all invested in my success and vice versa. My coworkers are polite, helpful, and educate me about the local culture. I feel more sophisticated already. 

We've even got a conference room. How sophisticated is that?

I hope this post cleared things up and if there's anything I missed, please comment! What are you interested in? What would you like to know about Dubai? Any suggestions for my next post? Please share!

The building I work in

Saturday Night Special: Pictures-Only Post

New idea: I'll periodically post blogs that are pictures-only (with captions/descriptions). Please let me know what you think!

Dubai Mall. 

One of the views from our apartment at night. The street structure is very well designed. 

The building I work in. Armada (Medical) Tower 2, cluster P. Locations are identified more in relation to what's around them rather than a numerical physical address. 

The office where I work in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT). Our boss is very kind and understanding, providing us with snacks, drinks, and half-days on Thursdays.

Ravi restaurant in Al Satwa: Salad (mostly eaten), large bottle of water (not pictured), 2 entrees, 2 sides of naan bread, and 1 after-dinner dessert (not pictured) for the equivalent of US $15.

Mini architectural design located inside Dubai Mall depicting how Dubai will look like in the future. Is it still appropriate to call it the Eiffel Tower if it's in Dubai?

The Move to Dubai Marina

My boyfriend and I moved into our new furnished apartment! We're on the 12th floor with a balcony looking over Dubai Marina on one side and the rest of Dubai on the other (pics to come). Originally we wanted to stay within the 8k AED price range and this apt was just outside of that range, but after factoring what we would have been paying for bills/utilities, we actually ended up saving money. +2

Previously my bf and I have been taking taxis to and from work but now that we're close enough to the Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) metro station, later this week we will be attempting the 500m walk in 95+ degree heat to the station. Gas is $1.81/gallon and the average taxi to and from work costs $10 so taxis are cheap in Dubai compared to Los Angeles ($20 on average) but we'll be saving even more by taking the metro. 

Inside the metro, there are cabins specifically designated for women and children. These female-only cabins aren't separated from the regular/mixed cabins by any physical barrier, just a posted sign indicating their status and faith that others will respect that space. 

It's still too early to make a firm judgment but being a woman in Dubai is interesting to say the least. I get special treatment (exiting an elevator first, hotel staff flagging down taxis for me) and I also get a lot more men looking at me. Men outnumber women 3:1 in Dubai and the staring has less to do with what I'm wearing and more with the fact that I remotely resemble a woman. You can wear a hijab or a bikini and the men will look either way. 

Dubai is an Islamic country and their law is based on Sharia law (quite different than actual Sharia law) which basically translates into dressing respectfully wherever children may be present (malls, playgrounds). The feminist I am, I anticipated being forced to change how I dress based on someone else's interpretations of modesty, and I was gladly mistaken - I wear the same clothes I did in Los Angeles with different variations based on temperature and work requirements. We'll see if/how my perception of dress changes with time. Until then, thank you for reading this far, and I hope you'll keep traveling with me!

5 Facts About Customer Service in Dubai

It's been 5 working days since I've come to Dubai. That's 5 days worth of taxis, hotel stays, restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It may not seem like much but I've already learned a lot about the customer service culture here in Dubai as compared to Los Angeles:

1. Dubai's version of 7-11 has customer service comparable to LA's fine dining restaurants

I have never seen someone more genuinely pleased to greet and serve me. Big smiles, full attention and the knowledge that they will do their absolute best to satisfy my whimsical wants are conferred upon me at the entrance.  

2. The division between Dubai's ultra-elite, generally affluent, and working poor accounts for this level of service

Oil money. America has the Walton family (Walmart), celebrities, and politicians constituting the wealthy and the rich. The United Arab Emirates has Sheiks. Architecture, real estate and tourism are huge in Dubai, so the Sheiks hire people from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka to perform jobs in construction, transportation, food service/FMCG, and hospitality. Sheiks take advantage of the conditions in those countries to offer the workers low wages in exchange for this physically exhausting, emotionally tiresome, or downright boring work. America is guilty of similar practices, but at least in America the idea of mobility is more alive. 

3. Tipping is Optional

Arguably, tipping is optional in the US as well, but there is usually more pressure placed on people to tip (~15%), especially as some employees literally survive off their tips. In Dubai, some cafés don't even provide a jar for you to tip while convenience stores comparable to famima!! do. My opinion, as someone who has worked in food service: tip when appropriate and possible. Don't take advantage of the relaxed tipping culture to jip your servers out of a well-earned tip. 5 dirhams (UAE money) is less than what you would spend on a bottle of Coke in Los Angeles.

4. Some People Will Try to Take Advantage of You

Some people will try to take advantage of you by not giving back the right amount of change or taking a long time to produce your change in the hopes you will just let it go out of embarrassment. Count your change. Ask them in advance if they can break a 50. 

5. Customer Service = Sales

At first I didn't even realize I was being sold to; everyone just seems so pleasant, friendly, and eager to help! Earlier this week I stopped by a pharmacy to pick up some cold medicine when the pharmacist  asked me about the symptoms I'd been experiencing. I mentioned 3 symptoms and he brought out 3 meds instead of an all-in-one treatment. I was suckered into buying 2 of the 3 when I otherwise would have purchased just an all-in-one med. Every person is a salesperson.

In short, take time to enjoy the wonderful service while being cautious of aggressive sales tactics. Most staff are friendly but the occasional taxi driver might try to cheat you. Recognize why service is the way it is and tip well. Most importantly, remember to thank those who thank you.

LAX --> DXB

We've arrived! A 15 hour plane ride later, my boyfriend and I made it to Dubai from Los Angeles in one piece. Well, technically two pieces. 

There were plenty of services offered to keep me entertained (+2 to Modern Family and +1 to Two Broke Girls) but I didn't get much sleep; I always have trouble sleeping on airplanes. At least our Indian flight mate (BA in civil engineering & MA in mechanical engineering... Of course) kept us company. It got awkward though when I realized I had preselected a kosher meal for an airline (Emirates) that primarily services Muslims. 

First impressions: it's hot. And quiet. And beautiful. I was wracked with nerves when our plane first took off but upon landing, I fell in love with the elegant layout of the city and the glittering lights. The architecture is unlike anything I've ever seen and to think everything that stands before me was only developed in the last 10-30 years? Astounding. 

I used to think Los Angeles was a melting pot with all its Americans, Middle Easterners, African Americans, Latinos, etc. Dubai's population consists of Emiratis, Americans, Brits, Sri Lankans, Indians, Persians, Bangladeshis, and African-Americans (-Emiratis?). My bf works for a larger company than me: within a 120 person team, 70 countries are represented. That's diversity. 

While it has only been three days so far, I am happy with my new job. The work environment is great, my coworkers are lovely, and my boss approaches me for ideas. I feel like a valued contributor already and as such, I feel invested in and committed to the company. Apparently open communication, feedback, and respect make for a happy employee. Go figure. 

There is much more to say but it's past midnight here and I have to be out of the hotel by 8:30am to get to work on time. Sorry for the picture formatting as I'm using my iPad. Thanks for accompanying me on my journey thus far! I hope you decide to keep going :)

The Night Before the Flight

I couldn't sleep last night and I likely won't be able to sleep tonight either. When I stop to think about it, I feel sad leaving behind my friends and family to immigrate to another country. I keep reminding myself that we're making the right decision, we have the opportunity of a lifetime. Just gotta push through. 

We underestimated the amount of luggage my boyfriend and I would need so now his parents will be giving us one of theirs. I want to say I'm thankful and express my gratitude for their help and hospitality, but there's no real way for me to convey the magnitude of my appreciation. 

So, this post is for everyone. For my family, my friends, my teachers, everyone who helped me get to this point. I'm a little freaked out, wondering if we'll make it and stick it through the employment contract, if everything will be OK, if we'll be happy there. Whatever happens, even if we come back earlier than expected, it'll be alright. The support of my loved ones is the initial fuel to get me going. Thank you all for bringing me here. 

It won't be easy. But we'll enjoy ourselves, learn a lot, and hopefully return bettered by the experience. Plus now I'll know what it feels like to be, in my mother's words, "a fucking immigrant" ;)

Moving out

My boyfriend's an asshole. A couple nights ago, he had the bright idea of dumping our bed out while the movers were still here so we wouldn't have to do it later (good idea) but forgot that we still needed it to sleep on that night (bad idea). Cue us lifting, shoving & carrying a mattress 2 blocks away and up 2 flights of stairs at 9:30pm after a full day of cleaning, donating, trashing, and packing our belongings. I love him. 

We officially cleared out last night around 1am. It felt strange walking into a dark, empty apartment which had been full of life only hours before. I stopped at the kitchen counter for the last time and deposited the house keys atop it. Hearing the click of the locked door when I walked out was when it clicked: this is really happening. 

Now all that's left is a number of loose ends to tie up (medical records, former employment, re-packing, etc). We're staying with my boyfriend's parents for the next couple days until we fly out of Los Angeles International airport (LAX) on Friday afternoon. 

Moving out is stressful but I'm trying to shift my attention to what I've learned from the experience: create a strategy, plan accordingly, pack early, and give yourself enough time to do all of the above. Focus on the positives, smile, and give yourself a break. Moving isn't always easy but hopefully our travels will make it worth it. 

Last week in Los Angeles

This is Shabbaaaat!!

Emma 09/14/2011

Mom & aunt

We celebrated our last sabbath tonight. I spent some quality time playing with Emma, my almost 2 year-old cousin (my Wet n Wild lipstick suffered a casualty), my brother Ash and my aunts. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. It was surprisingly difficult to part from my aunts. We aren't necessarily close but something about hugging them farewell made me awkwardly realize how much of an influence they've been in my upbringing up to this point.



My boyfriend drove us to Pomona Valley Hospital early this morning for me to get a stat echocardiogram (sonogram for the heart). Fortunately I've gone from needing them every 6 months to every 12 months since my aorta has stayed the same size since my last couple checkups. I was due to go in November but as we won't be here, I got it done now. Here's hoping for consistent results.

You should see the size of HIS heart! Aww.

I've downloaded a few travel apps to help prepare for our arrival. The 16 hour flight doesn't have internet so hopefully these and other apps will keep me entertained. If you have any app suggestions, please comment! I may write a review in upcoming posts.


We're officially moving out of our Burton Square apartments on Tuesday. Packing, selling, giving away, etc is not going to be the business. I sense a migraine already.

The iPhone generation

There's so much going through my head at the moment it feels like a whirlwind came and swept me off my feet, swallowed me inside it, and is propelling me forward at breakneck speed. At least it's not a sandstorm like the ones we'll experience in Dubai, right? Guys? Hello?

Party hardy

The countdown continues. Getting through school, two jobs, selling and packing, oh my! Shit is getting real.

I'm a little terrified right now about the move but I know I'll feel better once we arrive and I start working and set a routine. While I can't appropriately anticipate how difficult the first few months will be, I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it. Will report back with results upon our arrival.

No, we're not alcoholics. 

We had a small get-together/going-away celebration on Saturday. Plenty of food, drinks, and games (Cards Against Humanity, anyone?). I've also been running into a few people - high school friends, extended relatives - while taking care of smaller errands. It's strange bumping into one another now, of all times, when I haven't seen these people in years and won't be again for a couple more years to come. Sometimes life makes its own plans.

With two papers written, three exams remaining and two more days of school to take them, it's starting to dawn on me that these are the last classes required for me to earn my degree. I've learned more about life, planning, organization, and how to think than cold hard facts during this time. I never expected all this. I wonder what grad school might teach me.

I know what I know and have an idea of what I don't know that I don't know. I remember reading about the 4 stages of competence when I was 18 and first starting my job at Coffee Bean. In terms of education, I feel I've successfully risen to stage 2. Maybe I'll decide to pursue stage 3 at some later point.

It feels like I'm 18 again with all these possibilities and questions. We'll see where my decisions take me.

Myspace reminiscent but aptly portrays how I feel right about now.

20 days

Time is winding down. We have 20 days left before we leave. That means:
- 19 days to get my work visa & residence permit
- 13 days until my current contract ends
- 9 days off school to complete my bucket list (I left out a few items on the first post... oops.)
- 5 class sessions remaining
- 3 exams

K24.

- 2 weekends & 2 papers
- 1 Behavioral Analysis extra credit opportunity & 1 Shabbat
remaining.

And here I am blogging ;) I've managed to cross off most of my foodies from my bucket list (Chipotle, Cheesecake Factory, Kitchen24) as well as a couple non-foodies (Shabbat, seeing my bf's family, hanging out with friends).

+3 for adulthood! (-.5 for duckface)

I've started my position as a PT Social Media Marketer for a medical consulting firm in Dubai (Balsam For Health Promotions JLT) and will be moving into a FT role upon my arrival. Along the way, I learned some much-needed skills on how to write an offer letter, proposal, and contract.




I'm looking forward to the move. Nervous as hell, but excited nonetheless. My bf made a great point about how people generally spend their whole lives inside of a happy 10-mile-wide bubble with occasional vacations, road trips with friends, or visiting relatives; and here we are with the opportunity to burst outside that bubble and travel the world while developing our professional profiles. I'm still not 100% sure what I want to do with my life, or what constitutes a life-well-lived, but I am certain that capitalizing on this opportunity will bring me one step closer.

Bonus shot of my bf capitalizing on eating as much bacon as he can before moving to a halal country