With the Sheikh of Umm al-Quwain passing away this weekend, there is national mourning this weekend. As a result, I got an extra day off from work. I shouldn't be complaining, but I am so bored. Without work, I feel like I have no purpose here in Dubai.
I didn't do a whole lot this weekend- mostly kept to myself. I hung out with a few people here and there, but for the majority of the time, I went to the gym, stayed home and watched movies. Very uneventful and bit of a lonely existence, but I suppose I don't mind.
I went out for lunch with a colleague of mine yesterday. He's a journalist by profession and teaches at the university I work at. He drove me in his convertible Ferrari, and we went for a very nice lunch by the ocean. He told me over lunch that he's just bought land in southern France, and he's going to build a house on it. For the January break that's coming up (which we don't get as librarians because the library stays open even when there are no students), he's going to travel all over the place. Life here is good- we are very well paid and we have very good vacation. We don't have to worry about paying rent or taxes. As professional ex-pats, we are very spoiled over there. People don't want to go back to North America and deal with having to pay rent (or mortgage) and taxes. They don't want to go back to having very few vacation days (we get forty PAID vacation days here). It's easy to live in Dubai, once one gets over all the minor inconveniences. No one ever loves living in Dubai, but the money makes it easy to stay here.
However, I just can't see myself living in Dubai for that long- it's a transient place. I have colleagues who have been here for a number of years- they have nice places in other parts of the world, and they travel all over the place during vacation. But they are alone. Sure, they have family to go back to... but no family of their own. I don't want to end up like this. I don't want this super fancy, comfortable life and have no one to share it with. I really really hope that in a year, I will be able to find work as a librarian in Canada. I really do hope I get to go home to my boy who I have left behind to come here. I really do hope that my one year experience here will mean something.
Having said this, I don't hate Dubai anymore- sure it's a pain in the ass still- I don't have regular Internet. But I am accepting the fact that I will be here for at least a year, and that's okay. I love my job- it's the only thing keeping me here, and I love my gym, my apartment is comfortable and my Dewey is adorable (even though she bites). Life in Dubai isn't so bad... but I can't wait till my time here is up, so I can go home.
I hear it's still snowing back home. It's warm and sunny here. Won't some of you come visit?
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4 comments:
Damn... They don't pay teachers much at the American School in Dubai. Not enough for Ferraris and 7 star hotels anyway. Enjoy it while you can!
Edmonton is awful cold right now -25 with windchill. I was in Revelstoke for New Years and it was a balmy -5. Sigh....but know this Kayo: oftentimes we make a difference in people's lives and we don't even know it. After reconnecting on fb with some of my high school friends, I've found that my kindness to them went a long way in helping them through school or learning something from me. It's the biggest compliment. So don't worry, if you intend to make a difference, you will. =) Take heart my dear and keep your chin up! *hugs*
Dubai sounds like an interesting experience. I need to work at a place that pays me enough to own a Ferrari and land in the South of France!
WHERE IS KAYO??? WE MISS YOU!
I went to the job fair... lucky me is heading to Shanghai in August!
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