I seem to have lost a day, probably because we've been so busy. ADEC has got us straight into it with a full day's orientation yesterday so the short holiday is over. I've got my placement which is at a girls school here in Abu Dhabi. It's very central in downtown Tourist Area by the Corniche which is the fabulous walkway around the beach. Not sure which day we'll start but they aren't mucking around so I expect Monday or Tuesday.
We all got taken by bus for our medical which included a skin check for leprosy, chest xray for TB & blood tests for infectious diseases. Once we have those results back and have passed then we go for our police check which includes fingerprints. Then our residency visa process begins. They have taken our passports and visas so I can't buy a phone until I get them back!
The other two girls with me are going out into the Western Regions so will be a few hours travel away. The other kiwi is staying at a school here in Abu Dhabi so he's keen to get Lochie involved in rugby here.
We've been checking out schools for Lochie now we know where we'll be and hope to visit a couple on Sunday or Monday. Hopefully we'll stay in the hotel for a few more days until they give us our apartment. We get 20000 AUD to furnish it so have been out to Yas Island today (what a mission) to the IKEA shop.
We've had our first sandstorm and it's very unpleasant. On the bus out to the Island you could hardly see anything then we got dropped in the middle of the desert and had to change buses. Bit freaky especially when you're not dressed for sandstorms. I can see the need to carry a scarf at all times.
We've been to Marina Mall, Al Wada Mall, Mushrif Mall so far. Today is Friday and there is no work for the workers so the city is bustling. People everywhere and the buses were packed.
At 7am this morning outside my window cars and men began arriving in the 'space' behind our hotel. They drove onto the pitch, opened the boot and took our cricket wickets. I thought of the cricket buffs at work at that moment and knew you'd both enjoy the sight. It looked like a race track as the vehicles rolled in. By 7.30am four games of cricket had been set up with cones for the more organised and wickets only for others. By now, 4.45pm there are at least six games going and we saw games on each green spot in town.
We are off to town again shortly to go to a beer garden with a woman who is heading back to Australia. Pity we weren't here a week ago as she's been trying to sell all her furniture and we're needing to buy ours.
Cricket anyone?
Outside Marina Mall
Sandstorm from our hotel window
We all got taken by bus for our medical which included a skin check for leprosy, chest xray for TB & blood tests for infectious diseases. Once we have those results back and have passed then we go for our police check which includes fingerprints. Then our residency visa process begins. They have taken our passports and visas so I can't buy a phone until I get them back!
The other two girls with me are going out into the Western Regions so will be a few hours travel away. The other kiwi is staying at a school here in Abu Dhabi so he's keen to get Lochie involved in rugby here.
We've been checking out schools for Lochie now we know where we'll be and hope to visit a couple on Sunday or Monday. Hopefully we'll stay in the hotel for a few more days until they give us our apartment. We get 20000 AUD to furnish it so have been out to Yas Island today (what a mission) to the IKEA shop.
We've had our first sandstorm and it's very unpleasant. On the bus out to the Island you could hardly see anything then we got dropped in the middle of the desert and had to change buses. Bit freaky especially when you're not dressed for sandstorms. I can see the need to carry a scarf at all times.
We've been to Marina Mall, Al Wada Mall, Mushrif Mall so far. Today is Friday and there is no work for the workers so the city is bustling. People everywhere and the buses were packed.
At 7am this morning outside my window cars and men began arriving in the 'space' behind our hotel. They drove onto the pitch, opened the boot and took our cricket wickets. I thought of the cricket buffs at work at that moment and knew you'd both enjoy the sight. It looked like a race track as the vehicles rolled in. By 7.30am four games of cricket had been set up with cones for the more organised and wickets only for others. By now, 4.45pm there are at least six games going and we saw games on each green spot in town.
We are off to town again shortly to go to a beer garden with a woman who is heading back to Australia. Pity we weren't here a week ago as she's been trying to sell all her furniture and we're needing to buy ours.
Cricket anyone?
Outside Marina Mall
Sandstorm from our hotel window
View from top of Marina Mall
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