Sand Storm

When you are working in the middle of the desert aka as Dubai, anything can happen.

My busy stressful afternoon has just come to an end as all the office is now looking through our big windows watching the Sand Storm outside!! :)

Just amazing!! :):)

What's making me happy right now...

What's making me happy right now*...

Entering my new room and seeing the green star my mother gave me before I come here. Discussing the new promotional campaign with the creative agency. Dear friends who come over and bring chocolate cinnamon rolls. Going out of my frozen office and feel the hot breeze. Talking to Raky on msn and geting to know the latest "cusquices". Talking to my father over Skype and hear him explaining me how I should strive for my career (not that I dont think it is boring but good to know he cares). Shisha ate Tsche Tsche Cafe being free for women every Monday. My roof swimming pool. People talking to me in Arabic because they think I am Arab (well, it happen only once but the guy was UAE local so it gives this issue much more credibility) Buying groceries to cook at home. Professional compliments. My white living room. Belly dance classes. Text messages from friends in transit at Dubai's airport. Morroccan Tea.

*Asha's copyright :)

Its getting HOT in here..

After 2 months of bearable temperatures, the "good weather" is officially over.
Yesterday when I left for lunch it was 46C degrees!!

Gulf News Article: Al Ain/Dubai: The mercury rose to its highest level this year as hot winds blew in from the desert. Thermometers recorded temperatures as high as 48C and the searing heat is set to continue today.

However, I still prefer it to be hot than to be humid! Moister makes it feel really really hot and even more unbearable. You sweat all the time and you get all sticky.. yuck!

So, as soon as humidity levels remain down.. I am happy! :)

However, it seems this feeling will not last for long...

More weather updates as time goes by! :) I was warned that this is just the beggining...
And photos soon too...

Hand Washing Dishes

My first cultural shock!
And it had to be with the german culture :)

Currently I am sharing my apartment with 2 German guys, Marko and Sven (and a german girl too, Nadine, but she is not part of this story). Of course, one of the apartment rules is to wash your dishes as soon as you stop using them instead of just park them on the sink and let them pile up. :) :)

Anyway.. yesterday Marko was washing the dishes and I realized he doesnt take the foam out!! Meaning that he puts the dish into the water full of detergent (and therefore foam) and then he just takes it directly into this thing where you put the dishes to dry (dont have a clue about the name in english and i dont feel like searching the net)!!

In panic I reached for Sven, that was in the living room, so that he could explain him that he was doing it wrong. Naive as I am I just thought that it was probably the first time he was washing his dishes and he didnt know how to do it!
But I was soo wrong. Sven came and told me he does the same!!!This means they dont pass the dishes/glasses/whatever through clean water/running tap water after passing then through the detergent/foam water!
Meaning that all the foam/detergent stays on the dish and will still be there when you eat!Furthermore, Marco tried to convince me that dish detergent is inocuous and that there is no problem with having it on the dishes!!! No way!!! Otherwise why do we also pass ourselves through clean water when having a shower, I asked? And he said it is bacause our skin is sensitive and the dishes not!! And that they would never let dishwasher detergent to be sold if it wasnt safe!

Well, as one thing I still remember from cultural shock is that there is no right or wrong, simply different ways of facing the same situation, I ask:

How do you wash your dishes??
This is how I do it...

Another sad day...

You are having just another normal day, preparing to leave work at 1 pm (as today it is your half day) and then your heart stops.
You feel numb.
Maybe it is only just a power surplus. But deep down you dont believe it. It is too obvious that it isnt, but you still want to believe.
Suddenly you start remembering names, remembering faces, people you know, people you like, that might be affected if not dead.
You go out and try to continue your normal life, you laugh and you dance, but the sadness and the tears are still inside.

The plot is thickening and I dont know where it will stop... I wonder when will people realize that death and destrution only brings more death and destrution... It doesnt bring us closer to God, or to Heaven.. It just brings us closer to chaos and void. And there is nothing after that.

I still havent heard about 2 of my friends that are studying and working in London, their mobile is not working and no answer to my emails. Maybe I should concentrate my efforts to know their whereabouts, but I guess Iam too afraid of what might be the reply.
However, something deep inside tells me their are alright... Inshallah.