Salam, from the sandbox beyond the sea... It has been quite some time since our last post, due to many changes in our familiar routine. We have been in our "permanent" housing for about two and a half weeks now and we have a little ways to go before it feels like home. Moving--without a vehicle, (we have chosen to wait to get one until we absolutely have to--we are hoping to get one when we come back from summer break but are in no hurry to get one now) in a foreign country, and into a high rise apartment comes with many adjustments.
We are now located in between Airport road and Muroor road just off of 31st street, for those of you who like to play with Google Maps. We are in an area that most cabbies know as the "teacher towers" but they are officially called the Danat Towers (A and B) We are in Danat B on the 17th floor. Good thing labor is cheap because that's a lot of stairs to move furniture up! Fortunately we have kept things small and everything has fit in the "lift" so far. Trevor thinks it is pretty clever to live in a "Flat" and ride the "Lift." Not the language we thought he may pick up over here but believe it or not much more common than the Arabic we thought we would encounter. Doesn't hurt that most of our good friends here come from the U.K. or New Zealand. The views from our windows are great... we see much of the eastern side of the city, all the way to the Gulf and we are high enough that the generators a just a dull moan below. Oh yea, we are in some of the first buildings to be completed on this property and it is a major construction zone all around! Can't wait to see it when it's done but that will probably be near the end of our 2 years here. Perfect timing!! Other than the construction it is nice for Erin to be another 10 minutes closer to work. Her commute is now only about 20-25 minutes away and she rides with other teachers that live here in these towers. Trevor enjoys many mornings at the pool which is conveniently located 3 floors above on the roof. The fitness center is state of the art and getting much use. Unfortunately the Shwarma's are not quite as conveniently close every other restaurant that you could want does deliver--there is no charge and the drivers have a grin on their face from one ear to the other when you bless them with a 10 Dirham tip. A small price to pay for anyone brave enough(or crazy enough) to ride a motorcycle or a bike on these streets with a Shwarma strapped to his back! Pictures will follow when the flat is a bit more settled, but we are still alive and kicking and the mercury is a rising...
We are now located in between Airport road and Muroor road just off of 31st street, for those of you who like to play with Google Maps. We are in an area that most cabbies know as the "teacher towers" but they are officially called the Danat Towers (A and B) We are in Danat B on the 17th floor. Good thing labor is cheap because that's a lot of stairs to move furniture up! Fortunately we have kept things small and everything has fit in the "lift" so far. Trevor thinks it is pretty clever to live in a "Flat" and ride the "Lift." Not the language we thought he may pick up over here but believe it or not much more common than the Arabic we thought we would encounter. Doesn't hurt that most of our good friends here come from the U.K. or New Zealand. The views from our windows are great... we see much of the eastern side of the city, all the way to the Gulf and we are high enough that the generators a just a dull moan below. Oh yea, we are in some of the first buildings to be completed on this property and it is a major construction zone all around! Can't wait to see it when it's done but that will probably be near the end of our 2 years here. Perfect timing!! Other than the construction it is nice for Erin to be another 10 minutes closer to work. Her commute is now only about 20-25 minutes away and she rides with other teachers that live here in these towers. Trevor enjoys many mornings at the pool which is conveniently located 3 floors above on the roof. The fitness center is state of the art and getting much use. Unfortunately the Shwarma's are not quite as conveniently close every other restaurant that you could want does deliver--there is no charge and the drivers have a grin on their face from one ear to the other when you bless them with a 10 Dirham tip. A small price to pay for anyone brave enough(or crazy enough) to ride a motorcycle or a bike on these streets with a Shwarma strapped to his back! Pictures will follow when the flat is a bit more settled, but we are still alive and kicking and the mercury is a rising...
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