July, you were not my friend! I can honestly say that the best thing about July was that I got out alive and in one piece! But it seems that many of my ADEC (Abu Dhabi Educational Council) family waiting to go over have had so many issues in July, I truly hope that we were just getting all the bad stuff out of the way before we get over there! Keep in mind we're all trying to save every penny we can because we might not get paid 4-6 weeks after arrival and some are not getting anymore paychecks here, i'm lucky I still get paid for a little bit more (however it is a teachers salary, so I use the term paid loosely..lol).
My July issues started the first friggin day of July when the guy renting my house called to say that a pipe was leaking in the basement and the air wasn't working....yaaa not a good way to start a month. Soooooo over $5000 later my house has a kickin system! (Thank you Matt for your help!!!) Oh and he's not renewing his lease so he'll be moving out by July 31st....ugh! Really hoping the management company finds someone soon....so far there's been a little interest but no one signing a lease..ugh!
Next Matt's van wouldn't get out of park so we had that towed to the garage, several hundred dollars later it was fixed.
Somewhere in the middle of July the "Golden Tickets" started coming out for those who have cleared Visa/Security clearances. Talk about a dangling carrot!! Every second I checked my email praying it was an email for me saying Tiffanyyyy Acunnaaaaa...come on downnnnnnnn (In my best Price is Right voice), but it appeared to be just those who interviewed back in February...I interviewed in May...grrrrrr...So as happy as I was for them, I was sad for me.
Then one of my good friend's dad passed away suddenly, during the memorial service I get a call from Matt, his van broke down again on side of road. Sooo instead of spending time with my girls I had to go pick Matt up at the garage that the tow truck driver was dropping the van off at. A few days later we find out it's the engine....ugh! Soooo we had to buy another vehicle for Matt...I'm proud to say that he actually got something semi new, a 2013 van....::thud::: miracles do happen...lol!
And last but not least my Aunt Dot passed, which was a somewhat good thing since she was suffering so bad....so we ended July with a road trip to Virginia. It's nice seeing family but wish it would be under better circumstances!!
So July started off being a thorn in my side and really tested my patience and stress levels, but i'm hoping as bad as July was August will be that much more awesome! Some of the teachers who have arrived these past few days in Abu Dhabi have been posting pics of the hotel, their rooms, the nearby malls they're visiting....ummm, yaaaa I can't wait to suffer like they are..lol.....5 star baby!
Sooo hopefully my next blog will be that I got my Golden Ticket and then of course pics once I get over there!! Until then hopefully happy days!!!
Friday, August 1, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Meeting some of my Abu Dhabi peeps!
Well yesterday one of the 2014 group of people going to Abu Dhabi, hopefully all leaving in August, had a gathering in the Atlanta area.....my goodness I believe we had the biggest gathering of all!!! I think the final count of people to come was up to 58 (this included some with husbands and children). And hopefully this is going to be an indicator of what's to come....we all came together to make this a successful, enjoyable time. A HUGE thanks to Ava and her husband for opening their home to everyone; helping to setup all the food as it came in, and then cleaning up after our butts after everyone left (I was probably the last one to leave and boy was it a hot mess up in that house!).
As for the people I will be with it was great to finally meet some, I only knew one person at the beginning of this journey and have met many more online, but to actually come face to face and interact was very comforting. We hugged, talked, and laugh so much during this time and I didn't even get a chance to meet everyone. What was funny is I was the first to arrive since I was bringing the canopy, a table, and some chairs I wanted to get set up before it got busy, and Ava's husband was trying to set the sound of the background music and he asked, "is this loud enough? too loud?, and I told him it's not going to matter you've got a bunch of teachers coming together it's going to be so loud up in here! It wasn't too long after people started arriving that Ava's husband looked at me and said, "you're not kidding about the noise!" But everyone talking is a good thing, we found out we're alike, we're different, we're going for the same reason, we're going for different reasons....at the end of the day...we are here for each other!
As we said our goodbyes, I told everyone the same thing.....I'll see you in two weeks....at the airport...lol!! Most of us are hoping it's true...I figure if you put it out there the chances are greater!
Watch out sandbox you got some crazy folk coming from the A T L!
As for the people I will be with it was great to finally meet some, I only knew one person at the beginning of this journey and have met many more online, but to actually come face to face and interact was very comforting. We hugged, talked, and laugh so much during this time and I didn't even get a chance to meet everyone. What was funny is I was the first to arrive since I was bringing the canopy, a table, and some chairs I wanted to get set up before it got busy, and Ava's husband was trying to set the sound of the background music and he asked, "is this loud enough? too loud?, and I told him it's not going to matter you've got a bunch of teachers coming together it's going to be so loud up in here! It wasn't too long after people started arriving that Ava's husband looked at me and said, "you're not kidding about the noise!" But everyone talking is a good thing, we found out we're alike, we're different, we're going for the same reason, we're going for different reasons....at the end of the day...we are here for each other!
As we said our goodbyes, I told everyone the same thing.....I'll see you in two weeks....at the airport...lol!! Most of us are hoping it's true...I figure if you put it out there the chances are greater!
Watch out sandbox you got some crazy folk coming from the A T L!
Friday, June 20, 2014
Brought to you by the letter P
Well since my last post I don't have any new updates on my departure. However, since then I have been packing, purging, praying, and going to physicians...lol.
Packing stuff I don't need but would like to keep for when I come back....man that's a lot o'stuff!!
Purging things that I wont use the next few years and can replace when I get back to the states. I think of it as one last thing for Matt to trip over...lol
Praying that I leave end of July or beginning of August....this will coincide with my last paycheck from Dekalb County. But I will have no idea when until I receive an email saying congrats you're in group (which ever 1, 2, or 3). This will give me a better idea of beginning of August or not. But I definitely won't know until I get an email from the travel agency saying here's your plane ticket and itinerary your flight leaves on (insert date).
Physicians....well trying to knock out all the check ups, tests, etc that women need to get annually....the girls are trying my patience!
Also since my last post I've had to deal with people's ignorance about where I'm going. Yes Abu Dhabi is in the middle east, however, the middle east is made up of several countries! The national past time in Abu Dhabi is shopping! There's this thing called Google, use it, do the research.....and quit worrying!...lol
Packing stuff I don't need but would like to keep for when I come back....man that's a lot o'stuff!!
Purging things that I wont use the next few years and can replace when I get back to the states. I think of it as one last thing for Matt to trip over...lol
Praying that I leave end of July or beginning of August....this will coincide with my last paycheck from Dekalb County. But I will have no idea when until I receive an email saying congrats you're in group (which ever 1, 2, or 3). This will give me a better idea of beginning of August or not. But I definitely won't know until I get an email from the travel agency saying here's your plane ticket and itinerary your flight leaves on (insert date).
Physicians....well trying to knock out all the check ups, tests, etc that women need to get annually....the girls are trying my patience!
Also since my last post I've had to deal with people's ignorance about where I'm going. Yes Abu Dhabi is in the middle east, however, the middle east is made up of several countries! The national past time in Abu Dhabi is shopping! There's this thing called Google, use it, do the research.....and quit worrying!...lol
Monday, May 26, 2014
The roller coaster thus far...
Well as with anything there are bumps and turns along the path to where we want to be......applying for a job in Abu Dhabi was no exception!
The hurdles:
1. Fill out the application
2. Skype/telephone interview with recruiter
3. Gathering paperwork....and stuff!
4. In person interview (and passing!)
5. Authenticating documents and sending them to the recruiter for Visa/Immigration process.
6. Waiting for the Golden Ticket (I'mmmm leaving on a jet plane......singing)
7. Passing health screening
8. Getting placement
9. Getting a good class/school
Currently I am on hurdle 5, I got most of my documents authenticated before my in person interview so that "if/when" I got a job offer I wouldn't have much to do and I wouldn't have to fork out the funds for Pro-ex to do my leg work. So far the first hurdle was the easiest...ha!
What I have learned so far.....there is no "normal" with anything, the process and from what I hear life over in Abu Dhabi! Even at only step 5 Insha'Allah has become the mantra!
After the next two days of packing up my classroom I will start packing, selling, storing my life here.
Well not a glamorous start...but eh, it's a start on blogging...lol
The hurdles:
1. Fill out the application
2. Skype/telephone interview with recruiter
3. Gathering paperwork....and stuff!
4. In person interview (and passing!)
5. Authenticating documents and sending them to the recruiter for Visa/Immigration process.
6. Waiting for the Golden Ticket (I'mmmm leaving on a jet plane......singing)
7. Passing health screening
8. Getting placement
9. Getting a good class/school
Currently I am on hurdle 5, I got most of my documents authenticated before my in person interview so that "if/when" I got a job offer I wouldn't have much to do and I wouldn't have to fork out the funds for Pro-ex to do my leg work. So far the first hurdle was the easiest...ha!
What I have learned so far.....there is no "normal" with anything, the process and from what I hear life over in Abu Dhabi! Even at only step 5 Insha'Allah has become the mantra!
After the next two days of packing up my classroom I will start packing, selling, storing my life here.
Well not a glamorous start...but eh, it's a start on blogging...lol
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