Over and Out

In March we moved down to Boca Raton so I could take on a Family Pastor position in a church.  Jamie quickly unpacked and we squeezed into our 2 bedroom apartment with tennis courts, pool, and a grand lake in our complex.  

With my first full week completed in the office, I came home and told Jamie it was not going to work.  My heart sank as the few weeks went by and I realized how incompatible my leadership was with the staff.  Looking back on the interview process, I'm constantly thinking of the red flags I ignored, the right questions I didn't ask, or maybe I was just so eager to get back to work, I was willing to sacrifice a lot of things to do what I love doing the most.  I am a leader who loves building teams and equipping people to succeed.  

I agreed with the the staff that it was not going to be a long term situation given the boundaries I had to play in, so I was let go.  

Now, Jamie and I are on the job hunt yet again.  Jamie applied for jobs in Palm Beach County and back in Georgia as well.  I've been looking but a bit of joy has been sucked out of me so I'm still in limbo of whether to take a ministry position or try something completely different outside of paid ministry. 

I did get a lead on a job in Abu Dhabi, UAE where we just came from.  We had visited while we were in the city for a few weeks.  United to United once again?  We have about a month of financial resources to figure that out.  

Still in the air

Jamie and I took a plane ride to Boca Raton FL.  Kids are staying with their aunt, nana, and then dad, who is scared to death of keeping the kids.  My mom would gladly take the kids for a day but when she passed, dad became frightend of "doing the wrong thing."  We kinda forced the issue this time cause we knew he was capable and the girls would love it.

Jamie and I are in Florida to further pursue my job opportunity which is still up in the air but feels solid.  We are heading to the southern pacific coast side.  We walked through the the airport with out any concern of kids dragging along behind us throwing 100 questions at us.  We even ate a hot dinner and took our sweet time.  It was wonderful.  

We will stick around Boca Raton (spanish for 'rats mouth') until Monday evening.  Friday is packed with meetings and greeting with the staff of The Church.  Saturday we will spend our day apartment hunting.  The weather is amazing and typical of FL, we already had our afternoon rain shower.  Sunday will be church day which is set up in a High School.  We look forward to being a part of that experience starting at 6am setting up portable church.  Monday is more meetings and then I guess we must return to the kids at some point...rescue dad.  

40 YEARS IN THE DESERT

2015:  After a unplanned trip to Paris for Christmas, we started a new year with a bang as our family hung out for the New Year under the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa?  A few weeks later I turned 40.  Another week later we found ourselves layed over in Paris again waiting to fly to Atlanta for our final destination.

Much like Paris and the complete opposite of Dubai, the weather has been cold in Atlanta.

Goodbyes were as hard leaving from Al Ain as they originally were from Sharpsburg Georgia two years ago.  Strong friendships tend to do that to us.  

Our friends were from all over the world and we really never knew if we would be blessed to see those people again.  We tried to be servants, generous, and true neighbors to everyone we encountered.  We hope we left fingerprints of Christ in our little area of influence.  We truly loved the people we taught, shared meals, played, swam, dune bashed, or just listened to.

A wise Proverbs told me: In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps

The beginning of 2015 leaves me still waiting on employment, a tight living arrangement, and temporary schooling for the kids.  We came back with plenty of money to live on for a few months only to get hit with $5000 worth of bills after we arrived.  We are not sitting around doing nothing waiting on everything, but we are certainly not making any big plans.  God is good, faithful, and we are grateful.  All I can conclude at this moment - it's been a rough week!

 

Health Care

Jamie had a partial hysterectomy this year and then went back for a full hysterectomy not long after.  The total cost was 50 dirham ($13.50usd) each visit.  Brooklin has strep for the 2 or third time now...I went to the pharmacy and asked for an antibiotic.  The pharmisist asked a bunch of questions and handed it over without another look from another doctor.  I got bit by something funky a few months ago.  I thought nothing of the swelling and weekly pain until the flesh started falling off my toe.  Yum.

So weeks later I went to the doctor for 50 dirham and he did his magic.  His guess...a scorpion in my tennis shoe...the only reason I wear shoes here.

My dad visited in April and decided to visit the pharmacy for stomach issues.  What I witnessed was the World view of medicine verses America.  The perplexed pharmisist watched my dad window shop for medicine.  He knew he had a stomache issue and gave him a pill but my father wasn't satisfied and was picking up bottles and boxes as if they were unripe fruit in a market.  The pharmist asked him what was wrong and what else he needed.  My dad was looking around for what he might need or thought he could use.  Why would we be looking for medication without an ailment?  I saw that in the look of the pharmist.  I wanted to just say, "We are American.  We love our medication."

As we leave soon, I dred getting back into the American health system especially since things have changed and I have no clue how to navigate the system yet.  I know I'm spoiled on Universal Heath but I'm also satisfied knowing the system is paid for by a rich oil country not in debt.  They don't manufacture anything of significance here in the UAE but they can sure pay for whatever they want.  

Beginning of the end

This time next week we will be back in a fancy hotel for two weeks just like we arrived two years ago.  Again, we have sold all possession with the exception of what we stuffed in 4 suitcases.  Without carpets on the marble floors, the house echoes with children playing and pretending to have toys we sold a week ago.  I even sold the Christmas tree for 120 dirham! ($32US).

We played trivia last night with a couple who arrived with us and will be leaving with us.  We formed a bonding friendship that will span from New Zealand to America.  We were with another couple as well who we bonded with over the summer at the pool.  Since then we have been enjoying their company in our house or theirs.  

This is what make leaving hard - people.  Yes, perfect year round weather is attractive but gaining new friends, learning their jargon, new languages, and sharing experiences have helped us fall in love with the UAE melting pot.  I played tennis with friends from Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Finland, America, New Zealand.  I shared Bibles in Hindi and Sinhala.  I've learned a few words in Sinhala, Finish, and Malayalam.  Jamie teaches Arabic kids all day so her Abrabic is far greater than mine.  Our kids could care less where their friends are from and they still don't look at people in color...yet.  

It is ending as it started.  I am on a bed in an empty house waiting on flight status and wondering what the future holds.  I've been job hunting since September.  That is a process I haven't been a part of in 14 years.  I had more connections back then with different groups.  Now I feel like I'm starting from scratch.  When we get back to Georgia, we will continue to rent out our house in Sharpsburg and live with my dad in Woodstock.  We are now debt free and will leave with a good savings.  I have a security job lined up until I find a permanent job I really want.  

Our family is spoiled by the great weather so we are looking for some place warm to live.  Jamie prefers Hawaii, I'd settle for Texas or Arizona.  But for now we wait.  Canceling Visas, turning in paperwork, canceling services, and waiting on payroll is our final steps.  This week Jamie is in teacher training and will finish with her students January 25.  That another goodbye.  Her student love their American teacher with the beautiful hair.  So do I!

One Year

One year ago we stepped onto the sand of Abu Dhabi with no expectations.  Today, 50% of our original group remains.  A few ran home from local issues ( following the laws are essential).  A few were midnight runners (home sick or didn't like it here). A few couldn't hack it ( poor performance/placement but leaving properly).

Jamie is rocking along with school.  She is nailing the Arabic language down like a beast so I'm guessing she gets a lot of respect from students and the Emirite workers.  It's a whole another set of education issues here so you cant really escape that.  However, she makes friends of enemies, strongly interjects when appropriate, loves her girls, and puts every ounce of energy into her profession. That's why she succeeds and that's why Christ shines in her.  

Homeschooling with my 6yr and 3yr old girls really has been rewarding.  There is so much educational freedom to be creative and crazy.  Our routeen starts every morning with a dance.  I'm sure many people would like to see me bust a move to the Chipmunks.  That's like an Area 51 thing.  No ones ever really gonna see it or live to tell.  

When lesson plans don't keep me busy, I recently started writing a column for a local magazine - The Source.  I am also freelance writing online and getting paid!  I'm building a "writing resume" to do something amazing one day...right.

In Georgia, "hi y'all, bye, and thanks" work fine...unless you work for chickfila then it's a genuinely forced, "my pleasure." My 3yr old barfed her nuggets in your play ground.  Can y'all clean that up?  "My pleasure." So I'm learning a lot of basic greetings.  Here are a few...

Arabic: shukran means 'thank you'

Sinhala-Sri Lanka:  sthoo-ti 'thank you'

Finnish-Finland:  moi is an informal 'hello'

Malayalam-Kerala India:  sukharam means 'are you well'

It's a sign of respect and interest for my friends who happen to be from around the world.  It has been a bonus for my kids to view our world map and talk about where our new friends are from.  

Every year has ups: we came home for the summer and really enjoyed seeing everyone including a last goodbye to my mom.  Jamie had talked me into going back for the summer so that was good.  

We have learn to navigate Dubai and Abu Dhabi and discover something new each time we go.  Ski Dubai was a highlight.  I'm aiming for SkyDive Dubai next or a trip to Muscat, Oman.

Every year has it's downs:  our dog passed away this summer.  This was the first Christmas either of us had ever been away from family.  My good friend and neighbor died around New Years.  I'm suppressing all this death stuff for now, stuffing it way down so it can fester and boil for a while.  

The debate: it's possible we talk about this everyday.  As the song goes, "should I stay or should I go now?"  Ahead of schedule, our school loan will be paid off.  Ultimately, one year here has been amazing.  July 2015 is the end of the teaching contract.  Then what?  What is the thing that makes us say, 'we should go home now.'  Or what is the thing that says, 'stick around, there is more great things to come.'  It's just speculation at this point but we are having the time of our lives trying to figure it all out.  - Jeff 

Happy 42!

As I worked all week, I thought of all my teacher friends in Georgia and how they had the whole week off for Thanksgiving.  They obviously do not celebrate Thanksgiving here and I was so dreading the day b/c I did not want to work.  It turned out I did not have to work!! Dubai was one of the countries vying to host the World Expo in 2020 and they won. Immediately after the win, he Sheik announced school be cancelled so people all over the UAE could celebrate. So awesome!!

We wanted to celebrate the holiday here so Jeff and I invited friends and our "UAE family" here to eat turkey and HAM and all the sides.  We had about 50 people here and the food was yummy.  Imagine my surprise when a co-worker showed up with her Muslim boyfriend.  We apologized for having pork and told him to avoid those dishes:o) we had a wonderful time and it took away some of my home sickness. 

We are about to embark on the National Day holiday here which is where the country celebrates turning 42 years old. So awesome to see how far they have come in such a short time. Every where you look you will see red, green, black and white (flag colors). People wrap their cars and really get into the spirit. They have put up lights every where which actually looks like Christmas!! Too funny how that turned out. I am happy to be here to celebrate 42 years, but the question is, will I be here in 2020 when the World Expo hits Dubai?!

I am still loving my experience of living here.  We will have been here a year in January, time has flown by so fast. You have to love a country that has awesome weather (still 85 during the day and 65 at night). You also have to love a country that allows you to leave school early because it rained:o)

My invite still stands Georgia peeps-if you want to visit, please come on over! You will love it and you will have a free place to hang your hat!!-jamie