Thanksgiving Away from Home

Well for my second Thanksgiving away from home ever, it was an okay. I was lucky to spend the time with some great new friends, friends that are starting to feel like family. The day started out better than I thought since I was able to stay home and cook most the day, even though I was supposed to be in bed for the day with my back. However I ended up resting for half the day and cooking the rest. I am glad to say that my Thanksgiving was not without one of my family’s favorite food, Cream cheese Mash Potatoes. All my cousins should be proud since I brought them with me. I also end up making an Apple crisp, which I got three requests to make for people.

We gathered at about 6:30 here, since most teachers had to work. It was a great turn out and we filled the hall on the first floor. We ate and talked for a good three hours with everyone, than all headed back to our apartments to sleep off you turkey dinner.

I did come to the conclusion that there were two things I really missed, besides my family. One was the Thanksgiving Day Parade, First time I have not been able to watch it, second was going to a movie with my cousins after lunch. I will be looking forward to those and my family the next time I am home.

Eid Break

I am finally on break. The last week of school was really different. At school they held a Haja program for the students and the parents. This program was interesting for me to watch, it was the students reenacting the trip to Mecca. After that the students were able to have a free day the rest of the day, which made my life so easy.

Break has now officially started, which has been a great time relaxing and getting work done for school. I have spent the first three days of my break just working on lesson plans for the rest of this term. I was also able to plan my vacation for Christmas; I am excited to say I am going to Egypt. If you want to see here is the itinerary: http://holidays.airarabia.com/aaholidays-ibe-web/public/ShowPackageDetails.do?hdnPackageref=PKGSHJALY0003&hdnPrevPage=14. I am looking forward to getting out of dodge for a little while, if only for a week. I am so excited to be going to see the pyramids, catacombs, Montazah Gardens, Kayed Bay and Citedell in Alexandria.

The Desert Safari, oh it was a great day. It started like a normal day off, I watched some Sex and the City and after a few shows I headed into AD. Once there I came to find out that my camera was over heating, which means one of two things either bad camera or bad battery. Well shortly thereafter the camera shut off for good, so I had to get a new camera. We were picked up at 3:00 pm and taking to the desert where we visited a camel farm to start and were able to pet a camel. After that we headed farther into the desert where we did some dune bashing. It was so much fun; it was like being on a rollercoaster. The only difference was there where times we were going to flip over, but we didn’t. After finishing dune bashing the group was dropped off at the camp where we would have dinner and relax.

At camp, it was so nice and relaxing, started with a camel ride, which was so awsome. Then headed into the came and got some henna done, which I love. Then just kind of relaxed and watch the sun set over the dunes. The others tried some Shisha, I took a picture like it but didn’t do it. After that I watched Gayle do some sand surfing, and then we had dinner. It was a great dinner, which included lamb cabob, lamb chops, chicken cabob, rice, and humus for me, And YES I ATE IT ALL. After that we finished the evening watching the stars before heading back to AD.

Moreeb Dune & Abu Dhabi

Oh what a weekend, I am glad to say that this weekend has turned out to be one of the better weekends I have had here in the UAE. When school end on Thursday, I thought oh the girls and I will head into AD (Abu Dhabi) do our shopping and then head home, and spend the rest of the weekend working on school stuff. Was I wrong, well kind of wrong. The girls and I did end up heading into AD after school on Thursday, where I was able to get some much need décor for my apartment, a lamp for my side table, and some lamp shades for my light bulbs that hang from my ceiling. Got back from there at about 11:00 pm and then did some laundry and cleaned my house. Good productive day.

Got up on Friday thinking well I guess I will get to work on some school stuff, which I did. I got about half way through when my door bell rang. Stacy my next door neighbor wanted to know if I wanted to run to the store with her, I said sure and we were off. Well half way to the store she asked if I would like to see the Moreeb Dune. I was excited since I hadn’t gotten to see it yet. So we headed down to the dune. After getting lost for about 30 minutes, we finally found the way there. It was the most beautiful thing I have seen. The trip there was great we so such beautiful site, words and pictures cannot describe what we saw. At one point we had a wild heard of camels that was running along the car. It was so great to see. Once we got to the dune, it was nothing like I had seen before; here is this pile of sand that is as tall and steep as a small mountain. Looking up it you could see where people tried to climb it and where four wheelers had made it up the side. After that we headed back to the apartments where I worked on finishing up my lesson plans and then finished my Christmas Cards. So those will be mailed off this week, in hopes they get there, before Christmas.

Oh what a day on Saturday, I can’t say that I did a lot, but it feels like I did. Stacy and I headed into AD for the day the day to get tons of earns done. We headed to the Abu Dhabi mall to start. I ended up buys three shirt and two sweaters. I was not thinking I was going to buy clothes today. After that we ate some India food and then head out to Al Wada Mall, here we had went to LuLu’s, which I have to say is a great store. We headed to Spinney’s after that to get some foods that I can’t find anywhere else. Finally we head out to the Dania Mall and hit Home Center and Carrefour. We got back about an hour ago and I am completely wiped out. Until next time.