That's it. I've done now and I want to go home to Tom and my family! Yesterday was the first unchaperoned visit to Madinat Zayed, which, inshallah, is to be my home for the next two years at least. It was a gruelling day getting used to travelling on the highways here and making our first contacts in a very islolated place. I'm very, very, very glad I got to experience it with five other new teachers. That is a source of comfort this morning.
The desert is so pretty and yesterday, I didn't notice the strong smell of oil that hit me on our first visit. My apartment looked just a good yesterday as it had on the first inspection. However, talking to one disaffected teacher and then being asked way over the top prices for goods in various emporia, took its toll and I ended up the visit feeling totally out of my comfort zone. I began to feel out of my depth and swamped by the Emerati culture.
Later,Tom reminded me that I need to employ my sense of humour when I feel that a trader is trying to capitalise on my lack of local knowledge by grossly overpricing his wares: Come on guys, 400 dir. for a simple abaya? DO I have the word GREEN tattooed on my forehead? It was black actually and it was very nice but, the material was not such good quality and it was way too long!
Bless me Abu Dhabians, for I have sinned: I said this place was far too expensive but in fact it's cheaper here than it is in the Styx.- I also priced up a Nikon Cool Pix camera. I had bought one the day before from a shop in Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi. I had been charged 399dir. Admittedly it was on sale. When I priced up a much lesser model of the same make camera in MZ, I found that they wanted 1,070+ dir. I'm trying not to come to the conclusion that the good people of MZ are in the habit of exploiting the incoming teachers every year. The guy in the first abaya shop said later that his prices were up for negotiation and that he would give the ADEC teachers a good deal. Too late Abaya guy, you know what? I won't visit your shop, or even that mall again.
In fairness to the traders of MZ, I visited a second abaya shop in the city market area just after. The gentleman there was much nicer than the first man and his prices were moderate: 150 dir for a similar garment. I'd still want to negotiate, but just in the same way that I wouldn't think of starting from obviously too stingy a price for decent goods, he chose a fair starting price from his point of view.
Coming home, for the first time since I arrived here two whole weeks ago now, I felt swamped and homesick to such a degree that, just for a short while, I wanted to go home.
On the way back to the hotel, I watched the sunset in the desert. It was lovely but I would have liked it even more had I been watching it with Tom. (Its a date: Desert, Tom, Chris, Johnny Cash music and the stars. Even better with some chilled wine and insect repellent.)
Then on entering the big city once more, the world slotted back into place and I watched with awe, as we drove past the beautiful buildings here, all lit up for the evenings viewers. Note to self: I need to come back in the cooler weather to walk about and take pictures and that way, all my family and friends can see Abu Dhabi at night. A truly breathtaking experience folks!
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