Repatriation Realities

Humans are very versatile and flexible creatures, these facts explain how ancient cultures in such diverse areas as the Arctic and our own Arabian desert thrived. In the last few years I have lived and worked Abu Dhabi, I did some adapting of my own to this country and culture. Now I hardly notice the everyday things that would have shocked, irritated, or even thrilled me when I was a rookie.

All of this made me realize that when the time comes for my return to the star spangled arms of my Uncle Sam, I will have some reverse-adapting to do. Some things in the U.S. will seem foreign to me upon my repatriation so I compiled a 10 most potentially disruptive personal issues list:

1. I will have to force myself to actually take speed limit and stop signs seriously again

2. Required to get reacquainted with “The Taxman” and pay my legal burden (ugh!)

3. Metric versus Imperial measures, always a struggle for me, back to miles, yards, feet and inches

4. Possibility of getting arrested because my shisha pipe is assumed to be "drug paraphernalia"

5. The eerie sense of an important bathroom fixture gone missing, my toilet looks lonely  

6. My terror of drinking tap water must be conquered or I will be considered a wimp

7. Surprised at all the old, dented and cheap cars on the road back home

8. Trying to regain comprehension of that “funny-sounding” American accent

9. My sweat glands are stuck wide open after years in the U.A.E. heat and humidity, I now shiver at 27 C

10 "Middle Finger” rights are restored for use in disputes, but better not as the opponent may have a gun

Some things will feel the same, KFC for example, but the longer I am in Abu Dhabi the further I drift from my original culture. That is not a bad thing as adaptation makes me more comfortable here as time goes by and when I do return home, it will seem as exotic and new as when I first set foot on these shores.

Some Other Sides of Abu Dhabi-Part 2

So the launching went without further incident. Being midweek, the resort was rather empty so the event drew a few security guards who were no doubt were secretly hoping for a disaster in the making to provide stories around the dinner table that evening.

Teamwork in a two person craft like this requires some time for coordination before the desired straight path is achieved. I am sure our small audience on the beach was amused at the zig-zag course we assumed at first, but in a few minutes we straightened out and started to make some real progress.

View from 27,000FT, the slanted island is our destination

We paddled against a headwind and it was good exercise, almost too good as I do not paddle everyday and was not used to it, but I soon got warmed up and found my "Sea Arms". Now making straight, steady progress and out of the "Two Stooges" mode I started to enjoy the scenery. We soon passed this:

Giant Concrete Conch Shell

There are a a lot of very wealthy people here that do not have day jobs and I think this object is a result of that condition. This is an anatomically correct conch shell that adorned a large piece of groomed property adjacent to our course. I got a twinge of homesickness for some of the tacky resort areas in my home state of Florida, USA. All that was missing is a big "Shell World---Next Exit" sign in bright colors. This shell is obviously not for commercial gain and existed just for the whimsy of the owner. I kind of like that!! A "Because I can, I will" thing. I truly appreciate the effort!

Anyway, the scenery became more rustic just past this landmark. In twenty minutes we were at a mangrove estuary. 

Estuary Inlet to Lower Right from 2200FT

We paddled into an enticing small inlet and observed several interesting things. There were fish jumping all over the place, a feeding frenzy was happening. The tide was exiting the inlet at a very rapid rate, making paddling difficult, and then we saw this:

Large, Texas-sized Barbeque Grill 

This was quite a surprise way out in the sticks. This is an industrial-grade grill that could cook a side of beef. Apparently, some serious parties have occurred here or this semi-permanent facility-with a sun shade yet-would be not have been built. 

A great venue for a beer kegger and a roast pig. but this is a Muslim country and I doubt that type of activity has happened here. There were no broken bottles, empty cans or dare I say lost panties or condoms littering the ground. It was spotlessly clean. No frat parties in this place recently.

We noted the location for just such a event in the near future (just KIDDING!) and paddled upstream against the outgoing tide where we took a break, beached on a sand shoal and took a look around the amazing natural beauty that surrounded us.

Break Time...Barbeque Pit in the Background

Heineken Fever Sets in. Il Capitano contemplates how an 

outboard motor would be nice to get back to the launch area.

 Mom says I need to put on some weight, Mom is always right!

 I miss her Southern Fried Chicken!

Not too far From Civilization, Aldar HQ in backgound

I had intended to make this trip report in just two parts, but like George Thorogood of The Destroyers' fame, I have a friend named Jimmy Beam that helps me write creatively and now he is tapping me on the shoulder and suggesting it would be better to extend this to a third installment. I have a lot more to talk about.

If you noticed in the first Google Earth photo, there are a lot of paved and dirt roads around the island as well as buildings and houses. too. This is a mystery to me as there seems from the overhead photo no way for autos to get there. No bridges or ferries are obvious. I will have to look into this!

Next time, I will expose what flora and fauna that we found among the mangroves as well as why mangroves are so special. The eventual landing back at the resort was a classic experience in itself!

The Current Job Market in the U.A.E.

Many of you may be interested in employment opportunities in the Emirates as things may seem quite desperate where you currently live, which is just about everywhere nowadays. The lure of lucrative work in an exotic location, tax free income, mild Winters, palm trees and glamor/glitz can be overwhelming in these dark days.

A decade ago, this all would have been true. Fat expat salaries were made possible by demand exceeding the supply of professionals needed to build this country to what it is today. Westerners came here for a few years and made their retirement nest egg. For a country that just celebrated it's 38th anniversary last month, the transformation from a dusty trade crossroads to the modern nation it is now is nothing less than phenomenal.

But the fact is that the global economic downturn has infected the UAE too. There have been many layoffs in the last year especially in the financial and real estate sectors. Dubai has suffered the most because Abu Dhabi has revenue from its vast petroleum reserves to rely on...

I am not saying things are dire here. They just aren't this good:

And they aren't this bad:

They are somewhere in the middle.

Its a seller's market for jobs here lately so be careful if you are considering a position in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or any other of the Emirates. If you are dealing with a recruiter, be sure to read the fine print especially if you are paying a fee up front. Due Diligence is your friend! There are still some good positions to be found here, but they are scarcer and less lucrative than in the past.

Here is a link to a report from a company called Gulf Talent: Middle East Jobs Report I assume they are one of the recruitment companies in this area but I read the report and found it timely and factual. You have to sign in to get the report and I assure you I have no connection to this firm. If you want the .pdf file, email me and I will get it to you. It is somewhat a dry read but apparently they did their homework and presented an unbiased assessment of the employment situation in the region. It's worth your attention if you are considering the Big Move!

St. George=Abu Dhabi

Before moving to Abu Dhabi, I spent the last 10 years in a medium sized, Southwestern Utah town, St. George. St. George is in one of the most visually beautiful places on Earth. It is located between the Colorado plateau and the Mojave desert and is but a few miles from the North rim of the Grand Canyon and is close to Zion National Park, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The physical diversity of the land there is unlike I have ever seen. It will literally take your breath away. The beige desert flats in interior Abu Dhabi fail to impress me as I have been spoiled by the Southern Utah geography. Abu Dhabi does have great beaches. though!

I have noticed some similarities between St. George and my new digs in Abu Dhabi that are too coincedental not to comment on. Please take my comments as "tongue in cheek" as I don't intend to offend anyone on either side of the globe.

St. George: Populated and ruled by the majority religion, Mormons.

Abu Dhabi: Populated and ruled by the majority religion, Muslims.

St. George: Any form of gambling is illegal.

Abu Dhabi: Ditto.

St. George: Liquor sales are tightly regulated and can only be purchased in sparsely located state controlled outlets.

Abu Dhabi: Likewise. (although a license is required)

St. George: Polygamy, although technically illegal, is widespread and tolerated.

Abu Dhabi: I understand that Muslim men can have up to 4 wives.

St. George: Annual horse races, drinking and gambling not allowed (what's the point?)

Abu Dhabi: Daily camel races, drinking and gambling not allowed. (huh?)

St. George: Desert location. (added points, Las Vegas is only 100 miles away)

Abu Dhabi: Desert location. (added points, nice, local beaches on the Arabian Gulf)

St. George: Local, single girls are unobtainable if you are not of the regional religion.

Abu Dhabi: Don't EVEN think about it.

St. George: Crazy, clueless drivers in huge pickup trucks..

Abu Dhabi: Crazy, clueless drivers in Ferraris.

St. George: Triple digit Summer temperatures.

Abu Dhabi: Triple digit Summer temperatures (plus triple digit humidity).

St. George: Clean, relatively crime-free city.

Abu Dhabi: Same.

St. George: Mexican low-wage workers.

Abu Dhabi: Indian low-wage workers. Note: Fly Swatter is not an item you buy at the hardware store here, it is a job description.

St, George: Relatively huge police force, obtrusive.

Abu Dhabi: Relatively huge police force, unobtrusive.

St. George: Locals snub transplants.

Abu Dhabi: Locals snub expats.

St. George: Locals pray toward Salt Lake City.

Abu Dhabi: Locals pray toward Mecca.

So there you have it. Two cities on opposite ends of the globe with a lot in common from where I see it. Both are good places to live. 

Milestone

As of February 3rd, I have had feet on the ground in Abu Dhabi for 6 months. Looking back, It seems a lot longer than that although not in a bad way. It's more like there has been a whole lot of water under my bridge in the last 6 months than there has ever been previously in my life. New life, new country, new job and leaving the people that I care about and helped frame my life behind a half a world away.

 I enjoy recalling the departure of my flight from JFK  to Abu Dhabi on August 2nd of last year. I was mentally numb from all the pre-relocation activities and stress that occupied my life the months prior to my leaving as well as the trepidation and excitement of building a new life in a far away land which would start happening immediately upon my landing some 12 hours later. It was really too much for my pickled brain to process. My mind reached a Blue Screen of Death mode that is so familiar to Microsoft Windows users. So I decided to sit back and enjoy it. It was like the calm that displaces the abject fear that a bungee jumper experiences when looking out into the abyss and knows the push on the back is seconds away. No going back, in for a penny, in for a pound. Let's do it!

However, I remember the moment the speeding plane found enough air under it's wings and lumbered off the bumpy JFK runway. It got all smooth and when I heard the "thump-thump" of the landing gear tucking away in their beds for the night I thought "well this is it!". I didn't know when or even if I would ever set foot on my native soil again. I knew even less of what my immedeate future held for me. It was a stunning, life-defining moment that passed all too quickly but will be remembered forever.

Each week that passes finds me more comfortable here. I think it has a lot to do with finding a rhythm and routine that complements the culture, surroundings and way of life. I am discovering that this can't be forced but has to evolve with time. Resistance is futile. I have read other sources that say the first 6 months is difficult and full of turmoil but from then on, one finds a center much as a pendulum eventually does. I am hoping that this might be true in my case.

I am travelling back to the States at the end of this month to see family and friends for the first time since I have been in the U.A.E. Yes, I am ready for a little R&R. I am excited and look forward to the trip, but I am also a little concerned how my semi-acclimatised to the Middle East culture self will react and regard American culture. I will be seeing it through the different eyes of an "outsider".  I will let you know how it goes 

   

This is Really Scary

Is it as bad back in the States as all the news reports I have seen and read say? If so, it is really frightening. I have been around the block a few times and, if what is being reported is true, this has to be the most rapid and steep decline of economic health in the U.S.A. that has happened in my lifetime.

Should I worry or is it overblown media hype? I have a healthy distrust of the popular U.S. media. One of the reasons for this is the many times I have seen the Weather Channel "reporters" broadcasting live from a  potential hurricane landfall site when said hurricane is still days offshore. They look ridiculous in their expensive, hooded Columbia all weather gear when you can see families in swimsuits cooking weenies on the beach in the background. It hurts their credibility 

What concerns me though is that since I live halfway around the world I have access to news networks that resident Americans cannot get. BBC World, France 24, Deutsche Welle, and the infamous Al Jazeera, all in english. They report the same bad financial things but with a worldwide perspective so I am inclined to believe there is some really bad stuff going on globally. Hell, Iceland seems to be on it's last legs! Please pardon me here, but I don't think that many people would notice if Iceland sunk beneath the waves tomorrow even if they knew where it was. Not that I would wish that, of course.

There is is a saying that when America sneezes, the world catches a cold. That certainly seems to be the case here. I don't know what happened or why it happened so suddenly but it seems to have started with a relaxation of standards by banks for people to get credit. I remember when I bought my first house years ago and getting the mortgage to facilitate this was like a financial rectal exam.

 

In the past decade though it seems that credit became readily available to anyone.  In a few short years, it seemed everyone had a new car, a big house and was taking exotic vacations because of the easy money. Real estate appreciated like a rocket and folks got equity loans against the house. Sounds like good times, and it was. What I can't understand is how things deteriorated so fast. There should have been a soft letdown. What was the pin that popped the bubble last November? 

Why couldn't the supposedly smart and highly paid bankers see this? After all, they had the most to lose by being left holding a bag of worthless assets and foreclosures. Of course they ended up being compensated by taxpayer's money to cover their losses but where did they all get the green light to radically loosen credit in the first place? I am not a conspiracy theorist but someting smells here.

The U.S. started the bailouts first and then the rest of the world quickly followed suit. This exposed how closely your local Hometown First National Bank is connected with the Sushi Yen Depository in Tokyo. All the value went somewhere and now almost every government on Earth is pumping trillions of public dollars into private banking concerns. 

Geez, I wish I could get that kind of support to replenish my meager bank account after a four-day marathon of booze and bad judgement at my favorite Las Vegas casino! Hell, I have difficulty making $500 last a few hours at a Blackjack table and I seem to posess a better grasp of financial risks than some of these Captains of Finance. The difference is that I walk out of the casino broke and they get reimbursed for THEIR losses by a very generous casino management through other losers' money. I just don't get it.

The United Arab Emirates is not immune to the global financial slump. The news is that Dubai is practically bankrupt and has hat in hand toward it's wealthy, oil-rich brother Abu Dhabi. Real estate prices are dropping fast and a lot of the flippers are out of the market. Employment is flat and giant construction projects are on hold.  Oil back down to ~$40/bbl have the Gulf countries in a panic. However, the local U.A.E. banks are rather autonomous and disconnected from the world banking giants, so they are doing OK. That's where my money is.

If the news reports are true, then I think in my case it is better to be here in the Emirates for awhile than back in the States. I don't see my going back by choice in the next year as I would see myself umemployed for the foreseeable future, and as much as I hate to work, I still need food and beer money.

To anyone who saw Tom Hanks in "The Terminal", I feel the same way as his character in the movie. I left my country and since I have been gone, that country has gone through some horrible turmoil which doesn't make good sense for me return to right now. I kind of feel trapped in a way.