a week in progress!

First full week on the job and things are going really well! I'm sure I may be a bit bright-eyed considering it's still early, but I definitely feel more integrated into my role with the company and have a better understanding of what I'm going to be doing. Considering the busy week and the delay on getting our cars, we have been coming home every night and rationing the bottles of rum and vodka that Sarah brought for us from duty free or watching DVDs that I brought from home. We have a meager selection since I was concerned about excess weight on the plane, but I think we've got a good list to keep us occupied for now.
I have packed some fun into the last few days. We took a cab to the Madinat Jumeirah, where Alex and I ventured during my first few days here. The place is peppered with shops and clubs, so we enjoyed some shisa under the stars, ordered a glass of avocado juice (it's delicious!), and took in some views of the tourists and neon-lit Burj Al Arab just across the beach. We met up with Faisal at JamBase, and danced amongst other jovial ex-pats to jazzy hip hop and covers to the latest pop songs.


After a late morning of snoozing, we made our way to the Dubai Souk in Bur Dubai, which is a predominantly Indian/Pakistani neighborhood. We passed up and down quiet alleys that lingered with the smell of Diwali-inspired incense, adorned with bright bugamvilia and marigold wreaths. A few photo opps later and we found ourselves amongst a crowd of Indian, Sri-Lankan, and Bangladeshi male ex-pats awaiting the abras located on the Dubai creek. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the testosterone, we opted to head back to the market and browse tshirts and gifts before making our way back home.
The debate over the evening's plans came to a quick halt after a friendly invitation from Abu Baker (pronounced: AH-boo BEHkur) and his cousins to join them on a desert picnic not too far from our house. We weren't sure what to bring, so we made a salad and ventured out in AB's 4 wheel drive FJ Cruiser to the dunes. Along the way we passed scores of dirt bikes and 4 wheelers revving up to tackle the dark, soft hills that seemed to stretch beyond the night sky. I was amazed at the number of families parked deep into the desert, but they were everywhere. It was a miracle they didn't all get stuck in the sand as we did... for several hours with the help of friendly passers-by who joined in to push us out. Regardless of car-troubles, it was quite an experience. The sand was cold and smooth under our feet and we built a fire on top of a dune that propped us up high enough to look over our neighbors. The stars were brilliant and in the distance we could hear the sound of traditional emirate drum beats and Arabic singing. Our dinner of somewhat sandy and overcooked chicken and beef hot dogs could not have been more delicious after the evening's car problems and the company was wonderful. The ride was a bit bumpy since Abu Baker is a wild driver, but his wild side may be the reason we were able to leave the desert in the first place, so that's something to be thankful for!

I took some more pictures which you can check out here. Our Saturday is worth sharing, but I've actually got work to do! More to come..

Oh yeah, we stumbled upon this family touring the Bur Dubai on Friday. For parents who complain about the way kids behave in America, be careful with your words or you may end up like this lady.