It seems just the other day that I was heading out to start my internship as so many of the other interns are at the moment and then I realise that I am only one day away from finishing my 5^th week at work! 

Where the time has gone I don’t know but it makes me as determined as ever to get the most out of work & Dubai as I can.  The tasks assigned to me by the commercial department this week have been particularly challenging which is very rewarding once they are completed and sent off to the client for their inspection and decision.  Some of the tasks I have been assigned with have included firming up the costs for variations totalling the equivalent of forty thousand pounds and so if (as expected) they are accepted I shall in a small part be responsible for earning the company that money, never mind the poor guys toiling in 40+ degrees of heat actually constructing these things!

Also on the work side of things I received an e-mail from a director at Stace, who are a consultant company in the construction industry, congratulating me on winning the prize for best 3^rd year quantity surveying student at Heriot-Watt, which they sponsor.  This was an unexpected bonus and the CV has certainly gone up a few levels over the last five weeks and the cash prize will help fund a few nights out, back in Edinburgh before the hard work of fourth year starts. The Stace director also said to keep in touch over the next 12 months regarding graduate positions next year so it’s not all doom and gloom in the work place, you just have to put in the work and get a bit lucky along the way I guess.

On the social side of things I was given an introduction to the nightlife of Dubai last Thursday as it was the Contract Managers birthday so we all headed out for what ended up being a very long and most enjoyable evening/morning.  It is certainly more of a novelty when you work so hard through the week with no drinking and then get to enjoy your weekend.  As the bars and clubs are spread around the city we taxied it between places and had some good taxi banter during the journeys as the drivers invariably have no idea where they are going and you have to guide them every turn of the way!  Often this is because they are new to Dubai or haven’t yet been to newly constructed areas that are springing up all the time. 

I have also now visited the Dubai Mall which can only be described as a city within a city;  imagine 1200 shops, an Olympic sized ice rink, one of the worlds biggest aquariums, cinema, supermarkets, food courts and coffee shops connected by literally miles of corridor and decorated with fountains and sculptures all over and you may get an idea of what it is like.  There is one circular open plan area with all the excusive shops such as Gucci, Hugo Boss, and Armani etc and there was even a woman in a ball gown playing a grand piano!  I kind of felt out of place in my t-shirt, shorts and trainers although there were a few other tourists who had clearly got lost and stumbled into this are along with me.  Just outside this area is the site of the Burj Tower (world’s tallest building), and I couldn’t event get the whole building in a photo because it is so tall.  Dubai does seem to like doing things bigger and better than the rest of the world, however, it’s not all good as I did read today that Dubai has the worst environmental impact per capita in the world, worse than even the USA, the traditional bad boy on environmental issues.

Off for a swim and some dinner now, keeping it quiet and relatively healthy until Friday as Tony from work has reserved a table for Friday brunch and I’ve heard this one takes some doing and I don’t want to let the team down, there will be lashings of food and drink on tap, all of which will need sampling, it’s rude not too try it all isn’t it?