So that’s another week flown by, and what a week it was.
A few changes to the work schedule led me to have 5 days off with only one work day in between, which in hindsight was not very productive, but it gave me time to enjoy the city I am living in! The Euro cup has been keeping all the boys entertained, so we ladies have been enjoying spending our time shopping in Dubai. On Tuesday myself, Ali, and Juliane had a trip to the ‘Gold Souk’ which is a strip of shops selling some of the most beautiful gold jewellery, and the place had an interesting twist to it also. What looked like creepy men approaching us, turned out to be men selling some handbags and watches from inside apartments that have been transformed into shops. So we stumbled upon the ‘underground’ shops of Dubai, and I think we all ended up spending more than we had planned, but I can’t say I regret investing in a nice Mulberry purse for half of the original price! Other than practising our haggling skills, all of the Saltire’s based in Dubai went for a lovely Lebanese meal, accompanied by a belly dancer who provided some amazing entertainment for the evening! On top of all that, Craig and I have gone a bit shisha crazy, and managed to have 3 this week, so it’s safe to say we have had our fair share. Lastly for the social side of things, I am fortunate to have some family who live here in Dubai, and they kindly took me and Juliane out for a delicious Iranian meal, which of course is one of my favourite cuisines. Being Iranian definitely has its perks as I can fully enjoy the choice of foods, and unlike Juliane, I can spot the difference between the green beans and the chillies!
Although I said I have had a limited work week, I am pleased to say I did get to work at a Ladies Wedding. I have been to a few family weddings of this kind before, but the style did slightly differ from Iranian and Emirati so it was really interesting to watch. For those who don’t know; a lady’s wedding ultimately means no men are allowed, and in the Middle East this rule is not taken lightly. It is a time where all the women from both the bride and grooms families come together to celebrate the wedding, and the only male appearance allowed is the groom. He generally arrives 4 hours after everyone else, so compared to a British wedding, the culture is entirely different. I won’t go into all the details of the wedding, but if you are interested in knowing more, then please let me know. The bride looked beautiful and the food and music were both lovely to see and hear.
Other news from this week is that I have just completed day 1 of my First Aid Training course. A few weeks back I noticed the schedule in the HR department of the Grand Hyatt was advertising the training and I tried my luck to get enrolled. I thought I was unsuccessful until today I was rushed into the training room to take part in the first aid program. It has been very informative and I really enjoyed the first day. It is a qualification I have been trying to gain for a few years now so I’m grateful the Grand Hyatt has let me do it through their company.
So to round up my blog, a few facts to be aware of whenever visiting Dubai;
1. The water may look jellyfish free, but they turn up out of nowhere and they are the same colour as the sea water! I learned this the hard way, but luckily my paranoia got me out of the way quick enough!
2. Don’t leave the air con on during the summer months for too long, as you may end up with a leaking ceiling and a hallway that you can swim through. No more detail needed.
3. Finally, soak up the local Emirati culture, you will not see it anywhere else, the food, music and people have so much to offer!
That’s it for this week, I hope you enjoyed my blog and look forward to sharing the next one!