My First Abaya

I have officially been in Abu Dhabi going on two months now. The environment is so calm and relaxing that it actually feels like 6 months. My family and I are slowly adapting more and more to the Emirate culture and learning to appreciate their customs.

Beautiful women are dressed in Abaya's everywhere you go here. The standard uniform appears to be an Abaya and a nice handbag (YSL or Chanel). I mentioned to my husband one day that I would like to get one.  So he took me to Madinat Zayed Shopping Center to look for fabric for my Abaya. 

We found this nice little shop in the center of the mall that displayed some unique fabric. I wanted to stick with a traditional black Abaya but with a unique pattern. I decided on this black and white design with a soft texture. I felt the pattern was simple enough to fit in with the traditional attire, but with a little personality. 

The fabric was not expensive. For 4 yards we paid 120 dirhams, which is only $32 US. Initially we were told we had to travel to a separate location to get the Abaya made, however after my husband became friendly with the shop that customized his Kandura they told us about a shop located in the mall. After walking in I felt a little overwhelmed because the Abaya's had many styles and I was not sure about the one I wanted. I decided on a closed Abaya with wide sleeves and a matching headpiece. 

Speaking of culture, it was funny because as the tailor was measuring me he began to ask Marshall if the length was okay rather than me. I understand that in their culture wives are sometimes seen and not heard. A piece of me wanted to say hello…you can talk to me, but as you continue to live here you learn to respect their way of doing things. As long as it doesn’t kill, hurt, or disrespect my family I am okay with it. 

The cost to make the Abaya was also reasonable priced at 85 dirhams but without the headpiece it was only 50 dirhams. For a tailor-made Abaya + fabric it only cost 205 dirhams, which is $56 US. After waiting 3 days it was finally complete; my first Abaya. 

I truly love it and cannot wait to wear it. I plan to get more designs made in the future and when I start to work I would like to make them my standard uniform. All I need now is the YSL or Chanel bag to complete my look (wink..wink). My husband has already immersed himself in the Kandura culture (checkout his Facebook page).  

Momma We Made It!

On September 10th, Madisyn and I began our journal to Abu Dhabi to join the hubby. Initially my anxieties about making the trip were traveling alone with a 7-month-old baby diva and packing our lives into 4 duffle bags. However, all in all everything worked our perfectly and was well worth the hassle because, now it feels like Madisyn and I are living on a luxurious resort overlooking a beautiful skyline every single day. 

I am going to walk you through my process of this magical journey with Miss Madisyn Renee. My mom, aunt and a family friend drove us to New Orleans to see us off early that morning. I knew my emotions would eventually get the best of me, I just didn’t know when. It wasn’t until I approached the ticket counter for our boarding passes that I looked at my mom and just started to cry. At that moment all the preparations became a reality. 

The check-in process was smooth, however they asked me a bunch of questions in regards to obtaining a VISA. Even after I told them my husband is working there and his company is sponsoring us, they still continued to interrogate me.  But after that  process we were all set to go.   

I was excited to learn I would have get my stroller back in NYC (after being told I would get in Abu Dhabi) and thank God, because I needed it. The flight from New Orleans to New York City was great, no complaints. Upon arriving in NYC, I received my stroller and Madisyn and I were off to catch our next flight. My husband warned me that it would be a slight hassle getting to the international side of the airport. I should listen to him more often, because it felt like we walked a solid 2 miles to the international security checkpoint. Once there we only had 30min before the flight began to board. The line was long, Madisyn was going into Maddy Meltdown Mode, and I was starving. The line was moving pretty steadily until it was our turn. TSA informed me my stroller had to be inspected by someone else and I had to wait. I waited….waited….and waited until it was 30min before the flight departed. I became impatient and vented my frustration only to be told they were short staffed and to pretty much just wait. Ten minutes later someone finally checked the stroller and I still had a ways to go to my gate. I really began to panic when I heard last call for Abu Dhabi. I was determined to make this flight! Finally…we get to the gate only to be informed we needed another boarding pass and to see the ticket agent. Could anything else slow us down?  As were one of the last ones to be seated on the flight, Madisyn decides she had to use the #2. That meant getting up and passing over someone to take her into the restroom. At this point I used the honor system and left my bags, because the space was extremely tight and I was already hot and bothered. When we settled in I realized my cellular phone did not have a signal, so I couldn’t inform my husband or mother we made the flight. 

Off we go on a 13-hour adventure. I figured Madisyn would sleep a good 7-8 hours on the flight. Man was I wrong. She only slept 2 hours the entire trip. She was up playing, talking and knocking everything over. Initially when a young lady next to me with a son one day older than Madisyn offered to hold her, I was apprehensive. But after 5 hours of non-stop bouncing around in a tight space I took the offer. Her mother traveled with her so she was able to get a break from her son and understood the struggle of traveling with an active infant. This break allowed me to get my laptop and Facebook Marshall and my family to inform them we were okay. 

All in all the flight was wonderful, the food was fulfilling and no turbulence. The flight attendants were superb. One attendant even sat with me to hold Madisyn for about 20 minutes to give me a break.  

After we landed, all I could say was Thank You God!!! We Made It! Upon arrival my husband purchased me a VIP concierge service to transport us through the Passport check-in and to baggage claim. It was easy to get transported around but the individual assigned to me was little lazy. She would not help with my bags, told me I didn’t have time to use the restroom after a 13-hour flight, and stopped to chat with everyone she knew. At baggage claim the first 3 bags and Madisyn’s stroller came pretty fast, but it was too good to be true. We waited for 45min and still no bag. So off to the lost baggage station we go to file a claim. The process was easy and they were very efficient. My bag arrived the next day. 

After it was all said and done walking to the transportation area and seeing my husband made it all worth it. Needless to say Madisyn was knocked out in the cab ride home.

Traveling from the known to the unknown can be frightening, but knowing God promises that he will never leave nor forsake us will always be my guide for anything I approach in  life.

“God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” 1 Cor. 1:9 AMP

24 Hours to Paradise

Wow I cannot believe the time has finally arrived for Madisyn and I to depart on this excursion. It seems like yesterday we received the news and now everything is slowly turning into a reality. This last week has been a little overwhelming, but for the most part relaxing. I made a list based on recommendations on what I needed to bring outside of clothes and electronics. The list included:

1) Your favorite soap
2) Shampoo and Conditioner (I heard these items are difficult to find)
3) Make-up
4) Facial cleanse products
5) Medication for Marshall and Madisyn (I was informed that although they have traditional medications, it is a lower dosage from what we are accustomed to).

For the most part Maddy and I are packed and ready to rock and roll. Between us two, we have 4 large duffel bags to check-in. For convenience I paid in advance for the additional luggage, which actually saved us $35 (Etihad Airways). My carry-on luggage will only be my baby's backpack and an Ogio Brooklyn Shoulder Bag. Since this will be my first time traveling with my baby, I want to make the journey easy.

Today I visited our local AAA office to purchase travel insurance for our flight. I recommend this service because it covers your flight in the event an emergency occurs, medical expenses, missing or damaged luggage, and if your flight is delayed more then 6 hours they will cover food and lodging expenses. It's actually pretty cheap costing only $46 (amount based on your flight cost and age). 

My husband walked me through the process of downloading Astrill to my MacBook and iPad. It provides privacy protection and allows you to access the Internet without geo-restrictions.https://www.astrill.com/index.php

As the time nears, I am getting emotional about leaving my family. I am such a mother's baby (and proud of it)! I do thank God that I was given the opportunity to spend the entire summer with family and friends, before departing. I know it will be bittersweet when my mom takes us to the airport, but my saving grace is knowing that my family will not hesitate to hop on a flight to visit me. 

Tomorrow, I plan to spend the day relaxing and enjoying my last 24 hours in Alabama.

Spouses of ADEC

Ephesian 5:21

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Being the spouse of an ADEC expat can be a perplexing process. They continue to thrive in a field they adore, and we are asked to leave behind our careers to join the journey. When my husband and I first fell in love he made the following statement, “Don’t worry about anything, I got you!” There was something about his particular tone and his eyes that allowed my wall to slowly come down and to wholeheartedly believe him. That being said 12 hours after giving birth to our daughter he received the email to travel to New York the following week for his final interview. Whoa…wait one second, I just delivered a baby! I had to remind myself that throughout our lives I knew my husband made every decision for our family through the wisdom of God, thus there was no need to stress.

After receiving the awesome news to prepare for an adventure in Abu Dhabi we were bursting with excitement. Then the reality of the move hit home. What about my career in Atlanta? Will I find my dream job in Abu Dhabi? How will I find this job without any networking connections in Abu Dhabi? While I enjoy being a stay at home mom in the interim, my desire is to focus on elevating my career in business.

After some time reflecting, I decided to utilize the faith I have in my husband and his ADEC opportunity as a stepping-stone for my career. This opportunity should allow the spouses to not only focus on obtaining a job, but rather to make their dreams a reality. Whether starting a business, working in corporate, or balancing both is completely up to you. Whatever vision God has displayed upon you can be achieved anywhere.

“Dream so often and so clearly it becomes a vision. Once you make it a vision, you start to see it. Once you see it-there’s only one way to make it a reality. You go get it"-Steve Harvey

Below are some resources I've researched to assist me as I embark on my professional introduction into Abu Dhabi.

Professional Development:

1. theMuse: The ultimate career finder and guidance destination. Any questions about creating or revising your resume and cover letter can be found here. It also provides great advice on interviewing and job searches. www.themuse.com

2. Coursera: An education platform that partners with top universities and organizations worldwide, to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. You can also earn verified certificates to enhance your resume. https://www.coursera.org/

Facebook Groups:

1. Abu Dhabi Women’s Group: A great group to socialize and network about the ins/outs of Abu Dhabi. Anything from referred physicians, restaurants, and activities can be found here.

2. California-Abu Dhabi Connections: They meet for coffee and plan family activities. Their purpose is to build friendships and support one another.

3. Real Housewives of Abu Dhabi: A community of single or married women comprised of mothers, entrepreneurs & professionals.

Networking Groups

1. American Women Network of Abu Dhabi: An informal group of American women living and working in Abu Dhabi. They offer coffee meet-ups and other social activities. http://www.awnabudhabi.com/

Membership is free

2. ExpatWomen.com: A platform that offers support to women and families taking on new expat challenges. They provide information on family life, food, entertainment, education, shopping, where to live, jobs, health and sightseeing in Abu Dhabi. http://www.expatwoman.com/

I hope these resources are instrumental in making your professional transition less stressful.