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).  

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.