The Big Gamble

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For me, finding a good tailor is the same as finding a good hair stylist. It isn’t easy and it usually is not a bargain. However, if you find the right one then it’s worth every penny. I discovered a tailor here in Satwa, Coventry Tailoring.  Without having anything made by this shop before, I left it all by the sewing machine and hoped for the best.  I had ten pieces made. Some were ‘same, sames’ (just a copy of something I already own) but the rest were from photos and a bit of my imagination.  For me, this is like putting it…

(Not a) Dubai Enthusiast

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I am not a Dubai enthusiast. Part of the reason is the cost of living here. It is really expensive. The other reason is that everything is so spread out; one really needs a car. The metro is safe and clean but it’s time consuming and doesn’t go a ton of places at the moment (expansions are happening, just not right now). Plus it’s really hot here. I know, it’s Dubai. But, it’s really hot here! I realize that there are people out there who are going to disagree with me as they think Dubai is the bee’s knees, and…

My Happy Place

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I found my happy place. My friend told me about the Antique Museum in the Al Quoz district. So this morning I went and found a warehouse full of handicrafts from something like 27 different countries. Sri Lanka, Morocco, India, Vietnam, Tibet, Syria… just to name a few. It was remarkable and for me, complete heaven. I loved discovering something from different cultures on the various shelves, all packed together, waiting to be unearthed. One of the highlights was discovering the drawer knobs/handles that I had first found in India. Even the gentleman that was helping me said these were only from India,…

Glamorous

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Dubai is glamorous. I am just going to start with this. Last week, I attended an opening of a photo exhibition which turned out to be several exhibition openings. The art was great but the people watching was so much better! Let’s just say there is no shortage of plastic surgeons in Dubai (#nojudgement). Again, some of the women look so glamorous but it just seems like a full time job to look that put together. #cannotallbeaschicasme. But I digress. I also took a weekend ceramics workshop. I know, do we really need another homemade clay bowl in the world?…

#neverbeencool

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I find myself talking about Istanbul lately. When I first visited the city on the Bosphorus, I knew within the first millisecond that it was the place I wanted to live.  In my head I know I made the right decision to leave, my heart knows it too. But for four years, that was my home where both my head and heart were smiling. In Dubai, I still feel too new to make a decision one way or another. There are many elements that I truly enjoy. For instance, everything is incredibly convenient here. Incredibly. Also, there is a TON…

Welcome to Dubai

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As my second week here in Dubai comes to a close, the two words that come to mind are #uncomfortable and #dazzled. Let me explain. #uncomfortable because my apartment does not feel like home yet. I can be a bit of a homebody as I love to recharge my batteries in the quiet and calm of my own space. However, it’s just not there, which I know is normal at this point in the journey, but still… #uncomfortable. #dazzled because I went out for the first time last night in what I consider downtown and saw the cityscape with the…

Emerald City Awaits

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It is somewhat traumatic to start a new life in a new to a place, even with all of the creature comforts that I am afforded with my job. For me, the first week is the worst with many tears and unanswered frustrations. And it’s just lonely. Everyone and everything that you are familiar with is very, very far away. It’s rough. But then slowly, something starts to happen and stuff become a tad less frustrating and little by little, things become more familiar and more manageable. For instance, all I am going to say about my new apartment is…