M and K in [the] UAE

Hibernation...

2009-08-31T11:16:00.001+04:00

Well for awhile anyway...
Shall return at some point and some time :)

Tulsa, OK

2009-07-22T06:47:00.004+04:00

Well someone seems to be taking far less photos than last year, so nothing to upload to represent our arrival in OK this year... maybe we are already taking the great American road-trip for granted. Nice to back in OK and not as sticky hot as last year - ah, but of course New Orleans is still to come! I love shoping in the US - it is sort of like going to Dubai from Al Ain to shop but multiply it by 100! It is nice to see things that you forget you like seeing when you are not seeing them, but then... well you know what I mean!

Springfield, MO

2009-07-21T20:26:00.002+04:00

Well not quite - actually Merrimac Caverns off Route 66!

But Springfield, MO is our stop for the night - home to many things I am sure but just a short stop on the way through to Tulsa for us. Springfield is home to THE Bass Pro Shop! Ok, I know that doesn't sound much to anyone but while not a hunter, fisher, boater, or anyone who would normally be impressed by an "outdoorsy" store, I was impressed by this one and if you are ever passing through Springfield stick your head in and have a look around - it is HUGE! Nearly got me an urge to get a gun and hunt cute furry things (don't worry - that passed quickly).

St Louis, MO

2009-07-20T20:37:00.002+04:00

Crossing the Mississippi again - two more times to go! This year is definitely a bit zigzaggy and joining stops together rather than the relaxed road trip of last year. So we are in St Louis, unfortunately without enough time to do the place justice!

Chicago, IL

2009-07-16T20:24:00.002+04:00

Maybe a new favorite city? Clean, friendly, great buildings, and lots to see and do... Chicago is impressive. I am sure there are parts of the city that aren't the best, but it is a nice place to be in summer... but must be freezing in winter!

Sears - Willis Tower SkyDeck

2009-07-15T06:06:00.004+04:00

5 feet 100+ stories above Chicago streets - kinda cool if you ask me.

It was called Sears Tower when we arrived and will be Willis Tower when we leave... if it wasn't so busy we would have gone twice - still worth the hour wait to get to the top though!

Hello Chicago!

2009-07-13T23:17:00.002+04:00

Well this is a place I never thought I would get to see, but I guess that is how things go. Normally one big city feels like every other big city, but driving into Chicago seeing the Sears and Hancock towers lets you know you are heading into somewhere special.

It's a walking city for those that love walking around cities - it's a walking city for those that aren't used to walking as well which means after a week of this there are going to be some very sore feet and legs! Cool place though and looking forward to exploring (too bad a locked myself into a conference for 1/2 the time we're here though).

Madison, WI

2009-07-12T18:17:00.002+04:00

On the road again... etc. Doesn't seem like a year ago we were traveling around the American countryside. Madison is a nice college town (even with drunk college students in the middle of summer - probably why they are doing summer school in the first place), and one claim to fame is home to Otis Redding's plane crash - as well as UW-Madison. Nice town!

Feels like another summer holiday!

2009-07-02T16:22:00.000+04:00

So here we are once again. Having a peaceful and relaxing break in Minnesota before heading off on yet another overly ambitious US road trip... I'm sure I said something at the end of the summer last year that I didn't want to try to fit so much into such a short space of time but looks like I've gone back on my word - 16 states & over 5000 miles. Still got to love this expat escape!

'tis a wee bit warm!

2009-05-29T08:05:00.002+04:00

So we are kind of used to it by now, but it has been getting hot for this early in the year. The Gulf News says it is a record, but I am thinking it's all ok... hasn't even reached 50 yet!!!

Another day... another conference/forum/meeting/discussion...

2009-05-28T20:08:00.002+04:00

Today it was off to ADMC for the Mobile Learning Forum 2009. I really don't have much to say about it at all apart from I am sure it will lead someone in some direction in some timeframe. I just have horrible visions of us as educators trying to cut through the clutter to engage students via their phones!

The Hottest Place on Earth?

2009-02-06T11:56:00.002+04:00

Crazy weather in Australia at the moment! But why does there need to be a "my heat is better than your heat" thing going on? Hottest place on Earth? Maybe, but helps a little when most of the world's land mass is in winter!

Try 40+ for months on end... not days!

Bawadi Mall - Al Ain

2009-02-06T10:33:00.003+04:00

Quite some time ago I posted about some of the ongoing developments in Al Ain. This is one that didn’t make the list then as I didn't know about it at that stage; and, until Sunday I still didn’t know existed. Admittedly this is down one of the roads in Al Ain they you don’t go down unless there is a specific reason, but at the same time is only a couple of minutes from home.

So with little to no fanfare, Bawadi Mall opened to the public last week. Only Carrefour is opened thus far, but this place is going to be rather large in comparison with what we have currently here. Could have sworn last time we were down this road there was nothing there at all; but maybe we didn't go down this far or something (or, maybe it did really go up overnight). Seems with the list of stores there will be less need for trips to Dubai for those things that you can’t get here soon.

Time for a Change!

2009-01-29T11:48:00.003+04:00

Templates, Templates, Templates.
Is it time to change?
Yes, it is time to change.

[and I know what looks like a New England harbour background has nothing to do with the UAE but it will do for a little while]

Fish Balls To You Too!

2009-01-29T08:44:00.005+04:00

Here is another story that caught my attention on news.com.au this morning. Sometimes you just have to say:

Serves yourself right then don't it!

"SEVEN Japanese have fallen ill with one in a critical condition ...
[t]he group ate raw meat and baked testes of blowfish..."

I mean seriously...

Does not knowing make an answer no longer incorrect?

2009-01-29T08:18:00.008+04:00

According to a survey about Australia Day on news.com.au "less than half those surveyed could correctly name January 26 as the day the First Fleet landed".

Ok fair enough I say considering how few Australians are actually what Australians would consider Australian. It is sort of a weird date to celebrate since really it is just a bunch of people turning up to a piece of land that was already discovered and inhabited. It would be over 100 years until it would become a country as such anyway, but it is the National Day and everyone needs one of those.

The bit about the report that made me think was this:
"In all, more than 40 per cent of those surveyed got the answer wrong.
A more honest response came from the 16 per cent of respondents who admitted they did not know what the date represented."

Does not knowing something mean you didn't get an answer incorrect? Technically this is true, but is written rather poorly as it is claiming 40% were not being 100% honest somehow. Does giving the wrong answer make one less than honest? Obviously nothing much is said about the survey itself, but if you have 16% admitting "they did not know what the date represented" makes it sound as if they were the ones who were not even willing to take a guess. This sounds a little unAustralian to me; they weren't even willing to 'av-ago (ya mug)!

The most relevant part of the story is in the first sentence which states: "CONTROVERSY may be raging over whether Australia Day should be moved to a new date, but a poll shows most people don't know what it commemorates anyway." I don't think 56 % qualifies as "most".

Journalism is not what it used to be; I believe it has been said ignorance is not an excuse!

... and on the subject of ignorance, have a look at this story I'm not racist, says 'f*** off' teen... "16-year-old Sharon from Cherrybrook said she was not being racist or aiming at "anyone especially in Australia"". Um, ok then... this time it is our own human ignorance that makes us interpret this phrase as being racist and closed/simple minded... and BTW Australia is far from full!

Happy Australia Day!

2009-01-26T21:07:00.001+04:00

(photo courtesy of http://picasaweb.google.com/annettepeterli/AbuDhabiCamelRacesAtSweihanAbuDhabi#5126037862441535954)

(photo courtesy of http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1467957930079296632HlzjZd)

(photo courtesy of http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5037131-5007150-9,00.html)

You have to be sh@#ting me!

2009-01-25T21:53:00.004+04:00

Good story for the Australia Day weekend!

A man fired for 'un-Australian toilet habits'

Although this is disturbing, I don't have the same level of reaction I should as this happened near to where I spent my teenage years. Doesn't surprise me; some places never change.

Snow in Ras Al Khaimah

2009-01-25T10:45:00.002+04:00

Although I know this isn't the first time, it is the first time since we moved to the UAE. Unfortunately it is in the northern part of the country otherwise would have been nice to go and stand on some Emirati snow! It was pretty cold over the weekend but obviously not as cold as up in RAK. Before we know it winter and the rains will be all over and done with and the hot days will return.

Another Semester Over!

2009-01-20T10:32:00.002+04:00

Well the posting has got lost in translation or some such thing... I have been a little lazy on this front and have A LOT of catching up to do (didn't even get around to finishing the summer holiday posts). Ah... the joys of back-dating!

It has been a strange semester, and everytime we seemed to be getting on a roll another holiday would appear. Now this isn't a bad thing, but just made for 20 weeks where I never seemed to make it out of 2nd gear in terms of getting ahead with anything. I don't know if that makes much sense... but it does to me. 20 weeks with Ramadan, Eid, National Day/s, Eid, Christmas & both the New Years... plus another visit by mum-in-law, and really time has just flown by so quickly.

But another semester with some great students, at times meeting expectations and at other times doing far better than expected... looking forward to semester 2 where we can continue with and build on what we have done so far this academic year (and make up as many of the holes as we can in 18 weeks)!

Before we know it, it will be summer holidays again!

Toy Cars and Swimming Aliens

2009-01-01T22:52:00.002+04:00

Well it is a new year, so best place to start is with...

(I must be bored....)

That time again...

2008-12-20T10:24:00.005+04:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and no matter where you go in the world or what the predominant religion, you still cannot escape Xmas commercialism and the related decorations... although I don't quite understand why the trees and gift boxes are hanging near the ceiling!

East Coast

2008-12-11T10:37:00.000+04:00

Drove up to the East Coast for the day as the weather was beautiful, it's the holidays, and ma-in-law didn't really get to see much of the country last time she was here.

Worker Ants

2008-12-10T11:18:00.003+04:00

We were watching the workers at the base of Burj Dubai yesterday and couldn't help but thinking how they looked like a stream of worker ants going about what they needed to go about doing.

There seemed to be a lot of organisation to what from a distance looked like chaos. All of them were actually working in small groups that were taking care of one specfic small task.

It may be the tallest building in the world, and this lake between Burj and Dubai Mall looks huge! I wonder if these little ant-like guys in the yellow and blue overalls will be the ones to take the credit when it has it's grand opening...

Dubai Mall

2008-12-09T23:36:00.004+04:00

Well Dubai Mall is huge... (and far from complete)... and takes forever to walk around!

There are many shops still preparing to open and finishing touches are still being added. The aquarium is very impressive and it is nice to have an "underwater world" here... although some of the wild life (particularly the seals) in the discovery centre upstairs could do with bigger areas to swim and play (but definitely not the worse I have seen); but the otters seemed happy, cute and very ottery.

Of course out the back of the mall is Burj Dubai and a lake which still has a long way to go to be complete. One of the strange things is if you walk across a little bridge you end up in a completely different small souq-type mall which has some really nice things that realistically should be in the mega mall to provide a little more variety... but oh well... what would I know!

Holidays Again!?

2008-09-26T12:50:00.004+04:00

Not complaining at all! All schools, colleges and universities have been given a week off for Eid this year (well 9 days counting the two weekends) and it was even announced over a week before the break (we even have the dates for next Eid break already). Makes a change from a couple of days notice that's for sure.

So for the next week many expats (who have already paid off the summer vacation or have higher credit limits) are on their way to places far and wide once again. Many of us are just going to be relaxing and recharging the batteries at home. It's been a busy 6 weeks, and when we return Ramadan will be over so we can all find the time for some real work until the next break!

Ramadan Kareem

2008-09-01T21:15:00.001+04:00

Well our 3rd Ramadan begins... we're getting used to this now!

Ramdan Kareem to all!

Things to remind us of home!

2008-07-31T22:56:00.005+04:00

No matter where you go there is always something to remind you of home.

1. When we arrived in Boston we took the time to have a quick look through the gift shop which was staffed by a couple of Muslim women wearing head-scarfs. Yes it is true that 1/5 of the worlds population or there abouts follows Islam, but still something that reminded us of home even though we had just flown some silly number of kilometres in some silly amount of time as sardines!

2. There is an area in Tulsa which is rather trendy; a bit along the lines of Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. Across the road from one of the vintage clothing stores we visited was a Shisha Cafe complete with water pipes in the window.

3. Driving into Arizona at the entrance to one of the small towns (I think?!?) we passed a Mosque. Not just any Mosque of course, but a lovely green and white one very similar to one of the smaller ones between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. With the scenery in the background of the photo it really could be somewhere along the East Coast of the UAE... now if only the Azan was going as we had driven passed we would have been entering something even more surreal.

Even here in the USA there are moments where the Arabian desert doesn't feel too far away at all!

(no so big) McDonald's and Single Arches

2008-07-24T22:58:00.004+04:00

In our journey's around this tiny little part of Oklahoma we have come across two bits of McDonald's history.

One is what was the "biggest McDonald's in America" which really isn't that big at all. Well the building is big as it spans the Interstate, but the McDonald's "restaurant" inside really isn't very big at all. That being said... we went, we ate, we bought the fridge magnet! The gift shop was much bigger than the McDonald's.

The other thing we have seen are the old single arches and the little running hamburger guy. Unfortunately I don't think we have a picture of the old running burger man, but out the side of one of the older McDonald's there was a single arch (although not as impressive as the "golden arches" out the front). I don't know much about McDonald's history, but I must say the older the looking the McDonald's was, the more interesting it looked. All the newer ones look exactly the same... and... who counts the hamburgers anyway?

I want to be an architect!

2008-07-24T12:13:00.008+04:00

... well it is true.

I think architecture in some form is what I have always wanted to do. For some reason my younger life was full of dreams of becoming a musician (as with so many rebel-without-a-clue teens), but if I had followed my original path it would have taken me to university to study architecture. Instead another path was taken... a very long path with lots of side roads. Some how it ended with me becoming a marketing lecturer and then a business teacher in the Arabian desert. I even tried at one point to move the path back to architecture, but was informed that it was probably too late and the chances of success were slim. Maybe before I retire I may design a home... that would be fun!

Anyway, while in Oklahoma I did get the chance to see a couple of Frank Lloyd Wright designs which I have always been partial to. With the aid of the now trusty old Garmin, we took a detour around suburban Tulsa and had the chance to see the "Richard Lloyd Jones Residence" which is a pretty impressive looking home. The fact that this type of house was from the 1920's & 30's always amazes me.

We also went for a day trip up to Bartlesville and had a walk around the Price Tower. Would have been nice to have a look inside and maybe stay the night, but was not to be. I have noticed many of the places we have been (or would have liked to go) are not very child friendly, which is a shame because the ability to let a child see inside beautiful buildings may just be the spark that remains with them forever.

Thinking back of why I like the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright I have these faded childhood memories of either a dental clinic or doctors surgery in Masterton. There is something in those memories that tell me either the interior or aspects of the external design were inspired by designs similar to these... then again I am probably wrong.

Next trip we will combine Thrift shops with Frank Lloyd Wright homes!

Tulsa Pow-Wow

2008-07-19T11:24:00.004+04:00

Headed into Tulsa today as the annual pow-wow was advertised on morning television. Something worth seeing... lots of very brightly coloured costumes and a LOT of feathers!

It made me smile as we arrived as one of the big indoor rodeos was on in the main hall of the convention centre. Cowboys in one door, Indians in another - yes I realise that should be "Native Americans" or their tribal name, but you get the idea!

This is probably going to sound strange but the one thing that struck me the most was the similarities between the Native American's dance and drum rythyms and that of the Gulf Arabs... actually even smilarities between Australian Aboriginal dance! Three very diverse and distinct cultures seperated in distance by one third of the world... yet at the same time there was something familiar about what they were doing.

Wouldn't it be nice if Abu Dhabi or Dubai could hold a "native cultures" event. It is important in these times of moderisation that traditions are held on to in what ever form they may take. Just imagine if "Global Village" wasn't just about shopping and was really about experiencing the diversity and simlarities in cultures that represent the people of the world.

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-07-18T22:12:00.002+04:00

Well... 40 today... in Oklahoma. Who would have thought!

Five States In A Day

2008-07-17T23:00:00.000+04:00

A long day it was too!

Leaving Minnesota, driving across Iowa, through Missouri then through Kansas City… down through Kansas into Oklahoma to Owasso on the northern outskirts of Tulsa. Farmland into rolling hills, back through the plains… tornado country. Really a pretty non-eventful trip and really our only destination to destination drive for part 2 of our holiday.

Thank you people of Iowa! I wonder if all of them will welcome us.

We love Airstreams... maybe next time!

... yet another State line!

Crossing the Missouri river... This time we really are in Kansas

This really is a big country!

Bye Minnesota!

2008-07-16T20:30:00.004+04:00

After 3 weeks this is our last day in Hartland and we have already had such a great holiday. The weather, both hot and cold, sunny and stormy, the windy days and fresh air... the hospitality, conversations and laughs... fireflies, fireworks, fires... and the furry friends; it has been all too short.

At the same time it will good to get out from under your feet and let your lives return to normal; but, watch out, we might all just do it again soon!

Thanks for everything!

Across the Mississippi

2008-07-15T20:12:00.004+04:00

GPS plugged in... punch in Red Wing and shortest distance... and head east!

Had a nice long drive through the countryside across the Mississippi into Wisconsin and back, via the odd thrift store and anything else of interest that appeared. There is so much to be said for driving the back roads; everyone seems in such a hurry to get from one destination to another to actually "enjoy" a holiday, it's nice to have the time to see what is inbetween the destinations. I guess that is what this trip is really all about after all.

After stopping at a few of the small towns we passed through, we came across what is said to be Minnesota's only remaining covered bridge in Zumbrota. Ok... so this isn't Madison county but still something worthy of note. I liked the sign above informing drivers that they may not drive faster than a walk from days gone by when the road still passed across the creek at this point.

Onto Red Wing (the home of boots) and the Mississippi ... oh and another Salvation Army Thrift store of course. K should make a coffee table book on "Op Shops I Have Known"! I'll make a companion book, "What I Saw Between The Thrift Stores".

After looking around Red Wing we crossed into Wisconsin (our 3rd state so far) just so we could say "we have crossed the Mississippi", then back again. Then off we headed along the river through Lake City and Wabasha, before heading back to our temporary "home".

We did stop at a park and have a little walk along the river bank. I was going to dip my toes in the river but thought better of it as the water didn't look very healthy. We did say hi to some Mississippi River ducks though.

All in all a worthy way to spend a day!

Rental Car

2008-07-14T08:12:00.004+04:00

We collected our rental car yesterday; apart from the flights this was most expensive part of our holiday! Well maybe equal to all the accommodation, but as a single cost it did seem a lot; especially after paying far less for rentals in the Middle East. Then again we have only ever rented small cars at home so the cost may be the same... really don't know about that one.

We were going to be travelling in a smaller Chevy SUV (I kind of liked the idea of doing the great American road trip in an American car), but I let myself be talked up to a bigger SUV at the rental counter based on interior size and fuel economy. Luckily I did as with our luggage and bits and pieces collected along the way it would have been a very tight squeeze in the Chevy; and, with the price of gas any saving would be a good thing. So for the next month a Toyota Highlander would be our mode of transport and a comfortable one it would be...

Harmony, MN

2008-07-11T20:06:00.006+04:00

Had a nice GPS directed back-roads drive down to Harmony today. It made a nice change to move out of the flat farmland plains into more rolling countryside, but it is all pretty countryside in it's own way...

The main reason for the drive was to visit the Amish community in that region of the state, but also just to take the time to see a little more of the area. We really have seen so little of Minnesota which is a shame but at the same time we already have had such a great break from routine.

When you think about it a little, it is strange in a way that we would take the time to visit somewhere because, for want of a better way to put it, there are people there who live a different lifestyle and dress away from the norm. At home we are surrounded by that all the time yet don't even give it a second thought anymore!

The one thing I can say is that the Amish have the best baked goods! I could of gorged myself on the cinnamon scrolls and donuts we discovered at an Amish homestead (if that is what they are called). Thinking about it the drive was worth it just for those alone. But we did browse around Harmony and pick up a few little bits and pieces at one of the Amish gift stores... I really didn't feel right about the whole "Tour the Amish Community" thing, so we didn't go as far as doing a bus tour. While I am sure they don't mind, they are not a side show attraction but rather just ordinary friendly people getting on with their lives... don't know about the no modern conveniences part though. But I do think Harmony is a good name for the town... was a very peaceful place.

Can I get a... "Witness"?

Mall of America

2008-07-10T22:02:00.005+04:00

There are a couple of things you notice after living somewhere like the UAE. Everything isn't better and bigger in the US anymore... they are actually bigger and shiny in Dubai! But at the same time there is something to be said for mega-malls that have more than clothes. Not saying Mall of the Emirates or (the soon to be open) Dubai Mall just have clothes, but they certainly don't have the scope and range of goods that the malls here have. We have really yet to see what happens with Dubai Mall and Mall of Arabia... while they might be nicer they could take note of the concept of having a wider range of goods!

Anyway with GPS help we travelled up to Mall of America because it is one of those things that had to be done. Maybe we are a bit mall'ed out because it just seemed like a mall to us. Not that it isn't a nice one, but the thrift, antique, and big box retailers seem a far more enjoyable experience.
Malls are malls and really not what the people nor the place is about at all... it is the small shops that have the most interesting things, but it would definitely be a nice place to head during the long cold winters to alleviate cabin fever and get some hard earned retail therapy!

GPS enabled!

2008-07-08T15:04:00.006+04:00

How did we survive before GPS' became available and affordable! There is something to be said for just sitting back and driving without having to worry about maps or getting lost. No need to even think about which turn to take or what direction to head... just punch something in and enjoy the drive... now for a car that drives itself!

I have decided that I like wind farms... don't know if it was just because I had never driven through one before, or because they break up the scenery. I remember someone at some point saying they were not a good thing because they were an eyesore... I think they were wrong.

It was off to Rochester, the city of the corn cob water tower today on the never ending hunt for K's vintage clothing. Finding thrift stores with a GPS is a much easier task and you end up seeing so much of everywhere you wouldn't normally see. Much more interesting than taking this "main road, turn right, follow the interstate, and..." so on. Garmin directed back roads, small towns, things to see along the way... a far better way to spend your day.

4th of July

2008-07-04T23:24:00.004+04:00

A parade, campfire, fireworks with family!

Those gun-toting Salvos... well they aren't in the building anymore are they!

It has to be Col Sanders... home delivery KFC anyone?!

One of many evenings spent watching fire and doing the outdoors thing!

Lets blow up some money!!! We should have gone across the border to get some BIG ONES!

Small town rural life...

2008-07-03T14:29:00.006+04:00

Hartland is very quiet... and small... but all these small little towns are so close together. Drive what seems 5 minutes either way and you hit another township. The rural countryside life is peaceful though. I don't know if I would want to be stuck out here during winter, but I suppose it is no different from being stuck inside during summer in the UAE.

One of the things that made me smile was watching the local police cruise up and down the main street. I don't actually know what he was looking or waiting for... maybe he heard there were strangers in town from the Middle East! Apart from us there really weren't too many around... it was a work day after all. So many of these towns have so much potential, but I guess there are only so many people to fill them up and keep them alive.
Everyone has barns of various sizes and for various purposes... we want one! Make a great little house... of course most are probably too old to turn into a home and survive the work invovled, but it would be fun to try.

I like the little old farm houses in the area. This was "home" for 3 weeks... over 100 years old, but no ghosts! Basements still creep me out though...

I just like this photo! A "what you looking at" moment.

No guns at Salvos?

2008-07-02T13:14:00.002+04:00

... just remember to leave your guns in your car before entering the Salvation Army building!

Sandy Six-Toes

2008-07-01T12:52:00.003+04:00

All kittens are cute... actually most baby animals are cute in their own way. But kittens with six toes are even cuter! "Sandy Six-Toes" as she has become known as, was rescued from a fate worse than death and is a special little kitty that has not only 6 toes on each paw (or hand or whatever you want to call them), but also seems to have her feet on back to front (right-left, left-right, you know what I mean).

Lucky it costs so much to get a cat from the USA to the UAE, or she would probably be a little Emirati cat by now!

Welcome to Minnesota!

2008-06-30T22:44:00.008+04:00

One thing about small town USA... (well, small town MN) is that it is what you expect. No huge glass building in the middle of town, no sand dunes or camels; just relatively quiet streets with friendly folk. Minnesota maybe full of lakes, but really small town MN seems to be for want of a better word... "pretty". But I really believe that only covers part of it... it also seems to be suffering a little. Maybe you get too used to seeing only a certain portion of the community in the UAE who may be low-paid but still seem happy and content with their lot in life. Or maybe because people in the UAE are far more content with their "temporary" lot in life...

I like small town Minnesota... I like Albert Lea... it is "pretty" and I suppose it really is so far removed from what we are used to that there isn't much about it not to like. It has "old stuff", it looks like something from all those US television shows and documentaries... there is something familiar yet foreign about it.

Another thing you notice is how big this place is. Not the towns so much, probably not even the state... but the country. It really is a big place and takes time to get everywhere... It is very different from spending a hour to drive across an entire country that's for sure. Should be used to it after spending so many years in Australia, but I guess it doesn't take long to forget to feeling of driving distances.

Anyway, no matter what anyone says, Southern Minnesota is a nice place to refresh the batteries, breathe in the air and pass the (cool) summer days away exploring!

Not in Kansas anymore... well not quite!

2008-06-27T22:09:00.004+04:00

I know I have used that line before during some blogging time and place... but this time it seems the right one to use. While not in Kansas, I think this part of Minnesota probably resembles to majority of the Mid-West plains... maybe not...

So we made it across the Atlantic in one piece... a little more stiff and sore than our last touch down, but still with sanity intact. Possibly because my expectations of North West were not exactly high, it really didn't seem like a bad flight at all. I was interested to see what going through customs would be like considering where our trip originated from. I think the biggest problem we had was understanding what the customs officer was saying in his, what sounded to me, thick Jersey accent. Even though we were the last to make it through immigration (and the airport seemed virtually deserted) we still had enough time to get outside and breathe in some Boston air.

Off to Minneapolis, over the Great Lakes... to be greeted by Sis and Bro-in-law. Rain, as in REAL rain... something we haven't seen for a long time! REAL green grass... not through irrigation. OK... so this ain't Kansas, but it sure isn't the Arabian desert either!

Friday Morning? Must be in Amsterdam!

2008-06-27T10:37:00.007+04:00

I like Abu Dhabi airport! It is always so easy to get through and while crowded and busy, it is never as bad as Dubai... the added bonus is it is so easy to get to from Al Ain (no traffic to fight with).

So last night we flew out of UAE for the first "real" holiday. KLM are ok, but the only problem is if you fly out of Abu Dhbai the flights stop in Bahrain. This makes the trip a bit longer than you really want. So while others sleep and snore away you end up not being very comfortable tossing and turning to the best of a sardines ability. I wonder what it is like to be able to afford 1st class!

So what was the first thing we did in Amsterdam? McDonalds' breakfast of course! Strange the priorities you develop when you have been living in the UAE!

Another important lesson learned (or should I say, freshed in my brain)... while it is nice to get to your destination as quickly as possible, the trip to the destination equally makes the holiday. Next year... stop overs!

Anyway, next stop Boston in the US of A!

Another Semester...

2008-06-20T07:35:00.003+04:00

Well it has been a while yet again! Funny how posts drop off at various times of the year. It isn't because there is nothing happening, nor is it really due to being too busy. Then again busy is relative and this semester has been a busy one, and very L...O...N...G...

But that's it; I'm done! Another year over and no need to think about work for another 8 weeks. K & A have one final week at school then we are out of here for a much deserved break from the sand and heat. The first time away from the Gulf in 2 years... our first time joining the exapts rats abandoning the sinking ship. Pick a direction or destination and there are people heading there...

For us it is the USA... It was to be France but with the high Euro at the moment those plans have changed... so family, friends and Route 66... here we come!

One Year Down

2008-04-08T12:42:00.000+04:00

Time goes by so quickly...

One year ago today we arrived in Al Ain for the first time!

Dubai Shamal

2008-02-02T08:25:00.000+04:00

We drove up to Dubai yesterday to see what we could see (as we seem to do on a regular basis)… and really we couldn’t see much at all! A Shamal had blown in over the country and it was pretty yuck! When you combine wind, dust/sand, and cold there really isn’t much else to do apart from head for Mall of the Emirates and stay inside! Being the time of the Dubai Shopping Festival there were lots of sales to look at and by mid-afternoon it was very busy (seemed most people were heading inside as well). We did go to see if Global Village (big international shopping village open over the winter months in Dubailand) was open on the way home but it had been closed due to the high winds and dust.

2008 Al Ain Aerobatics Show

2008-01-25T20:58:00.000+04:00

We went off to the Al Ain Aerobatics Show today (formally know as the Al Ain Air Show). We actually didn’t really know what to expect, but all in all it was well worth the trip (although we know for next year to take another layer of clothes as it was pretty cold in the grandstand towards the end of the day).

Obviously I have not kept up with the aerobatics fraternity since my youth, as one of the most surprising things was to see a helicopter doing loops and stalls (well as close as a helicopter can get to doing that sort of thing)! Scary! For the most part it was teams and individuals trying to outdo each other with lots of planes just doing things us normal folk believe planes really shouldn’t do.

The afternoon was ended with a thing called TinStix which we thought was “Ten Sticks of Dynamite”… as in they we going to blow up 10 sticks of the stuff because it would probably be impressive. The thought also crossed my mind that it may be put on by a Kiwi and they just translated 10 Stick how he said it… but it consisted of 2 planes flying past just before or after a number of HUGE explosions (shockwaves and all). Possibly it was to demonstrate what might have happened if any of the planes had hit the dunes during the day. Whatever the reason it was impressive.

K got some photos on the phone (for some reason we didn't take our camera)... next year - warmer clothes and camera!

Amer’s got some great photos on his blog someone in Al Ain and they give a much better idea of how close we actually were to the action.

Semester’s End

2008-01-24T20:46:00.000+04:00

Well semester 1 is finally over for me, and it has been a long long LONG semester! Don’t get me wrong though; there have been lots of short breaks, so 21 weeks really hasn’t been 21 weeks at all. It just seems every time you tried to get into a rhythm there is another holiday, and add in Ramadan; there were just too many disruptions. Students suffer and were really worn out… even more so the ones that lack motivation in the first place.

At the end of the day I still can’t work out whether an incredibly long semester with lots of breaks here is any more stressful than the old semesters at Griffith. Maybe I’ll leave any decision about that until the end of my first “normal” full semester. So a 2 week break then 19 weeks with only one long weekend (wonder why they don’t have mid-sem breaks!).

But it has been a good semester with some great students. I think they learned something valuable. Plus add to that we have travelled around most of the country, K’s mum came for a visit, and we continue to settle in to life here. So all’s well!

This is just strange!

2008-01-08T11:39:00.000+04:00

...should that be tall is good. I just thought this story was a strange one and why on earth didn't they come to college! Since I haven't got around to updating the posts I thought it was a good thing to share to let you know we are all well (albeit a little cold).

Burj Al Arab at Night

2008-01-03T09:06:00.000+04:00

We were in Dubai yesterday and as we were about to head on back to Al Ain from Ibn Battuta I realised we still hadn’t seen Burj Al Arab at nighttime. Was a beautiful night with lots of people seemingly doing the same thing we were. Rather impressive I must say… the one thing I have learnt though, I need to carry a tripod in the car! Next time I will make sure I can actually focus the camera fully!

We have promised ourselves that before year end we will go and spend a night there. Costs a fortune but I think it is just one of those experiences you have to have!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T11:43:00.000+04:00

... although we have another one next week! 2008? Time just keeps on speeding up as you get older.

Merry Christmas everyone

2007-12-25T07:50:00.000+04:00

Our second Christmas in the Gulf has arrived. For me it is work as usual, but I am sure K and A will have a nice relaxing day... hope everyone else that isn't working today has a nice day too!

Al Hamra Beach Resort & RAK

2007-12-22T09:30:00.003+04:00

After leaving Bab Al Shams we headed up to Ras Al Khaimah and Al Hamra Resort for 2 day stay; sort of like from desert to sea and back again. We really were a little disappointed by Ras Al Khaimah. For some reason our expectations were a little high as I have heard previously that RAK is one of the nicer smaller cities to locate yourself in the UAE. Realistically although the mountains are there, it really has nothing on Al Ain. But, it is going a transformation so give it a few years and who knows.

Al Hamra was nice and really isn't in RAK at all (well at least not in the city). The resort itself is pretty good, but the main thing it has going for it is a nice beach and views. We spent most of our time walking the beach and K and I even got involved in a bit of water sports which involved paddling around in the lagoon and then getting dragged behind a speed boat rather quickly.

The part of the break that made me laugh was it was nearly impossible to check out of the resort! Then on top of that was the fact we couldn’t get our car… it was still Eid break so was rather busy… but not that busy! S...L...O...W!

Bab Al Shams

2007-12-19T21:14:00.000+04:00

Well what can you say… it is Jumerah luxury after all.

Possibly the nicest place I have ever stayed in; and possibly the most expensive as well. The only thing that could possibly improve the place is if it was actually in a nice location; a resort like this in the red dunes on Al Ain would be a bit special. The funny thing about Bab Al Shams though is that it is designed in such a way that it either looks like you are in the middle of an oasis or the dunes. The place is just a bit special and a very nice way to spend Eid.

“A” loved the kids club, “K” loved the luxury, I loved the fact we finally got to stay in a desert resort and go camel riding!

Eid Mubarak

2007-12-18T07:53:00.000+04:00

K and A have finished for the year and we are sharing our last synchronised holiday until the summer break by heading off to Bab Al Shams for a couple of nights and then up to Al Hamra on the beach in Ras Al Khaimah for another couple of nights. We're all looking forward to the break and hopefully will have some photos to share soon.

The East Coast

2007-12-09T22:33:00.000+04:00

Went on a little adventure over the weekend to explore a bit of the East Coast of the UAE, and it was well worth the drive... Booked in for a night at The Oceanic Hotel, which is an older (and hence cheaper) alternative to some of the hotels along the coast. Main positives of it was the big rooms and when compared to the prices of hotels in the country, a bit of a bargain. Not the nicest beach, but still not a bad getaway.
So we headed off and drove straight up the middle of the UAE until we got to the turn off onto the Sharjah to Kalba road heading East. This is a recently completed mountain road to Khor Kalba; a great mountain-driving road with interesting scenery along the way. When you reach what is more or less the top there is this tunnel that heads down through one of the mountains. A little disconcerting is the fact that all you can see driving towards it is the road heading down and the sign that says “GOOD BYE”.

Once we hit the coast turned left and headed north through Fujairah up to Khor Fakkan, where the hotel was located. It is actually in Sharjah Emirate so no drinkies with dinner. We did the obligatory beach combing to collect shells, which we now seem to do whenever we hit a beach.
After room service breakfast (another of our must do’s whenever we stay anywhere now) we drove up the coast to the end of the country, across the Omani border to Dibba with it’s mountainous backdrop. Not really for any reason apart from to drive around and have a look. This is somewhere we plan on returning once we have a 4WD so we can explore further into the mountains.
Turned around and headed back down along the east coast towards Fujairah with a stop at at Bidiyah Mosque (Al Masjid Al Othmani) although recently renovated is thought to date back about 600 years.
From Fujairah we headed back towards the middle of the country via Masifi, then the long drive back to Al Ain.
So what do I make of the east coast… sleepy and peaceful. The ocean and mountains are really pretty spectacular, but I have yet to see a city here as nice as Al Ain.

The College

2007-11-30T07:59:00.000+04:00

I just wanted to post this photo which I am guessing was taken by our regular shutter bug at my college (hope he does mind me copying it from the server). This was sports day on Wednesday and is an interesting view not many of us ever see. Well I know I haven't been for a walk in this direction inside the grounds and looked back at the side view of the college. It is a big area inside the fences. If this was AJA we would be living in an apartment building located about where this photo was taken I would guess, but this is HCT and instead we have our lovely villa in town.

When signs just aren't very good

2007-11-27T06:38:00.000+04:00

Well it has all gone quiet once again but we are still alive and well. Have a little bit of catch up to do once again, but have just been busy with work and a lovely little flu that seemed to sweep through Al Ain a few weeks ago.

Thought I would post this little A4 sized sign from the "restaurant" on the top of Jebel Hafeet. I wonder why no one has made a new sign and taken up to them... but then again there is a charm about signs like this. I think this sign says more to people than what a real one would anyway!

Al Ain, UAE

2007-10-21T20:24:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

So what about Al Ain online?

Al Ain Wikipedia – Top of the Google results and has some links. I know I haven’t used Wikipedia pages in the other cities but thought I would include this one as it came in at number one.
Al Ain - UAE Interact – Not an Al Ain website, but I have included this because it is a good source of information on the UAE as a whole country, rather than just the Dubai or Abu Dhabi thing you usually see. As well as this being a Federal site rather than being associated with one particular Emirate, this is also home to the UAE Yearbook which is a nice free eBook on all aspects of the country.
Al Ain Portal – The Arabic version of this site comes in somewhere at the bottom of the 2nd page of search results, but the English version had the potential to be good little resource on Al Ain. Unfortunately the content is not being continually updated, but it does have a nice little interactive map that shows you where the “attractions” are. It should also be noted that this site has the “Al Ain” brand that was developed a few years ago... the funny thing is most people in Al Ain don’t know they have a brand!

I am going to be a little biased here and say that what you can see of Al Ain on the Internet is actually quite positive and does make it look like a place worth visiting; but, what is out there apart from blogs is very limited as it is for Doha.

So that wraps up the online content from former (and current) homes; I would like to visit them all again, but I think the Websites could do with a little improvement.

Abu Dhabi

2007-10-20T23:37:00.002+04:00

Ventured with our guest to show them around Abu Dhabi for the day. It really is a nice looking little metropolis from the bay.

Had a drive around town and went out to Marina Mall, and a walk along the corniche. If it wasn't for the humidity, it would be nicest place in the UAE to live... but my vote remains with Al Ain.

Around Al Ain

2007-10-19T22:56:00.003+04:00

Over the past few days we have been touristing around Al Ain and have been to Hili Archaeological Park, Heritage Village Café, Jebel Hafeet, Green Mazzabarah, Buraimi, Palace Museum, Al Ain National Museum… some places we had been before, some we hadn’t. So rather than say anything about anything, here’s some photos!

From top down:
Hili Archelogical Park
Hili Bronze Age burial tomb
Old Fort at Qatarra Oasis
Burami Ruins
Al Khandaq Castle in Burami
Looking back at Al Ain halfway up Jebel Hafeet
Al Ain Palace Museum

Doha, State of Qatar

2007-10-18T08:13:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

Well I could suggest our old blog as a source of information on Doha, but it depends what you are searching on to where it comes in the Google results. From personal experience I can tell you there is not as much on the Internet about Qatar as there should be... a few sites and a couple of information resources here and there. It isn’t until you arrive in the country and get your hands on the local guide “Marhaba” that you really find out what is on offer.

Doha-Online – A rather poor directory of local business etc. Not very good or very well designed.
Qatar – This is quite a nice looking site but content is limited. Home of the Qatar Tourism Authority, it also hasn’t really been updated for a couple of years now and for some reason they have decided having Google Ads at the top of the home page adds something to it.
Qatar Info – Never quite worked this one out and has very little as far as pre-arrival information that would encourage arrival in the first place.
Qatar Living – This one doesn’t really fit the same category as other sites I have been looking at, but it is the one stop information resource for all current and potential expats in Doha. Basically a community blog and not the most attractive one at that, but still good on the content front.

Could never work out why so little information was online regarding Qatar prior to arriving; once I arrived I worked it out very quickly! Would be nice if “Marhaba” went online though, and developed a real presence to encourage tourism.

Sunshine Coast, Australia

2007-10-16T15:24:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

Maybe a little unfair once again as this is a region rather than one single city, but I thought it was only fair to consider the Sunshine Coast as one city the same as Gold Coast is considered one entity. Looking at Buderim as a town in itself does bring up some interesting results on Google though.

The Buderim Website and Buderim Village – I don’t know where these type of sites come from, but no matter where you look in the world you come across very dated design produced by small independent design houses. Yes, if these sites were around 10 years ago everyone would have been impressed. While the area may look attractive the site itself does little to reinforce the destination as somewhere to visit. It’s all in the planning and if you wish to portray an area in a certain way there needs to be a sound effort to make everything “speak” in that same voice.

Sunshine Coast – This is actually a nice quality site with lots of links off to various other information sources. The best sources of information are on external links to the sites provided by the 3 main regions that make up the Sunshine Coast. So I guess that means this site isn’t great in itself, but does provide the right direction to explore the Caloundra, Maroochy, Noosa Websites.

I guess what this says is sometimes there isn’t a direct need to create new content, but there is a need to be a regional travel portal that comes at the top of the Google results.

Sharjah

2007-10-14T23:28:00.000+04:00

Well Sharjah is one of those cities we hadn’t been to yet so I thought staying the night there might be a good idea. One problem with Sharjah is it isn’t the easiest place to get around when you have never been there before. Also it doesn’t help when you approach from the wrong direction and end up driving around in the industrial area. The hotel wasn’t expensive, but it turned out to be a small sparsely furnished apartment with nothing else in it; and to be honest by the time we had settled a bit after driving around looking for the place it was getting a bit late to do too much. Was a shame because apparently the heritage area is the nicest part of the city.

We did get down to have a look around one of the malls and a junk shop for K, then off to the Blue Souq for a look, and then ended up in Qanat Al Qasba for the evening as there were lots of people around and some markets. Did the touristy thing and went on Eye of The Emirates, had a boat ride up and down the canal, watched some traditional dancing, and fireworks.
Sharjah just takes me as somewhere that developed, rested for a little while, and is now developing a little again. It just feels a bit run down and with Dubai right next door, there really doesn’t seem to be a pressing need to go there unless you have to. In saying that we will go back at some point to have a look around the heritage area, but next time wont bother staying o/n.

We did do the right thing though and came home via a day in Dubai. Went for a drive around to show off Burj al Arab and Jumeirah, Mall of the Emirates for breakfast and to see Ski Dubai, then Ibn Bhattuta just because it is always worth seeing inside. A trip long Sheik Zayed Rd and seeing all the construction I think made up for the Sharjah choice!

Airbus A380 in Al Ain

2007-10-13T10:49:00.000+04:00

Well this is something you don't see everyday in Al Ain. Actually seeing planes of any type at Al Ain Airport is a little rare, but coming over the dunes and seeing a brand new A380 was a bit of a surprise! Looked empty so I am thinking it is a test plane, and I guess Al Ain is a nice quiet airport to land at. Rather impressive seeing the two rows of windows running along the side though.

Brisbane, Australia

2007-10-13T08:33:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

Brisbane-Australia.com – Something about this site I find completely unappealing! I think it is the colour pallet on the page seems very washed out to me. Information is not bad, but just doesn’t look inviting.
Brisbane City Life – Horrible and ugly directory that has some good enough information but nothing about this site says “come and visit Brisbane”.
Our Brisbane.com – This one is a little unfair as this really is the only decent website for and about Brisbane. Looks professional and has good information for both visitors and residents (although still could be improved, like having an interactive map of regions rather than just links). One thing that has always annoyed me about this site though is why on earth call it “Our Brisbane”. To me it just ends up sounding patronising, like “My Store, Myer”. If it was really “our” Brisbane we would have a huge desalination plant and never have water restrictions; nor would crime rates continually be climbing, and politicians in the city wouldn’t be idiots.

I guess the sites make it look inviting, but I think Brisbane is a much nicer city than you get from the Internet. Maybe that is why everyone in this part of the world thinks of the Gold Coast first, which most people from Brisbane would find amusing – Many from Brisbane think of the Gold Coast as some huge soul-less southern suburb on the beach (which is more or less what it is).

Al AIn Guest Arrives

2007-10-12T19:22:00.000+04:00

So went to collect K’s mum from Abu Dhabi last night, and what was a well timed late night drive to the airport, collection and get back home to Al Ain, turned into a very long wait in the airport in the wee hours of the morning. The flight was delayed by an hour or so we didn’t get back home until about 4am. Not much fun being in airports here if you aren’t going anywhere. All the good stuff is left for the departures lounge which you can’t get to with out a boarding pass. This means that if you are in arrivals you will sit around with no shops minus a couple of small cafes...

Due to the very long night for us, and long flight for our guest we had a quiet first day spent mostly catching up and relaxing. We did head out for a bit of a road trip around the streets of Al Ain though and headed up to the airport (see next post) as I have always liked the rolling red dunes in that part of town.

Radiohead, downloads, and lost opportunities

2007-10-12T15:47:00.000+04:00

So it has happened once again and newspapers around the world (and academics) sit up and notice something that has been happening for the best part of this decade. If I hadn’t been too busy (or lazy) I probably would have made a name for myself in academia for predicting the future, or at the least presenting a few good papers on alternative revenue models for the music industry. It really isn’t that hard to utilize opportunities rather than spending so much time and resources attempting to defend a position that is impossible to defend as the major labels have.

This time it is Radiohead of course who are making the headlines, but previously artists such as Prince and Marillion have succeeded by harnessing their fan base and proving that the Music Industry as we know it is an ever-changing beast (no matter how much the Industry itself does not want to change). Blame moves from file sharing to changing economic conditions to changing formats or to it being put down as a generational thing. Let’s just think about that for a minute though. While we aren’t talking about artists with a history as long as the Rolling Stones (who has after all), we aren’t talking about new independent artists either.

Marillion utilized their fan base to fund via preorder the production of their 2001 Anoraknophobia release and once again for the marketing costs for their 2004 Marbles set. Prince’s latest release Planet Earth was distributed for free in the UK via newspaper giveaway. Now Radiohead have taken the “pay what it is worth” approach for In Rainbows by allowing people to download their latest release via their website and paying what the buyer deems a fair amount (or nothing over the minimal transaction fee).

Although it can be argued that all three artists may be past their recording peak, they continue to be relevant in their own right with loyal fans either via recording, live, or both. Think about this for a moment: Prince’s first release was in 1978, Marillion in 1981, Radiohead in 1991. This goes some way to negate any argument from industry commentators regarding “kids” believing music is free. Who are these “kids” anyway?

Naturally the major labels still have the power to promote and sell millions of copies of formulated music which continues to go in cycles, and occasionally a label will get behind something new and original. For the most part we live in a time where on the surface it would seem that it is a safe and stagnant industry that is still suffering from forces out of their control. While it is true it remains difficult for unsigned artists to get exposure without major distribution deals, the fact is it can be done on a smaller scale. Porcupine Tree is a band that has developed a following over time and now has a loyal and growing fan base thanks mainly to the Internet and word of mouth.

What might be learned from Radiohead though? It is time for people with a vested interest to look at what has been happening this decade because things are happening out there that still make it a vibrant and artistic environment. But do not think this is the end of the major labels and although some have suggested this might send some shockwaves, I doubt it will even ripple the coffee in the boardroom cups. After all this is still the industry that believed iTunes was a good idea and their savior!

Eid Mubarak

2007-10-12T13:25:00.001+04:00

Happy Eid (apparently) everyone Always a bit strange working out if Eid has actually started, but apparently today is the first day of Eid Al Fitr... although not until tomorrow in Oman. So Ramadan has ended for another year and one of nicest times in this region has begun. K’s mum arrived from Australia last night (actually with flight delays, not until the early hours of the morning), so we have our first guest since arriving in the Middle East. Will be nice to actually share this amazing place with someone at last and it will be interesting to see if she sees the tranquillity and beauty that we see every day.

May everyone have a peaceful Eid break with family and friends, and safe travels for those journeying.

London, UK

2007-10-11T13:41:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

I know this one is a little unfair being a major world centre, but still there is quite a bit to be learned when they get it right (not perfect, but most definitely right). While these may not be the best sites in the world they rely on providing quality content and functionality.

Visit London – I think this is great with all the things you need to include in a location’s site. I especially like the interactive map of regions. There is no reason smaller destinations couldn’t do something like this (and now just to use something like this to guide students in what I want them to produce).
LondonTown.com – Reminds us of the importance of content. It isn’t just about design and making somewhere look attractive, but you need to include the content, and represent that content in the best light!

Looking at these reminds me how much I am looking forward to returning to London, and I think that means these sites are both achieving their objectives. Plus of course they come in at the top of the Google search!

Our Home 11

2007-10-10T08:05:00.000+04:00

The kitchen... which is clean now; one of the things when you have visitors isn’t it!

K’s office space at one end, laundry at the other, and the door out into the carport. The kitchen doesn’t really seem to have air conditioning as such, but does have air blowing around a little... sometimes it is warm in there, but most the time it seems ok. Is a good sized kitchen, even with our Home Centre table and stools stuck in the middle of the room.

Not really too much else to say, as it is just the place to make coffee, get food, eat breakfast, and for some reason they decided there was the need for 24 fluorescent tubes to light the room!

Disturbing But Interesting Statistics

2007-10-09T08:13:00.000+04:00

Statistics are statistics and sometimes you can twist and mould them to say many things depending on your own personal agenda, but some statistics I think speak for themselves. We were talking about this the other day at work and it made me think a little.

Averaged out over a year the current approximate daily US figures are:
90 Rapes (I am guessing these are only the reported ones)
80 Suicides (possibly only self inflicted, and not assisted)
41 Murders (not sure if this includes "manslaughter")
39 Aggravated Assaults (I think these are only the reported ones)

As a matter of interest:
2.5 US service members killed in Iraq or Afghanistan (both hostile and non-hostile)
14 US service members wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan (not including non-hostile injuries)

Keep in mind these are DAILY figures... BUT (and there is always one of those), the per capita rates for all countries show a bit of a different picture which I guess is something. The US ranks:
#9 Rapes
#46 Suicides
#24 Murders
#6 Aggravated Assaults

So although media representation may say one, the US is definitely not the most dangerous place on Earth, but I think I can understand why some may think it is all a little scary.

What I find far scarier is where Australia Ranks (although once again it is important to remember that I am guessing these are “reported” statistics):
#3 Rapes
#33 Suicides
#43 Murders
#10 Aggravated Assaults

What is wrong with the world!

Managing Expectations

2007-10-08T18:15:00.000+04:00

The idea of managing expectations is one of my “big” things. I guess it stems from teaching consumer behaviour and services marketing, but it is just one of those logical things that many people forgot to do.

I was thinking about the post regarding Masterton websites. While I do have fond memories I guess it isn’t the most exciting place on earth! So by not having good online content are they actually managing people’s expectations? I think you need to encourage people somewhere before you start worrying about their expectations though.

This brings me to my students. I am finding it very difficult to manage grade expectations. It doesn’t seem to matter how much you try to let them down gently or give constructive criticism, every time they don’t get an “A” it is as though their world has caved in. I find this all a little difficult as I try to encourage and motivate them the best I can, but the disappointment seems to last a week or so. Last semester one of them actually didn’t talk to me for a week or so after he received a “B+” rather than anything starting with an “A”. It is possible there is a great deal of unseen pressure on these students to “succeed” and unfortunately this translates into an “A” grade on everything.

The fact is most of these students are just genuinely nice people. They do try. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it is to study content courses in a second language while you are still going through the process of learning that language. The one that always gets me is math. I have enough problems with it anyway, but put all those equations and concepts in another language and I think that is the stuff of nightmares.

Mackay, Australia

2007-10-08T17:50:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

Websites of places you have lived I feel is a worthy topic. K is too busy with work and eBay to actually get her blogging fingers on. Since we are more or less up to date (minus info and photos of a couple of trips to Abu Dhabi and Dubai) I thought I would keep the content going. Of course this poses the question as to what content comes next. Like the last blog this one is just going to be organic so of course there will be content on Al Ain and the UAE, but other times it will just have something that decides to fly out from brain to keyboard without it turning into too much of a brain-dump-blog (which of course is not a bad name for a blog anyway).

So after looking and being rather disappointed by the immediate online content from Masterton, I thought I would see if my next home fared any better in my “Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”.

Mackay City Council – Typical council kind of website that really does nothing to instill a desire to visit the place.
Move to Mackay – Moving to Mackay? Fill in the survey and they will give you $25 when you arrive. Reminds me of the Simpsons Movie when Homer gets the cash for crossing into Alaska, just on a VERY small scale!
Mackay Tourism – See there are websites out there that can make somewhere I have lived look inviting! The only problem here is you have to use “mackay” or “mackay tourism” as the keywords and not “mackay queensland” or “mackay australia” otherwise the site gets lost in pages that most likely wont be reached.

I suppose this time it is more to do with search engine optimisation rather than just bad sites. I was looking forward to seeing bungee jumping Australian wildlife but I guess it was not to be.

Masterton, New Zealand

2007-10-07T17:50:00.000+04:00

“Let’s Google a city I have lived in to see if it looks worth visiting”

I was born in Masterton, New Zealand and I have quite fond memories of the place. A small country town surrounded by other smaller country towns, and farms; mountains on the horizon and a short drive to the cold and windy coast where we used to have a beach house.

I find that when you haven’t been somewhere, in this age of information overload many of us rely on the Internet for that final decision whether we visit or not. Not only that but where the site comes in a Google search is important. I have noticed that many of the sites for places in this region are not particularly informative nor does anyone source cover the full gamut of the things you need to know, or should visit while travelling. That isn’t saying there aren’t any good Websites or online sources, but you do need to search.

This brings me back to Masterton. I thought I would try a search and see what the top Google results were; maybe see some photos that being back some of the very good childhood memories.

hhmmmm....

Masterton... The Heart of the Wairarapa – oh dear... a bungy jumping Kiwi!
Masterton.co.nz – oh dear... a banner for the Wairarapa Womens Refuge!
Poor old Castle Point, which I remember as a sleepy little fishing village with huge 50 cent bags of lollies, doesn’t do much better – Castlepoint – a Coastal New Zealand Settlement
Carterton and Greytown possibly do a little better, but only just!

I think there is a lot to be said for Councils or Governments having some control over domain names and content that give the impression of being an official Website for a region. For every site that displays positives there are 10, 50, 100 more that can make a region look like a place most would have little desire to visit. Everywhere benefits from tourism and when some choose destinations via a single mouse click there isn’t much that differentiates one location from another. It is the results that turn up on the first page of Google that can tip the scale.

Website of the Day

2007-10-05T14:01:00.000+04:00

NetGranny is a Swiss sock knitting cooperative of 15 Grandmothers that custom knit socks which you order online. Personalised products are great and you can’t get much more personalised than selecting your own Granny to knit you a pair of socks just in time for winter. I just think this is just one of the ideas that makes you scratch your head and question why on Earth has someone not set something like this up before!

Blog Names

2007-10-05T11:55:00.000+04:00

Still thinking about language this morning for some reason. While our previous blog M and K in Qatar seemed like a good name at the time, I am not happy with M and K in UAE because we have been here long enough to know better. It should be “M and K in the UAE”, but the problem with that is I don’t know if it should be “The” UAE or “the” UAE. Maybe it should be M and K in Al’Ayn?

I like imaginative blog names though, for example Condensed Milk Sandwiches and the Crucial Trucial States, or Health, wealth and all that wisdom, but for whatever reason most bloggers (myself included) are not very imaginative when it comes to names. I could possibly go for a phonetic name like “Em an Kay in Ewe’Ay’EE” but that is just really dumb! Seriously, if that is the best I can come up with at the moment this is going to take some thought which translates into “the name will remain the same for now”!

Expat Guide to Electrical Power Points and Outlets in the UAE (and Qatar)

2007-10-05T10:59:00.000+04:00

Why this post? Because of someone’s keywords and I remember how difficult it was to get the “correct” information before we headed over to the Gulf. So this information is correct for both the UAE and Qatar.

For those that get confused, Dubai is not a country, but merely one of seven Emirates within the United Arab Emirates (and the capital is Abu Dhabi and not Dubai). Qatar is not part of the UAE at all, and is officially known as the State of Qatar and is ruled by an Emir (therefore is more or less an Emirate as well). But to confuse things further the leaders of each of the seven Emirates within the UAE are Sheiks and not Emirs.

My first piece of advice is do not buy travel adapters before you arrive as there is little point. They are easy to find here and cheap.

Second piece of advice is feel free to ship over any electrical goods you really want to keep (although most are relatively inexpensive here) that run between 220-250 volts, as we have not had any problems with anything we brought over with us at all. You also don’t need to change the plugs as most power boards here are also adapter boards with between 4 and 8 sockets and will accept most plugs.

Third piece of advice is don’t worry about it, which relates directly to my last point about adapter boards. Electrical goods here will come with one type of plug, possibly two, and there is a good chance you wont have an outlet that matches that plug in your home. This link has three of the plug configurations you may find at the end of cords or in the walls. There is another little two-pin plug you may get which more or less falls out of the walls and some adapters. Plug it into a power board and you will be ok.

As a side note I have an irrational fear of electricity and being electrocuted. So although the plugs might not seem very safe, we have not had any problems with power boards or plugs exploding yet regardless of whether they seem to be earthed or plugged in the right way!

Language & Confusion

2007-10-05T10:12:00.000+04:00

The post below has just led to a discussion between M and K about the silliness of the English language on the basis that “roofs” just sounds silly and we actually say “rooves” (like hooves). No wonder my students have such a hard time with English... add to that is the whole issue that Arabic words are translated phonetically. I wonder who decided that one Arabic word should be translated into English with a specific spelling. While it is Emirati, it could have easily been Emiratie or Emiraty. I personally like the correct spelling of Al’Ayn rather than Al Ain, because many people just end up saying “Alain” rather than making the distinction with to two A's; but then again I guess that could make it Al Aain or Al Aine. Which reminds me how quick those from Brisbane are to correct anyone from the US if they pronounce it with an emphasis on the “bris-Bane” part which to me is “Brisbain” but we actually say “Brisbin”. Which I also guess is like Moscow being "Moss-Co" or "Moss-Cow".

Maybe someone should produce the definitive guide to place names and their pronunciation based on local accents, so once and for all everyone can just get it right the first time!

PS... why is it pronunciation and not pronounciation? Friday morning thinking gives me a headache (and that is probably grammatically incorrect anyway)!

Water Usage in Al Ain

2007-10-05T10:09:00.001+04:00

I just read a post by BRN on water usage in Al Ain which got me thinking (as quite a few posts on quite a few blogs seem to these days).

One day, some where in the future but who knows when, someone will realise that there are environmentally friendly options for this city. For the moment there is a whole Gulf to draw desalinated water from and I think this is one of the reasons no one really seems to worry about it. One day though the whole concept of recycling water to keep Al Ain green may catch on. The one thing that many seem to forget is that in this region water is wealth, regardless of whether it is expensive or not. I guess also this translates into “water = gardens/greenery = wealth”, and so while the neighboring cities become glass and silver the concept of being an oasis will remain in Al Ain.

The one that gets me isn’t the water, it is the electricity. How many lights do you actually need on the roads and houses! And why on earth hasn’t anyone started importing (or better still manufacturing) solar hot water units! Most roofs have room in amongst the (too) many satellite dishes for the solar panel or two.

Marketing Schools and TES

2007-10-02T08:43:00.000+04:00

One of the first rules in “real” stakeholder relations is attend to the negative. There are only so many carpets to sweep things under. Obviously in this part of the world there are more carpets and maids wanting to sweep.

For anyone who visits the TES forums, you will notice that they suffer from the phenomenon of the disappearing thread. Some suggest this is due to their revenue for advertising positions being more important than what appears on their forums as a service to teachers. I think this is true and what you need to keep in mind is what TES does is not provide a not for profit service for teachers to communicate with each other, but rather a thinly veiled service which is simply an add on to their real purpose. They do have pretty specific terms and conditions of agreement on their forums, and many that post do breach these terms and conditions. At the end of the day this is not a negative aspects of a service TES provides, but rather inflated expectations of those that use those forums.

Now that is all very well and good, but the fact is there are many schools that have very little mention on the TES forums, and believe it or not I am in no way referring to any school, organisation, or country in particular! There are obvious reasons for lack of information –
A: The school is great and no one ever feels the need to vent;
B: The school is not great and too many people feel the need to vent;
C: The school is ok but a few disgruntled staff have felt the need to vent too much which has been taken into an open forum;
D: Not one of the schools staff has ever heard of TES.

I personally find the TES forums entertaining; not because of what is there, but because of what is not (actually more what was there but isn’t). So what would I do rather than worrying about negative posts on TES?

Simple... attend to the negative. This means being transparent, and believe it or not once you actually cross that chasm it is quite easy to manage transparency. Why do so many schools in this region have such a high turnover rate? This cannot always be blamed on the transient nature of expat teachers can it? At the same time it also cannot be constantly blamed on poor management or administration can it? If people would actually attend to the negative everything might make a bit more sense. Manage expectations, because believe it or not the Middle East is not a teaching utopia but neither is anywhere else!

Nakheel Make-a-Wish

2007-10-01T18:00:00.000+04:00

If you haven't seen this microsite yet it is worth checking out (plus some of the wishes are quite funny). Nakheel (the huge Dubai property developer) is donating AED 10 for every wish made, so I think it is worth going and making two!

http://www.ramadan.nakheel.com/

More "Emiratiwood"

2007-10-01T17:12:00.000+04:00

So my latest post got me thinking some more and after a little more searching I have discovered that Paramont Pictures is also on it’s way, but have yet to make a firm commitment to a location in the UAE. Interestingly enough it is Paramont who recently acquired the rights to the movie script “Dubai”. It is also interesting to note that while Universal are going to Dubai, their picture The Kingdom was partly shot in Abu Dhabi.

Warner Brothers in Abu Dhabi - "Emiratiwood"

2007-10-01T09:23:00.000+04:00

Although this isn’t “new” news with Warner opening in Abu Dhabi and Universal opening in Dubai it made me think... So UAE is going to become the Theme Park of the region (of course add in Ferrari World, and what ever other “Theme Parks” end up in this region). I have seen some comments over the past few months on why all these organisations are heading to the UAE. Quite simple really... have a look at the population within a 6-12 hour flight! But that is only partially related to this post’s purpose.

Possibly more important to having some good Theme Parks, with both Warner and Universal opening here this will naturally include a considerable stake in the local “movie industry”. And given one area of my previous academic life there is the point of interest; there really isn’t one yet! So here is the opportunity. Many regions have built their brand and shared aspects of their cultural identity through cinema. Think of the New Zealand scenery that has featured in more than Lord of the Rings, think of the deserts of Tunisia that have featured in more than Star Wars, and the list goes on. How long will it be until the UAE makes it’s way on The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations? How many storylines could benefit by the utilisation of the landscapes in the UAE (and Oman for that matter), and the proximity to India... forget about “Dubailand”... “Emiratiwood” anyone?

Just thought of another “freedom”... Cost/Price!

2007-09-30T19:32:00.000+04:00

You have the freedom not to pay hugely inflated prices for things that really are not worth the price that is asked for them! Products are really worth what you are willing to pay, without having to worry about the Government relying on the tax revenue for essential services. If you want an imported “brand” you can pay that little bit extra, but as I think I have mentioned before, I will never understand why Tim Tams are about the same price here as they are in Australia.

I think I will call this the “freedom not to be ripped off”. Cheap things are cheap, expensive things are expensive, and there are only a few things that you actually tell yourself are “too expensive” given a comparison to Australia. Of course inflation is an issue here, but the one thing that can be said is that inflation does not cause you to suddenly have to cut back on essential items.

Freedom... what is it anyway?

2007-09-30T18:36:00.000+04:00

There are a lot of freedoms here:

You have a freedom to be removed from the political process which realistically you are not very involved in anyway. You don’t have to listen to people make promises so that they may have power, but rather you get to hear about visions and strategies from those that will continue to hold power. You don’t have to hear how your money is being spent without your consent as a tax payer, but rather you hear how the country’s money is being invested for the future of the country.

You have freedom to not be afraid. Afraid that all your worldly possessions will be removed from your home by someone other than a removals company when you are actually going “home”. Afraid that if you forget to lock your door, it means something else apart from “oh, I forgot to lock the door”. Afraid to walk down the road at night because some “kid/s” may bash you for your shoes, mobile phone, wallet, or maybe just because you looked at them the wrong way.

You have the freedom from financial burden. The only financial issues you have are in your home country, but you know while you are here you will never have to miss a bill or have to postpone a rental payment. You have the freedom to live rather to merely survive.

You also have a freedom from ignorance. While many Emiratis are not worldly, I have not heard one of my students suggest a dislike for anyone or any race of people. Case in point is fact that some of my students have gone as far to say that they love the USA (including one that had to leave after 9/11 due to harassment on a college campus), but dislike like their politics or foreign policy goes some way to show that they are more worldly than many think. They want to learn and don’t feel as if they know all there is to know about the world.

You have freedom from “official” harassment. Police are not on the roads trying to constantly raise revenue and parking attendants are not waiting around the corners for an opportunity to clamp your car or check whether you overstayed your parking allotment by 30 seconds. You also have the freedom to find a nice shady bit of grass without being accused of loitering!

I think freedom is rather relative and instead of looking on this region comparing it to ones home country, you need to take it for what it is. If this is a “developing” country still, and “developing” seems in part to relate to Westernisation, I hope it doesn’t develop too much!

30 Countries in 30 Days

2007-09-29T16:26:00.000+04:00

It's nice seeing you have so many visitors from so many countries. Naturally most probably arrive by mistake and click away as fast as they can, but I thought I would do my best to welcome everyone by no doubt mangling their languages, the same as most of us seem to do to English (and I am definitely including myself in that group of manglers).

Hello
ترحيب
Welcome
Salaam
سلام
Salut
Bonjour
Guten Tag
Buenos Días
Hola
สวัสดครับี
Namaste
As Salaamo Alaikum
Annyǒng Hashimnikka
여보시오
Marhaban
Marhaba
Hyvää päivää
God Dag
Jó Napot Kívánok
שלום
Goeiedag
Selamat Datang
Kia Ora
Jambo
Magandang Araw
Здравствуйте
ٍSalâm
Nǐ Hăo
感歎詞

Someone Elses Shoes

2007-09-26T11:34:00.000+04:00

Work sometimes reminds me of a pair of second hand shoes. You know they have been worn before so you know that the inside of the shoes are going to be shaped to someone else’s foot. You wear them for a while and slowly the inside starts moulding to your own foot, depending on how long they were worn before you got them. The longer they were worn by another, the longer they will normally take to mould to your own foot. You might even work out that they are more comfortable if you change the left shoe for the right foot and the right shoe for left. But even when you work out what is comfortable for you there will always be a voice reminding you "...that isn't the way they were worn before". Realistically as long as the shoes end up together in the same cupboard at the end of the day, it makes little difference how they were worn before. This doesn't mean everyone else should swap their shoes, but they could at least try just in case they have become too comfortable on the wrong feet.

Our Home 10

2007-09-25T20:49:00.000+04:00

So only two rooms to go, the kitchen and the spare bedroom which is used as the place to hang clothes (but you didn’t really need to know that). Both those rooms are a bit of a mess at the moment – another problem with having such a big villa, both working, and no hired help – so we are going to break from the rooms for a moment.

The villas are pretty close to each other but at the same time far enough to give you some privacy. Well apart from some (like ours) because some have to be at the end of the rows. So outside we do have our own little patch of sand which is slowly being “greened”, but we don’t have any privacy fences as yet (might do something about that, then again might not).

Anyway here are a couple of photos from the bedroom windows upstairs. As I said previously, the master bedroom opens up on to a small balcony but of course it does look straight out over the road into the front of those living at the back so makes it a little useless.

Ok, so I could have said “... and we have a pool”... but “we” don’t. The housing complex has two pools, a gym and a few small roundabouts with fountains on them (that have no water in them and no one seems to know why). K and A have been in the children’s pool, but we still haven’t been in the bigger one yet. There is a sign saying something about no children being allowed in that one, but I think it means without an adult (then again who knows). There is also another couple of buildings that have been rumoured to be a cafe and child minding centre in the future.

Our Home 9

2007-09-24T11:11:00.001+04:00

Children’s rooms are children’s rooms no matter where you are (unless you have a full time nanny/minder that runs around after them picking everything up). A’s room is unusually tidy in this photo, but that was because we had a “temp” nanny come in for a few days before he started school while we were both at work. All the bedrooms have built in wardrobes which was a good thing as it was one this expense we had to worry about!

The downside to big villas...

2007-09-22T19:29:00.000+04:00

As I am going through the process of uploading photos of our villa, I just thought I would mention that there is a downside to it as well. We sort of ran out of money while trying to furnish it so have been doing it gradually over the summer. This, as I mentioned below, included not getting it completely curtained until recently. This also meant the air conditioning was probably working a bit overtime in summer, while most people are away and just leaving theirs running on a minimal setting (if at all).

We got hit with our first real electricity bill the other day... AED 5,500! Admittedly I had only paid about 1,500 since I arrived, which was the first 6 weeks (or something like that). So this bill was for somewhere between 4 and 5 months. Not quite as bad as it could’ve been, but still a lot of money (and seems like a huge difference compared to Doha, where it was paid for us).

So the moral of the story is completely curtain your place before anything else when you get here. Don’t know how much of a difference it will make it in the long run, but it is my guess the bills will go down a bit now (hope so).

Our Home 8

2007-09-22T19:06:00.000+04:00

The master bedroom is slowly developing, but we need to get something on the walls and floor to make it feel a bit more "homely". It has two built-in wardrobes, an ensuite, and a glass door which leads out onto the small back balcony. Looking at the photos it does look relatively unlived in and I guess that is because it is. We have only had the curtains up in the bedrooms for about a month; before that we were quite comfortable on a sofa bed.

Roundabouts of Al Ain

2007-09-21T13:15:00.000+04:00

Roundabouts are a key feature of the roads in Al Ain, as they were in Doha. Of course as cities grow and traffic increases many of them get replaced with traffic lights. While this is a shame, with the style of driving in the Middle East it is a necessity. I was going to take photos of some of the more impressive roundabouts in Al Ain when the weather cools down a bit, but then I thought there really isn’t much point posting them as it will just be a double up on what BRN has done already. Follow the link if you want to see a great photo set on the Al Ain Roundabouts

Our Home 7

2007-09-21T09:35:00.000+04:00

(hhmmm... where to next!)

All of upstairs is a work-in-progress; basically we got to the point where the place was comfortable and are now just slowly adding to our home when we find something we like and/or something second hand comes up for sale.

The upstairs lounge room could also be a master bedroom (depending on the size of our family), as there is a big bathroom off to one side. We want to get another TV and entertainment unit, and think with the balcony and big sliding door it will be a nice space to spend some down time when the weather cools down.

Our Home 6

2007-09-20T21:16:00.000+04:00

Don’t actually know what this is called, but I call it the landing (I guess that's right). It is another kind of wasted space that we haven’t really worked out what to do with. So a wooden camel and rug sit there like they are importantly on display. This is the central room upstairs leads off to 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, and the normal sized lounge room.

Our Home 5

2007-09-19T17:59:00.000+04:00

We have stairs... they go up... they go down. I guess there really isn’t that much else to say about them apart from there is a full length window halfway, and the curtain is very long. Sometimes it seems like there are far too many steps to climb! I do like the little bits along the side though, which are slowly being filled up with bits and pieces.

Our Home 4

2007-09-18T19:46:00.000+04:00

Next I guess would be the Entrance Foyer which is in between M’s office space and the Powder Room, which is more or less a walk in dressing room behind the curtains with a bathroom off to one side (which you have no need to see photos of at all).

The blue dome in the ceiling reminds us of the domes in Villagio in Doha, although a better light fitting would be a nice addition. We did have a big rug on the floor, which ended up moving upstairs, but we will get around to getting another. You may also notice that the walls throughtout the villa are a bit bare; when we see something we like that will change.