There are a few American adaptations that have happened in the last year that has made year two in the UAE a little more normal for me. Since this time last year the addition of several American Restaurant chains have made eating here much more "American friendly". I became aware of Papa John's pizza, they are in a couple of malls and one next to the office, the nice difference is that they are sit down pizza joints here and yes they usually have the garlic butter and those smelly pepperoncini's. As mentioned Shake Shack (awesome hamburgers), Pot Belly, Red Lobster, PF Changs, Texas Roadhouse have all opened - and opening soon IHOP and the Cheesecake Factory - Fred dreads visiting and flying 14 hours to have dinner at Red Lobster so I will try and be UAEish to my visitors.
So food wise, America is very present (didn't even mention Ruth's Chris, Chili's, Fridays, Fuddruckers, Ruby Tuesdays, Macaroni Grill, Hard Rock or the fast food (McDonald's, Hardees, Burger King, KFC, Johnny Rockets, Pizza Hut) that thrive here. There are also the specialty places, Krispy Kreme (Can't get them hot) Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robins, Cold Stone, and others, I am continued to be reminded here as much as the Middle East doesn't like America (UAE is American friendly) that they import our quality food and our quality life to their region and people like myself (a hired gun to teach, train and then leave behind an American footprint of know how). It's ironic that a region that may have the most valuable resource in the world (Abundant oil) imports so many resources from the greatest nation in the world.
Now the other thing that has improved for me is the cable TV (what a surprise Food and TV highlighting my social life). My cable still has a lot of American shows available on it, Survivor, American Idol, Cougar Town, Fox News, and cable series like Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, Entourage and Game of Thrones. They have all been great distractions, but the number one change for me was the addition of ESPN America and regular ESPN to my available cable in April. I went from seeing one or two Major League Baseball games a week, to games on nightly. I can see more American Football than someone living in a NFL City in America. I now have 4 different NFL Sunday games on live (your 1 pm and 4 pm games) also now get Sunday Night Football (early Monday morning football) and Monday night football....what a fantastic change...Now sadly, most of you know that I am a rabid Dallas Cowboy fan, Trust me, it is a lot more distasteful to haul my happy ass out of bed at 4 in the morning (like I did two weekends ago) and watch the Cowboys blow their game then have to hop in the shower and head to work and assume my role as "Mr. Grumpy Pants" as Bob calls me. The abundance of sports has been a definite enhancement to keeping me from being homesick for sports. Every PGA golf tourney is also on TV here...keeps my idol mind busy when I am not working or seeing Rodz....Food, Rodz, sports(TV) and work (in random order..lol)- my daily life in the UAE. Time does sail by....
Sandy is having her cast removed this weekend and will be returning home to her kids and grand kids in about 10 days. This was Mimi's (Nick's wife) first week at work, she seems to be enjoying it, Rodz still is not liking her job, and her search for a new one has yielded no results so far. Keep your fingers crossed that one of her interviews will reward her with a job that gives her a better living and a better work environment than she currently enjoys. I gave her and a girlfriend of hers a ride home last night and even after her long day at work with meager wages she keeps plugging along hopeful for better days ahead....I share her dreams for her and pray that happier days lie ahead for her...
My work pals went out for Pork ribs and adult beverages last night at hotel with a special permit to do both. Muzzy, Kelly, Nick, Mimi, Georges, Loren , Ceren, Magy, Peter, JP and I had a nice time (I enjoyed my pork ribs and chicken wings! with my diet Pepsi) but it was nice that people I that report to me would honor me with an invitation out. They are such quality people that I grow fonder of every day. Kumail finally started this week, he a quiet gentleman with an impressive reputation, I will turn him lose in his territory on the 1st of October. Juliane (our new hotel business development specialist) starts Tuesday. The team keeps growing better with quality people. I had a reminder of job desperation this week. I interviewed a gentleman from Lebanon (the country not the town,,,lol) and decided not to hire him. After I declined to hire him, he called me a couple of times on my cell phone and ended up begging me to reconsider....it was sad trying to explain to him in a nice way why I didn't have a vision of him being a part of my team, but I am even more confident I made the right decision after his second phone call...it's a tough world that we live in...
My new apartment is still not ready (new eta is October 20th). My new appliances that I bought for it were delivered this week, I plan on visiting tomorrow to check the progress. I have to be out of here 1 week from today. I have rented a hotel room near Mall of Emirates to have a place to stay between the 1st and the 20th. There is a convention in Germany that Bob is planning on sending me to from Oct 8th through October 12th. I really don't want to go, but on the other hand, I have never been to Germany and it will save me paying for a hotel room for four days while I am homeless...lol.
We are on pace for another record month, but I fear we might fall a few Dirhams short with the expected end of month slow down in business, before the big season that should be huge in October and November. Well time for me to hop in the shower and get ready for a Thai food lunch at Festival City with Nick and Mimi, then to Hyper Panda.
This weekend my high school classmates from Lebanon High school '81 is having their/our 30th high school reunion. hopefully they will remember me fondly as I do them and hopefully I will be there with them in 2016 for the 35th. Have a great weekend.....
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