One third down, two thirds to go!

September 1st, was the beginning of my 15th month in the UAE. Bob and My contracts were for 42 months (Dec. 31st, 2013), so 14 months complete, 28 more to go. After my two week vacation in the states I feel like I have gotten my second wind.
The numbers are in for the month of August. We had a record growth rate of 137 percent in this year verses last years sales. Bob and I got a very nice congratulatory note from Bob's boss, hopefully our review meeting for the month will go smoothly. If we make our plan numbers for September, it will be a new record month. Keep your fingers crossed.
This past Tuesday was the first day of our three day national holiday called EID. It is a big celebration marking the end of Ramadan and the breaking of fasts. I don't remember the malls being as packed last year as the throngs of people escape the heat to celebrate in the mall. You can not find a parking place. Mall employees (like Rodz) are having their off days cancelled because of the onslaught of people. All I know is that the instability of the Middle East is creating a boom in business for the super safe and stable UAE. We have more Arabs here vacationing, the hotels are booked solid, it is absolutely great for business.
Apparently, from feedback of my blog readers, one of the things you all like the most is hearing what Nick is up to. Two of the funnier moments since I have been here happened this week, involving Nick. The first one is to hear Nick describe what happened when an invoice blew out of his hand in front of one of his customers. Nick, took off running after it, and needless to say the wind won the race. Nick said he thought he was going to die from a heart attack, and Mimi (who was watching from their car) said she couldn't stop laughing. The second incident occurred this morning in church. Once a month we partake in communion at our church service. This morning was that day. Well, they passed the bread wafers and shot cups out so that we could all share communion at the same time. Pastor Jim (from Georgia) asked us to bow our heads while he said a prayer, then asked us to eat our bread representing the body of Christ (I noticed Nick not moving between Mimi and I) then he prayed another verse and asked us to drink from our cup representing the blood of Christ. Well, good ole Nick, had zonked out, he woke up downed his drink then proceeded in a very confused moment to try and hide his bread. I was shaking the seat laughing (quietly suppressed)....Nick said after church for me not to dare blog about it, Mimi and I over ruled...it was too funny. I am so thankful for Nicks being here, I have always enjoyed our friendship, and his self deprecating humor is right down my alley.
Speaking of Alley's, a couple of my salespeople bowl on Saturday evenings in the fall and have invited me to join them. It sounds like something I absolutely would enjoy doing, so hopefully I won't worm my way out of it.
Have two new employees starting this week, JP (a young Philippine man) is joining our Customer Service team, and Kumail (An Indian gentleman) is joining our sales team replacing Lal in the Jumerah Beach Territory. The team grows stronger each month, hopefully we will lead them down the right path to sales successes!
Oh well, enough rambling today...Hope your EID is happy, enjoy your Labor Day weekend!
John

Last Friday of Ramadan, Let's get ready for EID...

Well things in my life are almost back to normal. Back from the states a little over a week, but boy oh boy what an old man I am. The trip back went extremely well, I flew on Emirates Airlines and really enjoyed the service and food and the huge planes early return to the UAE. That being said, I have had a very difficult time readjusting from the jet lag. I still am exhausted, but I do feel like each day my internal clock gets back to the somewhat ab normalcy of my life in the UAE. I have really felt poorly this week, maybe partly to blame was my dental adventure. I got my first crown this week, of course the busy me insisted on no shots or painkillers and I cried in pain when the procedure was being done. Ok, no one ever accused me of being a brain surgeon.
One last thing about my trip to the states, I did get to talk to Cowboy. Richard and his lovely bride are doing well, he is selling for a company and she is back to being a school teacher. Typical Richard, he feels richer for the experience, I am so happy for them.
We are in the middle of 24 hours of returning women to the UAE. Sandy and Mimi (Bob's and Nick's wives) returned last night, (and yes you hopeless romantics - Rodz returns tonight) so I will probably see a little less of Bob and Nick in the coming days. Sandy's visit is only for a couple of weeks, while Mimi is back to find a job and make a go of living in the UAE.
Ramadan is in full force. It will end either Tuesday or Wednesday next week (I am hoping for Tuesday) It depends on the moon and we won't know until just before it happens. It has been difficult during my abbreviated Ramadan to get by without drinking fluids (as much you have to do it in private) or eating during the day (don't worry I only miss meals because of oral surgery lol) so I am looking forward to next Wednesday when working life returns to a recognizable pattern.
Business is surprisingly good for us. We had planned for the Sales numbers to be soft (remember restaurants are closed during daylight hours and westerners (like me) leave the country in droves to escape the oppressive heat and Ramadan restrictions. Our plan was to do 5 million in sales, and it looks like we will top 6 million instead. I will share the boring math next week. We do have our new Texas Roadhouse opening up this weekend in the Dubai Mall. It will really boost our numbers.
My new apartment has fallen behind schedule. I have extended my rental at my current 8 Boulevard location through the end of September, but I must be out by then. I am hoping the new place will be ready to move into by then. I went out shopping (with Nick's strong arming negotiating help) for the new appliances for my before mentioned new digs, bought a stainless steel Refrigerator, stack able washer and dryers, new vacuum and microwave for a little over $1,200. The Ramadan sale and no sales tax made it a sweet deal. Although Nick arguing with the poor salesperson over a $10 charge for the color difference in the microwave was fun to watch. Nick kept saying we were walking, while I was already ready to pay...Yes, I paid the extra $10.
I moan and groan about the oppressive summer heat here regularly, but as I watch Hurricane Irene head up the coast, watch the earth quake info and hear and read daily about the miserable US economy, maybe I will count my blessings with the timing of my employment in the Mideast.
Oh well, here's to a great week to all of us, I will check back in with Reuniting Rodz stories and big sales growth stories next week. Try and avoid the pestilence and plagues in the USA and remember the Mayans say we still have 15 months til the end of civilization.
Take care and drop me a note.....

Back in the UAE....

Well, I am back. I had a great vacation in the states, and yes I enjoyed having a very busy schedule. I plan on doing the same thing next summer except for the fact that I will need to include Atlanta in my trip next time. NYC was interesting for a first time visit, the Reds game with Fred in Cincinnati will have to become a traditional part of my visits home to America. The flight back was great on Emirates Airlines, I flew in one of those big double decker Air buses (A-310?) and we had a strong tail wind, which made the normal 13 and a half hour flight a mear 11 hours....We got back into Dubai at 7 pm which was early for International flights, so the normal hour to an hour and a half to get through customs was 15 minutes, and then 15 minutes waiting for my luggage. I was home before eight-thirty, which I was scheduled to still be flying. I enjoyed having the extra time at home.
I planned the trip so that I would come back on Wednesday night, work a normal Thursday, then have Friday off and an easy Saturday to try and minimize the effects of jet lag. Well it seems to be a good plan. I was tired yesterday, exhausted last night...I finally got out of bed for the day at 1 pm today. I feel good and well rested, hopefully I will sleep well tonight and Saturday will feel normal...I am keeping my fingers crossed.
We are having a slow sales month at work, but with the opening of Texas Roadhouse next week and the New "Paul" restaurant at the Dubai mall, we should end up ok and over plan. Kelly did a great job covering for me while I was gone, I don't have a lot of issues to fix, she is such a great asset to our company and our friendship and trust of each other continues to grow. Bob also seems to have weathered the first two weeks of Ramadan well, I know he is looking forward to Sandy's return to Dubai next week.
Thursday morning the heat of the UAE fired another shot across the bow of my car. It seems that leaving your car parked in the heat for two weeks while you are out of the country is not a good idea. My battery was dead. So, I was late for work on my first day back, I am sure some of my coworkers thought I was catching some extra sleep, sadly, it was just my battery going into permanent deep sleep.
Rodz is still at her home, she still has to travel to the city for us to talk, as the typhoon that hit three weeks ago destroyed the communication network in her area of the Philippians. She hasn't seen Facebook (or her favorite blog) in almost a month....(maybe she is fortunate). I am looking forward to her return next weekend.
I am moving into my new apartment in two short weeks, so I need to buy a washer and dryer and Refrigerator in the next few days. I also need to make arrangements to move. It will be a busy time. Oh well, back to my desert life, I am meeting Nick at Red Lobster for dinner, then tomorrow the dentist (yes, they have those here also) and back to work.
Have a great weekend in America, I can't wait til I visit again.

God Bless the USA!

Thirteen States in the eleven days I am in the USA. This is going to be a quick blog, Fred and I are getting ready to leave from the hotel to go to the Reds game.
The trip so far has been a great catch-up. I spent a couple of days in Virginia at my parents house. They were happy and healthy, and I did get to see my brother Don, and his son AJ. Before I left Lebanon, I went to church and saw my old high school friend Sarah Altizer Adams. Also got to visit with Susan Campbell. They were both great to chat with since I hadn't seen either one of them in over 30 years. They both have held up better than I have.
Stayed a night at Fred and Debbie's before I headed to Florida to IFG. Very productive meetings and great hosts. Then I flew back to Knoxville, and hopped in my rental car to drive to St. Louis....I was one whipped puppy!
I had breakfast with Chad, and a nice visit to my last employer before I left for the Mid East - Kuna Foods. It was nice to be warmly greeted by my former employer and the co-workers I left behind.
Had dinner at Hendels with Rez, it was great seeing Nathan and his kitchen crew! (Had excellent PORK chops...). Gambled at Harrah's (a year without gambling - a very long year :-). Had breakfast with Mo and Rez (former SYSCO co-workers) this morning (at Waffle House of course)....and the a 5 and half hour drive to Cincy....
Bored with my trip? Sorry....
Back to normal blogging next week....I fly out Tuesday night, back in Dubai Wednesday night.
John

Big fast planes and rental cars...

Well, blogging a day early, cause the day of my departure has finally arrived. This is a day early, but since I am traveling back to the states tonight, wanted to give you a brief update. Have a sales meeting today and then we are having a record month celebration Iftar at Al Safadi tonight, before Kelly drops me off at the airport at midnight. Believe it or not we had another record month in July with almost 8.3 million in sales. I was even surprised with the results. We grew 89.9% over July of last years sales and we are on pace to exceed our 2011 goal for sales. Senior management seems pleased with the summer surge we are enjoying, and it's a very secure time for me to leave for a couple of weeks.
Ramadan started this past Monday. So no public food, water, gum (even toothpicks - nothing suppose to pass your lips during daylight hours) all day long. Work closes early. the building is locked up at 5 pm, and our fasting Muslim employees are done at 3:30pm. Ex-Pats have left the country in droves, it's almost as if the country has taken a month off. There are some nice sales (especially big ticket items - like cars & appliances) and everywhere you go signs wishing you a happy Ramadan in Arabic greet you.
I am so excited about returning to America today. When I think about being back in the USA its about seeing my friends and family. I dread the almost 14 hour flight, but now that the hour draws near, the flight isn't even concerning.
I don't think I will blog next week (we will see) but I return back to Dubai on August 18th, so before you know it - back at the grind stone I go.
I move into my new apartment September 1st, so I have a busy couple of weeks when I get back.
Ramadan Kareem!
John

My brush with death in the Middle East...

Well the countdown is almost over, this time next week I will hopefully be asleep somewhere over the Atlantic. It's coming so quickly, yet in some ways it seems like I have been waiting forever to get to visit the U.S.
Where to start this week, I guess you are curious....well we have been having highs hit 115 most days. I finally figured out that when they say it is going to be 103 for the high here, it usually reaches 109 or 110. When the forecast is for 107 or 108 (like it is for this weekend), it reaches 115 or 116. Tourism is the life blood of Dubai, so they don't want to scare away the tourist from the region and Europe with the fore casted highs. Trust me, when it is 115 to 120 degrees outside and the heat index is near 140 degrees it is scary hot.
On Tuesday we were having a scorcher (reached 115 that day) and Joseph and I had a business appointment at the DIP (Dubai Investment Park) a business community about 30 minutes from our downtown office. About half way to our appointment, Joseph's AC in his car stopped working completely. Within 5 minutes we were drenched in sweat. traffic was congested, so we kept the windows down when we were moving, but rolled up when we were stuck in the traffic. I was debating having Joseph pull over and calling a cab, but realized that there was no shade (funny not a lot of trees in the desert), and that might be a worse option than the slow cooking I was experiencing. By the time we got to our appointment, Joseph was soaked through and dripping wet and I had stopped sweating and was nauseous (I can't spell it - But I knew it was not good!). We hurried into the Air conditioned building and our customer got us water and helped us cool down and rehydrate. I have turned into a soft old man, don't want to experience that again....of course my salespeople couldn't enjoy laughing at me enough (They say my desperate blackberry text during my basting were too funny....I don't quite remember them that way...

Rodz is in the Philippians, enjoying the rain....maybe a little too much. As you may be aware, a Typhoon hit the Pacific Island this past week. 25 have died in the floods, landslides and torrential rains and scores are missing. Ironically, while I was baking wishing for a drink, Rodz was hoping not to drown in floods. She is fine and although housebound the whole time she has been there she is enjoying her family and being home. She doesn't come back to Dubai until August 24th. Mimi (Nick's wife) is back in the Mid west enjoying the muggy heat of St. Louis. She returns around August 29th. Sandy (Bob's bride) returns to the states tonight, but she is coming back around August 25th.
When I get back from the States on August 17th, I will need to get busy and pack and buy a few things for my August 31st apartment move. It looks like August will come and go before you know it. I did not enjoy Ramadan last year, this year by spending a third of it in the United States, it should be a better experience.
Ramadan begins this Monday (August 1st). That means that most of the predominately Muslim population will begin their dawn to dusk fasting. No water, food or even chewing gum is allowed to enter their mouths during the day. Non practicing Muslims are asked to observe and respect the religion by not publicly breaking the fast rules. Almost all restaurants (a few hotel dining establishments are open, but diners sit behind black curtains hidden from view) are closed during daylight hours. Every night there are "Iftars" - Arab buffets that open at dusk and people enjoy the feast after the day long fast. Very cultural. I am sure I will share Ramadan tales with you in the coming weeks.
I am meeting Nick for breakfast this morning and the we are meeting Sandy and Bob for church. It's time to hop in the shower and get ready.
I will see you next week here -and hopefully in person also.
Have a great week!

Out of the fryer into the frying pan...

It's just after 11 am here and it's already 104 degrees outside. I know my weekly groaning about the weather, well I feel for you back in the states. I have been watching the news about the weather back in the states and sounds like the Midwest and Southeast is feeling a lot like where I am at in the Mid East. The long hot summer continues, I hope the heat wave in the states takes a break while I am home in August, and yes would it be too much to ask for a little rain while I am home?
My search for a new apartment is over. I found a new apartment complex near the Mall of Emirates (5 minutes from where Nick lives) and I move in September 1st. I did have to pay for a year in advance, the weird way they do rents here because of the high number of expats, but in the end I like it better than my current apartment, and I save over $300 a month in rent. The apartment developer is German, but their whole pitch was based on how the apartment was built to strict American standards. I will bore you with more details in future blogs.
Speaking of Nick, his bride and son leave for the states on Monday. They found better air fares from Abu Dhabi to the U.S. (Chicago). Mimi is coming back on August 30th (just in time to help me move in my new digs...lol). I have heard through the grapevine that Cowboy is still reading the blog in the states. I thought about him yesterday at the warehouse. We have a brand new Texas Roadhouse opening in Dubai Mall in August and they have their Kitchen Manager here from the US. He was wearing his stetson and cowboy boots. We did have a new Red Lobster open in Dubal Mall, Kelly and I tried it out. The garlic-cheese biscuits were the first biscuits I had eaten in over a year (since I had Cracker Barrel with Danny Messimer last Fourth of July).
There are a few places that I want to make sure I eat at while in the US. Cracker Barrel and Chick-fil-a are the two that come to mind first. I find myself eating a lot at the American eateries here, but Chili's, Ruby Tuesdays, Papa Johns and McDonald's only go so far. Coming to Dubai within the next 6 months are Texas Roadhouse, Cheesecake Factory and IHOP. Variety is the spice of life. That is of course if it's American Restaurant variety.
Rodz leaves for the Philippians today. I am picking her up at the airport on August 24th. Ramadan starts back on August 1st. I won't blog about it today, save something for the next time. Two weeks from right now, I will be flying over the Atlantic approaching JFK. I hope a government shut down won't effect my trip. Just something else to worry about.
Until next time....