Research your return before you go...

If you're like me then you're probably on this page because you are doing your homework before deciding if you want to move overseas. You are reading up on stories of things that took place in UAE schools. You are reading about other people's journeys. You are reading about the culture. You are learning a little about the language. You are buying long skirts, dresses, cardigans and scarves. You are mentally and physically preparing yourself for this lifestyle change. And good for you! You should! I did the same and the transition was not too bad. Still difficult but at least I was somewhat prepared.

Now before you go let me tell you one more thing to research. Look up "reverse culture shock" because it is real. Start preparing yourself for your return home. It can be difficult.

I couldn't wait to come back home. I couldn't wait to return to my "normal" life. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that I now have a new "normal." At first I was so grateful for everything. I enjoyed going to places I missed like my church, my mall, my bookstore and favorite restaurants. But then the newness of being home wore off and everything went back to "normal" and I was depressed. It would definitely help to be working so you are occupied but I was not working yet. I thought maybe I wanted to career switch (I now know that teaching is in my blood).

When you come back home you realize that your family and friends have continued with their lives while you were away growing and changing. Friends forget you are home. People have continued at their same jobs in their same lives and it no longer includes you. A small friend circle becomes smaller. Meaningless relationships are severed (not necessarily a bad thing) and you start to wonder if maybe you shouldn't just go again? The community abroad is so tight knit but at home everyone is so into their own separate lives. It's not as intricate as that community you just left- that community that you worked with, played with, ate with, explored with, survived with. Now you are just one of many and it's hard to adjust to being alone. It's hard to deal with the boredom that ensues from being back to "normal." The restlessness. The anxiety. So do your research before you come back and when you do come back, get busy with something! Anything! So you can combat those feelings that are sure to come if you do not.

Good articles to read about reverse culture shock:
http://www.rockyreentry.com/letter-returning-missionaries-wish-someone-told-first-moved-back-us/
http://blogs.wsj.com/expat/2015/04/15/repatriation-blues-expats-struggle-with-the-dark-side-of-coming-home/
https://llattica.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/surviving-reverse-culture-shock/

My flight

My flight finally happened!! And it was FOREVER. There isn't much to blog about it really. I THOUGHT I had the exit row. I THOUGHT I had the seat next to me all to myself. I THOUGHT I would have lots and lots of room to stretch out! I THOUGHT I would have a plug to charge my electronics. I THOUGHT I would be able to subscribe to wifi while on the plane. Turns out I had the row BEHIND the exit row. I had a neighbor. I had no charger connections and no wifi. The seat in front of me had some sort of permanent box thing on either side of the bottom so not only could I NOT stretch out, but I also could not properly store my bag under the seat. So when the flight attendant told me to shove it under further, I pretended to and then I covered it with my blanket!!

My neighbor turned out to be a super nice guy from the northeastern part of my state. He was a slightly older gentleman, maybe in his early fifties? Single. Used to be in the military. (I don't know if he retired.) He went to VMI. After military, he went to law school. Now he was headed to Bangladesh to return to work from holiday. He teaches lawyers over there. He was really quite pleasant and I felt like I knew him my entire life! He gave me his card before he got off the flight in case my family and I are ever in Bangladesh while he is still there! When he first got on the plane, he was kind enough to put my bag in the overhead compartment for me (it was too high) and he also got it back out when our flight was over without me even asking him to!

Maybe some of you are wondering about the food on the flight? But y'all know I'm vegan! I preordered my meal which means- I got my meal before everyone else! My 1st meal was okay. I think it was Indian food. It was rice and a cauliflower/pea curry, a roll, and a salad. I had mango juice to drink. Then they came again and I had a sandwich- maybe hummus with some veggies in it. I drank apple juice. The last meal was another Indian meal but my body wanted breakfast. So I ate all the fruit. I ate a few bites of rice. I ate the little bit of spinach that was on the tray and 1/2 the roll. My stomach wasn't feeling it. I drank water.

So I arrive at the airport and make my way out to baggage claim. All of the men are surrounding the belt while the women wait back. I have no man with me so I get a cart and make my way to the belt. I hefted both nearly 50lb Army duffles onto my cart and then my 50lb suitcase. I wheeled it out of baggage claim, got a little confused and some Indian gentleman pointed me in the direction to go. I followed the carts to the elevator. After waiting numerous turns to get down, I finally made it to the exit door, then realizing there was a ramp I could have gone down! Oh well!

I followed the masses outside and there was a wall of people (literally) crammed together- some holding signs and some not. I found two men with the name of my school. My name was on their list and for one man, my name was on the back of his sign. He is the gentleman that took my things to the car and drove me to my hotel- Al Raha Beach Hotel.

And so NOW the real adventure begins!

I am moving over to my new blog that is all about our life in Abu Dhabi. If you would like to continue on this journey with me, please send me your email address so I can allow you access. It will be a closed blog since no one has commented on this one and I don't know who is reading! Hope to hear from you soon!!!!

Love,

SillyMe

Abu Dhabi TAKE 2!!!

Stopped in at a church member's restaurant to eat before heading to the airport. Good to see him one last time. Then flew out of Norfolk today. No problems! It was just an hour flight. We landed a little early. Now I just wait, wait, wait for my flight out of Dulles...While I wait I have too much time to think. To wonder. To question. Am I REALLY leaving the country right now?? Did I REALLY just pack up my life and put a fourth of it in storage?? Am I REALLY moving to the other side of the world?? Is ANY of this REALLY and TRULY happening??? It feels like some kind of weird dream and I imagine I will wake out of my sleep my 1st night in Abu Dhabi looking for my husband whom I already miss... On that note I will end this post and next post will be about the flight. Trying to not cry...

                                               Empty gate. I have a SIX hour layover!!!!

Just a dress rehearsal...

I made it to the airport. Ours isn't big or busy. I checked my luggage and made weight on all 3! I would have 4 but I shipped a box to myself prior to leaving! We won't talk about how much that cost... 

My family hung out with me for about 20 minutes before I headed to security. During that time my husband wrote all on my gates on my arm in Sharpie marker so someone can help me if I get lost! Then we said our good-byes and I did not cry! Almost. When my daughter cried because she won't be joining us in Abu Dhabi. If I started crying I probably wouldn't stop so I tried to hold it back. Only a few rebellious tears escaped.

I went on to security and my family stayed to watch me pass through. Good thing since my bag got checked and apparently toothpaste is a liquid so it must not be 6oz!! The nice lady walked it down to my husband! I waved bye and walked on to the terminal. I found a seat facing out the windows and waited. An announcement was made about bad weather in Charlotte and the airport there  being closed! We waited for an update. I went to talk to the lady at the counter. I had only 30 minutes between flights there and 1.5 in Chicago. The lady tried to find a new flight out of Charlotte that would allow me to make my connecting flight but there were none. I sat back down waiting to see if they would allow us to board in the next few minutes so I could still make it. As I watched out the window I saw my 3 bags going DOWN the conveyor belt and off the plane! Then I got to sit there and listen to them call for boarding, watch the others board and see the plane getting ready for take-off without me! 

When I first realized I would not make my flights I was a little upset- like a "oh no!" panic upset. Then I sat back in my window seat and started praying in the Holy Ghost. As I watched the plane get ready to leave I thought "I hope you will all be okay because God took me off that plane and I was getting on it with the protection of the blood." I prayed they arrive safely still. Then I said "It's ok. God has something better for me!"

For those who know me it should come as no surprise what my next 2 thoughts were. 1. What can I eat for dinner?? (I was finally starving. All I ate all day was 1/2 a vegan sausage). 2. Maybe I can still make it to church tonight!

So my husband came back to pick me up and we went back home. I emailed my HR to let them know and I requested to fly from Norfolk to DC and fly out of Dulles. They approved it!! I got my itinerary just a bit ago! So now I will leave on Friday afternoon! 

So here we are again. Back to me flying out of Dulles alone just as God told me in February. I wonder if there is a "divine connection" I'm suppose to meet in Dulles? Because the devil has tried awfully hard to keep me here and away from Dulles... 

Well, one more night in my bed and then I really will be off! Now I can help my husband finish boxing up the house and maybe our time apart will be even less than we thought!

This really has been an adventure already and I'm not even there yet! Stayed tuned! ;-)

Feelin' some kinda way :-/

My flight arrangements have been confirmed! I have one more night here. I leave Wednesday afternoon/evening. My husband will have to finish wrapping things up...

I bought a new case for my phone today. It gives my phone 100% more battery. My husband was afraid I'd be freakin out somewhere if my battery was dying. Probably he is also worried...

I am a basket case of emotions. Happy. Sad. Scared. Anxious. Nervous. Excited. You name it- I feel it! 

I will meet some of my fellow co-workers once I get to Chicago. But still I am alone. Ever been surrounded by hundreds of people but yet you felt totally isolated? My world unless I'm with my husband and kids... Well, back to denial. I'm NOT gonna think about it! But we all know what's gonna happen once my family leaves me at the airport on my own - I will be crying.....

1.5 hours later

I have my flight itinerary! My husband is sleeping and I refuse to wake him! Instead I'm here in this bed trying not to cry! FOUR AIRPORTS ALONE???? I will fly from VA to NC to Chicago to AD!!! I leave Wednesday...

I almost got lost once in the Ohare airport when I was a teenager traveling alone to visit my dad in Colorado... But God helped me then so I know He will do it again...

I'm gonna cry. I gotta go alone to FOUR airports!!! I don't even know what to do/ where to go because I always follow my husband and he takes care of everything! Everyone start praying NOW!!!

I'll cry tomorrow...

No sleep now!!!!

Since I cannot sleep now I might as well post to say I got my work visa in my email just a little while ago!!!

Am I packed and ready to go????? NO!

I just loaded up my storage shed yesterday and I'm not done packing the house!! Argh!!!

I have repacked my bags twice now trying to reduce. I think I will have FOUR checked bags, a carry-on and a "purse".

One of those bags was my son's. now I need to purchase him a new one!

The school will be ready (still building) in 3 weeks they say. They are behind with some things, like not sure when we will get furniture allowance. Our villas are new so not furnished this year... Anywho, because of the delays, we will go straight to Ghayathi Hotel from Abu Dhabi airport when we arrive. No time in AD. =(

We will stay a month in the hotel and then move into our new apartments. Because of the delay (really because God answers my prayers) they lifted the restrictions that would not allow me bring my family until I have my residency visa and apartment! They can come whenever we want to purchase the tickets! I'm still going alone though. They will wrap things up here and come right behind me. I prayed they would be 2 weeks or less behind me and God is such a good God that He worked it out so that it's totally up to us! =)

Stay tuned! Waiting for the travel/booking email now!!!!