Free If You can Find It!

This is hot off the press! Abu Dhabi is getting a major boost on the public transportation front by introducing 4 new bus routes on Monday! And 21 in total by early 2009! – All for free till the end of 2008. Great news, right? Well, not if you don’t know what routes the buses will run on. Noooo worries, the AD Department of Transportation provided a toll phone number which was published in the Gulf News newspaper: 800-55555 – how convenient! Wait a second, how come an automated voice told me that the number is invalid? Okie… Hey, The National newspaper published a different number: 800-5555! Let’s try that… “Hello, you have reached Dubai Investment Bank…” *majorly confused!* I guess it's gonna be some sorta scavenger hunt on Monday- the bus rides are free if you can find 'em!

Gulf News:

The National:

Apparently this is not a one-off communication-gone-wacky. Previously a colleague received a subscription flyer from The National newspaper (happy two months!), but when he called he was told, “Sorry sir, but we cannot take your subscription for another three weeks.”

Oh well, TIAD! (This is Abu Dhabi.)

I Heart Toronto

Knowing me, some of you probably is already wondering what's up since I haven't blogged for a long while. Well, I am a tad bit tired from my flash visit to Toronto.

In mid-May, I made a six-day trip to Toronto (four days on the ground and two days flying) to see my parents. Living in UAE is the first time both Q and I are apart from our parents, and it bugged me that I plan all these trips to elsewhere but not to them. It's one of those things, and I finally realized that I needed to visit them - even for no particular reason. And I'm very glad that I did, but it is quite sad and depressing to leave them again, as much as I wouldn't like to admit. So if anything I've learnt from the trip, keep regular contacts with parents - both physically and emotionally. It ain't easy I know.

Parents aside, I didn't realize how much I missed Toronto until the plane started circling above the city prior to landing, and I talked like a baby during the first couple hours driving in the city, "Trees! ... Flowers! ...Dogs! Green trees! Real trees!" People say that you don't realize how much you've lost until you lost it, for me, it's until I returned to it.

All in all, it was an awesome trip. I never knew a road trip could be so much fun - many thanks to my navigators: Mom and GPS. Yes, after getting used to driving in AD, driving in Toronto was real easy - 1000 km in 3 days, baby! (OH YEAH, some of you should be shivering with fear now. :) I just had to remember NOT to exhibit three typical UAE behaviours: U-turn at traffic light, no honking and no high-beaming others who move slow (including pedestrians).

Here are some photos to end the posting!

Friendly welcoming Dutch ;)

Dim Sum!

Cherry Blossom

New maple leaves

Treeeeees!

Algonquin Park

Wolf Centre - very cool!

Tree canopy walk - 70 feet above the ground!

Pampered by lovely B&B owners: Paul & Anne-Marie

In the news this week in U.A.E.

It's been an interesting week in the news in U.A.E.

Car pooling
A few months ago RTA (Dubai's Road & Transport Authority, they basically do everything that has to do with roads and transportation, from making legislation, enforcing this, but also exploiting all modes of public transportation, taxis, buses and the soon-to-be-started Metro) started coming down hard on illegal taxi's, the downside of which was that people reported that they got fined for 'picking up friends'. So complaints started coming in.

RTA, not being deaf to the complaints, started to work on a solution, and this week came with a 'solution'. The solution being that car pooling would be allowed, but only under certain circumstances. People who would want to car pool need to register online beforehand, both the driver and passengers, after which RTA would do 'background checks' (!) before been given a certificate. By the way, one can only apply when this is used for work. That makes one think that this might not be as smooth an operation as it could be, I mean, what if I want to go out with some friends, how do we do that? What if my car breaks down and we use a different want, illegal? Or if I have friends over for vacation?
A blog called Life in Dubai wrote an article on it here, and I can't agree more! Please read it, it's quite hilarious!

'Can you show me your car pooling certificate?'

And it got more hilarious. There was so to do about these new rules, that the RTA decided that it was not quoted properly the first time, so they re-explained themselves. Which resulted in this.

I'm guessing we haven't seen the last of this....

Kissing on the beach
Two women have been sentenced to one month in jail and deportation for 'kissing, cuddling and', hang on to your seats now: 'sleeping on each other like a married couple'. Sleeping on each other like a married couple? How does that work? ;-)

Bicycle
I've done my fair share of cycling while under the influence in Holland, but not yet here... as much. But maybe I shouldn't, seeing that an Indian on his bike got fined Dh15,000 (that's almost 3,000 euro's!) for being under the influence!

(photo taken in Nepal by me, oh, did I forget to tell? I've been to Nepal!)

Vitamin D
This made me chuckle: U.A.E. Residents are suffering from lack of Vitamin D. The main source of vitamin D is exposure to the... yep, SUN! lol :)

View from the top of Burj Dubai

Check out this picture that was sent to me from the top of Burj Dubai, the tallest structure in the world. The small buildings in the corner of the picture are around 50 stories high! As of April 07, 2008, they had reached 629m, and still they're building!

Couldn't find who made the photograph, but credit of course goes to that person!

The Housing Crisis in AD

"...There was evidence rental rates in some Abu Dhabi neighbourhoods had risen at a rate of 2.5 per cent per week." Can you imagine that I laughed when I read this? I laughed because it is so true and it is so Abu Dhabi.

The housing issue in the city has been somewhat of a hot topic these days - when you hear expats who have been here for 20-30 years say that they've never seen anything quite like this you know it can be called a crisis. Media coverage about it is everywhere everyday (here's another article), but let me share with you our very own experience.

Take a guess with me - guess how much the price for the same apartment unit has gone up between last June when we moved in to this January, that's just about 7 months' period? Ready for the answer? ...50 %! So it really sucks for expats who are new to AD as it is impossible to find a unit in their original budget. Lucky for us, we are protected by the government-set rent cap of 5% per year for our lease renewal - phew!

Underground parking is another evidence. At first we didn't get one because we thought 5000 dhs (~1000 euros or 1350 dollars) per year for a parking spot was too much. Six months later the parking situation around our building got so bad that we decided to bite the bullet and getting one after all. Surprise, surprise, we were told that the price has been doubled only six months' later! Not only that and now there's a waiting list so we can't even pay to get a spot right away! The security guard told us the next door building is only higher at 15,000 dhs (~3,000) for an underground parking spot! Just fyi, we live on the edge of the downtown city, not even the centre or anything.

Anyhow, my apology for sounding a bit like Debbie Downer with my recent postings, but such frustration is just the one facet of living in AD, and I think it's just as equally interesting, and maybe even entertaining.

The Identity Challenges

There is something about living in the Abu Dhabi that challenges every resident's identity in the most in-your-face ways. Here are some of my stories.

When I was reminded that I am Chinese: A few days ago, I stepped into a taxi and noticed the taxi driver "forgot" to reset his meter. After I politely pointed it out, the driver reluctantly complied, only after throwing back a disgruntled remark, "Chinese!"

When I was reminded that I am a Chinese woman: While on my way to visit a friend staying in a hotel apartment, the concierge staff stopped me - not only did he ask for my ID, but also took a copy of it. I found out afterwards another visitor who is a Caucasian guy didn't get this treatment. Hmm.

When I was reminded that I am a Chinese woman: Walking home alone at night, three Arab teenager boys cruised their bicycles along side of me and tried to start up conversation. After I ignored the annoyance as I always (and unfortunately too often) do, one of them started swearing at me. After a few similar incidents earlier the week, this just made the last straw on the camel's back - I turned on my self-defence face and called the cops while swearing back at the boys until they ran off. Not pretty I tell you.

When I was reminded that I am Canadian: While filing out my medical claim, I put down "allergy condition" as reason for visiting doctor. Apparently that was not enough, I was told either give a detailed reason and diagnosis or there wouldn't be a claim. *Sigh*

When I was reminded that I am Canadian: At least three of the office secretaries know my salary and oh yeah, the mail courier guy who delivers my pay slips. I guess it's somewhat of public information.

Personally I'm still struggling with these uncomfortable situations and make peace with them somehow. "All problems have at least one solution, including living with them." We'll see.

p.s. I want to thank those who responded to my previous posting on "Shu Man-Chu" - your opinion is greatly shared and appreciated. Cheers!

Shu rides a Segway - and loves it!

Still a little expensive for our taste (we can buy a second hand car for that money!), so we gave it back to the sales lady :)
More info on http://segway.com/

Red Bull Air Race Abu Dhabi

The day before yesterday I had lunch on the Corniche in the hopes of catching some glimps of the training of the Red Bull Air Race which will take place today. That day was such a good oppertunity since the crowds were not there!
And we struck lucky, first a helicopter explored the course and then two little airplanes raced across the track!
The organisation is expecting huge crowds today and I can't wait to see the race!
More info on http://www.redbullairrace.com/

"Shu Man-Chu"?

When I first started working here in Abu Dhabi, I was quite proud of my work experience in Canada, where everyone at work had great understanding of different cultures, and rules and regulations were in place to ensure a harassment-free work environment. In fact, not only I was proud, I was maybe a little snobbish about it, thinking that I have seen it all.

Well, it didn’t take long before things started to bother me at work. A month ago, an Australian joined our team and we got along fabulously well. Then a few days later he walked into my cubicle calling me “Shu Man-Chu”! Now that did not sit well with me. In Canada, everyone knows how taboo it is to address co-workers by hinting his/her ethnic background. A few days later I jokingly mentioned my annoyance to the Australian colleague, who, to my surprise, was very offended that I didn't like it. You see, his logic is that it was a show of endearment and friendship. This was further confirmed after I confided with another Australian friend – apparently Aussies like to give each other politically-incorrect nicknames. Other examples of Aussie nicks include "Baldie" (for a girl!) and "Little Man". Q also reminded me that the Dutch are also famous for being very un-PC.

So after this and a few other incidents (such as an English colleague giving me fashion critism on my work outfit and calling another girl colleague ‘fat’. *GASP!*), I have come to a better understanding of the work environment here: Not only it is multi-cultural, but also multi-national! As much as confusing, it is also great fun and eye-opening experience. I just have to grow my skin thicker!

To end this blog posting, maybe it is best that I pull a survey and enlist everyone’s input: Do you think Shu Man-Chu makes a cute nickname for work?

More on UAE Driving

Our friend Richard suggested that we should blog about the "Arabian Airbags", so here it is. They are commonly known as referring to those infants who parents hold them in their arms while sitting in moving vehicles. Sad really. I suppose every city has its ugly side just like its grand side.
Anyhow, now you know.