It's Official

Well, a lot of official-important things have happened!  The kids and I are official residents of Dubai with official resident visas stamped on our passports.  I got my official Dubai driver's license and Deric and I got our official ASD parent badges that we must wear everytime we enter the American School of Dubai.  Oh, and I officially found a hair dresser and got my hair done!

Getting the drivers license was about the easiest thing we have had to do in Dubai!  We walked in and filled out a form, showed them my Texas license, passport and resident visa and they handed me over a drivers license.  Oh, and Deric had to give his official "permission" for me to get the license in a very official letter that he had to write.  Thanks honey!  Maybe he should have rethought that and just gotten me a driver!!!  Now not all people have it this easy!  Depending on the country you originate from you might have to take a 7-month driving course before they hand over that license!  You see driver-education cars everywhere!  I think I might should be in one of them.  I am probably worrying my sweet dad right now.  I am kidding!!!  I am getting better at driving around here and I am extra extra careful!  I silence all children when on the road and make many threats if they don't stay quiet!  I have had many funny suggestions for nav lady's name.  Some of my favorites are Navia and Dude!

The resident visa thing was not as easy.  I won't go in to the boring details of the countless hours Deric spent working on this with a man we will call Nazar who is supposed to make the process quick and painless. (ha) I had to have my blood drawn and my chest x-rayed to get my visa.  I WILL go in to telling you that this was probably my #1 unpleasant experience in Dubai.  Even over getting lost!  The facility I had this done in was a government medical facility.  It was dirty and the people performing these medical procedures were not exactly friendly, especially to me.  There were men everywhere who stood a little too close and there were special closed-off areas for the women to wait.  A very mean guard would sternly say "sit there!".."move there!" After we left I felt like I needed to bathe myself in antibacterial wash.  I am thankful my children did not have to do this for their visas and I am thankful I NEVER have to go there again!

Lastly, I got my hair done yesterday!  Being the daughter of a hairdresser I feel this is important blog-worthy information.  The salon was called VIBE and it was referred to me by some friends I met at ASD. My sweet husband suggested I take a cab the first time.  I can't imagine why!  The salon was very nice and the girl who did my hair was named Becky...She has lived in Dubai since she was 5!  She is from the UK.  I think I actually could have been her mother.  Anyway, she did a great job and I will go back.  The lady who washed my hair massaged my head and shoulders for a very long time and they kept bringing me coffee on a tray in a pretty little pot with yummy creamer.  The magazines in the salon were all the celebrity-ish gossip magazines that I usually love!  However, these were all from the UK and I knew who noone was in them!  So I read my book Eat, Pray, Love and actually finished it.  I highly recommend this book!  Especially the EAT part!!!

Everyday seems to get easier and I am feeling good!  Thanks to all my friends and family who keep sending me encouraging thoughts and messages.  They mean so so much!  I am saving them in a file to refer to when I am needing a pat on the back.  That is a lot these days!

Well, darn!