Yesterday, I went on a trip with my co-workers to the desert for a fun-filled evening of dune-bashing (crazy four-wheel driving through the desert sand dunes), sand-boarding (like snowboarding in the sand), camel riding, henna tattoos, she-sha (aka hookah), dressing up in traditional Arabian dress, and an Arabian dinner. I remember watching the scene from "Sex in the City 2" when the ladies are in the desert doing much of the same thing (of course on a more glamorous scale) and thinking "I want to do that." Well, I did! I wasn't watching a movie, looking at pictures, or daydreaming about his experience. I was actually experiencing it. While on my way to the desert, I had my first "I live here" moment. It hit me that I live in Abu Dhabi; contemporary, diverse, desert, Arab city.
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| Camel riding! |
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| My roommate (Jamie) and I with one of the drivers |
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| Sunset in the desert |
But, in this moment I also reminded myself that I
live here. I am not on an extended vacation or singular life adventure. This is my life. Sand-bashing is as much a part of my life as completing my Master's degree. I've heard that it's easy to fall into a vacation mentality here, and I hope to keep in mind that this is life, this is my normal.
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