From:
Sent Sun 9/20/2009 4:58:46 AM
Subject: Report #103: Abu Dhabi
<u>Iftar at Tasha's 2009-094)g</u>

## Hi All!

## ATTESTED

So my work start date has been pushed back to 4th or 11th October, since apparently I need to have my MBA diploma attested in the US to get the visa. Unfortunately the diploma is on my parent's wall in Sweden...

## APARTMENT

My new roomic is great! The whole place will be furnished from Let the sun shine on me!

## EPSTEIN KIDS

I'm still using the GRM moving boxes from the office!!! Lauren, I still use your red toiletries bag! Either, this is how sentimental I am or how poor I am.



Serious employer. There's the proper, American way for you! I missed it!!!

100% funded by All costs are free to the top students accepted. I'm still paying off my student loans. No wait, I escaped my homecountry...

## ABU DHABI

There's traffic and people on the streets. This is a real city! Cars are rudely honking at you and especially me since they can see I'm from Dubai from my license plate.

Abu Dhabi is an island like Manhattan. There's no 12-lane highway cutting the city like in Dubai. All construction is outside of the city so the city itself is not disturbed. It's a compact city so you don't have to drive 10 km just to get milk.

There's a lot of parks, but I don't dare to venture in to them since they're called "family parks" or "children? park"...

There's a lot of money here, but conservative money. Abu Dhabi took a look at Dubai and learned from its mistakes. "Shit, we're not messing up like those guys..."

Abu Dhabi is a good big brother, though. It let wildchild Dubai sweat for a while and then bailed it out with $10 bn when some junk bonds came due. The wildchild has to comply to stricter rules now, though.

Abu Dhabi is more conservative than Dubai. It's not kosher to run around in my skirt that more resembles a wide belt. I tell you that.

## IKEA

## IKEA (cont.)

My roomie had authorized me to buy clothes hangers so offI went to the Swedish mothership. We're all familiar with the labyrinth the store makes you go through. Once you reach the check out, which to you at this point is an oasis in the desert, they have strategically placed stuff there to remind you of what you forgot. You have to go back the labyrinth and pass by all the Johans, Lisas, and Gudruns furniture before you're back at kitchen appliances and bathroom accessories.

## EID

Newsflash: there are mosques inconveniently located in the city center of Abu Dhabi and one of them is located far too near my apt... At 6 am to mark that Eid has started (3 day holiday that marks the end of Ramadan always conveniently falling in conjunction with a weekend) they started calling out prayers in Arabic. It went on for an hour. I KNOW they do it to annoy the expats.

## CAR

In Dubai my Mitsubishi Galant is a mini. In Abu Dhabi it's too big. Arabs park whercever their car can fit and who cares if the other car can get out?

Picture of me at an Iftar dinner (meal that breaks the fast).

I hope this finds you all well. Eid Mubarak.