<table><tr><th>From: </th><th></th></tr><tr><td>Sent:</td><td>Mon 12/28/2009 7:58:56 AM</td></tr><tr><td>Subject: </td><td>Report # 116: I guess its x-mas...</td></tr></table>

Hey All!

## THE SWEDISH MOTHERSHIP

I'm all IKEA'd up! Got delivery of wardrobe, bookcase, TV stand and kitchen trolley.

You know you've been to IKEA once too many when the cashier asks you: "So how's your foot today?"

I know all the "staff only" short-cuts at IKEA. You have to learn these things when you're hobbling around with a boot and crutches. I have also mastered the sad puppy-dog face to make IKEA a "DON'T do it yourself store"!

## APARTMENT 101

I'm on which is not a big island, however <u>Fm 12</u> km / 7.5 miles from the dirty, low-class city center. For the first time since I arrived in the-, I can hear birds. I can see Orion's belt in the sky.

My colleagues are awesome! For the first time since i moved to the desert, I'm surrounded by really good people.

Most of my colleagues are Americans or Western educated people <u>so they</u> have slightly different values than normal Middle Eastern values. Hence, to avoid soilingnood name and try to stay out of the first page of The National (the national newspaper) we always say we work for Etihad Airlines and are cabin crew when we go out.

We also stay away from wearing the olor when we go out. This we refrain from for an entirely different reason, though: Because we don't want to look stupid.

## X-MAS

Lots of Christmas celebration considering I'm in a pretty Muslim city: Christmas lunch with work, Christmas drinks with work, Christmas Eve Dinner with colleagues, Christmas Day Dinner with colleagues.

Our █████████ decided to "reward" our hard work during █████████████████ and give us
10 days off during holidays. Just great... I will be so bored...

## 3D

One of the perks when you work in is that you can sit through a Compensation & Benefits meeting wearing your 3D glasses from Avatar...

Happy holidays!

## 3D (cont.)