Well I think after 8 months of waiting that I may finally have my residency visa!!! When I first arrived they asked for quite a bit of paperwork and I have to admit that I was a little slow in turning them in, but 5 months later the paperwork has been processed. We are in the last few days of the process, the final papers are being filed and within a few days I will go in for a blood test. Once these things are complete then I will be an official "temporary" resident of the United Arab Emirates.
The visa will last for 3 years and allows me to work during that time for my current employer. I believe the visa can be continually renewed until a person is of retirement age. Once you retire you are kicked out back to your home country - even if you were born here! (Okay let me explain that one: a co-worker's parents came from India, he was born here, but is not a UAE national, so when he retires he will be kicked out and must return to India, a place that he has never lived!)
After 8 months of running for the border I will no longer be obliged to go out of my way to update my visa. This will really help me to move onto other worries that are bothering me....
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Toilet - Everyone needs it
When we were young my sisters and I always knew where the bathrooms were in every store or restaurant that we visited. I guess as a kid it was like an adventure to see the bathroom and know where it was at; now that I’m older this has not really gone away.
In Abu Dhabi everywhere I go I know where the bathroom is or I find out very quickly. Here I have found that there are many types of bathrooms and I have learned to not be surprised by what is behind that female bathroom sign.
Most women here use the sprayer instead of toilet paper, so I know that the majority of bathroom floors will be covered in water, but I always hope that I can find one without it. Many mall bathrooms have a cleaner that walks around and mops the stalls, keeps the towels and soap filled, and wipes down the counters, so in general the bathrooms are clean. The great things about the restrooms (no matter where I have been) are the stalls – they are fully enclosed! This means that the walls are tiled and solid, the doors close all the way (no cracks for people to look through) and they are almost floor to ceiling; there is so much privacy I wonder why we can’t have these at home!
While visiting Oman I have seen different types of bathrooms. My first experience was during my first visa run – the one where I became very ill and almost passed out due to lack of water. The Omani visa check-point was packed with people and when I visited the restroom I also found it packed with people and the floor covered with water; the toilet had no seat and there was no toilet paper. This put me right out of my comfort zone, but I survived! My other experience was more recent, while wandering at a new visa check-point we stopped at a gas station; I knew that the toilet would be a hole in the floor and it was, but I also survived that.
Even at work the bathroom is a constant issue. Without going into too many details I have found that the teachers are very messy and the toilets back up frequently. A few weeks ago they had to hire a plumber to come out and unplug the drains due to the back up and I thought we were without a bathroom (at least for a few days). While nursing a full bladder one day I wandered into an unused part of the school building and found a hidden restroom! It was meant to be and even though they have cleared up the other bathroom I still insist on venturing to my “off-the-radar” bathroom on a daily basis.
I know that this is an unusual topic, but it is something that stays on my mind while venturing in and around Abu Dhabi. I hope you found it interesting.
In Abu Dhabi everywhere I go I know where the bathroom is or I find out very quickly. Here I have found that there are many types of bathrooms and I have learned to not be surprised by what is behind that female bathroom sign.
Most women here use the sprayer instead of toilet paper, so I know that the majority of bathroom floors will be covered in water, but I always hope that I can find one without it. Many mall bathrooms have a cleaner that walks around and mops the stalls, keeps the towels and soap filled, and wipes down the counters, so in general the bathrooms are clean. The great things about the restrooms (no matter where I have been) are the stalls – they are fully enclosed! This means that the walls are tiled and solid, the doors close all the way (no cracks for people to look through) and they are almost floor to ceiling; there is so much privacy I wonder why we can’t have these at home!
While visiting Oman I have seen different types of bathrooms. My first experience was during my first visa run – the one where I became very ill and almost passed out due to lack of water. The Omani visa check-point was packed with people and when I visited the restroom I also found it packed with people and the floor covered with water; the toilet had no seat and there was no toilet paper. This put me right out of my comfort zone, but I survived! My other experience was more recent, while wandering at a new visa check-point we stopped at a gas station; I knew that the toilet would be a hole in the floor and it was, but I also survived that.
Even at work the bathroom is a constant issue. Without going into too many details I have found that the teachers are very messy and the toilets back up frequently. A few weeks ago they had to hire a plumber to come out and unplug the drains due to the back up and I thought we were without a bathroom (at least for a few days). While nursing a full bladder one day I wandered into an unused part of the school building and found a hidden restroom! It was meant to be and even though they have cleared up the other bathroom I still insist on venturing to my “off-the-radar” bathroom on a daily basis.
I know that this is an unusual topic, but it is something that stays on my mind while venturing in and around Abu Dhabi. I hope you found it interesting.
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