9/24/10

There is still so much I want to get out of Dubai. So many places to see, foods to try, culture to experience. I’ve only been here what, ten days? But a majority of this time has been spent hiding out. My confession is that I’m slightly paralyzed.

Simple tasks of finding food or new locations leave me panicked and wanting to retreat. I find strange solitude in the familiar routines of getting ready for bed or studying for an assignment. This is such a frustrating thing for me to experience! This cowardly, uncomfortable, slightly meek looking character is nothing like the outgoing, adventurous Chelci I left back home. It’s understandable to feel this way at first I suppose, so I’m trying not to be too hard on myself. At this same time though, I didn’t come here to hide in my dorm room for three months. With that thought in mind, I bought a dhow cruise ticket for Monday night.

I’m so used to jumping from place to place, tasting a bit of something here, snapping a photo of something there. I have trouble staying in one place for too long -as most people who know me well already realize. I think that might be where the trouble of my current situation comes into play. Just the mental state of knowing I’m here for another 12 and a half weeks brings forth a whole range of emotion I didn’t know I had. I don’t think ‘trapped’ is the word I’m looking for to describe it, but something in the likeness of that direction.

I will tough this out and come out stronger because of it. I’m sure there are many hurdles and obstacles still to be conquered, but I’m here for a reason! Sometimes I will be scared, uncomfortable, overwhelmed (or all of the above in this past week’s case…), but I’ll get over it.

This week has been a real reality check, to say the least. I’m looking forward to coming home for Christmas SO, SO MUCH –but I’m not going to keep it from letting me enjoy my time and the adventures awaiting me here. Classes will probably get crazy, situations will still get uncomfortable, but I’ll be okay. This experience is what I make of it and if I can turn it around and maintain a positive perspective, I’m sure I will begin to enjoy my stay.

So please continue to keep me in your prayers! It’s been a pretty difficult adjustment for me so far. Hopefully some exciting updates to come!

9/22/10

I've started and deleted I don't know how many posts these past few days. I can't really seem to find the words to describe what I'm going through without sounding dreadfully more pathetic than I am (or am I...). So I'm going to post this video instead and let it speak for me a little bit:

9/19/10

First day of school! First day of school!

Okay, so I really wasn’t that excited, but I was happy to finally get to do what I came here for! I had three fifty-minute classes today and they were all relatively to the point. This semester is most definitely going to be a lot of work and there is so, so much to learn.

Here’s some disappointing news: The required textbooks for my classes –still just as expensive as back in the states. Ugh. Like I can even read the Arabic 101 book. I don’t know which way it’s supposed to open, let alone how to make sense of anything in it. But that’s what the class is for, right?

The class sizes themselves are extremely small, so far no more than 20 students. Most of my classes are in the same building, conveniently located right across from my dorm. If I can keep up on the assignments and teachings, I shouldn’t have a problem with the academic portion of this trip.

My professors were friendly enough (some were slightly intimidating, some hard to understand) and moved through the material quickly. The variety of students is what amazed me the most. In my first class, for instance, I was sitting across from a guy from South Korea, next to a Hungarian, and diagonal from a Japanese girl. I met a really sweet girl from Germany in another one of my courses and have met several people from the States (mostly New Yorkers).

I was introduced to a modern twist on a pasta restaurant earlier this afternoon (finally, some carbs) and I’m slowly starting to feel somewhat relaxed. I’ve been so stressed these past few days trying to get my sleeping on track and all of my necessities together that it has almost been nonstop tension. Meeting people from the same home country has helped to put me at ease as well. I’m just going to try and take it easy and establish some sort of routine within the next couple of weeks. The control freak in me needs to stop freaking out.

In other news, I found the indoor skiing area that everyone back home likes to talk about while I was on a grocery jaunt yesterday. It was pretty interesting watching kids sled and have snowball fights. Since there isn’t a whole lot to do outdoors because of the weather, it isn’t such a bad idea.

Ski lift

Kids having a snowball fight

Sledding area (with a snowman!)

Honestly, I have found Dubai to be pretty overrated so far, but I have three months to become convinced otherwise. I’m ready to buckle down and drown myself in my studies and I will be sure to check out all the must-see spots along the way. The country itself is so culturally confused and the struggle to become more modern while maintaining traditional culture is a battle that I'm not sure will be able to last much longer before one side or the other prevails. If anything, it makes me even more grateful for the home, family, and friends I have waiting for me back in the States (and that hugs and public dancing isn't illegal. Hug-dance party when I get back, mmk?). 

Seven-star hotel, Burj Al Arab, as seen through my bus seat window

I’m in dire need of sleep, but will force myself to stay up a few more hours.

I had a really encouraging quiet time this morning and I really feel that God is going to teach me so many things through this experience -if nothing more than perseverance.

Trying to stay positive!

Chelci

P.S. It's time for "Name That Logo!" C'mon all you American addicts, I know you know this one (plus, the other sign kind of gives it away).

9/18/10

Please, don’t ever put sugar in the espresso again.

I didn’t get much sleep last night. Between a night owl roommate and my irregular sleeping habits in general, it was mostly tossing and turning, waiting for morning, blah blah blah. I forced myself to stay in bed until 6:30 and then indulged in some overly sweetened espresso. While sweetened coffee isn’t usually to my tastes, I will gladly welcome as many energy boosts as I can today. But after today, please no more sugar.

I am feeling very challenged this week in the area of contentment and am having trouble reclaiming my joy. I’m sure that the lack of sleep has something to do with it, but the overall everyday discomfort starts to take its toll after a few days as well. God is calling me near and I know that I am safe in His embrace. If I continue to focus on the stumbling blocks, I fear that I might miss the stairs and I know I have so, so much to learn from this experience.

I need to divert my focus and energy towards something constructive and uplifting. I need to reflect on the positive and all that I have to be thankful for. I need to find joy within my circumstances and seek to serve beyond myself.

With that said, I apparently have a lot to do today.

This is all only temporary and, in time, too shall pass.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, 

   "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 

    But my righteous one will live by faith. 

    And if he shrinks back, 

    I will not be pleased with him."

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

-Hebrews 10:35-39

9/17/10

Today’s entry is accompanied by some curry flavored Ramen –like a true Middle Eastern college student, eh? Probably not.

I know that you are all probably wondering where my katrillion photos are by now, but just bear with me. The last few days have literally had my world flipped upside down. I need some more time before I can be adjusted enough to start thinking about visual documentation.

I ended up taking that trip to the mall last night, not today. The last bus left an hour after my previous post so I figured, why not just go now. So go I did. I have determined that the only way my fears and intimidations will disperse is if kick them in the butt right off that bat. 

I, of course, was the only person that requested to be dropped off at the first mall. I researched a little bit beforehand and noted that the Ibn Battuta Mall had a grocery store in it and I was after fresh produce. I got dropped off in some sketchy, dark parking lot, about two parking lots worth away from a mall entrance. Upon walking in, the first stores I ran into were H&M and Forever21. Halleluiah. I knew better than to stop by Forever21 first if I wanted any chance of leaving the mall with the items on my grocery list. A quick stop to H&M and I was off following signs around for who knows how far until finding the grocery store.

It literally was like a Walmart in the middle of the mall. I was able to pick up some bananas, apples, carrots, cucumbers, nectarines, grapes (hard to find some that people weren't eating out of...), pb&j and bread, and a few other items –including a new pillow (!). The food I picked up is rather bland in comparison to the exotic choices available, but it’s my kind of comfort food. Give me a break.

Check out the script on that raspberry jam!

A few of my purchases: necklaces, mugs, cutlery, produce

Forever21 eventually got its visit after some food court Margarita style pizza (again, with so many burkas and palace-style pillars around, comfort) and I purchased six necklaces to replace the bag of accessories I realized I left back down (darn).

The mall itself was similar to the airport that I arrived here at. Many pillars and tiling. Rounded, vaulted ceilings with intricate tiled artwork. The call for prayer rang out some time during my visit, followed by a song by Lady Gaga. I watched as a woman clothed in her burka struggled to maneuver her layers of fabric in between sips of her Starbucks. My mind is so numb right now that I'm not even sure what to make of this culture so far.

Forever21

The ceiling above where I ate

The view from one of the restaurants

Needless to say however, I felt pretty accomplished that I had conquered both the bus transportation system and a mall in one night. I got back to the dorms without an issue, talked with Brandon for about an hour, and then called it a night. Jump to this afternoon and I was just barely waking up. That’s right, still no sleeping schedule, still frustrated like no other.

Today was a pretty emotional day for me in general. I have a half-hour dorm orientation tomorrow morning and I’m going to start setting my alarm (should have just done that to begin with). Classes start day after tomorrow and I need to shake this jet lag off quickly! Hopefully friends will be made and some kind of normal routine established soon. I’m not here long enough to be sad and upset and I need to make the most of every opportunity.

I know God has the big picture in all of this and I’m trying so, so hard to trust in Him. I still find myself wondering how I get myself into these situations haha. Typical.

I hope you all have a wonderful day! I’ll be ready to call it a night here in a few hours.

Dubai! ;)

9/16/10

I MUST STOP TAKING SIX-HOUR NAPS!!!! That’s all my sleeping schedule consists of as of now. I woke up around 3 AM and after tossing and turning for two hours, explored the rest of my dorm building and hit the gym. A half hour, two miles on the treadmill and some artificially biked hills later, I came back up to my room, showered, and Skyped home.

I was still a bit restless at this point and figured my roommate was probably tired of me clanking around the room… so I decided to try and find the beach. I heard it was nearby and after a few minutes of Google mapping, I discovered that it was very close indeed. I ventured off in my bohemian skirt and mirrored aviators, looking an odd combination of Jane-Goodall-meets-sand-safari.

Everything seemed to be going well. I was pretty intimidated at crossing some of the streets (since every other one has two roundabouts leading into it), but after watching some locals j-walk them like a pro, I figured I could do it too. Within no time, I was cutting through traffic like a local. When in Dubai, do as the Dubians?

My little outing came to an end when I was stopped by a heavy interstate and closed off resort. I attempted in walking further down the road to try and find a way around it, but the heat got the best of me. I also attempted in taking some photos, but it turns out that this high humidity not only likes to fog my sunglass lens, but my camera lens as well. I’m going to have to figure out some way to overcome this. If anyone has any tips, let me know!

Anyways, I gave up my little adventure and retreated back to my air-conditioned room. I was feeling a little tired at this point and lied down around 10 for a quick powernap. I really should have known better. Quick powernap? Over six hours later, I woke up to find myself in an empty room and almost at the end of the day. The room, as usual, was freeeeeezing so I wandered downstairs and outside again. I took a full walk around the campus and discovered that it isn’t too difficult to find my way around. I can get from one end to the other in five to seven minutes no problem.

I’m tired of living off of trail mix and poptarts and when the school market store opens up, I intend on trying to find some sort of fresh produce. I might try for the beach again in a few days, this time taking a different route, and I discovered the bus schedule to and from the malls on an announcement board. Tomorrow is Friday, mostly a holy day for everyone but Chelci, so I figured it could be a good day to try and pick up some things (mostly a new pillow).

I’m pretty frustrated at this point, both with my lack of sleeping schedule and the constant feeling of being overwhelmed. I have no one to lean on but God, but I figure He has the best shoulder anyways. I’m hoping things will work themselves out here in the next few days. I’m sure I’ll have more of a structure once school starts and will be able to write less sappy posts about how many irregular hours I slept.

Hope you are all doing well back home!

Chelci