Mumbai to Dubai and back

So Dubai was amazing...beyond amazing. It was nice to get away and feel like my world was a little less chaotic, if only for a little while. The flight to Dubai from Mumbai is only a little over 2 hours so it didn't take any time at all to get there. One we got there we had decided already, our first time in Dubai, a city know for it's "go big or go home" mentality that we wanted to be picked up by a Maserati . Am I normally about that life? Nope, but when in Rome! So the car was there, we took a few pictures and were on our way!

 The hotel was great, the Conrad Dubai, it was right across from the metro station and the World Trade Center Dubai.

 

We immediately took off for the mall. Dubai Mall is crowned the largest mall in the world, for this reason alone I doubt I even made a SMALL dent in seeing all of the stores.

We went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch and I was able to have my first taste of BEEF and KALE in over 3 months, I live!

After our first day we quickly realized that I had included too much on the itinerary. We decided our must do's would be: desert safari, boar ride in the marina and my cage diving at the aquarium. 

Everything else would be secondary with the exception of shopping. I brought an empty suitcase as I had dreams of filling it up with Dubai finds, but alas, the prices were too steep for my blood! I was able to find some cute things at Forever 21 (thankfully they had a plus section! YESSSS!) and at H&M, can't go wrong with those two gems. I got a few souvenirs for my family and them laid on the beach and by the pool for the rest of my vacation. 

I thought returning would be hard, but actually it was strangely easy. Perhaps as infuriating as Mumbai makes me at times, I am adjusting better than I thought! 

What's Up Doc?

So I have been neglectful. In my mind, my blog would be updated daily; filled with joyous updates of my daily exploits and pictures to document my experience. I seemed to have forgotten several key details.

1. I am not an experienced blogger
2. I am not an an adventurous person, therefore, I never leave my house, therefore my exploits involve me yelling at my Apple TV and wondering why my internet it not working
3. I get sleepy really early and as a result I go to bed as soon at the sun goes down

What has happened in the last few weeks...

School is really rolling. I am getting into the groove of my job. I love the kids, they are hilarious. And despite my fears, they like me. My principal told me last week, that I brought just enough of the "middle school" in me that creates a good balance. I was relieved, at heart I am a middle school teacher, I can't quite shake that part of me :)

I got to Skype with my students from last year about a week ago. I had been having a pretty bad day, and that really lifted my spirits. It was nice to know that they still think about me and want to know how I am doing. I worry about them and how this new school year is progressing for them, I want them to be successful even if I am not there peeking over their shoulders and nagging them everyday.

Lately I have had a bad case of the Bombay Blues! This city is hard on a girl. It takes a lot to cope with the grit, noise, bad air and water, crazy amounts of people, endless traffic and chaos. I chose not to cope and instead to stay at home. This turned out to be a horrible decision, all it let me do was isolate myself. I stayed in and became resentful of the city. I was beginning to hate Mumbai and how it made me feel. Luckily I have started to get out of the house more, so I am feeling better about this place I am calling home. The main difference for me has been UBER. It is an app that allows you to hire a taxi without all the usual fuss and stress that getting transportation generally requires. It has changed my life! LOL...well my Mumbai life. I love it, and now there is news that they may have to pull out due to new regulations with payment. If they leave, I am going to have a break down LOL...no seriously


I leave for vacation tomorrow. Words cannot express how excited I am about that. DUBAI here I come!!!

Mumbai Madness

So I didn't realize I hadn't updated my blog in over a week. I don't feel busy...but clearly I am neglectful nevertheless. So what has happened in the last 10 or so days...in Mumbai worlds have been created and destroyed somewhere in this giant city. My world is far less dramatic.

School started. I can't remember if I said that in a previous post, and I am too lazy to go back and check LOL. So this is my first year teaching elementary to of course I was terrified! Why? I actually am not sure, I have been teaching for 5 years, but something about teaching small lil' ones, made me nervous. I have a demeanor that can be described as brash and off-putting, the last thing I want to do is say something sarcastic that my middle schoolers totally understand and make one of these little kids cry!!! Thankfully, I haven't and and currently still employed YAY Also, little kids like hugs and all that, and as my previous students can ALL tell you, I'd prefer a good fist bump to a hug. But again, I am adjusting, besides little kids enjoy fist bumps, crisis over! Adjusting to a new curriculum, faculty, team, grade level, student body, culture all of it has been hard. These last two weeks have taken to ALL the way to a place called THERE. There were some days all I had the energy to do was walk home and lay on my couch. I'm getting there. Hopefully in a month or so I will have far less questions and feel more settled.

I have been learning the city more. I actually bought BACON last week!!!! REAL BACON...FROM A PIG!!!! Yeah yeah I know for my readers...you are unimpressed. Well let me tell you, after seeing lamb bacon and chicken ham, and turkey salami....finding real bacon was like finding gold. I ate it in two days LOL LOL, I haven't had time to go back to the meat store and get more. Finding food and knowing what I can and cannot eat is a real process. I have to wash all of my fruits and veggies before consumption with filtered water and a special wash, but I am forbidden from eating lettuce ANYWHERE. I think it boils down to having more places for the bacteria to hide...yeah gross I know. I've been cooking more this week. I made some banging pasta this week. It's weird because every time I bring my leftovers to work people ask if my housekeeper cooked it. In America NO ONE would assume anyone was cooking for me. Then when I say no I made it, they look at me as if I have two heads!!! I may not wash the dishes I cooked my meal with...but I am perfectly capable of cooking said meal! LOL LOL

I will have to do a post about transportation here in Mumbai soon...may take more than one post bc y'all won't believe some of the stuff that goes on when I am in public transportation. I don't think I have ever prayed so much...nothing like being afraid for your life and everyone else's on the road to make you turn to the Lord! LOL I may have to record a video because SERIOUSLY...it's unreal.

I may be hiring a driver this week...the struggle is real LOL LOL I should start apologizing in advance for how straight up uppity I may be when I come for a visit in December LOL...I'm sorry

QUIET....where does one find it

So...Mumbai is a loud place. Everywhere is loud...for no reason "some" may say. I may be "some". I have been here almost 3 weeks and am trying to cope with the endless noise. Here are some examples.  My apartment faces a mosque, more to the point...my bedroom does. So I have to pleasure of hearing the call to prayer blasted on loud speakers everyday at 5am. I am actually getting used to it, and by that I mean that I am starting to get better at being startled awake and then being able to tune it out and go back to sleep. Before I came I bought two types of ear plugs...the call of prayer is louder than both sets are reported to block, but I digress. So I am getting used to the 5am CTP, it kind of lets me know, oh you have to get up in an hour...except on weekends. Depending on the way the wind is blowing, forgive me my ignorance, there may be more CTP's and they may be louder and they may last longer. Again, I am getting used to them, but the inconsistency makes it hard to predict when one is and how long it may last. Let me not call it inconsistency, I'm sure THEY know it's coming LOL. I read in the paper that it's illegal to have the loud speakers on the mosques that are close to hospitals. Out of the same window that I see the mosque, I see the hospital. Apparently no one has reported this particular offense.

As I am writing this a cat is in what sounds like a cage match outside in the courtyard, some nights it's a literal dog fight. As the dogs run wild...this is a normal occurrence. This weekend is India's independence day weekend, so there were ceremony's, speeches, parties, kids running and yelling all through the building. But let me be clear...even without it, the noise would still be there, the holiday just makes it justifiable. The sheer number of people makes it impossible for the city to EVER be quiet. Oh wait the neighbors just slammed their door and there is a young child shouting in the hallway. Pigeons are roosting above the air-conditioners in the spare bedrooms, they got in a fight earlier today...that was interesting,  and from my bathroom I can hear the hospital guard coughing. 

Mumbai is a place where the noise never stops...I suppose I have to find a way to at least tune some of it out. 

Weekend in a nutshell

FRIDAY:

The school scheduled a scavenger hunt for us....no one wanted to do it. We all complained about how much extra time this would take, and how it was taking us away from our classrooms. We DID NOT want to go...well we were wrong. I think so anyway.

I had a blast. I got to see parts of Mumbai that I haven't had the chance to see so far. I also got to experience Mumbai in a new way. I may have lost a few hours in my room, but it was time well spent.

SATURDAY

Well...the school is done providing transportation for us, that's a bummer. The good news is that I found a cab company that lets you rent by the hour. So myself and a coworker went off to the mall...my favorite type of outing to do some shopping. There is nothing like a mall, even in a foreign country to really make you feel normal. Although people stare at you, you still feel almost like you are at home. We went to several home stores to try and find more knick knacks to fill our apartments. Our visions for our apartment differed though. My co-worker says hat she wants her apartment to have an Indian flair. I do not have the same sentiment. I want my apartment to feel like home. I want it to feel familiar to me, and that means not conforming my style to fit the country that I am in. So with that in mind here are some items I got. 

Looking a little more like home!

How my housekeeper made me realize I am a lazy lazy person

So as I said...I hired a housekeeper. I hired this person to do what I am perfectly capable of doing...because I, in a week, have convinced myself that it is my civic and expat duty, to hire someone to take care of my home. I have some guilt associated with decision, I mean, who at 29 with a fully functioning body, no kids, no real responsibilities NEEDS a housekeeper!?!?! But I digress. I gave in and got one and I will have this guilt to process later. Let's talk about the new guilt. This guilt I discovered today comes from the fact that I may LIKE having a housekeeper!!! So today was Maggie's first day.

I left Maggie this note:

So let me preface the remainder of this story with this tidbit of information. Maggie only works for me 3 hours a day. She gets in at 10 and leaves at 1 to go to a co-workers apartment. In leaving the note, I imagined that Maggie would come, take the money that I left, go shopping, drop off her products and go. I said, don't worry about cleaning right!?!? I mean, I have been here a week and haven't even unpacked any bags!!!! It's raining, she doesn't know my neighborhood, I NEVER THOUGHT Maggie would do any work today.

I came home and simultaneously wanted to give Maggie a raise and examine what kind of person am I that in 3 hours, this lady managed to do what I hadn't even begun to do.
When I walked in, I noticed my dining room table was cleaned off. I said, "oh, she didn't need to do that but she probably did it before she left." I noticed my shoes by the door were organized...the couch cleaned off. As I went through my apartment...I became more shocked...and ashamed LOL

Maggie went to the store, in the monsoon rains, in a new neighborhood she doesn't know. Maggie brought me back my change and her products with a receipt...which is hard to come by in certain stores here in India. She cleaned the living room and dining room. She washed my dishes, organized the crap I left on the counter. She UNPACKED AND ORGANIZED 4 out of 5 of my suitcases!!! SHE FOLDED MY CLOTHES, ORGANIZED MY CLOSET!!! YA'LL SHE PUT CLEAN SHEETS ON MY BED AND MY NEW DUVET COVER. In 3 SMALL hours this lady has done more than I even pretended to do. I was so overjoyed...I went and laid down on my clean bed and took a 6 hour nap...I'm a work in progress...don't judge me! LOL

A little quiet would be nice

Mumbai has a tendency to overwhelm. There are people everywhere, there are cars everywhere, there are bugs, animals, smells, noises...EVERYWHERE!!!! Most times it's hard to hear yourself think. As helpful as everyone is, sometimes I just need to unplug and be alone. I realized yesterday that I haven't had time to just relax since I arrived on Tuesday. I am either on my way somewhere, completing a task, going to an office, filling out a form...there hasn't been the opportunity to just stop and be in Mumbai. I know I will have plenty of time to get to know the city and all it has to offer over the course of these two years, and from what I have seen so far, there will be plenty of great things to experience.

Here are a few pictures of the parts of Mumbai I was able to capture today

Today my friend and I are interviewing for a housekeeper. HOUSEKEEPER!!! When everyone talked about getting one before I got here, I said to myself, it seems pointless and lazy. I have lived as an adult now for over 8 years and never needed a housekeeper. I have managed to keep myself alive without the need for another adult to call me ma'am and pick up after me...but I seem to have given in. One main reason I have allowed myself to do this is the food. Apparently if I don't properly clean my food, I end up with relentless diarrhea :/ of ALL of the things that I want to experience in India...the Bombay Belly, as inevitable as it will be, is on the bottom of the list. So if I can get someone who can do some basic quick food prep a few times a week so I can avoid the "death" I'll do it LOL. Plus I hate doing laundry and ironing...soooo she can do that too. Never fear, I haven't become uppity enough to justify getting a driver....yet :) 

Mumbai Day 1.5

So now that I have fully slept, I am a little less discombobulated and ornery.  Mumbai is an overload on the senses that is for sure. As I am sitting here, there are construction nosies all around me. I suppose in a city with 11 million people you have no choice but to build constantly. There are constant horns honking, people milling around, it can be hard to find a little bit of quiet. Today started orientation. There are about 30 of us that were hired for this school year. The superintendent said to imagine that the hiring process was as if we were on a lifeboat with 6 other people and of those 6 we were the one picked for the ASB ...then he asked us why did we think we were hired. I said because I am a superstar! LOL LOL

India...Day .5

So I have been here in India for about 9 hours. I am exhausted, hungry, worried, feeling lost and alone. You would think it would be difficult to be alone in a city with over 11 million people...not so much once they drop you off at your apartment. It's just me and my blank walls, my suitcases and laptop. I knew coming here that I would need to experience Mumbai in order to understand it. The learning curve is STEEP. The noise, the people, the trash, stray dogs, simply walking down the street is like playing frogger as there are no sidewalks and the drivers in the streets are lawless. (not really,but it feels that way) Leaving everything I knew and the things and places that were familiar and comfortable with to be dropped in the middle of an unfamiliar and confusing part of the world is daunting. Figuring out how to call home, making sure I use bottled water to brush my teeth, where to buy groceries. At home these things were automatic, here in India it took all of my brain power to figure out how to charge my cell phone. The school was very welcoming, but they can't hold my hand while I adjust. The good thing is I figured out how to trick the internet so I can now watch Netflix and listen to Pandora. See....silver lining in every cloud.

FINALLY!!!!

After a LONG LONG day yesterday driving to DC and back, sitting in the embassy, tears on the phone with the passport office, endless google searches, emails galore, countless calls to CKGS to complain about BLS, days stress and worry. MY VISA IS FINALLY READY!!!!

I have never dreamed this process would take soooo long...but I am so glad that it is OVER. I am glad that we decided to drive back to the embassy to talk to someone, I think that in this transition between companies that our things were out of sight/out of mind. The staff at the embassy were very nice and helpful and it was completely unlike my experience at BLS. The only regret I have is not driving over there sooner! Oh well... and now next stop...MUMBAI!!!!

Hardest part is over!

So I just told my students I am going to India. They took it really well!! They asked me great questions about the food, people, clothing, exchange rates, weather, housing, religion, shopping, just about everything I have asked other people about Mumbai. Oh...and for me to send them food. LOL They are funny. I told them we can Skype next year, and I am giving them my blog info so they can keep up with my travels and adventures.

Hey Lucas!!!! I have enjoyed teaching every one of you this year, and I will miss you next year!!! As Ms. Smith always says...go out and make me some A's!!! - Ms. Turner

Caution...construction ahead!!!

So I have reached what I refer to....in my head, as the summer construction part of my move. Why? Summer construction is always ill timed, it interrupts what would other wise be a quick, seamless and pain free experience. It adds unnecessary time to your journey...ok ok I bet you get it.

So I'm in my summer construction phase of moving abroad. I now have no idea where my passport or employment visa is. Did I lose it...NOPE. I drove 5 hours to Washington DC to drop my paperwork off in person to avoid this VERY thing. Problem is...summer construction. The company that had been handling and processing the Visa's here in the USA for travel to India, changed  to a new contractor the week after I went. Was I worried? NOPE. Why would I worry? I did everything right LOL...the new company emailed me yesterday to say they don't "have it currently" I don't know what that means...but they have 6 weeks to find it or I may have to bring the thunder LOL LOL. This should give an idea of what is going on in the US with this transition.  Visa chaos

Second snag, the school I will be teaching at helps to handle the relocation costs for shipping. So what did I do, chose a company the school has no partnership with, so instead of billing the school this company has to bill me...my fault my fault. I mean, there goes my summer money out the window, but not even really that bothered. Am I panicked yet...NOPE.


Then the shipping company that was coming this MONDAY to pick up my stuff informs me that they cannot ship my items without my passport and visa....oh the ones that are lost somewhere in an office or bin in DC?!?! Oh ok. And for some reason the guy keeps asking me when do I think I will get them!!! How many ways can one say, "I HAVE NO CLUE" He's nice and all but COME ON!

The good news is, I got my background check...I apparently am not a criminal LOL

Lists

So, as the continued excitement of moving to Mumbai settles in, the reality of ACTUALLY getting there has as well. There are about 20,000,000 things on my to-do list, and what I notice is that the more I do...the LONGER the list gets.

Move out of apartment - Check
Secure a storage - Check

Oh wait, before the items can go into storage I have to sort them, India or USA. Then resort THOSE items: items to go in the suitcases vs items to be shipped....AND THEN SORT THOSE ITEMS...items I need access to versus items I can pack in vacu-seal bags.

I am trying to figure out what I really need to take and what is just me trying to hold onto items for comfort. There are some items that I am taking strictly for funsies. I also am torn between the idea of taking items and just buying them when I get to Mumbai. While I could get rid of my pots and pans and buy new ones, that just seems wasteful and lazy. But then again every item I take is another $$$$ I pay!

I'm at work thinking about all of the things I need to do, I am eating going over my lists, I am asleep having nightmares about forgetting something on my list...wait...where is my list!?!?!?!?!?

It all happened so quickly!!

Soooo, you know the quote "when you make plans God laughs"...I now know exactly what that quote means. When 2014 started out, I was sure I was going to grad school. I was POSITIVE the next step in my life was to start the fall of 2014 in a Ph.D program for Special Education. I spent all my monies applying to programs, because I was SO sure that was the plan for my life. Well March of 2014, I received all of my rejection letters, had my moment of devastation and said, "Well what now!?!?!"

Well here is what! I decided to start applying to teaching positions outside of North Carolina. I was ready to embark on a new adventure...I had no idea what was in store for me. 

Long story short, I applied for a job. I followed up my application with an email to the principal over Easter weekend. To follow were the quickest two weeks full of interviews, reference checks, Skype calls, emails...and then the Skype call of them all!!!! I GOT THE JOB!!!!!

What is the job you ask?!?! Well on July 26th, I am leaving for MUMBAI INDIA!!!! I will be working for the American School of Bombay as an Academic Specialist (Special Education Teacher) for the Elementary School. 

FAQ:

Am I excited? YES YES YES YES YES

Am I nervous? YES

Is my family excited? YES YES YES

Is my family nervous? YES (my brother and uncle particularly)

So I am creating this blog so that my family and friends can keep tabs on me as I embark this great adventure for the next two years! 

God may have laughed...but now I am laughing too!!!