So we arrived!!! :)

We got to the airport on Friday and checked in at the Delta desk, they tried to charge us $50 a bag for each extra bag. We argued that we had international connecting flights but they kept pushing. But between my mom and I we managed to talk the guy down and convince him not to charge us, if not it would have been $100!!! We sat and had coffees (they had coffee :) I don't drink coffee. Saul, his dad and Sonia (his dad's girlfriend) talked business. My mom, my brother and I talked about stuff, life and randomness. My mom and I cried... A LOT. A lot more than I would have ever thought. It was a very hard good bye. 26 years and 11 months under her roof is a LONG time so I know it was time to go but I guess the extra time made it even harder :( My mom is probably in Argentina now and she will be visiting soon, she's a tour guide and she's bringing a group here with her husband in late October :)

on the way to NY

So our flight ended up leaving Miami an hour late at 5:20PM and the pilot SPED all the way to NY and we still got there on time. How he made up for an hour of lost time, I really don't know. So we landed at 7:30PM and had to walk a very long way with heavy backpacks and heavy carry-on suitcases then take a train to another terminal until we made it to the Etihad check in desk. I really, really needed to pee and there wasn't a bathroom in sight. (I know that was a little TMI (too much info) sorry). We waited in 2 lines until we got to the desk to check in. THANKFULLY they didn't weigh the carry-on bags because we were WAY over the 15lbs limit :) Then we had to walk to the security check in and I was thankfully able to find a restroom there. We went through security without any issues and went to Gate 29 for our flight.

At the gate, I met Valerie Cine, a friend of Stella Hernandez - both friends of Jose Rodriguez. Jose's the culprit to this whole adventure. He's been teaching in Abu Dhabi for a year and he recruited all of us to come out and join him. (Thank you Jose)

Our TV screen Map

The flight was SUPER long for the first part, it was really hard to sleep. I was totally jealous of those people in business class because the chairs looked really comfortable. I was truly expecting a little more legroom for such a long flight and it felt like any other domestic flight. On comfort level I would have to rate them a 5. However, the entertainment was amazing. They had tons of movies to choose from and games to play. Even a video game remote to play the games with. That part was absolutely a 10!! We ate, then slept (on and off) then ate again when we woke up at 7am (Miami time). They served us ravioli for breakfast. I wasn't surprised cause I figured they would transfer over to Abu Dhabi time. But I forgot to mention this to Saul and he was shocked and disappointed he didn't get anything for breakfast :( He was so shocked that he talked about it for a couple hours LOL Then we each watched a movie. I watch "Letters to Juliet" and he watched "Alice in Wonderland". After the movies, we played Checkers against each other - on the individual screens. Way Cool! But we couldn't finish the game cause it was landing time lol Although Saul was beating my butt in the game 6:2

So once we landed, (Saturday at 8PM Abu Dhabi time) Nirvana Travel personnel met us RIGHT at the gate. They can't do that in the states anymore, they have to wait outside of customs. Talk about special treatment :) They checked our names off the list and took us to get our luggage, ALL of our bags had arrived, Thankfully. We went through customs - no problems. And then went out to meet the buses. As we walked out the doors of the airport BAM we were smacked in the face by a cloud of MUGGINESS. I know! I know! I live in Miami! I should be used to this. Well, it felt WAY worse at that moment. The air felt still and thick. So we quickly handed our luggage over to the guys to load them and we got on the bus as fast as possible. AC is definitely a MUST!!

We got to the hotel and checked in to get our keys. The hotel is absolutely beautiful!! Very modern and state of the art!! Free internet which is a TRUE luxury because other teachers are not having this same experience at their hotels.

 Sunday at 8:30AM - Orientation - LOTS of information but I was so tired of sitting. LOL. I got my school placement. The name of my school is Al Shoaa and the Region is Maqam. It is Al Ain!!! Where I wanted to be so I'm happy about that. And I will be teaching boys AND girls in kindergarten. Any other grades 1st and up - boys and girls are split up. After orientation we decided to do a little shopping.  We are exhausted. Orientation ended at 3pm but then we had to apply for the bank account and that took another 40 minutes of waiting in line - 1 to get the form and 2 to return the filled out form. Then we went to carrefour by the airport (10Dhs or $3) to realize... they really had nothing around there but the Carrefour and the cellphone plans they offered were limited so we had to go to the mall. So we took a cab to Marina Mall (30Dhs or $8) and were able to get the correct phone plan for my blackberry at a decent price. Plans here are different than in the US, internet is charged separately from minutes. So I will pay $50 a month for unlimited internet and my minutes I will have pay-as-you go until I get my residency visa then I will be able to transfer to a post-paid account. 

 The residency visa is a WHOLE other story. They decided that in order to get us here in time for school to start, we will come on tourist visas. These visas only last for 30 days. We need to pray, cross our fingers, hope (whatever it is you do, please) that I get my residency visa before Oct. 6. This is the day that our container arrives. And in order to retrieve the container with all of our precious goods, I need proof of residency!! So please help us out with some positive energy sent this way - Abu Dhabi .

Thanks :)

 I hope everyone has a good night or great day - depends on where you are in the world.