Newsletter 4

Jul 21, 2005 8:40 AM
Newsletter 4

Hi Everyone!

I'm trying desperately to get you caught up to date in my activities but I've been having a lot of trouble accessing my Yahoo email from here. If it continues, I'll have to move my newsletter to another account provider. Newsletter 4 still involves my employment processing during my first week. Hang in there, I will get to what I've been doing since I moved into my
flat.

Hope is well with all of y'all!

Yesterday, Mary Kay, Assistant Head of Public Services at the UAEU Libraries, had told me a university driver would call for me at the Hilton, possibly at 9:00, so I got up early and got ready for the day. Then Mary Kay called to say the driver would come at 10:00 and take me first to Zayed Central Library (ZCL) to meet the Dean (of the Libraries Deanship) Dr. Assaum, and Ali Abdulla, Head of Public Services (Ali is my immediate supervisor and the Dean is over Ali – and others, and then go to Human Resources. I ate breakfast and returned to my room. The hotel desk called when the driver arrived and we were off to ZCL.

I wanted to remember to ask someone at the library about the two strange fruits I ate at breakfast. They were each about the size of a tennis ball; one had thick, half-inch-long green “hairs and pink “hairs” sticking out all over a hard outer lime green rind. Inside was a white ping pong ball-sized white fruit, slightly sweet but bland in flavor. [I have since found out they are lychees.] The other was dark plum colored with a “crown” of two light green hemispheres and a thick purple stem. The outside skin was smooth and both harder and thicker than a plumb’s and had a thick dark red rind the texture of candied apples (I didn’t know if it was edible so I took a small bite – it tasted awful!) The fruit inside is a tri-part sphere, 2 white and one yellowish, and kind of sweet tasting. The fruit of each kind of fruit has a seed the size and shape of a date pit.

The driver took me to ZCL, a large, white marble covered building with a flight of steps leading up to it, a covered porch-like entry and very spacious inside, with a circulation desk and offices to the right, display cabinets on the left and the reference desk area straight ahead followed by computer pods, study tables. Current periodicals are shelved to the left of Reference with the reference collection to the right and the general stacks extending further to the left then straight back toward the rear of the building. After the periodicals on the left is the special Emirates Collection (everything item pertaining to the UAE) and beside it a desk for reference and checking out materials from that special collection. The dean’s offices are to the left after the display cases in an area adjacent to the periodicals. The interior space is supported by large squarish pillars decorated in blue with gold trim on patterned Arabic-style motifs in relief.

I was introduced to many people on the staff whose names I do not remember, unfortunately; then Mary Kay (finally in person, after nearly a year of corresponding by email, one telephone interview and a teleconference interview), Rebecca who is from Hong Kong and has been here about eight months, and Ali Abdulla, my boss. Mary Kay and I met with Ali in his office. He told me that I was to take it easy for the first several days, get the university paperwork and other matters accomplished and not to worry about beginning work for at least a week. Then we met in the Dean’s office. Dr. Assaum welcomed me, talked to me about the library, made phone calls and gave directions concerning my apartment, my office (set it up, let me choose the furniture, etc.), gave me a UAEU Yearbook (a State of the University type book not photos of students – those annuals feature names and photos of graduating males and names only of graduating females, I later found out) and offered to let me call my family (Gina) from his office phone using my calling card that afternoon since I had been unsuccessful in contacting her. I later found out that his is the only telephone in the library from which international phone calls can be made. He said to let him know if I needed anything. Reflecting back to similar phrases spoken by the Gulistan State University Rector (president) when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer assigned there, I wondered if the words were a formality or literal. He also insisted that I be moved to the Rotana Hotel today. It seems that the Rotana is where he had requested I be housed so when the driver – in spite of those instructions, apparently – took me to the Hilton instead, they were not expecting me and so the hotel was full. Now he had learned that the reservation was still in place at the Rotana and he wanted me moved there!

Mary Kay then arranged for Naeema, director of the American Studies Corner (sponsored by the US Embassy) in the library, an Emirati girl fluent in English, to go with me as a translator. She, Mary Kay and I got into the UAEU car and the driver took us to the Human Resources office where I at last met Ahmed, whom I’d been emailing with for several months in preparation for my coming. I turned over my authenticated documents (except the reference letters and copies of diploma and divorce decree), several photos, passport, visa, etc., which were photocopied and returned. I signed something related to my furnishing allowance and received assurances from the housing person about being able to see apartments tomorrow.

Then we went back to the library to drop off Mary Kay. There we learned that the driver and all other UAEU drivers would be otherwise occupied for a conference that afternoon and the next day. Naeema offered to drive me herself to change hotels. Mary Kay arranged for another driver to pick up Naeema at the library tomorrow and then come get me and take us on rounds to HR, get a national medical card, get a health checkup at the hospital, etc., and then I was taken back to the hotel for lunch and packing to change hotels. Naeema, who wears the traditional black abaya (long sleeved robe) and sheila (head covering), would come for me at 4:00.

I ate, packed and sat on the bed to watch TV for a few minutes and fell asleep sitting up. Naeema arrived at the Hilton and went to the reception desk. The clerk called me and sent someone to pick up my bags. I signed out and paid 29 dh. for phone calls (!), the bags went into the trunk of Naeema’s car, Naeema placed a veil over her face so only her eyes are visible - she is required by her family to wear the veil while driving - and we were on our way to the library for my phone call. I was shown into the Dean’s office (he was not there) where I sat in his extremely comfortable and undoubtedly expensive leather swivel desk chair and used his phone. The call went through the first time, no hitches. I talked to Gina, Jayde and Zane and to Kemp twice. It was wonderful to hear their voices! Then Naeema took me to the Rotana where I checked in. BTW, I think it is a 5 star hotel!

The room, 404, is extremely nice and much larger than the Hilton’s chalet. I settled in, had dinner at 7:30 where I ate foofteh for the first time (I can’t remember now what it was but I do remember the name!). I went to bed at 10:00 after setting the alarm for 6:00 and slept until 1:30 then was awake until 3:30 or so, then slept and woke up at 6:45 – either the alarm hadn’t gone off or I hadn’t heard it. I showered, prayed, dressed, got my needed stuff together (photos, etc.) and went to eat breakfast.

The driver came at 8:00 without Naeema – I had to insist he go for her. He, with little English, kept saying he had to take me to HR. I kept remonstrating in English and saying, “La, la!” (No, no!) He finally made mobile phone calls and we finally ended up going to the library to meet Naeema and then headed for HR. Once there, Ahmed gave me some documents related to the health things I needed to do and we took off. On the way, the driver mentioned that the health card would cost 300 DH ($81.52), which I didn’t have. I told him I’d have to exchange some traveler's checques. We first stopped at a money changer establishment but I insisted on going to a bank – on the American theory that I could get a better exchange rate there - and he took us to Arab Bank, which refused to handle traveler’s cheques and said to go to a money changer so we ended up at the original place, where the transfer took place relatively quickly. (The driver was very patient and understanding through all this. I’ve realized that the people here are easygoing, understanding and hospitable.) I exchanged $250 for 910 dh.

Then we went to a place where they copied by passport and visa, typed information on a form and attached my photo to it. Then we drove to the health center – somewhere near ZCL - to apply for the health card and I paid the 300 dh. They gave me a receipt which I can use in about a month to pick up the official card. Next we drove to the Al Ain Hospital for the exam: blood pressure, pulse, heartbeat, and weight were checked in one room; x-ray of chest, I guess, from the back – had to remove jacket and bra but not my jumper or garments top, thank goodness. Then to another room for urine and stool samples (the latter was unsuccessful and I’ll have to take it in tomorrow – sorry for the gruesome details), and finally the blood drawing – unsuccessful in my left inside elbow, then finally –slowly – from a vein in my left hand.

Then we went back to HR where another (HR) driver drove three of us - Naeema, a man from the Housing Office and me to see three apartments. The first was nicely made but so small I felt claustrophobic; the second was larger but older and had individual a/c units in the rooms; the third was the best and is the one I choose. Back to HR, I was largely ignored in office of the Head of Housing (he had several other people – males - in there at the same time with whom he was doing business) and I ended up signing the contract without all of the apartment information written in or getting a key – was told to buy a new cylinder (lock) for the apartment. Mary Kay was very upset about this later when I told her.

Yesterday, Ahmed in HR or someone else (this has all been very confusing!) gave me documents to take for electric/water service, phone, bank account, etc. I didn’t get the furnishing allowance, either, although it was supposed to pick it up today. Apparently it wasn’t ready yet. I was exhausted and chose to go to the hotel for lunch rather than back to the library. I asked Naeema, who was going back to the library, to ask Mary Kay to call me at about 2:00.

Of note: during a conversation on the way to the health center, Naeema said she would have me come to her home sometime to see it, meet her mother, etc. If that happens, it will be a rare opportunity for a Westerner. Naeema’s father died a few months ago, leaving her mother a widow with nine of her ten children still at home. Naeema is child #2. Her mother married at age 11 and had her first child at age 13!!!

After lunch, I went back to my room, changed into the fluffy bathrobe provided by the Rotana, and then (finally) got a stool sample [sorry if this grosses you out!], which I hope keeps until tomorrow.

Mary Kay called at 2:14, was incensed about the apartment contract/key issue, that my employment contract hadn’t been mentioned, that the furnishings check wasn’t ready, etc. She is going to try to talk to the Dean about it (he’s out of the office with some Omani librarians (Oman is a neighboring country) who are visiting to see what can be done.

I’d called Sharon Spencer, an English language instructor in UGRU, UAEU’s University General Requirements Unit and with whom I’ve been corresponding by email since about last September, before deciding on taking the apartment – she said it’s in a good area quite close to town and where there are lots of taxis. I called her again to set a time to meet this evening at the Rotana and decided on 8:30 after I’ve dined as she eats early and had a couple of errands to take care of before coming.

I got in a short nap; now I’ll go down for dinner. I think I’ll buy more postcards and stamps to send to some non-family folks.