it's 5am in abu dhabi
but I just wanted to record the day of contrasts yesterday. Going around to villas with pools with an investment advisor for Mubadla, a Lebanese guy with a housing budget of Dhs. 300,000 per year (USD 81k) in the morning, and then meeting a construction engineer looking for an apartment to share with four families, squeezing 24 people into 4 bedrooms in the evening. And this was skilled labor -- engineers and contractors working on Reem Island. Rental prices are coming down fast, but it's still ridiculous.
My job is tiring. I've never worked so hard in my life since I had a newborn. I was warned against frustrating "time-wasters" and figured my colleagues meant people like me -- slow to decide on a place to live -- but actually they meant the guy I was supposed to meet today. Called me at noon looking for a villa in Khalifa City. I said I could meet him in an hour. Went to our designated meeting spot, the police station, and he said he was two minutes away. Called back and said he was there, at the police station. Where? Because I didn't see him in the parking lot. Said he would call back. Ten mins later he called and said he was at Ittihad Bank, couldn't find the police station. I said I would meet him at Ittihad. Went there, called. Said he was two minutes away. Waited ten minutes, called back. Said he had to get back to work and didn't have time to meet. I took a deep breath. Drove half an hour back to Abu Dhabi.
This is only interesting to me... the detailed narrative of minor frustrations.
Iola spent all evening painting watercolors. We are going to do an art project together soon. John is finishing his wayfinding piece, which will be in print on Friday after nearly two years of reporting.
We are buying another car, so John can pick up iola when I have to work late or early. The process has not been so terrible. A little 2003 VW Polo from a friend who is moving to DC. Tomorrow, insha'allah, we will be a two car family, or maybe three if you count the one Brooke is babysitting for us in Santa Cruz. It's a day I vowed would never come, but here I am longing for it. I might even be able to think about nursery school and a new era of parent equality.
My job is tiring. I've never worked so hard in my life since I had a newborn. I was warned against frustrating "time-wasters" and figured my colleagues meant people like me -- slow to decide on a place to live -- but actually they meant the guy I was supposed to meet today. Called me at noon looking for a villa in Khalifa City. I said I could meet him in an hour. Went to our designated meeting spot, the police station, and he said he was two minutes away. Called back and said he was there, at the police station. Where? Because I didn't see him in the parking lot. Said he would call back. Ten mins later he called and said he was at Ittihad Bank, couldn't find the police station. I said I would meet him at Ittihad. Went there, called. Said he was two minutes away. Waited ten minutes, called back. Said he had to get back to work and didn't have time to meet. I took a deep breath. Drove half an hour back to Abu Dhabi.
This is only interesting to me... the detailed narrative of minor frustrations.
Iola spent all evening painting watercolors. We are going to do an art project together soon. John is finishing his wayfinding piece, which will be in print on Friday after nearly two years of reporting.
We are buying another car, so John can pick up iola when I have to work late or early. The process has not been so terrible. A little 2003 VW Polo from a friend who is moving to DC. Tomorrow, insha'allah, we will be a two car family, or maybe three if you count the one Brooke is babysitting for us in Santa Cruz. It's a day I vowed would never come, but here I am longing for it. I might even be able to think about nursery school and a new era of parent equality.
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