Post I Sent to a Friend in Dubai

 Sorry it’s been a while since I last posted. Sometimes it’s hard to type and adult in general. But yes, for a couple of years Handsome and I lived in Dubai. I’ll tell you this, I’ll never bitch about Florida summers after two summers of 120F full humidity there! There was a convenience store I went to everyday and got to know the employees. When we decided to move back home, Handsome and I threw a going away party and invited the staff because they really truly took care of me. The GM arranged for me to come in and I didn’t realize they put together a whole package of gifts for me to say we will miss you. An employee reposted that day so here’s what I wrote to him:

Sajith - 

Seeing this photo again made me smile and cry at the same time. When we moved to Dubai, I gave up my job for Handsome to have his dream job. He’s not on FB but his colleagues are so I accidentally got him his dream job because of FB lol. I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to even get a part time job there (being American means no retail or shop jobs in Dubai). I became a housewife with no children which is a very lonely place to be in, in such a weird city thousands of miles away. Have to admit that Dubai is weird. Special, but weird.

Coming to Zoom literally was the highlight of my day which is why I came everyday even when it was 49 degrees. Because you all were kind. And really helped me learn how to get around the city. Handsome’s company did not have a PRO to help new employees and their families. He started work quite literally six hours after we had landed. I had to figure out my visa alone (which was hard because technically they needed Handsome to physically be present at the immigration office), find an apartment, learn I cannot work (to me feels like I no longer have a purpose, I owned and ran a company in America). But all of you became my PRO. 

I made sure to learn everyone’s names at Zoom. To ask about your families. To hear how your holidays back home went. Bring back presents from the states for you. Bake cakes because I became a housewife and had time (always one halal and one haram with alcohol lol). And make polite but stern remarks to some of your customers at times when they were being so so rude to your employees. Like some folks don’t understand we’re all here for jobs so why say unkind things to the people who feed you?

I still have every gift you gave me from that day even ten years later. I know many of you are in different locations, or taken new jobs or moved home. I love seeing how your lives have changed over time. Thank you for sharing some of your time with me. #6511 forever.

Take care, and please feel free to share this if you’d like.

Jess