Triumphant return

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am proud and happy to announce that i have just returned a few weeks ago from a 10 day business trip to the United Arab Emirates.

In my new capacity, I served as the communications and logistics officer for a U.S. railroad trade mission to the U.A.E. featuring 30 American companies across rail and infrastructure sectors.

The trip itself was incredible, both in a professional sense with a successful mission and in the personal sense with the ability to see Dubai friends and stay in two 5-star hotels.

In Abu Dhabi, the delegation and I stayed at the Emirate's Palace Hotel where it was mostly all business, but I was able to enjoy some room service and the services of my own butler (seriously).

In Dubai, I stayed at the Madinat Jumeirah, a beautiful Bedouin-syle hotel with a beach and pool area in the back and a Souk (market) attached.

After the mission completed, I was able to have lunch with former coworkers and go out with some friends and enjoy the Dubai nightlife/World Cup action in one of the most international of cities.

The trip was a huge highlight of the year for me so far and it was awesome/slightly strange to return to the land I had left six short/long months ago.

I do not know when I will return to my third home (behind VA and MSU), but Inshallah (God willing), it's sooner rather than later.

Cheers,

Brian

Keeping my UAE Ties alive

It has been a few months since my last blog post. In that time, I rigorously networked and applied for numerous jobs in the Washington, D.C. area. After a few months of meeting the best and brightest in D.C., I was offered and accepted a brilliant opportunity to work as an Associate Program Director a foreign trade association that supports bi-lateral trade between the U.S. and U.A.E.

This position will allow me to travel back to the U.A.E. from time to time and promises to be a rewarding experience.

I look forward to the next time that I land in the UAE, although it will likely be all business.

I hope everyone is well and is enjoying the improving weather State-side.

Cheers,

Brian

couch surfer

I don't know if you have heard of couchsurfing.com, but for the past few weeks that I have been back in the States, sleeping on couches has been a regular part of my life (although I haven't booked anything on the aforementioned site).  I have slept on couches in my parents house (a futon in lieu of my bed, which was moved), aunts/cousins/uncles in Champaign and Chicago, Illinois; a MSU friend's couch in Wrigleyville, and I will be surfing couches in East Lansing, when I visit my university for the first time since graduation last May.

After the MLK weekend and some job interviews, the search for an apartment with a high school buddy will start, and once we find a place, a bed will be bought, and I will end my couch surfing days.

Heading back to the USA

All packed up and ready to go.  Gonna head to the airport shortly for dinner with a coworker, then a farewell drink with another coworker, then to the business lounge for a snack and to await my 15 hour flight home.

I want to thank the people who have been following me and my journey to acclimate myself to the foreign and diverse cultures of Dubai.

I wish you all happiness and health during the holidays and a very happy New Year!

Cheers,

Brian

Dubye

I can honestly say that my time here in Dubai has been eye-opening, amazing, and fruitful from both a personal and professional point-of-view.  The past 5.5 months feel like 5.5 days and 5.5 years at the same time. I have worked hard, enjoyed my weekends and time off, and met many genuine and nice people along the way from all over the globe.

I have spent this last full week tying up lose ends, packing up my belongings, and assessing my situation in general.  I have also been blasting Christmas music, trying to get in the spirit, although it is hard in a Muslim country where it is 75 and sunny everyday.  My favorite new Christmas song is Andrea Bocelli & Mary J. Blige singing, "What Child is This?"... simply brilliant!

That being said, I want to wish ALL my friends and readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! To those of you who have been reading my blog, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have enjoyed sharing my experience with you.

I am flying overnight back to the States on Tuesday, I will land at 650 am Wednesday morning!  I have already made lunch and dinner plans: for lunch, a Chipotle Burrito! for dinner, my dad's famous wagonwheel pasta and meatballs!  

I honestly can't wait for Wednesday and to be home and feel the holiday spirit that is lost over here.

It has been a good run, Dubai and I will certainly miss the people I have met here.  

Cheers,

Brian

Closing Shop

Well, as I enter the winter of my tenure in Dubai, I can honestly say that the past 5+ months have the most interesting of my short, albeit eventful life.  I have met some of the coolest, nicest, and strangest people here and I have enjoyed learning a bit about different cultures and lifestyles.  I will miss the place when I leave to come back to the States a week from Tuesday night.

This weekend was the last big weekend before everyone heads home for Christmas and New Year's, so we went to a farewell brunch at Waxy O'Connors followed by an evening at the beach bar, Barasti.  I was able to see many of the friends I have made here and enjoyed a night on the town.

The coming week will entail closing shop and packing everything up.  At work, I will complete the handover process and take som pictures of the place to record the place I spent so much time in over here and the nice people I worked with.

I hope everyone is doing well and this holiday season finds you happy and healthy!

Cheers,

Brian

Sevens Heaven

With just 17 days left in Dubai, my focus is turning from enjoying all the city/emirate ha to offer to packing, closing accounts, and travel logistics.

That being said, I did have a pleasant week this past week complete with good food, good rugby, and good friends.

This weekend was the 40th Dubai Rugby Sevens, a tournament of national rugby teams playing 14 min games (7 min halves) in an effort to be the last team standing.  I have never even watched rugby, but I can say now that it is quite an entertaining and strategy-fueled sport. It was quite an enjoyable day, I went with 5 or 6 friends nad met up with more at the venue.

I spent today on the beach enjoying the 78 degree temperature and refreshing clear blue waters of the Persian Gulf.  

This evening,  watched a superb football clinic put on by Man United who handed West Ham a defeat in the freezing English rain.  Goals were scored b my man Rooney, Gibson (a home-grown, promising talent), Scholes, and Valencia.  Each goal was crafted beautifully, a true mixture of superb ball handling and vision.

The week coming up will be start my campaign to organize my life back into the few bags I arrived with at the beginning of July.  

I hope everyone back home and abroad are doing well and again, wish you all a very happy holiday season!

Cheers,

Brian

Eid Mubarack!

To my Muslim friends out there, Eid Mubarack!

I have throughly enjoy my three day weekend and as I sit her awaiting some mac and cheese that's cooking on the stove, I can say that I am thankful I got to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Dubai with good people and had a lot of fun.

Wednesday night, I hung out with my flatmates, John and Stan, and watched the movie "Up", which John had said was awful, but i thoroughly enjoyed it (although the talking dogs were a bit much). Thursday, during the day, John, Graham, and I went down to the beach in front of Jumeirah Beach Residences (my complex).  For a country in the middle east, it's amazing how many speedos and bikinis you see on the beach.

Thursday night, I went out for "Thanksgiving dinner" with 15 English people, an Aussie, and a Scotsman.  We went to Ruby Tuesdays of all places and I ordered the salad bar of all things...definitely a Thanksgiving I will never forget.  

After dinner, we went to a place called Trader Vics Mai Thai and then I broke off with my buddy, Luke, and went to Barasti, a cool beach bar, to meet up with Kathrynn, a girl from South Africa.

Friday, we decided to go to an irish brunch at Waxy O'Connors, which was actually very delectable.  After the brunch, we carried on to a night club called "Chi at The Lodge".  Great night.

Today, Saturday, I spent the noon hours at the pool with WIll, Jay, Ben, and Laura and then had lunch with Ben, Laura, and Craig (Scotsman) at On The Border.  I watched the film Role Models with Paul Rudd and Sean Williams Scott, brilliant film.

Now I am enjoying a big bowl of macaroni and cheese!

I hope everyone is well!

Cheers,

Brian

100th post/Thanksgiving!

I would like to use my 100th post to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my fellow Americans out there and people celebrating it in the States!

cheers,

Brian

Addition to my weekend of sports-filled fun

On Saturday, I stood behind the 14th tee box at the Dubai World Championship...I was 5 feet away from the likes of Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Winner Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Peter Lawry, Retief Goosen, Ross McGowan, and many other of golf's biggest names.

This experience was amazing and fairly easy on the wallet (abut $35 in cab fare, no entrance fee)!

This Thursday we have a day off for Eid, so even though I am in Dubai, Thanksgiving Thursday will be a day off for me!  I have another 4 day week next week for National Day.

1 month from right now, I will be biting into a Chipotle burrito and I must say that i am looking forward to that moment.

I hope everyone is well and wish my American friends a Happy Thanksgiving and my Muslim friends a Happy Eid.

Cheers,

Brian