tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79948492024-03-16T11:08:06.984+04:00America to ArabiaFrom Houston, Texas to Dubai, UAE, a US immigration attorney with a Houston-based firm, a management consultant focused on energy, and a 1-year old boy share their experiences...Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-71795544362090222852012-03-26T02:13:00.000+04:002012-03-26T02:13:09.561+04:00Belgium<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Not sure what got me missing my year in Belgium. I watched the movie One Day, I heard about it because the author was in Dubai a few weeks ago for the Lit Festival. When the movie skimmed over the 90s, it made me think about my exchange student year in Belgium 99-00.<br />
<br />
The movie brought up a few things. 1. Early death of a mother (happened to me), 2. Time flying and experiencing life all over the world and 3. Finding love. <br />
<br />
I also love the premise of showing the same day over time. Fun way to summarize life. <br />
<br />
Anyway, although it has been almost 13 years since I left on exchange, I still remember my year fondly and I think we all wonder if we are ever going to organize a reunion.<br />
<br />
When I hear a song from 99-00, drink a drink from that year, smell chocolate, see waffles, see Smurfs, etc. I think about Belgium.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-66067184719154564892012-03-25T21:34:00.003+04:002012-03-25T21:45:25.050+04:00You know you have lived in Dubai when:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">You know you have lived in Dubai when:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>You can tell the nationality of the car’s driver by its tint job,</li>
<li>You have a maid conversation at least one time a week</li>
<li>Instead of buying or searching out an outfit, designing and getting one made in Satwa is your first option,</li>
<li>You have gotten stuck on side of road taking picture of camels,</li>
<li>You can’t name all the Emirates, but know how to get to Barracuda,</li>
<li>You have to update the directions to your house because the roads have changed,</li>
<li>You boycott the malls until the summer,</li>
<li>You wonder why would you make the Shopping Festival in January after we are all broke from traveling and buying Christmas gifts in December,</li>
<li>You can practically tell the occupation of a person by their nationality and gender,</li>
<li>You try really hard to use the Entertainer coupons and get upset when you forget to use them,</li>
<li>You’ve been to a few Friday brunches, but you are saving up until the next one,</li>
<li>You’ve seen a wild animal in a car driving next to you (or at least read about it),</li>
<li>You have a love/hate relationship with the ‘newspaper’ 7DAYS,</li>
<li>When you go on vacation, you are excited to return back to reading 7DAYS because you had withdrawal,</li>
<li>You know every family has at least one SUV,</li>
<li>You buy gem stones in Sri Lanka and get jewelry made in the Gold Souk,</li>
<li>You follow Sheikh ‘Mo’ on Twitter, Facebook, and his YouTube channel,</li>
<li>You don’t realize you live in a desert until you drive outside of Dubai and it hits you,</li>
<li>You know the national origin of your fruits and vegetables,</li>
<li>You have been addicted to Dubizzle at least once</li>
</ol><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">Ruby L. Powers March 25, 2012</div></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-57229955283742378142012-01-30T11:20:00.005+04:002012-01-30T12:55:53.124+04:00Laws and People's Behavior<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When you live in one place all your life, you don't realize how much the laws affect people's behavior and people's mores and cultural views affect the laws. Having lived in four US states and six countries ( 4 countries being majority Christian and 2 being majority Muslim) in my lifetime (just 30 years young now), I have seen a wide range of laws and rules.<br />
<br />
Most of the ones that attract my attention are on safety, alcohol, and other social aspects like relationships, marriage, public display of affection, etc.<br />
<br />
In Belgium, as long as the kid could see over the bar, he was served a drink. I drank alcohol in Belgium when I was 17 and it was legal. In Spain, the teenagers were filling the public squares drinking all night long. In certain states I lived, I could only buy wine in a wine store and liquor in a liquor shop, I think it was North Carolina and Maryland that were some of the stricter states I lived in. North Carolina didn't allow 'happy hours' because it encouraged drinking and driving but Washington, D.C. sure made up for them (of course I used the metro most of my time in DC). In Missouri, they were selling liquor and wine at the Walmart. In the UAE, you have to have an alcohol license to buy and it is related to your job, visa, salary, and you have to get it renewed every year and you can only buy from certain stores that seem to be hidden. Most laborers can't even buy alcohol so they start making moonshine (insert an American Southern accent here) or bootlegged alcohol, or so I read.<br />
<br />
In the US pork is next to every other meat. In the UAE, if it is offered, it is in a secluded section of the grocery story just for the non-Muslims and separate from the rest of the food not to taint it. At a hotel buffet in Sri Lanka catering to Muslims during the Eid holiday, the pork was served at the far end of the buffet line requiring quite a walk to get to it and being far away from the rest of the food.<br />
<br />
In Spain, no one got married before 30 and everyone was living with each other out of wedlock. In Belgium, my host brother got married to his wife after several years being together and having a few kids together before marriage. In the UAE, you would put in jail and deported for that. Extramarital sex is against the law. In fact, I have known a few European couples that got married before moving to the UAE just because of the laws and the visa situation.<br />
<br />
In Sri Lanka, I saw a family of 4, a baby and small child included, all on a motorcycle with no helmets. In the US, you probably get fined riding a bike on your driveway without a helmet or frowned upon by neighbors. In the UAE, there aren't strict laws about buckling children up in the backseat but the expats are trying to bring those laws about through their Letter writing (see my post about 7DAYS) and various other campaigns. I basically follow my US child seat laws in the UAE just to be safe even though I don't have to. One time my nanny hadn't buckled Rex up in the backseat as I was about to back out of a grocery store, an expat British lady came up to me in my car and scolded me saying something like 'you should know better, you are an expat!'<br />
NOTE: An excerpt from Dubai: Fastest City explains that reckless driving is a part of the life in the Gulf for two reasons: 1. Self-important " me first" attitude and 2. the belief that safety is in God's hands.<br />
<br />
In some parts of the US, you can't drive and use a mobile/cell phone at the same time. A big one in Texas recently has been no texting or using phones around school zones. In the UAE, it is common practice even though there might be a law against it. I am not sure. Just to be safe with my son and because it might be a law, I don't use my mobile while driving. I am hearing a lot of radio commercials against it in Dubai now so maybe they are stepping up that campaign.<br />
<br />
Now I am not sure if it is a law but under the topic of government subsidy, I would like to add a few notes on gasoline, water, and electricity. All three are subsidized in the UAE and for water and electricity, Emirati citizens pay next to nothing for it.<br />
<br />
Gasoline in the UAE is subsidized. In Dubai, I have a huge Toyota Sequoia my husband bought for me to drive our son around for safety reasons. He drives the Honda Civic to work daily and I drive the Sequoia around our neighborhood, to the malls, and sometimes into town when we have a need for it. He tells me there is a huge difference as to how people treat you on the road, better with the Sequoia, so he LOVES to drive my car on the weekends,I digress, we will leave that to another topic. To fill up my car, it costs me about $30 USD. In the Houston, it would be about $60 or more.<br />
<br />
Electricity. One month in the summer, our bill was $900 USD. YES, $900! We had the company come and investigate why it was so high and we aren't really sure what happened but oh well. I learned that Emiratis pay half or a 1/3 of what expats pay for electricity so I asked the electricity company guys how they didn't know I wasn't Emirati? They laughed and told me they had copies of my husband's passport and so they knew I wasn't a local as I stood out in my shorts and American accented English. Basically the expats subsidize the locals' electricity bill so they really need expats to help over the costs. Another trick from someone I heard was if you have an Emirati landlord to get them to register for the electricity bill so you can pay the Emirati rate. Too bad our landlord is Pakistani. Anyway, there are complaints around the GCC region that if locals knew the value of electricity, they wouldn't waste it. Especially being the fact that we are living in a desert. Anyway.<br />
<br />
Along the same lines of electricity is water. Water is subsidized to Emiratis as well. Concern for being green and not wasteful, recent articles in 7DAYS show concern that this teaches people to be wasteful and not conserve the precious resource which takes a lot of energy to be desalinated over here and so water here is not like water in most other places because it takes a lot more energy to make potable.<br />
<br />
Christian countries have certain concerns and Muslim countries other concerns. Some countries are a lot more conservative than others. The people's opinions, believes, and behaviors affect the laws and the laws affect the people's behavior and opinions. I read a really good quote recently and since I can't find it now it is summed up briefly as, individuals accept behavior that appears to be tolerated by many. There is societal pressure and power in numbers and that is what leads to laws and rules.<br />
<br />
It is exciting living in a place with a huge melting pot of cultures trying to live together in a uniquely constricted universe.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-32203100498357866522012-01-30T10:39:00.000+04:002012-01-30T10:39:17.063+04:00Reading 7days, the local English-newspaper in the UAE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As I ponder my guilty pleasures in my life as a expat woman/"house wife" I think my passport visa calls it, while living in Dubai, I would say they include the occasional massage, pedicure, reflexology treatment, watching Downton Abbey online or an American tv show online and playdates with mommies while my son plays with his friends but there is one more....<br />
<br />
If you know me in Dubai, I will quote a story from the newspaper,<a href="http://www.7days.ae/" target="_blank">7days</a>, jokingly almost every other conversation. Reading 7 days, the "most talked-about English language daily newspaper in the UAE" that "occupies a unique position within the country's media landscape" is probably what anyone in the UAE does daily who has about 5 minutes or more to waste on sheer entertainment. It is like a soap opera handed to your door everyone morning, it is hard to put it down.<br />
<br />
The newspaper is free and delivered to your door every morning around 5 or 6am. Usually the nanny and I take turns reading it and then we use it for cleaning windows or for a fire or recycle it.<br />
<br />
The stories you read sum up a lot of the cultural aspects of living in a country full of expats and a small percentage of actual locals. Also, it teaches about the laws, a lawyer myself, and how they are enforced and applied. For example, today's headline 'Teen in Trouble for Kissing Girls." The story goes a 15-year old Emirati boy broke into an Emirati home and forced two teenage sisters to kiss him. The boy says the girls invited him. The father asked the court to give him a harsh punishment becuse he claimed the boy wanted to "destroy" his daughters at a young age. So it looks like the boy is going to be in detention for a month. I think in the US we would ground the boy for a few weeks and have talk with the parents. Interesting how the laws are drastically different.<br />
<br />
Then just a few days ago I realized what I had wondered for a while. Another law that is drastically different over here, when a person has extramarital sexual relations or sex out of wedlock, they go to jail. So if a woman has sex out of marriage and gets pregnant, she can go to jail and her baby can stay with her. I always wondered what happened to the babies. After they serve the sentence, they get deported.<br />
<br />
Then on what I think is a related topic, yesterday's story was about the abandoned babies they have in the UAE. About 1 abandoned baby a month last year in the UAE or just Sharjah, I can't remember. They have limited fostering laws so only Emirati citizens can foster children but they are considering opening that up to other residents. Also, what I thought was interesting is that when an abandoned child is fostered and eventually taken by an Emirati family, the family can't give them their last name because it is forbidden by Islam but they can give them a similar last name.<br />
<br />
The other story that I remembered was the local man who had 4 wives and an extra room in his house. He came home and all the wives were arguing over who would get the room. He didn't like their arguing so he decided to divorce 3 of them.<br />
<br />
Today I learned something and I need to verify if this is true. It says that the GCC, Gulf Cooperation Council, wants to put more <a href="http://www.7days.ae/article/news/regional/clever-women-will-save-gulf-economies-32600" target="_blank">women in the workforce</a>. Basically, there is a push to use less expats and get more locals in the GCC into the workforce and at the same time increase the percentage of women working. That didn't surprise me but this quote did, <span style="background-color: #e7e7e7; color: #002659; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Yet, in terms of education, a separate study in Abu Dhabi discovered 43 per cent of Emirati women had been to university compared to about seven per cent of men. </span> So some how women go to college but then don't go to work and yet the men don't go to college and do go to work. Maybe they the men are working in family run businesses that don't require college degrees?<br />
<br />
To finish my joy/hate of reading 7days, I will end with what I realize is a fun part of the paper. In the Letters section everyday are rants and raves about the articles and goings on in the country but at the same time it is a way for people to vent about the culture clashes, poor customer service, and room for improvement. In a country without democracy, I think this is the closet you get to the people speaking out and asking for change or improvement. A lot of the recent topics I have noticed since I started reading this section is the need for laws regarding child safety and seat belts in cars, laws against using mobile phones while driving, concern for treatment of laborers and maids, and just other things that people are thinking but are more willing to post it anonymously to the Emirate than say it out loud in public.<br />
<br />
After reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/DUBAI-STORY-WORLDS-FASTEST-CITY/dp/1848870094/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327904664&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Dubai, the story of the World's Fastest City by Jim Krane</a>, I understand a lot more about the history, vision, and workings of the city and country. I have a lot of respect of its leaders and think they have done a lot with what they have in the short period of time. I think with having all these expats here from other countries, they should take advantage of us and help bring up to speed areas that our countries have already experienced and make laws to keep people safe, for example seatbelt laws, banning mobile phone use while driving, construction safety, building safety codes, etc. </div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-63409412751218887502012-01-23T15:07:00.000+04:002012-01-23T15:07:32.080+04:002011 Travels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have yet to write my Christmas 2011 or New Years 2012 letter but while I am thinking about it, I will put a few thoughts down:<br />
<br />
In 2011, we traveled more than ever:<br />
<br />
<b>January</b><br />
Our first baby was born in Houston, TX<br />
<br />
<b>March - got my passport renewed</b><br />
San Antonio<br />
Boston<br />
<br />
<b>May </b><br />
Missouri<br />
<br />
<b>June </b><br />
Dominican Republic<br />
UAE<br />
<br />
<b>August </b><br />
Turkey<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>November</b><br />
Sri Lanka<br />
Maldives<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>December</b><br />
United States<br />
UAE<br />
Turkey<br />
Greece<br />
<br />
After we reviewed our bank accounts, we decided that 2012 will be less adventous, it will include Burak going to the US for a work trip, Doha for work, and then Turkey in the summer to be with family. I will go to the US in the summer for an immigration conference and for my sister's wedding and then Turkey later in the summer. Otherwise, we plan to stay in Dubai and do some local trips to Oman, Qatar, and other Emirates.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-19307443523566192852012-01-23T14:56:00.000+04:002012-01-23T14:56:42.422+04:00Working remotely with my semi-virtual immigration law firm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have a semi-virtual immigration law firm. What is that? you might ask. Well, in my definition semi-virtual is not completely virtual because we have an brick and mortar office space clients can come and see and my assistant works out of. I work from my home office in Dubai remotely through my Houston office.<br />
<br />
I went back to Houston for a week and a half in December to visit clients, have in-person consultations, and check with attorney friends and my assistant.<br />
<br />
Here are some thoughts about my work-life balance having been in the office for a bit after having worked remotely for 6 months from my home-office in Dubai:<br />
<br />
Downsides to working in a physical office:<br />
1. You have to commute there, traffic, time, gas, tolls, wear and tear on car, time spent where you could use it elsewhere, like working or being with your family.<br />
2. You have to park or pay for parking or pay for clients' parking<br />
3. Almost everyone is late because they get lost or like one client, he showed up 4 hours early and that was difficult because he was waiting in his car. Poor guy had the wrong time of the appointment.<br />
4. You have to get all dressed up and put on makeup. :) Well I realize that with my post-natal body shrinking over time, I haven't invested in proper dress clothes as I wait for the right size of my body to come along. <br />
5. You waste time, driving, getting ready, waiting, giving directions, etc. Maybe this is #1 again but it is true.<br />
6. Had to take the extra time to have my son watched by a friend or if I was living in Houston, he'd be in daycare.<br />
<br />
Positives:<br />
1. I think the main positive is that for some people, they want to see the attorney in person and this helps them build trust. I think a lot of this can be developed in a video Skype consultation and reviewing my website and reviews but this helped some people sign up for a consultation.<br />
<br />
In Dubai, with phone or Skype consultations, we are efficient. The client signs up online or via phone, they pay online, and they can be talking to me during their lunch break or in their pajamas on Sunday morning. I only talk with them if they schedule the consultation and pay in advance. There is no getting lost or stuck in traffic or having to find parking. I have childcare at my home so I can walk away from my son and work for a block of time. I really only have to look nice from the waist up if I do video consultations.<br />
<br />
If I need to review a documents, the person can scan/email or fax the documents in advance so I can review in the consultation. One person in Houston, brought a thumb drive to the consultation and I had to print the document.<br />
<br />
To figure out how I would like an attorney like me (virtual), I hired a Texas estate planning attorney who lives in North Carolina to do my wills. I have never met her in person, like several of my clients, but we communicated via Skype, phone, and her virtual law office portal online. We got the job done.<br />
<br />
I think what my firm is doing, being paper-less as possible and leveraging technology to the maximum, is the wave of the future. We cut out a lot of waste of time and get to the pure and raw exchange of information with the least amount of distraction and waste. I have a physical office that files are kept at and clients can stop by and drop off documents but most work is done remotely with Dropbox, Skype, email, phone, scanning, electronic fax, and Voip.<br />
<br />
Honestly, when I go back to Houston, I plan to keep this model for most of the week so that I can be more efficient with my time and help cuts costs for my clients. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-88041506142338986892012-01-22T15:26:00.001+04:002012-01-22T15:30:34.267+04:00Yes, English is my first language and other aspects of my international life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
It just occurred to me this morning, that I lead a very international life on a daily basis....<br />
<br />
Today, when my gardener from Pakistan was asking for an advance in his salary and thanking me, I told him I didn't understand something he was saying and if he could repeat it. He then asked if English was my first language which I replied, yes, it is my first language. (sigh) Although my mother said my first word was 'agua' or water in Spanish, English was my first language according to my records.<br />
<br />
Then I went down my list of daily interaction. My live-in nanny is from the Philippines and speaks Tagalog and English. When she speaks Tagalog on the phone or to other nannies, I pick up on the Spanish words and it is fun to guess what she is saying.<br />
<br />
My legal assistant for almost two years is from the Dominican Republic originally but has some Irish family and has been in the US a long time. She often tells me sayings in Spanish I have never heard before and some other stuff about voodoo beliefs and other things from DR. Having worked with her so much inspired me to go to DR last June and check it out. It was a nice bonding experience to have learned a bit more about her country.<br />
<br />
I just hired a bookkeeper in Pakistan since she had high reviews and she is closer to my time zone in trying to get stuff done in the next few weeks. So far, so good.<br />
<br />
My husband was born in Turkey and has Bulgarian grandparents. We are trying to get Turkish citizenship for myself and my son and I am personally trying to get Turkey into the EU but I know that will take a lot of time to accomplish.<br />
<br />
My mom was born in Mexico to American missionaries so I therefore became Mexican through her.<br />
<br />
My mother's sister's husband was born in Colombia (I think) but is Spanish and Venezuelan so my cousin is Venezuela, Spanish, American, and might be able to be Mexican. Lucky!<br />
<br />
My brother and his wife just moved to Argentina as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar this month.<br />
<br />
Between November to January, I was in the UAE, Sri Lanka, Maldives (Stop over), United States, Turkey, and Greece. Yes, my freshly issued passport is starting to fill up quicker than ever before in my life.<br />
<br />
Oh, and I almost forgot, I am living in Dubai right now. When I go to the grocery store, I have fun because my food represents the UN. They tell you 3 things: the name of the food, the price per unit, and which country it is from. So I can have Dutch or Moroccan tomatoes, Philippine bananas, Iranian watermelon (haven't bought it yet because afraid of the embargo), Greek olives, UAE yogurt, American apples, Islamic salmon, oops I mean Icelandic salmon, and well the list goes on. Plus, my daily interaction involves Emiraties and expats from India, Pakistan, Philipines, England, South Africa, Ireland, US, etc.<br />
<br />
And then, before I forget to include my profession, as an immigration attorney, I speak to people from all over the world on a daily basis in English and Spanish.<br />
<br />
So, in the end, I do this so much, I forget how weird it might seem to others. But I probably won't forget being asked if English was my first language.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-7281378971483574742012-01-22T10:36:00.001+04:002012-01-22T10:37:01.236+04:00Greece and Turkey - Observations in December 2011 and January 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Observations of my 10 day trip to Turkey where my husband and I went to Greece for 2 days (Lesbos - was just about 1.5-2 hours across the water from my mother in law's house)<br />
<br />
Same:<br />
- Turkish/Greek coffee, same stuff<br />
- Backgammon in the coffee shops<br />
- Fish, Olive oil, olives, and cheeses<br />
<br />
<br />
Different:<br />
- Dominant religion - Greece: Christian and Turkey: Muslim<br />
- Using helmets when driving motorcycles: Greece: Didn't see them and Turkey: required<br />
- Cigarettes: Greece: example: ladies cigarettes marketed as cute little flowery boxes, sort of reminds me of how companies market sanitary pads and Turkey: scary photos of sick people or people in bed looking like something didn't happen..showing the dangers of smoking<br />
- Smoking: Greece: No smoking signs everywhere but at the same time everyone is smoking, even next to a sign. Our hotel room had a no smoking sign outside but had an ashtray inside and Turkey: No smoking means no smoking<br />
- Honking: Greece: not big into honking and Turkey: Love to honk at slightest infraction</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-30247477270694088082012-01-22T10:27:00.001+04:002012-01-22T10:27:49.104+04:00Law Firm Goals and Thoughts for 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
I just had a business meeting with myself, reviewing old notes, goals, to do lists, ideas, etc. As for my law firm, I realized a few things recently:<br />
<br />
1. Don't put off bookkeeping until the year is over - Yes, you can do some data entry, hire help, etc but if I had watched my numbers as I was in the process, I probably would have cut costs along the way. Ditto that to my personal finances.<br />
<br />
2. It is good to sit and reflect without a computer in front of you of what you want for your business. Also, I keep seeing that quote - A goal without a plan is just a wish. I saw that I had accomplished parts of my to do lists but some where still remaining after 1 to 2 years. So, at this point where I can look at my numbers for 2011, I am about to have a personnel change in my firm, and we are starting a new year, I am going to be honest with myself and make some new goals for the firm that reflect what I want to see.<br />
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3. After reading E-myth Revisited and 4-hour workweek in the last few months, I realize that a small-business owner, it is a constant struggle to balance entrepreneur, technician, and manager AND both books suggest automating processes and getting help. You can only grow and do greater things if you empower/train/allow others to help you so I think that is one of the critical areas where small business owners go wrong.<br />
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4. On a personal level, I want this year to be more boring than the last 2 years. If that is the case, I can put more effort into growing my firm and also all my other personal goals like losing weight, saving more money, and enjoying life as an expat mom in the Middle East.<br />
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Having traveled to 4 countries in the span of 1 month in December 2011 and having seen many friends and family, I have had many thoughts about life, the firm, etc. and want to get back to blogging so I can remember what I have learned.<br />
</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-91461786140568673762011-11-27T07:29:00.000+04:002011-11-27T07:29:01.462+04:00We are off on our tour of the world - December 2, 2011 - January 3, 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">And we are almost off...<br />
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December 2, 2011 - Fly 16.5 hours with a 10.5 month old by myself in a bulkhead/bassinet seat on Emirates expecting to rely on the kindness of strangers.<br />
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December 2-6, 2011 - Spend time with my family and friends in San Antonio<br />
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December 6-13, 2011 - Work from my Houston office, spend time with friends and family, and help my sister with her wedding plannning.<br />
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December 14-19, 2011 - Spend time in Western Missouri - Lexington, Lee's Summit, Warrensburg, etc. and let my son see his family and play on the farm.<br />
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December 19, 2011 - Travel to Houston<br />
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December 20, 2011 - Travel to Dubai<br />
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December 21, 2011 - Arrive in Dubai<br />
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December 23, 2011 - Travel to Turkey to see my sister in law for the first time in 7 years and meet my brother in law for the first time. Hang out with family and let Rex soak up some Turkish culture and love from his grandma.<br />
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January 3, 2011 - Back in Dubai, get ready for the new year, Rex's first year birthday on the 7th and the new semester of Rex's activities. Plus immigration business gets busy for a few months at the beginning of the year too.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-30262250929236112842011-11-27T07:23:00.001+04:002011-11-27T07:23:39.514+04:00The Hard Truth About How Success Really Works<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="deck" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Arial, Verdana; font-size: 16.5px; line-height: 18px;">Here's what's getting in your way when you attempt (and fail) to hit those "reach" goals.</div><div class="byline" style="background-color: white; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 11.5px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 3px; width: 576px;">By <a href="http://www.inc.com/author/jeff-haden" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">Jeff Haden</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jeff_haden" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@jeff_haden</a> | <span class="pubdate">Nov 22, 2011</span></div><div class="byline" style="background-color: white; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 11.5px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 3px; width: 576px;"><span class="pubdate"><br />
</span></div><div class="byline" style="background-color: white; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 11.5px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 3px; width: 576px;"><span class="pubdate">This is a good article from my favorite magazine. No one really tells you like this even if some would say this is obvious, it is sort of something good to hear from someone without any invested interest in your life.</span></div></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-50164080460975579282011-11-19T21:59:00.002+04:002011-11-19T22:00:57.178+04:00Being a tourist in my new city<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> I am going back to the US in a couple of weeks and need to buy some souvenirs so was checking out items in the Mall of the Emirates.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIQ2mF6tq4/Tsfp2XByJ0I/AAAAAAAAALM/_il4LIaMVqc/s1600/RubyRexCamel2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIQ2mF6tq4/Tsfp2XByJ0I/AAAAAAAAALM/_il4LIaMVqc/s320/RubyRexCamel2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Rex on a camel at the Mall of the Emirates...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itOmxDdmtwM/TsfqAcTn1zI/AAAAAAAAALU/28bg2cNQ4ls/s1600/CamelUAE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itOmxDdmtwM/TsfqAcTn1zI/AAAAAAAAALU/28bg2cNQ4ls/s320/CamelUAE.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>The UAE is getting ready for the 40th country anniversary on Dec 2, 2011 so they have a lot of patriotic flags, banners, hats, etc. and we found this camel at the mall.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-50785875955225948712011-11-19T21:30:00.000+04:002011-11-19T21:30:21.733+04:00Life here<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Life here in Dubai is pretty good. I have my villa, a car, a live-in nanny, and now a yard full of green grass. We have friends from lots of countries. Rex has a lot of play area and play dates with friends.<br />
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I have been bad at updating my blog but mostly because I have been having a good time.</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-10022508566233214992011-09-06T07:55:00.000+04:002011-09-06T07:55:04.136+04:00Iftar - August 25, 2011 - Burak's company dinner at Atlantis, Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLTYU3rLuBE/TmWVjoXcVZI/AAAAAAAAAIo/EeIHX7a5lXM/s1600/IMG_9692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLTYU3rLuBE/TmWVjoXcVZI/AAAAAAAAAIo/EeIHX7a5lXM/s320/IMG_9692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AxtocHXCEmk/TmWZUApzicI/AAAAAAAAAKs/BdxHlD60jBA/s1600/IMG_9751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AxtocHXCEmk/TmWZUApzicI/AAAAAAAAAKs/BdxHlD60jBA/s320/IMG_9751.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-62_MVH4xblA/TmWZc0kEDII/AAAAAAAAAKw/B0Gm1TkAQo0/s1600/IMG_9752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-62_MVH4xblA/TmWZc0kEDII/AAAAAAAAAKw/B0Gm1TkAQo0/s320/IMG_9752.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-50119556257887318272011-09-06T07:28:00.000+04:002011-09-06T07:28:56.181+04:00Dubai Festival City Mall and Toys R Us - August 26, 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We went to Toys R Us in Dubai to check it out. We spent an hour there and only bought a small kid pool and plastic balls. We had fun though..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBFHNTMF9OU/TmWPQHJnoyI/AAAAAAAAAHs/4jwx560Aihc/s1600/BurakToyRUS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBFHNTMF9OU/TmWPQHJnoyI/AAAAAAAAAHs/4jwx560Aihc/s320/BurakToyRUS.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Burak checking out the toys..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ak_8PyOT14/TmWRC7BUGkI/AAAAAAAAAIk/zf-OK_QbJTg/s1600/TRUElevator.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ak_8PyOT14/TmWRC7BUGkI/AAAAAAAAAIk/zf-OK_QbJTg/s320/TRUElevator.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The elevator in the Toys R Us. Each wall was a TV screen and when we went up and down it played a scene of Dubai as we were going up or down. It was very neat but very hot in there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I9cf7htirSU/TmWPXVzV2gI/AAAAAAAAAHw/b3boOPeg_yk/s1600/IMG_9756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I9cf7htirSU/TmWPXVzV2gI/AAAAAAAAAHw/b3boOPeg_yk/s320/IMG_9756.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wow, I didn't even know they had this doll. A minute homage to my home state, Texas.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a3QFDxEiY8w/TmWPe5GuZXI/AAAAAAAAAH0/ZJi3EFPX7Kk/s1600/IMG_9757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a3QFDxEiY8w/TmWPe5GuZXI/AAAAAAAAAH0/ZJi3EFPX7Kk/s320/IMG_9757.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ok, I didn't realize that this doesn't show very well but these dolls are like 3 feet tall! They are standing on the floor. I should have had Rex stand up against them.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke0YCO7nJAs/TmWPloZr1HI/AAAAAAAAAH4/WKMe5H6cBbM/s1600/IMG_9761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke0YCO7nJAs/TmWPloZr1HI/AAAAAAAAAH4/WKMe5H6cBbM/s320/IMG_9761.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was fun to see what books were available. Lots in Arabic too.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--GVjZyzLv_Y/TmWPuDQY16I/AAAAAAAAAH8/IHU79QDP3rk/s1600/IMG_9765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--GVjZyzLv_Y/TmWPuDQY16I/AAAAAAAAAH8/IHU79QDP3rk/s320/IMG_9765.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am going to buy one before I leave. I love Barbie-type dolls because they try to represent their population.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6H7cxqFQsw/TmWP2qqpv3I/AAAAAAAAAIA/xsJB72tCGjc/s1600/IMG_9766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6H7cxqFQsw/TmWP2qqpv3I/AAAAAAAAAIA/xsJB72tCGjc/s320/IMG_9766.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQSYVjzOxBM/TmWP9pYc65I/AAAAAAAAAIE/kUQKsqcCZYg/s1600/IMG_9767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQSYVjzOxBM/TmWP9pYc65I/AAAAAAAAAIE/kUQKsqcCZYg/s320/IMG_9767.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRYkWcMrquM/TmWQGNahGoI/AAAAAAAAAII/VGkTTQsdDCg/s1600/IMG_9768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRYkWcMrquM/TmWQGNahGoI/AAAAAAAAAII/VGkTTQsdDCg/s320/IMG_9768.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqtpwVdJU94/TmWQOxYK24I/AAAAAAAAAIM/dEhZTLR0lj8/s1600/IMG_9769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqtpwVdJU94/TmWQOxYK24I/AAAAAAAAAIM/dEhZTLR0lj8/s320/IMG_9769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fun play area. Almost every mall has an area like this for kids. We are scoping out the best places for Rex to play and for play dates.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wb2gHPdMz4c/TmWQXaIh9QI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/xQymD3ahyhU/s1600/IMG_9770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wb2gHPdMz4c/TmWQXaIh9QI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/xQymD3ahyhU/s320/IMG_9770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kid's Saloon!!! :) Really a Salon.. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3X4MHzdUi8k/TmWQfBB5GxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/1UkjdTamtiE/s1600/IMG_9771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3X4MHzdUi8k/TmWQfBB5GxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/1UkjdTamtiE/s320/IMG_9771.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to get on this..</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrkGm3cYt6I/TmWQor5cqcI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mdL22DcIcdY/s1600/IMG_9772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrkGm3cYt6I/TmWQor5cqcI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mdL22DcIcdY/s320/IMG_9772.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Camels everywhere...we are in the desert!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jw-xXa6jfYo/TmWQxmfoSBI/AAAAAAAAAIc/HMGT3LJ_4sM/s1600/IMG_9773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jw-xXa6jfYo/TmWQxmfoSBI/AAAAAAAAAIc/HMGT3LJ_4sM/s320/IMG_9773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Random cool wooden boat.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ik5FW4LuQaU/TmWQ6xw9liI/AAAAAAAAAIg/T14b3vIkeNA/s1600/IMG_9775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ik5FW4LuQaU/TmWQ6xw9liI/AAAAAAAAAIg/T14b3vIkeNA/s320/IMG_9775.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Waterfall where the water fell down the strings/ropes.</div><br />
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</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-76243998774634344382011-09-04T23:13:00.000+04:002011-09-04T23:13:51.444+04:00Suggestions for anyone driving in Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Suggestions for anyone driving in Dubai</b><br />
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Stock up on gas (full tank is best), plenty of drinking water, and food that won't spoil and have them all in your car. Then make sure to have a GPS system, compass, a mobile/cell phone and hopefully one with internet in case you need it. Then also buy a few recently printed maps (things change quickly here).<br />
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To have the best frame of mind, have plenty of time, the provisions listed above, and a healthy use of the popular 'U' turn or in some cases an elaborate 'U' turn on a highway can take the shape of a clover when you travel:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DiezVUwI2es/TmPLQjo27ZI/AAAAAAAAAHo/_YYHXBzOdG4/s1600/dubai-bypass-road-ruwaya-interchange-180x99.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DiezVUwI2es/TmPLQjo27ZI/AAAAAAAAAHo/_YYHXBzOdG4/s1600/dubai-bypass-road-ruwaya-interchange-180x99.gif" /></a></div>Also, be familiar on how to use roundabouts or traffic circles because they are everywhere. Then have a good sense of where the water is - I suggest when you see the row of skyscrapers, there you go - and also which direction Abu Dhabi and Oman are in general.<br />
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Then, be aware that there are cameras all over the road ready to take your picture when you speed. If your car is local, it will probably beep when it goes over the 120km/hr speed limit although there are places where the speed limit is lower.<br />
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Realize that things are not logical, sometimes you need to go right to go left and left to go right. Sometimes, there is no exit or the signs are not very well labeled. Don't always trust the GPS.<br />
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Above all, when you take the wrong exit or turn, be prepared that it will take you another 5-20 minutes and 10 miles to get a chance to make it right. In fact, just today on a large clover inter-pass, I saw a car reversing on the side of the road because they had missed their exit and knew it would be hell to pay to correct that mistake.<br />
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So, have patience, be positive, make sure you have eaten, have water, and gone to the restroom before you start your first few trips. Soon, you will have a better sense of where you are going and be more Dubai-savvy to not require as much planning.<br />
Ruby L. Powers<br />
September 4, 2011</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-8072555833248682522011-09-04T22:58:00.001+04:002011-09-05T07:43:39.512+04:00Dubai's habit of grouping things together<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Today I drove in Dubai by myself, beyond just my neighborhood. I am really proud of myself. I took Burak to work since we are sharing one car. He should be out of the city/country during the week so I can use the car and carpool occasionally. <br />
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He works in Dubai Internet City. Then I was thinking how odd it might be to most Americans that there are these little cities inside Dubai:<br />
Dubai Internet City - lots of tech places and some other groups<br />
Dubai Media City - has the media<br />
Dubai Knowledge Village - has universities<br />
Dubai Industrial City<br />
Dubai Investments Park 1 and 2<br />
Dubai Land Residence<br />
Dubai Maritime City<br />
Dubai Outlet City<br />
Dubai Sports City<br />
Dubai Studio City (we live near this)<br />
Dubai Motor City (we live near this)<br />
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It seems so simple and yet very genius. Group the like companies together.<br />
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Dubai does that grouping in their malls as well. In most of the malls I have seen, especially Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, like stores are right next to each other. For example, there are baby stores side by side on a top floor of Dubai Mall which makes it very nice to price shop and compare items. In the US, this would probably be unheard of and there would be contracts against putting the competition right next to each other in commercial real estate.<br />
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</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-15345421924078530972011-08-31T18:01:00.000+04:002011-08-31T18:01:22.872+04:00Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano blasts out ash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am a Mexican citizen through my mom. I lived in Mexico for a couple of years of my life if you add up all the summers, school years, and college semester. Maybe more than 2 years. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I remember that this volcano had the funniest name to say. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"> It comes from the <em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Nahuatl</em> words meaning Smoking Mountain.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44336028/ns/technology_and_science-science/">Volcano in Mexico City</a></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-52244529221971168962011-08-29T15:12:00.000+04:002011-08-29T15:12:05.709+04:00Efficiency and Delegation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">August 29, 2011 <br />
I usually feel like I am living in a tv show and there is a theme for that episode. I call often say there is a theme of a week. So my theme of the week or weeks right now is efficiency and delegation.<br />
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This week I have been updating my website and making a new logo. I have a friend helping g me with the website and I have already been searching many other immigration law firm websites that I like and aspects that I want to incorporate in my website. Being able to communicate what I envision can be difficult but later saw the challenge in making the logo.<br />
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I am using this website called 99designs to have designers make me a logo. I put in my ‘brief’ which information about the company, what I am looking for, colors, shapes, ideas, and then with one week, designers work to give me their attempt. I give them feedback and see how having multiple bids helps give me ideas I had never thought of. I can be creative but I am not really artistic or get to use my creativity much. So I am amazed at what had evolved from my brief. It isn’t finalized yet but what I realized in this exercise is that delegation requires good communication and a vision of what you had in mind in the first place.<br />
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My third example of my theme of the week is my hair incident on Saturday and Sunday of this week. I haven’t had my hair done since late May. I moved to Dubai July1. Between the heat and being a mom, I needed to cut it shorter and update the color. I took a leap of faith going to my neighborhood’s salon without a recommendation but I was getting into desperate mode and wanted it done. <br />
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Basically, this is one of the things I hate about moving the most, getting your new team. Hairdresser, church, OB, general doctor, chiropractor, dentist, nail salon, etc. For the last 2 years my sister ahs been doing my hair and she has perfected it. I told the hairdresser I wanted some highlights and lowlights and I wanted it to look natural, I don’t want to have to come back but every 3-4 months to fix the roots. I also wanted layers and it to be shorter. So, I had the vision, but I am not sure if I communicated it effectively. <br />
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About 3 hours later, I had 3 colors on my head with very chunky highlights that did not look natural at all. It was really blonde, then dark blonde or light brown (natural hair), and something darker. But I felt like I looked like those jars of peanut butter and jelly that are layered in stripes in the jar. Plus the cut didn’t seem short enough and layered enough. Frustration. 3 hours and a lot of money – They charged me extra for the 2 colors so it was way more expensive that I thought than when I walked into the door.<br />
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OH! So I don’t have tv and I don’t buy stupid, girly magazines because I get my fix at the salon. They only had business magazines and really boring stuff. Also, there was no music and they didn’t offer me anything to drink (because it was Ramadan).<br />
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In the end, it wasn’t what I wanted but they had already spent 3 hours and I swear they were all running out the door, I think because it was end of Ramadan for the day and they wanted to eat. I told her I wanted some changes and she told me to come back.<br />
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I went back the next day. I told her again and again about color and even pointed to charts. I later learned, she didn’t understand what I was saying but was pretending like she did. I learned that when I asked here some questions and her responses were completely not answering and understanding my questions. So, she finally got the coloring right and in the end she said something like she thought she understood what I wanted yesterday but that she had already started….? Then she did the cut very thoroughly and layered. <br />
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In the end, I was happy and it looked nice and I wasn’t upset for spending all that money. She said ok and walked away to work on another person. The receptionist was on the phone and so I left since I considered the work paid for from the day before. Then about 10 minutes later, I got a call and they were asking me to pay for the color. I told them they FIXED what they did the day before and I wasn’t going to pay. Plus, the hairstylist told me to come back and she would fix it. In the end, they said it was ok. I think that there was a problem of communication that made us all waste so much time and resources. <br />
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So, now that I have a law clerk about to start in a week and also a phone answering service, I realize, I need to be good at delegating by effectively communicating and having a vision. In reality, having the communication and vision can be difficult if you are not sure what you want. <br />
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I know delegating is the key to greater things and I am wanting to see what I need to do and what I should have someone else help me with. <br />
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</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-47883575697412555862011-08-29T15:03:00.000+04:002011-08-29T15:03:33.581+04:00Living in Dubai: Family vs. Money?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_83cl4x="127">August 20, 2011</div>Everyone in Dubai who is not from Dubai, is here for money. In some shape or form it is about money. The Indian laborer doesn’t see his wife and kids for years but sends home money that they wouldn’t dream of in India. The Philipino maid who went home only to have her child and come back to Dubai is here to make money and send it home while her family raises her child. The professional Western expat is here for a few years, normally with the luxury of bringing their family and belongings with them, to work really hard, enjoy a tax-free environment, and hopefully return home after a few years.<br />
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This last 10 days my husband, 7 month old son, and I spent the entire time at my husband’s grandfather’s place in Eskesihir. We introduced our son to his grandmother, great grand parents, great aunt, great uncles, 2nd cousins, and more for the first time. Rex had been the first baby in the household for 9 or so years so it was complete fun to watch 50 and 80 year olds getting on all fours to crawl with him or getting really silly entertaining him. We slept a lot, we ate at restaurants and cafes, I worked a few hours a days, we talked, we toured around town and went to parks, and enjoyed the time at a slow pace with a focus on family. I enjoyed the cool weather, the open doors and cheap prices. <br />
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I noticed how calm and happy my husband was there and since we have returned. I told him that I don’t want to stay in Dubai a long time because I want to be around family. The best thing about living on this side of the world is that we are closer to his family and after a 4 and half hour flight and a long bus ride we are there.<br />
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In general, I think life is too short to spend too much time away from family. <br />
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When we decided to move to Dubai it was a combination of a few things. Burak wanted to discover consulting and see if it was a good match for him. So far, he really likes it. Also, we wanted to take advantage of the tax break from living abroad in a tax-free country. Mostly, we wanted to pay off our graduate school loans. When I realized how much we spent on interest alone last year, I realized we needed to start paying those suckers down aggressively. Another factor that let me feel free to go was that my mom had been suffering a long battle for her health and finally lost in December 2010. I finally felt like I could leave Texas for a little while since she was gone. So, there you have it, we are here in Dubai for money, to pay off our school loans, to pay off our Houston house, and for Burak’s career.<br />
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We aren’t the only ones sacrificing a few years of our child’s life away from family for money. Many others are doing the same. One Danish couple just had their first child and they plan to stay for 7-10 years. Another American couple plans for 3 years total and had their first baby a month or two after settling in. Their family is taking turns flying in to meet the new member.<br />
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Our maid has 3 college-age children and hasn’t seen them for 3 years. She doesn’t have email but uses her friend’s computer to Skype to her children. She is here to help put them through college. They don’t have computers and they have to go to an internet café for internet and computer use for college. She sends almost anything she finds or is given to the Philippines including some hotel toiletries I gave her for her to use. She wants to return in March to see her son graduate college. <br />
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My maid’s friend has a 14 year old child. She has worked and raised expat children for 20 years. She had her child in the Philippines and then went back to working in Dubai. She probably only sees her child every few years but has raised a Scottish 9-year old living in Dubai since she was 6-months old.<br />
<br />
Today at the mall I was looking for lipstick and pushing around an empty baby stroller because my husband had my son in a baby carrier in another store. The lady asked me how old my baby was. I told her 7 months. She said she had twin 8 month olds in the Philippines. She and her husband live in Dubai, she went home for a break between jobs and had her babies and left them with her mother, sister, and babysitter when they were 3-months old. She is going to go see them when they are 1 years old. I almost cried there but basically thought about all the little things like when a baby first laughs, how funny their cry can be when they are pouting, their first crawling experience, first tooth, all the things that happen the first year. She and her husband are missing most of it.<br />
<br />
But what they are all doing is what we are doing, trying to make a better life for our children. <br />
<br />
The positive side to living here, traveling around, and meeting new people is that it is an adventure. I am exposing my son to a new world. Just living in Mexico in the summers as a child made me want to travel more so I know living in a Dubai a little bit will make Rex want to see more of the world. <br />
<div closure_uid_83cl4x="119"><br />
</div>Plus, since almost no one has extended family here except the Emiratis, which is about 10-15% of the population, bonds of friendship become stronger here between neighbors, friends, and co-workers because we are each other’s family while we live here. I see this over and over.<br />
<br />
When I told my dad I was moving to Dubai, he text me ‘money isn’t everything.’ Yes, money isn’t everything. Being in Dubai is for adventure, new ways of thinking, Burak’s career goals, maybe even my career goals, debt reduction, savings, and freedom. The savings allows us not to be slaves to our debt and be able to start saving for our children’s graduate school so they don’t have to do the same. It is also forcing me to create a viable semi-virtual law firm. Realizing that I can work from home whether in Dubai or on vacation in Turkey or wherever I am with good internet and my laptop, is a very empowering idea.<br />
<br />
<div closure_uid_83cl4x="114">So, a year or two or three later, who knows, we will return to the US with more experience, more life stories and travels under our belt and hopefully most of our graduate loans and part of our Houston house paid off. For now, we have email, Skype, and Facebook to keep us in touch with friends and family around the world. In the end, I think we, unlike some of the other expat communities in Dubai, are getting the money without sacrificing too much of the family.</div><div closure_uid_83cl4x="129"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_83cl4x="129"><br />
</div></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-47373033380543183362011-08-14T15:51:00.001+04:002011-08-14T15:54:34.701+04:00Facebook in Turkey - This is funny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Since my mother in law finally met her first grandchild just a few days ago at his age of 7 months old, I have been updating Facebook regularly so she can watch him grow up. I also do that for the rest of my family since we live all over the place.<br />
<br />
When I arrived in Turkey, she told me she was grateful that I posted so much on Face. I wondered why she called it 'Face' instead of 'Faceboook.' I figured she was in her mid-50s trying to get up to speed with technology and my mom used to call it Yearbook, Face lift, and a different name each time, so I figured I wouldn't even bother correcting her.<br />
<br />
A couple of days into our trip, we were at someone's house and they were uploading photos to Facebook from the visits and they kept calling it 'Face.' I overhead ....Turkish turkish turkish and then 'face' in English and then Turkish, turkish, so I was wondering why did they all call it 'Face.' Burak told me that the word 'bok' in Turkish is the word for slang for 'sh$t' so to avoiding saying the word 'bok' which sounds like the English word of 'book' in their Turkish accent, they call it simply 'Face.' Otherwise, it would be Sh$tFace or Facesh$t.<br />
<br />
I bet Zuckerberg didn't think about that when he created FB back in the day.<br />
<br />
<smile></smile><br />
<br />
<smile></smile></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-35952195499871801202011-08-14T14:58:00.000+04:002011-08-14T14:58:16.590+04:00Ramadan Ready - Experiencing some of Ramadan in Dubai, UAE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For a non-practicing Muslim in Dubai, you have to be very careful not to eat or drink in public or I guess you can say, get caught eating or drinking in public. Ramadan is basically all of August 2011 from dawn to sunset, so most of the day.<br />
<br />
Before coming to Dubai, I had heard these horror stories about Ramadan and how you needed to be prepared. I frankly wanted to just leave the entire month. In July, I read newspaper articles that said if caught, you could go to jail for a month.<br />
<br />
Some of what I read and heard from taxi drivers and expats indicated as a breast-feeding mother, I was allowed to eat and drink and would be off the hook. But I really did't want to push my luck and find out if the locals thought the same way. I mean they might see me with a baby all the time but I don't have a sign on my chest that says - 'Breastfeeding Mother' so they might assume I am breaking the law first, and ask questions later.<br />
<br />
I knew I could feed Rex without him going to jail. Children under puberty can eat during Ramadan. Additionally, Rex wouldn't fit into any jail uniforms yet and we are trying to keep a clean record for him to have a future career in politics Anyway, I digress...<br />
<br />
Burak had some time off and we had some things to buy for the house before our container arrived. We planned to go to the mall. It took me a few more minutes that normally to get what I call 'Ramadan Ready.'<br />
<br />
I packed some fruit and water for the car, made sure we had enough water for Rex in case I needed to make cereal or formula, and made sure to wear something to cover my sexy knees and shoulders. Ok, that doesn't sound like a lot but I put thought into it.<br />
<br />
We arrive at the Mirdiff City Center Mall and after a while I realize what seems weird, there is no music playing anywhere out of respect for Ramadan. Additionally, there are not a lot of people there. Then we continue to browse and shop. I get a little thirsty and hungry. Quick, I find the baby room of the women's bathroom and change Rex and close the door for a swig of water and a bite or two of an apple.<br />
<br />
We finish with a trip to Carrefour, the grocery store, in the mall. Ironically, we are all buying food but we can't eat it publically and Muslims can't eat it for several more hours. Burak and I bought some food to eat in our heavily window-tinted car in the parking lot. We were so hungry from not eating for about 3-4 hours we were about to tear each others heads off, or something less drastic, but the hunger was getting to us. We finally got in the car, with the food, turned up AC, made the baby happy, and scarfed down food trying to make sure no one saw us. After a few minutes, our blood sugar went back to normal and we contemplated whether it was worth driving to another store before Iftar, the breaking of the fast.<br />
<br />
We then went to ACE Hardware as we dodged drivers who had been fasting for 15 hours or so (ie dangerous!) and we arrived right when the Iftar started so we had the place to ourselves. Rex played with every toy I could find and Burak searched for his electric power toys.<br />
<br />
The next day we went to Dubai Mall and had to get some things from our list. We again got hungry and bought food to go from a restaurant in the mall with black curtains covering its door. We asked if we could eat there and they said no. Apparently, if we get caught eating in public we get a 500 Dhs fine or about $135 - But I thought we had jail on the table too. And if the restaurant got caught with people eating there it would have a 5000 Dhs fine, or about $1,350.<br />
<br />
So we did what any respectable hungry person living in Dubai during Ramadan would do, we promptly took our 'take out' to the baby rooms in the bathrooms and ate with the joy of finally being fed and the fear of being caught. Luckily, my baby room had a small room inside that I could close the door. Burak luckily had a baby room in the men's restroom but probably because 1. there aren't many people at the malls during the day of Ramadan and 2. I assume not a lot of men change their babies diapers if the wife/mom is around to do it, he had the baby room to himself.<br />
<br />
After the call to prayer and Iftar begins, many people go to the malls and the hours are extended to 1-2am. I really don't know how people are surviving with weird hours and fasting but if I were them, I would sleep during the day if possible and stay up at night, if I could.<br />
<br />
In fact, most Government-based offices close at 2pm during Ramadan. So unlike in the US in some places you have to be careful after 2am when the drunks are driving home from closing bars, in Dubai during Ramadan, you need to be careful around 2pm of the fasting drivers driving home on empty.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-35325013907442303982011-08-14T14:27:00.003+04:002011-08-15T14:54:45.696+04:00Spending Ramadan or Ramazan in Turkey - August 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Approximately the entire month of August 2011 Muslims are celebrating Ramadan.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan">From Wikipedia:</a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> It is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Islam">Islamic</a> month of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawm" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Sawm">fasting</a>, in which participating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Muslim">Muslims</a> refrain from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Eating">eating</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Drinking">drinking</a> and sexual intimacy with their partners<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-0" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan#cite_note-0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup> during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Muslims fast for the sake of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Islam" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="God in Islam">God</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_language" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Arabic language">Arabic</a>: <span lang="ar" xml:lang="ar">الله</span>, trans: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allah" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Allah">Allah</a>) and to offer more <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Prayer" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Islamic Prayer">prayer</a> than usual. Compared to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_calendar" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Solar calendar">solar calendar</a>, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_calendar" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Lunar calendar">depending on the moon</a>. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qur%27an" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Qur'an">Qur'an</a> were revealed to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophets_of_Islam" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Prophets of Islam">Islamic prophet</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Muhammad">Muhammad</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Ramadan in Turkish is called RamaZan. From what I have observed and heard, not a lot of Turks are fasting. I even overheard someone say, fasting from dawn to sunset in August, approximately 15 hours is not doable so they don't even try.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">But I do see people eating Iftars..</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan">From Wikipedia:</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Iftar">Iftar</a>. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Every restaurant we to go for dinner, seems to have a Iftar meal or buffet. Right now, the Iftar starts around 8:20pm.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Having observed my first week of Ramadan in Dubai, UAE, I have some comparisons to make with Ramazan in Turkey:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">- Turkish people don't seem to be fasting as much as the Emiratis</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">- There is a <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=drummers-now-back-to-work-2011-08-01">drummer that wakes up the people</a> before dawn to make sure to eat. The drummer goes around during the day and night asking for tips for this service. I almost got a picture but he got away. I later heard one Saturday night and they even rang the door bell asking for tips, we told him to be quiet please because our baby was sleeping. I also read an unfortunate recent story about a drummer being stabbed by an <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=man-stabs-ramadan-drummer-2011-08-11">angry drunken resident.</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;">- Apparently, Turkish women participate in Friday prayers. I don't know much about this but this isn't common in other Muslim countries.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;">Ok that is what I have for now...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;">Update: 8/15/2011 - Last night about 2:45am a drummer was drumming down the road next to where we are staying. Some of the articles I read think this tradition is obsolete now that we have alarm clocks. </span></div></div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-5144875958736432092011-08-14T14:11:00.002+04:002011-08-14T15:41:57.651+04:00Going to Grandmother's House - From Dubai, UAE to Eskesehir, Turkey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>On August 9, 2011 we left Dubai and 12 hours later, via taxi, plane, taxi, bus, and car, we made it to Eskesehir, Turkey</b><br />
<br />
When we planned our move to Dubai in Spring 2011, it was our intent to visit with Burak's Turkish family and introduce Rex to them (Born January 2011). We weren't sure when we were going to be able to do it with Burak's new demanding, travel-intense job.<br />
<br />
Burak hadn't been to Turkey since February 2006 when his father passed away. I hadn't been there since my first visit in June 2004, 7 years! When we last went to Turkey we stayed 2 months before moving to Barcelona for my Rotary Scholarship. We spent that time visiting family, doing tourism like Istanbul, Izmir, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, etc. and applying to law/business school. I studied for the LSAT and Burak wrote business school essays. We had fun but I remember that I was quite stressed about the law school application process and frustrated because I didn't speak Turkish and it appeared almost no one knew English, Spanish or French. <i>A lot of my original impressions are on this blog from 2004.</i><br />
<br />
Fast forward to early August 2011. Burak and I bought plane tickets the day before our flight to Turkey. Burak starts a new job on August 21st in Dubai so we have some time and some money to travel BUT we were waiting for his passport from UAE immigration which was finalizing his residency visa. The moment we got it, we bought our plane tickets from Dubai to Istanbul on Emirates which was about $450 per person round trip. (Not bad!)<br />
<br />
We headed to the airport around 12:30pm for the 2:20pm flight. The flight was about 15% full and we had an entire 4 seater row plus bassinet for Rex to ourselves. He was a hit with flight attendants and other guests who wanted to hold and kiss him. I love flying Emirates and <a href="http://www.kidspot.com.au/Family-Travel-Overseas-Holidays-Emirates+642+79+article.htm">I love it for children</a>. We pay a little extra (10% of an adult flight) and get a bib, cream, spoon, teething ring/toy, small baby wipes, plastic bags for diapers, and napkins in a small little clear carrier bag plus we get baby food and a one of collection of 4 or 5 hand puppets. We now have the Jamoul the Camel from the Middle East and the Mouse (?) from North America. <br />
** Side note: Emirates Airlines, you gave all of North America a mouse? Why not Bear, Eagle, or anything but a mouse?<br />
<br />
Rex crawled around the row of seats and I walked him up and down the aisles. With one short nap and lots of toys, fun, and a tired mommy, the 4.5 hour flight went by fast.<br />
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We landed in Istanbul around 6:30pm or so. (It is still Ramadan and the fast doesn't break until about 8:20pm) For immigration, Burak took the Turkish national line and Rex and I went in the Other nationalities line. The airlines people as I exited the plane told me to just go without my stroller because it would show up in the baggage claim. Bad idea. After holding the 19 lb Rex for 10 minutes waiting in the immigration line, the immigration office tells me to go 'Visa'. I am like what? Then I realized we had to go into one line and pay $20 per US citizen for a little cheap sticker in our passport and then go back in the even longer line that I had originally started with, with what seemed like a heavier baby, to wait for a stamp in our passport.<br />
<br />
I was in line next to some Spaniards who were cute and talking about how slow the line was. They had the same problem that I had (there was no warning or signs!) and had to go to the visa line and return to the long line. The Spaniards had no concept of personal space and were basically touching Rex and I. They were talking about people like no one in the world knows Spanish. It was fun to remember my other favorite country.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">When we collected our luggage, converted some money, and walked outside the airport doors I was amazed by a few things:</span><br />
- I wasn't sweating immediately. The weather was like 70-80F unlike Dubai's 110F.<br />
- There were a lot of smokers!<br />
- Our taxi didn't have the AC on, only opened some windows but is felt Amazing!!<br />
- It was green and there was a lot of color. We drove around and Istanbul was very colorful - buildings, flags, greenery, people's clothing - not just black and white.<br />
- there were no painted lanes on the roads<br />
- some guys were selling water on the highway at a bend where the traffic slowed (really?)<br />
- There was a clear sky - In Dubai, it is hazy during the day in the summer.<br />
I thought I had arrived in the most beautiful place on earth but I realized it was just that I was comparing it to Dubai in August during Ramadan, probably the worst time to ever be there, ever. Thank goodness I had 10 days of not being there while I visited family in Turkey<br />
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We took a cab to the OtoGar or Bus Station (literally it takes from the German for car - oto - and French for station - Gare. I love that about Turkish, there are they little hidden gems of French words spelled phonetically. Like shower is douche in French is Dus (s with tail) in Turkish, sounds like Dush. Or Coiffure is hair salon in French is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">kuaför</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> in Turkish.</span><br />
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We ate OUTSIDE (Amazing!) at a little restaurant quickly eating our meal before our 8pm bus would take off for 5.5 hours. After downing some water and tea, etc. I made the comment that the bus would have a bathroom, right? Then Burak had hesitation and told me not to count on it. I then told him we should take a bathroom break before getting on. The atmosphere at the outdoor cafe in a large square, I felt like I was in Europe and some people argue Turkey is Europe but I felt like the memories of Spain, Belgium, France, etc were all coming back to me and I felt very comfortable.<br />
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Our bathroom experince, basically you had to pay to use the restroom like 50 cents. I had planned to change Rex but when I realized that there was a turnstyle entry and no changing stations, Burak and I took turns going without Rex and I took care of him in the bus.<br />
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The bus ride - we bought 3 seats and Rex played before sleeping in his car seat. Another baby cried a lot and eventually woke me up around 1:30am. I really try hard not to be like that parent whose baby cried uncontrollaby for minutes. I know each case is different but having traveled for about 12 hours with a 7month old, I was about to take the baby and try to give him Rex's formula. Anyway...<br />
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We arrived in Eskesehr around 1:30am and as we stepped off the bus, Rex met his paternal grandmother and paternal great grandfather for the first time. I almost had a small tear drop in my eye since it had been a while since we saw them and Rex was finally getting to see his other side of the family.<br />
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Unfortuntely, 1:30am is feeding time and Rex soon started crying. I made a bottle of formula since it was late and we were at a bus station and let his grandmother bond and feed him. We soon went to the car and realized it was going to be a 'fun' ride to the house. With our 3 big suitcases, 1 carryone, baby bag, car seat, snap n go stroller, 4 adults and a baby in small sedan car, we drove slowly and got there in one piece.<br />
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We arrived and realized that they so sweetly prepared a fold out bed for Rex but since he had aquired crawling skills just a week beforehand, we realized this was a recipe for disaster. We put all the suitcases around a small rectangle of space and he slept there the first night until we moved him into another suitcase bordered crib in the living room.<br />
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Finally, we were at a 'home.' I was surprise they had no AC but after a cold shower (I didn't know how to turn on the hot water heater) and an open window, I fell asleep until Rex woke me up again.<br />
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</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994849.post-10137443486591706822011-07-24T17:24:00.001+04:002011-07-24T17:24:52.446+04:00My bathroom is sexist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ok, maybe I am exaggerating but it appears to me my bathroom is sexist. My new house in Dubai has only one electrical plug-in and it says it is for 'Shavers Only' and even shows a simple picture of a man shaving. It isn't even a regular electrical outlet. I don't see any other electrical outlets in the bathroom and I checked with the other two bathrooms, nothing! So I have to blow dry my hair wherever I can find an electrical outlet and plug in the adapter, ahh! Then I have to walk to a mirror to check it out.<br />
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</div>Ruby Lichte Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636045608068132692noreply@blogger.com2