WOW! Time Flies!!

I can't believe it has been over a year since I posted to this blog. I have been busy. Since last post I have been living in Abu Dhabi. and working on the devices, keeping them running and basically waiting for them to be used by the customer.

Life in Abu Dhabi is nice, I found a nice 2 BR apartment in an area call Al Raha Beach. Its a gated community, with private beach, a few shops (more to come) a swimming pool,  gym and a nice area for walking or running. My wife somewhat likes it here as well, but says she would rather be living in Dubai, closer to the malls. We do get up to Dubai often, so she is not missing out. Abu Dhabi has some really nice malls we have been discovering lately. Al Wahda, Al Dalma, Mushrif mall to name a few. I  judge a mall by the food court and restaurants they have. The better the food the higher the rating. Right now Al Wahda is at the top of my list because the just got the first Red Lobster in Abu Dhabi and they are building an Olive Garden just across from it. All they need now is a Texas Roadhouse or Outback Steak House and and life will be great.

The new mall on YAS Island is really coming along very fast. I hear that there will be a Hard Rock Cafe' there, but that's only a rumor for now. YAS water world has been open for several months now next to Ferrari world.

I have been here over a year now and it's time for a home leave. I will be flying home in about a week. I have 2 new grandsons to spoil, so I am sure the time home will fly by very fast and then it will be back to Skype or Facetime for staying in touch.

The weather here is still really comfortable right now, temps in the mid teens at night and getting into the high 20's or low 30's during the day time (Celsius). That will all end very soon I am sure then it will be hotter than H*** before you know it.

We went to the F1 race track a few weeks ago and watched some racing. It was Ferrari race day, where the Ferrari owners were allowed access to the track. It was very interesting. There was a demonstration by one of the Ferrari Formula 1 race cars, WOW!! is all I can say about that. FAST AND LOUD!!!

"WTF" -- Over

I finished the medical review OK. That was the biggest sticking point in 2008 when I was trying to deploy to Kuwait.
 Now, the background investigation has found a discrepancy with the salary I reported on the job application and the salary reported by the company I was working for. I reported the entire amount I was paid including the per Diem. The company only reported the salary and not the per Diem. The security investigators seem to be dragging their feet to get back to me so I can "clarify" the difference. That is the only hang up right now preventing me from being hired.
I still have a ton of crap to get done after they hire me. I need visa's and who knows what ever else to get cleared for international relocation.
What a "HASSLE" it is turning out to be.

The New Job

I interviewed for the new position in Abu Dhabi on 21 December 2011. It was a telephone interview, the kind I really  hate. I guess I did alright though, because I was notified on the 23rd  that I was selected for the position. Kim and I were traveling home from St. Louis back to Virginia when I got the phone call, but the offer letter would not be sent out until after the holiday. The holiday went great, nice to visit with children and grand children.
Finally received the package on 5 January, reviewed the offer and tried for 2 days to contact the HR people to discuss the offer, but could not get in touch with the person I needed to speak with. will try again on Monday.
So, here I sit waiting for the week end to be over.

Nearing the end of my Contract.

Well my contract is nearing the end. The training devices are complete, the tear down begins after next week, then they will get packed and shipped to the UAE. I am not exactly sure where they will be set up, but somewhere between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I will start looking at living arrangements in Dubai, (I have heard it's actually cheaper to live there). I have applied for a position there but the interviews will not get started until next week. I feel fairly confident I will get a job there. I was asked if I would consider staying in St. Louis, but they would have to make me an offer first, before I could consider anything.I have met the Emirati Technicians that will be working with us there and look forward to working with them in country.I will be breaking here for the holidays on the 22 of December, Kim is flying out to help me drive back to Va. After the new year I will return to STL until my contract expires and I get hired for UAE. After that I don't have any idea about anything. The shipping will take about 6 weeks and The RFT date is around mid march. My guess is I will be over there by mid February. That will provide enough time to find a place to live, and get a lot of the paper work for visa's started at least. If they are as slow as Kuwait was it will take at least two months. I certainly hope not. I really need to talk to the international relocation people to find out what will be required, things like driver license renewals, passports (mine is good for another 6 years).

September 2011

So much to talk about, but nothing really to say. I had another birthday on the 10th and of course the 10 year remembrance of 9/11 . Such a sad time in our history. I am on a vacation of sorts. I took two weeks off starting the first of September and have just 2 more days at home before I have to leave and head back to St. Louis, Mo.
Kim flew out to St. Louis for the last week of August, so we took a side trip and drove up to her Aunts house in Wisconsin. It was as nice trip up and back. We only stayed for a night, but Kim was able to see her aunts and uncles she had not seen for 5 years. It was nice also having a traveling companion for the 15 hour drive back to Virginia. I will miss her company for the solo trip back.