(My last three weeks in Dubai were eventful, and I am tempted to use these next entries to write out every detail I remember- every ordeal and saying goodbye to X, Y, Z. But fact-by-fact journals are boring to read and not what I want to achieve with this, so bear with me.)
The morning after landing in Dubai, Orlando came by the apartment and dragged me with him to Ibn Batutta Mall with his housekeeper, Jerry. It was a shock to the system; the bizarre and rapid leap from reunion with long lost friends to tedious shoe shopping for Jerry’s kids in the aisles of Geant. Nothing against Jerry or her kids, they need shoes and I was happy to witness the process, but the exercise seemed to purge all my self worth. This was my life. Doubting myself and God, I wanted to jump back on that plane and go home. Of course, Orlando knew he’d be miserable watching Gerry pick through shoes, he just needed someone to share in his burdens, and that has been my pleasure thus far.
Orlando dropped me off to sulk and recover, but the redeeming part of my day was still to come: sundowners with friends Elise, Nigel and Kristen (from AU / Papa New Guniea) at an Aussie sports bar on Palm Jumeirah.
Kristen and Nigel
“Mission: Aussie Phil”, termed by Nigel, mainly consisted of learning new phrases over Australian beers. N & K dropped Elise and me off at my tower, where Gemma had fixed dinner for our friend Mary.
But, instead of dinner, I arrived to find most of my coworkers, past and present. Gemma organized a surprise farewell party and somehow fit 26 people into our apartment! While “Mission: Aussie Phil” was apparently an elaborate ploy engineered by Gemma with Elise’s help, the congregation of my Dubai Office family was uplifting and reminded me of my Dubai blessings. Ibn Batutta felt further away, and home felt a lot closer.
Gemma waits for me to arrive
surprise!
Hanno finds a decoration for the tree
(Our minimalist tree before the party)
and after- i don't think I've seen a special K tree topper before
1 comment:
We are missing you... I am glad the party helped in forgetting your painful Geant experience shopping for shoes... shoes that were not even for you!
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