Ivan’s Blog

Ok, you’re right - the fact that the two subsequent posts are monthly compilations is disconcerting and talks a lot about the (in)frequency of my posts and I do apologize. Quite a few things have happened since my last post although not all of them necessarily in Dubai. In the course of the past month I managed to:

• Spend most of it in Abu Dhabi - working
• Go for a (surprise) extended weekend in Belgrade
• Start the process of finally unpacking and settling in
• Get ready for the arrival of the Lady and the Master of the Domain

Working Week in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, also the smaller and (arguably) lesser known version of its more famous neighbor. That being said, with all the hype surrounding Dubai these days, if you’re wondering where your $4/gallon gas money is going, it’s probably Abu Dhabi. Most of the oil exported from the UAE, one of the world’s top exporters, actually comes from Abu Dhabi Emirate. A recent report identified Abu Dhabi National Oil Corporation as #8 largest recipient of funds from the US Federal budget. Compared to Dubai, Abu Dhabi is significantly smaller and much less of a work-in-progress kind of a place. Its tree lined boulevards are a welcome change after all the dust and construction cranes ~100 miles north.

My working week starts on Sunday morning (I know) when I head out for a 1.5hr long road trip to Abu Dhabi where I stay until Thursday night. Being constantly on the road hasn’t been much of an issue so far considering the empty apartment and inflatable mattress alternative back home. However, with the arrival of my household and scheduled arrival of the S&P team, things are bound to change soon.

Weekend in Belgrade

One of the reasons why we moved to Dubai from San Francisco was to be close(r!) to our hometown Belgrade. While still 8 hrs away (compared to 17hrs from SF!), the new location allows for more frequent visits to extended family and friends in Belgrade. I’ve been away from S&P for more than a month and haven’t seen my parents for almost  year. So, when the opportunity showed, I quickly jumped at it. Without a word, I boarded the plane on Thursday night and arrived to BEG on an early Friday morning. 

As luck would have it, S&P were spending the night at my parents’ so I had a great opportunity to take them all by surprise. Short double ring (postman always rings twice, no?) and a second later I’m looking at my Mom’s surprised face when she opens the door to a very special delivery guy!!! Priceless! While S was quite surprised herself, I must admit that P took me for granted a little bit. I guess he knew better than to be surprised by such an obvious stunt :).   

The ensuing weekend was great while I was winding down in a familiar environment surrounded by the people I love. I badly needed that meaningful break to re-charge my batteries and was very happy it worked out well.

Home arrived!

Moving is frequently cited as one of the most stressful situations an individual can face in life. That thought didn’t really help while I was looking at my life packed into numerous boxes that need to be unpacked for the new chapter in Dubai to really begin. After more than two months of wait, sleeping on the air mattress, eating with plastic silverware(!) - the day finally came. The home has arrived! While it will still take a while to finally unpack and settle in, that day kind of signified the (near) permanence of the decision made in February - not a trip or a short term stay - for better or worse and for the foreseeable future, we are now Dubaians! 

Welcome S&P! 

No, they’re not here yet, but the prospect of their arrival is making me excited! Having them stay in Belgrade during the moving process was probably the most (although by no means completely!) painless way of doing it - still, being apart for such a long time was hard on all of us. Finally, after more than two months, S&P are coming on JU088/June 26th to our new home, Dubai!   

Can’t wait to see you!!!