We are on the move!

We have regained a bit of our independence. We rented a car. It's a clown car, but ever so cute. It's a Ford Figo (I think it's our old Fiesta), black and tiny. It serves our needs and now we can drive. 

Stuart has such a good sense of direction and has been able to maneuver his way around Abu Dhabi City. Too bad we aren't going to live in Abu Dhabi City. Me? Those of you who know my driving will know that even two years from now I will get lost, probably in the same neighborhood I've been in a hundred times. So I'm not all that anxious to get that party started. 

We decided to drive to Al Ain, our to-be new home, yesterday and Stuart got lost (maybe because of my poor directions) I found it to be a 'day in the life of Dana'a road tours'. He, on the other hand, was not as amused. I can only assume that if you have an excellent sense of direction, as Stuart does, and you get lost, it can be frustrating. However, if you are like me and being lost is state of being, then anyone getting lost is like another day for me. 

At any rate, we drove to Al Ain to look for schools and daycares for some of the kids in our group, mainly ours. We did find a couple of possibilities and will do more research once we are there. There is a large community of people working for ADEC (Abu Dhabi Education Council) who seem to assist each other as best they can with schools and other things. 

We were able to see both of our schools (mine is really still being built, brand new) and had a chance to look at one of the places that might be available to us to live. I think we get to put in a request. The place we saw was a good location between our schools. 

The drive down was very similar to the drive from Phoenix to Tucson, oh except for the camels we saw along the way! No, seriously, they were back off the road a ways. Some were standing and some were sitting. It was so awesome! You'd think I had never seen a camel before. I'm not sure who was more giddy about that sight, Jack or me. I'm sure those who have been here for a while are used to it, similar to some of us seeing a field full of cows in a pasture. I'll let you know when I get used to seeing camels in the sand dunes along the road. 

All is well in the Sandbox. And although students start school on Sunday, we will most likely not be there with them. Our medical clearance has not come through as of yet, so we are waiting patiently. What is done with those students without teachers? That's a good question that I will answer when I know. 

What we know is we are moving to Al Ain on Saturday, we have seen our schools and actually know how to get to them (well, Stuart does), and we are still happy with our decision to move to Abu Dhabi. 

Love you all,

Dana, Stuart, Jack and Millie

PS- Sorry the pictures are a little random.  The Grand Mosque, Stuart's school, my school, all of us standing on the beach with Abu Dhabi City in the background, Jack on a ride at the kiddie carnival in the  Marina Mall