HOME!

It's been a really busy week! My last day in Dubai was spent rushing around and then doing a bunch of last minute packing and cleaning. We did manage to go out for dinner and relax a little before I caught my 3:00am flight to SFO, stopping in Beijing along the way. I managed to sleep almost the entire way, I woke up long enough to get some smoggy pictures of the Beijing airport and worry that they would quarantine me because of the swine flu, I don't have it, but I was sure I had a high temperature because fortunately the chronic bronchitis is back. 

I landed in SF and Erin picked me up, we had the perfect CA day, we went out to lunch, did a little shopping, played with the kids in the backyard and had a great BBQ when Ricardo got home. Of course we had some wine too. It was the PERFECT first day back. The next day was nice too, I went for an awesome run, walked into town for some coffee, had some time to walk around and talk and then I went back to the airport to meet up with some college friends to fly down to San Diego for Jen's bachelorette party. It was amazing! There was about 15 of us, we stayed at the Hard Rock in the Gas lamp district, went out for great meals, fun outdoor night clubish places, laid by the pool, went to this pool party called Intervention, where I was called a "prude" by one of the guys we met because I was sitting there reading my book, he clearly didn't understand how important the Vampire books are... It was so nice to be able to drink good wine, be outside, not be dressed up and hanging out in 5 star hotels. The pool was actually perfect too because it has been so hot in Dubai that we haven't been able to do much outside. It was funny though, I thought I wasn't doing too bad with jet lag and staying awake and all that, but then on Monday, when we were laying by the pool, all of a sudden I sort of just woke up and realized where I was and finally felt normal...

I flew up to Portland and my mom picked me up, I finally got my luggage that had been lost the whole 5 days, when I arrived that night. I was lucky I had packed a pretty random assortment of clothes that somehow managed to last me through the weekend. I did actually have to buy a new swimsuit, but I needed one anyways. Mom and I went out for mexican food and the next morning Katie picked me up and she drove me up to my sister's house. We arrived around 2:00 and I was SO happy to see them! We have had such a great couple of days, running has been awesome, the kids have been so fun to be around and seeing Eric and Kristin has been great! We went to a farmers market and an outdoor concert at the apple orchard last night, it was perfect! My friend Shane came over bearing NW wine, so I was thrilled to sit around drinking that! It was cute, well, probably a bad choice of words, but Ella and Gavin were so excited about having someone here, they just kept running down the stairs, claiming they were having bad dreams, on and on, but they were so cute I could hardly contain myself. Part of me just wanted to let them stay up, but I didn't. When Kristin and Eric got home, they were still up though. Oops. Then Shane and I went out to some bar and got some bar food and drinks, it was exactly the type of place that doesn't exist in Dubai, so I loved it! 

Now, I'm sitting here and waiting for my friends to pick me up and we are heading down to Portland for a birthday celebration and apparently there is some organic beerfest thing. How Portland. I'm hoping they'll be serving some wine too!

I love being home! But, I do miss my friends and life in Dubai too...

Last day!

The last week has flown by! Last minute errands ended in hysterical crying, I'm not sure why it continues to surprise me how poorly organized some things are here and that everything will take about 10 times longer than I think it will and not end in the desired result. I sold my car and before we took it in to pass inspection and transfer the registration, the fuel pump conveniently broke. Of course, I just cried about that too. Let's see what else made me cry, I guess the list is probably too long to type in. Today I have to finish packing and then clean my apartment, then I think we'll go to dinner and have one more night in Dubai before I leave at 3:00am for my flight to SF. Last night I went to one of my favorite wine bars with a girlfriend of mine and it was ladies night, and hilarious. If any guy in Dubai is looking for trashy dressed British girls, I'm pretty sure they are all at Oeno on Tuesday nights. I exaggerate a little... we had so much fun though drinking awesome wine and eating delicious cheese, my two favorite things. I can't believe I'll be in the US of A in about 37 hours...

Is it really over?

The last couple weeks have flown by... the highlights, parties were fun, goodbyes are awful, fractured a few ribs, cried a little, or a lot, whatever, packed some boxes, had a few days off work, drank some wine... figured some things out, didn't figure some other things out. Just another high/low life in Dubai kind of deal. I cannot believe I'm actually moving. I have both loved and hated this place, highlights would include the people I've met, places I've traveled, soccer team and running club and just living like I'm on vacation. Two years was too fast and too slow all at once. I'm happy that I came and sad to be leaving. I can't wait to have a new job. I definitely lost all motivation to work and hardly even recognize myself professionally. Fortunatley I get to start again in a couple months. Huh, I'll have to work again, interesting. I have one week left in Dubai, a spa day, soccer game, who knows what else. I didn't know it was possible to be so happy and so sad about the exact same thing. Life. Crazy.