Coffee pot roundabout in Fujairah.
Twenty years ago this month my husband, our 5 year old son and I packed up our lives in Lethbridge, Alberta and set off on a grand adventure to live in the United Arab Emirates. That involved flights to Calgary, Frankfurt and Dubai with 6 nights in a luxury hotel then a move into one of 4 apartment units in a new building rented for us by the college that was my employer. The college staff member who collected us at the airport handed us an envelope with a wad of cash to buy furniture. As I started orientation at work husband Terry set off on the challenging quest to find us a vehicle. Culture shock greeted us daily until we settled in and felt at home in the expat life.
Taking a break with colleagues at professional development event, 2005.
Terry about to prune hedge and enjoying infrequent rain.
Carpet we bought there & brought back.
Small businesses in Fujairah.
Terry & Liam in Dubai mall, 2004. We thought we were the last people in the UAE to get mobile (cell) phones.
We surprised ourselves by staying 9 years in the UAE, two in Al Ain in the desert (dry heat) and 7 in Fujairah on the Indian Ocean (heat with high humidity). We explored the small country thoroughly with our 4 wheel drive on camping trips with other expats. In Fujairah we had the opportunity to live in a lovely villa with a garden that Terry tended lovingly. Due to the long vacation period for both Liam’s school and the college, we spent much of each summer in Canada, visiting other countries along the way.
Living room in our large Fujairah villa with 4 bathrooms.
A list made in preparation for our repatriation to Canada.
At home in Fujairah 2004.
The UAE was an amazing experience for all of us. Sadly, Terry lived only 4 years after our return to Canada. Liam, now settled into his own life in British Columbia, and I have many treasured memories of those years in the Emirates and the friends we made there.