Thank God for Social Media

This is how it is in here. You live your life day by day with months passing by so quickly that you forget the track of time. I can't believe it's been more than 3 months since my last post. It seems so hard for me write and I guess I need a mental floss before I post this one. I also have to admit  I was a bit lazy, but it's only because there is so much to do in a day.

Ever since I came to Dubai, I have been introduced to a group of people from twitter in tweetups (meetups from twitter), and we started hanging out more often, and then we began to arrange outings without the umbrella of Twitter because suddenly we became friends, and the nice thing about it is that you really get the meaning of socializing as an activity, you get to meet people with no judgments regarding their ethnicities, religions, countries, beliefs, and hobbies. And those people take part in your life that you start referring to them in everything. They become part of your daily routine that you have to talk to them and check up on them, you help them and they help you back, you hang out with them and they call you to join their hangouts, but most importantly... they remind you of what is important, or they give you a push to move forward or re-innovate something in your life, even sometimes they don't realize it themselves, but they actually motivate others and help them move on.

"Dreaming is very important, but don't forget to enjoy the journey"... said Micheline Hazou, a happy soul, while we were having such a nice gathering in Central Perk, Dubai. She told me how important it is to be happy in everything we do in life, and not to neglect the time we spend working our ways to our dreams. Micheline, @mich1mich, is one of those people who remind you, who inspire you, even if she didn't agree with you, she would still open your eyes to a bigger picture. 

So eventually, here I am, working my way to a dream, determined to enjoy the journey, embracing every moment I'm gonna spend reaching it. So, Thank God for Social Media, where I don't need to struggle to get my voice out there, or need effort to meet such amazing people, where I can be a part of this big yet small world while I'm sitting at home on my sofa. Thank God for it.. because where else are you going to find and know such great influential people who could remind you of what is important in this life.

Taking the Metro

It always frustrated me, the buzz of the city. As much as I love living in big cities, I would have to say it is not easy. When you work in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and you have to go back home after a long busy day, driving on the highway with all the people in a hurry and the lights flashing all around you from every corner, it is frustrating indeed.

I found my self very tired when I reached home, barely could move to make a sandwich or even coffee.. sleeping as early as a new born, I decided, it was time to find a solution.

For those of you who don't know Sheikh Zayed Road, Sometimes you have to pay for parking your car in some areas. I used to work in one of those areas and I got 4 parking tickets for being 10 minutes late from paying. At the end, I found myself paying over 500 Dirhams for parking each month. It was really the time to find a solution.

Photo by: Kinan Jarjous / @jarofjuice

I started taking the Metro, it took almost 35 minutes from where I work till I reach home, In that time, I walked to the station, I read books, and I made new friends. So I actually had almost a one hour of me time everyday. I managed to read two of my favorite novels, and I found I had more energy by the time I got home. I didn't have to worry about the car or the driving back and forth from work.

So it became a lifestyle for me, I started taking the Metro where ever I wanted to go, it basically links Dubai, from Jebel Ali Station to Al-Rashidiya Station, you get to see Dubai and it's landmarks, and find your stop so easily. And once you get out of some stations, you'll find a line of buses and taxis waiting for passengers. So even your house wasn't close to the station, you'll still manage to take the bus or the taxi, or even your car if you park it near. 

It looks like a space station, and you get the feeling of being at an airport when you are inside. The trains are super clean and tidy. Nobody is allowed to eat or drink anything while on board, if someone gets caught chewing even a gum they'll get a fine. It is indeed something very comforting for me!

I truly enjoy it, and it is my choice, to be able to have sometime to think rather than concentrate on driving and speed limits, socializing with people you would never meet at work or social gatherings, reading your favorite books, checking your e-mail or calling people you haven't called for a while. For me, it's a win win situation.

Position Closed

It's been a while since my last post. I have been busy lately. The thing is when you move to another country, you kind of have to start all over, you have to make new friends, get to know the place, discover your own favorite places, etc. And if you think about it; it is really not that hard to get to know Dubai. It's very easy to get a new start and find all the things you need to find to make things the way they were before. But one thing is not that easy to find in Dubai; a job.

I was a bit lazy in the beginning of my stay here, I was newly married, hoping for a long vacation from work, telling myself: How difficult could it be to get a job around here? I thought it wasn't that hard, but I was wrong.

I started looking almost a year ago, checking out websites like Gulftalent.com and Linkedin.com, applied for a couple of jobs here and there, but never got a reply. I wasn't worried at the beginning because we were travelling and moving between Abu Dhabi and Dubai a lot. Then after settling down I started intensively looking in October 2011. I sent my Resume and Portfolio to almost every company I was able to know of. Friends were helping too, but still never got a reply. Some people told me that business is not doing well these days, and some people advised me to start looking in different fields. I didn't because I simply knew that I won't be able to master any other profession (which is in the Design Field), since it's not only a degree, it's actually the best qualification in me, my creativity. Plus; it would make a huge gap on my C.V. that I don't want it to be there.

So it was a struggle, not only to find a job, but to believe in myself, it started to get depressing and annoying, apparently sending out C.V's here and there wasn't the right way. If I want to find a job, I need to let people know me.

Knowing few people from social media helped a lot, and I took it from there to expand my connections, twitter, facebook, art communities, friends of friends.. all sorts of ways, eventually, the word was heard. People knew who I am, knew what I do, and the had an idea what I was looking for.

One of the most important factors of not getting a job in the beginning was my C.V., that piece of paper that tells companies all they need to know about you in order to hire you. And my husband, being an HR manager before, he had a look at it and he was disappointed. He wasn't impressed about it as it wasn't professional or creative. And it finally hit me, I concentrated ONLY on my portfolio and totally neglected my C.V., and it never occurred to me that when those two files reach the inbox of a person, this person tends to open the C.V. first, and judging by that would go for the Portfolio. I have to admit it was a mistake, and a huge one! So I took the time to redesign my C.V., and started sending it across to advertising agencies, and BOOM! Offers started piling up my inbox. It was the first time I actually got the chance to choose where I wanted to to go. Now; Elhamdullelah, I started a month ago freelancing with one of the biggest advertising agencies, and this explains why I was away from blogging this long.

After I was getting frustrated by all the "Position Closed" emails in my inbox, I knew something was wrong with the way I was applying. Redesigning my C.V. was a huge factor, connections and friends were also too. What I want to share with you about this experience is that in the beginning it was hard, I started getting depressed, but I never actually focused on the reasons, if you do, you might realize it very soon and fix the problem. Don't start applying by the end of the year, companies usually don't look for employees by that time, make an interesting C.V. that stands out and pleases the eye. But the most important thing; NEVER stop believing in yourself, we all have special professional capabilities, and we all can be successful.

The mother of all BBQs...

I've blogged before about the social network in the UAE, and how expats feel less homesick here. During my stay, I came across a few occasions where people meet and get to know each other.

I'm actually overwhelmed by how quickly you can make friends and connections in Dubai, there's no way you won't receive an invitation on any social media medium to a meet up or some gathering. It is indeed very welcoming.

My last experience was an invitation to an event called: The Mother of All Barbecues! and MY GOD it was! I can't seem to remember the number of people, but it was crowded enough not to be able to move your arm without hitting someone by mistake! It was a great idea by a bunch of guys who are active on twitter, to welcome friends and colleagues into their home party, where people got to meet each other, probably for the first time! In my case I knew a few people, but I had the pleasure of meeting new ones and getting to know others better.

What's interesting about this is how social media can be powerful in expanding people's connections and circles, people can get to meet and know each other virtually, and then "meeting" could come later! So you wouldn't have to struggle to make room in your calendar, as long as you carry a smart phone or a tablet where ever you are; you're good to go!

But I need to mention that this power of social media that I'm talking about can be limited if people weren't open to such a thing! The power comes from the people you meet there, and I've had a chance to meet an amazing group that made me feel like home, and in no time I found myself surrounded by friends from all nationalities and interests, no matter where I'm from, or what I did, I became a member of the club. And thanks to such great people you can see the world becoming a bigger global family each day!

The pursuit of Burgers..

People who know me in person know how much of a junk food addict I am. I know it's un-healthy and later on it'll come back and kick me... but there's no better joy when I'm hungry than holding that sandwich of grilled beef covered with delicious mayonnaise sauces, dressed up with lettuce and pickles! EMMMM!

When you live in a place long enough you figure out your favorite burger place, but trying to do that in a new large city takes a lot of time, too much for a junk-food freak like me to handle, so I set up a quest to find the best burger place as soon as possible.

It is very important to note that this is not a comparison of restaurants, only the burgers they make, and I'm not talking about fancy new types, I'm talking about the traditional original amazing grilled beef with melted cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustered, some tomatoes, lettuce and pickles!

The internet wasn't helpful either, I tried shortlisting places but it was too complicated to get a hand on a really simple list. So I came up with my own... and it goes like this:


1: Johhny Rockets:

I heard it was the most common burger place in Dubai, at first, this burger seemed irresistible, but after trying so hard to finish it, you begin to notice that there's too much of everything! too much pickles, mustered, mayonnaise, and cheese that you stop enjoying it much, and it becomes a normal big burger to you.

The price is similar to other places, not cheaper, but not more expensive, although all the places I'm mentioning in this post are relatively expensive.

One good tip I can give you; DON'T order a delivery, it takes forever to reach, and you end up paying high delivery fees for a cold boring burger!

2: Fat Burger:

This picture makes it look like the best, well, not really!
The sandwich was perfectly customized for burger lovers, you choose how much beef you want and your good to go.
Great taste, at least not over priced, you pay to get a good burger and you get it, just not THE perfect burger.
I went there twice, and I was a happy customer both times. Fat Burger is good, just not the best!

3: TGI Fridays:

Traditional but yet sophisticated burger! not bad for a place that is not specialized in burgers, compared to other places; it's fair, if you were craving burgers; it won't be a bad idea to go there. But again, you won't be getting THE burger.








4: Bob's:

This one is interesting, it was difficult for me not to say this is the best!
This a place were you go to when you are super hungry. You'll get a great burger, simple, finely grilled beef and very yummy fries! In other words, It's the second best thing.







5: Burger Fuel:

Just ordered it today, very tasty and unique, although I didn't like the English mustard taste in it... I mean it is good, just don't expect the traditional taste.

The fries on the other hand are amazing! They serve it with a white sauce, and it is very rich in flavor.







6: and Finally; Shake Shack:

Some people disagree, and I understand why, it is quiet a heavy duty burger, too much fat in it, but MY GOD it's yummy!
Everything about that burger is unique, the bread, the beef, the sauce, the fries, even the lettuce!
Although it's small in size; but it is enough, trust me, two of these burgers will kill you. It is kind of small compared to it's price, but you can consider it a delicious rip off!



I tried other places but I always ended up going back to Shake Shack.
So on a scale from 0 to 10, Shake Shack gets the 10... the others vary from 6 to 9... but at the end I have to mention that you shouldn't try this mission yourself, it's bad if you were keeping a diet, I gained like 5 kilos on this quest and I'm really not happy about it. So I guess the next mission would have to be; places to go to when you're on a diet!

Outside Dubai...

It's been a while since my last post. After Ramadan I've been away for my second honeymoon in Europe. Everything was arranged by Emirates Holidays. It was really nice and I enjoyed every single moment of it... umm actually ALMOST every moment of it because the flight was perfectly designed to be uncomfortable. I mean everything else the Emirates Holidays arranged was perfect, but the plane seats were really uncomfortable and tight, now imagine feeling like that for a 5 to 6 hours trip?! yeah! it was a bit too much for me.

Anyway this isn't what i'm blogging about today...

After coming back to Dubai I paid a visit to a friend of mine who lives in Umm Al Quwein, the trip there took almost 1 hour driving, in during which I could see a huge difference in every kilometer I passed.

Starting from Dubai, you could see prestigious buildings, sky scrapers, fancy hotels, a variety of malls and supermarkets, trains, etc. You can see a beautiful city right before your eyes.

After leaving Dubai, a while after passing by the Airport, you can see the city being more humble... and the explanation for that is because you have just entered Al-Sharjah. It's a nice city as well, with lots of buildings and supermarkets, but you can't see the futuristic spirit of Dubai in it.

The more I drove, the less buildings were fancy, also the less the amount of buildings there was. which got me into thinking about reasons. It's obvious that each emirate reflects its wealth in its infrastructure, few large malls were spread between Ajman and Um Al-Quwein, buildings were humble and simple.

Arriving at my friend's place, I had to look for the building name, no landmark was close or streets signs, the GPS helped a little, but i had to use the phone to get exact directions.

People who live there need to drive all the way to Dubai for dinner or to have a good time, and whenever you visit anyone there, it has to be a sit at home visit, no hanging out or a small night drive.

I think it's amazing how money can affect the look and feel of a city, more money; more business, more social life!

Ramadan, as we know it

I hear everybody lately saying that Ramadan used to have more spirit in their hearts before than these days. When we were young we couldn't wait until we see the "hilal" that announces the arrival of Ramadan, when all families gathered for Iftar and Taraweeh prayers.

I still get those images in my head of how Ramadan used to feel, races I used to make with family and friends of whom would read more of the Holy Quran, me and my friends from high school participating in organized Iftar for orphans, "Qatayef" making; the official dessert of the month, it is basically the only eastern dessert that I eat, even making them was fun!

Maybe because I was a teenager, I used to get excited about the whole package of Ramadan, in anticipation of the Eid, we used to fulfill our religious duties with joy.

However, lately Ramadan seems to have lost its touch on me and the people I know. Maybe because life is getting more and more complicated each day, or maybe because we are growing older each day!

Here in Dubai it's not so different, as much as I have to admit that I can see more "Ramadanish" spirits, lanterns and decorations in all the malls, main roads, and restaurants, and not to forget the Iftar for workers that is held at mosques, even sometimes when you reach a red traffic signal around Adhan time, somebody approaches you with a mini box of dates and a mini bottle of water, regardless of your religion, you are welcomed in the home of a Muslim community.

I believe people who don't fast enjoy Ramadan the most, less working hours, more sleep, empty streets in the morning and the evening, yeah you know what I mean, although people who are fasting are the angriest people.

All Muslims know that the demons are helpless in Ramadan, so basically no evil is being enforced on anybody, only the demons who live inside us, the demons that are made from our own ideas, growing stronger in our brains until they become a big part of our lives, something I refer to as: the inner devils.

We unleash them by fasting, in this hot weather and lack of the daily doses of caffeine, nicotine, water, or what ever, the world becomes a crazier place with angrier, sensitive, lazy, crazy driving, crappy tempered, and most importantly, stubborn people.

If people learn to stop blaming everything around them and start enjoying the benefits of this month, if fasting Muslims understand that we need to use this months to train our inner devils to obey us and not the other way around, then Ramadan would definitely have its spirit back, and we will definitely feel about it like we did when we were younger.