End of Week Four - One month in Dubai

Dubai, UAE - Today the UAE government announced that it was going to change the road signs and not bother to tell its people. Following multiple road closures and sign changes, Brandon Hess, an Account Executive at Borouj Consulting, got fed up sitting in traffic, put his car in park, and decided, if he couldn't beat them, join them. :) 

---ends---

This week has a hard week for me. We had a client in town to attend the largest IT convention in the Middle East, GITEX, and there was a lot of running around to do and long days. Clocking just about 60 hours this week, I am currently enjoying a cup of coffee on my balcony of my 14th story apartment, thinking about CA and the beach! Oh how I miss the beach in the U.S.  

GITEX was very interesting... There were people in town from all over the region, all the major companies were here showing their latest gadgets, and I still can't get over the amount of traffic. Work is starting to become second nature, I am starting, just starting, to get the hang of the PR industry and how it works and I think I like it! 

Also this week I went to the PUBLIC hospital to get my medical section of my visa taken care of, [WARNING: THIS SECTION MIGHT BE GRAPHIC TO SOME READERS,] and I don't think I have ever witness anything like this ever. Let me paint a little picture for you -  

We, the driver Anoosh and I, arrived at Maktoum Hospital, parked in the all-dirt parking lot, around 15:00 in the afternoon, he took me there because it was in old Dubai and I probably would have got lost if I drove my self. Thank God for Anoosh! 

Anyway, after going from one building to another to get papers signed and so forth, we went in to the room where there was a cue of 500 (NO JOKE) Indian and Pakistani workers getting their blood work done as well! The room smelled of sour fermenting grapes and I nearly wanted to vomit. It was so bad. We asked how long the cue was and the man, dressed in all white behind the counter said, 4 hours. I didn't lose my cool, said ok, took a seat and relaxed a little... for awhile. 

Well, two hours waiting and I started to get a little antsy. I told Anoosh that I had to run to the restroom and would be back shortly. I kid you not, when I say the restroom was DISGUSTING! This is a hospital we are talking about, a hospital! There was fecal matter in places other than the toilet, no running water, a bucket next to the WHOLE IN THE GROUND toilet, you name it was gross. Needless to say, I lost any appetite that I may have had, did my business, and left. 

Upon returning to Anoosh he said the wait was going to be longer because there was a mix-up or something and they had to recall some numbers to give blood. I started to lose it at this point. Well, 4.5 hours later, I finally gave my blood and thought that I was in the clear and could go home, guess again! NOT! The man who not so gently took my blood said, "Follow the green line for x-ray." I nearly lost it! 

We followed the green line to the x-ray room.  See for visas here you either have to give blood to test for HIV, Hep-B, etc. or give a chest x-ray, or both. I had to do both because apparently a few days ago they changed the rules (AGAIN) and said that all first-time visa holders had to do this. So, I went and got another number... 889. When we got there they were only calling 530. I lost my cool, nearly had a nervous breakdown, and went for a walk... during this whole time Anoosh was a trooper, he was telling me that for his last 10 years in Dubai he has never seen anything this bad. We decided to go to the mall and come back in a few hours. (at least we had that luxury... all the workers were brought in by busses and couldn't leave) 

We sat in Starbucks, yes Starbucks, for 3 hours then went back to the Hospital... and waited another 2 hours for my chest x-ray. 

Finally, at almost 01:00 we finished. For one vile of blood and one chest x-ray later, I waited for about 10 hours! Thank God I never have to do that again. 

On a happy note, my girlfriend and I went to the Atlantis Hotel last night for a bottle of, well-needed, red wine. It was amazing there. This weekend marks 6 months! :) We walked around a little bit, enjoyed our time together, and check things out. I promise I will post pictures to come tomorrow. 

I miss you all! Please e-mail soon! bmh.