A Lot of Changes
There were many things that I had to adjust to when I first set foot here in the desert about seventeen years ago. I don't think I ever had the chance to learn anything about this country before flying here -- I just relied on the fact that I had my best friends with me on this new journey.
Honestly, I came to the UAE with little to no knowledge about the country. I don't think I even knew where the country was in the map (seriously, my geography was that bad). What I knew was based only on the stories relayed by my friend who was already living here before us. Making this life changing decision happened very fast - talked with friends about it, applied for passport in March, prepared all necessary documents, and flew in April.
Everything was new! The food tasted odd different, it was hard to distinguish a person's nationality just by looking at his face, the language sounded alien, the weather was off the charts...
Oh, wait! I must add that they were reading from right to left too! As if these were not enough, the weekends here were different too.
When I first came in 2005, the official weekends were Thursday - Friday but my weekend at work was Friday - Saturday. I liked it because if there were any transactions I had to make in government offices or banks, for example, I could do it on my day off. Eventually, the official weekend shifted to Friday - Saturday as well.
Just when the rest of the world was resting on Sundays, we were starting the week's grind already.
The Weekend Flippening
This 2022 the UAE started aligning its weekends with most of the rest of the world as it also applied a Saturday - Sunday weekend. The reason, they say, was to benefit the economy as it aligns with the global markets.
UAE shifts to 4.5 day workweek, Saturday-Sunday weekend from January 1, 2022
"Oh, I can't follow up on your request right now. UK is off today," was my usual alibi on a lazy Sunday when I didn't feel like following up on a servicing escalation. "We have to wait until tomorrow." -- which would be already mid-day for us since we are four hours ahead of UK. It was really a pretty neat excuse.
Well, If I were still working I need to come up with a new get-away line coz the "Sunday excuse" won't work anymore. LOL.
Anyway, the government agencies have 2.5 days off from Friday afternoon until Sunday. Friday was given half a day off to give way for the Muslim prayer.
What Day Is It Again?
As for us, we also have to change our schedule in our little homeschool. The husband's days off are now from Saturday afternoon until Sunday (used to be Friday and Saturday afternoon).
Where we used to have Fridays and Saturdays as our rest days in the homeschool, we also have to change it to Saturday - Sunday.
I personally still have to get accustomed to the husband being at home on a Sunday. And oh, I have to remember to change the alarms!
There was supposedly a Market Friday post that I wanted to make only to realize that it is Saturday today so I guess I can sit on that for a few days more.
It feels indifferent. The past two weeks seemed to be longer for me, I could not understand why.
Anyway, a friend passed by the house and dropped this box of donuts so I just got to indulge a bit. I can't wrap my head around the schedule changes yet, but I can maybe pump up the nerves with some caffeine and sugar rush. Then let it sink in that tomorrow is Sunday and it's still the weekend!
And! A note to self -- again, change the alarms and check on the new parking and tolls fee schedules... I think I saw that news pop on my feed earlier but I did not check it out.
And to you, yes, you -- have a great weekend!
