Yes, it was forty degrees celsius when we exited the airport at midnight. That translates into the nineties fahrenheit. I like the heat, but this is a bit much. The windows of the bus we took were hot even though we were air-conditioned. True to what we were promised, everything is air-conditioned, and it is quite comfortable. (The air con at home always seemed too cold).
The airport was overwhelming sensual. Bright neon lights and glitzy boutiques were everywhere. There were several fast food and other dining options. It was crowded, partly because of people waiting to pick up travelers, partly though it seemed like the airport was a place to celebrate the end of the daily fast. As we drove across town, it was like being in Las Vegas - everything was bustling and open. I don't think it is like that all the time, but is absolutely surreal to step into.
We were dropped off at our apartment and our luggage was delivered shortly thereafter. Our new apartment is palatial. I am not kidding - the square footage is more than our home in Dalton. We are on the fourteenth floor, and it is quite pretty at night. In the morning, the view is nothing but sand dunes (not like in Namibia) and beige-colored buildings. There is a lot of construction going on. The apartment has high ceilings and large windows. We have three bathrooms, one bedroom, a laundry room, an open living/dining room setup, and about about four empty rooms that could be anything. THere is lots of closet space. The place has obviously been left vacant all summer - it is so dirty, and there is a fine layer of dust on every surface. We could smell the dust. Will be looking for a housekeeper soon.
The school is taking good care of us. We are at the school now after breakfast at one of the teacher's apartments. It is a broad orientation today, and we will go grocery shopping later on. I could sleep a lot more. We have two more days of school work, and then four days off to settle in during the Eid holiday before getting our classrooms and offices ready.
Very hung over with jet lag, but we are doing well. Glad to be here. Fun meeting other people. Hope to use the internet here again.
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