Safe Driving. July 5, 2008

Safe Driving is …. what the institutes here teach you. Safe Driving is not making the 19 mistakes drivers tend to make. And once applicants get their license, their people hardly wish them that.

Upto now… Out of a 100% – 60% of people wished me congratulations. 35% of the people I know wished me, “Congratulations and Wish you Safe Driving” (which is the kind of congrats I loved) and 5% of the people I know didn’t wish me anything instead they started advicing me about how to turn and how to change lines and how to start the lights. And they were worried and tried to frighten me about cars and acceleration and breaking and said negative things not even bothering that this was one of the biggest gifts I had recieved from God and this Universe. Pessimists!

Anyway, Safe Driving is my intention. Maintaining my cool is my intention. So wish my good intentions the best!!

Typically said, I have a Valid UAE Driving License". July 3, 2008

I intend writing my driving data because I want to remember every bit of it for the rest of my life.
I started my first class on the 10th of May 2008, after my waiting period of two months.
I finally cleared the road test on the First of July 2008 from Emirates Driving Institute.
The examiner was Najwa Ibrahim for the second time (She was the examiner in the third try)
I cleared in my fourth attempt.
I feel as though I really earned my license, because success has never come to me easily in life.
My driving instructor was Mohammed Nadeem.
He was very happy when I passed and even the examiner told me I was in good form.
I drove first time on the Second of July 2008, while going to office.
I enjoy driving so much that now even waiting in the traffic is fun.
My husband is on top of the world and called our whole family, leaving me to revel in license glory.
I have preserved some papers, the “Driving Safely” CD provided by EDI, my final road test application form, and the RTA Test paper, Driving Certiificate and the toy car.

I love my husband even more now…. only due to him I have my license… he’s the one who’s pushed me to achieve everything I have today, and everything I have become. AND YES, I HAVE BECOME SOMEONE I LOVE TO BE

AND MOST OF ALL, I THANK ALLAH. FOR UNDERSTANDING, AND MAKING MY LIFE SOOOO EASY!

10th May until 1st July 2008…… 8 weeks ONLY…. not bad……… I guess…

Parking May 25, 2008

SO – I passed my parking test without any mistakes and yelling from the lady examiner.
AND – I finished my signal test as well.

I’m so happy!! Just got three classes to attend and then assessment!

Wish me luck.

(I’m already in 7th heaven and dreaming about the car I’ll drive, no carlifts… eeeeteeeceee..)

6 classes up! May 16, 2008

It’s been such a long time since I’ve been here blogging. And I’m so happy. A lot has happened during these weeks. I got my salary and spent the months allowances on my only purchase this month. A classy pair of sun shades. I took part along with other colleagues to play exhibitor at Arabian Travel Market 2008. It was loads of fun and great experience for four days. I met loads of people and had a blast!

On Thursday, the 8th of May, I got a call to be present at the Emirates Driving Institute in Al Qusais on Saturday if…. I had no issues being instructed by a male instructor. Nope, I said. So the lady asked me to bring with me an NOC saying my hubby didn’t have any problems with the same.

Saturday, I started my first class and finished 2 classes. I’m supposed to go there three days a week. I’ve attended my signal lecture which was fabulously addressed and I’ve memorized all the signs. I’m doing the parking test this week. So I’m really happy about how everything is fitting in. I really want to pass my parking test so I can do the signal test.

Until then, I have found some transportation in the morning and I reach office at 8:30 AM. (Which I think I’ve already mentioned about) Thrilling!

Review: April 2008 Ends May 3, 2008

April!! Whew what a month! The sun finally started glaring like its normal self. Its been two months since I enrolled for the driving lessons but so far…. no call. I called EDI once, they told me it would take another 15 days… 15 days were over long back.

I think I’ll have to call again.

Bout my hubby – This is news. News. NEWS. N-E-W-S! He finally changed his job successfully. His previous company Al Nekreh Contracting was making trouble for him but I guess God was on his side. Now Iqbal is in Limitless. And its my big fat dream come true. So far he’s liking his job, his colleagues, his management and I drill him with questions daily about what he did and what he spoke and which new person he was introduced to…. etc. etc.

Its so much fun when I finally see his happy face every evening.

We went to so many places. Saw Dubai Outlet Mall on Al Ain road and because Iqbal was there…….. I got to buy just one top from Esprit. Hmmmph!

We didn’t fight one bit. But we constantly argue like grannies. And sometimes it gets to the hair but otherwise its fun.
As usual we ate alot. And I’ve become fat. 51 kgs. In my life, that’s fat. In my hubby’s dictionary – 51 kgs means elephant.

CAR- LIFTS – Hmmm, yes they are a big pain in the teeth! (I figure thats the worst pain). Since Iqbal got it in Limitless, I’m at my own mercy. So for the first few days I crossed the colossal structure of a bridge, went over to the side of Dubai and crossed the sandlot. After crossing the sandlot, I walked to the bus stop at Sahara Centre and waited for a bus. I’d take the 13A to Al Bustan Splash, get off there, cross the road and catch a cab to DAFZA. I walked this way for 4 days and after I’d paid some kind of penance, someone referred me to a Mr. Shah who passes by DAFZA every morning on his way to work. I contacted him and he agreed to take me. It’s been since May 01, that I’m going to office with him. I reach in time. It fits! I’m blessed!

I know I’ve not written about work in the last month and I won’t make a separate post for that anymore.

I’m at my job 5 months later and it is goin’ great! I was pissed off for sometime because my HR Manager didn’t do my appraisal. A core HR function. She forgot to even mention to me about salary increase as promised before I joined. I rather got the impression she was avoiding it – which was quite ironic. I brought up the topic and THEN she told me they wouldn’t be increasing my salary by a thousand because my CEO was not happy with the way things were working and etc… – I didn’t believe her because in my company, it’s only line manager’s who are responsibile for such decisions. Anyway, aside from the money bit, I’m quite happy at my job and the exposure it is enlightening me with. Plus, this is just my beginning.

Anyways, my job has taught me to be a different person. More accommodating. More flexible with ideas. Its taught me to be less tactless and more diplomatic. More understanding of other people. It’s taught me what my mom always tried to drill into my head “You can win the world with a smile.” I’ve learned to really be interested in people, and really listen, and really care.

It’s fun eating lunch with a pantry full of our employees. Laughing away one hour.

I’m throwing parties and going shopping for birthday gifts for all employees and it is the 4th of May 2008 that I write this post and I’m thinking of all the shopping for birthday gifts that I shall do next week….

………… before I get lost in thought, I’ll just go ahead an publish!

Emirates Driving Institute April 29, 2008

Turns out that I have been in line for almost touching two months and still patient and not cribby. Why? It’s because I’m quite aware that there may be other peope waiting even for 5 months and not being cribby.

It also turns out that one of my office colleagues who came to UAE for the first time as flight dispatcher went to enroll himself in Emirates Driving Institute as soon as he recieved his employment visa, realizing he’s not made for the car lift thingy and with company accommodation in Ajman, he can’t wait around for two hours after work gets over for the company driver to come fetch him. Great!

“Flight Dispatcher” and I were discussing driving classes 2 weeks back. I was happy to tell him that this was just the beginning of his endless wait. He frowned at me like he’d never heard the word wait. He went on to let me know that he’d paid 1000 AED above the fee normally charged, below the table, and he had started his classes the very next day after being enrolled.

The man has already finished 14 – 15 classes out of the 20 that are mandatory for those who have their home country driving licenses.

Doesn’t this post stink of a type of toilet paper called bribe?

Good Morning to all those who thought this doesn’t happen in UAE.

Going Home Early – Yesterday March 13, 2008

Yesterday, I had to go to the mosque for a prayer meeting followed by food – organized especially for my sister- in – law. I had to leave office early. I waited on the bus and taxi stop at DAFZA and did so for twenty minutes. Well, twenty minutes is actually peanuts when in truth, I’ve waited for over one and a half hours. Like most people who have the same story.

So many cabbies passed by, mostly full, sometimes with messages to go elsewhere “by order”. Thats okay. Then there was this ass cabbie taxi plate number 1169 registered in dubai – who passed by EMPTY. I was so furious. Things will never fucking change with these asses. Forgive the profanity.

I went back to my office, knowing I’d wait until 6:30 and still be stuck there. So this is what happened when I returned to office…..

I went to the site of Dubai Taxi and made a complaint. Guess what? In the list of locations provided as “site where the incident occurred” – Dubai Airport Free Zone was not listed. So now it is not a location in Dubai. Great! So the ass drivers can misbehave how they like, huh? Anyway, I submitted my complaint and guess what?

I was taken to a page that said “The service is currently unavailable. Please try again later.”

HEHEHEHE!! (Kie… I’m laughing cuz there’s really no point in begging, pleading, crying, nagging, whining to the RTA. It doesn’t have ears. So sometimes, its just better to learn to laugh at jokes and myself. It won’t make me a lesser important person. Rather, it’s good to find humor in small things, or life would just be soooo borrrring!)

Life – even on the road – is precious | Traffic. March 11, 2008

This is with reference to the article in the gulf news on the 9th of March 2008 – in the “Letters” section. It talks about how precious life is. Well, I agree. Nothing could be more precious than life – even when we are talking of life on the roads of UAE, where fatal and semi – fatal accidents are more popular than a road fine.

What I wish to address is that very few people actually realize the seriousness of the accident, when it occurs. More often than not, when an accident occurs, the entire road is jammed and service roads are also clogged to their necks. Do you know why?

Its because most people would wait to see the spectacle: the shattered glass on the road, the cops flashing their jeep lights in the emergency, the crowd of people involved in the accident, the destroyed left-overs of the car, the blood of the person, his left-overs, bits of his/her clothes lying about…

I guess it gives people something to talk about to the others they come in contact with… My whole point is that it is not the loss of life that would cause many a cars to stop and look and feel concerned. It is the spectacle of the accident that causes the jam.

Why can’t the drivers just move on? Firstly, they cause a massive amount of traffic. Secondly, it feels like everyone’s here to watch and be part of a piece of news which will be published in the Gulf News and Khaleej Times in no time. Thirdly, they can’t do a thing to help. Fourth, the police do an excellent job of helping the people/ person in need. They do it so brilliantly, it’s worth the mention. And while at it, they try to regulate the traffic as well. But even they are mere men, and what can a few men do in the face of a thousand cars at one signal?

Precious lives

Any lives lost due to accidents on the road are precious and the families of victims find it difficult to cope with the irreparable loss. But for strangers such incidents are only a part of daily news. It takes a huge amount of self-realisation to be able to understand the pain suffered by others.
There are many drivers who respect other commuters, but a few feel that they own the road and therefore have a right to bully others, usually leading to fatal accidents. If such people have consideration for others, a lot of mishaps on the road can be avoided.

From Ms Annie Samuel
Umm Al Quwain

At My Job: Three Months Later March 7, 2008

It has never been so good. I’ve completed probation. There is just so much work at all times. I go to office at 0730hrs and sleep until 0900hrs. I start work feeling fresh and end the day by 1800 hrs.

I’ve learnt much more this month and made contracts and offer letters and finished files and the software. Done some successful recruitment and had people I’ve recruited, join us this month.

Its been awesome working with all my colleagues and bosses and getting to know them better.

Tomorrow I’ll go to Debenhams for shopping. Got to buy gifts for two cabin crew and a pilot.

Sometimes work gets montonous with me starring at the computer screen and reading resumes all day long. So the day I do this at a stretch, my concentration dims by 0515 and by 0530, I’m ready to go home.

Other days, I have so much to do, its rush hour when I realize my husband would be on his way.

On the path of independence, I have finally attested my license and will enroll tomorrow at Emirates Driving Institute. Only due to the persistence of my husband.

Anyways, I’m just waiting for my performance appraisal… Will tell you all what happened…..

Indian License Finally Attested! March 5, 2008

I got my driving license attested on the 3rd of March 2008. My hubby dropped me to Bur Juman. I pulled out some money from NBD ATM, just to be safe. From there I walked it up to the Consulate of India. Passing by Hakim’s Aalim, I realized I was having a really bad hair day. Anyway, its not about my hair. I reached the Consulate after scanning the various flags hoisted proudly.

I won’t bad mouth the process but luckily, my husband had typed and filled out all the forms for me so all I had to do was just go and submit them. That took around 50 minutes of standing in a queue. I submitted my docs when it was my turn and paid the cashier.

Next I had to wait for over an hour to retrieve my proof of attestation. I was getting so crazy. My husband, at the end of the phone line, said to me, “Don’t worry baby, just wait, the processes are as slow as the processes in India.”

This short sentence is bitchier than a person cribbing for two hours. So guess I don’t have to say anything else.

Anyways, attestation is done. Iqbal is happier than me. He’s already suggesting the cars I could buy. And if not for him pushing me constantly to do things that’d better me, what would I do?

Thanks to him, I will drive in a few months!!