8-15-11 or rather 15-8-11

It's taking some getting used to writing the date with the day/month/year format.  But we're getting there.

Today was Medical Check day...

We are transported via shuttle bus to wherever we're supposed to be at.  Today we did medical checks.  This were in a huge building that is some new health care facility.  It's supposed to be some fancy grand hospital area.  So after being checked for skin infectious diseases, and a chest x-ray for TB, and blood work to make sure we don't have Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, we headed back to the hotel to just hang out. 

We're trying to adapt to the lack of English with quite a few of the people.  Today we were trying to figure out how to use the washer/dryer combo and after 2 hours clothes were still not dry.  So I called the front desk and they sent the maintance guy up.  He was showing me how to set it.  So I asked him how to get thec clothes dry - not just damp.  He had no idea. So I attempted to gesture but all he kept telling me was "put there one here, and this one here".  So after doing it his way - clothes were still damp.  So I called the front desk back and they told me the machine doesn't dry it 100%.  But when it's finished you hang up the clothes on the line in the restroom.  So we did! 

Well later in the evening we had TV issues - we couldn't figure out how to get the picture on but we could hear Ellen (yes - Ellen in the UAE!).  So we called the front desk and who comes up but the same maintenance man as the washer/dryer issue.  So he comes in and does a few things.  We attempted to find out what we were not doing correctly but only got "1 is for TV, 2 is for satellite". So after a few times of that we knew we not going to find out.  So then Jennifer asks about this sticker on the ceiling in the corner (as if we didn't already realize that communication was at a minimum).  He has no idea what she means by sticker.  So he goes to the curtains and looks at us and is trying to figure it out.  Finally Jennifer gets up and points and asks what is it for. See the sticker below.  He tells us (which we were pretty sure that is what is was for!) that is for Muslims.  It's for their prayer so they know which way to face.  He used the Arabic word for pray but I already forgot what is was.  When he left Jennifer and I looked at each other and said, "this is what it will be like the next several months at school - lots of gestures!"   

Tomorrow it's police checks.  What's crazy about these is the times - we are leaving the hotel at 11 PM!  Crazy! 

The kids have been staying with an LT Spouse - Sinen - and they seem to enjoy him.  So that's definitely a good thing! 

Stay Tuned for more...