Staying at Home in the UAE

We all knew it was coming back at the beginning of March. Finally the word came: the UAE moved all spring breaks forward from March 29 to instead begin March 8, with distance learning to begin on Sunday, March 22. As I write this I have completed 2 weeks of distance learning (more on that in later posts).

The relocation of spring break of course meant we all had travel plans to cancel. I was first going to go to China, Japan and Hong Kong to visit friends, but that was cancelled ages ago when the virus was just in China. The backup plan was Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. We were eventually able to cancel all the hotels and how have a variety of vouchers for various airlines in the region. The backup backup plan was staying in the UAE. I spent some time at the coast before school resumed.

I made it through about 4 days of working from home in my 500 square foot apartment on the 18th floor before I started having panic attacks and feeling like I was in an MRI machine (post is pending). The anxiety was keeping me up at night and the looming threat of total isolation increased my insomnia. I made an appointment for professional help from Boise. I tried to breathe my way to calm. Then I friend who works in China but is currently in the US made a comment about staying with family. I realized I have almost-family here and I called her in a panic. I moved in that afternoon.

My "office" at the apartment.

Because her husband is in the US, we have plenty of room. We are on the ground floor and know each other really well, as we have travelled together a bunch. We follow the rules and stay in but keep busy during the day and have dinner together every night. Best of all for me--the panic attacks have stopped! 

My scrapbook station in what is also called the "Living Room." My "office" is also in my bedroom.

As of today, the UAE has 1264 cases. We are allowed outside only to go to the grocery store or pharmacy, aside from a few sectors that are considered essential. We have a nightly curfew from 8 pm until 6 am during which you can be fined for being out if it is not an emergency. The government here is doing a lot to keep us calm and safe. There is food on the shelves (including toilet paper), one drive-thru testing center has opened in Abu Dhabi and several more are in the works. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan tweets out frequently words of calm and inspiration and thanks to citizens and residents that I find helpful.

I am very happy to be where I am. I feel safe, the healthcare system is very good, the internet has been amazingly reliable and I am grateful to have a job that continues (oh my gosh, it is hard!!!). I am most grateful for friends who become family when you live far away from home.