Sandier Pastures

I participated in a really cool gift swap hosted by Christine a few days back.

The rules were simple, those interested in participating list their own name in Christine’s site and person #1 gives to #2, #2 to #3 and so on. The last person gives the hostess (person #1, Christine) a gift.

I got listed after Donetta so I get to receive a gift from her and in return I had to send a gift to the person next to me on the list, that is Idel in Japan. A gift swap happening in three different countries! Isn’t it exciting or what.

The UAE postal system is not popular for being efficient, a friend supposedly sent me a small parcel more than two months ago and is either lost or will arrive really late so I am prepared to wait for weeks (even months) but guess what?  Someone delivered a package to me yesterday, October 27, just when Donetta herself asked me in the email if there are any signs of the package she sent!

The package managed to travel by land, sea and desert and reached me in 8 days! In Dubai standards, that is some sort of miracle!

I opened it at home, with a very curious toddler waiting by my side. Thanks Donetta for the good stuff!

No, the little girl in the photo was not included in the box! That is my precocious daughter who  made a quick pose right before I clicked the camera.

A closer look at my gifts:

She could not get her hands off the bell!

So I got: (1) A game set; (2) a cute pair of dangling earrings in a personalized jewelry box; (3) jelly candies candy corns in a bowl (I clearly didn’t have an idea of this very popular Halloween food!); (4) sweet wafer rolls in can; (5) a pine cone; (6) a corn (that my daughter attempted to bite! gasp!) and an evidence that she reads my blog, Donetta sent me a (7) Natural roach repellant!

Thank you Christine for hosting and thanks Donetta for the package. This was fun!

For working mothers like me who want to learn new computer courses but do not have time to attend regular classroom settings, a computer based training is a very popular option.

I am searching for computer trainingfor Photoshop as I would love to give my blog a makeover someday. For e-learning resources, visit www.computerbasedtrainings.com. You can also find leadership training courses in the site. 

Gulf News, a very popular newspaper in the Gulf region based in the UAE has published a very interesting article entitled “Untold Tales: lens-eye view of the city” that captures the essence of life in Dubai in 24 hours.

I had been blogging about Dubai since our relocation early next year to let others know how it is to live here. Sad though that I can’t be on the streets armed with camera for 24 hours. Go check out the article and the great photos taken by professional photographers on an hourly basis on the eve of February 13, 2007. The side links starts from midnight - 1am until midnight the next day.

As a resident, I can say the collection of photos rightly justifies and describes the life in this complicated city so I hope you have the time to see it too.