The tickets have arrived!

After a lovely week spent with my in-laws we have finally received our tickets.

Here's what has been going on since the last post:
We have been going on about our lives as normal and up until about a few days ago did I start to feel antsy.  Why?  Well, I get very anxious as deadlines approach and lack of preparation really throws me off.   Thus, watching the calendar and seeing Sept 15th (beginning of the school year) made me feel pressured to be prepared for students with little preparation on my part.   Anyway, as we were getting ready to get the family ready to return to NY I hear "You've Got Mail" notification coming from my phone inside my purse.  For the very first time, my husband didn't say "Are we leaving?"  FYI it drives me crazy when he does this...

After the jitters subsided I replied to the e-mail as my husband's name was correct but the last name was repeated.  With my luck, it would cause an issue for us later so we decided to take care of it right away.  Within a couple of hours, I received my confirmed itinerary along with out e-tickets for WEDNESDAY!!! That's right, two days to pack and get the house ready for us to leave.  Since we got home from dropping off the family at the airport we have been doing laundry and packing.  My back hurts and I am taking a break to decided to blog to update everyone.  So, my flight leaves from Miami to NY on Sept. 1st at 2:40PM.  We have a 6-hour layover in NY and then take Etihad to Abu Dhabi for a total of 13 hours on a plane!  Plus, I just found out my friend Jose, his wife, and gorgeous baby girl will also be on the same flight so it should be a fun one :)

I am very grateful for this opportunity and hope to have access to internet when I arrive to I can update you all!

The Wait Game

Considering that this is my first post I will go ahead and give you a brief explanation over what we have been through since I applied for this teaching position on June 13, 2010.

The 13th through the 24th of June was spent on getting documents in order.  Obtaining a passport for myself and my husband, a criminal background check, and trying to get documents from my university and the school district I was working for.  It was NOT easy but I guess it's part of the process.

My husband, nephew, and I took at trip to NY on the 25th for my interview on the 29th.  My husband's family lives there so we figured we would spend time with them and save on a hotel :)

<--- This picture was taken at Battery Park right around the corner of the hotel where my interview was held.  I was so nervous just because I had never been to an interview up until now.  Every job I ever had was basically offered to me so no interview necessary. 

Anyway, back to this process.  After my interview I felt confident I had the job but still had that feeling I said something wrong.  But this is just me over-analyzing everything. 

We returned to Florida the next day and I received an e-mail offering me a position!!!! I was so surreal!!! Everything we had pulled our hairs out for up until then was now happening!!!

Just for kicks..here's a pic of our pond in
our backyard.  (Loxahatchee, FL) 
A bit different from what I am used to
being raised in Miami. 

Now back in Florida we are preparing our accounts and those not so fun adults things that need to be in order.  From June 30th till now has been the WAIT GAME. 

As of today,
NO, we don't know when we are leaving. 
NO, we don't know where we are going to be living.
NO, I don't know where I will be working. 


But hey, that's the fun! Waiting and ready to embark on a journey of a lifetime.  Many people have asked me why I am doing this and why I find it necessary to move across the world just to teach when I can do that here?

Well, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TEACHING.  I find it difficult to continue to love something that is made difficult because of money and politics.  Basically, since I started teaching I have been laid-off at the end of the school year only to be rehired right before students return to school.  I basically got fed up and was convinced by a good friend (who already works in UAE) to take the chance and stop being scared.  My whole life I have lived in a small bubble (comfort zone) and decided to pop the bubble. 
I am grateful that I have an awesome husband who is ready to leave it all behind and take this on with me because (HONESTLY) I wouldn't have done it alone.  He is my rock!!

As of now we are waiting on our e-tickets from the travel agency who is booking flights for about a thousand people in my same boat.  I am waiting patiently and hope to be in another country next time I post!!!!