5 things I will miss about Abu Dhabi

Now the positive.A few days ago I wrote up a list of the 5 things I will not miss about living in Abu Dhabi. As much as I complained or felt frustrated while living there, I did find plenty of things to enjoy as well. I’m not counting friends and colleagues on my list because like not missing the heat and humidity, it’s just a given.Here are the rest of the vintage UAE postcards as well.Ready?The Top 5 Things I Will Miss About Abu Dhabi (in no particular order):

1. Delicious and cheap falafel. There are falafel shops on just about every corner in Abu Dhabi. Picking up a falafel sandwich is just about the easiest and cheapest snack or dinner option (5dhs/$1.37). I can’t say it’s the healthiest choice since the falafel balls are deep fried, but there are veggies too, and that should count for something. My favorite shop will hand you a hot and fresh falafel to eat while you wait for your order to be made. Yum. (And do you remember these heart shaped ones?)

2. The sun. Let’s face it. I’m from a particularly cloudy and rainy corner of the globe. Waking up to seemingly eternal sunshine is a real treat.

3. Desert camping + desert stars. Running off for some desert camping was one of my favorite activities to do. Being out in the desert at night under the stars is an incredible. feeling. If you ever need a reminder that you are in fact just a tiny small piece of the universe, walk out into the dunes at night and look up.

4. Interactions with other expats. The majority of people living in Abu Dhabi are from other places. As you interact with other workers you get a little taste of each person’s culture. For example, depending on where a person is from (or their job), I might be addressed as any of the following: Madame, Miss, M’amSir (yes, all one word), My Friend, or Sister. Sister was always my favorite.

5. Maghrib and Isha Prayers. While I wasn’t a big fan of the predawn call to prayer, the evening and night prayer calls were quite beautiful to hear. The Maghrib prayer call sounds just after sunset and is especially lovely accompanied by a colorful sky. Try to imagine hearing this faintly in the background while you watch the sunset. It always reminded me that even though day to day life could sometimes feel mundane, I truly was very far from home.

I suppose as time goes on I’ll think of more and more things to miss. Despite how frustrated I was much of the time, Abu Dhabi definitely had its enjoyable moments. I mean, I did meet Mike there!

xo, jill