Time and distance.
You never know what you’ll actually miss after leaving a place. Last year I made a few predictions when I wrote “5 Things I Will Miss About Abu Dhabi” and “5 Things I Will NOT Miss About Abu Dhabi.” Since it’s been over a year now, I thought it would be fun to think over and share what it is that I actually miss. Taking a quick little trip there last month helped to straighten everything out in my mind.
The Top 3 Things I Actually Miss About Abu Dhabi:
Celebrating Molly’s marriage (missing Hannah and Sarah)
1. My friends. I know. In the original post I didn’t include friends and colleagues because I already knew that I would miss them a lot. Well, it turns out… I miss them tremendously! There’s no way they couldn’t be included on this list. Spending time with friends during my quick visit back just solidified how much I love them. Like I said before, it felt like I had only been gone for a few weeks. We’ve all bonded through our shared experience in the UAE in a way that’s hard to explain.(Soldiers in the trenches feels a bit too hyperbolic.) I’m so glad I had great friendships to help me get through the difficult times and celebrate the great times.
One of the only photos of my bed, outtake from our Christmas 2010 video
2. Clean sheets. I probably bring this up several times a week. There’s nothing like coming home from a stressful day at work or a long trip to find your bed perfectly made with a fresh set of clean white sheets. I was seriously spoiled. Living in a hotel apartment might be the greatest thing ever simply for this reason. Amazing. It’s really not the same feeling when you wash and change your own bedding…
Photo by my sister, example of a bodega style shop
3. The food. That’s pretty general but by “food” I mean:
1. The extensive and cheap grocery stores
2. The bodegas on every corner
3. All of my beloved novelty snacks (Square Crisps!!)
4. Saj 2 Go, Forty Fruity, and other regional eateries
5. Meals prepared in Emirati homes
In short, I’m pretty content with not living in Abu Dhabi anymore but I’m also grateful for my three year experience there. I’m glad I hit the green light on that adventure.
xo, jill
