No desert for you!

Trip Start Jan 10, 2007
1
52
72
Trip End Jul 03, 2007


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of United Arab Emirates  ,
Friday, April 27, 2007

Well, you know, there has been one thing on my mind recently.  I will have been in Arabia for nearly four months now, and not once during that time will I have ever set foot inside the desert.  It was the ONE THING I wanted to see when I came here; instead, I missed the Desert Safari and never made any friends who took me into the desert.  I was talking to a colleague of mine; EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND she and all her friends went camping in the desert. 

It's too much to bear!  That was all I ever wanted to do here, even just once!  And instead I've been trapped in this stupid city for four months!  It reminds me of everything else I've never gotten to do here.

I never tried Shisha.  I never ate out at a fancy restaurant.  I never went to a nightclub or had a party.  I never laid out on a beach.  Never got a job.  I didn't get the chance to visit another country with a bunch of friends...come to think of it, I didn't make any friends.  That means I have no one to help me out if I should ever decide to come back!  Unlike the other girls, I never made a boyfriend either (no surprise!), which would have been a really neat intercultural experience, in my opinion.  Screw being dark-haired and undesirable!  I didn't join any fun programs, I never went dancing or played any sports, and even though I signed up for every single club at this university, not ONE of them ever contacted me in any way.  It's amazing that I've been able to write the 50+ journal entries that I have!

I know you're not supposed to have too many expectations when you travel on a study abroad...but really, I expected to make friends and have a little fun at least!!  I wish I could make it up--I wanted to love this city.  Really truly, with all my heart.

So I thought I would try to help myself out, and hang around awhile.  You know, give this another chance.  I applied to do a number of things this summer, and I was rejected to all of them, and the school wouldn't extend my scholarship.  So I tried to find a job so I could sustain myself, and no one would hire me (which is really sad in Dubai, but hey).  I tried to find somewhere to stay, but my email won't deliver to the people I need to contact!  And now to top it all off, my stupid airline won't change my ticket!  I can't afford to buy a new one now that UC arbitrarily took $1000 from me!  So I couldn't even hang around for another week even if I really wanted to, which I do.

I reckon I'll never have the money to come back here either, or a reason to do it, seeing as I don't really know anybody.

I really regret this, and God knows I did my durndest to try to give it a second chance.  I guess there are no second chances in life, and quite frankly, I was lucky to have had a first chance at all!  Boy, Liz, you really screwed up. 

I guess this is an important life lesson, and for that, at least, I am grateful.



So much for syrupy bubbling goodness.
Print this entry Dubai hotels