My first day~

After having MAYBE two hours of sleep, I went down to the Mezzanine area in the hotel for breakfast. The breakfast in the hotel is off a self serve mini buffet. I was surprised at the different foods placed on the buffet. As you can see in the picture, there is cucumbers, apple slices, banana, toast, potato cake, greek olives, and "chicken" sausages. I use the term sausage loosely, because they just tasted like chicken hot dogs to me!

Breakfast time was a very interesting time. It was at that time I met the other 20 teachers who had already arrived. Among the U.S. teachers, there are teachers from New Zealand, Ireland, The United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa!  It is an amazing grouping of people!

After breakfast we stepped outside and I snapped this picture of the businesses located next to the hotel. Can you recognize anything?

It was nice to see something familiar. Although I will tell you appearances are deceiving!  

 I knew that it may be difficult to use American money, so I exchanged $100 for the local Dirham. To the left are the bills I was able to get. At this time, the hotel's exchange rate is 1 AED= $3.47 USD.  Exchanging one hundred dollar bill, for a larger number of bills, makes you feel so rich!  However, you must remember that the prices found in the local stores are either pretty close to what we were paying in the states or a little more. We will just be handing out more paper each time we pay!  For example, a three piece chicken dinner at Popeyes Fried Chicken, with cole slaw, fries, biscuit, and a drink costs 20 Dirhams!

My time in the U.A.E. is going to be an interesting ride!