Expat Travel Mom

I never thought living in the Middle East would be an option, let alone a major life-changing event for my family. But here we are, three years from the day we landed in Abu Dhabi, living abroad in the UAE. We've lived in two hotels over three months and three houses over three years. The kids have attended three schools, four if you count home school, since arriving. We adopted a dog from a lovely family, and she's forever in our hearts, crazy antics included. I've taught in both government and privately owned schools. My kids have had three birthdays here. My husband celebrated his 40th. We're about to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary.

During Our Time Here We've...

been to the top of, and stayed in, the Burj Khalifa, relaxed at the Atlantis The Palm, walked through the majesty of the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, camped in the beautiful Al Ain red sand deserts, belly danced in a Bedouin oasis, sat while henna was artfully applied to our arms and legs, attended a royal wedding, taught royal children, been invited into several palaces, partied at Armani Privé, played at Ski Dubai, took flight at iFly Dubai, marveled at Yas Island's Marina Circuit, slipped and slid at Yas Island Water World, and savored traditional Arabic and Indian cuisine.

We've Also...

tried eating on the floor and with our hands, released turtles in Sri Lanka, toured Christmas markets in Germany, climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, relaxed on the beaches of Phuket, came alive in the hustle of Bangkok, and had Turkish delights on a moonlit night in Istanbul. We swam with dolphins. We hosted family from the U.S., a friend from France, and welcomed new expats from home as they started the same journey we had. We celebrated American holidays in a strange land, joined in on local celebrations, and met people from all over the world.

And...

our son learned to ride a two-wheel bike, golf in the desert, and earn his green belt in karate. The oldest two lost their first teeth here, and my two youngest learned to read. They walked with camels and bobbed for apples on Halloween. 

The kids now say bin for trash can, bits for pieces, rubber for eraser, and often slip into a British accent without noticing. We've made great friends, said tearful goodbyes to some, and seem to welcome new ones constantly. Accepting the job that brought us here was scary, there's always a fear of the unknown that comes with a decision like that. But three years in, we couldn't imagine our lives any other way. When this chapter eventually closes, we're genuinely looking forward to wherever the next one takes us.