Rostering

You have to be very flexible and not to stress about not knowing about your next day when doing this kind of a work. We do get our next month work list in advance at the end of the month thou, but it always include some stand by's when company can notice you only few hours before departure that you will be going on that flight.

For example this month I had 3 stand by's starting tonight. So they sent me a txt that I have roster changes. And now I'm on my way to the airport and heading to Delhi, India. And tomorrow I have something called Airport Standby which means I will wait at the airport for crew control to put me on a flight right away.

In this company I have always been called to a flight because a high demand of flights and lack of crew or crew been sick. This company is growing faster than it has people to work with it so there is so much work for us. Sometimes it's hard of course when you have only minimum legal rest, you'r still tired from the previous duty and they put you on a nightflight. But on the other hand the more you flight the more money you will earn. So eventually it's really good :)

I just got my roster (work list) for November and I can't be any more happy. First of all becuse I got my requested flight wich is amazing 9 days leg to Singapore and Brisbane! And after that I will fly to Sydney and South-Africa! All are destinayions where there is summer at the time so no winterclothes needed :)

I have started to feel more happy and home here after all the struggles that I encountered at the beginning. It was some kind of a cultural chock coming from a very organized country to a country where everything takea time.. a lot of time. But I think I have overcome that now and really started to like this place and appreciate everything what this country has to offer.

There are amazing working opportunities, especially with us europeans who has the education, work experience and language skills. And you can earn so much better than in Europe where the financial situation is so bad.

Also the weather is something I really appreciate coming from a dark, cold country. Every morning I wake up and see the sun shining, no clouds in the sky. And the beach is only short taxi drive from my home and it's totally free :)

Also there is amazing opportunity to study. We have international Universities here in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that offer high standard education in all different academic fields. I will definitely take a closer look and try to upgrade my papers from BA to MA.

It is a ever growing, ambitious country. Very different from my home country but all in good way. So let's see how long I will stay here and what kind of opportunities I will find for myself. I definitely look forward to my future here in UAE! :)

Buddha Temple in Jakarta

I went to see the china town and there they had also a buddha temple wich I had to visit of course. Outside the temple was a man selling small birds from the cage. Not for a pet but to reliese birds to the sky. I believe there was some deeper meaning in their religion but for me it was also very touching. So I ended up buying five birds and tryid not to freak out when the man gave them to my hands for a reliese :) Cute small things just wanted to get free and fly! :)

Shangri-La Jakarta, Indonesia

My shopping trip to Apple Store

On my last day in New York I finally went to Apple Store on 5th avenue to buy a new laptop. So I entered there, queued a half an hour, told the cashier I want an MacBook Air and gave $1000. But she told me the price is $1086! Because of the tax that you add on top of the price! Which I didn't know! So I checked my wallet an counted all my money.. there was $1072.

Night before I met a homeless guy on the streets and I gave him $20. If I woudn't have done that I would have enough to buy the computer. But I always believe things happen for a reason..

So I took my flight yesterday evening back to Abu Dhabi. On that flight was also a young US soldier on his way to Baghdad, Irak. So we talked and after landing to AD we walked together to the currency exchange. But what happens.. he needed to get money but the ATM took his card and suddenly he doesn't have money even to take a taxi to his hotel! And he has an early flight to catch the next morning.

So because I coudn't buy that laptop I still had a lot of money with me and I was able to help him. So I believe there was a reason I coudn't buy that laptop even that it was my biggest wish on my trip in New York and I felt so disappointed. But so many times in life you plan something and if it doesn't happen as you plan you get so angry and frustrated. But life hardly ever goes the way you plan it, it is so much bigger than us. An I truly believe that what happens in your life is always much better than if you could get your own way. I believe life is so much more creative and surprising than what you could even plan for yourself.

This soldier promised to take me to a dinner the next time he comes to Abu Dhabi. But even if I would never meet him anymore I believe this was ment to happen. Not only because of the money, but something else. And how good it feels to be able to help someone sometimes. Even when I don't have a lot of money sometimes I have more than someone else. And the money is not mine, it is mine to do the right thing and to help someone who needs it more than me.

One friend of mine was critisizing me giving money to a soldier. But I believe that when there is someone in need we shoudn't look at the person, who he is or what he does. We are all equal and human beings, we shoudn't judge people when they need our help.

I am not an angel who helps people every day and always thinks others before myself. But this was a great possibility given to me to help. And I hope that if I'm in that position ever myself someone would be kind enough to offer his help. So watch out, you never know who needs you and what might happen when you travel and meet people :)

Central Park, NY

GeoTagged, [N40.74316, E73.99894]

I rented a bike yesterday and headed to Central Park. Rent is $20 for 3 hours and it was a perfect way to see the huge area. And it was a beautiful sunny and warm day :)

At this time of the year all the trees have amazing colours and it looks like from a fairytail. So romantic! No wonder the place was full of couples and newlyweds taking pictures.. Next time I have to come here with someone special. And apparently the park is full of singles as well.. I got two date offers in few hours time ;))

Today I'll be visiting the Apple Store on 5th avenue for some serious shopping! So tonight I should have a brand new laptop with my hands. Soo looking forward to that!

Occupy Wall Street 15th October

I arrived to New York city on friday night just before the massive riots. So I woke up early, took a subway to downtown and joined thousands of protesters. We walked through the whole Manhattan, what a perfect way for a sightseing for a first time visitor ;)

Even that the protest was very calm there was hundreds of police officers, horses, cars and even FBI.. And when te night fell and we reached the Times Square they took action and pressed people tight so that there was a sudden panic among protesters. I was a little bit too close and almost got stuck but eventually found my way out.. Hectic!

I truly believe this cause. I believe that people got really too greedy. Not only investment banks but all of us. We all forgot that money doesn't bring us happines and that we don't really need that much. We forgot that we should keep our trust in God, not in money. So this is the consequense, money failed us. And those who created this massive depression got away and we are left to pay the bills. And this is wrong. In US there are hundreds of thousands of people without home, they have lost everything. And that is the limit.. everyone should have the right to a home to live in and food to eat.

Check the action page, these protests are spreading all over the world :)

www.occupywallst.org

South Africa

Only 8 hours flight from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg. But what a different world!

We spent 2 days there so I managed to visit a Lion Park which is a big nature park with wild and captured animals. We were sitting inside the car while driver told us about these amazing african animals.

One of my life's most memorable moments were when we entered a small cage where they had lion cabs. Those "puppies" were not that small, maybe a mid size dog but still babies.. just sleeping and playing. And they gave us 5 minutes and I was able to pet them! What an amazing feeling, incredible! And I started to miss my baby dog again..

City of Johannesburg is not too big, the center is all about business/money and you can't miss all those expensive german sport cars. But outside the city is a different world, slums where people don't really have a proper houses. So no wonder all the rich people have secured their property with huge fences, dogs and guards with guns.

We flew a turnaround to Capetown airport where we did some shopping.. I found so beautiful african handicrafts, something for my future home. Next time I will fly to Capetown for a holiday, I have to see the table mountains, sea, penguins and wine area.
And on April 2012 my company will open a route to Nairobi Kenia where I will definitely go to a real safari! That usually is extremely expensive at least from Europe, so now that I have a possibility to do it I can't miss it! So looking forward to that :)

I have to mention about local prople that I met, people are very relaxed, smiling and friendly. Somehow I felt the atmosphere is like in Australia or Ireland, people don't stress too much but enjoy their life and other people. I really love that, I wish my home country could be more like that.

My next destination is Germany and after that my leave when I will be going to New York city!! My first destination will be the Apple Store in 5th Avenue ;)

www.apple.com

By the way, that food in the picture is NILE CROCODILE! It tasted like a fish, only a bit harder to chew :)