As many of you back in the States have probably already noticed...I have been pretty terrible at keeping in touch since I've been out here. A lot of factors have contributed to this. First off, the time difference makes it darn near impossible to just ring somebody up and expect them to be free at any time that also happen to be free. Right now, Colorado is 10 hours behind Abu Dhabi time - almost opposite night and day. So while I'm sitting in the hotel eating breakfast, everyone I know is most likely asleep. And when we have finished our dinner and feel like making a phone call, most people we know are heading off to work for the day...anyway, you get the point. Secondly, it's kind of expensive to call home from here. As far as I know, all of the cell phones here are "pay as you go" phones. And aside from the required phone cards one must buy to put money on the phone, there are no other [long distance] phone cards that I know of, and the rates seem a little bit ridiculous to me, especially after being spoiled in Australia where it was a half-cent per minute! Lastly, Pete and I had this great plan to get everyone we know to download Skype before we left so we could video chat on there...but so far only a few have downloaded it. (Or maybe more have, but they just haven't been using it?)
As you're reading this, you're probably wondering why I'm just writing out this big long whine, but there is a point to this! Mainly, I think we just miss our friends back at home. Pete and I have made a lot of great friends since we've been out here, and we are truly thankful for all of them, but that doesn't make us miss our old pals any less. Whenever we do get a call or an email (or even a snail mail!) we are so excited to hear how things are going back home :-) (So keep it coming!)
All of this not talking to people at home has caused me, I think, to start having dream conversations with old friends. I wake up in the morning and feel like I've just been over for dinner at Mike and Katies, out for a beer with Kara, or having a relaxed get-together in Leigh's dining room with the whole fam. The other night, I had a dream I ran into Katharine while I was walking to the store in Abu Dhabi. She ran up to me to say hello, took one look at my disheveled appearance, and told me, "Christine, I know you're not working...but pull yourself together!" Each day that I am here - while Pete is working so hard! - pretty much has that goal (pull myself together), so it is nice to know that even Dream-Katharine has some words of wisdom and encouragement for me!
P.S. Both Pete and I will be back in CO for a visit this summer....we are definitely looking forward to seeing everyone!!!!!
