Good morning from the desert! I awoke early to wander out to my ‘man cave’ for coffee. Even though the sun was not up, the temperatures had not cooled down dramatically overnight. A gentle breeze stirred the air as I sipped and thought. Summer is approaching. Daytime hot winds stir up the air but fail to cool you off. The strong sun, undiminished by clouds, quickly heats exposed skin and challenges uncovered eyes. I imagine what life was like without the cool relief of air conditioning. Yikes!

I had the opportunity to attend a pediatric orthopedic conference in Dubai this week. This conference was the “First Annual” for the region and North Africa. The two-day conference was attended by many surgeons from the Gulf region and Egypt. Lecturers arrived from Canada, USA, Denmark, UK, and Finland. A wide range of topics was wedged into two long days. I enjoyed hearing the various talks and meeting different people during the breaks and lunch. Read the rest of this entry »

Am I not beautiful?

Greetings from the desert! Early morning is still a little cool, but the sun warms the air quickly. Spring passed by quickly as the trees dropped their leaves. Our first summer in Al Ain looms ahead. Stories of blistering heat are shared with us ‘newbies’ — I can hardly wait. I already think it is hot here.

Al Ain and all of the United Arab Emirates are a true international community. You see everyone, from the excessively wealthy to the simple worker just trying to survive. Besides these, all manner of people in between make this country their home. Change has come very rapidly to the UAE, starting first with the discovery of oil in the 60’s to forming the United Arab Emirates 40 years ago, and from there unbelievable growth and development. We have taken visitors to the national museum in Dubai a few times and are still amazed at the documented changes. Dubai has morphed from a few thousands of people huddled along the Gulf to a growing city of millions with skyscrapers, monorails, megamalls (with musical fountains, indoor skiing on manmade snow, and high-end shops), fancy cars, and a frenzied pace of life. Could you imagine living through these changes? Read the rest of this entry »

Good morning!!  I made my coffee, opened the door, and went to descend the steps into my ‘Man Cave’ when I had second thoughts.  Yesterday the winds built to a fury force, lifting up the loose sand and turning the sky a dull brown.  Sand storm.  Although I was safely hidden in my small exam room, patients and staff shared the news.  Opening the hospital door to the outside, my face immediately felt the effects of the storm.  The view was not quite the equivalent of the new “Mission Impossible” film but still impressive.  This morning the winds have died down substantially, but there is still enough sand in the air for me to decide I would prefer my coffee without sand today, thank you.  As it is, I am still rubbing sand out of my eyes, ears, and scalp from the walk home. Read the rest of this entry »

Good evening from Al Ain!! I have returned home after attending a meeting in Dubai. Jana and I were supposed to be on our way to Abu Dhabi airport, but a snow storm delayed our friends’ US departure and subsequent arrival here. I find it hard to fathom as we sit in the warm, windy sunshine. The winds have been very strong off and on throughout the past week or so. When the winds blow, the sand becomes airborne and gets into everything. We had small drifts on each step out of the flat. A fine film of gritty dust covers tables and floors as windows and doors allow entrance. We miss the red dust of Kijabe which loved to dye everything it touched. Although colored only a whitish-brown the volume of dust is far greater here. Ah, life in the desert! Read the rest of this entry »

Good morning from the desert!!  We still are within the cool mornings of the Emirate winter time.  A cup of hot coffee and a warm quilt chase away the morning chills in the flat.  Today I walked across the road and sat overlooking the wadi.  The wadi is the dry riverbed winding its way through Al Ain.  Although I have yet to see any animals but a few birds or other interesting disturbances to the path, I still find it a place to relax.  Across the way are a group of small date farms which do offer a respite from the sun and a scenic place to walk later in the day.  Jana and I enjoy an evening stroll through the trees. Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings from the desert! My coffee is perking and the call to prayer is echoing across the wadi from the nearby mosque. Early morning has once again arrived; a new day is here.

After weeks of enforced waiting, I finally made some definitive progress this week. Many of you know I am not good at waiting. I like to make a plan and go forward. If the plan needs to be changed, so be it, but waiting is not one of my gifts. Several years ago a friend of mine also named Tim gave a talk at a men’s retreat about “wait training.” Read the rest of this entry »