Do I hear bagpipes?

I hear the drones of bagpipes and lively drumming at 10:30 pm.  (Did I say loud bagpipes and drums?)  I grab my hotel key, camera and go in search of the energetic music.  I find a wedding processional which includes men dancing in a large circle, musicians moving with their rhythms, and the women watching from the back of the line.   After the festivities end, the entire group moves to the other end of the hallway and starts the celebration again.

(Thanks to the families for kindly allowing us to photograph the event!)

#ibmcsc #uae

The Sounds of Nightfall

I explore the hotel and hotel grounds just slightly before dusk.

There is much laughter and squeals of delight coming from the pool area.  A hotel employee scolds a boy from climbing up a ladder marked “keep off.”

Walking down a long jetty, I get faint whisps of petunias that line part of the walkway.  The sun fades quickly. 

 I hear the beginning of the Maghrib prayer coming from the Mosque behind me on my right.  The male voice is penetrating and of high pitch.

 I am adjacent to the dry dock ship repair structure -- sharp, brusque commands circulate over the loudspeaker.

The flag at the end of the jetty flaps loudly in the breeze.  It competes quite well with the other sounds carrying in the air.   I hear a low-sounding voice behind me.  

 

It is the evening prayer coming from the mosque closer to the hotel. I walk back toward the hotel.  As I get closer to the hotel, street noise adds to the cacophony of sounds.  The prayer ends.  Sounds from cars honking, trucks with loud engines, accelerating buses, and sirens fill the air.

#ibmcsc  #uae

The Colors of the Land

As I landed in Dubai, I had a great chance to view the terrain.  I was struck by the muted textures of it.  The curved mounds of sand, the flattened lands ready for construction, mosque domes, high-rise buildings, and dots of palm trees flew by the window.  All seemed to be various shades of tan.

On my way to Sharjah, I had to remember not to talk to the driver to ask about architecture and the area in general.  (It can lead to wrong impressions here.)  Instead, I looked at the sights as we passed by them.   With the exception of the airport, no one was outside. Tile filled the tunnel walls.  Business signs were mostly red or yellow.  However, an occasional green or blue sign would stand out.   I would have thought the high-rise buildings would have had the “big box” effect I have seen in the US.  Instead, I was pleased to see that glass windows and subtle color shifts in the building materials created visual curves, circles and arches to make them much more architectural in nature. (Some even had an Art Deco/Nouveau look to them.)  The buildings were not just tan as I had seen from the air, but whites, greys, tans, and golds.  A few buildings had touches of peach tones in them as well.  Two large ferris wheels stood out of character in front of some of these giants.  

A short distance away from the airport, the road turned toward the Gulf.  The clear blue water added a nice contrast to the neutral-colored buildings nearby.   Here is the view of the gulf from my hotel room.  (The windows are covered with sand so please forgive the grainy nature of this shot.)

 

Now it is time to go explore! 

#ibmcsc uae

What do you know about the UAE?

I have to admit my knowledge about the United Arab Emirates was limited to documentaries about the construction of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and the man-made archipelagos, the Palm Islands.  During the last twelve weeks, I have learned quite a bit more about the history, culture, traditions, and the people of the UAE.

Geographically, the country borders the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.  It is located between Oman and Saudi Arabia.  (The size of the country is comparable to the state of Maine in the U.S.)  There are seven emirates in the UAE - Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Sharjah, Dubai, Ra's al Khaymah, and Quwayn.  Abu Dhabi is the capital.

 (The UAE is marked with the dot on the map above.)

I think one of the more interesting facts is that the country is a “melting pot” of nationalities.  The Emirati comprise only 15-24% of the population.  The remainder of the population consists of expats from India, Pakistan, Iran, other Middle Eastern countries, Latin America, Great Britain, and the US.

In less then 24 hours, I will be on my way to meet and work with our clients and their customers.  I am looking forward to meeting everyone and learning more from them as we work together during the next month.

 #ibmcsc uae

Welcome to the Corporate Service Corps!

In 2011, I was accepted into IBM’s CSC program.  I was thrilled to join the ranks of others who had already been deployed around the world.  The stories I read online of the people, cultures, and the projects were and are fascinating.  I waited to receive my assignment. Where would I be assigned?  What would project would our group receive?

In December, I received an invitation to join the first team that would volunteer in the United Arab Emirates.  I quickly accepted.   My teammates and I have just completed twelve weeks of preparation, project research, and project plans.  In two days, we all begin our journeys to Sharjah where our adventures begin.    Please join us!

#ibmcsc uae