Bill's Blog

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is similar in population to my home state of Michigan, the UAE hosts approximately 10 million residents, yet only 1 million are Emirati citizens. The vast majority are expatriates drawn by lucrative job opportunities in a region fueled by its significant oil production—around 3 million barrels per day. UAE is richer than Michigan, with a GDP per capita reaching $70,000 and Michigan at $50,000.

Leaders in the UAE government however, recognize the finite nature of oil resources and the UAE is strategically diversifying. Utilizing its $1.5 trillion sovereign wealth fund, it is transformng into a trading entrepôt, financial center, and transport hub. This is evident in the user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which enhance the experience of international travel. I was so impressed with my travel experience. There are no hassles going through immigration or customs. Many countries, you feel like a war crimes suspect when they check your bags, leaf through your passport, look at you menacingly. Why? UAE does it right. They have the attitude of please come and spend your money, enjoy our country and then go home.

During my third visit to the UAE, I spent a week in the suburbs of Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest and most influential emirate. My last day was marked by an unusual event: rain. It was a light, steady rainfall that amusingly led to school closures—a rarity in the region. Last night’s high winds were a dramatic prelude, shaking my hotel windows around 1:30 AM. By 2:00 PM, after our final accreditation meeting at a local school, the rain ceased.

With some time to spare before our evening flights, a group of us visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Constructed under the guidance of the late President from 1994 to 2007, who was buried in the courtyard in 2004, the mosque is a monumental tribute to Islamic diversity, incorporating architectural elements from across the Muslim world. It can accommodate over 40,000 worshippers and was built at a cost of $545 million, now serving as a major tourist destination similar to the Taj Mahal.

Entry to the mosque is free, although access requires navigating through a bustling shopping mall. The scene at the mall was lively, with a diverse crowd of international tourists. The contrast was striking as some female visitors, initially clad in revealing Western attire, had to adapt to local norms by donning headscarves and robes before entering the sacred space. After the visit, I went back to the hotel, took a nap, did a bit of yoga and headed out to the airport.

The one big difference between this visit and my previous visits to UAE was a might a lot of locals. The school we were accrediting had an Emirati population of over 60% and I talked with many students and parents over the five days at the school. I found them to be kind, open and not much different from other cultures. Very few of the girls wore headscarves and they acted like typical teenagers. A group of second graders helped me spell my name in Arabic. The government is pushing its citizens to complete education and training programs so they can be productive contributors to the economy. In the past, many received cushy government appointments that didn’t really ask much of them. This is definitely changing. It was fascinating to hear their perspective on the differences between their state school experience and the international school. These students were not the ultra-wealthy, spoiled Arab students I had heard about from some international educators.

I liked Abu Dhabi more than Dubai as it was not a congested, in-your-face, over-the-top vibe. I could live in the Gulf Region, although I wonder if I would miss green landscapes. There are definitely pleasures to be had in Abu Dhabi.

It is always hard to leave my family when I go away on business trips. I made Oliver and Ocean take a picture while I was getting into my Yandex. I spent Saturday morning with Nadia, taking her to her swimming club and then Ollie and I went grocery shopping. I also checked in at school to make sure everything was going smoothly with the PTO Garage Sale. Expats who are leaving Uzbekistan in June always appreciate the opportunity to sell some of their stuff they are not shipping on to their next post.

I am on an accreditation visit of a school in Abu Dhabi. This is my first time in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. My previous two visits have been to Dubai and Hatta. My first impression of the richer and more traditional emirate of Abu Dhabi is that it is much quieter than Dubai. I am staying out in the suburbs (Khalifa City) but it is much easier to get around with less traffic and tourists. It is less densely populated and makes it a much more pleasant ambiance. The prices are much more reasonable here than in Dubai. In speaking with the taxi driver, he moved from Dubai to Abu Dhabi because the cost-of-living was less and it was less hectic. You can really feel the difference.

The only time I saw Emiratis was in the Yas Mall. So far most of the hotel workers, taxi drivers, retail sales people are all foreigners. I am doing a little survey to see where they are from. So far it is India number one, Pakistan number two, and Phillipines number three. I also talked to an Ethiopian and Frenchman (Apple Store). The Yas Mall was a much more peaceful experience than the Dubai Mall. They love their shopping malls in the Gulf Region and Abu Dhabi is no exception. I completed my shopping list from my family in less than 20 minutes, so a good night.

On my first night I ran around the Marriot Al Forsan where I am staying. Crazy to see the artificial water skiing lakes. The hotel is next to the Al Forsan Sports Center that also has go-carts, shooting range, paddle ball courts, horse riding, etc. There is also Al Forsan gated community right next door. There are hundreds of gated communities with pretty big townhouses or detached homes with small gardens.

Last Sunday, April 22, my friend Brian and I rode from the village of Tavaksay up to the waterfalls and back down the other side of the canyon. The ride was 18 kilometers and it took us about 3 hours. The left side of the canyon heading up to the falls was brilliant for cycling, but the right side was mostly spent carrying the bikes on rocky precipices. The weather was beautiful and Brian and savored meeting the physical challenges at our advanced ages. 🙂

There were many hikers making their way up to the falls. The Uzbeks are so kind! Several younger accountants helped carry our bikes up the mountain to make it to the falls. We also met a lot of people that wanted to practice their English and who admire Americans. We had some laughs with them and my limited Russian helped us communicate.

As we are nearing the end of the academic year, our family is gearing up our middle son’s graduation that will take place May 24. Oliver is in the Class of 2024 and the seniors had their last regular day of school this past Tuesday. They are now on Study Leave as they prepare for the International Baccalaureate exams starting April 24. This is our second child that will be graduating high school. I made a video of my day with Oliver. As an international educator, I’ve had the gift of having my children with me everyday at work. It is so special to catch glimpses of Oliver throughout the day or week and just knowing that he is near was comforting to both me and my wife Nadia. The school did a wonderful job of giving Oliver a special day. I would like to thank my colleagues Karl and Derek especially for organizing a meaningful ceremony and parade.

Oliver and I played soccer against each other last night. Faculty from the Cambridge International School challenged our faculty to a game. Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Rob Battye, invited me and Oliver to join along. A few of Oliver’s teammates also played. Oliver’s playing style and looks are like Erling Haaland, the Norwegian striker who plays for Manchester City. He scored several goals by having a strong leg and ice cold accuracy on quick strikes. I scored a goal on a penalty kick, my first ever in a “real” game. I have not played soccer in a long time, and it felt good to get back out on the field. I am out of my element in soccer, but felt more comfortable as the game went on. For me it was mostly a chance to bond with Oliver. I wore the Romanian national uniform that my friend Claudiu bought for Oliver. Oliver went with the AC Roma. He loves soccer jerseys!

Below is the official video of the Seniors’ Last Day.

We had a really nice Saturday here in Tashkent during the Eid al Fitr break. After doing my morning yoga, Nadia and I exercised at school. We did 4 kilometers of walking/jogging around the campus and then hit the fitness room for a weight workout. We then took Ocean to her dentist. She is deciding if it is necessary to get braces for her bottom row of teeth. They are not majorly out of line, so it would be a 12-18 month treatment with invisiline.

In the evening we dined at the Capri Restaurant with Oliver and Ocean. They have an Italian chef and the food was quite good. Ocean loves seafood pasta, which can be expensive in the double-landlocked country, but to see the happiness on her face made it worth it for all of us. Nadia and Ocean looked absolutely gorgeous and we had a great evening of family bonding.

Today I took Nadia to the Yangiobad Fleamarket to buy some vintage Soviet metal enamel cookware. She found plenty and it is her latest hobby. I bought a cool metal Russian Orthodox cross. The guy said it was from the 19th century. I am not sure, but will see if I can find someone who can tell me a bit more about it. I thought it would look good in my office. I was unsuccessful in finding a bust of Lenin.

The end of Ramadan is marked by three days of celebrations. Eid begins at sunset on the last day of Ramadan. We noticed all of the mosques holding services at sunrise the next day as you can see in the photo above. Police were controlling traffic and protecting pedestrians. Every mosque had long lines of cars parked on the highway. We also noticed on Wednesday and Thursday many people headed out for picnics in the countryside. Uzbeks really enjoy setting up a day camp alongside a river, up in the mountains at a site with a nice view, or just on the side of the road. They get a makeshift grill going to roast shashlik, and the kids are running around and flying kites and extended families are generally enjoying the fresh air and relationships with family and friends. It felt a bit like our 4th of July weekend.

We had a nice Friday at home. I played paddleball for the first time with friends. It is between pickle ball and tennis and I enjoyed it. I felt it was an easier form of tennis. We hosted friends over on Friday night for dinner. The weather is finally nice so we cooked quesadillas in our outdoor kitchen and it was a night full of laughter and good conversation.

Ocean and I completed the Tashkent International School Mountains Level 1 hike on Wednesday. We have three days off of school this week due to the Eid al Fitr holiday. My friend Robin Marsh and I started the Adventure Program at our school and the idea is to get students off their devices and challenging themselves in the great outdoors of Uzbekistan. Ocean is a strong athlete and hiker and likes to get outdoors. Not as much as I do, but she is a good daughter and sees how much I enjoy spending time with her.

We left early on Wednesday morning after setting up camp outside the village of Nevich in the foothills of the Chimgan National Park. We made a long, slow ascent along the river and along the top of ridges, looping around to the other side of the canyon. The views were spectacular on the top with wildflowers coloring the green hillsides and with blue skies and white mountain peaks, it was a majestic day. Uzbekistan in the spring rivals the Alps until the hot suns turn it brown and dusty. Most of the 15-kilometer hike was refreshing and easy.

The last portion of the hike felt more than a “level 1” hike. We walked a big loop in the mountains and were about 1-2 kilometers from our campsite. We could see our tents as we made our way along the ridge. The final portion of the hike was to cross the Nevich River and finish where we set up our tents that morning. We dropped down a pretty steep hillside (photo above right) down to the banks of the river (photo above left). We chose a crossing where there were no rapids but due to the rains on the previous day, the water was a little too deep to cross safely. That meant climbing back out of the canyon to the ridge and finding an alternative path back to our campsite. The sun was setting and so we had to hustle to make it back up to the ridge. The mountains of Uzbekistan do not have marked trails so you need to find shepherds and livestock trails to follow. We did find a well-traveled path over the next ridge and down to our campsite. We arrived back in the dark with headlamps on, but by the time that happened, we were on a flat path near the tents.

We were all quite tired at the end of the day and the campfire and dinner were just what we needed. We all slept well and packed up and returned back to Tashkent safely the next day. The drive from Tashkent to Nevich is only about 90 minutes on a bus.

Another interesting aspect of the hike was this abandoned Soviet space program research station located just outside of Nevich. The TashKBM (Tashkent Machine Building Design Bureau) was built in 1969. Scientists developed drilling equipment and soil intake devices to use in their space program. I hope the government or private entity can restore it as it would be an interesting museum and be a good pairing with the nearby Solar Furnace complex, closer to Parkent. I would love to explore inside!

The Central Asian Federation of Athletics (CAFA) volleyball season has started. Ocean is on the high school varsity girls team. The Owls took on школа 61 for two matches. The girls won the first match, 2 sets to 0, and lost the second match, 1 set to 2 sets. Ocean is quite the athlete and volleyball might be her best sport. The second team School #61 put on the floor was good and all the sets were close. I was impressed with Ocean going to the floor to dig hard serves from the opposition. She doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and is kind of an all-arounder, with a fast, diving serve, smart setter, and she can spike. Her best friend Eleanor and Ocean make a good partnership. The team will be ready for the CAFA championships later this month in Astana.

Besides watching volleyball games, Nadia and I played tennis. It was raining most of the day and thankfully, we found a 2-hour indoor court time at the Yunusobad Tennis Center near the Tashkent Television Center. Igor and Nadia played doubles against Danil and me. We split well-played sets. Igor is a really good coach and my learning from the session was court positioning. When my partner changes sides to get a ball, I need to protect the opposite side.

I dropped Ocean and her friend Eleanor last night at the KFC near Westminster International School. Ocean is reaching that age of wanting to go out with her friends. I take advantage of spending time with her as a “Yandex Deluxe Service”. Yandex is the Uber of the Russian-speaking world.

I am savoring time with my soon-to-be-leaving teenage children and take every opportunity to spend time with them. When Oliver said he wanted to eat ice cream at the new Cold Stone Creamery that just opened in the Seoul Mun commercial development in the Ankhor Canal ravine. We had a great time. The kids keep my taste in music current and we listened to 100% “bangers” while cruising around the city. It was funny that they are reaching the age of being nostalgic for songs from when they were in elementary and middle school. 10 years ago to me seems like just yesterday. The prices are incredibly inexpensive with a cup of ice cream costing just over $1. I don’t know how they are making money…

Fridays are usually busy for me at school as I try to wrap up my things to-do list for the week. I had a late board meeting and afterwards attended our school’s community Iftar dinner. “Iftar” is the meal that faithful Muslims break their daily fast during Ramadan. It was a gorgeous night and our Arab and other Islamic families loved it. We served a community plov and people brought desserts and other dishes. It made me appreciate Ramadam more and I am always impressed with how kindness pervades Islamic culture.

I recently returned my latest e-library book, The Pentagon’s Brain by journalist Annie Jacobsen. I knew the US military does a lot of research into new weapons but I never heard of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency). Jacobsen’s book is a history of DARPA which is the Defense Department’s top secret research and development agency that develops all forms of future warfare. I didn’t finish the book because of business at work and the book was on loan from the library, but the 4 hours+ of reading, I got a good sense of DARPA’s history. It started right after World War II and in the late 1940s through the 1960s, much of their work was in developing nuclear weapons. Jacobsen focuses on characters and tells stories about their contributions to DARPA. The chapters about Doomsday scenarios are relevant today with the threat of nuclear war being higher recently. The chapter on the Vietnam War era was interesting because DARPA switched from weapons to techniques on how to defeat an insurgent, guerilla war. The future war chapters described how tiny and powerful drones are becoming. They are also now working on healing soldier’s brain injuries, regrowing limbs and of course, developing fighting robots. Annie Jacobsen has done a ton of research and interviews and the history of DARPA is the history of the American military in many ways. I recommend the book for

On Sunday (March 31, 2024) I ran my first official trail run in Uzbekistan. The Tavaksay Trail Run was approximately 12 kilometers starting from the outskirts of the village of Tavaksay. The race path was basically up and back to the Tavaksay Waterfalls. The way up was on the left side of the canyon on the top of the ridge with the canyon below to the right. Once we stopped at the falls for photos and water break, we ran back down the right side, eventually going down into the canyon and finishing with 4 river crossings.

You never know what to expect in Uzbekistan and the pre-race ceremony didn’t disappoint. Two pirates had a mock sword fight with two clowns as MCs. On the medals at the end, on one side it read Design Your Destiny with a map and the other side had a photo of actor Johnny Depp from the Pirates of the Caribbean. I was joking that a trail run in the mountains of a double landlocked country brings to my mind immediately, Pirates of the Caribbean. Loved it.

My friend Aaron and I walked the inclines and tricky area and jogged the flatter parts. I have not been doing much running over the winter and the run felt good. I was really tired afterward and took a long afternoon nap. I was a bit stiff the next day, but overall felt pretty good. The Uzbek TrailRunning Club gave calendars for their monthly runs and I might do a few of them.