Mississippi friends in Dubai

By some amazing fluke, we happened to know people here from Mississippi. I went to grad school with Robbie and Judy, a spunky married couple who had just returned from serving in the Peace Corps in China. I only knew them for about a year while we were in the same program, and Robbie and I worked in the Honors College together, but I always thought they were fun and interesting and wished I had gotten to know them better.

I was shocked when I realized that Woody had an interview at the same university where they work in Dubai. They sent us numerous emails detailing life in Dubai and working at Zayed University, so when Woody was offered the job, we felt fortunate to have insider info with which to make our decision.

Another coincidence is that Robbie, Judy, and I are all runners. Running is a huge part of my life, so I wanted to be sure that I could keep it up here. They assured me that there is a lively running culture here with frequent races. So far I've just been running in our hotel gym on the treadmill, but once the weather cools down and we move into our villa, it should be easier to get outside to run. Judy and I run at about the same pace, and we're neighbors in the same compound, so running together should be pretty convenient.

Woody and I had no idea that we'd be living in the same compound as Robbie and Judy. Our first day in Dubai we were taken by bus with the other new hires to see the villas that a couple of us would be moving into. After we toured the villa we were standing outside waiting for the rest of the group. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement from a distance. I glanced up and saw this couple walking toward me down the dusty street. As their faces shifted into focus, I slowly started to I realize that it was Robbie and Judy. I was so utterly shocked to see them just appear in this random sandy villa in Mirdif, Dubai, that it was almost as if the heat made halos around their heads and they moved in slow motion toward us, the sand-colored backdrop behind them (Hallucinations are a breeze when you've not had much sleep.). I realized at that moment how weird it was that the last time I saw them was eight years ago in green Mississippi, and now we happen to be neighbors in the same compound in the United Arab Emirates. This is definitely one of the most notable coincidences of my life.

Apparently, Robbie and Judy knew we'd be placed in their villas, so they came looking for us when they saw the ZU bus, but I had no idea, so when I saw them, I couldn't figure out how they'd found us. After we hugged hello and introduced them to Griffin, they took us back to their villa and we caught up.

Since that day, we've seen them often, and they have made our experience here warm and positive. They've introduced us to some great people, and Judy and I have already tried a new sport together. (Yesterday we attempted surfing!) We have plans to learn to paddle board and run a half marathon this year. I feel so fortunate that we already have friends here with whom we share something in common. Zorba the Greek said that the more you see, the bigger the world gets, but sometimes it turns out to be delightfully tiny.