Become an internet star
The challenge: Go on, you’ve always wanted to – start your own Dhabi blog.
Where to begin? The easiest way to get online (other than selling your soul to Facebook or Twitter) is probably via Blogger.com. Yes, it’s an essential part of Google’s plan for world domination, but it’s somewhat easier to use than vox.com or the impressive WordPress – in itself an excellent tool, but probably better suited to less clumsy users. Once you’ve got your blog up and running, there are even ways to make money out of it. Try Google Adsense, for starters, or even link yourself up to one of the umpteen pay-to-blog sites: PayPerPost.com is the original, and you can earn between US$5 (Dhs18) and US$200 (Dhs735) for your work.
Five ways to get your blog noticed: Will Milner, Time Out web guru, gives his pro advice.
Local hero: Used the world over, Expat-blog.com is free, easy to join and a simple way to direct Dhabians to your ‘local’ blog. Other useful international blog directories are Technorati, BlogCatalogue and BlogSearchEngine.
Tag it: WordPress and Blogger use both tags and labels to highlight certain topics and draw in readers who might stumble across them.
Socialise: Leave comments on other people’s blog sites. And, yes, it’s not bad ‘netiquette’ to leave a link, too – but only if it’s relevant.
RSS it? It’s simple. For blogger.com, FeedBurner is an easy way to allow readers to subscribe to your blog and receive email updates.
Make it interesting: Have an opinion and something to say – a niche is even better. Links to other sites, pictures and snappy headers are useful, but never write more than 250 words at a time. Most importantly – keep it up.
Meme, myself and I
1 Dr Brooke Magnanti was the London call girl otherwise known as Belle Du Jour whose saucy web blog was turned into the hit TV show Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
2 Julie Powell’s blog charting her time spent cooking all 525 recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking was recently made into the film Julie & Julia.
Improve your public speaking
The challenge: Sick of being a mouse? Become a belt-and-braces power-speaker and show them all!
ttttvv v: The Toastmasters expose their members to knee-tremblingly long speeches in a ‘face your fears’ kind of approach. Everyone is given 10 ‘projects’ (speeches) to perform in front of the group – the results vary, naturally! Meetings tend to last a gruelling two hours, but each member has a specific role, whether mentoring, speaking, or evaluating. Sometimes random topics are selected for speakers, who have to launch into minute-long ‘think on your feet’ diatribes. Naturally politics, religion and sex are off the menu, but it can get a bit hairy. It makes for a great debating session, while working on your confidence and social and business skills. In the UAE, membership is largely Indian and Arabic, but the meetings are usually held in English. Contact Ali on 050 666 9357 to join. Alternatively, if you’re feeling really enthusiastic, you can start your own group for a Dhs550 upfront fee, plus Dhs73.50 per member.
The test: Every year, there is a contest among the 12,500+ Toastmaster groups to outperform each other. The UAE rounds begin in February – go on, we dare you.
The acronym approach
1 EFT – Basically, Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) involves tapping the meridian lines and parroting feel-good phrases. It’s a case of programming the brain to think positively and we definitely felt better when we tried it last March. Email pappins@eim.ae to book a class
2 TM – Transcendental Meditation (TM) is said to both free and focus the mind. Perfect for blocking out distractions while putting your point across. Call 050 207 0347 to arrange a class in Abu Dhabi or visit www.tm.ae ‘Gesticulate it, don’t say it’ Toastmasters’ advice explained… ‘Vary your speaking position by moving from one spot to another.’ We think they mean just keep moving, rather than actually jogging on the spot. ‘Every hand gesture should be a total body movement that starts from the shoulder – never from the elbow.’ So, move like a 1920s B-movie robot, then. ‘Highlight the action verbs and look for ways to act out one or more parts.’ Although we reckon this depends on the speech – if talking about dog castration, it might be wise to censor yourself. ‘Express emotion with your facial muscles.’ Don’t go the full mime, though, eh! Just smile.
Why not try being…
…an actor
Sign up for 12 weeks of acting classes at the New York Film Academy Abu Dhabi. They begin again in March, but it costs a weighty Dhs11,100. Call 02 446 6442.
…a pole dancer
Well, in private anyway. Vertical flex classes are now run out of the One to One Hotel every Sunday. Sign up for five lessons at Dhs300. Call 02 448 2778.
…a master chocolatier
Learn the art of chocolate making at Le Choco at the Qaryat Al Beri Souk. The next class is on January 9. Call 02 509 8555.
Become a superstar DJ
The challenge: To throw off the shackles of your day job and reinvent yourself as Dhabi’s answer to Fatboy Slim.
The expert says… Ministry of Sound and Hed Kandi regular DJ Cliff tells you where to begin…
What’s a good starter deck?
A good deck for beginners is the Pioneer 800. It has all the main features of the industry standard, the Pioneer 1000, but is made a bit simpler. They also play MP3 CDs, which can help with the amount of songs you can carry. Big jog acts like a vinyl deck, which is obviously where the art of DJing comes from. Alternatively, there are computer programs such as Serato that enable you to play tracks from your computer onto vinyl and CDs.
Where do you get decks?
Virgin Megastore in Abu Dhabi Mall is a good bet, as is Mohab Electronics (02 677 3787, www.mohabelectronics.com). Mohab supplies all my sound needs and is a gentleman to boot.
Are there DJ classes? I give some private tuition classes. Send me an email (clifftownley@hotmail.com) for info.
Where do you get your music from?
We live in a digital age now, so online is a great way to get new tracks. Personally, I would recommend Trackitdown.net, Beatport.com and Traxsource.com.
How do you get a DJ night?
Getting a night takes persistence. It involves speaking to and getting to know the right people. A good place to start would be sending a mix CD to the food and beverage managers of the city’s hotels. Another way is to find people who already run regular nights, meeting them, giving them a mix CD and asking them to keep you in mind for a set. It’s also a great way to improve. You get an honest answer about your mixes and they’ll give you some pointers to make you better, even if it doesn’t get you in straight away.
Start your own club night
‘With Abu Dhabi being so diverse, the best way to run a club night is to take something you know and showcase it here. Approach the hotels and venues and tell them your plans. Tell them your night will make money, let new people know about their hotel and that it will be a great night! But, remember, it’s not all about the money, it’s about a passion for music and partying. A good party will make money, so focus all your time and energy on that.’
Jargon buster
BPM: It means beats per minute. Every track in the world has a BPM. Getting to tracks to have the same BPM is what the DJ will do using the pitch control.
Pitch control: This makes the song go faster or slower in order to match the BPM of the current playing track.
Cue: This is a function on the deck that will start your track from anywhere you have set it.
Meet someone new
The challenge: Expand your social circle by ditching your musty old mates and going in search of somebody new. Join a book club: The ladies-only Abu Dhabi Book Club (join by emailing abudhabibookclub@gmail.com) has two groups that meet up once a month, and the ‘other’ Abu Dhabi Book Club (join at www.philobiblist.com), meets in a bar in Tourist Club Area every last Sunday. Both are free, friendly and a good way for budding literati to meet.
Sweat in company: Those who sweat together stay together. The Wasps Hash House Harriers’ Tuesday night runs always tend to end with a good meal at a member’s home (call Vance on 050 667 6143). Alternatively, the Abu Dhabi Mall Walkers simply turn up and stroll the Abu Dhabi Mall between 7am-9am. It’s a good way to meet people, get fit and, best of all, it’s free.
Get offline online: Formed on Meetup.com, ‘New in Abu Dhabi’ arrange dinners, coffee evenings and beach barebcues for newbies to the city. Elsewhere, the TweetUp is a real-life meet between Twitter users. Sadly, Abu Dhabi’s group (www.twitter.com/AbuDhabiTweetup) is sorely lacking compared to Dubai’s – we don’t have a single member! – so be the first to join and start a revolution.
For creative types: The Abu Dhabi Choral Group (abudhabichoralgroup@gmail.com) is always on the lookout for members; they put on musicals and concerts throughout the year, and are usually up for the odd karaoke night. Meanwhile, Sunday and Monday salsa nights at Hilton Abu Dhabi’s Cinnabar (from 10pm-1am) is always a good way to learn some Latin moves and make some flexible new friends.
Bring the kids: Abu Dhabi Mums is a group that allows mothers with kids under the age of six to meet up and get to know one another. They’ve been going for years and have around 400 members. Alternatively, Moppets (www.meetup.com) run similar playgroup-style meet-ups for parents with children under five, and is for both mums and dads.
Forums
www.abudhabiwoman.com – Invaluable knowledge on the city, plus a good way to meet new people. There’s also a decent bloke’s section.
www.expatgossip.com – Plenty of info on the UAE and a chance to get to know some expats through the lively forum.
Why not try being…
…a mixologist
Look out at Gourmet Abu Dhabi next month for the barista and mixology classes. Feb 12, Armed Forces Officers Club, 1.30pm-3pm.
…a photographer
Learn how to snap like a pro at Gulf Photo Plus’s level one (Feb 12-13) and level two classes (Jan 22-23) at Abu Dhabi Women’s College. Call 04 360 2365.
…a barbershop singer
Both Blue Fever (men) and Voices of Harmony (women) are open to new members with golden tonsils. Contact harmony-inad@yahoo.com.
Become a fitness guru
The challenge: You want to get fit and earn a bit of cash at the same time. Well, we don’t blame you.
Where to begin? Becoming a fitness instructor doesn’t take long – it’s a few month’s work and, at the end of it, you can make people sweat just by looking at them. Always a handy superpower! Impact BTS run personal trainer and gym instructor classes. These usually require between three to six days of actual training and can always be held over weekends, although studying, theory and assessment mean the courses can last anywhere from four weeks to over three months. But at the end you do get internationally recognised CYQ certification and contacts. Contact Impact BTS on 02 558 9230. Classes start at around Dhs2,800.
The expert says… Jade Brewer, IBS Impact Instructor, explains the ins and outs of becoming a guru…
What are the advantages? Teaching fitness, you get to meet such a range of people – all just a little bit different. It gives you a bit of a buzz and it’s just a good social scene, full of like-minded people. Plus, it gets you fit!
How do you start a class? It’s very easy in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to start a class. Once you’re certified, you just approach the fitness managers of the bigger hotels or gyms. If you can’t get a class, there’s often cover positions. The regular fitness instructors often have kids and prior commitments so they always need help.
What about licenses? The hotel and gyms take care of the paperwork. If you’re an instructor or PT you need to be a qualified trainer, but you don’t require licensing or insurance. In the UK, you have to go through a lot of things: insurance, first aid, a PPL license. Here, usually, the club or hotel will just find out if your first aid trained; if not, they will notify you about who is the first aider on hand in case of accidents.
Teach a class
If you’re bilingual or a gifted musician, earn a bit of extra cash teaching languages or music on the side. An ad posted up on the Spinneys noticeboard in Khalidaya can work wonders, or just post on a local internet forum (see ‘Meet someone new’).
We advise you check with your employer/sponsor first before starting any outside work. Visit www.ded.gov.ae to find out about government requirements and licenses.
Join a biker gang – Club
The challenge: You’re sick of taxis and traffic jams and have a hankering for sweating in leather – saddle up!
Where to begin? Certification must be taken at the Traffic Department in Mussafah (02 502 7222), behind the police station. You need your passport and a letter from your company. The tests needed will set you back Dhs990.
Choose your gang (sorry, club)! The HOGs, or Harley Owners Group (www.adhog.org) are a group of Dhabi-based Harley enthusiasts. The club was started in the US to combat negative image of bikers and, no, they don’t like the word ‘gang’. Naturally, it also includes The Ladies of Harley, but you need a Harley Davidson bike to join both. The other Abu Dhabi-based group is The Exiles (www.exiles-mc.com). Traditionally the Hogs have more Emirati and Arabic members although anyone can join, while the exiles have no bike rules and are usually made up of expats. The spirit is the same and both groups regularly go on rides and UAE-wide biker meet-ups. The next one is in Dubai Festival City on February 4-5. Oh, they also do charity work. See? They’re really not a gang!
The expert says… ‘Biker Helen’ of the Ladies of Harley explains her love of biking…
Why did you join the Ladies of Harley? I was a rider in the UK. It’s just my hobby and that’s why I joined. I’m a teacher, but when I worked in Fujairah I wasn’t able to ride. I was told by my principal that in their eyes, and that of the VIP children, it wasn’t respectable.
Where do you ride? A lot of women ride with their husbands and partners, then they get a license and then join. We organise trips away overnight, riding through the mountains and staying in places such as Fujairah.
What do you get out of it? For me it’s a stress release thing. You meet up with a different group of people away from the work environment. We have lots of coffee, lots of shisha and go for a ride. What could be better?
Counting the cost
The cheapest Harley (Sportster 883) will set you back around Dhs30,000, with prices going up to around Dhs150,000. Visit Harley Davidson, Salam Street (02 642 7400).
Why not try being…
…fluent in Arabic
Yes, old favourites The Mother Tongue still run Arabic language classes starting from Dhs1,800 for 36 hours tuition.
Call 02 639 3838.
…a cheerleader
We all have a dream! Cheerleading classes are run at Al Raha International School on Tuesday from 7.30pm for both men and women.
Call 02 448 2778.
… a jeweller
Classes in jewellery design are run at the National Theatre on Sundays to Tuesdays at 10am and 5.30pm. It’s Dhs500 for eight classes.
Call 02 657 6355.
Become a selling artist
The challenge: The smell of the oil paint, the call of the canvas? Yes, you have an artistic spirit, let it loose!
Where to begin? Van Gogh cut his ear off, but he didn’t sell much until after he’d died. Lesson learned! So how does one become a selling artist without suffering, death or bodily mutilation? The answer is Jalal’s Art Trip. Last year, we went along and, amid the arguing, criticism and lively back and forth, we watched 16 budding artists produce, create and sell an exhibition. In the meantime, it begins with a bus trip out into the desert, followed by weekly meetings where you get a chance to exhibit your work to the group (they don’t hold back!). It’s quite a commitment, but each year there is usually one breakout artist (regular Dhabi
exhibitor Julia Ibbini was the first success). Applicants can apply for a place up until January 20, 2010. The only prerequisite is that they must have some talent and have not exhibited as a professional artist. Call 02 665 5332 to submit a portfolio.
Get kitted up… The Al Jarir Bookstore (02 673 3999) in the Abu Dhabi Co-operative at Port Mina has a good choice of paints and brushes. All Prints (02 633 8572) in Khalidaya has a decent, if not massive, selection too, but if you can’t bear to leave your makeshift studio, Jack Lee (050 772 5176) delivers brushes for oil and acrylic paints as well as easels.
Art of the matter
Abu Dhabi Ladies’ Club
Art classes are run every Tuesday from 10am to noon from the Abu Dhabi Ladies’ Club but, naturally, these are just for ladies. Call 02 666 2228.
The National Theatre
You’ll discover painting, sculpture, ceramic and silk painting classes all at the National Theatre run from Sunday to Thursday. Prices range from Dhs300 to Dhs500 for eight classes in a month.
Call 02 657 6355.
Learn to fly
The challenge: You’re sick of the ground and long to soar with the birds. You need to get yourself a pilot’s license!
Where to begin? Horizon International Flight Academy runs flight courses at Al Ain Airport and Umm Al Quwain Aeroclub, covering everything from theory tests to flight instruction in order to earn a private pilot’s license (PPL). The exam involves three papers and combines things such as meteorology and principles of flight. The practical is 45 hours of flight (not in a row, obviously) in a Cessna 172. You even get a mock exam and, if stuck, you can arrange for private tutorials. Although further away, it is cheaper to study in Umm Al Quwain (from Dhs59,000) than Al Ain (from Dhs68,000). Visit www.horizonuae.ae or call 03 785 5550 for more info. If you’re very serious about this flying malarky, and you probably are if you’re willing to spend Dhs59,000 on a pilot’s license, why not go the whole hog and buy your own flying machine? If you can stretch to a cool Dhs300,000-500,000, that is.
Just want a taste? Down at Al Mina Port, in a warehouse around the corner from the Abu Dhabi Co-op, a friendly Lebanese man called Anas is putting the final touches to our first flightplan. He’s not a pilot, but he is a very gifted computer programmer and, unsurprisingly, that’s all it really takes these days. We’re about to take the controls of a Boeing 747-400, flying between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It should take around 45 minutes ‘real time’. This is, after all, a full-sized simulator and the latest in the Middle East – the preceding model was owned by the King of Bahrain. Every yoke and button works as it should, and Anas reckons you could have it up and running on your own in as little as eight hours. He is hoping to have a full fleet of them operational in the coming months, renting them out primarily to pilots who want to touch up their skills, but open to anyone who fancies a go. The machine bleeps at us every two minutes, demanding flaps to be extended and cigarettes to be extinguished but, with the help of Anas and several jigabytes of hardware, we bring the bird in to land without major incident; proof that one slip of an idiot isn’t enough to do too much damage after all.
Simulator flights cost Dhs750 per hour, call Anas on 055 411 0300.
The alternatives…
Helicopter – Horizon also offer helicopter instruction and licensing, ranging in price from Dhs99,000 to Dhs199,000 in Al Ain and Umm Al Quwain. Call 03 785 5550 for lessons.
Paramotoring – Classes in paramotoring are run on the Jebel Ali border during the week, usually around dawn and sunset.
A full course usually involves about 30-40 hours and includes a theory test. The full course costs Dhs5,500, email flysometime@gmail.com to sign up.
Why not try being…
… a foody
Take a cookery class with Parti Perfect every Saturday and Tuesday. It teaches everything from Japanese to Arabic.
Email partiperfect@gmail.com.
…a dragon boater
This team activity is a great way to meet people and get fit. Practises are held at Abu Dhabi Marina and Shangri-La, Qaryat Al Beri.
Call Jason on 050 763 4008.
…a skydiver
Umm Al Quwain is still the only place you can skydive in the UAE. Head to there for the accelerated freefall course. It’s eight jumps to certification.
Call 06 768 1447.
Become a do-gooder
The challenge: You’re sick of doing things entirely for yourself and are looking for five ways to fill up your spare time charitably. We salute you!
Trek for good: No, charity’s not all about sitting around in a bathtub of beans. Gulf for Good’s 2010 charity fund-raising treks including cycling, hiking and kayaking in Thailand (Feb), climbing Kilamanjaro (Jul) and cycling in Cuba (Nov).
To sign up call 04 368 0222.
Be a volunteer: Takatof runs a host of volunteer opportunities in the Emirates, from hospital work to renovating schools and houses in the poorer areas of the UAE. They also run beach clean-ups and censuses.
To get yourself volunteering call 800 825 2863.
The kids are alright: On January 3, the Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs reopens with volunteer orientation. This usually involves people being assigned different classrooms and given helper work, although only men and women above 16 years old can volunteer.
Call 04 340 4844.
Get your trainers on: 2010’s Terry Fox Run, the annual marathon to raise money for cancer research, is scheduled for February 19, so just enough time to put in a bit of training, then.
Email abudhabiterryfoxrun@gmail.com to get involved as a runner or volunteer.
Save the environment: Emirates Natural History Group are a group of likeminded flora and fauna loving environmentalists, who engage on treks, jaunts and other excursions out in the wilderness of the UAE to collect, preserve and catalogue the animals and natural history.
Visit www.enhg.org for more info.
Join a band
The challenge: Throw away your copy of Rock Band and fulfil your dreams of becoming the world’s greatest rock star in reality.
Where to begin? The problem in Abu Dhabi is that there aren’t too many options when it comes to equipment. The AKM Music Centre (02 621 9929), behind Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi on Electra, both rents and sells guitars, amps and equipment. There is also the Yamaha shop (02 677 9230), next to Salamah Hospital in Tourist Club Area. Both are good places to meet likeminded musicians and post notices. But there is also a similar issue with rehearsal spaces. International Music Institute (02 621 1949) rent rehearsal spaces for Dhs150 per hour, but its best to book well in advance (they recommend a month).
The expert says… Juliana Down frontman Dia Hassan explains the trials of starting up a band in the capital…
How do you approach a venue? A lot of the venues require a three-song demo album. On the other hand, the band should be able to play at least three to four hours-worth of material, given they need to play the whole night anyway. Normally you approach the manager and the venue will take care of the licensing.
What do you need for the license? We normally send a passport copy and a picture of each of us. It costs the venues around 1,500 for a license. Normally organisers use that as a tool to say that’s why they can’t pay you.
Do you a need special release from your sponsor? I haven’t come across that. I do have a day job. Whenever I play the shows, we don’t require any kind of release from our sponsor.
What about busking? Ha! No busking, not in this place, you’d get arrested. We were trying to start a street music movement in the winter. The problem is it might be difficult to start this culture. With the metro in Dubai it might be a bit easier. In Abu Dhabi they perceive you as asking for money, but you just want to play the music. They don’t want it to be seen.
Why not try being…
…a ballet dancer
Learn to jetais with the best of them. Adult ballet classes are held at the One to One Hotel every Monday from 7.30pm-8.30pm. Call 02 626 2533.
…a deep sea diver
Al Boom on the border with Dubai teach PADI qualification and organise group dives. There’s a regular social too. Call 04 342 2993.
…a potter
Get your creative juices flowing.
Abu Dhabi Pottery holds daily classes 6pm-7.30pm, with the lovely Homa at the helm. Call 02 666 7079.
