Flying to Dubai and driving to Al Ain

When most people think of the middle east, they think of war and terrorism. I recently was invited to visit a flight school for an employment opportunity in Al Ain, located about 80 miles south south east of Dubai on the border of Oman. Upon arrival into the Dubai airport at about 2 AM, I really didn't know what to think. Being completely jet lagged, hyped up on caffeine, completely exhausted, and very confused, the tall buildings of Dubai were visible on approach to landing as well as the drive out of town. After gathering our luggage, we finally found our transportation, who ended up being a native of the UAE, completely decked out in the native white dress. His clothing was so white that it appeared that he never spilled anything on it...either that, or bleached it daily. His english was broken, so having conversation really wasn't in the question, but nonetheless, a very nice guy. It was obvious that he had class. On the drive back, we stopped for gas and he offered to buy me a coffee. More caffeine? Sure! I was so tired that it didn't matter how much I drank, I could pass out at any minute. The local coffee is served in a smaller cup than in the US, and is much stronger. It was similar to espresso, but not quite as dark of a roast. The driver thought I was crazy for drinking it black. I told him that that's how I drink my coffee. Most people there drink it with cream and sugar. After filling up, we finally started coming into the town of Al Ain...also known locally by the expats as roundabout city. They weren't lying. I lost count on how many of them we went around just to get to the hotel. Eventually, we got there, at 3:30 AM, and was finally able to sleep in a bed. Very nice after sitting in a plane for 14 hours. My interview was scheduled for the following morning. I couldn't wait.