Today, the Living Abroad series takes us to the United Arab Emirates where we meet Jay, a Canadian expat who lives in Abu Dhabi with her husband, Joe, and their two children. Here, we talk about the challenges of learning Arabic, popular snack foods (ever hear of luqaimat?), and how living in Abu Dhabi has challenged her initial assumptions about the Middle East.

Jay’s background: We moved to Abu Dhabi in August of 2016. from Stavanger, Norway.  Prior to that, we had been in Norway and Gabon. These days, I’m a full-time mom. But back in the day, I was a teacher.  I majored in English and taught middle school.  With my youngest now entering school, I’m working on my next steps and hoping to pursue some creative ambitions.

After living in Norway, Abu Dhabi was a relatively easy transition.  The service industry thrives here and the population

Keep reading this article on Ashley Abroad.