خلاص - Khalas: [an Arabic] term used to mean that something is completely and irrevocably done, finished, and over.

From the plane, just before landing in Dubai, I found quite shocking the brutal change in landscape I could see from the highs. Desert and plain land encroached by concrete blocks of greatness aiming to reach God above the sky. The feeling of nonsense has prevailed during the four weeks.

Today is my last day in Dubai. Early morning I’ll be leaving to Turkey.

There are plenty of things I didn’t have time to tell you. For example, my detailed study about the ants living in my house (2 different species, though I only focused in the ones I liked most, the ones that tried not to bother me) - they offered an infinite bulk of data and expressed behaviours you could lose yourself in (nocturnal habits and selective photophobia, eternal fights against spider webs, burial rituals, the birth of a whole new generation...). I didn’t talk about that boost of adrenaline I felt when the cheetah licked my hand; or about the day we went out to fly birds with the richest European guy in Dubai (the president of the Emirates airlines) and his small family. Neither had I talked about how many CS’s I met, how nice they all were, and how little I felt as socialising with them. I haven’t even commented about the dead body found 100m away during that beach walk the BBQ night. Did I even mentioned the €65,000 (aprox, I don’t remember that well now!) cost of the Indian vultures we had as patients? I know I didn’t write about the invigorating feeling of bleeding that other cheetah from the jugular (each ml drawn into the syringe seamed to act as an elixir directly injected to my lungs. Once the syringe full, I came down to Earth and acknowledged that the results would come back on a dead animal...). Oh my! I’m writing from the nice little patch of outside area in front of my house and just found a new species of ants! It is early in the morning and you can tell that Autumn is here as it’s only 28ºC and you can actually enjoy being outdoors (it will still reach hellish temperatures later on, though). Bugs are coming back to live slowly. I was very surprised not to see any cockroach, or flies, or any other kind of bug other than my family of pet-ants. Now that temperatures are decreasing, you get all those suddenly arising from every corner and every dark spot whenever trying to concentrate on reading.

Eating her price after an amazing flight/performance

Waking up from the anaesthetic

Spraying water on their faces makes them poo :) (so we can collect a sample to check for pathogens)

CS beneffic BBQ night

Anyway, it’s been a great time here. As always, I’ve learnt a bit of everything (actual vet knowledge, feelings stuff, new behaviours on people, and different kinds of people’s interactions). I got cleaned in the beach (I’ll have my last session today :) ) both externally and internally. I got to get back in touch with many of you, all lovely friends I own my everything. I suffered selfishly (after months and months of pure happiness (well, this sounds familiar... Did I recently have a crisis that I’ve already erased from my mind?)) from an episode of uncontrollable sadness that I, of course, managed to control*. I’ve also laugh and laugh every night thanks to someone I don’t even know but definitely miss and makes me look forward dreaming; practiced some French during an interview and finally (¬¬!) decided I am going for a PhD (epidemiology, One Health, DRA of ID or similar). Aaand, I have also had amazing avocado and banana smoothies (sprinkled with cinnamon and cardamom powder), dates sweets, one of this (only the one!): pistachio and chocolate flavour with sliced almonds on top, some Lebanese food, Indian homemade delicatessen and a lot of canned and soggy food (no pics, sorry, but if interested in amazing food posts, talk to my bro!).

In a nutshell, a good experience.

Please, tell me I am not the only one seeing penises lined up carved in this column...

*Cómo puede ser que un par de frases trigger todo un huracán de sentimientos sepultados? Es como si el material nuclear enterrado en las entrañas de la tierra hubiera sido golpeado por un gran desastre ecológico y sacado a la superficie todo el material radioactivo. Me pregunto cuál es el tratamiento. Mi pobre cuerpito contrae los músculos en un intento de mantener los demonios encerrados. Qué narices está pasando, después de tanto, tanto tiempo con esta sonrisa que ya pensaba irrevocable? Por qué vuelve a mí, después del destierro? Es el sentimiento de soledad de nuevo? Es recordar lo que quedó atrás? Será el darme cuenta de la insignificancia de todo? O puede que sea el absurdo de una vida destrozada por insignificancias banales? Será, simplemente, cosa de las hormonas que esta vez se pasaron la línea al jugar conmigo?

Just to finish, just because I have this is my mind now and just because there are a lot of coincidences in live, just remember:

More and more human trafficking.

Quatar: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/revealed-qatars-world-cup-slaves

Madagascar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYRLJXvmTfE