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Noor · Joined: 06 May 2009 Posts: 152

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Emiratis and expatriates used to live side by side, very much part of each other's lives. Today they live in different worlds.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091024/WEEKENDER/710239836/1043

Besides my students, I haven't met many Emiratis since arriving in the Emirates. Apparently, many expats meet even fewer. How do those of you who live in the UAE get to meet the locals (that aren't your students)?

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Noor · Joined: 06 May 2009 Posts: 152

I suppose that could be said of many people in many situations.

Does that mean you don't try?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

It is a bit easier for men to meet Emirati men... especially through sports. But for women, you are pretty much restricted to your students and perhaps the chance to attend weddings. (something I had to pass on as I am allergic to the traditional incense that is always burned)

But, it is just the way that Emirati culture has developed since the times mentioned in the article. With wealth, it means that the women have moved into the hareem. They have obligations to their family. Emirati families are huge and that is where they socialize. They rotate within the family compounds. We are out of the loop. It is not that they want to avoid us... they just don't understand why they would want to include us.

For example, at first I would get upset with my students who didn't complete their homework... blaming it on laziness or just adolescent foibles. But once I got to know these students, I began to understand that their lives are not their own. Guests are a constant when you have hundreds of cousins who live nearby. When they drop in, the daughters of the family are not allowed to go to their room and do their homework. They often serve the food/beverages... even though all the families have servants. Daughter often must do the direct serving or if not that, they must at least stay and entertain their aunts.

I don't mean this negatively - on either their side or our side.

When I lived in Egypt, I lived within the culture and still have many Egyptian friends from my years there. My neighbors were Egyptians. In the Gulf, you live with expats in high rise apartments. The Emiratis are in walled villas a few miles off. You can go for weeks without ever talking to an Emirati that isn't your student or works at your college.

VS

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:12 pm Post subject:

Very illuminating post, VS! I must remember to consider this...

NCTBA

Double Cheeseburger · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:51 am Post subject:

Same for the boys, to a lesser extent.

Pikgitina · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 420 Location: KSA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

And at DWC, after the late 90s intifada and especially right after 9/11, many of the female students were very nasty to American male faculty. I left in 2002 so I can only imagine how it was after Dubya invaded the wrong country by mistake.

johnslat · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject:

Dear Sheik,

" . . . Dubya invaded the wrong country by mistake."

Ever hear of the phrase "accidently on purpose?"

Regards,
John

sliderama · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 90 Location: al reef

you 'mericans can be so myopic, it was more like unmistakably on purpose, no matter that it took the lives of 100,000 other iraqis, but basically it was to nail saddam for dear ol pappy bush

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject:

Duh!!!

NCTBA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

johnslat · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject:

Dear sliderama.

Generalize much? if so, you and Dubya have something in common.

I'm "'merican" and so are NCTBA and VS.

While I think that your "reason" might have some merit, I agree with VS that the promary reason was most likely oil - and the other assorted money-windfall benefits for "'merican" companies.

Follow the money.

Regards,
John

P.S. Along with your motive, another very possible one is that the wayward, bumbling son wanted to show his Dad (who refused to invade Iraq) how a REAL man would handle it.

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Myopic?? Some of you can't even recognize basic, simple irony when you see it. With six years of the Iraq war behind us, "invaded the wrong country by mistake" clearly suggests two things: 1. bumbling 2. accidentally on purpose.

I've never seen the logic of the pat Middle East answer that the reason for the Dubya's 2003 invasion was oil. Oil supplies were quite safe at the time and for the forseeable future. His idea was to have oil revenue pay for his military adventure, which it clearly didn't, and is not doing. Moreover, if the US simply wanted to take over all the oil for itself, it could have very easily occupied Saudi Arabia long ago, what with the latter's underachieving military. If I'd been commander in chief and all I wanted was oil, I would have dropped diplomatic relations with KSA due to the heavy concentration of Saudi 9/11 operatives, and then invaded the country. Personally, I think lust for oil took a back seat to Dubya & Co's plain stupidity and evil.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Oil is the obvious factor when one doesn't want to write an essay. If it becomes too political it just gets locked anyway. Laughing

VS