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mlrasor
Joined: 13 Mar 2010
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:47 pm Post subject: PDA in UAE |
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| My wife is going to Abu Dhabi with me when the teachaway plane takes off in August. One of my sons sent an email about a British couple jailed for kissing in public. Will we be able to hold hands and walk side by side in the UAE? She really doesn't like to walk behind me. Thanks for your input. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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In most of the Arab world these days, you will see the husband and wife walking arm-in-arm. Hand holding doesn't seem common for couples, but is often seen with two men. But certainly none of the walking behind stuff. Normally if you see the woman behind the man, it is because she is trying to corral all the kids!  Observe the local people - not the expats or tourists - and follow what they do. Respecting the system will get you respect.
Even kissing in public is fine... as long as it is between same sex... and on the cheek.  BTW... it is all about your showing respect to your wife. By the cultural norm, one would only show PDA to hookers.
VS |
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15yearsinQ8
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 462
Location: kuwait
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| Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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you should read the post titled 'Is it possible' also on this branch
NO stroking, caressing, fondling, embracing, hugging should pretty much be your guide in public - or even footsie contact
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Sheikh N Bake
Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 1307
Location: Dis ting of ours
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| Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:47 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
BTW... it is all about your showing respect to your wife. By the cultural norm, one would only show PDA to hookers.
VS |
Yes, well, that's on the surface. Local men including married ones will do anything to get in the pants of attractive Asian women, especially "nice" ones working legitimate jobs. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Duh... of course... basically any breathing female will be in demand... that is a completely different issue and is not at all in conflict with my comment. We are talking about personal displays of affection and what is acceptable in public with your wife or not. Measuring male desperation is probably not going to be allowed here.
VS |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Dear veiledsentiments,
"Duh... of course... basically any breathing female will be in demand..."
How inconsiderate of you - blatantly overlooking necrophiliacs 
Regards,
John |
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adorabilly
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 430
Location: Ras Al Khaimah
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| Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject: Re: PDA in UAE |
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| mlrasor wrote: |
| My wife is going to Abu Dhabi with me when the teachaway plane takes off in August. One of my sons sent an email about a British couple jailed for kissing in public. Will we be able to hold hands and walk side by side in the UAE? She really doesn't like to walk behind me. Thanks for your input. |
While the UAE is very "western" it is still a muslim nation. With that in mind, PDA's of any kind are very frowned upon (and can end up with you sitting in a police station trying to NOT go to jail.).
Holding hands in public is ok if you are married. You can usually get away with the european kissing on the cheek. Usually you want to avoid ANYTHING beyond that.
No kissing, no hugging and nothing public. Yes you can be jailed for kissing your wife in your car. (it has happend).
The easiest way to think about it is that here MINORITY rules. IN the west it is majority rules, so if the majority says it is ok, it isn't a problem. Here if someone complains they win. So if you play music in your class, and just one student complains, no music. Get my drift?
So if one person sees you kissing your wife goodbye IN YOUR OWN YARD and complains, you have offended the public morals and can go to jail.
So no caressing in public, no kissing, limit PDA's.
NO she doesn't have to walk behind you. She can walk beside you, and you can even hold hands (usually).
Of course you will want her to look up what local dress codes are (shirts below the elbows, and skirts below the knees is a good simple rule of thumb). |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear veiledsentiments,
"Duh... of course... basically any breathing female will be in demand..."
How inconsiderate of you - blatantly overlooking necrophiliacs |
You will not be surprised that I almost added something to the fact that breathing may not always be required, but was trying to maintain a certain level of decorum... ... in front of the children... so to speak...
To add to Adorabilly's dress comment... good rule of thumb... show as little skin as possible except in public.
VS |
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helenl
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202
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| Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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| But in Islam is it not a requirement that the dead be buried before sunset of the day following death? Therefore there cannot be much opportunity for necrophiliacs? |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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I'm actually surprised by the number of couples holding hands in public these days. It seems to have become very common, including for locals.  |
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Sheikh N Bake
Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 1307
Location: Dis ting of ours
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| Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Duh... of course... basically any breathing female will be in demand... that is a completely different issue and is not at all in conflict with my comment. We are talking about personal displays of affection and what is acceptable in public with your wife or not. Measuring male desperation is probably not going to be allowed here.
VS |
It is not a completely different issue. You introduced the tangential notion or suggestion that the local male culture is oh-so respectful of wives when you said "BTW... it is all about your showing respect to your wife." In response I ventured that married men making a national sport of foreign women is not respectful to their wives. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Sheikh N Bake wrote: |
| You introduced the tangential notion or suggestion that the local male culture is oh-so respectful of wives when you said |
Good heavens no... that is not what I said at all. I said that it is a public symbol of showing respect for their wife. We are all well aware that it is all about the appearance and nothing more. It says nothing at all about how they treat their wives in private.
Besides the national sport of too many males of all nationalities is to get away with whatever they can when their significant other isn't looking... Arabs no different than many others...
VS |
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uaeobserver
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Posts: 236
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| Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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Public displays are discouraged.
Excessive PDA will bring on deportation.
PDA by a Muslim consuming alcohol will bring on even more misery.
In fact - they're so discouraged that police have on occasion asked lingerie vendors to please tone down the window displays...... (even the headless mannequins!).
As for private displays --- anything's fair game. Any doubt? Just check out the sales figures for Victoria's secret, UAE......
Most of the offenses that have attracted attention would have done so in the US/Canada, as well. |
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robbievienna
Joined: 22 Apr 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: PDA in UAE |
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| mlrasor wrote: |
| My wife is going to Abu Dhabi with me when the teachaway plane takes off in August. One of my sons sent an email about a British couple jailed for kissing in public. Will we be able to hold hands and walk side by side in the UAE? |
You don't mention your gender.
If you are a same-sex couple, you won't have any problems with casual PDAs, as they are commonly interpreted to be signs of friendship. The sheer number of my male students I have seen holding hands and kissing (khashmuck) is staggering.
If you are a heterosexual couple, you may have more difficulties. |
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