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uaeobserver · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 236

I had the pleasure of serving EWB duty twice (and FoT once).

Any of you on EWB duty, this year?

Any flying pianos? Fog gone wild? Fireworks?

I just noticed that HH MBR was at the opening ---- that would have been fun to see.

Embarassed to admit this --- but I kind of miss the wasta festivals.....

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

Presumably some here share your love of esoteric abbreviations that are obscure to those who do not share your... employer, I guess.

VS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

EWB = Education Without Borders?
of course HH MBR is fairly easy

It's the usual "show" I would imagine - everything looks good if you throw enough money at it.

The only time I attended I met a colleague from North America who had brought students from his university because "they wouldn't believe it when the got here" That was in Abu Dhabi.

However it was better than the usual HCT event in that there were international students in attendance who cared about making some kind of difference in the world and presenters who were there to communicate with those students instead of just for the $$ and the free hotel and airfare (and in many cases with HCT events extortionate speaking fees)

celticbutterfly · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 41

Lots of very impressive fireworks, rent-a-crowd put where we couldn't see the stage, no food provided, no clear directions as to when the thing was starting so we waited round for 2 hours. Spiderman was wearing an HCT t-shirt (puleez Confused

!!), but we couldn't see him as he crawled up the Burj. Sheikh Monotone delivered the opening 20 min address...in Arabic...with no translation. No idea why he'd do this to an international audience. Presumably because HH MBwhatsisname was there. All-in-all the usual over-the-top try-hard performance, spending all our merit pay and payrises for the year. * waves little HCT flag in joyous appreciation of the caring rulers * Mad

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

My first thought was the annual HCT cheerleading / greet the new servants thing. Who puts this soiree together? Still HCT? Or a hand-picked crowd of educational sycophants from various institutions?

And while I can figure out HH... still no idea who MBR refers to... perhaps because it is too early in the morning here.

Loved the "rent-a-crowd" reference... Cool

I recall many years ago in Oman where they corralled a bunch of SQU teachers and professors to attend some festival of the "Renaissance" of HH's rule... 40+ kilometers away... and after sitting in the parking lot at the stadium for a hour or two, they were told that there were no seats left. So, they were bused back. ...occupational hazard...

VS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

HH MBR His Highness Mo bin Rashid? - I suppose it really should have been HH MBR AM

uaeobserver · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 236

mistake --- it should be HRH, not HH.

But even that is abbreviated, since the full title is (inhale):

His Royal Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president, Prime Minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai

(exhale) .. or something like that.

PS - I happen to admire the Prime Minister.

Not a commentary or complaint about names in the muddle east.