At work I was part of a round table discussion with a woman who has been with the company for several years. I think once they get that high up, they have various goals to meet with so many people, etc, depending on their position. She is also interested in promoting women within the company, so this was also a focus on women and the culture here. The discussion mande me reflect a lot on what some people may have questions about, but what has become a daily thing here...
How are women treated here in the workplace? I have never had an issue being female and working here. Definitely not within my company, and have not run into anything with any clients. There was one time where I extended my hand to a man I met to shake his hand, forgetting that some more religious types will not shake a woman's hand - and he was one of them. I knew that, but just wasn't thinking and I felt really awful afterwards, b/c I could tell he was uncomfortable. I may not agree with it, but its his interpretation of his religion, so who am I to put him in that situation. One of my colleagues who is female was completed ignored by a man in a meeting in Egypt. This is not the norm, but can happen. She did note that later the guy used all of her ideas..so while he wouldn't acknowledge her, he did listen.
How does the population see Westerners? - I find the general population here quite open and accepting of other cultures. After all, about 80% of the population is from somewhere else. Its quite interesting. While being accepting, they do try to preserve their culture as much as possible b/c it can get mudded out by the others - my words, not theirs.
As pointed out to us by our local visitors the night that Megan tried to steal some food from the table and I nearly burned the house down...even their language is changing b/c there is noone to really teach children the Gulf/UAE dialect of Arabic. In their childrens' school, the Arabic is taught by an Egyptian, for example, who uses a different style of Arabic. I can't imagine how this much feel to be a proud citizen of such a fast developing country that is being watched by the world for various reasons. Feeling proud, but at the same time afraid of loosing that and your children growing up not knowing that. While places change from generation to generation, I think things here are changing at light speed sometimes.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Long time no Blog...Some thoughts about MJ...
It has been such a busy year workwise..at the end of the day, I just could not open a laptop to write..and my energy was all used up focussing on accomplishing a lot of work. So, now back from two very busy weeks in Turkey and full of that motivation and optimism that you get after a holiday..the kind you want to stay around and keep all the time....but then, you end up back in the grind and all that freshness is forgotten...How can we keep that feeling? More importantly, how can I keep that feeling!?
So Michael Jackson died. What a fiasco. You know, I thought it would be one of those things where I remembered where I was when I learned, but my memory is a bit foggy and I forgot..I am sure I'll recall tomorrow...It was somewhere during the final countdown to vacation so all just a blur.
However, sadly, I have noticed one thing. Despite the tragedy of it all, his music sounds much better to me now. That could be a few reasons - I haven't listned to any MJ in years, and I couldn't get past the allocations of his fondness for children. And now his family is supposively torn over where to put the body. Are really talented people always leading such complicated lives that end in tragedy?
You may recall there was some "news" a while back that when he was living here and on a visit to Dubai he went into a women's restroom. Well, if you see the signs on the door, you would come to Michael's defense. The signs have the portrait drawing of a male or female dressed in local national dress - an Abaya or Distash...b/c they are not real pictures, they look awfully close as each has a long piece of fabric hanging from their head. I myself almost walked into the men's room there. Poor MJ.
So Michael Jackson died. What a fiasco. You know, I thought it would be one of those things where I remembered where I was when I learned, but my memory is a bit foggy and I forgot..I am sure I'll recall tomorrow...It was somewhere during the final countdown to vacation so all just a blur.
However, sadly, I have noticed one thing. Despite the tragedy of it all, his music sounds much better to me now. That could be a few reasons - I haven't listned to any MJ in years, and I couldn't get past the allocations of his fondness for children. And now his family is supposively torn over where to put the body. Are really talented people always leading such complicated lives that end in tragedy?
You may recall there was some "news" a while back that when he was living here and on a visit to Dubai he went into a women's restroom. Well, if you see the signs on the door, you would come to Michael's defense. The signs have the portrait drawing of a male or female dressed in local national dress - an Abaya or Distash...b/c they are not real pictures, they look awfully close as each has a long piece of fabric hanging from their head. I myself almost walked into the men's room there. Poor MJ.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Life in Pictures
Life is very surreal at times....sometimes more often than not...
For example, last week we went with four other couples - our close friends from Dubai - to the Maldives - sans children. We had been talking about taking a holiday together for some time, but then the idea to go w/out the kids came up a month or so later. I was hesitant of course as this was the first time I would leave Erin. While I knew he would be fine, I felt guilty of course.
We all met up at the airport - everyone after having a hectic crazy work week, so happy to finally get there. However, I felt like I was watching some kind of movie or t.v. series about friends going on vacation...It wasn't me who was actually going.
We arrived to the Maldives sometime late in the night and then had a 45 minute boat ride to our island. It was pitch black. Even though we had finally arrived and were assigned our rooms, I still could not believe we made it.
It was only the next day when I woke up and actually plunged into the beautiful water that I realized I was on holiday. It felt good. I felt a little less guilty, but enjoyed the novelty of sleeping in late w/out an early morning toddler wake up call.
We had a great time relaxing, laughing and enjoying each others' company. I still had moments of the dream when I would not quite believe I was on holiday. Once the dream was very vivid as I was on the pier waiting for everyone to arrive for our snorkelling trip. As they rounded the corner on the beach all colorful and ready to go, again I was wathing a film.
After four relaxing days, we had to return back to life. I watched the film close as we walking to the boat that would transfer us back to the airport. Was I really there, or was it just a dream?
It was a wonderful dreamlike film, but that dream sadly turned into a nightmare. The evening we got back my father-in-law went into the hospital. He had been having some health problems over the last few months and things were acting up again. Unfortunately, he passed away the next morning.
It was incredibly shocking of course. Again, things went back into surreal, film mode, but only a film of a differen kind. We flew to Istanbul immediately. And while I was there a part of it, sharing my husband's and his families' grief, it was as though I was watching a movie again.
In part this could be a result of experiencing my first Islamic funeral in its entirety - I have been to funerals before, but have never witnessed the entire thing. While theoretically, things are the same, I find Islamic funerals more hands on - or raw, for lack of a better word. However, it was still as though I was watching it through a lens. It wasn't a defense mechanism by any means. As probably with many people, when someone dies, we all wait to wake up from the nightmare. However we didn't wake up.
The film still continues to some extent, but I think if I were directing it and had to end the show somewhere, I would do it as I was leaving Istanbul. We flew over the city, in the direction of the Bosphorous. Just before this beautiful stretch of water, we flew over the graveyard - its quite a large one, and since I know the city well, easy to spot. I looked out of my window and could clearly estimate the area where my father in law is buried. Where just that same afternoon I planted tulips on his grave.
Now back to Dubai, the film is still going...I'm still not quite believing he passed away, that he is gone. That his grandson who he loved so dearly will not get to know him. I know he will be dearly missed by many - especially his family. However, he lived a beautiful, full life and that is something that they will recall and celebrate in time. It was a happy, full life - the kind of story that happy movies are made of.
For example, last week we went with four other couples - our close friends from Dubai - to the Maldives - sans children. We had been talking about taking a holiday together for some time, but then the idea to go w/out the kids came up a month or so later. I was hesitant of course as this was the first time I would leave Erin. While I knew he would be fine, I felt guilty of course.
We all met up at the airport - everyone after having a hectic crazy work week, so happy to finally get there. However, I felt like I was watching some kind of movie or t.v. series about friends going on vacation...It wasn't me who was actually going.
We arrived to the Maldives sometime late in the night and then had a 45 minute boat ride to our island. It was pitch black. Even though we had finally arrived and were assigned our rooms, I still could not believe we made it.
It was only the next day when I woke up and actually plunged into the beautiful water that I realized I was on holiday. It felt good. I felt a little less guilty, but enjoyed the novelty of sleeping in late w/out an early morning toddler wake up call.
We had a great time relaxing, laughing and enjoying each others' company. I still had moments of the dream when I would not quite believe I was on holiday. Once the dream was very vivid as I was on the pier waiting for everyone to arrive for our snorkelling trip. As they rounded the corner on the beach all colorful and ready to go, again I was wathing a film.
After four relaxing days, we had to return back to life. I watched the film close as we walking to the boat that would transfer us back to the airport. Was I really there, or was it just a dream?
It was a wonderful dreamlike film, but that dream sadly turned into a nightmare. The evening we got back my father-in-law went into the hospital. He had been having some health problems over the last few months and things were acting up again. Unfortunately, he passed away the next morning.
It was incredibly shocking of course. Again, things went back into surreal, film mode, but only a film of a differen kind. We flew to Istanbul immediately. And while I was there a part of it, sharing my husband's and his families' grief, it was as though I was watching a movie again.
In part this could be a result of experiencing my first Islamic funeral in its entirety - I have been to funerals before, but have never witnessed the entire thing. While theoretically, things are the same, I find Islamic funerals more hands on - or raw, for lack of a better word. However, it was still as though I was watching it through a lens. It wasn't a defense mechanism by any means. As probably with many people, when someone dies, we all wait to wake up from the nightmare. However we didn't wake up.
The film still continues to some extent, but I think if I were directing it and had to end the show somewhere, I would do it as I was leaving Istanbul. We flew over the city, in the direction of the Bosphorous. Just before this beautiful stretch of water, we flew over the graveyard - its quite a large one, and since I know the city well, easy to spot. I looked out of my window and could clearly estimate the area where my father in law is buried. Where just that same afternoon I planted tulips on his grave.
Now back to Dubai, the film is still going...I'm still not quite believing he passed away, that he is gone. That his grandson who he loved so dearly will not get to know him. I know he will be dearly missed by many - especially his family. However, he lived a beautiful, full life and that is something that they will recall and celebrate in time. It was a happy, full life - the kind of story that happy movies are made of.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Happy Holidays, but lets not forget....
Last night I was driving to a yoga class and the Band Aid song from 1984 was on the radio and it really got to me. The money from that song went to relief in Ethiopia, but it left me wondering, are we really any better off? I think the song did a lot of good in its day to draw attention to the less fortunate. However, I can't help but wonder, are Ethiopians, or other starving children better off than they were in 1984? Is there less poverty in the world? I don't feel like there is. I've not ignored it before, but now with a child I am even more sensitive to the world that he is inheriting.
I kept thinking about this. And then today, another reminder as I came across an article for the UNICEF photo of the year.
http://www.unicef.de/foto/2008/english/index_engl_2008.htm
My biggest wish for 2009 - less pain and suffering in the world. I would love for NO pain and suffering, but I guess we must start somewhere.
So as I drive my son around Dubai in the comfort of my Volvo, living in a comfortable home, with food and clothes on my back and other creature comforts...I promise to look for a way to contribute to that wish.
I kept thinking about this. And then today, another reminder as I came across an article for the UNICEF photo of the year.
http://www.unicef.de/foto/2008/english/index_engl_2008.htm
My biggest wish for 2009 - less pain and suffering in the world. I would love for NO pain and suffering, but I guess we must start somewhere.
So as I drive my son around Dubai in the comfort of my Volvo, living in a comfortable home, with food and clothes on my back and other creature comforts...I promise to look for a way to contribute to that wish.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Cats...so much to write, so little time
Therefore, i will just leave you with a thought for the day...seems more realistic as I have a lot to say, but it just comes and goes.
One of our cats, Megan, was feeling a bit under the weather on Saturday morning. She came to us as we were playing with Erin early in the morning. We thought she just wanted a comfy stuffed animal to lay on, but actually she was shaking and didn't really enjoy being touched. Although I am touched that she still let Erin pull on her ears and pet her - animals never cease to amaze me!
We went to the vet and she had a slight fever, so she got an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injection. I went out and finished the Christmas shopping and by the time I came home she was purring and licking my nose again. Thankfully. She is only about 10 years old or so, so I think its too early for her, or Emma, our other cat, to leave us just yet. She continues to be fine and enjoys eating and laying around the house.
Today I was cleaning out my wallet from the shopping receipts and came across the invoice from the vet.
Patient: Megan
Details: Consultation, Lethargic
...Umm, excuse me, but isn't that what cats do? Lethargic is their middle name!! I mean, yes she wasn't herself and we couldn't describe it, but I think loss of appetitie or not sliding across the kitchen floor for a can of tuna is more appropriate...
Anyway, just struck me as kind of funny. However, we are all so glad she is back to her normal hungry self.
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