Expats should accept It for what it is
Whining expats expecting a Gomorrah of unrestrained libertinism are failing to see the positive side of progress in Abu Dhabi
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/18/expats-abu-dhabi-pro...
"I can't get my head around being in a country where religion rules," one recently arrived British worker complained to me. For all that many Europeans disdain the bling of Dubai, they seem almost disappointed to find laws which show that it is not, after all, a Gomorrah of unrestrained libertinism – as Britons jailed for public canoodling have found.
These states are accused of exploiting foreign workers, of censoring free speech and the press, and of being arbitrary autocracies. When the criticism is not that substantial, we hear the whining of spoiled expats: the dream didn't come true, they say, pictured in their luxurious but remote gated communities (and they wonder why "it's difficult to meet people"). There was glee and precious little sympathy when financial disaster hit Dubai. It was almost as though many wished that the sands would reclaim the land.
Part of the outrage appears to stem from the realisation that these states are not fun-and-business parks with European values and governance that just happen to be in the Arabian Gulf. From Kuwait and Bahrain to Qatar, the UAE and Oman, they are not democracies; although we might want to consider what we wish for. The gift of democracy has come at the cost of thousands of lives in Afghanistan (figures are highly disputed) and of more than a million in Iraq, according to one survey.
True, the UAE's press is not wholly free and there are many sensitivities about the royal families and stories perceived as harming national interests. But do we think that we are entirely without such restrictions here in Britain? Only the other day I came across a memo sent to me by the editor of a paper where I was once a junior executive. I had run a story about Rupert Everett being rude about the Queen – pretty innocuous stuff, I thought. Not the editor. He pulled the article from the next edition, told me off in writing for my "considerable error of judgement and taste" and even, so I was told, wrote to Buckingham Palace cravenly apologising that the story had appeared, however briefly.
The freedom and liberty in these states is almost unbelievable compared with nextdoor Saudi Arabia, where I spent part of my childhood – and was therefore shocked by the relative openness of the UAE and Qatar on the first of numerous visits as an adult. Abu Dhabi's The National newspaper puts many Fleet Street publications to shame.
The Qatar Foundation's televised Doha Debates are fierce and illuminating (in the most recent, the audience overwhelmingly rejected a motion saying "This house would prefer money to free elections").
Perhaps you can't drink alcohol and wear next to nothing on the street – but there are plenty of places where you can. And there was no shortage of highly political work to be seen at the art fairs, both in Abu Dhabi recently and in Dubai last March.
What openness and reform there is, however, is never enough for some. Yes, these are at heart highly conservative Islamic countries where there is no imminent prospect of liberal democracy. As a visitor, this need not affect you, but if you really don't like it, don't go – either on holiday or for work.
friends of mine and I were having a discussion last night in line with this thread(somewhat). They being Muslim westerners and converts were telling me how they come to the gulf with way high expectations..namely it being a Muslim country hence they expect to feel more welcome, more secure,more accepted and of course not oppressed! and when they do face various discriminations and oppressions it shocks them. after all they did expect much better from "Muslim" countries what with the Islamic views on equality for all, fairness for employees, oppression being darkness ,etc.As a result so many of them leave then disillusioned. and that's when we concluded that it always helps to first get to know what your getting into, lower your expectations or better still expect the unexpected, and as a friend of ours said (advice from her hubby) "pack your suitcase with patience" Perhaps then we'll have less to whine about and learn to appreciate more the benefits these lands have to offer us!
Prayers of thanks for:
My Paycheck
QDC
My Villa
My 5 minute drive to work
The Villagio for Dining and Movies
The Chowhall
That's all I need...
Genesis--I have not been to a country yet where workers were not being exploited, often times by their own countrymen. The rich-poor gap and the nationality quasi-caste system just make it easier to identify in Qatar.
I too am conflicted about family day. It is racist--I've never seen a single white Westerner or anyone in a thobe stopped at the entrance of a mall--but then I know my wife feels much more comfortable shopping on family days.
It's not a bad article. Many valid points. We all like to whine. I know many who used to complain about Saudi Arabi and its restrictions. Yet, they wanted to come back once they left.
I can't blame Qataris alone for the whole discrimination /caste system witnessed here in many levels.
Because of my job, I got to witness in daily bases how expatriates also exploits other expatriates.
From Indian managers exploiting their Filipino / Nepali workers to lebanese exploiting their Egyptian/ Syrian workers.
It's really sad that the current system does allow that.
Qataris are not the only culprits. Many of those sponsors has couple of hundred workers under their sponsorship. Most never visited their own workers accommodation or knows the wellbeing of the workers.
As much as I hate justifying that, but the family day policy has both security & cultural aspects . In a country where gender mixing is still considered a taboo in the mindset of it's people, being crowded out malls two years ago in weekends & public holidays because of army of workers certainly had them demanding the implementation of such policy
"Some people wish that these states had never developed. We could then still admire the purity and nobility of their penurious Bedouin existence."
Yeah.
Everything is relative...
"cultured, cosmopolitan, forward-looking, yet treasuring its past."
- Sounds like Qatar and more up my street than Dubai.
"Part of the outrage appears to stem from the realisation that these states are not fun-and-business parks with European values and governance that just happen to be in the Arabian Gulf."
- Normal human behaviour to want to have others conform and not tolerate, appreciate and learn from differences.
This is an amusing article, but for anyone who takes it too seriously I agree with Slim. It is as offensive and generalistic as saying all Qataris are lazy morons who like to run people over with their Land Cruisers.
Slim...could not agree more! We went out dinner in a very nice hotel recently,and watched with great interest,as a table of men in the local traditional dress drank their way through several bottles of wine.I admit that the fact they were dressed that way and spoke arabic did lead me to assume they were muslim. If I am wrong,then I apologise.
"I can't see how's this related though"
The Guardian has a reputation for being left wing, PC and expressing culture relativism.
The writer of the comment was highlighting the double standard in mentioning 'cultural' norms when reporting from overseas and in the UK.
Bikhair
18 November 2010 10:39AM
"I think I'll pass. Not because of the restrictions but because I am passionate about guest workers being treated decently. I also hate racism."
I think that is a legitimate complaint and indeed a reason for some people to stay away. You aren't going to change the prevailing attitudes towards races, classes, and nationalities here and if it is disturbing enough to you, you probably won't last but so long without souring. I see that happening quite a bit.
On the other hand, things are not perfect at home but I think most of us feel our laws are on the right track when attempting to treat people fairly.
Interesting but painting all expats as whining is just as offensive as describing all Muslims as terrorists.
What has surprised me since moving here is how liberal the country is. Not only that but also the amount of Muslims who seem willing to flout the rules.
There also has to be an understanding that many of these countries simply would not be where they are now without expats. You need them as much as many of them need a beer and a packet of bacon crisps!
Moaning is part of the English psyche and should not be taken too seriously, I wouldn't be happy if I couldn't have a good moan.
with our own government not caring about our best interests, than they are about the governments and people here per se.
:-)
Like this one...
"But they're brown, believe in some nonsense from a millenia of two ago and are a little bit scary and hence by the laws of moral relatiivity get a free pass in the Guardian. All boxes ticked.
Whereas if you are a middle-aged housewife on an estate in the midlands if you dare suggest the unwanted arrival of a load of people from the other side of the world is anything other than an unquestionable good, then hanging is too good for you.
It's not really a debating forum any rational person can enter with reasonable expectation. It's a bizarre, twilight zone which most British people won't recognise, but they all read the Sun or the Mail, so that's alright apparently."
I can't see how's this related though
I see expats in Abu Dhabi & doha are very Much alike :o
I hate to say that my own countrymen are some of the worst when it comes to being ill-informed and treading on local customs. I don't know why so many expect the world to bow to them as if we are still in the days of the great conquering empire. Embarassing, really.