Peter - I couldnt agree more with you. I was just putting forward a perspective which is mostly invisible to Indian/Pakistan/Phillippine/etc expats.

Guess what, I was a non-western expat for 6 months in Middle East and now I am 8 yrs+ UK experienced british national expat.

I know first hand the difference in my work and approach compared to if I had stayed back in ME or to my non-western country.