Day 44 First Impressions

SYNOPSIS:  I flew to Dubai and met my new host family.  We went on a short outing at night which filled me up with a lot of first impressions and some old memories.IT’S ALL RELATIVE – OLD AND OLD Emirate Airlines are considered to be one of the best in the Arab World.  I am not surprised.  We were on time, were served a wonderful meal (and drinks!) and had ample room, individual TV screens, etc.  The flight attendants wore the most beautiful outfits – cute red hats and a white shawl, but before I could photograph them, they turned casual and took their hats off.At the airport in Dubai I was picked up by Nisreen, the sister of one of my former WCC students, Shereen.  I did not know what she looked like, but I had sent her a picture of me and there were not too many red-headed 50 year old Western women in sight anyhow.   She would have no problem finding me.  The airport was reasonably empty when I exited and from afar I saw a most elegant woman walking down the aisle in high, high heels, black traditional dress, sporting a most amazing head coiffure – it reminded me of Nefertiti.  Are you Elisabeth?  What, this was Nisreen?!  I am not sure what I had expected, but not this.  Every man in sight was turning his head after her and she knew it!  Despite her heels, she did not just walk; she slid across the floor waiving her body in confident and most elegant waves, head up high.We went outside to her car.  Another surprise!  The biggest SUV – don’t ask me what brand, I would not know.  But this young, elegant woman next to this enormous car was another surprise.  Is this your family car?  No, it’s mine!  Ok, I guess, this is a fitting start for a country which I expect will surprise me in more than one way.   For the 26 km from the airport to Sharjah, the town in which Nisreen lives with her parents and her brother, took us 1.5 hours.  Traffic jams…  Nisreen told me that this was her way to work every day and she spends between 3 and 4 hours on the road fighting traffic every day!  I do not envy her.I had a warm welcome by Shereen’s family.  It is because of Shereen, that I even considered going to Dubai.  On my own I would have never done this.  I could not afford the hotels here, nor would I get far in these ultra-modern, 6 lanes, high rise-filled, spread out desert towns without my own transportation.  But Shereen’s invitation to stay with her family provided a wonderful opportunity to see Dubai.  At least once in my life, for three days. I could not pass that up.The contrast between Syria and Dubai could not be stronger.  First, I came from 2 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees – immediately, I had a violent headache.  I do not take to heat very well…  And from one of the most ancient cultures in the world, with towns settled continuously for over 5000 years, I came to a country whose history really did not start until the 1970s and whose town’s appearance today is for the most part no older than 10 years!At night,  Nisreen took me to the old souq.  When we got there I asked:  This is old?  Yes, this is really old, Nisreen replied.  I kept looking and looking in disbelief and finally asked:  How old?  30 years - was the answer.  30 years!?  That is not old.  Not when you come from a souq that is over 700 years old.  But surrounded by buildings which are 10 and 15 years old, I guess, 30 is old.  It is all relative.  Nisreen and her brother were born here.  They are just about as old as this country (23 and 25).   To Nisreen, Dubai and Sharjah are the most beautiful places on earth.  She loves it here and seems like a fish in water.  Her brother hates it.  He is looking for a way out.In this heat I realized that my outfits, even my “thin” ones would kill me.  Iran in certain places will be hot, too.  Since we were at the souq, I started to look for some light clothes.  But nothing appealed to me.  I found out that nearly 50 % of the population around here is Indian.  I had no idea.  Philippines and Indians and other migrant workers provide cheap labor and construction workers around here and to some degree also occupy some high end jobs.  That creates plenty of racism and prejudice if I take some casual remarks from both Nisreen and Saleh seriously.But with Indians around there are crafts people and textile shops and you can have yourself a Shawal Kamiz tailored!  That is a two piece outfit with pants and a long shirt plus shawl worn by Indians and Pakistanis alike.  That should get me through Iran just fine.  It’s comfortable, light, and just my style.  I put an order in.  Ready for pick-up in two day.  I love that:  clothes made to fit.  Not one size fits all.Hundreds of Indian restaurants line the streets and we stopped for tea.  It’s like a drive-through.  An employee of the restaurant hangs out in front of the shop.  You drive up and only hold up your fingers – that means you indicate the number of teas you want.  Everybody seems to come for that special Indian tea steamed with cream and sugar.  If you actually want something else then you have to talk.  Oh, that tea!  I had forgotten.  But Indian tea has its own incomparable taste.  After one sip I remembered:  That’s what I had dozens of times in 1988 at the cave site of Ajanta in India.  That was my first big trip abroad as an undergraduate, studying Buddhist architecture with Professor Spink at the U of M.  Funny, how one sip of tea opened the door to loads of fond memories.Best of all, for the next three days I will have wireless internet and in internet professional at my side:  Saleh is a computer whiz.  In Dubai, facebook and blogs are censored just as much as in Syria.  But Saleh has his ways…  I am connected and happy to read your comments!  Keep them coming and send them soon.Good night.