Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

Just spoke with a man from UAE and I was so puzzled and shocked by his response. He said I looked like the Filipino workers. I assumed he meant mixed or more affluent Filipinos who don't always look like the majority population but he said I would be considered a regular full Filipino. Here in the States we have so many Filipinos and I have never met one that looked like me. Anyway I joined here to get your opinions. Is this guy mental, on drugs, or not? Another Arab said I look Korean so maybe it's just Arabs. I can understand looking Mediterranean or Latin American but it's very surprising Arabs think I look Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, or Filipino. Only a small handful of Asians look Med or Latin in my opinion.

I'm planning to travel to Turkey and then maybe some Arab nations like Jordan, Syria, and UAE. The more I could look like a local and less tourist-like the better.

Thanks

My pics.

What does it matter, be proud of who you are.

Dear Puppypup

Thanks for taking the time to register on the forum, pen your message and attach some delightful pictures.

Can I introduce you to mumsy? She says I need to settle down and find a lovely young filly.

Yours, tingling in anticipation.

The Doc

Ps - Get over yourself

i agree with sage, you shouldn't really care what people think.

but to answer your question no, you dont look arab and yes you look filipino...

Yeah gota say the same...You definitely won't pass for an Arab. You do look just a little Filipino but I would peg you more with Kazakhs, but who cares.

Wanna date!! lol!!

Peopl might say a lotsa crap bu who cares as long u know who u are!!

puppypup wrote:Just spoke with a man from UAE and I was so puzzled and shocked by his response.

ok ok ..am local but am not puzzled or SHOCKED coz i dont look like brad pitt..

see ...am a good boy

This is the most sarcastic forum I've encountered. Is it an Arab thing or an expat thing or the mix of both?

Yeah yeah I know what I am but how would you like being of English, French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent and having people tell you that you must be adopted, have lying parents, or there must have been someone from the 1200s who was from China and it showed up after all these centuries. But what really hurts is when Arabs tell me if I travel to Arab countries I will be assumed to be an Asian maid or prostitute. I'd rather be mistaken for a tourist. At least let me be mistaken for an American of French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent maid or prostitute or something close enough.

Does anyone know Bjork or Jelena Jankovic personally? Maybe they have good advise.

well that depends if u are ready to read a very long post!! and yes I know bjork!!

^Oh really when Bjork visits Arab countries is asked to dust or offered a price since she looks just like a 'pure' Filipino?

BTW I like Bjork

puppypup wrote:This is the most sarcastic forum I've encountered. Is it an Arab thing or an expat thing or the mix of both?

Yeah yeah I know what I am but how would you like being of English, French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent and having people tell you that you must be adopted, have lying parents, or there must have been someone from the 1200s who was from China and it showed up after all these centuries. But what really hurts is when Arabs tell me if I travel to Arab countries I will be assumed to be an Asian maid or prostitute. I'd rather be mistaken for a tourist. At least let me be mistaken for an American of French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent maid or prostitute or something close enough.

Does anyone know Bjork or Jelena Jankovic personally? Maybe they have good advise.

I see.. you'd rather be mistaken for a western/european prostitute/maid than an asian one? lol! you know, I find you funny and offensive at the same time! And no, Im not being sarcastic. Welcome to DF!

pinoy1 wrote:

puppypup wrote:This is the most sarcastic forum I've encountered. Is it an Arab thing or an expat thing or the mix of both?

Yeah yeah I know what I am but how would you like being of English, French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent and having people tell you that you must be adopted, have lying parents, or there must have been someone from the 1200s who was from China and it showed up after all these centuries. But what really hurts is when Arabs tell me if I travel to Arab countries I will be assumed to be an Asian maid or prostitute. I'd rather be mistaken for a tourist. At least let me be mistaken for an American of French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, Lithuanian descent maid or prostitute or something close enough.

Does anyone know Bjork or Jelena Jankovic personally? Maybe they have good advise.

I see.. you'd rather be mistaken for a western/european prostitute/maid than an asian one? lol! you know, I find you funny and offensive at the same time! And no, Im not being sarcastic. Welcome to DF!

Silly person I'd rather be mistaken for Filipino doctor or business woman than be looked at as a prostitute of my own race. But if I'm going to be mistaken as a prostitute well yes, I'd rather be seen as prostitute of my own race than a different one.

If I'm offending anyone it's maids and prostitutes. I'm sure the maids are supporting family and even the prostitutes hopefully are doing it for their futures and if not then perhaps they are innocent victims of white slavery. So really I've offended prostitutes and maids because I don't want to be associated with them. But DUH! I'd rather be mistaken for a Filipino doctor over a white prostitute.

Unfortunately it's a sad fact that many nationalities get stereotyped here very very quickly, just the way it goes unfortunately.

Russians, Uzbeks and Morrocans have the same problem.

Yes you do look slightly Filipino, I'd never say that Bjork look Filipino to be perfectly honest.

I have a few Dutch friends that are mistaken for Pinoys all the time.

WORD - you have very low self-esteem... that is the case with most women in UAE

****attention seeker alert****

Would somebody just tell her she looks cute, which is the only reason you'd post your picture on a forum full of strangers.

^So you're saying I WOULD blend in!! *referring to self-esteem poster*

CVB wrote:****attention seeker alert****

Would somebody just tell her she looks cute, which is the only reason you'd post your picture on a forum full of strangers.

Apparently it seems all non-Arabs look alike in Dubai so it doesn't matter because you see me walking by every minute.

Chocoholic wrote:Unfortunately it's a sad fact that many nationalities get stereotyped here very very quickly, just the way it goes unfortunately.

Russians, Uzbeks and Morrocans have the same problem.

Yes you do look slightly Filipino, I'd never say that Bjork look Filipino to be perfectly honest.

I have a few Dutch friends that are mistaken for Pinoys all the time.

There's a sizeable Uzbek population? Even I admit I look like them. LOL
Now what do Uzbeks do? Are they maids and prostitutes too? Are those the only job choices?

Um yeah sadly alot of them are hookers!

Will you stop wondering about what you look like? It's very hard to tell what nationality people are just by looking at them these days. Stop moaning about and get some self confidence!

Where are you from anyway?

I already mentioned I was from the States. So does any female have the 'hooker' reputation. I'm assuming the UAE natives don't but is everyone else 'hooker' reputation by default. Is it that bad for women?

erm ok, but being from a certain country, doesn't necessarily make it your original ethnic background, like someone could say they're British but be black, or Asian, Chinese etc in actual origin.

Chocoholic wrote:erm ok, but being from a certain country, doesn't necessarily make it your original ethnic background, like someone could say they're British but be black, or Asian, Chinese etc in actual origin.

Does it matter? well it matters for few who judge the book by it's cover...if you conform to standards .......get along with american ppl ( various races) and feel american....... Then U are niece of uncle SAM.


I have noticed one thing.... some Brits who have been here for long time their mentality is different from the recently arrived ones..

my guess is since the Brit race is high value so they cling into the race thing and feel good abut themselves.....ah well what ever makes them feel good.

Well I was merely trying to point out that obviously if you're of a different ethnic background (originally) than from from the country you hail from, then people could be mistaken for thinking someone is from somewhere else.

And yes us Brits are having different mentalities these days, I for one and sick and tired of my own country being taken over by everyone else! Pffff

I'll try andbe a bit more sensible this time.
If you're worried about whether people will look at you and regard you as a hooker, maid or something else which is deemed as a lower status than what you really are then i would say the chances are they probably will.

Sadly a lot of emiratis will expect you to pick up for them, move out of the way for them and generally be there to service them in any way they choose.
A lot of other expats will have by now adopted the same or at least diluted opinions.

Saying that, if you are dressed up in all the top designer gear then they may see you as either a tourist or at least a high class hooker
If you're hanging around bars on your own then you will be immidiately hit upon and asked how much.

If you are seen out with a male of a different race creed or colour then you will probably also be assumed to be on the game.

I worked with a guy from Russia whos wife was constantly hit on in bars when she was out with friends by people who assumed they could pay for her.

It's a sad reflection on the mindset in the UAE.


Oh, and in case it helps, you look cute

Chocoholic wrote:Well I was merely trying to point out that obviously if you're of a different ethnic background (originally) than from from the country you hail from, then people could be mistaken for thinking someone is from somewhere else.

And yes us Brits are having different mentalities these days, I for one and sick and tired of my own country being taken over by everyone else! Pffff

Well you are right. I been to London... there are more "minorities" than supposedly "majority caucasians" . I travel alot and find many Brits leaving their country for Slovakia, Aus, UAE etc....... I feel for them.....immigration should have been limited.

puppypup wrote:I already mentioned I was from the States. So does any female have the 'hooker' reputation. I'm assuming the UAE natives don't but is everyone else 'hooker' reputation by default. Is it that bad for women?

Yes there are lots of women here that are perceived to be hookers unfortunately. And with the majority of women, no matter where you're from some guys will hit on you regardless.

Chocoholic wrote:erm ok, but being from a certain country, doesn't necessarily make it your original ethnic background, like someone could say they're British but be black, or Asian, Chinese etc in actual origin.

There is rumor in the family I have 'original' American ancestry like Blackfoot or Iroquis. Don't know about Kennewick (google it) man being my ancestor. Also all the races in the US were already on modern day US soil BEFORE 1776 including white, black, Hispanics (which are the Spanish Euros, Indian/Euros, and Afro-Euros, and whatever combo) and for the Filipinos in UAE, they may have ancestors who arrived in Louisiana back in the mid-1770s so after more than 200 years, who has claim to it being their 'original' background?

It's been 200 long years. It's not like any of these groups first arrived 50 years ago. Are people in the UAE so dense? Even the Chinese arrived in the 1830s like that's BEFORE lots of the Italian and Norwegians came. The Chinese-Cubans were hopefully having hot s*x with their Irish wives back in the mid-1800s. And don't get me started on the Punjabis from the early 1900s. You think those Punjabs were procreating with Indians? Hell no, they were having s*x with Mexican wives. So to be blunt after CENTURIES WTF is 'original?'

Also I already stated my ethnic backgrounds in my second posting which Pinoy1 quoted. American of French, Irish, Norwegian, Spanish, and Lithuanian descent.

Yes there are lots of women here that are perceived to be hookers unfortunately. And with the majority of women, no matter where you're from some guys will hit on you regardless.

Yeah but there are different ways to 'hit' on a 'lady' verses 'hitting' on a hooker unless I'm supposed to have an arranged marriage and not date.

Lastly we have ann illegal immigration problem in the US too but I think it's harder on Europeans because you nations were not like 'lands of opportunity' for immigrants like the Americas and your countries are smaller. Finally a lot of the Latinos while culturally different do share a similar religion and more 'Western' outlook whereas Euros have the Muslim and African tribal immigrants which honestly is very 'different' for those raised in a non-tribal/Judeo-Christian environment.

I'm just inferring from this site that while UAE looks very progressive in commerce and pictures, it seems it's less progressive in social relationships. Am I right or wrong?

Chocoholic wrote:Well I was merely trying to point out that obviously if you're of a different ethnic background (originally) than from from the country you hail from, then people could be mistaken for thinking someone is from somewhere else.

And yes us Brits are having different mentalities these days, I for one and sick and tired of my own country being taken over by everyone else! Pffff

You are so tired of being a minority in your own country that you came here to become a minority? I guess you enjoy being worshipped here for you skin colour, while being just a commoner in UK.

Yup that's right! Because I'm sick of fighting with the immigrants for jobs, treatment on the NHS, schools, etc etc. Gets really boring after a while you know.

puppypup wrote:^Oh really when Bjork visits Arab countries is asked to dust or offered a price since she looks just like a 'pure' Filipino?

BTW I like Bjork

Theres a perfectly good explanation to this. When this place was like sand and nothing and probably the most developed place was Deira. It was like mostly the sub continent asians like Indians and pakistani were here and very few white expats.

Now most of these asians used to work in these locals homes and what not and plus their own shops and small companies and all. So when their kids are being brought up they see that asians are lower class people as in they work around the house and what not.

Its also for us asians to blame cuz the locals here were very polite and all but we screwed it because example a local wants to build a company where he will hire 200 workers so for each 200 workers provide 200 rooms with all the amneties but we went like why do that shove 10 people in one room and make it 50 to 100 rooms. So when locals saw that their profit was good they internally screwed us.

Then there was a shift towards the furture when they started off with projects like Burj Al Arab. Locals started kicking out asians out of the government job sector and all other places cuz they suddenly realised they were smart. They started to hire most asians in low wages which was initially difficult to live by and then filipinoes started to pour in as in filipinoes working for half the price and producing the same result. And most philipinoes were into the low class job like maids and even whores and waitresses and what not. So locals think that they are not worth it or something. And the worst part is locals never suffered like we asians are doing.

But on the other hand while this was being done they saw the white expats like American's, Australians, British etc. Now the media did play a big role also like movies and what not. When they saw all the glitz and galmour they thought thats life. Like buyin a nice new car and they often think that the white expats are good cuz they are educated people. And you will be surprised to find how many uneducated people as in without a degree come here and is ur manager or ceo.

So thats the thing. U might be an american or from any place but to change their mentality towards it is like finding the formula for world peace. Cuz they never face any problems or been through any problems because most of them are filled with luxury which even the white expats find it difficult to get it back home in their country.