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Hi, just wanted to know what the situation is like between Westerners and Emiratis in Dubai, has this deteriorated over the past few years, some people say there is tension between the two in places like cafe and malls etc,what do people mean by this?

I would like the opinions of Emiratis and Western expats in Dubai? If there is tension between the two, or has been a breakdown, then what is the cause.

Thanks Guys.

nop,just between me and chocoholic the expert in culture,relegion finance,law, business,human rights and Space Science

Well an honest answer to the question is yes! To some extent. THis is purely because the place has become so westernized and has basically lost what little cultural identity it had.

The majority of Emiratis whist embracing many of those aspects, many would say they never asked this to happen to their country and I feel sorry for those that feel that way and understand why they do.

I have actually come across a few locals who;ve actually stated 'when this is all over, I'll be happy to go an live in a bedouin tent in the desert'.

THere's a really good documentary done by 60 minutes, you can find it in several parts on youtube, talking to Shekh Mohd and locals about the progress in the country, it's very interesting.

Chocoholic wrote:Well an honest answer to the question is yes! To some extent. THis is purely because the place has become so westernized and has basically lost what little cultural identity it had.

The majority of Emiratis whist embracing many of those aspects, many would say they never asked this to happen to their country and I feel sorry for those that feel that way and understand why they do.

I have actually come across a few locals who;ve actually stated 'when this is all over, I'll be happy to go an live in a bedouin tent in the desert'.

THere's a really good documentary done by 60 minutes, you can find it in several parts on youtube, talking to Shekh Mohd and locals about the progress in the country, it's very interesting.

Plz if you could provide the link of the documentary or give some keywords to search it.I will b thankful & appreciate your sharing.

Google search: youtube 60 minutes interview dubai

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrjFz4bHMug

Like choco the expert said , yes there is tension , it was created by the envy of some expats coming from an average life style to luxury, it’s a shock to many of them. Many see locals don't work hard as they always sign this song, and they are the one building the country with their swats and blood and locals don't and lazy of doing so, them living in a crowded flat, locals in big villas and so on ….
They are human been with feeling after all and I my self understand this envy they have but hey that’s life.

But from the locals side, no there isn't tension toward expats other than the crimes , illegal emigration and drugs smuggling rate going up bcz of some irresponsible expats.

Hahahaha what a load of BS!

So you're all perfect with no crimes then FF! Haven't read any papers then recently have you - geez! Rape, drugs, murder and of course the killing of youselves and others on the roads on a daily basis - might want to take those rose tinted glasses off every now and then.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ohh dear choco you talk the talk but cant talk the talk, and like always you open your mouth with no prove , show us !!

We are not perfect, who said so ? but there is no comparing between us you , I'm sorry but you can not prove other wise, the worst we'll do is pounce a cheque but foreigners ohh god you don't want me to get started… it is a freighting number.

Rape and drugs… ok fine I'll go along with your small brain.. how many compared to yours ? 1 to a 1000000000 ? do you want statistics ?

Dear choco insert a coin in your brain, let it operate properly and stop doing this to your self.

id actually be interested in seeing those statistics ff. you know just as well as i do what the govt and 'our' people cover up... and rape statistics...well... need i say more?

i've been here for a year and a half and have encountered only a handful of nationals... no dramas w/any i've met

they seem friendly, hospitable and i don't think you'd find a more accommodating host culture

i think as long as there is mutual respect, you won't experience any dramas... some of the recent episodes are, i think, a result of westerners acting as if this were some permanent holiday spot and conduct themselves accordingly-- as fitzgerald said in the great gatsby-- "to all the rules associated with an amusement park"

poor form which will settle down shortly

(above only refers to western ex-pats tho)

I'm an asian but in my pov, there is tension between them and cultural differences is the main cause. But normally no one talks about it (only between themselves yeah) so you don't actually feel it.
They are too much dependent on one another to openly manifest these tensions.

[expecting angry replies from both sides. lol]

FF, I don't have to prove anything to you! Because of the industry I work in and the people I deal with, we know exactly what is going on and who is doing what, I could tell you some real corkers, but it's not for discussion here.

YOU haven't a clue what's going on!

Hey Bushra, nice to see you here hun!

Chocoholic wrote:FF, I don't have to prove anything to you! Because of the industry I work in and the people I deal with, we know exactly what is going on and who is doing what, I could tell you some real corkers, but it's not for discussion here.

YOU haven't a clue what's going on!

Hey Bushra, nice to see you here hun!

you don't have to dear at least not to me but the other readers ! and what do you mean by we know exactly what is going on and who is doing what, you and your comments are realy questionable. what are you CIA ?who is this we you keep talking about. plz make your replies usefull and clear or get lost, this is an adult discussion.
plz be real. again for ones.

I give up! You believe whatever you want and be brainwashed. I know what I know.

Back to the topic, there IS tension. No mater how many pairs of rose-tinted specs you're wearing. The tension is resultant from many things, but largely bubbling up from the younger generations. They see the western stuff and they want it ! You only need to look at fashion, cars and esp how some of these people behave when out of earshot/ eyesight of more responsible persons.

A good case in point is how education is broached here. Local kids yearn for outside knowledge, but the frustration with certain topic banning is clear on both the teachers and the pupils part. Welll, you would be miffed, wouldn't you ? As a kid [or young adult] if you knew the answers to your questions lay with the teacher, who had been expressly forbiddent o talk about these questions, how p1ssed would YOU be ?

Equally, for a country that's only 36 yrs old, who have grown from camels to ferarris in only one generation, the biggest hurdle they have to negotiate is one of WORLD culture. As far as I know, that is the focus of the Powers That Be, to equip themselves and their population with tools to enable them to behave as a World power, rather than a bunch of spoilt brats with more dosh than grey matter.

Aaaanf finally, the disgraceful way that some expats behave here brands us ALL with the kind of tar that does unfortunately stick. The vast vast majority of expats who live here, try to embrace the culture where we live. If only to make the day easier. Idiots like ol' Shaggy Aggy [who'll soon be feeling a proper charlie in a nice DB jail] give the rest of us bad bad press.

Now THAT causes tension.

G00se, I totally agree with everything you've said in your post, it's so true.

g00se wrote:Back to the topic, there IS tension. No mater how many pairs of rose-tinted specs you're wearing. The tension is resultant from many things, but largely bubbling up from the younger generations. They see the western stuff and they want it ! You only need to look at fashion, cars and esp how some of these people behave when out of earshot/ eyesight of more responsible persons.

A good case in point is how education is broached here. Local kids yearn for outside knowledge, but the frustration with certain topic banning is clear on both the teachers and the pupils part. Welll, you would be miffed, wouldn't you ? As a kid [or young adult] if you knew the answers to your questions lay with the teacher, who had been expressly forbiddent o talk about these questions, how p1ssed would YOU be ?

Equally, for a country that's only 36 yrs old, who have grown from camels to ferarris in only one generation, the biggest hurdle they have to negotiate is one of WORLD culture. As far as I know, that is the focus of the Powers That Be, to equip themselves and their population with tools to enable them to behave as a World power, rather than a bunch of spoilt brats with more dosh than grey matter.

Aaaanf finally, the disgraceful way that some expats behave here brands us ALL with the kind of tar that does unfortunately stick. The vast vast majority of expats who live here, try to embrace the culture where we live. If only to make the day easier. Idiots like ol' Shaggy Aggy [who'll soon be feeling a proper charlie in a nice DB jail] give the rest of us bad bad press.

Now THAT causes tension.

Well that’s interesting !

But explain to me how is us wanting modern luxury thing makes our tension toward you ? I don't get it !! I mean you guys don't have it, right ? or is it you are mixing a western country production or life style with your self ? I'm not following.

And what part of knowledge we are seeking and we're forbidden to talk about, I'm lost here !

correct me if I'm wrong, but I though expats comes here to have all the above ! and I know my expats friends arabs,westrens and asians never got the chance to expaeriance see or do what they did here.

I don't think G00se is talking about modern luxury, he's talking more about the younger generation wanting to follow western fashion styles and ways of dressing. Example many of the young women are wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination underneath their abayas. I have an Emirati friend (a guy) who is covered in piercings and tattoos, which in your culture is haram. They want freedom of expression, which is very much frowned upon. Another Emirati girlfriend of mine, has a really uptight brother, he gives her hassle for not wearing her abaya when she's out, she can't do this or do that. Yet surprisingly her mother her mothers attitude is - just get with it girl and do whatever it is you want to do!

The religious schools don't teach much about the outside world, I mean for example I knew a bunch of early teens who didn't even know man had walked on the moon for goodness sake! There's no s.e.x education which is vital in this day and age.

Just a few examples.

Plus I don't agree with what you say about people not experiencing things before they got here. In fact I would say most expats that are here are merely 'passing through', they're travellers moving from place to place, Dubai just seems like a nice place to be for a few years. It's always been a transient city, people don't build their lives here, they want to come make some money and leave, which is probably why so many really don't give a damn about the place, they don't call it home.

Chocoholic wrote:Plus I don't agree with what you say about people not experiencing things before they got here. In fact I would say most expats that are here are merely 'passing through', they're travellers moving from place to place, Dubai just seems like a nice place to be for a few years. It's always been a transient city, people don't build their lives here, they want to come make some money and leave, which is probably why so many really don't give a damn about the place, they don't call it home.

and yet they stay here for 20 years + !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No they don't! The 'majority' are here for only 2 or 3 years max.

Chocoholic wrote:I don't think G00se is talking about modern luxury, he's talking more about the younger generation wanting to follow western fashion styles and ways of dressing. Example many of the young women are wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination underneath their abayas. I have an Emirati friend (a guy) who is covered in piercings and tattoos, which in your culture is haram. They want freedom of expression, which is very much frowned upon. Another Emirati girlfriend of mine, has a really uptight brother, he gives her hassle for not wearing her abaya when she's out, she can't do this or do that. Yet surprisingly her mother her mothers attitude is - just get with it girl and do whatever it is you want to do!

The religious schools don't teach much about the outside world, I mean for example I knew a bunch of early teens who didn't even know man had walked on the moon for goodness sake! There's no s.e.x education which is vital in this day and age.

Just a few examples.

maybe but again how does it makes locals atesion toward expats ?

what is in the OUTSIDE world that is not here ?

for example I knew a bunch of early teens who didn't even know man had walked on the moon com'aan please . you are too much.

There's no s.e.x education which is vital in this day and age.
maybe it is random in your country but there is a proper age for everything.


and for god sack will you guys pick a line !! if arab women are coverd then you acuse us of not giving them their rights ! and when they don't you call it tesion !

choco.. I'm fedup, I don't know what plant you are living in. this is just too much

I never said covered women are repressed, don't put words into my mouth. Most of the time it's their choice and that's fine, but underneath they're ewaring all the latest fashions.

With regards to education, there might be a time and a place for it, but the earlier kids know about it the better, because you just never know.

If you're fed up then go away. You don't live in the real world, you clearly have no concept of it.

Chocoholic wrote:I don't think G00se is talking about modern luxury, he's talking more about the younger generation wanting to follow western fashion styles and ways of dressing. Example many of the young women are wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination underneath their abayas. I have an Emirati friend (a guy) who is covered in piercings and tattoos, which in your culture is haram. They want freedom of expression, which is very much frowned upon. Another Emirati girlfriend of mine, has a really uptight brother, he gives her hassle for not wearing her abaya when she's out, she can't do this or do that. Yet surprisingly her mother her mothers attitude is - just get with it girl and do whatever it is you want to do!

The religious schools don't teach much about the outside world, I mean for example I knew a bunch of early teens who didn't even know man had walked on the moon for goodness sake! There's no s.e.x education which is vital in this day and age.

Just a few examples.

Just wanted to say that culture and religion are two different things. You can't say that something is haraam in our culture. It is haraam in the religion we share. And what the brother of your girlfriend does doesn't speak for all emirati's. In every country you will find some brother telling his sister she shouldn't go out like that so,,.. The schools should also have something better to teach than s.e.x education. Like religion for example which also teaches them what s.e.x is and teaches them not to do It before marriage. SDT's aren't welcome, but thank you.

Chocoholic wrote:I never said covered women are repressed, don't put words into my mouth. Most of the time it's their choice and that's fine, but underneath they're ewaring all the latest fashions.

With regards to education, there might be a time and a place for it, but the earlier kids know about it the better, because you just never know.

If you're fed up then go away. You don't live in the real world, you clearly have no concept of it.

About the ladies... the covering up is just so that men won't get swepped away by their designer dresses and True Religion Jeans and thats why they wear that. It isn't because the abaya is a fashion statement.

I know that! You totally missed the point I was trying to make - never mind. They were just examples and I never said 'all' Emiratis either! Hence the term 'example'. Don't take things so literally, see outside the box.

FF, firstly, I appreciate that English is not your first language, but you need to try and improve the way you communicate when writing. It's distracting and more often than not gets in the way of what you're trying to say.

Write like you read, not like you speak.

Secondly, your narrow-minded and frankly blinkered view of western expats is laughable and totally at odds with reality. You talk as if Dubai is the capital City of Luxury and Opulence. It isn't. That is only what Dubai wants to be and one drive along SZR will tell you everything you need to know. For every Ferrari, you'll see 200 dented Nissan Sunny's.

There is always a certain level of fear and suspicion when different cultures are forced into close proximity. The resultant tension is natural and helps to preserve boundaries and cultural identity. To make anything more of it is just wishful thinking.

You want to see cultures clashing, look north: Sunni's, Shias and Kurds.

Dr Strangeglove wrote:FF, firstly, I appreciate that English is not your first language, but you need to try and improve the way you communicate when writing. It's distracting and more often than not gets in the way of what you're trying to say.

Write like you read, not like you speak.

Secondly, your narrow-minded and frankly blinkered view of western expats is laughable and totally at odds with reality. You talk as if Dubai is the capital City of Luxury and Opulence. It isn't. That is only what Dubai wants to be and one drive along SZR will tell you everything you need to know. For every Ferrari, you'll see 200 dented Nissan Sunny's.

There is always a certain level of fear and suspicion when different cultures are forced into close proximity. The resultant tension is natural and helps to preserve boundaries and cultural identity. To make anything more of it is just wishful thinking.

You want to see cultures clashing, look north: Sunni's, Shias and Kurds.

dump as* , Sunni's, Shias and Kurds has a political issues not a cultures one . and I'm not saying there is no tension ,I'm saying the tension is coming from you toward us and I guess it is clear from your post !

don't remind me of my English grades, I suck

Chocoholic wrote:I don't think G00se is talking about modern luxury, he's talking more about the younger generation wanting to follow western fashion styles and ways of dressing. Example many of the young women are wearing clothes that leave little to the imagination underneath their abayas.

I get your point, but I think sexy clothes under the abaya has always been the case, especially with younger married women, only before it may have been Arab style of beautiful clothes, now it might be crop tops n tight jeans etc.

firefingersx wrote: and I'm not saying there is no tension ,I'm saying the tension is coming from you toward us and I guess it is clear from your post !

Not at all, just pointing out the naivety of your argument. I get on very well with all of the locals in my particular office.