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Felt like having some Lebanese/"arabic" food last evening so we went to a certain restaurant. I sat in direct view of another table of 4. A couple in their early 30's - husband's back to me, accross the table was the wife, next to her was the maid (facing me) holding a noisey 1 year old. The couple just carried on eating and talking to each other not paying attention to their child or the maid who was doing all the work, etc. The maid had the sadest look...and I did not see her eat one thing. I was just so uncomfortable and lost my appetitte (and could not really keep up with the conversation at our table).

After the couple finished eating they went to the bathroom and finally the father took the kid on his lap and the maid started eating leftovers! I was within an inch of saying something but restrained myself - not my business - but still the scene ruined the meal and I was thinking about it all night (and obviously still thinking about it).

If there is a God...

Unfortunately this is the norm in Dubai, but arab expats tend to be the worst offenders, so you can't blame the locals for this.

benwj wrote:Unfortunately this is the norm in Dubai, but arab expats tend to be the worst offenders, so you can't blame the locals for this.

Couple was not local.

I knew that would be taken the wrong way.
I'll rephrase, It is the norm for Dubai, but the locals are not to blame.

benwj wrote:I knew that would be taken the wrong way.
I'll rephrase, It is the norm for Dubai, but the locals are not to blame.

Not taken the wrong way but they were not locals. They were arab, Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, etc. - I don't know they orr rook arrike.

Ambassador wrote:

benwj wrote:I knew that would be taken the wrong way.
I'll rephrase, It is the norm for Dubai, but the locals are not to blame.

Not taken the wrong way but they were not locals. They were arab, Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, etc. - I don't know they orr rook arrike.

er that's why he said arab 'expats' - meaning arabs but not locals!

Just terrible. I once witnessed a large local family eating at a restaurant in Ibn Battuta and one of the young daughters was sneaking food under the table to the helper who turned her head and leaned down trying to eat it discreetly without the father of the household at the far end of the table noticing. Seems they at least bought her a coke though. How generous. Youngest child was a late teen, no small children for the helper to look after. She was brought along to carry their shopping bags.

benwj wrote:Unfortunately this is the norm in Dubai, but arab expats tend to be the worst offenders,

+ 1 I see it all the time and its ing.

Chocoholic wrote:

Ambassador wrote:

benwj wrote:I knew that would be taken the wrong way.
I'll rephrase, It is the norm for Dubai, but the locals are not to blame.

Not taken the wrong way but they were not locals. They were arab, Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, etc. - I don't know they orr rook arrike.

er that's why he said arab 'expats' - meaning arabs but not locals!

You seriously think I did not understand what he meant !

Please say it ain't so...

-- Wed Nov 24, 2010 3:41 pm --

kanelli wrote:Just terrible. I once witnessed a large local family eating at a restaurant in Ibn Battuta and one of the young daughters was sneaking food under the table to the helper who turned her head and leaned down trying to eat it discreetly without the father of the household at the far end of the table noticing. Seems they at least bought her a coke though. How generous. Youngest child was a late teen, no small children for the helper to look after. She was brought along to carry their shopping bags.

As I was reading your post my first tought was; maybe the child will get punished for not eating so the maid is "helping". But then your post goes on to say that the youngest was a late teen. Incredible abuse!

thats modern slaverly for you!!

WOW, Im confused.

I come to work in Dubai five days per week, and only on the few occassions (about three times a week) does my employer throw lavish meals and wine G+t etc, in my direction.

As a senior execuutive of the company, even I think thats too much.

What is in her contract before we all get upset, meals, driver, bed? comn!

I just think that it is retarded to bring a helper just to carry the bags, and make her sit there drinking a coke while the whole family eats a nice meal with starters and all. It is like they are rubbing it in her face and reminding her of her "place". The one kid had some compassion (must have picked that up somewhere), but it is amazing that the father was teaching his children to treat others so poorly.

benwj wrote:Unfortunately this is the norm in Dubai, but arab expats tend to be the worst offenders, so you can't blame the locals for this.

For certain arab expats it's something of a "status" thing. Along with the bling, high fashion, big car - and the debt they never talk about.

Its not just the Arabs, I have an Indian lady client who insists on calling her driver, houseboy and maid her 'servants'. It grates every time I hear it.

As for the maid situation, I saw it many times here and in KSA. There, the maid is not allowed to sit at the same table and quite often I would see a poor girl in Al Baik or KuDu sitting at a table next to her employer on her own, no food, no drink, head bowed whilst the family tucked in. It was then her job to clean up the kids afterwards and carry the shopping to the car.

I also saw one local here pull up at the petrol station. He sat in the car whilst he got the maid to check the tyre pressures!



Knight

The ones who abuse their maids like that have their own justifications, often in the line of "they are still much better than back home", or "if you treat them well, they wont obey you" etc.

-- Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:25 am --

Bora Bora wrote:

benwj wrote:Unfortunately this is the norm in Dubai, but arab expats tend to be the worst offenders, so you can't blame the locals for this.

For certain arab expats it's something of a "status" thing. Along with the bling, high fashion, big car - and the debt they never talk about.

i thought I had seen it all until I read about an Arab expat manager of a furniture shop saying he buys a new car every 2 months !

Well you only have to read through the copious 'maid' threads on a certain other forum to see how some people view their home help. And it's people of ALL nationalities.

Dubai Knight wrote:Its not just the Arabs, I have an Indian lady client who insists on calling her driver, houseboy and maid her 'servants'. It grates every time I hear it.

As for the maid situation, I saw it many times here and in KSA. There, the maid is not allowed to sit at the same table and quite often I would see a poor girl in Al Baik or KuDu sitting at a table next to her employer on her own, no food, no drink, head bowed whilst the family tucked in. It was then her job to clean up the kids afterwards and carry the shopping to the car.

I also saw one local here pull up at the petrol station. He sat in the car whilst he got the maid to check the tyre pressures!



Knight

Well, I believe in India, household help/drivers are referred to as "servants". I have seen, many times, the housemaid sitting at a separate table with the kiddies. I guess that's considered "family night out".

Yes, but it's just so awful to see a family sitting there stuffing themselves silly, while the maid sits there with nothing.