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Ambassador · Jan 14, 2011

I thinkthat based on sufficient interaction with expats in Dubai/UAE I can make this post.

My favorite expats in oder of preference are:

1. Australians
2. Americans
3. Phillipinos

Who is yours?

zubber · Jan 14, 2011

1. Women
2. Women
3. Women

Ambassador · Jan 14, 2011

zubber wrote:1. Women
2. Women
3. Women

Try again...

p.s. you might even be funny in the second try....

zubber · Jan 14, 2011

Ambassador wrote:Try again...

p.s. you might even be funny in the second try....

You mean more funny than "FAVORITY" ?

benwj · Jan 14, 2011

British
Australians no way.

4GetMeNot · Jan 15, 2011

Hi, I quite like that Australians, I find their sense of humour quite random. I like the British also and i like the French too. In order I suppose it would be

1 The British, I like their men, intelligence oozes from them
2 The Australians I have heard they make good lovers
3 The Americans/Canadians I just like them all although they all sound the same to me
4 The French I like their accents
5 The Germans, I like their arrogance
6 The Dutch, they are tall
7 The Swiss, they don't care
8 The Swedish/Danish, again I can't tell the difference but they all seem nice.

Forgive me if i have left anyone out.

kanelli · Jan 15, 2011

My favourite expats are the nice ones who share common interests and are approachable and fun.

shafique · Jan 15, 2011

My favourite ones are the ones with a sense of humour and can hold a vaguely intelligent conversation - but the first one trumps the second one.

I'm also surprised we haven't seen the phrase 'I'm not racist BUT..' or 'My best friend is... but' in this thread yet

(See first criterion above if offended)

Cheers,
Shafique

Dillon · Jan 15, 2011

So just for you Shaf;

I'm not racist, my best friend was black until my dad sold him...

:lol:

JoeTGF · Jan 15, 2011

Agree with K - the nice friendly ones - they are good and bad sorts in all nationalities.

desertdudeshj · Jan 15, 2011

One of the advantages of living in this country you get to meet people from all over the world. In my time here I've met people from Uruguay to Samoa and from Iceland to South Africa and everycountry in between and more, also over the year made many friends from world over as they come and go due to the transitional nature of this place.

I cannot put a finger on any one nationality and say that yes these people are my favourite expats as Joe, shaf and K have said. Favourites ones are the ones that aren't stuck up, know how to have a good laugh and value the individual and not his bank balance and bling.

Bora Bora · Jan 15, 2011

desertdudeshj wrote:One of the advantages of living in this country you get to meet people from all over the world. In my time here I've met people from Uruguay to Samoa and from Iceland to South Africa and everycountry in between and more, also over the year made many friends from world over as they come and go due to the transitional nature of this place.

I cannot put a finger on any one nationality and say that yes these people are my favourite expats as Joe, shaf and K have said. Favourites ones are the ones that aren't stuck up, know how to have a good laugh and value the individual and not his bank balance and bling.

4GetMeNot · Jan 15, 2011

Now If I were BM I would suggest a topic of the expats we didn't like, but that was in another life.

benwj · Jan 15, 2011

shafique wrote:My favourite ones are the ones with a sense of humour and can hold a vaguely intelligent conversation - but the first one trumps the second one.

I think the question was generally speaking, which means that you have to make a decision.

Sure there are good people in every nationality and I have met many to prove it.

But when given a choice between 2 nationalities, without meeting them first, which one's would you choose?

JoeTGF · Jan 15, 2011

benwj wrote:
shafique wrote:My favourite ones are the ones with a sense of humour and can hold a vaguely intelligent conversation - but the first one trumps the second one.

I think the question was generally speaking, which means that you have to make a decision.

Sure there are good people in every nationality and I have met many to prove it.

But when given a choice between 2 nationalities, without meeting them first, which one's would you choose?

I think thats a fair point Benwj and I was guilty of dodging it myself based on the mixed bag argument.
I would therefore say -

1. Iranian
2. English - I don't want to be a snob but have found class a big determinant on me liking them in Dubai
3. German

zubber · Jan 15, 2011

Someday you will all hatch out of your shells , lets hope sooner than later

4GetMeNot · Jan 15, 2011

zubber wrote:Someday you will all hatch out of your shells , lets hope sooner than later

Lighten up Zubber, it's only a bit of fun!

benwj · Jan 15, 2011

Its not personal Zubber. You know we love you anyway.

shafique · Jan 15, 2011

benwj wrote:
shafique wrote:My favourite ones are the ones with a sense of humour and can hold a vaguely intelligent conversation - but the first one trumps the second one.

I think the question was generally speaking, which means that you have to make a decision.

Sure there are good people in every nationality and I have met many to prove it.

But when given a choice between 2 nationalities, without meeting them first, which one's would you choose?

I can honestly say I would not be able to choose between two unknown people if the ONLY thing I knew was their nationality.

Things like age, gender, profession, education, interests, languages spoken etc would be important - but I'd still need to know things about their personalities and comportment (rude/likeable/bigot/open-minded etc etc)

Thinking about it, race, religion and politics will be quite a way down the list - along with the passport they hold or what others label them.

But based on my interactions IN Dubai - looking at numbers of interactions with the groups, I'd say:
1. Generally, most friendly, open and genuine - Pakistani followed by Keralan
2. Friendliest neighbours /neighbourhood friends - German
3. Most interesting conversations - Jordanian/Palestinian followed by Lebanese (mostly Christian, when I think about it and one Jordanian/Palestinian of Greek extraction ... many generations back).

Cheers,
Shafique

sage & onion · Jan 15, 2011

shafique wrote:
benwj wrote:
shafique wrote:My favourite ones are the ones with a sense of humour and can hold a vaguely intelligent conversation - but the first one trumps the second one.

I think the question was generally speaking, which means that you have to make a decision.

Sure there are good people in every nationality and I have met many to prove it.

But when given a choice between 2 nationalities, without meeting them first, which one's would you choose?

I can honestly say I would not be able to choose between two unknown people if the ONLY thing I knew was their nationality.

Things like age, gender, profession, education, interests, languages spoken etc would be important - but I'd still need to know things about their personalities and comportment (rude/likeable/bigot/open-minded etc etc)

Thinking about it, race, religion and politics will be quite a way down the list - along with the passport they hold or what others label them.

But based on my interactions IN Dubai - looking at numbers of interactions with the groups, I'd say:
1. Generally, most friendly, open and genuine - Pakistani followed by Keralan
2. Friendliest neighbours /neighbourhood friends - German
3. Most interesting conversations - Jordanian/Palestinian followed by Lebanese (mostly Christian, when I think about it and one Jordanian/Palestinian of Greek extraction ... many generations back).

Cheers,
Shafique

Great post Shaf,

The friends that I have made here in the UAE are of many nationalities, however, I actually don't really see Nationality or Colour, thus my signature; "We are all red inside"

benwj · Jan 15, 2011

Let me put it this way Sage.
Yout daughter calls you to say that an Australian has just asked her out for a date.
What goes through your head?

4GetMeNot · Jan 16, 2011

benwj wrote:Let me put it this way Sage.
Yout daughter calls you to say that an Australian has just asked her out for a date.
What goes through your head?

I'd be jealous

benwj · Jan 16, 2011

Yes we all know what you mean sage, they're all pink inside right :wink:

sage & onion · Jan 16, 2011

benwj wrote:Let me put it this way Sage.
Yout daughter calls you to say that an Australian has just asked her out for a date.
What goes through your head?

When my Daughters were dating it would not have been a problem as we were confident that they were / are sensible and able to make their own decisions.

zonker · Jan 16, 2011

Its only in DUBAI (UAE) that a question like this would be asked. Although, there are so many expatriates there, yet there is no true contact between them, is there? Except at a very superficial level. The White Europeans keep to themselves, the White N.Americans to themselves, the Pakis to their own, the Indians to their own lot. Any communication is at a very superficial level. Hence this question, because each Nationality is a mystery to the other. This is why I consider the UAE to be a very superficial society.......

BTW, BM welcome back in your reincarnation as "forget me not"!

Care to join me for some Chivas Regal? We seem to have run out of Chardonnay! :oops:

benwj · Jan 16, 2011

sage & onion wrote:
benwj wrote:Let me put it this way Sage.
Yout daughter calls you to say that an Australian has just asked her out for a date.
What goes through your head?

When my Daughters were dating it would not have been a problem as we were confident that they were / are sensible and able to make their own decisions.

Why did I know that a perfect answer like that was coming.

4GetMeNot · Jan 16, 2011

benwj wrote:
sage & onion wrote:
benwj wrote:Let me put it this way Sage.
Yout daughter calls you to say that an Australian has just asked her out for a date.
What goes through your head?

When my Daughters were dating it would not have been a problem as we were confident that they were / are sensible and able to make their own decisions.

Why did I know that a perfect answer like that was coming.

Are Sage and Kanelli cohabitating/partners/married? :shock:

shafique · Jan 16, 2011

It does appear to me that some people are surprised that others don't see the world as they do.

Open up your minds folks - not everyone is wired the same way, and not everyone is desperate to justify what I would call thinly-veiled racism.

Cheers,
Shafique

benwj · Jan 16, 2011

Shaf,
Would you agree that generally speaking Americans' geography outside America is not great?
Thats what you call thinly-veiled racism.
Would you agree that generally speaking that French taxi drivers are rude?
Thats thinly vieled racism.
Would you agree that Eskimos eat a lot of fish?
Thats thinly-veiled racism.

Thanks for you input by the way. It was very interesting. I must be meeting the wrong Keralites because they are untrustworthy to me. Goans, Mangalore etc are a completly different personality I find, and much more relaxed and friendly. Germans are nosey, which you might percieve as friendly.

shafique · Jan 16, 2011

Based on the Americans I meet in Dubai and in America - these guys have a good grasp of geography. However, yes there are indeed a large number of Americans (in America) who aren't interested in Geography - but are more into sports etc. If I was being introduced to Bubba who lived in a trailer park, I might be TEMPTED to racially stereotype, but I'd resist this temptation - and rather get to know the person.

I'm sure indeed there are many Keralites who are untrustworthy - I guess I met more of the trustworthy ones. Thanks for sharing your experiences too.

Cheers,
Shafique

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