There comes a point in every expat’s year when a member of your family decides to descend on your doorstep. And as wonderful as it is to show them around your new homeland, it’s always quite a...
Thinking allowed
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I get lost. A lot. Map or no map, GPS or no GPS, this business of finding places and getting to them is beyond me. There is this elusive thing I hear about called “a sense of direction”. Is that...
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Before you roll your eyes at the idea of yet another expat whining about having to adapt to a different lifestyle, let me just stop you there. Yes, my day did start with a rather angry and frustrated...
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Arabs , or at least the Arabs that I have been in contact with in Abu Dhabi, are extremely social and sociable individuals, and they’re also extremely polite. For those reasons a telephone call can...
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? It’s acceptable, even desirable, to own a Hummer. ? The need to go anywhere near Salam Street brings you out in a cold sweat. ? Making your own cup of tea seems like a massive hardship. ?...
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Radio has long been a trusty companion. From news, to music, commentary and the occasional weather report (no doubt on repeat for the summer months in the UAE: Hot and hazy again? Well, what a...
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For many men, cars seem to hold the same appeal as diamonds do for many women; and in both cases the nicer examples naturally come with a heftier price tag. Before moving to the UAE, spotting such a...
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Any arrangement made verbally must include the word ‘inshallah’, otherwise it’s invalid. It’s perfectly normal to change from shorts and a T-shirt into trousers, jumper and scarf after of...
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Feeling gloomy about the way the world is going? Too much economic misery? One bad news day after another? Hey, let’s cheer ourselves up: let’s put the boot into the UAE. It’s not a democracy:...
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When I first arrived in Abu Dhabi, friends would make jokes like “what’s the time difference between London and Abu Dhabi? Forty years” and so on. And I heard colleagues in Dubai tell me how...
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