Amman vs Dubai

During the Easter weekend I had the chance to come back to Dubai for a few days, but this time I had to realise that my perspective had changed, a lot.

Indeed coming from Jordan, my experience of Dubai was quite the opposite from what I had seen and felt a year ago. Everything was so much less conservative than in Jordan. You can walk around without having all the men staring at you although last year I found Dubai quite disturbing on that point.

The traffic, I recall, had seemed to be a huge mess and last Thursday, when I arrived, I found the traffic to be slow, quiet and even boring. Where was the honking, the spontaneous lane-building and the weird (or non-existent) priority system?

Also, I really experienced the arrogance and pride that lies all over Dubai. Just to illustrate the local mentality... you don't have to go grocery shopping. You can just stop in front of the grocery store, honk and wait for them to get out, ask for what you want and get it for you. One girl told me the battery of her phone had run out, so she had just bought a new phone for 100 AED (20 €) to make one phone call. People from Dubai don't seem surprised at that attitude; personally, I am. And I hope I will never think that way - I better not move to the Emirates then, cause apparently the system sucks you in!

the view from Medinat Jumeira

One day, the black gold will run out and this country will have enormous difficulties and I really do hope that they will start using the amazing power the region also has: the sun. Solar panels are still very expensive there, but Insh'allah some powerful and wealthy people will start to think responsibly. Not like the generations before them, who were taken by the same fever: to build even higher and even more luxurious, defeating every natural rule.

But however much money they will spend, my heart will always beat for Amman!

First trip to Dubai

It is very difficult to write that first line, but fortunately this first line will be at the bottom of this blog very soon. I intend to report my observations and thoughts during my travels. I am very interested in the differences between cultures and I hope to leave a trace with these writings.

My first journey brought me to Dubai. The experience was fascinating. Please go read a travel guide to learn what to visit and why what is where, as I just wanted to mention a few things that surprised me.

Dubai was my first time outside Europe and it somehow felt like walking into a film set. Nothing seemed real, everything was staged. After a few days I got used to the sandy air, the hot weather, the tall buildings and the many cars. A friend looked at my photos, and had to ask: Is anyone actually living in Dubai? Indeed on my photos, it's only the friend I visited and me, but the streets, the parks and the beaches are empty. Only the shopping malls are overcrowded. There are people outside, just not that many. That's quite understandable when it's minimum 35°C.

What I found far more disturbing, were the stares. My friend who had been to Dubai many times before had warned me. The men stare, they turn when you arrive into a shop, they slow down their car, eventually lower the window, they say something to you... I didn't really want to believe her. I thought she was exaggerating. Well, she wasn't. It was like being a superstar... with lots of creepy fans. I felt rather uncomfortable at the beginning but after a few days I got pretty much used to it.

Also there seems to be a lot of discrimination, not against the foreigners who bring money, but against migrant workers. Policy gives locals a lot more power. For example, in order to start a business you need to have a local sponsor. Also as a local you earn more money than foreigners. I found that really odd, coming from Europe.

I have miles to go before I sleep...