Racism in Dubai .. look here

After having lived in Dubai since 1997 & having friends that have lived here twice as long, I have realised that life here really is a "protected bubble", with its censored media & society's own unspoken rules, and why the first thing everyone asks is: "Where are you from?" 1. Unspoken law: A UAE National (=Local) will get-away with many things that expatriates would be fined/jailed for. Example: speeding, reckless driving, parking tickets, bar-brauls, etc. And note this: a women, if molested, can defend herself & even hit the guy. The boyfriend/husband however, better keep his hands in his pockets. Generally, the hundreds of nationalities living together in Dubai reside in a relatively peaceful & accepting existence; just make sure you know the rules... 2. Unspoken law: (for women) If a man "hits"' on you, telling him you are married will usually not have much effect... many Arab/Muslim men seem to think that because Westerners are "allowed" to have sex before marriage, have boyfriends/girlfriends & because women are allowed to go out alone, we don't really care about marriage & will cheat whatever chance we get (some of them have been watching too much "Sex in the City"...) So Ladies, be painfully direct: "I am not interested in you. I don't like you. Leave me alone. 3. Dubai Police: The boys in green seem to implement the country's laws in accordance with what mood they are in. If they are in a bad mood, just shut up & don't argue. Also, it's a problem that many officers do not speak sufficient English. It always helps to know some Arabic or have a friend who does. (Strangely enough: if you speak Arabic they immedidately lighten-up and sometimes even let you off...) 4. Unspoken law: In the public, women do receive a huge amount of respect in the Middle East. You may notice this when queueing and being asked to step before all the men waiting...

5. City of Eternal Youth: One of the rarest sights in Dubai is old people. It is as if they barely exist. Old grannies & grandads - they are not part of this surreal, youth-obsessed world. Elderly expats don't exist here because work visas expire at age 60 (bar a few rare exceptions). The only senior citizens one ever sees are elderly parents visiting their expat-children for a week in the sun. It can be quite startling to see a couple of silver-haired seniors after months of seeing nobody past middle age... Elderly Locals are just as rare. There are some older emirati ladies around the shopping malls, but they tend to wear the traditional "bronze-effect" face mask, so any wrinkled faces are hidden away. Who can tell if they're fifty or ninety? As for old Emirati men - perhaps they prefer the quiet and privacy of their villas, away from the alien, modern world that has invaded theirs. 6. "Sophisticated Racism" Dubai society can be described as "sophisticated racism": Western expatriates are respected less (& paid less!) than Locals, but are generally treated better (& paid more) than Asian expatriates (Philipinos, Indians, Pakistanis). Brits (well, the English) are nowadays being regarded as "snobby" by many Locals - after all: they colonised this country once... If you are Scottish, Irish, German or Swiss, Arabs usually loooove you! Many Arabs holiday in Germany/Switzerland or send their children there for school. 7. Seeing & being Seen: Dubai is the Los Angeles of the Gulf. Dubai has its share of sad "trend setters". For them it's all about being seen in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Also, Dubai is a "coffee culture": People always meet in cafes, and the city get's very crowded during lunch-hours and on Fridays. Dubai has many nice cafes, especially in Jumeirah along the Beach Road. Sorry if you think that this tip isn't "politically correct"... reality rarely is.