Why are we using a photo of us instead of one of the locals for this post? We actually took photos with the locals, but at their request we are only allowed to use them privately. We show the pictures here, but only with faces made unrecognizable. But we didn't want to use such a photo as the featured image.

Locals and migrant workers

XNUMX million people live in the United Arab Emirates, of which only XNUMX million are true UAE citizens and XNUMX million are foreign migrant workers. The latter come mainly from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ethiopia, Iran or the Philippines. Most of the taxi drivers we got to know are originally from Nepal and Pakistan, and almost all of them have been in the UAE for ten to twelve years.

Our guide Munaf is himself an Indian from beautiful Goa who has been living in the Emirates for eleven years. He told us about the extremely low crime rate across the country, which is due to the wealth of the Emirates. Because where people are doing well financially, where people have enough food and a roof over their heads, there is no reason to become criminals. All parks and squares were monitored XNUMX hours a day by security personnel and cameras. A taxi driver told us that a perpetrator would definitely be found within XNUMX hours at the latest because everything was so well monitored. In terms of security, Germany can learn a lesson from the Emirates.

The UAE's XNUMX million true citizens receive free housing, health insurance, high-income government-related jobs and free education for their children from the government. Also, the state pays for their extravagant weddings provided both spouses are genuine UAE nationals. Due to the discovered and exported oil, the UAE is so rich that the ruling sheikhs and presidents can pay their real nationals for everything. And that's exactly why every single (!!!) citizen of the UAE is rich. Every single one! At the same time, according to our guide Nabil, all this money also leads to greater dissatisfaction, because many of the richest no longer have to work at all and can no longer appreciate the money because they have not earned it themselves. Before oil was discovered, the Arabs were much poorer, but also, according to Nabil, happier. We believe that immediately. Happiness leads to wealth and success, but wealth does not automatically lead to happiness, Nabil said.

In addition to the real, rich citizens of the UAE, there are also the many millions of migrant workers from the countries already mentioned who hope for a better life in the Emirates. They work in hotels, as cab drivers, salesmen, construction workers, tour guides etc. and live in poor conditions in an apartment with many other migrant workers. Throughout our journey, we kept coming into contact with them and listening to their stories. In most cases, they had already been in the country for ten to twelve years because they had not been able to find work in their respective home countries or because it would have paid less. We write “in poor conditions” because four to eight migrant workers often share a room. The one Nepalese told us about four double bunk beds for eight people in a narrow room. Every taxi ride with the different drivers went about the same way: they wanted to know from us where we were from and whether we liked Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Then we asked them about their origins and living conditions. Every single one of them shares a room with many other workers because the prices for rent or for education are so high. Many of them have wives and children in their home country, which they only see once a year. Life is difficult and expensive for them because, as foreigners, they have to pay high fees for school and the school bus, for rent, etc. Many of them only like Dubai because they could make money there. An Indian waiter also praised the high level of security throughout the UAE, which he lacked in his home country. A Nepalese said that there were now too many taxi drivers in the Emirates, that the entire taxi industry was down and that he therefore wanted to go back to his homeland. Munaf, the Indian from Goa, had married a woman in his home country two years ago and now wants to bring her to the Emirates as soon as possible.

As you can see, in the UAE we are dealing with XNUMX% rich locals who don't know what to buy next with their money. And then there are the XNUMX% migrant workers who see Dubai and Abu Dhabi as their working paradise, but who can barely keep their heads above water and have to share accommodation with many other workers. Certainly, the XNUMX% foreigners also include many rich businessmen who are realizing their "Emirates Dream" (instead of American Dream). Without the XNUMX% migrant workers, the UAE would not be where it is today. If the money were distributed more fairly in the country, surely everyone would be a little happier.

The relationship between men and women and the importance of religion

In the minds of western civilized people there is still the image of veiled women who are not allowed to work. Wrong! - We saw many women working, some of them veiled.

Even the Arab men didn't ignore me as a woman, but talked to me quite normally. Everyone we dealt with on our trip was very nice and polite to us - apart from the stupid bus drivers who abandoned us even though the ticket counter was broken and we couldn't buy tickets.

We actually saw a veiled couple kissing (touching) once, but that was a rarity.

If the local men weren't out with their own wives, then only the women, or just the men among themselves, were out in groups.

We ourselves often walked around holding hands, which was no big deal. In the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, we wanted to take a picture together and put our heads together, as we always do. Then a security guard said "Not too close!" to us, but had to laugh himself.

For more information on the traditional dress of the Arabs and their religion, see our article on camel riding in the desert (linked below).

Prohibitions, prohibitions, prohibitions

On our first day in Abu Dhabi we wanted to see the inside of the Emirates Palace, but were prevented from doing so because of M's shorts. Again and again we saw signs everywhere telling people to dress appropriately.

Then we wanted to go shopping in the supermarket, but were prevented from doing so because of the backpack. The second time we tried to get into the store, we were stopped because I had my camera with me, but there was no complaint the first time. Only on the third attempt did we finally get to the supermarket. In the shop, however, we then saw many women with their handbags, who had not been denied access like we had been before.

As a woman, I had to veil myself in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, photos with my open hair were only forbidden there. The culmination of course was the hint that we shouldn't get too close when we wanted to take a picture of ourselves.

We have to say that the people pointing us out were always friendly and their tone was appropriate, even if we could not understand the prohibitions. In addition, I always had the impression that they turned a blind eye to locals and that they were allowed to take more liberties than we were.

About swank, pomp and feelings of inferiority

London has a Big Ben. It's beautiful, and people want to have it, too. So they build their own Big Ben in Dubai, which is higher than the London original. On top of the Brandenburg Gate is a quadriga, i.e. a team of four horses. That's nice. So you take it over and make five horses out of it. People in the UAE always want to be faster and better than the rest of the world. They have the tallest hotel in the world, the tallest water features, the most expensive pizza, the most expensive cocktail, the fastest roller coaster, the tallest tower, the biggest shopping center, etc. They are so afraid of another country in the world replacing the Burj Khalifa as the tallest building in the world. They are so afraid there that another country in the world could replace the Burj Khalifa as the tallest building in the world. So they build a new tower themselves to break their old world record themselves. Everywhere you could already see the planned Dubai Greek Tower (also called The Tower), which should be completed by Expo XNUMX. Again and again we were explicitly pointed out to all the superlatives and world records of the UAE. We were repeatedly informed of the construction costs: X would have cost XNUMX million US dollars, a good falcon costs XNUMX US dollars, etc. They have money and the whole world should know that. When you come out of the Dubai Mall in the evening, you see all the expensive cars lined up like a string of pearls: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bugatti, etc.

But where does all the craving for recognition come from, where does the materialism come from, where do the feelings of inferiority come from? That happens when you don't know what to do with all your money and your boredom. With the oil came the money. With money came swank, with swank came inner dissatisfaction. Perhaps they would be happier there if they simply built wells for Africa with the surplus money and gave all the people there a healthy life. Unfortunately you can't buy charm, heart or soul and authenticity, history and culture. And that's exactly why cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi seem so soulless.

Tipping in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

We took part in various guided tours in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. To our delight, tips were never asked for and given, neither by us nor by other tourists. The prices for the tours were very expensive anyway.

Our conclusion about the people in the UAE

The people we dealt with in the UAE were all very nice, friendly and helpful - both the locals and the foreign migrant workers. We only had to get annoyed with two bus drivers who didn't want to take us on the bus at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. in the dark because we didn't have a ticket and they didn't care that the ticket counter was broken. They also refused to buy a ticket directly from them.

In general, we have particularly positive memories of the Nepalese and Indians, but also of the genuine UAE nationals with whom we had contact. I also have to think back to a cute little local boy who looked so cute with his brown beady eyes and white robe that I really wanted a photo with him. When I sent Erik a photo of M and me in the traditional dress, he called us terrorists. No, Arabs are not terrorists just because they wear different clothes. We should get rid of the fear of the foreigner, because behind an abaya and a niqab there are also real, normal, very nice people. We are grateful that we now have a different, a more tolerant view of the veiled Arabs than before. We also learned that not everyone in a white robe is a sheikh, as we always thought we knew. This cloak is the traditional dress for all UAE citizens, not just the rich sheikhs. But we also learned - and this was now confirmed to us - that all citizens of the Emirates are rich.

Sources:

own experiences on site in March 2019

Oral history by our guides Nabil and Munaf