Re: secret Dubai's latest post + comments.
If I'm such a twat then why do I find this 'Utterly' hilarious! It's funny as hell.
I think it's anonymous comments that drive me insane, plus the fact that half of the non-Indian population in Dxb seems to think that anyone from the Subcontinent is a savage unless they can live up to certain Western expectations of making a large amount of money, living in poshy areas, and always eating with those fucked up forks and knives. I'm exaggerating but you get my drift. The sentiment does run high, so I will be peeved if I want to because I deserve to. I deserve tolerance, I don't assume that all Caucasians are Jesus Freaks who can speak in tongues and I DESERVE the same RESPECT. Wake up people, your Jumeirah hideaways were built by the sweat of these 'Indians', that great big amalgamated blob of browness you so easily assume to be less cultured, of lesser intelligence just because they have an accent or act embarrassingly like kids in a candy store when they see something flashy.
Sigh. Secret Dubai, this rant isn't for you. It is an old rant, born of continual exposure to bigotry at too young of an age, for every club owner who facilitates a policy of 'no white no entry', for every backwoods, lazy, ignorant, pompous ass hired as the token white guy who takes his position to mean he is of superior bearing. No, ultimately it's not their fault. Yes, it has always been an informal agenda propagated by the overlords. But I do blame them because they don't give a damn.
That got a little personal didn't it? It would shape the same for you too if you grew up Indian in an Arab state where equality is nothing but a state of mind.
If I'm such a twat then why do I find this 'Utterly' hilarious! It's funny as hell.
I think it's anonymous comments that drive me insane, plus the fact that half of the non-Indian population in Dxb seems to think that anyone from the Subcontinent is a savage unless they can live up to certain Western expectations of making a large amount of money, living in poshy areas, and always eating with those fucked up forks and knives. I'm exaggerating but you get my drift. The sentiment does run high, so I will be peeved if I want to because I deserve to. I deserve tolerance, I don't assume that all Caucasians are Jesus Freaks who can speak in tongues and I DESERVE the same RESPECT. Wake up people, your Jumeirah hideaways were built by the sweat of these 'Indians', that great big amalgamated blob of browness you so easily assume to be less cultured, of lesser intelligence just because they have an accent or act embarrassingly like kids in a candy store when they see something flashy.
Sigh. Secret Dubai, this rant isn't for you. It is an old rant, born of continual exposure to bigotry at too young of an age, for every club owner who facilitates a policy of 'no white no entry', for every backwoods, lazy, ignorant, pompous ass hired as the token white guy who takes his position to mean he is of superior bearing. No, ultimately it's not their fault. Yes, it has always been an informal agenda propagated by the overlords. But I do blame them because they don't give a damn.
That got a little personal didn't it? It would shape the same for you too if you grew up Indian in an Arab state where equality is nothing but a state of mind.
22 Comments:
Hey Neha, you lived in Dubai??? Now way! I'm a fellow jaded-Indian-former resident myself!
Hay Jay! Well whaddaya know, fellow Dubiyan, w00t! We're going to take over the world. Yes, I lived there till 98. The most pressing question is What School Did You Go To?!?! :-)
No you are not being an overly sensitive twat.
I wish there were more poeple in Dubai like you Neha.
Can I cross post this post on my blog?
I went to St Mary's. Which school did you go to?
people assume im muslim or hindu.
it may be that i walk around
with a shirt that says i break for
koran or
got jihad?
im thinking no but people do sleepwalk.
i dont derive pleasure being lumped into a category either.
i mean i have worked hard to become the
paganistic heathen worshipper that offers virgins and jelly beans up for good fortune.
why cant you just accept me for me?
As a pakistani who pretty much spent all her life in dubai-lemme just say this-been there,experienced that,left for greener pastures.
I don't think you are being overly sensitive-you write as you find-I pretty much found it the same way for the 20 odd years I lived there.Don't know what took me so long to get my act together and leave that place-too racist for my liking.
Thanks for your comments everyone, they give me warm, fuzzy feelings...
Jay - I went to school directly opp. you, Indian High School, 98 grad, there's a fun game called "do you know this guy, do you know this girl?" we could play. I secretly hate that game but can't stop playing, it makes up for my lack of addiction to gambling.
Goodlookin - my lazy ass takes a while just to post stuff once, you want me to copy/paste and do it twice? Just click the perma-link and link to the post, after which you can do as you like with it. And remember, Fight The Power.
Boot - Hai Hai, virgins and jelly beans? Where do I sign up!
Rhea - Yes, it is very racist, I still harbor foolish hope for the UAE because it was my childhood home (on the bright side, at least it's not Saudi). The UAE could really do with a civil court, yea, they are completely backward in that (dis)respect.
Hi Neha. I graduated in '95 and knew a few people at IHS. Chances are if you knew any Mallus at St. Mary's, I did as well.
Maybe we can reminisce about cutting class at the "Tax-Free" shopping centre, or the delicacies over at Al Jadeed Bakery or the Karama ganstas who used to show up after school to beat up the guys and impress the girls... :)
YOU TELL EM GIRL !!!
YOU TELL EM LIKE IT IS !!
wooohoo !
:P
Hey Vidushi, would that be "avar own english high school, like a bring and shining light" or something along those lines? Awesome! Thanks for the comment! I had a bunch of friends there and Tamanna is also from the same school. What year did you graduate?
Jay, you know, I only knew two chicks from St. Mary's, Rochelle and Mehreen. But I have had a decent amount of run ins with the Karama gangstas.
actually ppl from 'Avar Own' would say Taamana [very very mallu accent.Oi ve, bad bad memories, I need therapy!
ahahaha yes 'avar' own english high school.
I completed my grade 12 in Mississauga. but i graduated wayyyy after you guys in 2003.
I used to know a Tamanna didi who lived in the Sana bldg. Wonder if it is the same. I thought she was quite sweet vs the other seniors in our bus !
as for being taamana, my name suffered quite a few mallufied abuses too!
But come to think of it, it was the Arabic trs who abused my name a LOT with tht substitution of b for p.
Tamanna didi from sana bldg here..now i feel like crap not remembering you. send me pics will ya?
:O what a co.
I don't have your email id. btw this isn't my real name so it is OK if you don't rmr a vidushi :D
To be honest I don't rmr what you like either. Just a vague memory of long hair and glasses. And skinny.
C'est Moi except the long hair is gone. Chaddi, you just might be the new Oprah!
So darling, this blog is like AT&T, brining ppl together. Tammy didi, please can I call you that too? By that description we could've been twins. Wonder why we never met, didn't you ever go to baskins to meet boys? Ha.
Vidushi, we didn't graduate THAT 'waaaay ahead' of you! Hehe. Yes we did. Are you still in TO, at uni?
Meet the boys @ baskins..hell yeah! Although, then I was into the HOT lebanese guy from this store called MaxiMara. No, MaxiMara not MaxMara.
So, Vidushi, I have seen ya post comments on Sepia and know that U have a Blog ID - where can I read up?
Neha: yes I am still in univ. Infact I have planned a long stay in univ- what can I say- I love being broke .
Tamanna: I do have a blog ID but I do not have a blog as yet. seeing what the smarty pants at SM have posted up, I feel intimidated being a teen n all ( but not for long! ;) )
I hear ya!
O ya, maximara, haha! i used be so freaked out by the two 'subways', always some random gross dude in those things. i too had a big crush on this lebanese chap in the gibca bldg, caught sight of him a couple yrs ago with wife, baby, and pot belly. how things change, just like al wahda, not too hep anymore.
vidushi, you simply must join the blogwagon, sepia is an inspiration, they are superstars and it sure isn't the average blog. as you can see from my blog, proudly lowering standards everyday. don't you worry, if you write it we will come.
Neha, I just think yours is a relaxed blog-like a tete-a-tete . with ex-dxb people. in amrika/kaneda.Which I like.
Didn't meet any dxb-kids here save for 2 family friends from dxb-but they don't count.Oddly enough there are more Saudi-kids here.
So coming across blogs like yours, connects me to people who may understand where I am coming from :).
Oh and thanks for the support ! I think I shall start a blog after my exams at the end of august.
Hmmm, many Rochelles and I do remember a Mehreen -- but it's been a while so my memory is a bit sketchy. Did you know a Pooja Chandanani at IHS?
I do remember Sana building though! You guys remember Charly Poly Clinic? The guy's my uncle!
Btw, great discussion on SM about Gulf stuff.
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