Dubai Dispatches

It is hard to believe that for a whole month it was illegal to eat between about 4am and 6pm. Yes, Illegal. When I got up in the morning and had my wheat-a-bix with some skimmed milk I was in contravention of UAE law. When I had a glass of water after a gym session on a Saturday afternoon I was at risk of being jailed! Well fortunately the law is something you can break in the privacy of your own home or in a secluded space in the office.... But all that has passed now and not without a few close calls. Like one hot Saturday afternoon after finally getting my HSBC Middle East (not to be confused with the REAL HSBC which is not solely staffed by Indians) ATM Card. I got a soda from a machine on the street and went to open it when my housemate Jeremy said something very simple "What are you doing? RAMADAN!?" and I was stopped in my tracks immediately, and not a moment too soon as there was a group of very thirsty Muslims across the street, who would have no doubt mobbed me if I had proceeded to quench my thirst...

So this brings me to something that has been bothering me for a while. It's mainly related to hypocrisy, something that I indulge in from time to time but at least I can admit it. Others do it every day and are completely ignorant... Like many of the Muslims here in the middle east, particularly the oil rich gulf, where residents are happy to talk of Allah and Mohammed and grace and charity yet think of ex-pat Indian workers as not worthy of charity, rather it is look after your own and let those of foreign lands suffer... was this what Mohammed wanted? Well anyways it's all good and well to do what you want in your home land, but where do some people get off calling for the same powers in foreign lands? I am thinking particularly of a few cases in France and the UK, where the issue of the Hijab has come up. Now personally I don't care either way (not discounting the fact that the Hijab to me seems more like men not being able to show self control, combined with the ongoing age old desire of men wanting to subjugate women... but whatever floats your boat, if they want to wear it let 'em wear it!), but I know that if the powers that be set in place a law you deal with it. If the powers that be are not from your country then deal with it or go home! I am sick of these double standards. I mean in all Gulf countries it was illegal to eat, drink or smoke during Ramadan day time hours, it is always illegal to be gay, to live with a partner out of wedlock, drink alcohol (? - this is a grey area), to wear revealing clothing, to drive if you're a woman (Saudi)... And the list goes on... I mean in France and the UK there is so much freedom and so much acceptance.... And then some people can't deal with it when they are expected to fit in a little... I mean, GET OVER YOURSELF!!! Try being a westerner here in the middle east, I never ever get a chance to be a citizen of any gulf country even if I was born here!!! I have friends that fall into this category. If I marry a local I still don't get a citizenship... I can't vote, I get no government support and have very little personal freedom.... Mate the West is awesome compared to these places when it comes to rights and freedoms. Don't get me wrong, I never think we should become complacent and I still believe in complete freedom to do anything if it doesn't hurt others... but I am also aware of realities and know when we should give thanks for what we have as trust me any non-western country is much much worse than France, the UK, Australia or even the US....

Oh and it is still hot... Can you believe this!?!? Max is about 35C now. I mean it is down from the 46C maxs I was getting in August, when I first arrived, but still it is crazy hot.

I have also decided to start to learn how to cook... Can you believe that I didn't even know coriander when I saw it in the supermarket!?!? I had to ask this Indian guy for some help. Well now I know what coriander looks like and I also learnt that cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder are the key ingredients of curry powder.... Small simple things but things I never knew.... I know, cooking isn't saving the world as I always claim to want to do, but somehow I feel it is appreciating and loving the simple things in life that will teach you some of the keys to solving some of the bigger problems of the world...

A call to revolution (for me)

I guess I am sick of the way Dubai (and the Middle East in general) has been making me feel. It really makes me hate the world. I cannot imagine a better place to see how bad the world can be (and hypocritical). Don't get me wrong, I am having a good time here (besides the fact that I miss my true love like crazy....). I have met great people and my house mates are lovely. But looking at Dubai as a city, as a 'community', as a representation of successful development, I cannot help but get angry and depressed about the chances of human civilisation. I guess I can only try and remember places like Holland and Norway, where I learnt that there are some places on the planet that have it right and are progressing, rather than heading towards doom and destruction. I guess the sad thing is, that only when all countries get it right will the world have any hope.... Also I feel guilty as I have gotten worse since being here, I no longer recycle, I complain about problems yet do nothing, and I have also starting worrying about money from my job etc.... I want to do something and I guess I have realised I need to change myself, and fast!

Anyways, here is my 'Rant':

Every time I get in front of my computer I lose hope.

Can you sense the impending doom? Like the captain of the titanic, aboard the unsinkable vessel of grandeur and fame, we find ourselves navigating a course of inevitable disaster and we continue full steam ahead.

My Ukrainian friend Oleksiy said it well when we were having McDonalds in Moscow: “There is something natural about a human’s desire to destroy them self”. It is like inbuilt within all of us is a longing to grab everything we have and shake it until it is limp and lifeless. The same thing drives the headlines of international news broadcasts. Death and destruction lights a fire in our imagination, we truly lust after death. I mean what else could be the explanation for the world we have created for ourselves. A world created by force and by fear. The cornerstone of globalisation was laid by imperial forces such as England, France and Spain, travelling the world and dominating by superior fire power, taking resources and leaving poverty and inequity, and killing any who argued against the status quo.

The same passionate desire drives me to smoke, to drink and to want to fight to make it right or at least break something I hate. Is anger really a gift? (quote of RATM’s Zac De la Roca) Will the passionate hatred for the way things are really give us the power to make the world the way it should be? In all honesty, I think not. I never agreed with ‘Che’ when he said that violent revolution was the only way. I mean it feels good to kill those you hate. That’s why war is so common. But hate is the problem, not the ‘other’ we claim to hate. There is no ‘other’. This is the first thing we need to learn.

I return to my ship analogy. We are on a ship and it is sinking. Both environmentally and spiritually the world is falling apart at the seams. All I find myself thinking when I draw back on my cigarette with determination is “what can I do?”.

I will take an aside:

Maybe I am completely delusional. Maybe the world is fine. Maybe everything is going according to plan and God is smiling. Maybe two million people in absolute poverty is great. Maybe China building another 400 coal fire powered power plants is grand. Maybe Greenland’s ice shelf melting into the Atlantic is rosy http://www.climatecrisis.net. Maybe the US going into Iraq and destroying a country for oil is awesome. Maybe rampant individualism and consumerism is a great way to escape the void that appears when we leave God with all of the relics of the past. Maybe having billionaires is right and just. Maybe knowingly buying products that were produced in sweatshops is fair and helping development…….

I will turn here to religion. What Would Jesus Do? WWJD. I remember it on the wrist bands of so many at school as a kid. I tell you what I have learnt since leaving organised religion behind… Jesus is an amazing and inspirational person. I mean if only we had people like him here today. As you know what he was don’t you!? I mean if you really sat down and meditated upon the scriptures you would realise that we really have messed it up (It was never about ‘worshiping Jesus’, but rather trying to be him….. and after all, he did it, why cant’ we?

What did Jesus do? He:

1) Threw away everything he owned (and required this of anyone who joined his revolutionary band of apostles) – A modern day anti-materialist, embodying the fact that material possessions have no ability to provide happiness and generally help to cloud our resolve and lead us down the ‘easy path’ to death and destruction;
2) Hung out with outcasts (lepers, hookers, tax collectors – quite a diverse group I must say!) – He loved everyone and did not judge. Truly an example to any of us trying to overcome prejudice and discrimination;
3) Stuck it to the dominating powers of his people (he really messed with the Pharisees’ controlling interests over the Jewish population of the time) - proving that controlling political forces are corrupt and out of touch with the needs of people;
4) Healed the sick and feed and clothed the needy – In doing so implementing social polices that were sorely needed by the people of his time (why aren’t governments making this their primary aim – e.g. US Govt, Iranian Govt, UK, Aust… etc, why spend any money on War when people in their own and other countries suffer….. etc etc);
5) Spread the message of love and understanding…. Etc, etc, ETC!

Anyway. I guess what I am thinking is that I already have the answers to my questions…. I just wish I had the courage to apply this to my daily life, now and forever…. So as the favourite line to my favourite poem of all time goes: “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time”. I really think it is time for a revolution within myself…..

Please note: This is coming from discussions about religion and prophets and meaning….oh and yes it is a rant to myself and no one else…..

Ramadan Kareem!

Wow... I can hardly believe that there are one billion people on this planet who for a whole month do not eat or drink anything from moon set (before sun rise) to sun set.... Well I gave it a try on Thursday... wow... It was hard.. not so much the not eating but rather the not drinking... really thirsty.... But I made it and I really can appreciate it all now.... means a lot more to me!

Anyways I have added some photos and re-organised a few things too:

http://lucas.intercate.net/gallery/dubai

http://lucas.intercate.net/gallery/middleeast

Also managed to go to Oman today... without a passport!!! Hehehehe... tricky boarder crossings... Wonder if I would have the same luck if I wasnt a westerner? hmmmm...

Starving, speeding... but no more sweating...

I remember back to 2001, when America started bombing Afghanistan, when the news stated that the "Allied forces" had to cease their attacks for a month... due to something call Ramadan. "Hmmm... How nice!" I thought... let them have their religious thing, then bomb them... Well besides the absolute stupidity of respecting religious ceremonies but not human life, it was really one of the first times I had ever heard of this thing called Ramadan. All I knew was it was something to do with Islam, something to do with not eating and consequently something to do with not being bombed by a foreign power aching to destroy your country, not some twelve years after another foreign power gave up trying to do the same and retreated north (is it just me or is everything playing out in circles here?).

Well anyways on Sunday 24th September 2006, or 1 Ramadan, 1427 AH, I started my first Ramadan in the Middle East..... And days at work have ceased to be the same... Sneaking off to the kitchen to snatch a sip of water (yes you are not allowed even water in Ramadan!), missing lunch every weekday.... and sometimes even giving up and fasting along side your Muslim friends... Last night I broke my fast with the traditional dates and water.... It was an experience...

I can appreciate the philosophy of the fast. It's goal is the appreciate the plight of the poor, learn self control and self mastery and also to save food money to give to the poor.... Not a bad effort for 1 billion people of the world... I wonder how much the Christians of the United States could raise for the poor if they stopped eating in the day for a month (or stopping making bombs to kill muslims)??? Hmmm.... Anyways, minus the not drinking water, I think it's not a bad idea, only down side is it has a pretty negative impact on the work attitude of people here and slows everything down, with work days shortened to 6 hours (apparently there are fines for employers allowing workers to work longer than this), but hey, I think we all need a good excuse to slow down...

Also just got back from Abu Dhabi... which was an experience getting there let me tell you! Now I am not sure what others experiences are with crazy driving... but I think I am getting a pretty good feel for some of the world's craziest. You have:

Nepal - There is no "right side of the road", just road... and this you use to get from a to b, however you choose...
Boliva - Two trucks pass each other with a 5m wide road to work with and 800m sheer cliff to the left....
London - Ten buses pass each other with 1cm to spare...
Australia - Everyone obeys the law and everything is fine, except out of the city where everyone speeds and dies
Canada - All cars slow down whenever they see a person and everyone drinks and drives...
Casablanca - A lane!?! What's that?? Oh the line that goes under the middle of the car!?!? Now I get you!
DUBAI - The speed camera only takes your photo if youre going over 160km/h!!!! Ha! I could hardly believe my eyes when my driver sat on 180km/h for 1 hour straight on the highway from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.... And this is in traffic, up the car in front of yous ass.... Nuts I tell you, nuts!!!!

Oh and it's cooling down now... like max of 37... so cool :-)