Our holiday is nearly at an end and it has been a unique experience. After so long we have become quite familiar with this very foreign country and have mixed feelings about it. Being one of the wealthiest countries in the world it contrasts strongly with South Africa where there is so much poverty.
The Nationals – the Emiratis – make up less than 20% of the population and are looked after from cradle to grave. Sadly but predictably this is resulting in an arrogant, spoilt and lazy generation. There is serious concern that the vast majority of Emiratis are opting for cushy, well paid government jobs and this country is totally dependant on ex-pats to provide both the professional skills and the hard labour in more demanding industries. Heidi and Darrell get a daily paper (an excellent paper I would add) and it enables us to pick up a lot of impressions and opinions. Headline the other day – Emiratis in government jobs are to get a 70% pay rise but ex-pats will get nothing. Such injustices are simply accepted because if you object you can be told to go home. State schools may not accept more than 20% non- Emirati children and even then those families must pay fees to the government. This means that many working folks who have been here for 20+ years and who have basically lost ties with their home countries are in a terribly difficult situation. They have no ‘rights’ and can be told to leave their jobs or the country at any time if their visas have expired or the company does not renew them. The wealthy ex-pats (from SA, UK, NZ etc) are fine - almost. They earn lots of money, live in big comfortable houses, their kids go to the best private schools and everything is hunky dory – until there is a down turn in the economy because they are also visa dependant. Every day, literally, we hear about people on their way home due to companies retrenching or down scaling. Life here is very safe but very insecure for anyone who is not an Emirati.
Did I say safe? Listen to this….
A couple of Emirati boys – 19 years old – had an argument with the family driver - a Pakistani. They attacked him, bashed him unconscious with a block of wood then poured petrol over him and set him alight. After a year in jail the boys have been set free to carry on their lives as if nothing had happened because daddy has paid compensation to the family in Pakistan. So, if you are a rich Emirati feel free to kill anyone who annoys you and you can buy your way out of trouble. If you do the same thing but your family does not have the means to pay compensation you will rot in jail until they do.
How about that for unequal before the law?
Tennis – over to Gerron..
1st Jan 2010. ‘A low key day in preparation for our treat with tickets for the seven of us to go to the AD International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City AD, there to watch two matches; one between Federer and Soderling and t’other ‘tween Nadal and Ferrer. Not being a tennis, or sport for that matter, fan or follower I didn’t know what to expect and was a bit put out that I’d not brought a nearly finished book along and like a cat, resigned myself to ‘enduring’ the conditions controlling my life.
Surprise, surprise!! The five hours sped by with unnoticeable discomfort, and boredom didn’t even figure.
To be sure it is a bit mindless to sit for so long watching ball-bashers score points by some skill, some luck and some taking advantage of opponent’s mistakes. I’ve no doubt that many spectators enjoyed the spectacle for many telling comments were voiced but, looking at the obvious lack of physical attributes of most spectators I wondered how many actually played tennis or even took part in some fitness regimen; methinks few would quality for minimum fitness levels, myself included. Finished viewing and with a distinct nip in the air we went home for melk-tert and hot cups of tea. Then off to bed for another battery-charge.’PS Me again, Stephi didn’t make the five hours and Heidi took her home after the first match, won by Soderling. Nadal won the second match, and also the final next day which we didn’t watch.
Pictures: Darrell and boys at tennis; Stephi watching Federer and Sonderling battle it out in the semi final!
Paddling pictures: taken by Darrell on our last excursion between the mangroves. Again it was hard work but lovely.
This will probably be my last blog from AD. We fly out on Wednesday evening and I will have to take off running with an assignment from Heinemanns and teaching at Outreach and St Mary’s.
So – holiday time is all but over and it has been great. Our thanks go to our wonderful AD family – Heidi, Darrell, Alex, Davey and Steph for putting up with us for so long and making us feel so welcome.
South Africa – here we come!!
