A culture still shocking

I have gotten pretty used to my life here in the UAE and most of the time I love it here. Occasionally though, I still experience little bits of culture shock that leave me dreaming of my days of my "normality" in Canada. Communication with local Arabic speaking colleagues at work is sometimes a little challenging. In North America, especially Canada, people are very used to tip-toeing around sensitive issues, sweet talking their colleagues when they want a favour or simply avoiding an issue for fear of conflict. Here it is not so. UAE culture (in my opinion) is much more direct. If someone wants something, they tell you, they do not ask you. This can take some getting used to.

For example:

Local teacher to western teacher: "Tomorrow you will take my class and give them exam."
Western teacher: "Okay, what time?"
Local teacher: "I don't know...look at my schedule and then go."

This is not meant to be rude, or lazy or condescending, it's just meant to explain facts of what you are expected to do. But, it can be hard to be told what to do in one breath by this person, then witness them taking 10 minutes to shake hands with every other Arab person within 100 feet of them so as to not offend anyone with a snub, even though they're late for class already. Keep calm, move on, and hope Allah takes care of it.

This week at my school the head honcho of our entire organization visited the school to check it out. My school, normally a mess of chaos-students wandering the halls, certain teachers simply not going to class, administration choosing to single out and reprimand hard-working teachers for misunderstandings...turned into a perfect picture of order and organization. When I went in the hallway while the visitor was present, there was not a student to be seen and all you could hear in the distance was a man speaking in Arabic somewhere in the school (not a common sound since men aren't really allowed in our school). It made me laugh to see the school revert back to the same chaos as soon as our visitor left.

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In amusing Valentine's day news, I was at the mall on Vday this week looking for something to give my valentine. There was a stand of flowers and stuffed animals and other red crap, normal Valentine's day fare. What threw me off though, was the fact that they were selling birds. Like, Happy Valentine's Day sweetie, here's a freaking annoying bird that you didn't ask for and now have to care for till it dies. Really? Just buy her some chocolate and call it a day. Buying someone a bird for a manufactured love day is just weird. Also, the birds were in cages sitting right beside the Starbucks stand. That seems unsanitary...No? Everyone in this country loves birds though, really. I wrote a journal prompt on the board one day..what was the best present you ever got and why? More than half the class wrote about getting a new bird from their father, to join the other 25 birds they have at home. That and getting a new Qu'ran. My oh my, how these girls are different from North American girls!