So this is a story of what happens when you work out in the UAE. There is a women's gym, a men's gym and a pool. You're probably thinking..."An all women's gym? Lovely!" It would be lovely except the women's gym consists of a treadmill, weights up to 25 pounds a bike and a slightly broken universal machine. Also it's tiny and has no tv, which sucks. Not to mention the fact that women take FOREVER on cardio machines. I like to take my time too, but really if you put some incline on that baby and walk more than 3.5 (which is Grandma pace) you do not need to walk on there for an hour. Men get it done. They turn up the speed really fast, run like a flailing maniac for 20 minutes and then they're done.
For all these reasons I headed over to the men's gym. I saw that there was no one in the pool and got excited that I could finally swim some laps without any (damn kids) lovely little darlings getting in my way. The pool is manned by two dudes..presumably "lifeguards" though I wouldn't really trust them to guard my life. I sign in and ask the dude where the women's change room is. He looks at me sort of confused and points to the single change room that has a guy in it. Now, I really don't give a flying flock of geese if it's a co-ed change room, but it is so weird that in a country where they separate eating areas for men and women in restaurants..they would have a co-ed change room. Frankly, I think they just cheaped out. Anyways, I change and then try to get my hair into a friggin bathing cap, which they insist on. Let me just tell you, if you have never used a bathing cap, they suck. They squeeze your head and there's no possible way you can ever fit all your hair in one of those bad boys.
So I get my loser cap on and go out to the pool. The two dudes are there sitting and staring at the pool. As I take my towel off to get in, they stop their conversation and STARE at me. They continue to stare as I do laps (and this is not a big pool so this is REALLY awkward!) and at this point, I wish I knew Arabic because I know enough to know they keep saying "girl". I decide to not let them scare me off and keep doing my laps. They yell off the roof of the building (where the pool is) to someone and two minutes later, THREE MORE DUDES come up to the pool and sit on the deck and watch me. Frig. None of this is flattering, just annoying. Especially because I know I look a mess in this lame-ass bathing cap. I finish my laps and get out and again, silence breaks as I walk across the deck to get my towel. As I leave the three extra dudes got up and left. I guess the show was over.
I changed and went to the men's gym (which luckily was empty). I start doing my sit ups and on the way up I see the "lifeguard" just creepishly standing there in the gym. He starts putting on the loudest, most irritating music possible on and turning it up and down and changing it, looking for my reaction each time. He eventually makes himself comfortable sitting backwards on the bike so he can stare at me. Like seriously-not going to drown in the gym! Eff off. Usually in this situation I would say "WHAT?!?" but I know he was just looking for a reason to be able to talk to me so I refused his stares. Eventually I guess I started to look less attractive whilst sweating or he got bored and he wandered away. I finished my workout and left. Neither of the creepy staring dudes ever said a word to me while there. I went down the staircase and was walking to my building entrance when I heard "HEY!!" I looked up toward the pool just to see one of the creepers duck out of the way. Seriously.
For all these reasons I headed over to the men's gym. I saw that there was no one in the pool and got excited that I could finally swim some laps without any (damn kids) lovely little darlings getting in my way. The pool is manned by two dudes..presumably "lifeguards" though I wouldn't really trust them to guard my life. I sign in and ask the dude where the women's change room is. He looks at me sort of confused and points to the single change room that has a guy in it. Now, I really don't give a flying flock of geese if it's a co-ed change room, but it is so weird that in a country where they separate eating areas for men and women in restaurants..they would have a co-ed change room. Frankly, I think they just cheaped out. Anyways, I change and then try to get my hair into a friggin bathing cap, which they insist on. Let me just tell you, if you have never used a bathing cap, they suck. They squeeze your head and there's no possible way you can ever fit all your hair in one of those bad boys.
So I get my loser cap on and go out to the pool. The two dudes are there sitting and staring at the pool. As I take my towel off to get in, they stop their conversation and STARE at me. They continue to stare as I do laps (and this is not a big pool so this is REALLY awkward!) and at this point, I wish I knew Arabic because I know enough to know they keep saying "girl". I decide to not let them scare me off and keep doing my laps. They yell off the roof of the building (where the pool is) to someone and two minutes later, THREE MORE DUDES come up to the pool and sit on the deck and watch me. Frig. None of this is flattering, just annoying. Especially because I know I look a mess in this lame-ass bathing cap. I finish my laps and get out and again, silence breaks as I walk across the deck to get my towel. As I leave the three extra dudes got up and left. I guess the show was over.
I changed and went to the men's gym (which luckily was empty). I start doing my sit ups and on the way up I see the "lifeguard" just creepishly standing there in the gym. He starts putting on the loudest, most irritating music possible on and turning it up and down and changing it, looking for my reaction each time. He eventually makes himself comfortable sitting backwards on the bike so he can stare at me. Like seriously-not going to drown in the gym! Eff off. Usually in this situation I would say "WHAT?!?" but I know he was just looking for a reason to be able to talk to me so I refused his stares. Eventually I guess I started to look less attractive whilst sweating or he got bored and he wandered away. I finished my workout and left. Neither of the creepy staring dudes ever said a word to me while there. I went down the staircase and was walking to my building entrance when I heard "HEY!!" I looked up toward the pool just to see one of the creepers duck out of the way. Seriously.
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