Up until a few days ago, I was beginning to get concerned that I was not experiencing enough culture shock during my first 10 days of living in the UAE. After all, it isn’t just any day that a gal from the States lands herself on the Arabian Peninsula, especially post 9/11! But, this just goes to show that deep down, regardless of what country we are from or what clothing we wear, we all share a love of family, coffee (Starbucks to be specific), and the occasional trip Mickey D’s (Makudo, if you are reading this from Japan).
Thanks to globalization, Dubai boasts popular chains like Cinnabon, Universal Studios and even Claire’s accessories—ah the best of Americana! In fact, my pal David laughed at me the other night while we were at dinner because I made the comment, “Chris and I went to Le Pain Quotidien for salad yesterday. It looks like they serve an excellent breakfast!” He responded, “You know you’ve adjusted to the suburbs when you get excited about chains!” As a former New Yorker that just two weeks ago used to preach that going to Starbucks is a near sin in a town with 5 bah-jillion mom and pop café’s, I had to laugh at myself. Boy how times have changed!
But, in all seriousness, it would be a mistake to paint Dubai as a mere offshoot of corporate Americana. While on the surface this town’s glitter and glitz make it seem like any beach and business boomtown, there are subtle and not-so-subtle differences that make this city quite distinct from those I’ve been to before, as the following two experiences illustrate…
Chikka Grill
During my first week in the UAE, my evening meals were spent mainly at 5 star restaurants and hotels. I had an exquisite meal at the Park Hyatt Thai Kitchen and my meal at the Emporio Armani Café was some of the best Italian cuisine I’ve ever tasted. (Although the real memory there was sharing a bar stool with a dozen young Emirati men, dressed in traditional white gowns and baseball caps, sipping on cocktail glasses filled with fresh pink watermelon juice—sans alcohol of course. I felt utterly uncool in my black evening dress, thinking I’d look a bit more posh with a stylish scarf hung over my head.) That said, while I most certainly appreciate multi-course meals and elaborate fanfare, sometimes its nice to have a good time without any pretense. So, over the weekend, a group of us decided to spend an evening at Chikka Grill—a Filipino bar where the pork is abundant and the beverages (beer and the same horrible blue stuff they serve at Brother Jimmy’s) won’t break the bank.
Imagine a smoky bar fill with 200 Filipinos, loud live 80s and 90s covers and a thumping dance floor up front with 6 American expats putting on some of their best moves and you’ve got Chikka Grill! The absolute pinnacle of the evening was when all 205 of us broke out in chorus singing the Titanic Theme Song, “Near, far, wherever you are…” A superb evening indeed!
Why share this story? After all, this sounds like just about any evening in New York! The distinction here is that we were at a bar dancing and having a good ol’ time with the same Filipino service workers that call me “madam” at the gym, wait tables at restaurants and keep Dubai clean. Essentially, in a society that remains quite segregated by race, country of origin, class and gender, going to Chikka Grill was an act of boundary crossing. Lucky for 6 American and 200 Filipino expats on a steamy Dubai night, Chikka welcomed us and for 4 hours we were all equals, sharing our love of company, good cheer and Celine Dion! I will be back for sure!
Corporate Dubai
While my evenings thus far have been spent on the town, my first week of afternoons in Dubai have been spent researching the employment sections of local papers, taking taxis to meet head hunters and answering tons of scenario and case-based questions. In the past week I’ve had 7 interviews, a few offers and a good dose of the general anxiety that comes along with looking for the “perfect” job (if such a job exists)! But, I must admit, yesterday’s interview stood out from the rest in that it was my first interview with an Emirati multibillion dollar giant, as opposed to an Indian firm or an American company abroad.
As I stepped off the elevator and into the beautiful corporate office, I was greeted by two kind Emirati women who told me to make myself comfortable as I waited for my interviewer (I was 40 minutes early). So, I made myself at home in the lobby, sipped on water out of a wine glass and sifted through the absolutely brilliant and literary Khaleej Times. One hour later and 20 minutes into my interview, the senior manager that interviewed me (an Indian man about the age of 40) told me, “You have the right experience for this job. Clearly you know what you’re talking about. So, I will recommend that you move onto the next stage of the interview process. Bring your passport next time you come.” Then he said, “But, I have one caveat… working here will be an uphill battle for two reasons—you are not a national and you are a woman. Therefore, any analyses and recommendations you may make, will fall on deaf ears unless you have a male manager standing next to you supporting you 100%… Why would you want to work here, when you could work at a multinational and be treated as an equal?!” I paused, took a deep breath and came up with a totally PC answer. But, in my head I was wondering, “Why would I want to put myself in a situation where I am a second class citizen?” He then proceeded to tell me about what it is like to work as an Indian man in an Emirati company and what it was like for his wife to work in one (a well educated Indian lawyer that ultimately decided she’d rather stay home to raise her three year old son than fight the ranks of corporate Dubai). Not exactly an equal opportunity place! That said, due to our education we are the lucky ones here.
As I sit on my bed typing and reflecting, I am intrigued and curious… Part of me wants to try a local company out. After all, I figured out how to navigate through a Japanese owned and managed company in Osaka… Could this be that much different? The interviewer must have been exaggerating… right?! How hard could it be to win the hearts and minds of local executives, especially if I strive to do top notch work and display respect towards the local culture? The other part of me wants to take my mind and work output elsewhere—to a place where being a woman is a non-issue… The search continues. More soon!
A
PS I received a number of emails requesting photos of the UAE… I promise I will take some soon. In the mean time, click here for some amazing shots of Dubai and a dose of awe inspiring music!
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