Censorship has created wrong impressions.

Living in Dubai has given me the opportunity to become aquainted to some degree with the local custom and feeling. For years now, I have had some very close relationships with a few people who were born and bred Emiraties. On a personal level, they are no different to other non Emiratie friends, we share the same thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams.

The most noticeable difference I would say about some, is their perception of real life here in the Emirates. Suggestion that spousal abuse, human trafficking, the prevalence of AIDS, child abuse, incest etc also occurs here, is often denied or believed to happen far less than in "The West". Others know that these things happen but pride would never allow them to admit it. The prevalence of continued censorship in the media and the world wide web contributes to the Emiraties lack of knowledge and acceptance that these things really do happen here on a regular basis.

Surely, censorship of this type is dangerous for the people. Woman are frightened to report abuse within the family, to the authorities or even to family members, due to the shame and stigma it brings on the family. Women who have been raped, rarely confide in their families as they are often considered to have brought the rape upon themselves. Reporting the crime to the Police has often resulted in the women being punished even though they were the victims, so crimes of rape are often not reported

Certainly, over the last few years the media has been allowed to open up a little and some topics which were previously banned from going to print are now included in the newspapers. However, I feel that this is only the tip of the iceberg and freedom of the press is still in it's infancy.
Freedom of the media and free access to media would help bring openness and discussion to some of these taboo subjects which presently enslave it's victims to silence and misery.

My place in Dubai

I had a bit of a problem in deciding what to call my blog, I knew that I wanted to include Dubai in the title as it is the place I call my home. But it also has another meaning as in 'my role' in Dubai'.
I first set foot here in 1990 and I well remember my very first impressions on leaving the airport.
It was in the the early hours of the morning during September, the outside temperature was above 30', so very alien to me as I came from much cooler climes. I had a feeling of excitement at the prospect of starting life in a new country with a very different culture. The airport was very different then and as I walked outside I saw guys in shalwar kameez sleeping or resting in what appeared to me to be the oddest of places like a on a raised slab of concrete or alongside some bushes. A peaceful and calming scene not at all like the airport we know today. My next sight was of local Emiraties in beautifully laundered kandoras, they appeared to be floating slightly above the ground and looked rather surreal in the full moonlight. I was enchanted by the sight and had a strong feeling that I had at last arrived in my real home.

Now 18 years later, I am still enchanted, I love the desert, I love the mountains and I love the beach and waters of the Gulf and I love the sound of the mosques. But I have a dilemma, for what is 'my place in Dubai'? After all these years I consider it to be my home, I've brought up my children here, I have a home and garden which I have also opened up to stray and injured animals over the years. My villa was a blank canvas and now adorned with my own mark and personality, my garden was a desert, now lush with with trees and shrubs which have kindly given me shade and beauty. I knew it would never belong to me but I didn't realise that it would be taken away from me and raised to the ground, that my lovingly tended garden would have to wilt and die all in the name of progress. This hasn't happened yet but it will in August 2008, for that is the date that Jebel Ali Village will be demolished. Of course, I've seen it before with The Chicago Beach Villas and100 Villas and many others. These communities had been home to many long term residents, who like me have brought up their families in real communities, who have felt part of this country, had made Dubai their home with no plans plans or wish to return to their native countries.

Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is here for money or other incentives. In my case, my husband was offered a job here which paid no more than what he was earning where we lived previously. But, we loved to travel and were already living in a different country to our country of birth. Over the years his income here was eroded by the rising cost of living, higher school fees etc with no pay pay rise, ever. It was "Dubai" that kept us here. We are no longer together and I struggle to live in this place I call my home but I shall not leave. Even though, for years, I've had to leave Dubai every 60 days to renew my visit visa (I lost my residents visa when we divorced). My children were very young when we arrived here and know no other place as home. They are now working adults but we still live together as a family.

So, what is "my place in Dubai", I cannot apply to be a citizen, I have a small private source of money, though, through personal reasons I don't have paid employment, therefore, I can't have a residents visa. In the scheme of things, I have no place in Dubai, I am a non entity, I have few rights and very shortly I will be forced to leave my home.

However, despite the situation, I cannot leave Dubai, I cannot ask my children to leave and set up home with me in a more accommodating land. I cannot leave my children. I will stay here as I strongly believe,or rather, I should say, I KNOW that something good will happen and who knows, that good thing maybe just around the corner.

I hope you will visit my blog again and share my journey, of my place, in Dubai.