Friday, July 4, 2014

Why Everyone Should Visit the Middle East


Mosque on the road to the Mall of the Emirates 

No, I'm not trying to guilt you to hop on a plane and parachute into war-torn Syria to experience what life is like for the less fortunate. However, I would tell anyone before planning their next trip to London or Paris to consider visiting an area that will probably impact your life beyond your 4-5 day stay.

I have been fortunate to have travelled to friends up north (eh?), down south (thanks for ruining Taco Bell forever), the motherland (our humor is still not up to British par), that French country we love to hate (but secretly envy with every fiber of our being), and even a brief jaunt to the Swiss Alps (okay one Alp...and I'm not even sure if it was an Alp. Someone Google Mt. Pilatus for me.)

Nothing, absolutely nothing impacted my life more than venturing beyond the familiar green into the desert sands.
Desert Safari stop on the sand dunes


Why? Because as Americans we have prejudices we don't realize we have. What's even worse, as someone who professes to be a Christian, I had additional prejudices I didn't realize until walking outside into the blinding Dubai sun.

I'm not prejudice. I accept all cultures, religions, behaviors, etc 

You may say that but here in the loving embrace of the red, white, and blue it's easy to disassociate the culture from the person. We think everyone here, if not American already, wants to be a U.S. citizen, which means they are seeking something of the same values we are.

Stepping out my first day in Dubai was quite a shock to my western mindset. I mean, why would you force women to wear long black veils, let alone pants, when the heat index is 115? I found myself looking for my culture, being drawn to people who looked like me, and allowing everything else to fade into the background. It's pretty easy to do in Dubai. The western culture has pretty well saturated the coast and you can find anything from a Starbucks to an IHOP in the city.
Waterfall in the Dubai mall


But as my jet lagged body dragged through the Carrefour in the Mall of the Emirates and up to the register to check out groceries I stopped to smile at the red headed, freckled man with the name tag that read, "Mohamed."
We struggled through our language barrier (most of the barrier I claim since everyone there seems to know at least 4 languages, and I'm just chilling with my English), but he ended up telling myself and the friends I was with that he was a refuge from Syria, fleeing the destruction and constant bombings ripping up his nation. His family is still there, but he is working to send money back to them.

My heart breaks...and it's just the start.

I began opening my eyes, engaging, looking through the veils, past the culture and the religion to see the person. I heard stories. One worker from Egypt, another from Pakistan, this Indian man left home 17 years ago to provide for his family, the phone he carried his only connection back home. This Philippine woman stuck in a job, unable to leave the abusive working environment cultivated by her superior, an Emirate woman studying for her masters, her background on her computer showing her warmly embraced by the Sheik.
Egyptian musicians at the desert safari


I wouldn't tell you to go to the Middle East simply to go sight seeing. There are incredible structures, which destroy our concept of skyscrapers--but there are the men who clamored from around the world to be employed for the behemoths' construction.
Metro view of the Burj Khalifa

I wouldn't tell you to try all the delicacies of the Middle East without talking to the person behind the counter and hearing their life story.
And my final piece of advice would be to forgo the tourist traps and find a local that will unlock your explorer within by taking you up path less travelled so you can experience a world you've never seen before.
Desert mountains in Oman

I was told by one of the women I met to consider Dubai my second home.

I think I'll be back.

More stories to come.

-Ray

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