This your movie set and your friends and family are the public - one could even be so bold as to suggest that some of you probably would not have considered coming out here if it were not for the fact that it does give the impression of 'doing something' with your life (And it felt really cool telling everyone ....and omg facetiousbook ..)
In a sense you're absolutely right - just existing in Q8 sounds exotic to most - so kudos to you for actually making the decision and trip.
Now the fun part - there is no soundtrack, no scene editing, no fast forwarding through time and your role is somewhat limited!
Every movie has boundaries: budget/scenary/props/egos' etc
Well - out here western expats have it better than most and are respected more than most but that's a fine line if you don't conform to the concept of an above average income earner and a sense of wordly indifference.
Anything less is contemptuous to a culture that is fixated on set parameters - for life and the after life.
You will hear the common non-western expat workers rant about the 'zero heads' (That round black rope on top of the head holding down that lame cotton substitute for long hair - and if u think that's harsh, watch them always flicking it just right and fiddling with it in front of every reflective surface - kinda butch/gay in one).
And on the flipside, you will hear the middleclass non-western expats rave about the place (India is a facinating country but, like China, the constant fear of sliding back into the great morass of poverty makes any place where you earn a decent wage and don't have to worry about an unruly mob, totally corrupt officials and a wacky caste system get in the way of elevating your lot against the roulette wheel of the global economy, seem like Bollywood in your backyard.
Then we have the 'other arabs' - and here one has to tread carefully as some are NOT arabs but persian (iranian) lol
They all have one thing in common - a 'thing' about egyptians and those of 'dark' hues. It has been said that my south african background is one of racism - lol - u aint seen nothing - I know some that won't buy a bootleg DVD with any 'people of colour' in it.
The Lebanese, Syrians and 'persians' have very large communities here - and 'home' is just a quick flight away - so to them this place is liveable and very economically beneficial to them.
But - give any of them the same job and salary back home and they'd flood the airport.
S0 - u will probably never be invited to a Kuwaiti home and your lack of arabic will keep you aliented from most of the rest of the 'arabic' cultures, whilst the well off indians will totally ignore the poorer indians/bangladeshi's/pakistani's but not really make a major effort to expand outside their own groups.
The Fillipino's are facinating in the sense that they're here to make money to send home - and yet they still have a great sense of humor and a sense of pride about them - they also love name brands - I know, I have to be quick to grab the 2nd hand Oakley t-shirts for gymn from the Friday market.
Just a pity these damn locals have a hormonal and dysfunctional ethical problem with the girls.
Now here's the thing - explore and expand as much as possible BUT never forget WHY you came and that for all the time spent here it's up to you to make the most of it.
You can't really experiment out here - drugs are too riskay - but I've had kick out of bouncing around the gym running on Ignite tabs and my ipod lol.
But - Istanbul is 3 hours away and regardless of the tourist warnings, I've had some good times with the gypsies that hang around preying on .... uh .. others. They know where EVERYTHING is and no cab driver will rip you off when accompanied by one of them hehe
Choices - that's the crux to life - u just don't have many here ...
Truth be told - this place sux compared to Oman etc but is waay better than Saudi - as an adventurer i'd probably prefer living in a gated community in Yemen (emailing home about a mortar attack has gotta beat bitchin about young idiots in fast cars with an attitude so large it would take a baseball bat, a sack and at least a week to sort out).
I set my own scene / i have an ipod full of kick @ss sound (i get a kick outta listening to the soundtrack from BlackHawk Down on the bus to work lol) and I intend leaving here richer and fitter than when I arrived ...
Simple .... hold the popcorn .. and the cold beer ....
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