"What's basically happening is that my old employer (AMG - Arab Media Group) is claiming against me that I absconded from my post with them, despite the fact that I have a signed letter of termination by them.
They have reported this to the expat sponsorship people called Tecom (Tee-Com) who then put me on a no-fly list. (unbeknownst to me, all the while)
At the airport, en route to Munich, they confiscated my passport, detained me and threatened to throw me in jail for being a law breaker, and being in their country illegally."
read more here: http://lagirlindubai.blogspot.com
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62 comments:
Waiting for the first comment to blame the girl for not paying the extortion money. We can also expect a comment linking this case to the US invasion of Iraq, and inadvertently justifying it....
And why should this qualify to be on this blog?
^^ Have you bothered to notice the title of this blog: UAE Community
Same thing happened to my wife. I maxed out my credit card to pay the "fine" and I'm stuck here for another year until I pay it off.
extortion money? Hardly. She has every right to appoint an attorney. An organization has filed a legal case at the appropriate authorities against her. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Plus, the fact thet "a friend" of hers, Arab American (oxymoron) "overheard" what was going on... I dont buy it.
She either settles things with her former employer, or gets a lawyer to get to the bottom of the case. Simple.
Westerners seem to have an innate need, want, desire, and actually "get off" on bitching. It's the superiority complex, instilled in them from a very very young age, and for the last oh, 100 years or so.
Get off it. this is a DIFFERENT place and we have DIFFERENT laws. For all the talk that part of the world has for respecting DIFFERENCE, it sure doesnt apply in real life. Things arent going her way, and all of a sudden DIFFERENT is bad.
Hypocrite.
I too had an unpleasant experience with TECOM. These bastards are extortionists and nothing more. I've had a legal case against me for a little over a year. During that period, my passport has expired and so did my residence permit. Seeing that my passport, at the time, was not in my possession (was with the police), there was little I could do.
As the verdict grew closer, I started asking around to see what I can do to speed up the renewal of both my passport and permit so I can immediately leave the country and take a break. As much as I like living here, being held against my will makes me want to travel.
I had a rep from the public prosecution take my passport to my embassy, get it renewed (in my presence), then take it to TECOM for the renewal as well. The passport, at no time, was in my hands.
TECOM said that I had fines. I can't remember now, but I think they were about 8000dhs or so. I explained that this is not my fault and the police had my passport. They didn't care. I showed them a letter from the police saying that they've had my passport with them from x date till they handed it over to the public prosecution. They didn't care.
One of them, and I will NEVER forget this said to me,
"Shoof 7abibi..." (the rest was in Arabic) "you have till Wednesday to pay or you will be reported as an absconder". The representative from the public prosecution was standing right beside me!
I went back and forth and spoke with as many people as I could.. at TECOM, at the public prosecutor, at the police.. it didn't matter. I had to pay those fines or else I am breaking the law.. because the law took my passport for OVER A YEAR over.. yes, a bogus case.
I paid the fines.
2 months later, the appeal court finally vindicated me.
So, yes, I despise TECOM and everything else around it. I despise those in control and those who think it is okay to abuse others like that.
Oh yeah, I own a business out of TECOM that employs over 25 people.
So, if these guys will do it to what they call a "Business Partner", why wouldn't they do it to a former employee of a semi-government organization?
ABIT, who gives a shit what you think anyway?
2 words
Banana Republic
and I don't mean the retail clothing outlet
If you don't like it, you can always leave.
I can't believe no one (PE) has said this yet.
I don't recall ever saying this statement Brn, at least not recently?
I agree ABIT
This kind of abuse isn't unique to the UAE. Similar thing happening in my home country Canada. See May 7 post here: http://annmariemcqueen.blogspot.com/
You are right PE, that was unfair. I apologize.
Brn,
For a lot of people, it's not that simple. There are financial obligations that keep you where you are. Others have children in schools or spouses that may not necessarily share their disdain to their choice of residence.
If I were to find someone to buy me out this second, I'm hitting the airport within 30 minutes of cashing their check, with the clothes on my back.
People who say that are obviously simpletons who don't understand the complexities involved.
DE,
I was trying (and obviously failing) to make a joke. It seems to me that any complaint any complaint about the UAE here inevitably makes someone leave a "if you don't like it, leave" comment. So since this was a complaint about someone who wanted to leave but couldn't, I thought that the usual comment would have been ironic and funny. I understand all too well the fact of having to stay to complete your financial obligations, since that is exactly what happened to me my last eight months there.
ABIT - you really love your double standards! If you'd been caught in the same situation as this woman - in a foreign country - you would've screamed blue murder. Why the hell should she have hired a lawyer to sort out something that is clearly not her responsibility? So many expats get caught by the unseen & often unheard of obscurities you call law, but they're all supposed to 'know' about them. Give me a break! The non-cancellation of an employees visa is fast becoming a common practice & no doubt about it, quite a money earner. I've been in a similar situation & the oh-so-common shrug of the Teflon coated shoulders, from those who were supposed to cancel visas is supposed to answer all questions. Accountability is an unheard of word in the UAE.
The basic rule to living in a foreign country is to always know where your stand in regards to ones status for the visa, employment etc.
If you fail to do so...then you are open to abuse and will be taken advantage of...
So IMO it was plain stupid of her to leave the country multiple times without making sure she was not breaking any rules...
Anonymous said...
ABIT - you really love your double standards! If you'd been caught in the same situation as this woman - in a foreign country - you would've screamed blue murder.
Actually, as a muslim, and UAE national in the US after sep. 11 2001, a roommate of mine was in a situation worse than this. Guess what I did for him? HIRED A LAWYER. I didnt bitch about how stupid the US was being with its rules (rules that have since vanished after GWB I might add)
Simple. Like I said, this is a purely a legal matter.
I love how the most logical and most true of my comments were NOT approved. so funny. This blog is funnier than any comedy film ever made.
So IMO it was plain stupid of her to leave the country multiple times without making sure she was not breaking any rules...
Exactly.
Stained,
I would have to agree with you, in that traveling back and forth without knowing your legal status is irresponsible.
It doesn't, however, change the fact that the way this has been handled by AMG and TECOM is less than honest or even decent.
"I love how the most logical and most true of my comments were NOT approved. so funny. This blog is funnier than any comedy film ever made."
Unless you've been abusive, all of your comments ABIT, have been published. Also, plenty of vile toward you have been rejected. Perhaps it's quite easy for you to sit back and judge when you know little of what's involved behind the curtains.
PS: If you think this blog is a comedy, thanks for all those 'jokes'
I work at AMG. even the cleaning staff know that you have to cancel your visa once you leave the job.
This is the rule here and has always been. why does this extremely intelligent person think that she can be the only exception to the rule, go home for Christmas and come back and expect nothing to happen.
It is pointless to write an outraged blog after thinking that the rules could be bent for just one person.
rosh said...
"I love how the most logical and most true of my comments were NOT approved. so funny. This blog is funnier than any comedy film ever made."
Unless you've been abusive, all of your comments ABIT, have been published. Also, plenty of vile toward you have been rejected. Perhaps it's quite easy for you to sit back and judge when you know little of what's involved behind the curtains.
PS: If you think this blog is a comedy, thanks for all those 'jokes'
I said a bad comedy. And no, I didnt write anything that wasnt 1. true, b. reality, or 3. personally abusive to a single member on here.
And Im not sitting back, actually leaning forward right now. And once again, VILE comments should be deleted, but I have not been vile to anyone in a very very long time.
Thanks for taking such interest in this.
To the other ex-TECOM employee: Thank you for backin me up on the irresponsibility of these companies.
As far as I'm concerned, YES the law is the law. Nobody, including myself, ever asked for "special exceptions" just because we're Westerners.
What I'm soooo pissed off about is that NOBODY from either entities - AMG or Tecom, tried to reach me in lieu of the termination.
In fact, the HR person at AMG TOLD ME TO GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!! He told me that he would do this kind, generous thing for me by extending my visa. I took it at face value and believed him. My mistake for trusting him.
In other words, if you don't get it (I'm talking to the person calling me arrogant to go in and out of the country on their visa) I GOT LIED TO.
He told me he would extend this courtesy to me and behind my back, he reported me as an absconder! How is that fair? How is that civil?
I was RECRUITED by AMG to come here. I didn't just come here on vacation and decide I wanted to stick around.
In any other normal place in the world, when a large organization like AMG/Tecom INVITE YOU into their country to work for them, it stands to reason that they would also escort you out when the time comes. They initiated my visa, they should have ended my visa. Simple.
Instead, I get lied to. Get the runaround. And get lied to AGAIN by Tecom and this ghost employee who won't show me his face!
I've lived and worked in 3rd world island nations that are more clear about policy and procedures than these guys!
Fine, silly of me to think that everything on a visa is done electronically, seeing as I can order a pizza from my Blackberry without ever talking to a live person.
Again, how is a first-time Dubai visitor/resident to know that a visa cancellation comes in the form of a Sharpie written over my old visa saying 'canceled'?
Sorry, I'm not some sophisticated world traveler. I've never lived outside the US before. I've never had to deal with visa issues.
I didn't know I HAD TO WORRY about that sort of thing because - THAT'S WHAT HR PEOPLE ARE THERE FOR!!! THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PAID TO DO. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PAID TO KNOW!
Does this make any sense?
Why would I assume any of these official document roles? I'm just a civilian. Nobody ever told me that I should follow up on 1) when someone doesn't complete their job duties of canceling my visa and 2) after a mysterious Tecom official TELLS ME that charges have been dropped and that everything was fine on visa now.
Stupid of me. I should have known I'd have to pick up yet another person's slack.
I can see that I will have to pay (monetarily and emotionally) for the lack of accountability that seems to be the norm.
To the person that seems to have such disdain for Westerners, calling us elitists, in not so many words, saying that we're bred this way and the comment about "Arab American" being an oxymoron:
It sounds like you're muddling the lines of race for a Westerner. FYI - not all Westerners are White. Far be it from especially me, to ask for special privileges. In fact, it seems to be the other way around in these parts.
Surprise! I'm American born and raised but my skin is far from White. I'm the 1st American-soil born person in my family - who immigrated from a communist 3rd world nation. So PLEASE do not write about me as if I'm some arrogant A-hole who expects laws to be bent for me, implying that White people do this.
I simply asked for fair and just treatment. To tack these ridiculous, huge fines on me for some bogus charges that could have easily been averted by one phone call or one email or one VOICE MAIL that I have set up is simply unfair.
And YES ARAB-AMERICAN. NOT an oxymoron. Tell that to President Obama: African-American. Or Lucy Lui: Asian-American. Or Edward James Olmos: Mexican-American. So yes, my friend can be and IS an Arab-American, whether you like it or not.
And DUH - she didn't "happen" to be listening. I obviously brought her with me deliberately - to speak and LISTEN in Arabic.
There may be no salary tax here but shakedowns like this make up for them.
You can "listen" in Arabic? lol.
Your WHOLE issue is with the company that hired you. It isnt the governments fault THEY didnt tell you, that THEY told you to go home for xmas, and that THEY filed a case against you.
You are 100% right, your HR people (well, EX HR people in this case) are to blame, and your company in general.
But THAT isnt my govt's fault or issue. What the govt sees is a breach in the law, and one side (the other being you) filing a legal case.
Thats it. Your last outburst CONFIRMS this. You bitched about YOUR HR this and that.
So once again, get yourself a lawyer. An entity has filed a LEGAL case against you. GET A LAWYER OR PAY THE FINES.
as for this:
And YES ARAB-AMERICAN. NOT an oxymoron. Tell that to President Obama: African-American. Or Lucy Lui: Asian-American. Or Edward James Olmos: Mexican-American. So yes, my friend can be and IS an Arab-American, whether you like it or not.
It is. because technically, being Arab is a linguistic designation. A person who's 1st language is Arabic. An Anything-American's 1st language (should be) English.
So technically, he cant be Arab American. A person fitting that description in Arabic is an "A3jami"
Your Arabic lesson for the day. Thats if I wanted to be technical.
As for you not being white. I never assumed you were. I assumed exactly as much as you gave, that you are American. You being Afghani American, Asian American, or Parrot American isnt my concern. You chose a western country and citizenship to be yours, and that is what I referred to you as. A Westerner.
There may be no salary tax here but shakedowns like this make up for them.
Why is the UAE designed to be a giant trap at so many levels?
In response to:
"You can "listen" in Arabic? lol.
Your WHOLE issue is with the company that hired you. It isnt the governments fault THEY didnt tell you, that THEY told you to go home for xmas, and that THEY filed a case against you.
You are 100% right, your HR people (well, EX HR people in this case) are to blame, and your company in general.
But THAT isnt my govt's fault or issue. What the govt sees is a breach in the law, and one side (the other being you) filing a legal case.
Thats it. Your last outburst CONFIRMS this. You bitched about YOUR HR this and that.
So once again, get yourself a lawyer. An entity has filed a LEGAL case against you. GET A LAWYER OR PAY THE FINES.
as for this:
And YES ARAB-AMERICAN. NOT an oxymoron. Tell that to President Obama: African-American. Or Lucy Lui: Asian-American. Or Edward James Olmos: Mexican-American. So yes, my friend can be and IS an Arab-American, whether you like it or not.
It is. because technically, being Arab is a linguistic designation. A person who's 1st language is Arabic. An Anything-American's 1st language (should be) English.
So technically, he cant be Arab American. A person fitting that description in Arabic is an "A3jami"
Your Arabic lesson for the day. Thats if I wanted to be technical.
As for you not being white. I never assumed you were. I assumed exactly as much as you gave, that you are American. You being Afghani American, Asian American, or Parrot American isnt my concern. You chose a western country and citizenship to be yours, and that is what I referred to you as. A Westerner."
______________________________________
Sir/Madam,
The reason I keep referring to 'they' and perhaps implying that my ex-employer as a government entity is because THEY ARE. They are a govt owned business.
This whole problem would have never occurred or played out in such a manner had they been privately owned by anyone else, be they a Lebanese, Chinese, or UK or whatever.
The sheer fact is that AMG is a government held entity with direct ties to be able to pull strings in their favor. These guys are used to being the big fish in an ever-growing small pond.
And I agree that this is now a full-blown legal matter. It has come to this. After contacting the US Consulate, I was put in touch w/ a labor attorney who is walking me through each issue:
1)Getting my passport back into my hands.
2)Absolving me of any criminal wrong-doing or misconduct
3)Getting my end service rights/gratuities
And for being a Westerner, specifically American, is that I was born there. I was born in America, therefore American. There was no "choice" - as you put it, to be made.
I appreciate your trying to "enlighten" me as to what Arabs call other Arabs who identify as Westerners but in terms of vernacular - you are X-American. The X representing your ethnic identity, the latter, obviously representing your citizenship status.
So where I come from, you can be whatever, or whomever you want. It's your prerogative. At that, I'll leave you be to YOUR prerogative.
At the end of the day, this "bitching" pitch is about responsible parties trying to point fingers and place blame. Scapegoating, rather than simply correcting what may have been just a clerical error gone out of control.
As one person put it: "Accountability is a foreign idea in Dubai."
This whole problem would have never occurred or played out in such a manner had they been privately owned by anyone else, be they a Lebanese, Chinese, or UK or whatever.
Then move to those places.
There was no "choice" - as you put it, to be made.
There was. Your parents CHOSE to move there, or were they forced?
I appreciate your trying to "enlighten" me as to what Arabs call other Arabs who identify as Westerners
Obviously you arent too good with the comprehension. I never said I was telling you wahat Arabs call other neo arabs. I told you that the "experience" of being Arab is a linguistic one. Not an ethnic one, not a citizen based one. Much different from being... Jewish for exacmple, or Russian, or Irish.
You are Arab if your 1st language is Arabic. No more, no less.
So where I come from, you can be whatever, or whomever you want.
They still feed this lie to kids back there? lol. No my dear, you can be whatever your education and money can make you. That is true in the US, UAE< and anywhere else.
As one person put it: "Accountability is a foreign idea in Dubai."
Funny you say that as, the way you have told your story, BOTH parties hold YOU accountable for YOUR own ignorance an mistakes.
Weird how you are expected to take responsibility for your own actions. So very weird.
Is it really surprising? Reports in the NY Times, Independent, CS Monitor, Human Rights Watch, Australian news, Irish media, US state dept site, Canadian govt site, even the quietly placed human rights report on the US embassy website in the UAE highlight the multitude of dangerous sandtraps.
If it were me, and thank God not, I'd pay the extortion money and get out while I still could. Internationally speaking, this place is off the charts.
The Dubai PR game ain't working anymore...
part of the reason why i preffer to stay on my mom's visa as long as i can. i don't trust any company here as far as visas and passports go.
i'm not sure where it is exactly, but i do know that companies CANNOT hold on to a person's passport without a legitimate reason (such as visas, paperwork etc), yet many companies still 'hold' their employees' passports. (this second bit has nothing to do with this post but just another thing i'm uncomfortable with in these parts).
Again Sir/Madam,
Reg. my parents moving to the US in the 70's - you accept the offer of ANY country that was going to keep you from getting killed in a civil war. ANY PLACE that would accept refugees. In my opinion - fortunate that it was the US.
Arabic as a first language alone, cannot be the basis on whether YOU (not everyone else) judges if someone is Arab-American. For example, just because English is my first language doesn't mean it makes me White because English is spoken in England. As a matter of fact, I PERSONALLY KNOW people back home who are not ethnically Arab but learned Arabic in the household because they lived in Arabic speaking communities as children, thereby in childhood, speaking Arabic better than they could whatever their parent's native tongue was.
Just my opinion that language alone is not the litmus test of someone's background or ethnicity.
But the worse thing you could say is to tell people to leave "your" country. When you said "go to those countries then" - you are no better than the people who voted for President Bush 8.5 years ago.
That is a very short-sighted thing to say when we all know that the only way this world is going to continue is that we work our ways around the naive "solutions" such as "get out of here then if you don't like it."
The US would not be what it is without immigrants.
The UAE would not be what it is or even reach it's potential without immigrants.
As for the accountability part - I never denied doing any of the things I did, did I?
Nope. In fact - oh, low and behold - I WROTE ABOUT THEM BLATANTLY ON A BLOG FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE. If that ain't accountability, I don't know what is.
I was simply echoing what someone said earlier.
I never said once that the UAE itself did anything to me prior to my passport being confiscated. All I said and have EVER said is that I feel mistreated by a large company here and they let me fall through the cracks and me being a stupid, trusting person - I didn't know I fell.
Besides, I have light at the end of this tunnel.
this is a DIFFERENT place and we have DIFFERENT laws"...ABIT...you simply couldn't have phrased it better. So different...so very, very, different.
As an Asian Indian with brown (it's a colour) skin, I must say I agree with some of the commenters here.
I agree with DE when he says that if someone could bail him out he'd hit the airport in 30 minutes. As for me, and I've been here 20 years, my huge financial commitments ensure me and my family are going to be around for a while yet. I don't like it, but I can't leave. Correction: I HATE it, but I can't leave.
Also: just my two cents...Asian-American, African-American, Mexican-American, etc., to my mind are tags referring to the ethnic origin of American citizens. Why would Arab-American refer to a first-language and not to ethnic origin? That is to say, if John Sununu or James Zogby do not speak Arabic as a first language (or indeed do not speak Arabic at all) would that mean they are not Arab-Americans?
Finally: I truly admire countries that take an interest in their citizens who are abroad and do whatever possible to help them out. Citizens of such countries are to be envied, if nothing else.
Just my opinion that language alone is not the litmus test of someone's background or ethnicity.
See, once again with the assumptions and poor comprehension.
I never said that language defined your ethnicity. No. What I'm saying is the word ARAB isnt an ethnicity. Many western sources falsely claim that. Some are smart enough to know better.
It might be alien to you, but to be ARAB isnt an ethnicity. It is a linguistic designation.
You can be of persian ethnicity, but because your mother tongue is Arabic (for whatever reason) you are then an Arab. I myself fall into this category. My family is ethnically persian, but because my family has been in the Arab peninsula for 120+ years, our 1st language is Arabic... The newest generation doesnt even speak Persian (farsi) anymore. We are therefore Arabs.
You can be of African ethnicity (like some parts of the Zaabi or Suwaidi families here) and because your 1st language is Arabic... YOU ARE AN ARAB.
If you came from say, Syria, and are now in the US, and your children, born there, who's 1st language is English, and call themselves ARAB - AMERICAN, it is by definition WRONG.
Syrian's are ARAB by language. Al 3arab al musta3raba they are called. They are ethnically Assyrian, or ber ber, or kurds, or turkish... or even (and I will get alot of crap for this) part Jewish.
VERY VERY few people are actually ETHNICALLY Arab. Those who are, are called al 3arab al 3ariba. Mostly found in parts of Yemen and the KSA. And truthfully, I have not met one in my 27 years.
So no, being Arab-American is 99.999% impossible technically. and to be Arab isnt an ethnic designation, it's a linguistic one.
Can I just point out the delicious, delicious spectacle of a person who constantly lectures outsiders that they have no rights to decide anything in his country but feels free to tell us Americans what they can and cannot call themselves.
Irony? Your soaking in it.
I have no problem with any country's laws or practical applications. I do have a problem when these laws are misrepresented in a huge, multi-faceted public relations campaign.
In Europe, I went down the street to the local travel agent. She even had no knowledge at all about any of these laws. Now she has web links--and they will be forwarded and forwarded...
We all know not to try to go on holiday to KSA. And everyone knows about North Africa. But the UAE has been marketed as a beautiful, new Western-oriented holiday destination.
And now the flights are being heavily discounted ...
Brn said...
Can I just point out the delicious, delicious spectacle of a person who constantly lectures outsiders that they have no rights to decide anything in his country but feels free to tell us Americans what they can and cannot call themselves.
Irony? Your soaking in it.
Sir, these are not MY views. This is reality.
I'm sorry if REALITY clashes with your bottled up lala land that you have MADE up.
I'm not telling you that you cant make an ass of yourself and call yourself something that is FALSE. You can, and make a fool of yourself.
OR, you can be right, and not make that mistake.
To be "ARAB" IS NOT AN ETHNICITY. Last time Im going to say that, because seriously, a hamster comprehends after the 3rd time.
Western-oriented holiday destination
Thats where you are wrong. the UAE has ALWAYS been marketed as a holiday destination. Not a western-oriented one. infact, most "guides" always include the line "Remember, it is a muslim country..."
That being said, what does this have to do with this case, where someone broke the LAW?
wow, amazing lectures on ethnicities and races.
I wonder how can I find if I'm An Arab or Arabized ?? O_o
Arabized ( or Mosta3reb) doesn't mean that the person wasn't an Arab and somehow became an Arab. it's a very OLD term that can't be used now. the prophet Mohammad (pbuh) fall into the Arabized category, the prophet is an Arabized!, but the prophet is an Arab!. if that makes any sense ..LOL
the term Arabized doesn't mean that u are not Arab ethnically, no. I don't wanna pretend that I know what it exactly means, but I think it's not approperiate to use the term in the present, it's an old term that used to describe lineages of (ancient) Arabs like the prophets, it's an old classification, it's complicated, and it can't be used now to classify Arab.
I'm talking according to course I took at college about this stuff. I didn't make up any thing.
and sorry for being off the main topic.
You can be of African ethnicity (like some parts of the Zaabi or Suwaidi families here)
...................
looooooooooooool, I have 2 freinds one Zaabi and the other is Suwaidi, I'm gonna question them about their African lineages. I hope I'm not gonna be smacked.hhhhhhhhhhh
It might be alien to you, but to be ARAB isnt an ethnicity. It is a linguistic designation.
.............
that's true, "whoever speaks Arabic is an Arab", the prophet said.
speak arabic = speak it in pronunciation, articulation and intonation :)
if your lang. is an Arab OR you're a child of arab, then you're an ARAB. that's all. the arabized guy is lost now.lol
anyway, who cares ? -__-!
AA rose, you had better get back into the kitchen making some lard-full breakfast for men to make them even more lazy and fat than they already are, thereby further stopping any brain development and from the additional fatness, decreasing any smack impact.
Brn, if you don't like it, leave it.
From a former if you don't like it leave it brigade fashionista who doesn't cover in black with diamante decoration because that would be hypocritical, and holding hands with a man outsise marriage lands you in an undesirable prison.
Proud Emirati, so u mean not all Za'abies and Suwaidies are of African origins, only those who used to be slaves for those famileis, good, this one is even more reasonable than the first one.
I remember also a Hadith that says that an Arab is anyone who speak with Arabic tongue and not necessarily an Arab by ethnicity.
...........
yeah, "whoever speaks Arabic is an Arab", the prophet said.
and about the Arabaized guy, I need to refer to my prophessor for right definition about him, at least he's not gonna make up stories.
I*maginate, sweetie, I don't even know how to boil an egg, so If you would like to give me some classes in cooking, just lemme know, I would be so thankful for you :)
ABIT: "That being said, what does this have to do with this case, where someone broke the LAW?"lol. Go read the blog again and you'll notice someone from tecom read this blog/that blog post and the comments, and has removed all of her fines and given her her passport back.
ABIT:
A) I didn't call myself anything
B) If you don't like what Americans call themselves, then go home.
The shoe pinches when it is on the other foot, huh?
BRN - Thanks for that. The shoe must really be pinchin' ABIT right now. LOL
My Arab-American friends all laughed about his statements. I have about 5 or 6 Arab-American friends here. One of which learned Arabic as an adult. (And before ABIT goes there, I'm not referring to the one that went with me to TECOM)
Darn, I feel like such a dumb dumb for trying to spread the word back home that "ARAB" isn't a bad word. I guess I'd better tell my old professors at USC that they were wrong.
Samuraisam - THANK YOU for reiterating that point! It got lost in this weird linguistic or vernacular disagreement!!
I HAVE INDEED BEEN 100% VINDICATED. He said I did nothing wrong. Charges were dropped. Fines completely erased.
I fell through a loophole in the system and nobody wanted to own up to it - in the TECOM guy's opinion. Fine by me. I just pray that other people don't have this happen to them too. So if nothing else, I hope this blog link has brought it to people's attention.
ABIT - You're so hell bent on calling me a criminal of some sort? You're the one that kept wanting to refer to the facts?
Well, when the opinions you had of my FACTS no longer work in your favor, now you can only argue vernacular? Take this as fact - I HAVE BEEN ABSOLVED of any wrong-doing. ABSOLVED. Fact.
If you want to further discuss vernacular in the US, here or whatever: Arab-Americans, Arabized, etc... I'll just start a new blog about that because I have Arab or Arab speaking or some fair-skinned non-Caucasian friends that want to chime in.
OH YEAH - ONE MORE THING ABOUT BREAKING THE LAW:
For Americans - It specifically says on page 5 or 6 on our passports (not in these exact words, I'm just paraphrasing):
THIS PASSPORT IS PROPERTY OF THE US GOVERNMENT. THE ONLY PERSON ALLOWED TO BEAR IT IS THE PERSON IN THE PHOTO. NOBODY OR NO OTHER GOVERNMENT IS ALLOWED TO TAKE IT.
So if there were any laws broken in this case, it was a major international one and the guys at the DXB airport broke it by taking the passport that the US Govt issued to me on loan.
incanderel - lol... I feel ya man! If it were only so easy.
DE & BRN - thx, seriously :)
MW, I'm just glad that you got this all cleared up.
I would hate to be there when ABIT tells my Puerto Rican friends that they aren't really Americans since English isn't their first language. Heck, many Brits claim that we Americans don't speak English either ;). So does that make us not Americans either?
Miss Whittier, happy to hear. Safe travels.
MW,
Actually is says " This passport is the property of the United States Government. Upon demand by an authorized representative of the United States Government, it must be surrendered."
So go Team Obama, helicopter in and get the Yank passports back!
I remember also a Hadith that says that an Arab is anyone who speak with Arabic tongue and not necessarily an Arab by ethnicity.
Exactly. THANK YOU. When Salman Al Farsi (who was persian by ethnicity, but had lived so long with Arabs that it was his 1st language,) asked about how ethnicities effected followers of Islam. He was told that he was an Arab ONLY because that was his 1st language.
Sam. Good for her. just proves that Americans get treated differently everywhere. Even when they break the law.
I would hate to be there when ABIT tells my Puerto Rican friends that they aren't really Americans since English isn't their first language. Heck, many Brits claim that we Americans don't speak English either ;). So does that make us not Americans either?
Is puerto rican an ethnicity? Or would they be (technically) hispanic?
You keep proving how stupid you are. I dont know if hat is an ethnicity. But the term "ARAB" is not. It is a linguestic term.
THere cant be an "Arab-American" or "Arab-Japanese"
UNLESS of course, that person's mother tongue is Arabic.
2 others tried to explain this to you and you STILL dont get it. Not the brightest person are you?
So if there were any laws broken in this case, it was a major international one and the guys at the DXB airport broke it by taking the passport that the US Govt issued to me on loan.
They should have just added you to the people that "vanish" here and end up in Makheriz prison.
I HAVE BEEN ABSOLVED of any wrong-doing. ABSOLVED. Fact.
No, you have been given special treatment as an American because thats what always happens, you, that Iranian chick, the kid in Singapore a few years ago.
When I get a radar ticket at 200 but get off, does that = not breaking a law? Nope, just = special treatment. And thats what you got.
So not only do you come here and break laws, acting as you want, but you also are above the law.
And you call our laws/justice system shady.
So does that make us not Americans either?
God you are so dense. Do you know the difference between a LANGUAGE and an ETHNICITY?
To be Persian is to have PERSIAN roots. To be ASIAn is to have ASIAN roots. To be ARAB is to SPEAK ARABIC. NOT to have ARAB ROOTS, and that does not exist.
As for not speaking English not making you American. AMERICAN is a NATIONALITY, and NOT an ETHNICITY, and as I understand it the American NATIONALITY does not come with a pre-requisite of speaking English.
If you want to further discuss vernacular in the US, here or whatever: Arab-Americans, Arabized, etc... I'll just start a new blog about that because I have Arab or Arab speaking or some fair-skinned non-Caucasian friends that want to chime in.
I already tackled this subject (using the UAE as an example) on my blog last year. PLEASE for the love of God go read it and educate yourself.
Brn said...
ABIT:
A) I didn't call myself anything
B) If you don't like what Americans call themselves, then go home.
The shoe pinches when it is on the other foot, huh?
Not at all.
1. Im already home, unlike you, who's home sucks so bad that you need to travel all the way to the UAE to make a living.
2. I can talk shit about the US till I die. It's my birthright.
God, Americans really cant handle 1. being held accountable by laws that they dont agree with, and 2. being educated on any subject, because THEY are always right.
Sad.
ABIT,
Actually what is really sad is that you don't know half of what you think you do. First off, I'm not in the UAE and haven't been for more than a year. Somehow your brilliance was unable to detect this. Also, I didn't have to travel to the UAE to make a living. I was making a fine living in the US before and after my time there.
Second, my point about Puerto Ricans (and if you were as brilliant as you believe you are, you would know that Puerto Rico is an island; hell, if you were half as brilliant as you think you you would be able to Google this stuff) is that they are American citizens by birth even though almost everyone there speaks Spanish. I was responding to the earlier claim that Americans' first language is English.
An allegedly brilliant person might possibly even realize that words might not mean exactly the same thing in two different languages.
You comments about America remind me of the proverb: The dog barks but the caravan moves on. Keep barking.
BRN - you're my hero, man! lol
So funny that if these are local Emiratis that we're debating with, why don't THEY respect their own laws, or court systems?
Sounds like these hate-spewers only agree or like their laws when it works to their favor of if they can somehow "make these Westerners pay."
God forbid a Westerner - or dare I say it, American (gasp) is vindicated by those same laws. I'm treated "so differently" because I'm American that now - they're lookin into the HR dept that apparently has so many similar claims.
Hmmm. But Noooo - It's that damn American again. I never once said that I wasn't treated better because I'm American.
IN FACT - I agree!!! (Go on, gasp some more) While I still stand by my theory that the HR dept was deliberately negligent, I agree that this was resolved faster than if I were from elsewhere.
Fine, don't blame me. Blame your system. If what your claims are true about the UAE treating certain nationalities better, take that up with your government.
Right now, you're just being a HATERRRR! Or here's another great rap cliche: Don't hate the player, hate the game.
Majid: Aurens! Can you pass for an Arab in an Arab town?
T.E. Lawrence: If one of you will lend me some dirty clothes.
Miss Whittier: It's only really ABIT thats creating an argument; for every 100 comments he leaves, sadly only about 1 is ever worthwhile so I'd just ignore him; if he can ever manage to hold a proper debate and not profess to how absolutely everything about himself is correct and absolutely 100% fact then I'd be pretty amazed.
Unfortunately there are only about 5 local bloggers/commenters so some might assume his opinions are held but a great number when they are not.
I'd really reconsider whether debating anything is worthwhile with this guy; perhaps a bit of background--he wrote once that he likes to rape 9 year old girls and has more than once made physical threats (he also enjoys calling me worthless, go on ABIT, I'm waiting...)
He's really not worth the time.
It's only really ABIT thats creating an argument; for every 100 comments he leaves, sadly only about 1 is ever worthwhile
This coming from the education-less, talent-less, worthless kid that still takes hand outs from his parents. You enjoy this because you have NO recourse. Its the TRUTH. a sad sad kid that sits in his daddy's house blogging because it makes him feel powerful cause lets face it, the real world just doesnt take him seriously.
As if YOU my friend would know any better.
Brn, if you arent in the UAE anymore, WHY are you on here? Oh its because Americans cant keep their noses out of other people's business.
I never said "American's only speak English" I said their 1st language SHOULD be English (I remember they even passed a law in AZ to force this, as a HUGE part of AZ is Spanish speaking)
Im well aware that something can mean 2 different things in different places.
A tool for example, can me something you buy at Ace hardware here, but can mean YOU where ever you are from.
But just because you are American doesnt mean you also have the power to change the whole meaning of a word that isnt yours to change and has had that meaning for 1500 years.
so some might assume his opinions are held but a great number when they are not.
Actually they are. Since you are worthless, make yourself useful, make a survey and go implement it. Do something constructive.
he wrote once that he likes to rape 9 year old girls and has more than once made physical threats
I never said I LIKE raping 9 year olds. I said I WOULD to shut that person up.
As for physical threats, I guess Im on par with the US govt. at least I offer a beating, not a bombing.
I know a filipino who speaks fluent arabic, his family (wife and kids) follows and practice islam religion and they are living in KSA for more than 20 years now (all kids born in ksa).
How come the arabs don't consider him arab but only as filipino? not that he prefers to be called arab though...
Sir, if they speak Arabic while they are at home, ie, it has replaced their original language as heir main one, than technically they are Arabs.
Why no one considers them as such is something he needs to consult with the people around him. trust me though, if he were sitting with an Arab in the KSA, and gave him proof as above, they would agree. Most do not know that being an Arab isnt an ethnic classification because 1. most dont care to know their own background, and 2. the west has done an amazing job of skewing our cultures.
On hating the US. Yes, I can. I more than anyone in the UAE can hate the US. Like I said, my birthright.
I agree that this was resolved faster than if I were from elsewhere.
Of course it was.
Second, my point about Puerto Ricans (and if you were as brilliant as you believe you are, you would know that Puerto Rico is an island; hell, if you were half as brilliant as you think you you would be able to Google this stuff) is that they are American citizens by birth even though almost everyone there speaks Spanish. I was responding to the earlier claim that Americans' first language is English.
Sir, I am far more intelligent than you are.
I know where puerto rico is. Its infested with hispanic vermin just as Arizona is. People who cant speak English, who are ill educated (if even) and who should be forced to learn English.
If I werent the ethnicity that I am I'd make a great member of the KKK.
ABIT:I suppose those windows up on the 3rd floor let you see further than anyone else. Why not cruise up and down your gold plated elevator and go treat yourself to some donuts you heffalump.
"I never said I LIKE raping 9 year olds. I said I WOULD to shut that person up."
Your clarification skills are epic ABIT.
ABIT,
As you have demonstrated several times, you know nothing about me, so you aren't qualified to judge my intelligence, much less anything else about me. Moreover, if I believed that your opinion was worth anything, I might be concerned about what you thought about me.
I come here because, after my three years living there, I love the Emirates and like to keep up with what is going on. A good bit of that is because the Emiratis that I worked and became friends with were fine, upstanding people. I am concerned about how my friends there are doing and what will happen in the future to their country. I always assumed that there were complete a**holes among the population too.
Moreover, as I pointed out when we started this whole thing, you are the one who is sticking his nose in others' business, by trying to tell Americans what they can and can't call themselves or what words mean in English. Let me just say that you seem to demonstrate the intellect and understanding that the KKK members that I have been unfortunate enough to talk to. So yeah, you would fit right in.
My last word to you is this. Talking to you reminds me of an American proverb: Never mud wrestle a pig. You get dirty and the pig likes it.
Brn you're messing with the wrong a**hole. His family are very powerful and guess what, HE KNOWS SOME SHEIKHS!
God, please please, get them all busy, they have nothing but being riveted to the screen fighting with each other for nothing.
kids
MW's site has been bumped up to ads.
Anyone know how much traffic is needed for that to happen?
Of all the crazy stuff posted on this wall I'd like to take issue with the idea that expatriates are here because they can't get jobs in their home countries. This is complete rot. We choose to live internationally for the opportunity to travel and socialize with various nationalities. Specific to Dubai, we were transferred here by my husband's company. This is also referred to as a 'posting'. We moved here from Jakarta, where we had a rich, varied social life amongst Indonesians who welcomed us and included us in their cultural events. The closest I've come to sharing an Emirati culture is putting up with the noise of roosters and goats from my next-door neighbor. Oh and when they open their window to shout for one of their housemaids, all of whom work 7 days a week. We have raised our 3 children here and no experience is all bad but it has been my least favorite after 40 years abroad. Everyone is so hostile. I don't understand where all of the underlying anger comes from but I know I am not personally responsible. I also know I can't do anything to help fix it. We have this one life to live & we should live it well.
“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Carl W. Buechner
Ads on my page. Yep - it's true. I don't know what u mean by "bumped up to" but nothing is required. Anyone can allow ads on their page.
Hey, it's a recession. Times are tough and it ain't cheap to be in Dubai.
Roosters and goats? LOL. Wow unJane! I don't see that in the slick Dubai advertising...
Miss Whittier has gone quiet now for 8 days. Given the context, this may be worrying.
Secret Dubai site is now quiet for 5-6 weeks.
Is this the new Zimbabwe?
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