It's a Big Big World

We just completed the joy of having family visit us in Abu Dhabi. First Pam's Father, Sister Maribeth, and her husband Tony came to visit. Then a little over a week later my parents came. Not only was it a great blessing to spend time with family, but we also enjoyed some much needed vacation time. Pam and the kids will likely be posting about many of the fun things we did while family was here, but I want to record my thoughts on my parent's visit so I'll always remember some key things.

I was so excited my parents made this trip. They have only flown a couple times in their lives, and have not flown in the past 15 years. Additionally, they have never been outside the United States. So needless to day, going nearly half way around the world to the Middle East to visit us was not something I thought my parents would actually do! But they did, and I really enjoyed seeing them embrace many aspects of Arabic and Indian culture. As our time drew to a close I was curious what stood out to them from their time in the Middle East. Some of the minor observations included the use of concrete and stone in construction (i.e., lack of timber), the flat roofs of homes, the near perfectly maintained roads filled with crazy drivers, all the roundabouts and confusing intersections, how much English is present in signage and how everyone seems to speak at least some English, the lack of personal space and sometimes chaos when forming queues while waiting to purchase something etc., and the amount of irrigation used to grow things in the desert and how successfully this is actually performed.

And then there are what I would consider to be cultural breakthrough observations. First - my parents were impressed with the scale and amount of construction/architecture. From the Burj Khalifa to the malls to the Dubai Marina and Abu Dhabi Corniche, oil wealth was on display and my parents were speechless (as I often am when I look at it). These austere works of men reflecting artistic talents and feats of modern engineering stand in contrast to the hyper-efficient and more utilitarian construction deployed in most major US cities. When one watches the news in the US, you get a false impression that the Middle East is backwards and incapable of such beauty and accomplishment at such a broad scale. At least if I'm being honest with myself I know I used to think that, so I assume my fellow US brethren think that way as well. In the UAE, it is not uncommon for skyscrapers to be equipped with neon or laser lights, colored facades including pink/red/silver/gold/blue/black/white, decorative roofs, and curved features. When seeing these buildings collected into a skyline or city-scape, including at night when they are often so colorfully illuminated, one cannot help but be impressed by what has been accomplished in the UAE.

Second - my parents were surprised by the lack of police and military presence. Again - I would point to the news in the US for skewing expectations. Until you experience it yourself - people have a hard time believing that we actually feel safer in the UAE than in the United States. And we feel safer because we are safer. I freely admit this safety comes at the hand of less freedom than what is experienced in the United States, and that is worth noting. But the point is that one would expect tanks and police vehicles/officers and armed guards positioned everywhere based on the news from the Middle East. However in the UAE at least, it is rare to even see a police vehicle, let alone an armed guard (In fact I'm not sure I've even seen one in the UAE). I can only recall seeing guns on the Coast Guard / Navy ships that patrol the waterways. And the most threatened I have ever been is the occasional honk and associated hand gestures one occasionally encounters in traffic. In the year we have been in the UAE I have never had someone be rude to my face or try to physically intimidate me like I have experienced multiple times in the States.

Lastly are the people who live here. My parents were impressed by all the different nationalities they met, saw, and overheard while they visited. I enjoyed their reaction as many of our international friends from church introducing themselves to my parents and I really enjoyed watching my Mother talk and barter with all the different sales people during our visit to Global Village in Dubai. I have to admit, she is much better at bartering than I am. But I don't really set a high bar. :)

And that sums up some of the key reflections that I want to remember 30 years from now, Lord permitting I live that long! I finish with some of my favorite pictures from our time together.