So the other day Reese and I were in a taxi going over to Shelley's house and this SUV pulls up next to us at a red light. There is a well dressed Arab man sitting in the passenger seat and he has a driver. He smiles over at our cab and then makes gestures for me to roll down the window. Thinking that perhaps he wants directions from the taxi driver(sidenote: people do that ALL the time here!!!!) I roll down my window. He proceeds to wave and coo at Reese, big smile on his face. I'm looking at him, then back to Reese(who was blowing kisses by the way!) then back at him thinking.....what the hell is going on!?!?! Then he gets a call on his cell phone and I LITERALLY got the "you're dismissed" hand gesture which I'm thinking meant....." I'm done with you and your adorable child...you can roll up the window now"
WOW.
Now I know some of you would freak out if some strange man started doing that to your child BUT.......let me explain. Here in the UAE they seem to ADORE children, so the Emirate men are always waving at Reese, its just what they do. To be fair, Italy was exactly the same. People were always patting Reese's head or trying to give her treats. Could be because she's the rare blondie in a sea of dark haired people!! It really did take a while to get used to though.
AND...back home I would be irate about the hand dismissal, but here its par for the course!!! I'm a second class citizen here, actually I might actually be a third class citizen and a woman to boot. So I just smile and bite my tongue, REALLY, REALLY HARD. ( those of you that know me well should know JUST how hard it is for me to do that!!!!!)
WOW.
Now I know some of you would freak out if some strange man started doing that to your child BUT.......let me explain. Here in the UAE they seem to ADORE children, so the Emirate men are always waving at Reese, its just what they do. To be fair, Italy was exactly the same. People were always patting Reese's head or trying to give her treats. Could be because she's the rare blondie in a sea of dark haired people!! It really did take a while to get used to though.
AND...back home I would be irate about the hand dismissal, but here its par for the course!!! I'm a second class citizen here, actually I might actually be a third class citizen and a woman to boot. So I just smile and bite my tongue, REALLY, REALLY HARD. ( those of you that know me well should know JUST how hard it is for me to do that!!!!!)
Welcome to the East - a different world.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were going to say he wanted to give you his phone number!! I have read about how it is common in some Middle Eastern countries to use that as their way of hitting on women- the "drive-by pick-up"!!
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