Some important vocabulary

I've been here about two months. I've had the opportunity to live and observe the daily ongoings of UAE residents. The culture here is still forming, but there are some aspects unique to Dubai.

Let's start with some important vocabulary...

Local

Function: noun

Pronunciation: \lō-kəl\

Definition: Those who are Emirati citizens, coming from Emirati families, usually raised in the Emirates

Further explanation: These guys are not your average American townies. No matter what, the status of a Local is, by default, higher than that of any other resident of Dubai. Why? Probably because Emirati citizenship is so highly selective. Less than 20% of those living in the UAE are actually citizens, and unless you are a non-Emirati female married to an Emirati male or you are the child of an Emirati male, you cannot be naturalized. Benefits for Locals includes priority in the job market and free government services, including electricity.

How to spot one: Many Locals dress in traditional Gulf attire. For men, this consists of a white, brown, blue, tan, or beige robe (called "thoub" or "kandora") and a head covering folded in a specific way, characteristic to the Gulf nation they come from. Women wear a black robe over their clothing (called "'aabaya"), and some choose to cover their hair, in whole or in part, with a black head covering.

Sheikh or Sheikha

Function: noun

Pronunciation: \shēkh\

Definition: Males or females in the bloodline of an Emirati ruling family

Further explanation: There are seven Emirates, or small kingdoms, in the UAE, each ruled by a different family. These families are large, prominent and well established, particularly within their own Emirates, and those who are members are considered royalty. In most of the Arab world, a Sheikh is a religious or community leader, but in the UAE, the terms "Sheikh" (for males) or "Sheikha" (for females) is used to mean "prince" or "princess".

How to spot one: You can spot a Sheikh's car a mile away. The license plates have only one or two numbers (there's a whole class system for license plates, which I'll get into later), and their windows are completely tinted or mirror tinted so you can't see inside--oh, and of course, they drive the fanciest cars (they probably own multiple). What's cool about these guys, though, is that if you saw them walking down the street, you can't tell them apart from any other Local. Unlike the dress code elsewhere, there is no Louis Vuitton, Gucci, or Christian Dior for Gulf attire, and even if there was, I'm sure people wouldn't choose to wear them. Maybe it's a sense of pride in their heritage and their culture, or a unifying quality. Or maybe I'm reading too m

uch into it.

Cafeteria

Function: noun

Pronunciation: /ka-fə-ˈtir-ē-ə/

Definition: Shady-looking hole in the wall restaurants that actually serve the best juice cocktails and sandwiches you can imagine

Further explanation: Unlike in the States, a cafeteria in Dubai is a small, locally-owned restaurant where Locals tend to stop by for a snack or a drink. These places are best known for their (non-alcoholic) fresh-juice cocktails--which are absolu

tely delicious. A menu at a cafeteria is literally a booklet (pages upon pages) of different juice mixes--if you ask the waiter to list them off, you could be sitting there for a good 15 minutes until he's done. The reason there are so many is that a person can come in and ask for a specific cocktail, and they'll make it for you---then they'll make it official by naming it after you and slapping it on the menu. Gotta love Dubai.

Ma'amsir

Function: noun

Pronunciation: \mam-sər\

Definition: A term of recognition for both men and women being served by a Filippino immigrant

Further explanation: In Dubai, there are MANY immigrant workers. The longer you stay here, the more likely it is that you'll be learning a whole new kind of English. Ma'amsir, is one of those words. It does not matter whether you are very clearly a man or a woman, the term is always ma'amsir. I guess they just want to make sure they've got all their bases covered.

Cruise

Function: verb

Pronunciation: \krüz\

Definition: A recreational activity among UAE residents (Locals and the general Arab population)

Further explanation: Cruising can be carried out for multiple purposes. Gas is cheap, so people can for a drive for the sake of it. Driving in Dubai late at night can be really pleasant, I don't know if this is because of or despite the strict traffic laws. Now, there can be an ulterior motive to cruising. For example, I'm sitting in the passenger side minding my own business, chatting away. All of a sudden, I notice the car next to me (let's say, a Range Rover, tinted windows) has cracked its windows open, and all I see is the top of a guy's head and a pair of eyes. If he likes what he sees, or I give him some attention, the window slowly comes down a little further, and I hear a "Hi geerrrrlzz!", "How arrrre you, bootiful geerrrlzz?", or something along those lines. I'm not sure if this usually works when picking up chicks. From personal experience, I can say that it does not.

That's the lesson for today, boys and girls. Thank you for reading, ma'amsir.