Soothing mistrusts we let ourselves believe in order to face a daunting world

12.09.2013

I went to a comedy night with Sarah and some of her friends. The first act made me laugh so much that I lost track of time. When the show finished, I did my thing and left.

The tube (metro, in this wilderness) closes at about 23:33 but fortunately taxis are not as expensive as in Europe (let along London). My taxi driver was from Pakistan. As I’ve already forgotten his name, I’ll call him Sanobar. He’s been working in Dubai for the last 5 years. The last time he went to his country was almost 2 years ago: he works 12h a day, 7 days a week. No Sundays, no breaks, no holidays. He’s upset when his boss asks him what he is complaining about. With an English even more broken than mine, Sanobar tells me that he got married 2 months ago, however, his wife lives back in Pakistan with his mum and sisters. She has a PhD (he doesn’t remember what on) that is not recognized in Dubai. He adds: “In my city women are forbidden to work”. All his savings go for his ladies, then. Every penny he makes is to be sent via bank to feed and maintain them. Every single penny.

We then talk about music. He likes Pashto musci and shows me the difference between Urdu and Pashto songs.

This is one of the things that shocks me more about Dubai. This sector of society is completely ignored in the emirates. We know they are there, we know nothing would work without them, we see them working from the sunrise till sunset of our eyelids. Always patent but subtly disguised, omnipresent and invisible. We choose to ignore them. Life goes on and we flutter around the shiny lights as brainless moths. Blue ants, they are called. Little blue dots moving around frantically in the far away distance, barely perceived.

A total violation of human rights.

Close your eyes.

Welcome to Dubai.

It is amazing how adaptable human beings are.

I’m surprise I don’t vomit in repulsion everyday.

Indeed, I am enjoying the city.

I like the sun

I like the juices

I 

like

the shiny lights

Brain-less-moth.