1. Took the free shuttle to Matajer shopping center tonight for the last time, not really to buy groceries (why buy groceries 24 hours before departure?), but to visit the place one last time. En route the shuttle driver, a kind Indian man, asked, "Where's Madame tonight?"
2. Got a man'oushe with soujuk (a spicy sausage that's popular in Armenia and parts of Lebanon, but is often on menus at man'oushe stands all over the region) and cheese at the bakery there. The woman at the cash register asked, "Where's Madame tonight?" Only took a couple months to become "regulars" at the closest bakery. I told her Nicole's already in the U.S. and that I'm joining her tomorrow. "Going on holiday?" she asked. I was really sad explaining to her that the U.S. is home. She was, too, and I don't think it's just because she's losing a loyal customer.
3. A gaggle of Catholic nuns was walking around the shopping center. I'm kicking myself for not introducing myself, because now I'm wondering what in the world a group of nuns was doing in Sharjah. Nuns rarely go on holiday, what with the vow of poverty, and nobody really goes on holiday here in June. There are a couple Christian churches in Sharjah, and ex-pats are free to worship as they please (the sheikh even donated a bunch of land on which to build churches for us, which was a pretty cool thing to do actually), BUT...proselytizing is very illegal.
4. Earlier, my friend Hamada and his family took me out to lunch in al qasbah neighborhood for some great Lebanese food (Shababeek restaurant) and company. A nice farewell lunch with a great new friend.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The international language of the photo-op
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince sits by roadside with ‘lost’ schoolgirl till dad comes for her
Really interesting news report. The story mostly serves as an extended caption for this picture:
The story is a features story, not a news report, and, really, is not all that different than coverage given to royal families in the West. I could totally see a story about a member of the British monarchy doing something kind to a person-on-the-street. It makes for a cute story. Fascination with the life of royals is something that exists in the "East" and the "West." And the notion and function of "the photo-op" also crosses cultural boundaries.
What is more interesting to me, though, is the tone of the article. Granted, this is from a feature story, not a front page news story, but, still, note the tone: "In another incident that shows the great humility and love that the leaders of the UAE have for their people..." The press does not necessarily have the prerogative to critique leaders here, to be sure. And there's a tradition (which is the case in most monarchies) of speaking in flowery language about royals. The story goes on to list a bunch of words of praise that various people on facebook used when they saw the picture: "Like son like father. God bless the UAE."
Actually, this reminds me of how conservative a.m. radio shows in the U.S. describe American media's descriptions of Barack Obama.
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