Only if we realize that talking about someone and talking with someone are two completely different things, we will be able to truly recognize and accept diversity
I am not a big fan of chasing flies away from my food at dinner, nor do worn-off chairs or floating debris in the provided water instill confidence in the quality of the place I chose for my meal. Additionally, I am not accustomed to eating with my hands, but at least a sink is standard in those places. I assume this is a Pakistani restaurant, but I can't be sure. After all, I am still not educated enough on the matter to distinguish it from an Indian locale. In Dubai, people from India and Pakistan constitute the largest groups living in this emirate, making it a place where Urdu, Hindi, or Punjabi might be more useful than Arabic. Considering the prices, their restaurants are often a top choice if you want to save money.
If you are open to something new as a European, that is. Halfway through my dinner, I realize that the milky substance I used to dip my cucumber slices in is not actually a dip but more likely a drink. The sauce that comes with the freshly baked bread contains spices I might have never tasted before and can't identify. It is filling, though, and I leave the restaurant satisfied after spending only 15 Dirham (AED), less than 4 Euros. On the streets, I try fresh pastry for one Dirham each, also most likely based on a Pakistani or Indian background.
I am in Deira, the old part of Dubai that existed long before skyscrapers in the south began to alter its image permanently. Here, there is no glamour, no Instagram-worthy background, and very few white tourists. However, that doesn't mean Deira has nothing to offer. Besides its affordability, it is a labyrinth of backstreets, shops, and markets. Every corner is bustling, and walking can actually get you to most places you want to go, unlike in the big city.
On the other hand, Deira is smelly, crowded, and not much to look at - in other words, it is the more honest part of Dubai. This is where many of the people live who built and maintain this place. They come here mostly to escape hopelessness at home and earn money to support their families back there. So I feel at ease. After all, whenever I step into a fancy hotel for yet another networking event, I often feel like an impostor. In Deira, nobody has to pretend. Everybody knows that you are just hustling to the best of your abilities.
In Germany, I never went to get a haircut or have my beard trimmed; I always did it myself. But when a haircut and a shave - and a good one at that - cost merely 20 AED combined, or 5 Euros, the decision to have it done professionally is an easy one. The feeling of an unprotected razor blade on my throat still causes me unease, but it looks neat afterward and causes me less skin irritation than I am used to. I could do without what they consider a massage, though, as I am not too fond of a man's fingers running across my face or treating my back in a way I can only call punching.
Ok, Deira is cheap. Is that it? Coming back to my dinner experience: why do I accept questionable hygienic conditions? Because I am a human just as much as the regular customers. If this environment is good enough for them, it should be good enough for me, too. Or why should I expect higher standards for myself? Because of privilege?
Stepping out of my comfort zone keeps me humble. It satisfies my curiosity, helps me learn and discover, and keeps me grounded. As a social worker, how can I assist potential clients if I don't know their reality? A butterfly cannot provide sound advice to an earthworm; it doesn't understand the soil. Reading books or attending lectures doesn't change that. And that's the essence: it is easy to talk about people, but instead we should have the humility to talk with them before we make up our minds.
A lack of education is the primary source of prejudice and ignorance. In Dubai, I appreciate the international flair. With locals comprising less than 10 percent of the population, we are almost all foreigners. We are similar, and yet not the same. Your nationality has an influence on how people view and judge you. These groups live alongside each other, not with each other. In that sense, just like any place, Dubai isn't a utopia of understanding and harmony. It would be easy to listen to those who came before me and pick up on the stereotypes, greasing the ever turning wheel of misunderstandings and prejudice. But this is not what I want. So I step into what I am told are lion dens - and most of the time find just humans there. Ultimately, when a taxi driver tells me after a ride that I was the first person to acknowledge inequality and listen to his story might be the biggest compliment I could get, showing myself I am not a hypocrite.
Riding the metro during rush hour can be a nightmare, especially for those uncomfortable with physical contact from strangers. People breathing down your neck or cutting in line trigger me, as does noisy eating or poor personal hygiene. It's easy to judge others by our standards and knowledge, as we do every day. But until we understand their backgrounds, struggles, and challenges, we should tread carefully.
Don't fear or judge what you don't know. This isn't a sustainable path forward for humanity. Beware of the bubble you live in, and don't be scared of other shapes. Talk with people, not about them. Appreciate diversity and respect the right to be different.
Granted, even despite your best efforts, it could turn out that the people you'll meet that way turn out to be assholes. If you don't try, however, you might already be one of them.
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