Last year I took the van to the Sanaiyah district to get the brakes fixed. While the mechanics worked on the car, I wandered around their shop and outside. Way at the back of the the little shop was a rickety ladder/staircase that lead to what I figured had to be a very small storage area. Then one of the mechanics came up and told me that was where they lived. He also invited me to go up and take a look. I declined - to be honest, I wasn't sure that the ladder would hold me, and to I was also afraid of what I would find. I'm sure that the room would have been neat and orderly. But it would have confirmed that these three men were living in a space smaller than my kitchen.
I am continually amazed at the men who leave everything to come here to make a better life for themselves and their family. These guys do the jobs that none of the rest of us want to do. They get paid next to nothing. They face obstacles at every step of the way.
The really scary part - for every man here, there a more back home who would gladly change places. One of the reasons that I wanted to come to the UAE was to help my kids learn how good they have it as Americans. I know that it has helped me learn that lesson.
This blog began as a description of our life in Al Ain, UAE (United Arab Emirates). Brn worked at the UAE University Libraries Deanship for three years and Bss homeschooled our four children, D, B, P, and O. After returning to the the USA for five years, we are living in Abu Dhabi now.
4 comments:
In addition to that it almost appears truck drivers live out of the tractors. I remember seeing cooking gear in one of the storage boxes on a semi that was parked in Sanaiya.
Do you know where in Al ain you can drop off newspapers, batteries and glass for recycling? I'd really appreciate if you have any info on it.
And did you get my email about the book club?
The Emirates Natural History Group in Al Ain has set up recycling bins for paper and metal at the Al Ain English Speaking School grounds. They're located near the exit of the parking lot, behind some gates. If the gates are closed I think you can leave newspapers (tied up in bundles) or cans (in tied up bags) just outside the gate where the receptacles are located. You can probably check www.enhg.org for more info.
I was neighbor to a woman from the UK and she was an active member of the AANHG. She told me she was amazed at how gung-ho Americans were about recycling especially the aluminum cans.
Post a Comment