Stop comparing things to your home country
To the authors of the two letters ‘Modern-day slavery is making me mad’ and ‘Switch off, chill out and let us shop in peace’.
The one thing they both did was compare this country to their home country. You are not in your home town, you are in a different country with different cultures, rules and lifestyle. Everyone should keep that in mind.
A different culture requires a different kind of interaction etc.
-
For example, the recent news about a dress code implies that you should not compare what is acceptable in your country with what is acceptable here. Similarly, when it comes to maids or other service personnel in this country, you are not dealing with people from your own country.
I’m always fair to maids and other low-paid workers, but I have never dreamed to interact with them as I would in my home country.
If you want to hire a full-time maid in Dubai, be ready to pay about Dhs 20,000 for the agency, air tickets, immigration and other expenses. The salary (1,500) you are paying her is her net income (she does not have to pay for her accommodation or food) and is higher than, for instance, than what a security guard or a waiter gets here.
A day off is a must, but it can be seen as something indecent for people from this region since a woman must not leave the house and walk around the city on her own. Another important issue is that you cannot talk to service people the way you would in your country. Most maids have come from countries where relations are not ‘employer-employee, but ‘master-slave’.
It is very sad, but most maids won’t take you seriously and won’t appreciate your kindness if you take a very friendly approach. Your friendliness and openness will be seen as your weakness. I always behave and talk in a polite/ respectful manner to personnel, yet I always keep reminding myself to maintain a distance.
Rebecca
Dubai
Comments
by sh33bz
Friday, June 29 2012, 8:32PM
“I would agree with what you are saying, had Dubai held on to their culture and traditions.
But they are so focused on westernising their country, well.. that all comes with a bit of western culture too.
It isn't about 'this is not your home town' this is about 'humanity' being a maid is just another job and they are equal to all of us. And yes, actually, they get badly treated and abused by a lot of their employers. We all read reports in the papers of such and such maid jumped to her death in order to escape her abusive employers, or so and so maid had nails embedded into her skull.
I'm sick of people coming out with the 'this is not your country' line. Actually, for the people who now live and work here, yes, it IS their country.”
by ExpatEddie
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 1:56PM
“Let's throw away what we think is right or wrong purely cause we're in another country. Yay”
by Isaac Murage
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 1:52AM
“I think Rebecca you are being economical with the truth, reading through your letter you come out as someone who is very arrogant and snobbish, forgive me if am wrong. And that excuse that women can't walk alone? Just lie in George Orwell' book "Animal Farm" all animals are equal but some are equal than others and precisely what Rebecca has emphasized!”
by LeMadam
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 3:14PM
“I am the author of 'Modern-day slavery is making me mad'...I don't know why no one is reading letters correctly. I never compared our countries. I just mentioned that people should be happy that they can get benefits here they can never get in their own country (as like in my case) and that's why they should be happy, give respect and treat this low salary people well and always in the same way, we want to be treated as well.
There is a good saying in my country 'NO ONE is carried to the restroom. We all have to walk, if poor or rich, we all do the same business over there, so where is the need to treat some people better than others?'”
by djoanes1
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 2:57PM
“What a lot of nonsense. To suggest that it's OK to pay a low wage and treat people in a "master-slave" style just because it is done by others is ridiculous. I agree that comparing things to your home country is not necessarily a productive exercise but just because other people treat their maids badly, doesn't mean you should too! We should be striving to improve employee standards here, not allow them to stagnate at their current pitiful level.”
by FatBhoyTim
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:58AM
“Whilst I'd say that no-one deserves to be taken for granted and paid poorly because it's the norm. However, having seen myself and my family taken advantage of in several different countries, I grudgingly agree with most of the rest.”
by Gavtek
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:28AM
“In my home country you'd be considered an awful human being. If, as you say, people from this region think it's indecent for a woman to be able to leave the house and go for a walk on her own, then it's those people who need to adapt to the 21st century.”