Hello Dubai: Emirati Style!

Not to long ago had the opportunity to go to an Emitati house. It was a great cultural experience.

While at school, we were told that afterward, a group of teachers were heading to the house of a co-worker to celebrate her return from Hajji, the pilgrimage to Mecca Muslims' must make at least once in their lifetime.

Four of us English teachers headed over, following some other teachers up the road. The house was not far from our school, in the little desert community that surrounds it. The house (villa) was anything but little.

The villa

When we entered the beautiful hallway we were greeted by family members and ushered into a large reception room on our right. The room was elaborate... with sofas lining the walls, paintings on the walls, beautiful window treatments, and tables at every sofa loaded with fruit, dates, and treats.

We found a seat on some sofas and soon the parade of hospitality began. We were brought coffee, tea, cookies, chocolate, more coffee, more tea, cappuccino, perfume, oils, and even frankincense; which was held under our hair and clothing. We ate and chatted for a bit, but one of the teachers needed to get going so we tried to say our goodbyes.

Coffee and tea

Yum!!

Chocolate with a miniature Kaaba (cube). It is found at mecca.

The next thing we knew the beautiful wooden doors with stained glass above them across the hall opened to reveal an enormous spread of food on the floor. It was another reception room and we were ushered in there, being told we couldn't leave until we ate “lunch.”

This was an amazing cultural experience. We all sat on the floor around the food and began to eat. There was a huge platter with rice and goat (including the head). There was hummus and meat and even lobster. The women were throwing food to each other across the carpet, laughing and sharing stories in Arabic. They kept trying to feed me and Charlotte the goat (the vegetarians!)

After awhile we finished eating, brought our plates to a small table, and went to wash our hands in the beautiful bathroom. We then tried again to say our goodbyes as we were ushered back into the other room. There we sat and were once again given chocolate, coffee, tea, and more. We finally thanked the family and snuck our way out the door. We would have loved to see the rest of the house, but I don't think that would be appropriate for us to ask. Even so, it was a great experience.

I also had the opportunity to go to another wedding. It was very similar to the last one, with tons of good food, lots of music, people dancing, and watching the men outside on TV. I left early because it was a school night and I can not make it very late, so I missed the part where the men came in for the bride and danced. It still was another great cultural experience.