To not get why people hate Dubai so much?

[Cutitup]

What is there to hate?

I think it's a great place to have a holiday. Great restaurants, great service, fab shopping and spa treatments.

I do understand the problems of domestic and construction staff being exploited but this is not a problem unique to Dubai. I just don't get the vitriol, the 'it has no culture' etc.. I say get out of the bitter farm and play with the hay!

Er, did I say it was stupid to imagine myself in someone else's shoes? No.

What I said was that the workers, including British expats, who come to Dubai chose to do so because it improves their quality of life. It is just naive to think that that quality of life will suddenly be equal for everyone regardless of the skills they have and, as been repeatedly pointed out Dubai is still evolving and improvements are being made all the time but that clearly doesn't tie in with your tunnelled view of the place.

LteEve has asked, more than once, a very important question that I believe should be answered.

Those who have posted on the thread that they believe Dubai to be a wonderful place: are you white?
(or Emerati?)

heads are you reading a different thread to me.

Please lay off with the additional comments about what I do and don't think. I have said what I think.

I do not hate the concept of equality but would love to hear exactly how you think equal standards of living for all people every where would work.

I work with lots of my other halves in the UAE. 53% are Indian.

Bear, it was a simple question, asking you to put yourself in someone else's shoes for a second, and ask yourself if you, honestly, would be happy to work in a domestic capacity in Dubai. If that level of empathy is beyond you, and you cannot see beyond your own circumstances then I don't know what to say.

I'd also like to know the answer to LtEve's question.

amber just read some of my very early posts on this thread, I was saying the same thing about hypocritical principles (for all the good it has done me) long before you joined in so really don't flatter yourself by thinking everything I write is about you

You should have kept it general then and not stooped to trying to make a dig at me because I live in social housing.

I can see that domestic workers probably have a better life than they otherwise would have in their own countries and I am not naive enough to think that quality of life is similar to mine.

amber your housing status was not the main point of my comment, so stop trying to make it so. Continuing to go on about it is not contributing to the thread in any way.

They don't have a better life in Romania, otherwise they wouldn't work illegally in the UK as invisible cleaners

Theo, did you see my other post then? What do you think about it? Would you say it was possible? I don't disbelieve my friend, but I have to say the bit about black women being used for sex only (which was implied) really surprised me. I know racism exists, of course, but something that blatant in this day and age - I'd rather believe my friend was exaggerating.

They don't get social housing

Not really, this thread is boring and silly and was apparently about slavery in Dubai about Asian people people used as slaves to serve us silly old fools

Bear, why did you even mention my housing status then?

Back peddling is so pathetic.

Huh?

Let me just ask the nice man who owns Ryanair if he thinks he is above all the plebs?of course he does, he is exploiting your split principles that you hate carbon footprints but it is ok as long as it is shit.

Not nearly as pathetic as continuing to focus on one thing, i can only assume, in order to gain sympathy.

It was relevant to my comment in that i do believe it is easier to have principles which you know won't ever be tested but it was by no means the main point- that was your willingness to drop your principles as soon is they don't work for you.

You two sound nice.

The main reason that there is such vitriol spouted about Dubai is that a fair number of Brita have made the difficult decision to become an ex-pat and are making a lot of money out there and, god forbid, enjoying their life

Its jealousy and spite

There are hundreds of countries out there with worse human rights records probably including a fair few that MNetters regularly holiday in but they don't feature in threads like these because there aren't many brits living there doing well for themselves

Its that old Brits can't wait to kick down success story

I don't need or want sympathy Bear.

Your post about my housing status was out of line and showed how you view people that are in your opinion 'beneath' you. Not unsurprising given your views on Dubai domestic workers.

If being an ex-pat is so great, then why do you think it is a "difficult decision"? Companies out there pay British workers handsomely because they have to, in order to get them to relocate. Living abroad has ups and downs, pros and cons. I think everybody understands that, and it's not a question of jealousy.

Anyway, the threat isn't about relocating as an ex-pat, but about Dubai as a holiday destination. Yes, there are lots of countries where not everything is fantastic, but Dubai markets itself as a luxury holiday destination, and has invested heavily in a showcase built environment to promote its image - constructed by people subject to very punitive working conditions. This differs somewhat to other holiday destinations which have different USPs. Lots of tourists will find it hard to square luxury and indulgence with the way it relies on the migrant labour economy.

I am still surprised that no one has answered LtEve's question, and that Theadora was dismissive about it.

It's clearly not "jealousy and spite" when indeed quite a few of the MNetters who do not like the place and have said so on this thread are in actual fact well off (some, very wealthy)

Others do not wish to put themselves in a position of having extreme racism perpetrated against them for the sake of a holiday.

Dont you live in Qatar Theo? My brother spent 5 years living in Qatar, Bahrain and Dubai. He said they are all very different but he couldnt stand Dubai for many of the reasons Mumsnetters have listed. Must email him this thread.

XiCi - Erm.. I live in a tiny town where there are more billionaires per square km than anywhere else in the world. Dubai is definitely not wealthier.

It is not jealousy. I just don't want to go anywhere where the laws are against me as a woman. Ever. Simple as that.

Dubai is a bling-festooned turd as I commented above. The interesting point is "who are the flies that feed off it?".