Carbon Footprint

by Cindy

I had a friend ask us how "green" we are here in Dubai. I thought it was a good question so here are our thoughts and observations -

First and foremost, Dubai is a desert. There is no natural flora here, at all. There are parks and they are very nice but the government has to pour 250,000,000 gallons / day on them to keep them green - most of the water is desalinated water or gray water. The water out of the tap is desalinated but doesn't taste great, I think this is the biggest market in the world for bottled water. [On that note, a 20 oz bottle of water will cost you $0.36 which is nice from a consumer perspective.] I think this is the largest carbon footprint in the world, due to all of the AC we have here. We have six months that are miserably hot and humid (it was 102 degrees with 92% humidity this week and it is only March!) so there really isn't anyone who doesn't have AC. We have cheap gas and a lot of SUVs (along with all of the high end cars).

Wilderness? Yea, it is called the desert. See Exodus.

As for recycling, it is picking up steam. We do have recycling bins around campus and a few around town. There is a big recycling plant that has recently opened so I think you will see it move in a positive direction. The place is clean, very clean, which is really nice. The downside to the cleanliness is that we have foreign workers / laborers who clean everything. It is borderline slavery but definitely indentured servitude. They also take care of the parks so the parks are immaculant and always have flowers blooming. It is a very sterile looking place and part of that is due to everything being a light color because light colors reflect heat. I do often ask myself, whose wise idea was it to build a city in the middle of a dessert but I suppose people have done it all over the world...and even in America, Las Vegas is a very popular destination!

Here are some pics from campus to give you an idea of the flowers all over the place.

Marriage Counseling - Dubai Style

by Cindy

While we have enjoyed our time over here, some things make you laugh out loud and others have us rolling our eyes. We thought we would share a newspaper clip with you - I'm sure you are not hearing about this in your press (double click to enlarge).

Movies in Dubai

by Cindy
We headed out to the movies this weekend, our first time since arriving. All in all, the experience is comparable but there were a few things that seem different:

• We picked our seats when we purchased our tickets. There is no sit where you want, you actually have assigned seats.
• In total, we paid 60 AED / $16 for a movie at 6:10 PM. All movies are about $8 / ticket.
• We have the ability to book movie tickets from our mobile phone.
• We have the ability to be a VIP member - Lay back, relax and let yourself be swept away. Our Platinum Movie Suites offer the ultimate in cinema luxury. The experience begins in a private lounge fitted with marble service counters, signature designer furniture and ambient lighting, providing the perfect backdrop for a relaxed drink or bite to eat before your movie. The VIP treatment continues when you are ushered into your suite and sink into a supple reclining chair, conveniently equipped with a side table and button for personal butler service throughout the movie. Come and treat yourself to a night out to the movies in true VIP style.
• The food is much cheaper - you can get 1 large popcorn, 1 nacho, 2 regular drinks & 1 M&M for 39 AED / $10.62.
• If you prefer, you can get tea, coffee or crepes to eat during your movie.
• I think our theater had 22 screens. All I know is that we were in screen 18 which was on the 3rd floor and there was at least a 4th floor above us. I don't know how high the place was but, as all things in Dubai, it was huge.
• They do edit the movies here. They did a good enough job that we didn't even realize we missed a nudity scene until we came home and read about it. They don't delete any of the language or anything like that, apparently just nude bodies.
• We have Arabic subtitles.

All in all it was a good experience and I am sure we will be back in the future.

Amman, Jordan

by Cindy
One of the great things about being in Dubai is that we are so much closer to things (and people) on this side of the world. This past weekend we were able to take a short three hour flight to Jordan and see a friend from our days in Lubbock, TX. Katie is a TTU grad and we have been fortunate to keep in touch since her graduation in 2004.



We were able to drive about 3 hours from Amman to see the ancient city of Petra. The buildings are carved into the walls of a canyon and it is truly breathtaking. You can easily understand why it is considered one of the seven wonders of the world.

We also saw the ruins of the Temple of Hercules in Amman. Since Jeff is a history buff, he enjoyed this part. There are a few more Roman-era sites across Jordan, and hopefully the next time that we visit can take in some of those as well.

Lost in Translation

When you move to a new place, you have to learn the language. Now I'm not talking about Arabic, I'm talking about English. Our move has forced Cindy and I to learn a few new English words. You see, the Brits got here before anyone else from the West, so people here speak the Queen's English, not the devolved, improper form that is spoken in North America. So before any of you Americans come to Dubai, here are a few words and phrases that you'll need to be aware of.

1. Toilet - none of the American euphemisms over here. 'Powder room' or 'washroom' are completely meaningless to people over here. Most folks will understand what you mean when you ask for the 'restroom' or 'bathroom', but they think it's a silly usage of the words since you would never really want to rest there, and let's be real, you're probably asking because you need to use the toilet. So let's just call it the toilet.

2. Cheers - in America, you only use this phrase when you raise a glass. It is used for that here as well. But this word is far more versatile for the Brits. Here, 'cheers' is used for 'thank you' (like when you hold a door open for someone and they say, 'Cheers."). 'Cheers' is also used when parting company (instead of 'goodbye' or 'have a nice day' or 'have a good evening' - which do still sometimes get used). You can also use 'cheers' to sign a letter or e-mail instead of 'Regards,' or 'Best'.

3. Biscuits - it means "cookies". If someone offers you 'biscuits' with your tea or coffee, expect some small cookies.

4. Timings - If you call a store or restaurant to find out when they open and close, you might be inclined to ask, "What are your hours tomorrow?" Such an expression will get you only puzzled silence and perplexed looks over here. You should ask, "What are your timings?"

5. Lift - it means "elevator". Pretty self-explanatory.

6. Car Park - Not a place for cars to get some R&R, but what Americans refer to as a 'parking garage.'

7. Trolley - Has multiple uses. It may mean a shopping cart, a baby stroller, or a furniture dolly. I think that if something has wheels, carries stuff, and you push it, it's a trolley.

8. Marks - It means 'grades'. Students ask about their 'marks' in the class. Or you 'mark' exams. They do use the term 'grades' over here, and I'm pretty sure they're interchangeable. If they're not, I'll try to update you.

9. Prawns - It means 'shrimp'. Now, I knew about prawns before I left the States, and I realize that for a marine biologist, there is a difference between a shrimp and a prawn, but there's no difference when you're eating them. All we have over here are prawns. Stir-fry prawns, grilled prawns, steak and prawns, prawns on the barbie.... Always prawns.

10. Boxing Day - December 26. So in our last blog post when we talked about 'Boxing Day' Sales, that's how the Brits refer to an after-Christmas sale. And so far, we think that Boxing Day beats DSF. In America, in Great Britain, and even in Dubai.