Typical Day in Bur Dubai

The Little People Discuss their Big Governments (USA/Pakistan)

"Hi" said the man.

"Where are you trying to go?"

"I"m trying to take the bus to Bur Dubai," I said.

"Oh, ok. It's going the other way. You have to run across the street when you see it because it's too hot to stand in the sun. We can catch it together if you like," he offered.

"Ok."

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"I"m from the USA, Washington state," I said (which I said with hesitation for my safety as always).

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"Pakistan."

"What do you do here?"

"I teach English at the college over there, and you?"

"I'm a computer programmer."

"oh."

"I hear that in the USA there aren't many jobs now. Why is that?"

"Well, it's complicated, but I think it's mainly due to globalization, the lifting of trade restrictions, and the search for cheap labor. It's cheaper for the owner of the company to find workers that they can pay less such as India, China, etc.."

"Yes."

"How is the relationship between India and Pakistan?" I asked.

"Well, I like the Indians as people, but our governments have a difficult relationship. In Pakistan we are trying to develop, and we were making some progress, but when the war started after 9/11 then progress was difficult. Now we have too much fighting. The US sometimes uses the drone strikes to fight terrorists, but they hit innocent people."

"I know. My government does things that I don't agree with."

"Back before 9/11the people said, "Provide us evidence and we will find and hang Osama", but the USA government did not accept this and came in. They would have found him and hung him."

"Hmmm. Yeah. I don't know the answer to these things."

"There's the bus. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," as we shook hands and parted ways.

Camel Photos (why do we always refer to an animal that we are about to eat as "happy"?)

Desert Sunsets Dubai

Did Osama Really Die in Pakistan

"Do you think Osama really died in Pakistan?" I asked the Pakistani taxi driver.

"He died years ago, 5 years ago," he said.

Pakistan makes terrorist then gets money to fight the terrorist. Government-corrupt! Corrupt! Rich people support the corrupt government.

Do the people in Pakistan hate Americans?

No. They don't hate Americans. Some people just like to make drama.

I like Americans, Uk, Canadians. Respectful. I come here, talk to them and learn, "Americans, Canadians, #1!"

The Arabic speakers tell me, "Why u turn, why cost this?" But I am human.

Competing Prayer Calls, Bur Dubai

When You See Fully What You Have in America

Seeing what you have to lose (freedom, equal rights) makes the American dream that much more precious in your mind and worth fighting for and fixing. The US is imploding from it’s out-of-balance greed and individualism, but what it was meant to represent: freedom, tolerance and the pursuit of ones’ dreams is worth fixing. Republicans and Democrats (and much needed alternative parties), try living in a world without true freedom and you’ll see what you have in common and that it’s worth finding common ground in order to preserve and further our country.