It has been a while since I posted anything on this blog. The main reason for this is because I was – like the rest of the world – arrested by the dramatic revolutions erupting throughout the Middle East. We have been witnessing a significant part of the Middle East demand change on an unprecedented scale. Countless lives have been lost all in the name of the right to live in accordance to universally understood principles of human rights, personal freedom and dignity. This article is not going to be an analysis of Middle Eastern politics since January 2011. Rather, I wish to address an alarming attitude among some expats whom I continue to encounter throughout the Middle East that, despite the violent revolutions that persist to this day in the name of humanity and the desire for basic human rights.
The other day, on a social outing, someone, who happens to be from the UK, told me a “joke” which was in fact racist and distasteful. The joke harks back to outmoded “supremacist colonialist” attitudes of disdain and intolerance that are no longer relevant since the British Empire dissolved in the last century.
The Arab world is renowned for its hospitality and welcoming attitudes towards foreigners. As I’ve written before, it’s different in the Middle East, not better or worse, but different. Working in the Middle East is full of its challenges, but so is working anywhere in the world. Working life is difficult, that’s the reality. However, when living as an expat in a country that is as different as the Middle East is from other countries, it behooves us, as expats, to be respectful of the host country, its society, culture and values. Otherwise, go home because you are not only making yourself look bad you are making other expats who are respectful, tolerant and interested in the local culture and society a bad name. And the whole purpose of having an enlightening adventure abroad (i.e., to broaden your mind and make you more respectful and tolerant of others) is lost on you and will never be found.
The irony is that most of the Middle Eastern countries make expat living possible in a variety of ways so that expats can have the best of both worlds – the amenities and freedoms of the West coupled with a tax-free salary and a extraordinary working experience that in most instances make the expat even more employable when they return home. Is it too much to ask that you respect the country that is hosting you?
Another irony is that most people in the West expect immigrants to adapt to the Western way of life and learn the language. Some countries even go so far as to refuse to allow certain immigrants to dress as they like (viz. France’s intolerance of the “hijab” and “niqab” to the extent that they have criminalized it.) There are people who have been living in the Middle East for nearly thirty years who refuse to make an effort to learn the language – if I met someone who had been living in New York City, where I am from, who had lived there for thirty years but didn’t speak English, I would find this downright odd. I can only imagine what the response would be in the UK or in Continental Europe if immigrants didn’t learn the language.
Adaption is necessary and a means of survival. More importantly than that, adapting to one’s new surroundings guarantees a more interesting and enjoyable experience.
In a business context, doing business in the Middle East requires taking the time to build relationships and relationships cannot be built on a basis of intolerance, disrespect, disdain and a belief in your own cultural superiority.
As someone who has lived in the Middle East for more than seven years and who is also half Arab, I always caution people to leave the judgements and prejudices at home. I also caution people to think about who they are talking to before they speak. There is never anything funny about a racist joke.
For the record, the joke was “What’s the difference between an expat and a racist?” The punchline was: “Six months”.
I was aghast. I refrained from asking him why he stays in the GCC living an expat life when he has a choice to leave and go back home to the UK. I decided to blog about it instead.
Doing Business in the Middle East & Doing Business in the Middle East Boot Camp™ 