Flash back...

This story from Gulf News today not only touched me immensely, but reminded me much of my first ever experience, on my first ever night in the United Arab Emirates.

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10028570.html

When we arrived here, a home had already been prepared for us.

It was elegantly furnished from plush carpets & matching curtains, to bedroom sets and cooking utilities. And I’m not talking about the norm, either. I mean fantastic Christian Dior vases and Swarksy Crystal ornaments that finished-off each room. In addition to the furniture were countless sets of bed-spreads, linen & bath towels (all of which had been previously scented with Bakhoor). The bedrooms were filled with cosmetics and perfume for both men and women. Shampoos, deodorants, and soaps, seemed to fill all the drawers, and while lip balms and moisturizers were neatly arranged on top of each of the dressers. And of course, the bathrooms were filled with more than a months supply of just about anything you could need there.

The kitchen was filled with electric mixing, blending & chopping devices that my mom would never learn how to use; despite her many attempts. The cupboards and the fridge were full of more food than we could possibly eat in half a year; and almost all of it seemed to bear a ‘diet’ or ‘lite’ label; as if our hosts recognized we’d have to diet if we were ever going to reach the end of what seemed like a ridiculous amount of food for any five member family to have in their house at one time. I still remember having to throw away almost two full cupboards of moldy assorted breads & baked goods, just a week after we came. And I remember that beside the fridge was a stack of soft drinks as tall as my brother; and since no one in my family drinks the stuff, he certainly drank his height in sugar rich junk all by himself in less than a few months time.

Outside, our yard had been artistically designed to a host a beautiful arrangement of cactus’s and other desert plants. Which just so happened to lure an actual cow and five or six lambs into our yard for breakfast, while my family and I were just waking up. We learned to keep our gates closed that morning.

And of course, in the yard was a new Nissan Patrol, the keys of which had been given to my father.

My family was spoiled with gifts when we first arrived. My family isn’t Emirati. My family had not expected or requested such extravagant gifts. My family had never witnessed such generosity before.

Things have changed a lot since then. I’m not sure if a guest to my family’s host would receive the same treatment today as we received back then. And I’m pretty sure ‘stray’ farm animals wandering into your yard, on any given morning in modern Dubai isn’t going to happen. With all the drastic changes taking place, I hope the sheer generosity of this culture doesn’t take a huge hit. Being given something, anything rubs off on most people. And in return, my family and I found ourselves far more willing to give to others without any reason other than taking the opportunity to do something nice for someone else.

But why in the world are these fantastic displays of Arab generosity, which can be found often in any of the regional newspapers, not highlighted more often or recognized by other nations?

I’m a Canadian. I’m pretty sure that no government official, no matter how large their personal bank account, under any circumstances would even consider duplicating such an unsolicited, unexpected, over-whelming act of charity as Sheikh Mohammed just did for that family.

Now, I'm going to finish reading the paper.