say Hello

So here it is, the one year anniversary of my return to Abu Dhabi. I won't go on about missing Montreal again or you will hate my blog, but just as if to remind me of the date, I see this in today's paper.

My colleague Stanley had told me about his trip to Toronto a couple of weeks ago and how much he loved it, a conversation that again got me nostalgic and possibly prompted my "I miss Montreal" blog. But the thing I loved about Stanley's article was the way he portrayed the people of Canada, and how in such a big country, it's unlikely that you'll feel alone.

I've never been the most smiley of people with strangers, nor have I ever really struck up conversations with random people, nor was I the type to say hello in the elevator. All I could manage was a smile. That was until I moved to Montreal, and almost everybody said hello in the elevator, smiled, and of course, talked about the weather.

I'm not saying the people of the UAE are unfriendly, on the contrary, I cherish my Arab heritage and culture for its warmth. But in this society of a zillion nationalities, creepy and non-creepy people who you don't necessarily relate to, with people's problems ranging from unpayed wages to a broken nail, being friendly is not the easiest of things.

A smile can be misconstrued for flirting, and a simple 'hello' may be mistaken for a sexual advance. I hate to say it, but Abu Dhabi has made me a less friendly person, because I worry about the repercussions of my actions. If the colour of my hair seems to send the wrong message to people, I can't imagine what a "Hi, great weather today" might do.

I hate to generalise, I really do. I kind of blame the attitude here on a blend of cultures that doesn't seem to really work out. Sure, the UAE is known for its 'openess' to nationalities, but the truth is, the inequalities are enormous and I believe they lead to awkwardeness between people.

My point doesn't seem to make sense when you think of the various social classes present everywhere in the world, namely Canada, but I can wholeheartedly say that I never felt society's inequalities so strongly in Montreal. Why was I never afraid of smiling at a homeless man on the streets of downtown Montreal, but I worry about saying hello to a business man out here?

Inequality? Inbred attitudes? Blond hair? Misconception on my behalf?