Shamsudine

I have been thinking about my new friend "Sham" and how we interact. Sham is the "office Boy" here at work. He comes in at 7am and is the last one to leave. I have been working late quite a bit, and I feel guilty when Sham has to lock up at 8:30 or 9 pm.
Sham is in his young twenties, and has a smile that rivals David Letterman's. He is from Bangladesh, and has come to Dubai for a better life. He wears a uniform, and if I need an envelope or bottled water Shammy is who takes care of it. I decided early on, that I would befriend Sham. His wages are about 1/5th of US Minimum wages, so I try to be generous w/out belittling...(it is tougher than you think). Last week one day I told Sham I didn't want to eat alone in the lunch room, so I ordered KFC for both of us (I was tempted to steal a piece of chicken from his snack box, but I successfully resisted :-) ) He seemed appreciative, but I can feel his pride being stretched. He has a desk in the back of the building by the bathrooms, this week I went back to just say hi, and chat with him for a couple of minutes. He shared with me that he doesn't always understand my words, but is embarrassed to ask me to repeat in front of others...I have work to do on my relationship with Sham.

This may just seem like incoherent ramblings, but Sham is actually very similar to so many others that I meet here in Dubai everyday. I have been here for 3 weeks now, and other than Bob I have ran into two different Americans. One at my hotel (here on business) and a guy from Texas that I meet in line at Taco Bell in the food court at the Dubai Mall.
So this is a country full of "foreigners" that are mostly just like me, here seeking a better financial opportunity,and I am a novelty, an American living and working in the Middle East. I am reminded daily, that I represent the USA, and I am having an impact on some hearts and souls and hopefully bettering our image more than I am damaging it.
I worked at a couple of American companies that I spent a while with where I was not welcomed with open arms. Here, I am warmly greeted as I walk around the building. and have been invited for lunch by somebody almost everyday. On my 2nd week, a couple of very nice and very cute co workers invited me to lunch, then insisted on buying as their guest. They took me to a local Lebanese restaurant, and were great company. A manager in another department took me shopping for apartments and volunteered to help if I needed in picking out furniture.
I can hear the cautionary thoughts that are running across your lips, I am being careful...

I don't know if I am a curiosity piece, and this warmth will wear off, or I have just miscalculated what the reaction would be to an American in Dubai.

Have a Great day and keep me and Sham in your thoughts,

Warmly,

John

BTW guess who bought a camera????