Scooter.....
to the east of the Rub al Khali in Oman.
I don't work in Dubai (heavens be praised) or for EK (ditto).
As TL said, this place is a lovely place to visit, live and work, great to raise the kids etc etc.
That snipe by Gnad about Arab hospitality, is, unfortunately typical of the misinformed or ignorant. It is very much part of their culture and religion to be hospitable and they take it very seriously.
They will provide food and drink for you as a guest, even if it means they go hungry...I have experienced this very thing several times. No matter how poor or rich they are, the welcome is the same.
The further you get from the major cities, the more welcoming the people become.
Gnadenburg...personally I don't care a toss whether you believe me or not, I will stand by my statement though.
I don't have to be here, I can leave if I feel like it. I enjoy the lifestyle, the culture, the people and the place.
I am not a second class citizen, the laws are exactly the same here whether you are black, white, brindle, Muslim, Christian, or Jedi Knight. It says so loud and clear in the laws, and they do actually follow this, hard as it may be for some to believe.
Whether that is the same in the UAE I cannot say, but it certainly is the case for Oman.