any significant others here who can enlighten me about life 'over there'?

[Airmann]

It is as the above poster mentioned. Moving anywhere new is a difficult and frustrating experience. Firstly you're somewhere new and you are a little vulnerable and insecure, it's only natural. But if you come with the right mindset and most importantly if you stay away from the whiners and the wingers you will be fine. Let me just clarify this last point. There is a culture here of over ignorant p individuals, with little to no appreciation of:

1. The local culture
2. The history of the region
3. The underlying reasons for peoples' behaviour
4. The wider world and what's going on in it

You see most people are here for money, only. And in addition they lead shallow lives and basically only fly and drink/party. They cannot entertain themselves or find any peace unless they are being fed by the system, I.e. night clubs, concerts, movies, consumer goods, etc. They are mostly greedy people, who want want and want more. The reality is back home they have this lifestyle but not the money and over here they have the money but not the lifestyle. Now they whine and they want everything their way, what it comes down to incredible selfishness and complete disassociation with the world and what is really going on in it. This is despite the facts that these snobs live around people who have left their homes and their families, to work for £100/month, in conditions that are as close to slavery as you will find in this day and age. Some of this stuff makes sweatshops look like holiday resorts.

Now these people are fundamentally flawed as human beings, and hence cannot and will not find peace anywhere unless their base human desires are being filled on time and all the time, just as it is at home. Talk to them about history, philosophy or geography and they dont have a clue about what youre talking about, mention the atest movies or songs and they're an encyclopedia of knowledge. Many, if not most, don't last. The ones who do are mostly of the following type:

1. Independent
2. Caring
3. Patient
4. Open minded
5. Understanding
(to put it succinctly, those who are good people)

Now you either come here with those qualities or you learn them quickly, because the selfish ones come through a revolving door and leave through it just as quickly. The reality is that they will move to the next country with exactly the same attitude and continue to whine and moan until one fine day they either die, or they wake up and realise that the problem actually lies with them.

I can tell you now, when people say: "it's what you make of it", what they really mean is: If you have good qualities and exhibit them then you'll generally gravitate toward other good people and you'll enjoy your time here, and if you come here and throw a tantrum people will being hoping for your swift departure, will not treat you well and in all likely hood you'll be on pprune talking the plae down and asking for money. Ever noticed how much talk of salaries there is on this site + country/culture bashing?

Now let me add a disclaimer here.
1. There are good people on this forum who are here for the rit reasons and are level headed people who have been successful in the region
2. I am not saying that this region doesn't have it's flaws, it does, it has many flaws, there are huge problems, but if you actually delve into the reasons you will understand quite quickly that things are not so black and white
3. There are good and bad people everywhere, so yes there are plenty of ignorant people in the middle east as well.
4. Don't let the people on this forum convince you that they are angels that have been unjustly tortured in the middle east, in reality they have plenty of issues themselves, the reality is that back hoe the system is such that their behaviour is generally accepted or catered to whereas over here it isn't.

It's a superiority complex that has been instilled in them from childhood by their society/government and one that is constantly propagated though the media and fed incessantly through sport, art etc. and if you all think that I am inferring only to individuals from the west then think again, because although this attitude is predominantly found in the west due to its recent success in the last for centuries, it is slowly spreading throughout the world and can now be found in the hearts of millions of people western and not.