TO ABU DHABI - Tempoplanet

26CultureTalkLET’S GO PEARL DIVING!"The pearl owes nothing to man. It isabsolutely a gift of nature on whichman cannot improve."- George Fredrick Kunz, GemologistBefore the oil boom in the Arabian Gulf, pearl divingwas an important source of income for Arabianfamilies. Many successful Emirati entrepreneurstoday can trace their familial roots to the professionof pearl diving. Using only nose pegs and ropes, localpearl divers braved great peril to collect oysters fromthe ocean floor. Fortunately, despite modern innovationslike the jet ski and power boat their legacylives on in the Emirates even today. All thanks to theEmirates Diving Association.“The EDA is a non-profit organization consisting of ahandful of volunteers sharing a common goal- a lovefor the sea. As a nation of seafarers and pearl divers,we are historically and socially indebted to ourseas. Our timeless heritage and traditions as peopledependent on fisheries and seaborne trade havecontributed enormously towards our regional prosperityand development.”- Faraj Butti Al MuhairbiChairman of the Board of Directors Emirates DivingAssociationWish to go pearl diving? EDA frequently arranges formembers and guests to take the ‘treasure trip’ in atraditional Dhow boat. Visit their website:http://www.emiratesdiving.comTEMPO TIPS FORPEARLS THATSHINE!• Clean your pearl jewelry occasionallyusing a cloth dipped in a solution ofgentle soap or shampoo and warmwater, a solution specifically formulatedfor pearls, or take your pearls to yourjeweller for a professional cleaning.• Hairspray/perfume dousers ALERT: Keepthe area of your body where you planto wear the pearl jewelry free of anylotions or oils and cover or remove yourpearls when spraying hairspray or perfume,all of which can cause irreversibledamage to pearls.• Store your pearl jewelry inside a clothbag in a dry location away from otherjewelry which may scratch the softpearly surface.• Grandma’s pearls are loosing theirluster? Polish gently with a silk cloth orwith a cloth that is slightly dampenedwith olive oil.• In order to maximize their lifespan, pearlnecklaces need to be restrung everyfew years depending on usage. Silk isthe best material for restringing, andthe jeweler should tie knots in betweeneach pearl.vDear Um Saif,My wife and I would like to throw a dinner for ourneighbors on our floor, to get to know them better.We are from Canada and need your input on this. Ourneighbors are five families: two are westerners, two arefrom the subcontinent and one is an Arab family. Twoof the families are Muslim. I have two questions: is it OKto invite mixed couples, and is it OK to tell our neighborsnot to bring their children along?Dear Mark,- Mark on the CornicheWhat a wonderful idea! Isn’t it great that we have such amedley of nationalities in Abu Dhabi? What a nice way to get toknow the neighbors as well as to learn about new cultures. Bythe way, in Islamic and Arab society, the neighbor is regardedvery highly regarded and communities are encouraged tonurture their ties with their neighbors. But cultural traditionsdo vary from one nationality and one religion to another, andso my strong suggestion is to have your wife meet the otherladies beforehand and find out how they would prefer tosocialize.Be mindful that in most Arab and Muslim societies men andwomen sit separately from each other. With regards to thechildren, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with tellingyour neighbors that dinner invitation is only for adults. By talkingto the ladies beforehand your wife can determine what setup would be most comfortable for all invitees, and I am sureyou may be able to reach a nice compromise that will open thedoor to making good friends and wonderful neighbors.Any questions for Um Saif: umsaif@abudhabitempo.comSand LandA Yank inBored in the ‘Burbs...For Now!While the capitol city of Abu Dhabi is theepicenter of culture and entertainment for theEmirate of Abu Dhabi, there are big things instore for the outlying communities “off the island”.You see, the City of Abu Dhabi is situatedon an island much like New York’s Manhattan,and there is no more space to expand sonaturally the new projects are planned for thesuburbs on the far side of the bridges.One such ‘burb is Khalifa City. KC is locatedbetween Abu Dhabi City and the airport. I havebeen a resident of KC since I relocated herefrom the land of hot dogs, apple pie, baseballand income taxes almost a year and a half ago.When I first arrived in Abu Dhabi, my employerput me up in a hotel downtown for a couple ofmonths. I quickly became accustomed to havingshops, restaurants, nightclubs and resortsjust a walk or short cab ride away. The energyand vibe of the city was electrifying. However,my enthusiasm for downtown living started towane when I bought a car and settled into thereal life of having to drive the 40 minute commuteto work myself and then having to findan empty parking spot at the end of the day,an almost impossible task and a subject for afuture column.I was soon assigned living quarters in KhalifaCity. KC is a vast stretch of sand dotted withhigh-end villas and little else. What was abundantin the City was lacking out here. My fellowresidents and I nicknamed KC the “Moonbase”as some venues looked as if NASA could havefaked the lunar landings there. Boring!However, things are changing. The view frommy balcony is chockablock with excitingnew developments being built. The sleepybedroom communities outside the metropolitanareas are starting to arise from their deepsleep and will soon become entertainmentand cultural centers of their own. That will be agood thing. It will save me taxi fares!- Randy ParkerRandy has been a resident of Abu Dhabi sinceAugust, 2008 and works in the travel industry.He has a blog at: http://expatuae.blogspot.com/Tempo November 2009 www.abudhabitempo.com27