The UAE is an interesting place

When I talk with friends back in the States, they always have so many questions about the UAE. What is the cost of living? How conservative is the government? Do you want fries with that??

It is almost impossible to fully paint the picture of a new place unless you come and experience it for yourself. Everyone knows that, right? So my short answer to the many inquires is "it is an interesting place."

And it is. A quick glance through our daily newspaper The National will always prove that. Just last week, you could read these three headlines in the local news section:

Abu Dhabi police arrest 231 beggars during Ramadan

OK, pretty harsh but what about this one...

UAE road safety: even giving away child seats for free failed

For some reason, despite all conventional wisdom, UAE parents believe that it is safer for a child to be held in an adult's arms while riding in a car, that child seats are unnecessary or 'heartless', and they take up too much space in the car. Wow. Two thumbs up.

UAE plans to send unmanned probe to Mars by 2021

So this means when the country is not busy arresting beggars or letting toddlers run amok in the back seat of a moving vehicle, they like to develop billion-dirham space operations in their spare time. Fascinating.

This, my friend, is the UAE.