23 years of nostalgia, bloopers and small things which made us a happy lot................ Part 1 1990s era - first time in Dubai...................... till then never stepped out of my backyard................... 1. The second day in Dubai, I am telling my uncle that I am looking for a one room with attached bathroom and the land lord to make breakfast, lunch and dinner for me (concept of paying guest)...................my uncle looked at me signed in exasperation and said that I needed my entire salary plus extra if I wanted a room for myself..............I had never heard of sharing a room till then.................got a shocker when families with children used to share flat with others.............. 2. No bachelors were willing to take on board a new guy coming from India for sharing their room................reason ......... the newbies starts converting common expenses into INR and refuse to share............................buying newspapers, the cost had to be shared among all, but these newbies would refuse.............................so nobody likes newbies........ 3. Write letters to your friends telling them that half of our colleagues were from Pakistan, my friends in India had difficulty in understanding that these guys were better than our own counterparts........... 4. Being used to taking public transport and walking in India.................I took a bus from the Bank to the nearest place where my uncle was staying and walked ...................my aunt opened the door ( staying in a villa in Garhoud) as she did not hear the sound of the taxi she asked me how I came and I told her I took the bus...................she could not imagine anyone could walk 3 KM from the bus stop to house in Dubais heat................................... 5. My first boss, taught me to read instructions from clients from the top to the bottom and not to assume anything......a client had submitted a letter which was addressed to NBAD but he gave it to NBD and I started processing the same....................never assume he said..............so true...............holds good even now.............. 6. When you hear someone going on leave whether you know him or not, you start writing letters to one and all, even to friends whom you disliked, write the letters and meet this poor soul and ask him point blank to carry the letters and post the same in India..........It would be blasphemy if he refused...........God help someone going in December .......entire Xmas cards would be given to him................he will be lugging nearly 2 to 3 kilos of mail to India.............. 7. I was the only one in the entire bank who used to get letters regularly from India on a weekly basis, my father used to address it as follows Mr.C.J.Ninan, B.Com Letters of Credit Section National Bank of Dubai P.O.Box 777 Dubai. Had to convince my father to remove my qualification from the address line as the farash and other colleagues used to smirk at me when handing over these letters ......... ...It took two months or so for this to stop as the only means of communication was letters ( it took 7 days for a letter to reach India). 8. Cars were a luxury in India and further there was no question of rear view mirrors being used in India .....Got into a taxi in Dubai saw the rear view mirror and twisted it to my side and started combing my hair....................the driver was from my own state, gave me a nasty look and asked if I was new in Dubai................................I said yes.................... and continued to comb my hair................ 9. The pleasure of taking a line taxi or sharing taxi in Dubai and getting squashed between two well built labourers in the back.......sweltering heat, sweating men, and the stench......just wow..............car air conditioning is on and put on recycle mode...........you start praying for your destination to comes fast.......................benefit AED 2 for a ride from Nasser Square upto Ghusais............. 10. The most painful day are those few days before the holiday ends..........the house by itself is emotionally charged as they know.........I have to leave..........a mothers anguish......knowing that she can see her son only after two years...........................emotionally charged days..............the heart can no longer bear the pain and tears swell and fall ................... 11. Misery............the day India loose a cricket match against Pakistan.........the feeling of going to office the next day is excruciating...............to rub it in................I told you so attitude and treats by Pakistani colleagues for the victory............. 12. Entertainment - The only radio station was 92.7 (english), local TV was Channel 33 used to telecast one Hindi movie on Thursday night and rest of the days it was Bold and the Beautiful series.................and a visit to video library for movies..........AED 35 used to get us 30 video cassettes..........Mansoor Video was the in-thing................. 13. Anyone owning an American Express credit card was a sheikh and gold credit card a rich man................. 14. Technology - Lan phone to car phone to mobile phone to PCs to internet to Laptops.............those who had mobile phones used to carry it in their hand..........(showoffs)..............internet charges was AED 14 per hour.......... 15. Guys who owned automatic car (new thing then) used to put their left leg on dashboard side while driving so that people knew he was driving an automatic geared car ......................(no jokes........this was the trend when automatic car was introduced). 16. The happiest days of my life i.e 24th of every month. Salary day....when compared to now small but at that time the amount was so satisfying..........next moment run to our exchange department and ask for a demand draft................write a letter to an Indian Bank and asking to open FD of 20K................and warn him that if I do not get an immediate reply, the FD will be moved to another bank....................full of bullshit.................................................. 17. Getting a call during the middle of the night was dreadful.................when the common phone in the house starts ringing, we start praying that nothing untoward should have happened back in India.......................... If the news was bad, getting a ticket back to India was a nightmare........................having a contact in airline was considered a necessity. The second dreadful thing was arranging the ticket cost....................no credit card...................the only reliance is on friends and colleagues who used to support..............................My dearest colleague Joe George helped me with my ticket when I lost my father.................................. 18. Going to India for vacation was great at the same time dreadful, this is the only time you do not want to receive letters as you get wish list from one and all..........the general idea was what you cant buy in India, ask the Dubai guy to buy..............as a consolation write in small letters that you will be reimbursed in INR..............in reality it never happens...................... 19. Borrowing money from friends were the norm, but then there were few shameless guys who made this into an habit............people whom you thought were gentlemen would lend money for interest and this business was thriving........... AED 50 per month as interest for AED 1,000 lent. 20. Every Friday morning wash your second hand car and open the bonnet and stare into the engine .......had no idea what I was looking for....................kick the tyre and get a satisfaction that everything was ok................................
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:45:54 +0000
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