Day 31 in Abu Dhabi
No word regarding work yet.
Someone seems to have pressed the break pedals in my life since I did my shoulder. I have been sleeping more, close to 8 hours a day, and I haven’t done many sport activities for fear of exacerbating my injury. I am also slowly beginning to feel the weight of double standards of this society. People talk about morals and ideals like we are in Camelot. When it comes to actions though, many (trying very hard to avoid the word “most”) stink of self-centredness, materialism and plain old abuse of everything and everyone in their reach.
Three days ago, I drove to Al-Ain via the less known rout of Nahel-Hili carriageway. Its an unlit stretch of the network through desert quite far from all the new settlements. The stars appeared most glamorous on a very dark background untainted by artificial lights. Al-Ain itself remains as I remember from my school days; cosy, friendly and spacious. Everyone has their own space but remains strongly bound and connected to the rest of society around them. Its people, I think, has been shielded from the free-wheeling capitalism that is over taking other big cities in UAE.
I am stuck reading “Lord Of The Flies”, one of the most boring books I ever touched. If it was not for my habbit of finishing all books that I start, I would have burnt it long time ago so that no one is ever forced to live through the same mistake again.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Welcome back e3ashig.
The system won’t change until this double standard and hypocrisy comes to an end.
Wait unit you start working…its only going to get better ;)
September 10th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
salamaat! hope your shoulder heals quickly..it’s a good thing there were 2 drs there!
so i guess you’re still waiting around to hear from work..i know it’s not just me who is thinking..they’ve just invested 10 years and a lot of money in a person, and once he is ready to come back and start serving his country..no one’s in a hurry to make use of you?! hang on in there buddy.
ps. are you free for a meetup if i’m in AD sometime this/next week..
September 12th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
7ay-ALLAH bl-dakhtar!!!
Nawirat elblaaaaaad!
Salamaaaaaaaaaaaat 3ala illi 9ar!
Don’t let the double standards that many of those u’ve encountered eats the remaining share of ur brain…there are many of “us” that try to not be affected by them. All standards exist everywhere, it is us who point them out to ourselves, whether watching them or dealing with them. My mistakes with them, revealed lessons that I’m thankful to have made those mistakes, u just learn how to behave around them and learn to get the best out of them, coz u already expect their reactions. Hope u learn ur lessons very fast to make the best out of it.
>>”Lord of the Rings”?! Imagine having to forcefully read it for 3 months and discuss it, and write up reviews about it for English class in school!!! …and GET THIS!!! We were forced to debate the word “Morals” and “Ethics” as a result of that book! Wish u burnt it way before we were in 10th grade!
September 12th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
HLH, better or worse you mean? how did you cope when you started here after canada?
nadd, will write to ur email :)
cute uae, thanks, I actually like “Lord of the rings”, what i hate is “Lord of the flies” which is written by a noble prize winner which sucks
September 12th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Well it all depends on where you are going to work, if it is Sheikh Khalifa, the pace of work might be the same as it is abroad, but its a Canadian territory and from what I hear the attitude towards local young doctors are not that great.
Decisions are made based upon “whats in it for me”, missing the greater picture and future targets. If you work under someone who percieves you as a threat, then every effort will be made to diminish your light.
Patients rights and confidentiality is least respected.
The wasta thing that doesn’t sit well with me, triage is based on that many times.
In my particular group, grandrounds, case discussions usually ends up in having a split on who is right or who is wrong rather than what is learnt.
The only thing that keeps me going is the faith of our people in us and my faith in many of the competent collegues that surround me.
If everyone of us do their bit of work properly and try to add to it “as much as tolerated” its a big start.
Good luck and welcome home…
September 12th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I’m Ghost and I’m upset.
September 12th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I’m upset
September 12th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Gosh! finally I’m able to write a thing here! I’ve been trying to write forever but I guess your comments don’t validate my comments!
September 14th, 2007 at 1:35 am
OMG!!!!! I LOVE “Lord of the Rings”….I meant talking about “Lord of the Flies”…my god…that was a typo…sorry!
September 18th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Ah, welcome to the UAE!
And I totally understand how the dry narration of Lord of the Flies can drive readers away. But the character behavior was disturbingly interesting (which, I think, is what kept me going…).
Anyway, salamat about your shoulder.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
HLH, i wont be working in SKMC (fortunatily? unfortunatily? not sure yet). As you say, the wasta and VIP service gets on my nerves big time. I did not believe it when i heard first that SKMC has 4 dedicated VIP co-ordinators. I hear what you say about everything else, to be honest, i made a point for myself not to have any expectations from my new hospital - i dont want to be dissapointed and want to take every day as it comes. wish me luck :)
BOB, i am not sure why my spam filter keeps picking up your comments, i appologise.
Cute UAE, kenna bnez3al men ba3a;6
Dazzling Mage. I am sure there is something there in Lord Of The Flies that I just have the capabilities to see. Its probably one of those books that you either love or hate, i hate it :) Thanks, my shoulder is now better (except it aches lightly almost all day long)
September 29th, 2007 at 10:50 am
I was forced to read “Lord of the Flies” back in school as part of our literature course.. Its such a nasty book about boys gradually turning into heartless monsters.. I cringe on the thought of it.. (>_
September 29th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Kitten, how on earth did the author get a Nobel prize?