Ramblings of a new Expat

 RAMBLINGS OF A NEW PARDESI

After nearly six months of self exile away from the cyber world it certainly feels good to be connected again.Last year this time I was sitting in my Chennai apartment and blogging and it still feels strange sitting in this apartment in Sharjah, UAE.
The Sharjah I’d always associated with cricket matches is where our family lives now.
Six months ago I landed at Dubai Airport and was immediately struck by how huge it was. Those who are already familiar with international airports might not have been impressed but I was overwhelmed because of another reason . Two reasons actually. My two little boy-terrors were zipping around the place shouting “Yipeee!”
As people gave me sympathetic looks a doctor we had met at chennai airport came forward to help.
I was asked not to wait at the tail end of any line and I was told as a lady, I could simply sidestep the males and get ahead .I did that while feeling a little guilty.But a long queue of men looked detached as I and few other women got our formalities completed without waiting.
The good Doctor waited until we met my husband in the lobby and we thanked him for his timely help.
 
As we traveled from Dubai Airport to Sharjah,past the stiff date palm trees,past the gleaming glass buildings,[in this heat?] my husband said he’d been worried that the kids would prove to be too troublesome .
”Well…they were acting like kids. But for the Doctor I’d still be there in the airport”
Before I unpacked things in the second floor apartment that is our home now, I called my Dad.
“You wont believe this”I told him about my adventures with the kids and how I was helped with the formalities.
My dad laughed.
“I told you you’d have no problem there”He said.
It turned out that my dad was worried about his little girl who was traveling with two little ones of her own and he’d asked the Dubai bound Doctor if he could help with the immigration formalities.
Thank God for Dads.I choked up a little said bye and hung up.
Thank God for kind folks who don’t mind spending time to help overwhelmed moms of hyper active kids.
And God bless “Ladies First”theory when it comes to Airport formalities.
Sometimes I just don’t want equal rights.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Subasri Narendran