You know you're in the Gulf too long when.....

[patgund]

From a co-worker. After five months, I'm going "yeah, and....."

You know you have lived in the Gulf too long when:

You're not surprised to see a goat in the passenger seat
You think the uncut version of "Little House on the Prairie" is provocative
You serve coffee in a thimble
You think everyone's first name is Al
You need a sweater when it's 80 degrees Fahrenheit

You expect everyone to own a mobile phone
Your idea of housework is leaving a list for the houseboy
You believe that speed limits are only advisory
You expect all police to drive BMWs or Merc's
You know whether you are within missile range of Iraq

You believe that the definition of a nanosecond is the time interval between the time the light turns green
and the time that the guy behind you begins to blow his horn
You can't buy anything without asking for a discount
You have more carpets than floor space

You expect all stores to stay open till midnight
You understand that 'wadi bashing' isn't a criminal act
You make left turns from the far right lane
You expect gold for every birthday

You send friends a map instead of your address
You understand why huge 4x4s must slow down to a snail's pace whilst crossing a speed bump yet hurtle
through a wadi at 100kph
You think that howareyou is one word
You think it perfectly normal to have a picnic in the middle of a roundabout at 11pm

You know exactly how much alcohol allowance you have left for the month
You have a moon phase predictor on your computer
You never say Saturday instead of Thursday or Sunday instead of Friday
You accept that there is no point in asking why you are not allowed to do something

When you expect queues to be 1 person deep and 40 people wide,
When you realize that the black and white stripes in the road are not a zebra crossing, just bait to get tourists
into the firing line,
When you know what night is ladies night at every bar in town,
When seeing guys welcome each other with a kiss no longer disgusts you,

When you carry 12 passport size photos around with you just in case,
When you can tell the time by listening to the local mosque,
When you think its a good night if there are fewer than 10 men for every woman in a bar,
When phrases like 'potato peeler', 'dish washer', and 'fly swatter' are no longer household items but are
actually Pakistani job titles

When you start to say "Insha'allah" when you actually mean "No f**king chance!"
When Habibi isn't just the ex-president of Indonesia
When you overtake a police car at 130KM/HR
When a problem with your car AC or horn is more serious to you than a problem with the brakes
When you can smoke a shisha in public without expecting to be arrested
When you think 10Dhs is expensive for the latest Playstation game

You think Pepsi begins with a B
You think only men should hold hands in public
You think shopping malls are covered souqs
You expect to go to jail when a local national hits the back of your car at a stop sign

Comments

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Ooookayyyyy....

I think I'm now Officially Worried about you.

And I think you oughta translate the icon for everybody.

Just thinking of Vancouver (and area) interpretations...

[winterlion.livejournal.com]

Ones that echo well for Vancouver BC (and surroundings particularily Surrey). (note that Victoria is basically British so it's different):

You serve coffee in a thimble
You think everyone's first name is Al
You need a sweater when it's 80 degrees Fahrenheit

You expect everyone to own a mobile phone
You believe that speed limits are only advisory

You believe that the definition of a nanosecond is the time interval between the time the light turns green and the time that the guy behind you begins to blow his horn
You can't buy anything without asking for a discount

You expect all stores to stay open till midnight
You make left turns from the far right lane

You send friends a map instead of your address
You think that howareyou is one word

You have a moon phase predictor on your computer

When you expect queues to be 1 person deep and 40 people wide,
When you realize that the black and white stripes in the road are not a zebra crossing, just bait to get tourists into the firing line,

When you can tell the time by listening to the local mosque,

When you start to say "Insha'allah" when you actually mean "No f**king chance!"
When you can smoke a shisha in public without expecting to be arrested

*hmm*
that's quite a list. And some of it is really quite different....
Are you having an interesting time?

[ophy.livejournal.com]

That icon is truly disturbing. Thats probably arabic for "Squee" or something, isn't it?

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Supposely it's "Oh Really". lapiskelinia, care to confirm?

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

We had similar lists at Clark. I know the feeling.