Sister Cities

Back in Dubai again, middle of September, seems like the doldrums to me. More of the same: sun, heat and sand. Of course, it doesn't help that I don't get a paper or watch the local news or even get out much. I miss being in Pittsburgh at this time of year as the football season gets into full swing with the chill and colors of fall.

Neal and I watched the Steelers beat the Tennessee Titans and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on my laptop, which is connected over the internet to our television in Pittsburgh via Slingbox, well worth the ridiculous tangle of cables left hanging from the various boxes required to get this to work. Our TV cable package in Dubai only includes two NFL games per week, both Sunday afternoon games (9 p.m. start in Dubai), so we'll be lucky if a Steeler game gets picked up.

But Dubai is starting to grow on me, and I feel less need to get back to Pittsburgh right away. Since it seems to take a week to readjust to the trip, I'm hoping to go back and forth a lot less often going forward. There is still the problem of being here on a tourist visa, which only allows me to stay 30 days at a time. I'm going to Paris in October and then back Pittsburgh in November so I should be good for awhile.

What strikes me now about Dubai is how familiar it feels and how similar it is to Pittsburgh. This may sound strange to people who haven't been here or either place, but there are many common threads, such that the statements below ring true for both cities.

People who move to the city often do it for the job, not by choice, and many leave with job changes.

Residents love to complain about the city and its flaws but usually with a sense of civic pride and a distinct distaste for outside criticism.

The city has a somewhat negative image to outsiders, but undeservedly so. (Dubai residents don't seem as invested as Pittsburghers, though, so you don't see as much of the chip on the shoulder mentality.)

The city has gone through boom and bust, with an elite wealthy core of families and companies supporting culture and philanthropy. With the decline of the major local industry (oil in Dubai, steel in Pittsburgh), transition into other industries like health care is critical. Leaders are always busy promoting a positive image of the city!

Traffic bottlenecks are common with local drivers having great difficulty driving in bad weather. A blast from the past--Dubai actually has the flashing yellow light before it turns red, like we had in Pittsburgh 30 years ago.

Residents often give directions by landmarks, including those that no longer exist.

The city is a lot less crowded than it used to be, so you can get up close and personal to the local attractions with no difficulty, tickets readily available, restaurants and hotels there for the asking. Many brand new, world class venues!

Sizewise, the cities are comparable in population and area. The topography is very different, but the many different neighborhoods, some of which revolve around ethnic groups, and geographic challenges to finding them are comparable.

Haze and humidity prevail. Air quality is not so good and could be an issue for people with breathing difficulties. The bright blue sunny sky is a welcome but atypical sight. Sand and snow present similar obstacles.

There are a lot of places selling the same old crap. Same fast food places, same mall stores, but with a lot more of them and many more high end labels and fashionista-type places in Dubai. Not as expensive as big city prices. Residents are always looking for sales.

Interesting architecture, albeit totally different styles.

Big, new, empty airport terminals. Free wifi in the airport (my favorite thing!).

Very family oriented. Very safe, not much crime. Not a good place for singles (although in Dubai's case, it's probably pretty good for single women since men outnumber women by a large margin.)

Plenty of not so attractive, overweight people. Surprisingly, Emiratis are as unhealthy as Pittsburghers.

It's helpful to focus on the similarities, which makes me feel much more comfortable living here. I now like to think of my two homes as sister cities with a lot in common. And just yesterday I happened to meet a man with a very foreign sounding name who just happened to spend a year in Pittsburgh as a student in the same school my kids attended. Which just goes to show, we are all much closer than we even know. If we just took the time to get to know one another, what a wonderful world it could be.