15 participants from 10 european countries are putting the rule to the test: playing the role of a turkish migrant on trial for six days! What happened? The integration experiment “the other side of the coin” is the answer. All participants realize almost instantly that they are pretty fast at their wit’s end when being faced with exactly the same
Saturday night. Time for a movie. The lobby is packed. Masses squall into mainstream movies such as “Just go with it” or “Powder Girl”. I am surprised to hear that “Almanya – welcome to Germany!” will be shown in the largest movie theatre. I wonder whether it is due to the interest in our turkish fellow citizens or whether it
Till some weeks ago the world seemed to be so easy. Democracy, as an American legacy, lived in the Western World and was supposed to continue its triumphant success around the world with the help of the “forces of good”. Military operations such as “enduring freedom” in Afghanistan or Iraq were supposed to bring some democracy to the oppressed mulim
Incredible India? Yes indeed. Try it yourself with a one year valid tourist visa, good for multiple entry but with a mandatory gap of two months between visits to India. What’s behind it? Officials claim that misuse of tourist visas made this step necessary. I don’t know, whether this clause is due to the terrorist attacks in November 2008. Well,
What is an abbaya? What for do I need a sponsor and who wears the khanjar? Questions like this are tried to be answered for you at the Glossary of the Middle East Messengers. The glossary will be gradually expanded. Comments are most welcome!
“No ad, you´re dead!” that is what a German proverb claims, popular amongst advertisers. This piece of wisdom seems to have conquered Dubai as there is hardly any street corner without a BIG ad. Huge outdoor advertisements either for new restaurants, bars, taverns or events are sticking all over the city. One of the main attractions for foreign companies to
Where the deuce did they hide them? We almost went mad trying to find the one and only camel market in the UAE arriving from the Camel race at al-Wathba in Al-Ain. Every imaginable tourist sight was exemplary signposted but the friday camel markt! Just before giving up we managed to find the place. Indeed the spectacle was almost over
Al-Ain is nothing but a typical dozy oasis. After all it is the second biggest city within the emirat of Abu Dhabi as well as the birth place of the acting ruler Sheikh Khalifa. Our arrival in the city was initially affected by finding the camel market which is scheduled to take place once in a week on friday. Despite
A building like a dream or a fairy tale. It is impossible to think of more superlatives than this, the first impression is overwhelming. The approach alone already is special. It does not matter which of the three bridges that are leading to Abu Dhabi your are choosing to head there, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque will be visible from
For me the Arabic World holds the most beautiful wooden doors in the world and I already was aware of that. However, that the United Arab Emirates are home of some extraordinary traffic signs- next to the camel sign – was news to me ausgefallener Schilder ist. The warning sign “Caution arabs cross the way” I took right away to