Western Arab

Me at Nickelodeon Hotel Pool

I went to Orlando for some business and some pleasure this weekend. I left Friday evening and returned today in the evening.

So business is just business. Nothing really to discuss.

The pleasure part. I went to Nickelodeon Hotel and being that I have been to Disney World, Universal Studios, Typhoon Lagoon and River Country before, Nick Hotel was awesome. It was the first time I went there and it is a water park inside the hotel. Now there is so much you can do but for a 3 day weekend, it was perfect. The water slides are fun, they are not crazy but rather simple half pipe loops. One of them starts as a closed pipe so you start off in the dark. There is also a bucket of slime they pour on people at specific times and of course a pool. There is in fact another side of the hotel with another set of slides and pool. That side, the slides drop you in the pool instead. I liked the first side better. I also got to use my face mask in the pool, but still managed to lose a contact and a group of young teenage girls were attempting to talk to me.

Now Orlando, specifically route 192 or what they call highway 192 feels very much like New Jersey’s Route 1. Just has that feel and look but with great weather and a lot of parks and places to visit.

Orlando seems to have a large Arab population as well. I went to Soq al Qahera or Cairo Market for lunch. Saw a sign in Arabic and it said halal food, great so why not drop in for lunch. Ordered some sandwiches and browsed the store. The store was full of Islamic books, frames and clothing as well as all the Arab food store usual. So I grabbed up a few types of teas to purchase after the sandwiches. I was being picky on what I wanted to drink and maybe there was a reason for that, as eventually I found a can of something, I didn’t pay attention to what was in it. The can was made by an Israeli company. This can was so out of place, why was it here between all this Islamic and Arab stuff? I decide to just ignore it, pretend it wasn’t there. Only the owner of this store just doesn’t know to keep his mouth shut and opens up a political conversation shredding him of any honor. No need for the details here, but I no longer was willing to purchase anything and the boxes of tea bags stayed in the store. The food was also not good and I lost my appetite. Thanks for nothing, this store is on my list of never to go to again.

So far so good in the busy two weeks. But there is more to come, this is just the beginning. I currently still have time to watch LOST and play Left 4 Dead, go to the gym even though I missed one day this week but I went today, and I just shaved. Woo hoo, it feels nice after a shave.

So what is currently going on. I am looking for new work. I have a lot of family coming over and staying with me. We have an engagment party to tend to. That is really the reason for the busy two weeks. But it will fun, interesting, exciting, crazy and I am sure some drama.

Other than that my VW lease is coming to an end, this is my last month. I am returning the car, not getting another VW or buying it. I will be looking at what car to get next in the next few months. I have time on it since I have the van to use in the mean time plus I need money right now. I shouldn’t be spending it.

Oh right I am supposed to be working on a project during these 2 weeks as well, in addition to the other project I am doing. All while finding a new job and when I do find a new job I will probably keep the project as side work. In addition to my side business that isn’t doing so great either. Eh responsibilties … who needs them? Where is my free ticket?

Well it is that time again. Time to look for new work again and in this crappy economy. Who isn’t looking for work? Everyone is looking, and there are less jobs. So who is hired? Those willing to take much less pay. With less jobs and so many looking, you either have to have some unique skills or you are willing to take the lesser pay. And even worse, it seems IT positions are much less in demand at this time. So maybe another field is needed, another kind of job. Who knows? But I need something new, or maybe a good side business or two. Even the one side business I had came to a screeching halt with this economy. MEH!

In other news, I just had some chocolate milk. Mmmmm. I haven’t had chocolate milk in a long time. Very exciting I know!

When are Arabs going to step down from their high chairs? When will we get past the arrogance? Why is it when an Arab tells me he will call me in two days with the work I requested completed, he never does, in fact days go by and I have to call and ask? Why do Arabs in business treat Arabs as second class citizens? When they promise an Non-Arab American a call in two days, they deliver, but with Arabs, they feel like they are doing you a favor, even though you are paying them like anyone else to do the work you asked for.

This isn’t a one time incident, it is everywhere I go, with all Arabs, Christians and Muslims alike. I made the mistake of going to an Egyptian dentist once. I was going to an Indian prior. So what was wrong with the Egyptian? The same arrogance. I don’t want you doing me any favors, just do your job like with anyone else and I will pay you like I pay anyone else. Instead after the work is done, I get the typical Arab statement. Khalieyah 3alyeena. Translates to leave it on us. Bite me. You know very well I am not walking out without paying you. And you are not letting me leave without paying you. So just tell me to pay X and I will. Then to add insult, after I tell him no, he says ok just pay $xxx for the x-rays. UGH. I am not stupid, you are not doing me any favors, and I do NOT want you to. All this ever does is make me leave with no intention of returning to this dentist or whatever profession it may have been. And the dumb Arab loses another customer.

So why can’t we work together as Arabs? My cousin once needed a paper signed to let him in a class in college. He made the mistake of going to the Arab. Thinking hey, he is an Arab, I am an Arab. He will gladly do it. WRONG. “I am busy now”. “Come back later”. Busy doing what? It is your damn job to sign shit like this. Sign it. So what happens, some blonde American girl walks in. All of a sudden the Arab is not busy, ahlan wa sahlan, welcome welcome, how are you? What can I do for you? So what does my cousin do? Walk to the next room to an American, who signs the sheet without even looking at it. He does his fucking job. Yes I am angry. I am angry with Arabs.

If we look at our “cousins”, we see them work together. They fight with each other as much as we do, but they would drive 15 extra miles to buy from their own than one of ours or anyone else for that matter. Why? Because they want each other to succeed, not for the individual, but for their own as a whole. They think long term. We think right now.

Arabs goes something like this:

Firas: hey did you hear, Abu Fulan opened a grocery store on Main Street, I hear it is doing great. Al hamdillah.

Hashim: Al hamdillah, Al hamdillah. This is great news.

Next day Hashim opens a grocery store across the street from Abu Fulan on Main Street. Spends the next 6 months with his top priority of putting Abu Fulan out of business. Why? Simple, why should Abu Fulan make all the money? Is he better than Hashim??? NO. Hashim can’t let this happen, he must put an end to this. Not only does he end up putting Abu Fulan out of business, but himself as well because he soon realizes he is a complete moron who doesn’t know how to run such a business, and now that he lowered his prices so much to get rid of Abu Fulan, his customers have a fit when he starts to raise his prices again. The mentality is the same, why should he get this or that? He isn’t better than me, I can do this too. It is all about image and prestige. Screw your image. Screw your prestige.

So Arabs. When I come to your work place to use your services. Treat me like anyone else. I don’t want “special” treatment. I do not want a discount. I want to be treated like any other customer, I want service. And if someone opens a business and does good, be happy for them, support them, use their services, buy their products. It is sickening that this kind of competition not only happens just against other Arabs, but against family members. So many Arab families are split because of business.

Today is day three. Weekend will go by. Monday I will call and ask if the work I requestesd is done. Tuesday I will call again. And I will probably have it by Thursday. This way, I am supposed to feel like it took him so much time to do, that he is giving me a great price considering all the time he spent on it. When I know it doesn’t take two hours to do it and his price sucks. Serves me right for using an Arab for service, so why do it? I always hope that there will be some change. That maybe I will find some Arab who is different, someone whom doesn’t treat me as less, someone whom I am pleased to use his service, because he did his job and because I am helping him succeed by using his services and I can recommend his services to others. Maybe too much to ask.