Sharjah, I love you.

I’m going to Sharjah in a couple of days… The last time I went, I was really excited. Happy. I blogged about my last trip and learnt a lot even though I didn’t go out of the house much. All that was fun but… this time it’s different. I’m older, more experienced… I know what life is about…

Just kidding :-p I’m still a kid lol but it’s different because this might be my last time in the UAE for a long time. That feels weird because I’ve never been as attached to a place in the world as I am to Sharjah. I have not ever “lived” there, and it’s generally a pretty cold and artless place, but there are hidden treasures of beauty in its emptiness. There is a secret life inside all that cement, all the artificial mud/grass/trees, and the men and women covered from head to toe in white and black respectively…

I love Sharjah for its traditionality and conservatism. There is a lot of commerce (not like Dubai though) but they have not been sold to sex. It’s perfectly normal to see women in western clothes and women in arab clothes and women in indian clothes walking on the same road, not uncomfortable in each other’s presence. Men don’t make women uncomfortable by staring weirdly or talking funny. In fact I’m not sure I’ve seen many men talking to women unless they are with them. And I am in love with their dress and if I could, I would wear a Jilbab all the time, at least when I’m not in the house.

The last time I went to Sharjah my Dad and my brother taught me how to cook on the first day. And every day after that they went to work while I stayed home and did some housework, that was the first time in my life that I felt responsible and womanly. That is not to say that “a woman’s place is in the kitchen” but to say that it felt good to look after our home while the men went out to work. Personally and biblically I think it’s great if women work, but I feel I would really miss out if my work took away from the nurturing aspect of my family responsibilities.

Star Cineplex at the City Centre, Sharjah plays only hindi movies. I watched 4 movies the last time I went there (Vivah, Dhoom 2, Apna Sapna Money Money and Rehguzar… Vivah was the ONLY good movie lol) but the multiplex is great. It’s got no security you can take anything you want inside, including cameras and videocameras and big bulky shopping bags. But it’s Sharjah their crime record is practically zero so I’ve never heard of anyone blowing up a theatre. Also they used to have new movie releases on Wednesday, because their weekend was Thursday & Friday. But they recently changed their weekend to Friday and Saturday (which in my opinion is the most accurate weekend…) so new movies release on Thursday. Which means, Indian movies play there 1 day before they are released here. And there is no security. See why Indian Cable TV shows all the newest movies at the same time as they are released here? haha. (All the best pirated copies of movies do come from the UAE that is a known thing, right?)

Domino’s Pizza in Sharjah is opposite the beautiful Khalid lagoon, very near the Millennium Hotel. Only one vegetarian pizza, but it’s good pizza.

If God wills, I will live and go to Sharjah next week and write a blog. What an incredible place it is.