Multicultural
It’s always a pleasure to meet new and interesting people around you. It gets even more interesting at times when you get to meet people from different countries. I’ve had a wonderful experience last Saturday and I am glad that it has also resulted in a wonderful new chapter in my life.
I was in the train, on my way to the first ever Dubai Coffee Meet by InterNations (professional networking community), last Saturday evening. It was long train trip (longer than my usual rides). I got down at my destination and had to figure out the directions to go to the Hotel; the venue of the get-together. While I was exiting from the station, there was this African guy who to whom I asked for directions. He said “eet eez naut wayri faa maa frend!! You nee to go straight fom heeere aand den tayk a raaayt and woak fo faee minots and you aa gona bee dey evan beefo you no!” This was an interesting brush with the African-English slang. I then kept walking as the guy directed me, but got lost in no time because there were many turns on the way. So I again approached one guy on the road to check for directions again. This guy was a Spanish National. He was returning back to his hotel after his evening walk, engrossed in listening songs on his iPod. When I spoke to him, he guided me well and also said that he is put up in the same hotel and that I could walk with him there. I switched of his iPod and strated chatting with me very inquisitively about India, Dubai, Spain and the people in general. It was a good chat and he was very glad to know that I too was in favour of Barcelona winning the Champions League Match that evening. And just like the African man said, in no time we reached the hotel. But the worst part of the walk was the humidity in the air. I was sweating profusely and was really irriatated with the weather. Anyways, as soon as we got in the hotel, we greeted eachother ‘‘ciao’ and the Spanish guy got going to his room. I then navigated myself to the coffee & snack bar of the hotel, the place where the get-together was arranged. There were a group of about 6 people, each one from a different country, all of them atleast 8 to 10 years older to me, but as energetic and excited about the meeting as me. As time passed on, 5 more members joined in and we had some very interesting conversations about work and life in general, enjoying a lovely cup of coffee. We exchanged contact infos, interests and ideas. I made two new friends too. One of them is the guy who started this group, he is from Lebanon and a lady who is originally from Iran, but lived most of her live in the US and now is the Managing Director of a industrial hardware company in Dubai.
Had a great time until 8.30pm and then this new lady friend of mine dropped me to the nearest metro station in her car and I rode back home in the train, happy!
Met people from about 6 Nationalities, shared football passion and love for my favourite team with a guy from that very country, received genuine ML from an African national and enjoyed a tasty cup of coffee with some very interesting people from around the world. All in one evening, at one place, in DUBAI!!!
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