Gulf News deputy web editor Florence Pia G. Yu plunges headlong into the blogosphere to find out what bloggers from the Middle East and beyond have on their minds.
The Kim Kardashian effect
Is popular Kim Kardashian the Jennifer Lopez of the Middle Eastern community in America? When I moved back to Los Angeles a couple of weeks back, I noticed something off, a little strange about my environment. White men were not only staring at me, but they were hitting on me. My first reaction was one of alarm: I must be getting too skinny. I know I have been losing weight, but maybe I'm losing a little too much weight. So, this was my first diagnosis.
But one day, while watching E!'s hit reality show Keeping up with the Kardashians, my 16-year-old sister confided something to me: "You know what's crazy, now that this show is popular everyone starts to tell me that I look like her sisters."
This reminded me of bizarre comments I had been hearing more frequently in the last couple of weeks. Random people off the street told me that I had the "Kim Kardashian" look (I look nothing like her). Even my sister's feeble attempts to rationalise such a far-fetched claim proved unconvincing: "Well wait, you do kinda look like her, if your eyebrows were thicker, if you had bigger eyes, bigger lips and styled your hair like hers."
http://www.kabobfest.com
Only in Abu Dhabi
The other day, feeling cooped up by the oppressive 55 degrees celsius heat outside, I woke up early and decided that I wanted to go for a walk along the beautiful Corniche. That is the lovely bit along the water that made me excited to move here, but that I've rarely seen since the summer hit.
It's 8am, I am walking along. About 30 minutes into my planned 7km walk, I realise there is no way I will make it to where I am going. I am sweating like I have never sweat before. The top of my head is tingling, and every ray of sun feels like a punch. So I start frantically trying to hail a cab. But every cab that drives past me has people in it. Ten minutes go by. I try not to panic, but I do a little bit, because I feel quite close to passing out. Finally, someone pulls over.
"Abu Dhabi Mall?" I say (literally everyone knows where this is).
It becomes apparent the driver speaks next to no English, and has no idea where Abu Dhabi mall is. I start saying "straight" and "right" - even though I am not actually sure how to get there myself - and soon, we are in a quite deserted area of Al Mina and although we are close to the mall, I am quite lost.
"Stop!" I say, still feeling quite sick and hot, and get out. I see no cabs. I wait a few minutes, looking around frantically. A man in a carpet shop beckons me inside. "No thanks, not today," I say, feeling like I am going to throw up.
http://annmariemcqueen.blogspot.com
Childish
My childish friend dragged me to Magic Planet at the Mall of the Emirates to play games. I found it ridiculous and shameful! I was looking around myself all the time to see if anybody I know would recognise me there! But it's cool to go crazy and do things you usually don't dare do!
She wanted to get our picture etched on a medal and I had to give in since she is returning to her hometown next week. Amazing how with the tons of the problems she has, she never stops laughing like a kid and still manages to smile.
http://arablady.blogspot.com
