Rude Children

Tyler
By Tyler

Just last night I am placing an order at a fast food restaurant when a ?Qatari? child (10 or 12 perhaps) speaking arabic approached the counter, reached around me and began quite adamantly attempting  to place his order with the clerk.  Not only was I in the middle of speaking to the clerk, but he did not speak Arabic.  This only caused the child to become more persistent and rude.  His nanny (non-arab) just shrugged when I shot her a very dirty look.   This is not the first time that I have experienced extremely rude children in this country.

Now everyone will say it may be isolated but it seems that these children, out with their nannies, have no manners, no respect, and are completely misbehaving with no correction.  I do not know the cultural implications here, but in most western countries I have been to I would have corrected the child somewhat politely and been done with it.  Here however when I attempted to correct to the child  the nanny seemed quite worried and the ?father? suddenly appeared.  The father tried to correct me for speaking to the child. 

 As the father spoke to me the child continued to berate the staff quite rudely.  

I have also met many arab men who have done the same in stores such as Jarir and Home Center, who then get upset when they are told they must wait until previous customers are taken care of. 

Is this a cultural norm or do I keep finding some very rude individuals making a bad cultural impression ? 

By Terramax• 6 Dec 2006 13:39
Rating: 5/5
Terramax

I have no problems with Qatari driving landcrusers. In more than a year here, never had any problems. Keep the distance and you will be safe.

By Alexia• 6 Dec 2006 10:13
Alexia

Hahaha thanks Dvargas, I will keep that in mind.

By anonymous• 6 Dec 2006 10:01
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

He is always like that. I love extreme radicals. Some harsh words from yourself, but is good to have the negative side always in a good forum. That is when I see his posting, I'm always saying something smart to him. He actually falls into a comma of not responding back.

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Gal. 4:16

By Alexia• 6 Dec 2006 09:54
Rating: 2/5
Alexia

Bajesus I don't know if you are a local or not, if you are - it makes sense why you say "get out of here". Most locals don't understand that should we all leave - you will be the ones suffering.

Honestly, take Asian Games for example. If all the expats were to leave - what kind of games would you have? I'd love to see the oil drying out. I know it's a horrible thing to say, but unless you learn some manners and get some skills as to not to depend on expats in 100% of all industries - when it does dry out, you will all move back to the desert.

By han19• 6 Dec 2006 09:48
han19

U MADE MY POINT.

rude kids,landcruisers,lots of frustrations and anger in between...what next are we going to include in this subject.

we like to get swayed away from the subject bcos on of us makes a smart remark that get most of us worked up and we just want to then prove a point.

thats whats going on here now..each one wanting to prove a point.

all the best.be calm pls.

happy heart

drive safe cos someone is waiting for u at home

By Tyler• 6 Dec 2006 09:13
Rating: 2/5
Tyler

This thread was about cultural rudeness not some truck discussion. If you want to argue truck capabilities and appearance I can give you plenty of 4x4 links which provide plenty of opinions. This thread however was pointing out a culutral (Middle East) issue of cutting lines, impatience (everywhere including on the road), and just plain arrogance.

We all know there are exceptions but we were discussing general observations. No more childish "don't make fun of my toy" or "get out of my sandbox" talk please.

By anonymous• 6 Dec 2006 03:15
anonymous

Is so heretic not wanting to have a land cruiser. A serious blasphemy to tell people to get out. That is straight out old fashion. What is not good for you, does not constitute the same opinion to others.

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Gal. 4:16

By bajesus• 6 Dec 2006 00:04
bajesus

Seriously, get a life or get out of here!

By novita77• 5 Dec 2006 22:32
novita77

I care ... unfortunately can't afford one :-(

By anonymous• 5 Dec 2006 20:50
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

......... but, don't say sh1t about the Landcruiser. :-( GRRRR..

Agreed it ain't very purrty, but you've gotta have a lot of respect for it's physics and level of engineering. Thank you Mr. Toyota.

Just take a dune bashing tour and you'll know what I mean.

Scooby - "... and naming things LuLu is one thing...."

FYI Lulu, Dasman and Family Food Centre are not Arab but Indian supermarket chains.

By anonymous• 5 Dec 2006 20:26
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

Taking somebody's turn is unfair.

Allah destroys the nation that has no justice in it.

Allah help the nations that has justice.

Islamic education is good to remind some of the Qataris that being unfair to people makes Allah angry.

Qataris love going to picnics in the desert. The desrts have unpaved, rocky, pumpy, dusty roads. They also like nice cars. For this reason, they buy landcruisers. Landcruisers are strong and less expensive than other 4 wheelers. Landcruisers can have more than five passengers.

The only problem is using the landcruisers for other purposes.

Many land cruiser owners might have lots of sins for insulting & terrorizing other drivers.

By han19• 5 Dec 2006 18:48
Rating: 2/5
han19

silver lining.................the local kids are much better today than what they were ten years back.much more mannered than before.

u have just seen kids breaking in line and talking rude and behaving ill.............

i have seen worse..........kids spitting at strangers for fun...........kids hitting others for fun and it goes on.......according to them it was cool for kids to hit bcos they have seen such behaviour in their houses and we used to witness it in any public place...father losing their cool and landing slaps on the kids faces...........mothers taking their anger out on the kids............those were horrifying sites and u cud do nothing about it then......what would u have said then?

i havent seen present set of children behave such...........simply bcos there is a stress on education here now and manners are yet to be inculcated in them.

but then u still find some unruly kids to spoil everything being done positive.

happy heart

drive safe cos someone is waiting for u at home

By anonymous• 5 Dec 2006 18:42
anonymous

I have seen during my visit to pay my Q-tel bill one of the cashier tell a kid in english to pick a number and wait otherwise leave the premisses. He had me laughing silently and biting my lips real hard. The kid left in a hurry. Sorry to hear that about the spoil brats.

Land-cruisers are real nice and comfy in my opinion. I owe two SUV at home and I got to tell you. I love driving them. Except the gas bill.

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Gal. 4:16

By han19• 5 Dec 2006 18:41
han19

started off with rude kids to land cruisers with bursts of frustrations in between...................what next :-)

happy heart

drive safe cos someone is waiting for u at home

By scoobydooby• 5 Dec 2006 18:37
Rating: 5/5
scoobydooby

Boris' comments were somewhat rude, but ESL teacher, your statement about Landcruisers being purchased by Qataris for safety reasons is also outlandish. SUVs have high turnover rates and are dangerous weapons in the hands of folks with freakish driving behavior. Just last week four Qatari women died in a car accident as their overfilled and speeding SUV flipped over.

My hope is that Qataris begin (if it hasn't happened already) some process of coming to terms with the rapid changes in their society without losing the manners and ethics mandated by their culture and religion. I think there are some deeper implications that should be considered, including: What will their next generation look like when their education system has been made by RAND, children raised by foreign-born nannies, and a majority of the population consisting of non-Qataris?

Wearing white robes and black abayas, and naming things Lulu, is one thing -- but modernization produces dislocation and alienation, both in a personal/psychological sense, and in a collective/cultural sense. The poor behavior of Qatari children is a symptom of all this. I assume that pre-modernization Qatar was marked by the presence of strong values, respect of elders and guests, and orderly/deferential public conduct. Much of that has disappeared.

On a related note, anyone have thoughts on what sorts of issues Qatari families face nowadays? Are there problems with communication, divorce, overspending, infidelity, generation gaps, etc? Based on their outward behavior, it seems to me that there might be significant problems indoors that are only veiled from outsiders.

By ESL Teacher• 5 Dec 2006 18:37
ESL Teacher

haha, butterfly you are always the peace-maker.

By ESL Teacher• 5 Dec 2006 18:33
ESL Teacher

grrr... who cares about the Landcruisers!!

Uhh why do I bother... :)

By feelreal• 5 Dec 2006 18:27
feelreal

Very tough, reliable and excellent off-road and in the desert- that's why there's loads of 'em.

By ESL Teacher• 5 Dec 2006 18:04
ESL Teacher

I think it's amazing that you are all bent on the landcruiser issue like a bunch of idiots. Really if you condone his remarks than you really are not welcomed in Qatar and you should get the heck out and take your superiority complexes with you. No wonder why Qataris are trying to get Qatarization implemented as quickly as possble, look who they have working here.

By butterfly• 5 Dec 2006 18:01
Rating: 5/5
butterfly

lets just chill.

There are rude qatari kids. There are polite ones too. Just like every other nationality.

I guess a kid that has been over-spoiled and has been brought up by slave nannies will turn up to be a little rude queu-jumping brat and with time, just another land-crussier-lethal-driving teenager.It's just pure logic. It's up to the parets to teach manners, respect and other important values to their children.

By ESL Teacher• 5 Dec 2006 17:54
ESL Teacher

I agree Boris if you feel the Qataris may end your life...than you should LEAVE. No one is saying that the Qataris do drive safely (Learn how to read the two of you). And you're right they do put their kids behind the wheel, but the fact of the matter is they don't buy their cruiser or SUVs to keep up with the neighbours they buy them because they know their neighbours kid is driving one too.

regardless your comments were rude and none the less arrogant.

By qatexpat• 5 Dec 2006 17:52
Rating: 2/5
qatexpat

Boris said :

THEY HAVE LAND CRUISERS NOW (WHICH IS THE UGGLIEST CAR I HAVE EVER SEEN AND VERY OVERPRICED)... IF THEY WERE SMART THEY WOULD HAVE CHOSEN A CAR BY ITS QUALIFICATIONS

I don't agree..... Its a beautiful vehicle and well qualified !!! LOL

By Alexia• 5 Dec 2006 17:47
Alexia

That truly must be the most hilarious argument I've ever heard. Safety because the roads are full of Landcruisers driven by 15 year old queue jumpers? Yes indeed.

By Boris• 5 Dec 2006 17:22
Boris

THEY DRIVE IT FOR SAFETY rasons?? if u havent noticed they are the one causing the problem in the streets, for God sake they sometimes cant wait for the signal to turn green they just go over the side walk, or worst they sometimes make a U turn in the middle of the high way and cross the middle seperator to the other side DO U CALL THAT SAFE i almost died the other day because he suddenly dicided to cross and when i horned he stopped and we argued, and guess what he saiddddddddddd, this is my country i drive the way i want LEAVE if u want, so tell me ESL TEACHER, where is the respect??? politess, and most important INTELIGENCEEEEEE? and i said before and say it again NOT ALL OF THEMMMMMM maybe just the one's that i came across to.

By ESL Teacher• 5 Dec 2006 17:09
Rating: 4/5
ESL Teacher

Boris what the hell are you talking about? They drive in those stupid landcruisers for safety reasons (if you hadn't notice the driving situation here). Also, I work with many Qataris who are intellingent and would never be so ignorant as to negatively stereotype an entire nationality. AND guess what they were educated here. The Qatari's I have come across have been generally polite, welcoming, and generous. Sure there are one to many awful miserable spoiled children, but for goodness sakes to call these people donkey-riders is not simply "rude", but just plain racist and totally inexecusable.

By Boris• 5 Dec 2006 16:37
Boris

I respect the local people and i will not say that all of them are the same, some are very polite and intelligent and respect u. but as i got to know better i found out that usually and i mean usually again that doesn’t mean its true, that those polite and nice locals are the ones educated abroad. but i want to add one more RUDE THING from my side WHAT DO U EXPECT FROM A PERSON WHO WAS LIVING IN THE DESERT RIDING A DONKEY AND A CAMEL LIVING IN TENTS HAVING DOZENS OF CHILDREN????? AND SUDDENLY BLACK GOLD APPEARS AND THEY HAVE LAND CRUISERS NOW (WHICH IS THE UGGLIEST CAR I HAVE EVER SEEN AND VERY OVERPRICED)... IF THEY WERE SMART THEY WOULD HAVE CHOSEN A CAR BY ITS QUALIFICATIONS AND NOT BECAUSE THE NEIGHBOUR HAS ONE.

By qatexpat• 5 Dec 2006 16:17
Rating: 3/5
qatexpat

Its not a reflection on the general qatari population. There are many local people who are very very gentle.

By Tyler• 5 Dec 2006 16:13
Tyler

Some would say size of the vehicle is compenstaing for something. Perhaps they are also compensating with lousy manners and poor attitudes?

Or maybe it is just cultural as it seems to be rampant in the entire Middle East as it has occurred to me in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and here. Oh yeah and they rudest most absurd encounters were in Saudi.

Perhaps one of our Qatari's on this board can enlighten us why this is? I am not trying to bash, just to figure out the mentality that as yet I cannot comprehend.

By lzxcoco• 5 Dec 2006 16:08
lzxcoco

when u see how those big landcruisers are driven, then u have no surprise at all of the behaviour of those children.

when their furtune drop from the sky[from the earth rather], they want to show the rest is below par, like those so called rich chinese people tooooooooo.

By lzxcoco• 5 Dec 2006 16:08
lzxcoco

when u see how those big landcruisers are driven, then u have no surprise at all of the behaviour of those children.

when their furtune drop from the sky[from the earth rather], they want to show the rest is below par, like those so called rich chinese people tooooooooo.

By munozchick• 5 Dec 2006 15:50
munozchick

lol ahmad! I start with a sarcastic remark a lot too. I look at my hubby and ask if he can see me.

By AHMAD44• 5 Dec 2006 13:25
Rating: 3/5
AHMAD44

I usually make a loud sarcastic remark like "geez i didnt realize the que started from the side, we must all be idiots standing in the wrong way!" and that usually makes them ebarassed and i get my turn.

Plan B is when they dont respond and i havent had to use it yet.

By Tyler• 5 Dec 2006 11:30
Rating: 3/5
Tyler

Believe me that my initial raction was to backhand the little SOB. But being more of an adult that that I was polite. His father however was not. Its funny how most of the indian/bangledeshi workers are deffernt to western (especially white) individuals that you get used to being treated that way until some kid starts misbehaving. Reminds us all where we come from and that none of us is any better, but that has to be taugh at a young age. It truly is cultural.

By munozchick• 5 Dec 2006 11:22
Rating: 4/5
munozchick

Oh and I dont see it as the "cultural norm". I see these people as rude and spoiled. True Qatari culture is very kind and forgiving.

By munozchick• 5 Dec 2006 11:19
Rating: 5/5
munozchick

I see it happen literally everyday that I go out. When we first moved here, I kept my mouth shut. Then, soon after I decided that I don't have to let someone push me around no matter what country I am in. I have so much respect for this country and the people here. Therefore, when something like this happens it makes me so upset because these are the people that take advantage of their position in society. It's not by accident. It's a blatant disregard for the unspoken rules of decent mannerism. I do not EVER keep my mouth shut about these things anymore. I realized that if I did, I would keep feeling "walked all over". It's good that you spoke up for yourself! As long at is done in a well mannered way, its great.

By qatexpat• 5 Dec 2006 11:10
Rating: 2/5
qatexpat

I have seen the same thing happening a few times. Its a lot better now when compared to, say, 5 years back !!!

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