Taxi Drivers

This article is based on an interview with a Middle Eastern taxi driver that likes his job and plans to stick with this job for the future. He shares some insights of what’s good about being a taxi driver, while taking me to my destination that’s 30 minutes far. “As far as my education, I have degree. I came to the US to pursue my higher education and I actually studied some master courses but I eventually got into the real life. “
 Taxi drivers are really interesting and always exciting people. They can be so educated people but they also can be in poor and difficult circumstances. Some actually consider this job as the one to do when your life run out of luck.
 “I can make money and travel anytime I want to, quit whenever I want to .. you know. If I’m an employee I can’t do that. I have my own breaks and don’t have a boss on top of me and telling what to do. No. I don’t like that. I’m my own boss in my own cab in my own world.” Most of those who drive taxies find many advantages of being such a guy. A guy who picks up people and take them wherever they want. They enjoy the grace of having no supervisor breathing down their necks, they have absolute flexibility and the capability of setting up their own schedule.
 Up to this point, the driver didn’t yet start telling exciting stories about crazy customers or celebrities. So I asked “As a taxi driver I assume you meet all different kinds people. Is there a story that comes to your mind about a person you picked up?”
 
He responded “I picked up in my life about 5 five famous people! The most popular, Toby Keith, he’s a country singer. I picked ‘em up at Nashville, Tennessee. Because I came from Nashville, Tennessee. I only came here four years ago. He introduced himself to me, but I didn’t know him by then. I realized how big he is only after I got home and did some research about him.
 I also picked up Joel, she’s a rock & roll singer, a popular football player. I met him because he paid me for them. I picked up the founder of Coyote Ugly, a chain of bars across the U.S. Jimmy McKnight. All these gave me autographs that I still keep them with me.“
As times goes by, and the taxi driver meets more and more people. He or she starts categorizing customers and sorting them into types. At least this is what I thought and I wanted to clear my doubts, so I asked “Are there types of customers? Do you have categories on your mind?”
 It sounded like what I assumed was very true because he immediately answer if he prepared his answer from before. He said “There are 3 kinds of ways to find a customer. The first way is being dispatched by the office. The customer calls the office, and the office sends you to the caller. The second way is to stop by a flagger on the street. He could be criminal! He could be celebrity. That’s second. The third type is the regular customer.“
 As of now, I have learned that this taxi driver I’m interviewing served in Nashville for many years and he came to Austin just 6 years ago. Once I realized asked him about does he see the difference between the two places he lived in for the past decade.
 People over there in Nashville are slower and more laid back than here. The pace of live there is slower than the pace here. Here it’s too fast and the traffic is really bad, makes people angry and agitated. He added “because there is a lot people who come and go here all the time, there is frequent misunderstandings, clashed and fight. A lot of people gather in Austin, all kinds of people. Friendly people, unfriendly and even opportunists ...”
 When he mentioned opportunists, I recalled one of my American friends telling me about how people from around the world come to Austin to establish their musical careers because the city is considered a place to show the people your talent. So I told the taxi driver about it and reminded about the ACL festival that took place few weeks from the day of the interview. And then finally asked him what he thinks about it.

He said. “They say Austin is the music capital of the world. They have a lot of live music here in this town. And compared to Tennessee, it’s different. They have something called country music. And even the people are different. You can say that people in Nashville are friendlier than people from here. Because country music is kind of a mellow, it doesn’t have any violence, it’s all about love and hippie life.”

Horror Story

   After a bright beautiful day, it’s time for sunset. It’s 31^st if October, so it’s still Halloween. Kids running around like crazy and stopping by every house saying “Trick or Treat?” Meanwhile, the wizard unleashes his ghost from deep inside a haunted cave.

   Few minutes later, when the ghost already transformed to the appropriate form. The children started to run away, but before they get further, the wizard said, “Kids, it’s me.” And he unveils his mask, and the kids noticed that he was their teacher at elementary school. After dinnertime, one of the kids suggested, “Let’s go to the cemetery on the hill.” Some of them are reluctant to go there, but they eventually decided to go because it’s Halloween.

   Then their supposed elementary teacher was thrilled. He was following those excited and naive kids far behind. But giving enough space for them, so they do not notice him preparing his extra limb to crossover from the 4^th dimension of the universe in order to suck and feed on their innocent souls. At the same time, up the mountain, the wizard is enjoying the overview scene. Suddenly, angels of the 4^th sky descended to our sky, because they felt the interference that happened on earth. They immediately spotted the source of interruption and eradicated it within 0.8 seconds; even before any kid turn his heads.

   After that, opened the gates and then ascended to where they came from. The wizard was left behind. “I’m two steps away from dominating the kids of the world, give me one year world, one year.” The wizard said.

   This took place in 2013.

Austin Weekend Nights

Weekend Nights in Austin

Friday Night: Birthday Party

     It’s 9:00PM in the 10^th of October 2014. The Castilian average resident is just ending up his nice peaceful day. Laughing and giggling, couples are planning their dates and then start heading back to their rooms to enjoy hours of long needed sleeping. While we on the other hand, a group of Emiratis friends, just met after an unusual long busy day of doing quizzes, intensive learning, and attending meetings.

     It’s 11:30PM. We have already enjoyed deliciously spicy Indian food, skateboarded together, and some even had fun with their skate rollers. And also made a little Ping-Pong tournament of 8 people. After all that, most of us stayed together, went to my room, sat on the rug, and started playing card games for just less than an hour.

     Just before midnight, we took a break and for some reason everyone were silent. Suddenly, all of our phones rang simultaneously. We all have received a WhatsApp group message that say “Khaled’s birthday party is happening now! Come to the first floor right now!”  “Really?!” That’s how we first reacted, immediately all of us stood up and rushed downstairs. Apparently, Khaled’s close friend talked to the rest of our friends, and in turn, they prepared an exciting activity for the guy who is about to get 18. Once we grouped up in front of our residential building, we all looked Khaled and congratulated him for his birthday. Crazily and surprisingly, we picked him up from his four limbs and starting throwing him up in the air while are singing happy birth day around the blocks like a group drunk people. We got so many awesome and hilarious reactions from all kinds of people in the streets, in their cars and even from inside the stores.

     Around 2:00AM After midnight. All of our arms are worn out from picking up Khaled for hours, and all of legs are tired of circulating around the blocks. But one person’s arms and legs - Khaled’s.

     Happy Birth Day Khaled.

Saturday Night: Cycling

Sunday Night: "Title under construction"

My Hometown

My Hometown

Dibba, Fujairah, UAE

   Back in the day, 30 years ago, almost everyone knew each other in Dibba. However, now it became the 2nd largest city in the Fujairah, one emirate of the seven the make up the United Arab Emirates, with a population that exceeds 30,000. It's still considered relatively small to other major cities in the country, but what makes it shine with its neighbouring stars is its combination of a rocky environment and beautiful sandy beaches. Citizens from across the Emirates travel to the eastern coast of the country, where I live, to enjoy camping between the chain of mountains and the golden sands during Eid and national day celebrations.

  Fujairah, literally means a small explosion,  Its names after the little springs that stream out from beneath the rocks. One famous one called Masafi, its popular because its produces bottled mineral water. Fujairah is also known for its historic castles that are built to guard its coasts from pirates and invaders. In terms of politics and economics, Fujairah is growing and becoming more and more powerful. The main reason is the line of giant tankers in the sea waiting for oil loading or refuelling, the UAE invested government billions of dollars to extend giant pipelines through the rough mountainous terrain, in order to end the threat that can be imposed by Iran against the UAE exports of crude oil through closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Thats where I live.

Come back and read more!