14 Things NRIs From The Gulf Are Tired Of Hearing

    If you ask me one more time about my pet camel, I will feed you to one.

    Sonia Mariam Thomas
    by Sonia Mariam Thomas

    BuzzFeed Staff, India

    1. "Oh, so you're from Dubai na?"

    Bravo

    “No, it’s actually Qatar/Kuwait/Dammam/Riyadh/Muscat/Abu Dhabi. Dubai is a different place.”

    2. "You must be fluent in Arabic by now."

    Star World

    Honestly, "maafi maloom Arabi" is all the Arabic I have needed so far.

    3. "Did you ride a camel to school?"

    SLB Films

    Yes, just like all of India rides elephants to school. Smh.

    4. "Did you have to wear a burkha?"

    instagram.com

    I have four and they're a goddamn style statement.

    5. "How do you know so much about India and Bollywood?"

    FOX

    There's this magical box called the television. You should check it out some time. Insightful source of cultural information, really.

    6. "Your dad must be so rich. You're probably friends with sheikhs na?"

    Warner Bros

    Yes, just like all of Britain is best friends with the Queen.

    7. "Oil is sooo cheap over there."

    NBC

    Cheaper than water, yes. Your point?

    8. "You have to try this place's 'shorma'. It's the best in the city."

    instagram.com

    First of all, it's sha-war-ma. Second, you're probably wrong. If the shawarma has any more than two vegetables, it's not a shawarma. It's a frankie.

    9. "They have winter in the desert also?"

    Twitter: @EmWaqqas

    Have you ever encountered a geography textbook? Deserts have extreme weather conditions, fool.

    10. "Do you have any hot Arab friends you could set me up with?"

    Star World

    Even if I did have any, I'd keep your ignorance far, far away from them.

    11. "My friend at work is from the Gulf too. Do you know her?"

    UTV Disney

    Sure, because all NRIs in the many countries in the Gulf have an inside network to keep in touch.

    12. "Is Aladdin a huge thing there?"

    Walt Disney Pictures

    We're just one giant version of Agrabah, if you couldn't tell.

    13. "Your taps back home must be gold-plated."

    Dark Horse Entertainment

    Why, of course. And I have an oil field in my backyard.

    14. "I went to Dubai when I was a kid. Way cooler than I expected."

    in.pinterest.com

    If you were expecting tents in the desert, I can't help you there.