Contrasts

After Japan, I was in Dubai for more than 24 hours and since then, I have not stopped thinking about the contrasts of our daily life, the multiple contrasts that we can observe in the same country, or the contrasts you face when moving from one continent to another.

Visiting Dubai and seeing its infrastructures that undoubtedly make an impression at first sight when you go in the car and see The Frame, or the museum of the future, or stop to see the Burj Khalifa from its great fountain. It is inevitable to say a WOW!!! what a place. But what about the contrast in Dubai, I wonder if tourists see all sides of it?

I arrived at the airport at 4:00 am and I was supposed to be at a friend's Zumba class at 9:00 am, so I decided to use the subway. The subway in Dubai, from what I observe, is used mostly by the working class. Even my friend told me, are you going by subway? "I've only used it once in all my time here."

I saw many men from India, Philippines in this subway, there were more men than women. Between the bombastic buildings and my experience in the subway, my brain already that morning began to observe the contrasts of Dubai.

After going to visit the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, Yohana told me, I'm going to take you to a place that I know you're going to enjoy a lot. We went to old Dubai to visit its markets, to see other people who also make a living in this city but who are not necessarily in the big malls of the city, to see the loads that were leaving for Iran, information that some guys provided me, so I have this habit of starting to ask local people, without embarrassment, just with the curiosity that identifies me (see photo).

There I bought tea and nuts, which I like very much, and I tried everything they allowed me. There I observed another face of Dubai, that of the working class. There are countries where the contrasts are seen in a drastic way, as is the case of my home country, Venezuela. Where, if as part of a tour visiting the country you decide to go the Hospitals or public Universities, there you will also see the realities of a country, which you cannot imagine if you only visit Los Roques and Canaima.

BUT from which perspective do we see these contrasts that surround us? What is right or what is wrong? What do I do with my own contrasts from my own life? Today, my vision has evolved to simply observe, and when I find myself complaining and non-constructive criticism, I seek to see what that situation or thought is inviting me to.

Over time I have understood that the most sensible thing to do is to deal with my reality, which means my own daily contrasts, which go from my home to the city where I am. Take charge of what belongs to me or what I can. Make the decisions that I have to make to evolve my own reality.

Who am I after the contrast of being in a country as clean as Japan and coming to Cambridge and actually seeing garbage everywhere? Who am I after visiting Kenya and seeing how the lack of sexual education and education in general affects thousands of women? Who am I in contrast to a day that is suddenly sunny and changes drastically to a rainy day? Who am I in the face of the contrast that my mother is experiencing who has just immigrated to Europe and has her fears and doubts because she does not know the new system?

Who do we decide to be every day in the face of the contrast of life itself? Me in particular, I move to be more compassionate, to take daily action, being responsible for what corresponds to me and seeking to educate myself. I am looking to be nobler too and create an identity where I am faithful to myself and my ideals.

Today I am deeply grateful, day by day, to the people who invite me to see other realities, opposite to the ones I am used to. I am open to listening and to the debate that arises from the contrasts because I learn a lot there.

I appreciate the contrasts of life itself that refine my identity, which is undoubtedly in constant evolution.

And who are you in the contrasts of your life? hero or victim?