21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worthy Attempt, March 19, 2000
This review is from: Culture Shock!: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette: United Arab Emirates (Culture Shock - Guides) (Paperback)
In keeping with the series title "Culture Shock", Gina Crocetti makes a worthy attempt to describe the multi-cultural society to be found in the UAE, yet leaves the longer-staying visitor areas that can be discovered or developed for himself or herself.
Gina also manages to include aspects related to women not easily described from experience by male writers. As such, the book deserves to be read alongside those guides holding more factual and reference-type information. One or two items should be corrected - for example, "at least 3" cups of welcoming coffee should read "not more than 2 or 3". Also the "Do's and Don'ts" need to be separated - it's not always clear which is which !
In its second or third re-print from a 1996 edition, the book also needs updating for "current" information, since a lot of content appears dated. I would have been more impressed with Gina's research had reference to Dr. Frauke Heard-Bey, as a foremost published authority on the UAE's historical development, not included four mentions of "he" when Dr. Frauke is a woman.
A source of excellent references can be found at the UAE National Library located at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The library is "lending" and has a special Gulf archive, which includes a historical summary of the development of Abu Dhabi by Clarence Mann, now long out of print.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Realistic, June 28, 2000
This review is from: Culture Shock!: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette: United Arab Emirates (Culture Shock - Guides) (Paperback)
I lived in a larger city than Ms Crocetti did and felt initially that this book did not pertain to my experience. As time passed and I went through the cycles of adjustment described, I decided to re-read this book. Not only did I find the cycles of adjustment were as described, but also that the values of the Emirati culture were manifesting themselves in my life. The understanding I gained about them from this book helped me to be more patient, relaxed and respectful. I thought, too, that the book was negative because I had so much hope and expectation for my time working in the UAE. I see now that this author has really given us a realistic view of what to expect from living in the Emirates. I have read numerous Culture Shock! books and can confidently say of the writing- this is one of the best.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Author insight into the juxtaposition of cultures is superb., October 7, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Culture Shock!: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette: United Arab Emirates (Culture Shock - Guides) (Paperback)
Culture Shock! United Arab Emirates gave me a realistic view of what to expect from the many aspects of life in the UAE. Due to the large number of guest workers in the country, there are many cultural directions from which conflicts arise. Ms. Crocetti's insights into the juxtapositions of the many cultures and the overall flavor of the native culture influencing interactions prepared me well for my own interactions during my stay in the Emirates-both the good and the difficult.
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