On Service

Living in Saudi Arabia, I often think about cultural differences - not from a perspective of right and wrong, or good and bad, but rather simply as interesting observations. Some attributes transcend culture.

Cultures throughout history generally consider service to others as a noble and dignified pursuit. Religion portrays the act of service as a divine attribute. Ego and individuallity are such strong forces in the human makeup, that acting on behalf of a greater cause than oneself, is considered a magnanimous virtue. My own personal experience corroborates these precepts. I derive profound satisfaction from helping others or making a contribution to a greater social cause. I personally believe that service is the greatest calling in life, and that a life without service is empty and meaningless.

I began to ponder this phenomenan in the context of observations within nature. Notice that honey bees and ants have a very complex and sophisticated social structure that dictates their individual behaviors, and therefore the survival of the species. Each individual organism performs specific tasks within the social structure of the group. Their entire life is devoted to the greater cause of the survival of the group. It is almost as though there is a collective intelligence, or a macro-organism that bounds the social structure. These "service" behaviors are described by biologists as instinct, a mechanistic code in the DNA.

Yet when humans behave in a way that is self sacrificing on behalf of the benefit of others, it is considered to be a divine act. One could postulate that the satisfaction that humans experience from helping others, is actually part of our DNA makeup, or instinct. It makes logical sense that this would be a fundamental survival attribute for the species. Rather than nature verses nurture, I would categorize this argument as divine nature verses biological nature. Food for thought.

dlt

On Charity

I was driving along a busy road in Khobar, heading home from a shopping excursion to buy dive gear. When I stopped at a red light, a small framed lady clad in black abaya and hijab, approached my car. My first thought was that she was begging, but that seemed to contradict the cultural norm of Saudi women not interacting with males outside the family. She came to my window and began to gesture. Through the horizontal slit that revealed her eyes, she looked up as if to signify seeking something from above, then she shook her head with an intense look of loss and despair in her eyes.

I thought about the advise I received from social workers when volunteering at the soup kitchen in Denver - never give money to beggars, because it keeps them stuck, rather than encouraging them to rise from their circumstances. I also thought about the pillars of Islam, the 3rd being charity, and that there should be help for these people.

Then the light changed green and I drove on, leaving the woman with the yearning eyes behind. Those eyes burned an image in my brain. That image still follows me. I think, the next time that I encounter a begging woman, I will open my wallet.

dlt

Oman - Harsh Beauty

We left Dubai Saturday morning with 3 - 4WD vehicles and 11 Geoscientists. the Oman boarder is about 2 hours drive/100 km north to the Musandam Peninsula. The Musandam is within an arid mountain belt with very little vegetation, and abrupt elevation relief. We stayed at the Golden Tulip, a dive resort, for 1 night, and spent 2 days on a boat studying exposures along the inaccessible cliff walls that rise from the Straits of Hormuz. The seas were rough at times. The scenery was spectacular. Many small water craft crossed our path, loaded with goods traversing to and from Iran.

We spent the next several days exploring remote canyons accessible via rough 4WD roads, studing the exposures along the canyon walls. The geology was fascinating from the micro fossil assemblages, to the macro depositional environments. We were studying Cretaceous thru Permian section. We were in the field driving and climbing 12 to 14 hours each day, and moved to a different hotel each night. It was a rigorous schedule. After climbing in dusty 100 degree temps each day, I made a beeline for the pool immediately upon arrival to our hotels for a rejuvinating swim. At the Intercontinental in Muscat I managed an evening swim in the Gulf of Oman. The water was warm. Our accomodations varied from 5 stars at the Hatta Fort to 2 star accomodations in a few locations that were off the beaten path. As you can see, the clothing is more colorful in Oman than in Saudi Arabia. The Omani children were selling trinkets. They made a killing off of all of us softies. The girls were asking for sweets, and for pencils for school.

David Does Dubai ... and Oman

Greetings,

Who woulda thunk that there are big mountains on the Arabian Peninsula. And modern cities filled with spectacular skyscrapers. I ventured out of the routine of camp life in Dhahran on assignment to study the geology of Oman. Our trek started in Dubai, where we rented 3 Hummers for our expedition. We actually reserved 3 Landcruisers, but apparently reservations are not a credible component of this culture. I spent 2 days in Dubai. I was expecting an Arab version of Las Vegas, but I was pleasantly surprised. Dubai has a sort of charm. It is mesmerizing to think that they built this huge city in a few short decades. I started by indulging in some indoor snowboarding at Ski Dubai. Once again, my expectations were exceeded by good powder and a fun slope with a high speed quad chair and Reggae music. The 2 hours of skiing was refreshing with the 100 degree temps outdoors.

I stayed in a luxurious 5 star hotel - the Dusit Thani Dubai. The tallest building in the world - Burj Dubai is viewed from my window. The Thai staff were gracious. I enjoyed and reciprocated the greeting of bowing with hands in prayer at the heart. My second day in Dubai was enjoyed meandering thru the old part of town, with historic walkways and souks with a variety of wares. The meals and buffets at the hotel were fabulous, but one of my favorite meals was a paper bag filled with pokoras - deep fried battered veggies - from the Pakistani vendor in the souk. It was more of a cultural experience. Dubai is split by a creek that is navigable inland and is used for shipping and filled with water taxis. I took a tour of the town by boat.

I did not have time to explore the attractions along the coast with beaches, marinas, and water park. I guess that can be saved my for my next visit, when my family is here with me.