Review: An Honest Day to Day View of an Expat's Life
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 23, 2013
"Many of us cannot conceive of a world where Americans are becoming the immigrants to foreign 15245651lands instead of being the country one immigrates to - but it is happening more and more frequently."And Mohana (Mohanalakshmi) Rajakumar is one such American. Born in India but raised in the US and possessing American citizenship along with a Ph.D from the University of Florida, Dr. Rajakumar presents the challenges and opportunities of living and working in another nation, the nation of Qatar.This book is a well written, insightful, and respectful look at life and society in one Middle Eastern nation. The author, a South Asian American who has lived in Qatar for nearly eight years, shares her observations and insights into living as an expat in an area of the world which is constantly in the news.Just as she challenges the native Qataris and other nationalities who live and work in the desert nation with her western dress and East Asian appearance, she also challenges the readers to consider the stereotypes, from both sides of the world, that cause us to make assumptions that she seeks to debunk. Weaving the personal with the academic, religious, and even political Rajakumar's From Dunes to Dior is a book about someone living in another nation and culture who herself is multinational in the best sense of the word.If you are interested in an contemporary view of one key area of the Middle East then read this book. From discussions about maids, drivers, and driving to national development and international relations, this book is a must read.