The Land of Ex-patriates

In Bahrain I am not an American, I am not a visitor, I am not even an outsider. Actually I am all of these things, but if you ask a Bahraini I am first and foremost an expat. Ex-patriates, more commonly referred to as expats, are a central element of life in Bahrain, and understanding this is a must if making any attempt at understanding the region. Expat is a term wildly applied yet the distinction it makes is strong never the less; In the mind of the locals you are an expat from the time you arrive until the time you leave , regardless of the length of your stay or your reason for coming to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

"Expat" is more than just a phrase here, it is a major part of the culture, with Expats making up nearly fifty percent of the population in Bahrain, very little is uninfluenced by our presence. Being an expat here part of your identity, it is part of how you relate to others and it is the common experiences which go along with this designation which, bring people together, foster new friendships, and provides a basic bond which transcends national identities.

Brunch in Bahrain

Friday brunch is a bit of an institution in Bahrain. The Diplomat Hotel in downtown Manama, the capital of Bahrain, has a brunch known throughout the island. The Diplomat is a major social event drawing people from all kinds of backgrounds, and very importantly it is one of the few events in this country which is not a sausage fest. This event draws and incredibly diverse crowd of expats, GCC nationals, as well as the US military crowd. Yet tell anyone that you are going to the Diplomat brunch and you are guaranteed to get a response. This response is generally a response to the fact that the Diplomat brunch is a champagne brunch, serving as an excuse for expats and any other brave souls to start their partying at noon, and burn off all of their pent up energy due to a lack of a significant party scene.

This past Friday we went and experienced diplomat brunch for ourselves. This is truly a sight to behold, and a welcome taste of the west. Funny thing is, most people will tell you that this is a must do cultural event. Now having experienced it for my self, I think in some odd way it is a bit of a cultural thing. More stories from the Middle East to come soon.