One of the funniest things about Dubai is the little differences. Although ninety-nine percent of everything is in English as well as Arabic, it's not really American English. It's British English. The Queen's English.
Crickey.
(Wait, no, that's not right ...)
So maybe it's either because this whole part of the world was under British reign for, like, ever, or because England is closer to Dubai than the US is. Maybe it's just because there are more Brits here than Americans. But Dubai is teeming with Britishisms.
Luckily we drive on the right side of the street, that would be downright scary if we drove on the British side. I mean, scarier than the Dubai driving already is.
But we don't put gasoline in our cars, it's "petrol".
That's not an elevator you're riding in, it's a "lift".
It's not a sweater you're wearing, it's a "jumper".
At the grocery store we use a "trolley", not a shopping cart.
Obviously it's "football" and not soccer.
Football's football, but they call it "American football".
Vacation is a "holiday".
Z is "zed" (like Canada).
Parking lots are "car parks".
It's not an eraser, it's a "rubber".
The trash can isn't a trash can, it's a trash 'bin'.
In one of the classes I'm taking at the university we talk about "organising people" and "division of labour". I guess I'll have to translate any papers I write.
But I wonder if this will continue on with new additions to the city. Right now they're building the first metro / light rail, will it be a subway or a "tube"?
Luckily some things are promisingly American. For example, we live in an apartment and not a "flat". That's nice, as it'd feel pretentious to call this a flat, don't you think?
And of course, lastly, the one britishism I've been rebelling against since I got here. It's not a cell phone, it's a "mobile". Ugh.
