Shotgun Wedding

A few months ago I had the pleasure of attending a friend's wedding. And even more recently I met their cute little baby...that's right ladies and gents..it was time for a shotgun wedding ;) ....and yes, we are actually in 2009 I swear.

Dubai is one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, often seen in media worldwide, it has become increasingly popular and is often mentioned in the same breath as the great cities of London, Paris, New York and more. While Dubai is a city of excess and luxury where you can party it up in style; at heart, it is a truly conservative society. The large increase in Western expats to the region has brought an influx of liberal Western values which often clashes with the local "conservative" (on certain days!) values -let's just say some of the locals here are very conservative...and some are not so much!!! Balancing these two opposing poles is not always the easiest of tasks and many of the rules and local laws here come off as quite hypocritical. For example, Buddha Bar is a classic example of a fantastic high class world-renowned bar...and also known as Dubai's most famous prostitute hot spot!!!

While the rules and laws may be seen as quite backward and conservative, don't think for a second that this has stopped any of the issues that are more acceptable in the West such as unplanned pregnancy, cohabitation, drinking, homosexuality and prostitution. All of these are found in abundance here, it is just kept quieter and more under the radar compared to the West. There are laws outlawing all of these practices and obviously if you get caught they are enforced..meaning you will get to enjoy Emirati hospitality...at the local police station!

So anyhoo back to the wedding :) After a hectic 3 week engagement they tied the knot and about 6 months later welcomed a full-term baby into their lives. Talk about a nice wedding present ;)

What you have to know is that if you get pregnant out of wedlock here in lovely DXB they send you to prison with the baby for 3 months and then deport you...bit of a harsh consequence for a bit of fun that might have had unexpected results!!! Talk about a good time to say "no glove, no love babe!!" No prenatal care is available if you aren't married...but the truly ironic thing is that you can immigrate to the UAE as a single mother, you just can't sully their morals by becoming one here!!

Condoms are readily available here in any grocery store or even gas stations (no seriously the gas stations are really well equipped I was totally surprised the first time i went in to pay for my gas one morning when I first moved here and was confronted with a full array of condoms, lube and even those Durex vibrating penis rings -and I hadn't even had my breakfast yet, was a bit of a shocker let me tell ya!!!) Not to mention the fact that birth control pills are available without a prescription at any pharmacy, and are cheap as chips.

So in conclusion, the moral of the story today boys and girls, is that unless you feel like acquiring a lifetime money drainer that will eventually talk back and give you lip (also known in many circles as a very cute baby, the fruit of your loins, the light of your life :p) you should invest some of your hard earned dirhams in a little over the counter protection!