Choosing a college, should we stay or go?
The Speak Your Mind debate last week in Gulf News came at a very relevant time, as I am applying to colleges (‘Focus: Going to college’, Gulf News, October 14). I have been a resident of Dubai for 11 out of my 13 school years and find it very difficult to now step away from the comfort of familiar surroundings and the love and protection of family. But leaving Dubai is inevitable.
It would, therefore, appear that I am advocating the viewpoint of studying overseas. This is not correct. It is not merely a choice of stay or go. It is my belief that the choice of studying abroad or staying home is largely determined by two factors. First, the availability of choices at home. In other words, if the country of residence offers high quality education in the discipline/stream you want to pursue, then why travel abroad? Going overseas gives tremendous new exposure and insights into new worlds, making you independent and more informed. But at 17 or 18 years old, isn’t it too early?
Secondly, there is another scenario where countries do have great learning centres, but not enough of them. I feel it is these two reasons that push students like me out of their home to go overseas to study. Else, why would we? Exposure and independence is better attained afterwards when we are slightly older and wiser and less of a worry to our parents about our ability to survive on our own.
So, I am going overseas. Not because I want to, but because I have to, if I want to fulfil my aspirations and dreams.
From Ms Payal Aggarwal
UAE
Speed kills
I wish to remind all my Emirati brothers of an old saying, “Speed thrills, but it kills” (‘Emirati brothers killed in car crash’, Gulf News, October 17). Life is very precious, so that should not be wasted by reckless driving and manmade disasters. I express my grief over the deaths, while offering my condolences to the victims’ family.
From Mr Sunny Joseph
Mala, India
Not a healthy relationship
So does that mean he loved her only for her beauty (‘Bride dumped for not looking pretty without make-up’, Gulf News, October 17)? I think it’s good for her that he left, because that’s not healthy. You marry someone because you love them as a person, not because of his/her looks. Also, for the woman it’s weird that he just saw her without make-up when he took her swimming! Like how can someone wear make-up 24/7 even while sleeping?
From Mr Ali Riyaz
UAE
Facebook comment
Make-up isn’t beauty
This groom doesn’t deserve a real woman. His behaviour is not that of a real man. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, not because of make-up.
From Ms Normia Sirajan
Dubai
Facebook comment
Not natural
Face the truth, the woman was not real. She did cosmetic surgery, so I think that both are at fault. You can see nowadays how women are using fake lashes and the way make-up is done is to change their natural look. Both are to be blamed. One married for beauty and the other concealed the truth. The bride wore artificial eyelashes and had undergone cosmetic surgeries before the marriage. Was she planning to tell him the truth about her?
From Ms Dhishna Aisha Radhay
Dubai
Facebook comment
Lying isn’t acceptable
The woman had done few cosmetic surgery, but she didn’t tell him before the marriage. You know, sometimes when you hide something from someone, it is equal to lying. Lying hurts and lies aren’t acceptable in a relationship.
From Mr Manana Murtiko
UAE
Facebook comment
Role reversal
So if a man is completely bald, but uses a wig and one day the wind blows and his bald head is revealed, the wife should just be okay with that?
From Mr Saadat Safdari
UAE
Facebook comment
What truly matters
Mr Saadat Safdari, wearing a wig or getting hair transplants doesn’t make anyone true or untrue. It’s just your personality that actually matters!
A woman wears make-up. So what? If he saw her and thought that was her natural look, he is at fault. People wear make-up and it’s nothing out of ordinary these days. If he wanted to see her without make-up, he should have asked her to send him a picture without any make-up on before the wedding.
From Ms Teena Mariam Wilson
UAE
Facebook comment
Easy to say…
He has the right to choose the right person to be in his life. Peoples are interested in talking about other people’s lives, but if they were faced with the same situation, they would take the same action.
From Mr P. A. Shukkur
Dubai
Facebook comment
This is lying
Too much make-up is equal to lying. Same like when you marry a rich man and the next day you find out that his home and car was only to show off to attract you, but now he doesn’t have any money and you need a place to live.
From Mr Zain Ali
UAE
Facebook comment
Marriage is serious
What is this? This sounds like one of those teenager movies with high school relationships where they dump each other just like that. Marriage has become such a lightly taken affair these days. Don’t marry before you know each other. That way you’re less likely to disappoint each other for whatever reason, shallow or otherwise.
From Ms Morvarid Jalali
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Society judges appearances
I feel so sorry for the young bride. Maybe she was insecure about her looks and felt that make-up was the best camouflage. I can’t blame her though, we live in a society where people are judged by their looks. As for the man, he needs to grow up!
From Ms Sibi Joice
UAE
Facebook comment
He needs a Barbie
Some men just marry women because of their pretty faces and not because of their characters and, most of all, their brains. That is also the reason why these women put too much make-up on. They just wanted to look beautiful. Now that he saw her natural beauty, he divorced her.
I’m sorry to say, but this man needs a doll – not a wife. Also, these women should know their worth and value. Do not settle for a man that would marry you only for your face because marriage is more than that. Beauty fades with time.
From Ms Hazel Marre Faith Lacang
Bacolod City, Philippines
Facebook comment
There are better men
It’s good the woman is now free of him. When she gets older, maybe he would do the same anyway. Why waste your life for such a man? She should cheer up because she is saved! She likes to wear make-up and feel good about herself, so she should do it. It’s her life and she will get a better man.
From Ms Jincy Koshy Cuckoo Mol
UAE
Facebook comment
He is fake!
What man doesn’t know which face is make-up-free or with make-up? Even children these days know what make-up is and how it looks on a woman’s face. Fake is his heart to claim that he loved her.
From Ms Nishat Ahmad
Dubai
Facebook comment
Change our mentality
The world is getting more and more artificial by the day and so are people’s expectations. Beauty should be in character and heart. Love has just become a thing of the past. We can blame materialism all we want, but this is a mentality issue as well.
From Mr Ajay Bhatia
Dubai
Facebook comment
It’s about love
Marriage is for sharing your life with someone. She might have a good attitude and lots of love and that is what makes your life beautiful.
From Ms Maisha Shaikh
UAE
Facebook comment
We are beautiful
Why does a woman need to change her form? Are we not beautiful as God created us? Make-up is just to enhance our beauty, not to replace our identity!
From Ms Felicity Li Aquin
Dubai
Facebook comment
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