Friday 08/15

I now have a crew together to film in Iran and am waiting on news regarding my visa. We are "planning" to go on a scouting trip in Sept. then back to film in Nov. It all depends on what the Iranians say.

It's amazing how many people in the US still think that a place like Abu Dhabi (AD)/Dubai must be full of terrorists.

I spoke to someone yesterday and when he asked where I lived and I said "The UAE, you know Dubai, AD," his answer was "Why, isn't there a lot of unrest there?"

There is zero unrest in AD, sometimes things happen in Dubai. I have friends in the police/CID there and yes, sometimes there are problems and we hear about them, but very few, especially in comparison to LA. Probably the only unrest would be a guy with a handful of hundreds down in Bur Dubai...that would certainly stir up the working girls...

Coming from Los Angeles, it's a WHOLE lot safer in AD. I don't go to an ATM machine in LA after dark, in AD you go whenever you want, no one bothers you. My girlfriend and go walking down by the water in the evening and again, people don't bother you at all and there are lots of families there. In fact, when I get back to LA, I have to keep remembering that I have to pay attention to other people and be alert. This is not the case in the UAE.

Eventually...hopefully...Americans will start to realize that every Arab is NOT a terrorist, that is a stereotype that keeps being put out there. It has been an educational compare/contrast for me living in both places.