A pair of intrepid bloggers share their daily adventures in a place where ancient desert culture meets glitzy superaffluence - in other words, about as far from the Lakes Region and the Red Sox as you can get.

Portland Press Herald.
November 5, 2007. Page D1.
by Justin Ellis, Staff Writer.

If you thought the World Series games went far too late into the night, imagine how Josh Edwards feels.

For every game of the series between the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies, he didn't have to worry about how late he was going to sleep, but how early he had to get up.

First pitch was around 4:30 a.m. in Dubai.

"You're still sleep deprived. It's just on the other end of the day," he said. "In the end it was worth it."

Since 2006 Edwards and his wife Elizabeth Greason have lived in Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

Originally from the Lakes Region, the couple have been chronicling their experiences living in the Middle East on www.newlywedindubai.com.

While the site is primarily a way for the young couple to keep in touch with family Stateside, it also offers a glimpse into daily life in the Arab world, the differences in cultures and the effects of Westernization.

It may seem like an adventure, but to them it's just everyday life.

"Places that seem so exotic when you're in the United States are just a few hours away by plane ride," Greason said.

The couple grew up not too far apart in Naples and Bridgton and both attended Lake Region High School, but did not meet until the summer of 2005.

In a set of circumstances almost too perfect for a Hollywood screenwriter, their whirlwind romance was almost cut short. Since 2003 Greason had taught high school English in Dubai. After she returned in the fall of 2005, they stayed in touch and Edwards made his first trip to Dubai over Thanksgiving. The day after Christmas they were engaged.

Last August they were married on Keoka Lake in Waterford and within the month they were in Dubai.

Bordering Saudi Arabia and Oman on the Persian Gulf, Dubai is one of the largest emirates in the United Arab Emirates and a growing business hub that attracts companies from around the globe.

For Greason it was a return to everyday life, but for Edwards it was a little different.

Through the blog the Arab world unfolds through their eyes, like finding simple joy in discovering Arabic logos for American products and meeting people from all around the world.

You learn that if Edwards wants to enjoy a beer while listening to the Red Sox, he'll have to travel to get it since Dubai is an Islamic city and beer and alcohol are not available in stores.

During the month of Ramadan, many businesses have shorter hours and eating or smoking in public is forbidden.

And if you're looking for pepperoni on your pizza or ham on your sandwich, you might be in for a surprise.

Aside from their firsthand experiences, the site also features information on Dubai, including links to stories on the expansion of American companies into the emirate and the building boom that has made Dubai City famous for its architectural wonders and extravagant spending. They also use online photo applications such as Flickr and Kodak Gallery to share photos.

Greason said Dubai boasts a very Westernized culture, complete with malls that feature TGI Fridays, the Gap and Starbucks.

Day-to-day life for them is similar to most young couples - work, feed the cats, have dinner and find time to spend with each other.

Now Greason is a professor with American University and Edwards is working to get his master's degree in business administration.

But when she looks out at her class, she's reminded how different their lives are.

"I teach students from all over the Middle East and Asia, many of whom are poised to rise into positions of power in the region, either in the business or political realm," she wrote in an e-mail.

Edwards said the mash-up of cultures has been interesting. It's typical to see younger Muslim men wearing traditional white dishdasha with a baseball cap. As a Red Sox fan, he didn't know what to make of the men wearing Yankees caps.

"All my life I've grown up thinking someone in a Yankees hat may be questionable in their intentions," he said. "But here they may not realize the significance."

Living in Dubai has also made it relatively easy to travel throughout the Middle East and Asia, she said.

Greason admits she is the more adventurous of the two, willing to try new restaurants and explore markets.

Edwards, on the other hand, said he's a little slower to try new things and takes some comfort in Dubai's Western trappings.

It can make for an interesting dynamic when it comes time to make dinner plans.

"If the man wants to eat at Chili's, it's all right," Greason said. "He did move to Dubai for me after all."

Edwards said living so far away from friends and family can be difficult, particularly during family emergencies. This past year Greason's grandparents passed away.

Though they don't have the support structure they would have if they were in Maine, they've come to rely on each other, she said.

"Being away (from family) has given us a chance to define our relationship in terms of each other," she said.

At the same time there are plenty of things they miss about being back in Maine. Aside from family and friends, it's the little things like mayonnaise, real pepperoni or Shipyard Export Ale.

Next summer Greason's contract with the university expires and the couple is likely to return to Maine.

They are more than a little excited to be reintroduced to Portland and reconnect with family and old friends.

Though they keep in touch with family and follow the latest news, actually physically being here may prove to be a real culture shock.

"It's a disconnect. We're not living in reality of the U.S.," he said. "We can pretend it's different in our minds."

Even the World Series win, Edwards said, may not sink in until he sees the banner at Fenway Park for himself.

Still, 4 a.m., just to see Curt Schilling or Josh Beckett start? Why?

"You obviously haven't met my husband," Greason jokes.

"They're the Red Sox," he said.

Staff Writer Justin Ellis can be contacted at 791-6380 or at jellis@pressherald.com