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Handshaikh Ltd provides, at your premises worldwide, customised cross-cultural seminars and consultancy for Westerners who have business and other interests involving Arabs particularly in, or from, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. More


▲Do you know how to behave?▲					Edn 2 (Nov 2010) What's this book about? Table of contents

The first edition of Handshaikh Ltd's book Don't they know it's Friday? (Motivate Publishing Dubai, 1998) was reprinted 13 times. The second edition was released in November 2010. Press release. Dina Medland writes in the Financial Times "In conversations with British expatriates in the Middle East one piece of advice recurs: read Don’t they know it’s Friday? by Jeremy Williams." Click here to buy. If you have an interest in this second edition or have difficulty in ordering a copy please email the author at DTKIF2(at)handshaikh.com


▲(In Arabic) Libya: Sirte surrounded 2 Sep 11 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC Arabic		▲(In Arabic) SAS in Libya? 25 Aug 11 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC World News Arabic		▲(In Arabic) Royal Navy training team departs Iraq 25 May 11 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC Arabic

▲Libya Mousa Kousa 31 Mar 11 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC 4 World News Today		▲Bahrain riots 18 Feb 11 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC 4 World News Today		▲Mumbai bombings & security 27 Nov 08 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC News

▲Piers Morgan sacked; fake Army torture pictures Iraq 24 Dec 07 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC News		▲Cross-culture: business with Arabs; Sudanese Teddy bears 7 Dec 07 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy of BBC World News		▲Attacks on expats Saudi Arabia June 2004 This video is here on YouTube Courtesy Sky News

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See nothing wrong in these pictures? - then take your cross-culture test!			How Gulf Arabs see Westerners! Dominated by 'Time'	Is it 'The Arabian Gulf' or 'The Persian Gulf'?

When is Ramadan this year? Doesn't Ramadan mean 'fasting' in Arabic? What does 1427AH mean? Arabs are all the same, aren't they? All Arabs are Muslims, surely? We need to book an appointment in three days' time, don't we? What is an Eid? What should I wear? They all speak such good English the proposal can be in English, can't it? Excuse me Mr Abdullah, but what is your Christian name? Iranians are Arabs, aren't they? He seems to be very nice so shall we have him as our Agent/Sponsor? If you ask these ▲ or similar questions, don't go to the Gulf yet! Speak to Handshaikh Ltd first (especially the last three!).

Take your cross-culture test

Public holidays Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE	Question				What's this for?
	Which qualities do you rate higher in a candidate for a job in the Gulf?
	A. Professional competence or
Much more GCC info	B. Patience & resilience.				In many hotels etc. Qibla calculation

Have you any idea at all what these tables are for? Are they important? Click for other cities.



Time now in Washington DC	Time now in London				Time now in Dubai

Free text messages from your PC!					Question: Why are there two British Embassies in the UAE? In Abu Dhabi and in Dubai? Click