Sun. Sand. Pearls. Camels. Monarchs, but not that kind.
I grew up in Bahrain. I moved there at four years old so I did not have any understanding of the world, society or even a map. My knowledge of geography would soon change immensely because I was constantly reminded by the Bahrainis that I was a filthy Indian, someone beneath them but also someone whose ethnic origins were not in Bahrain. I soon realised that I was Indian. That my face and accent were dead giveaways of my genetic links to the region and nation of India. I knew that I was no longer in India and that India was somewhere else. Where? The map would tell you.
Bahrain was an interesting place at the time. The majority of the population was not from Bahrain but rather from the Indian subcontinent – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka – in addition to a significant number from the Philippines. Most were low-wage workers but one must remember that “low” is relative. Low compared to others in Bahrain but high relative to wages in the mother country. Most were men, young men who dreamed of better lives back home. Home was where the family was, where their lives were, where love was and where the future was being played out. All while they were in Bahrain. There were some immigrant women, usually wives, daughters or relatives of the men who moved. Likewise, there were children too – such as me.
One of my earliest memories is standing outside the airport in Bombay – then Sahar Airport – staring at a Gulf Air plane and asking my cousins how that thing could possibly fly. Fly it did and I loved it. Partly because the experience was new and partly because I was small enough to walk up to the flight attendants and politely ask for a toy – something I was usually given for free. I also enjoyed the meal, and even as an adult, I continue to enjoy airline meals. Why? Possibly because I enjoy the novelty, possibly because I enjoy eating in small spaces, possibly because the meal is planned and everything you need is in a convenient package. Who can say?
Anyhow, my next memory is arriving at the apartment my parents rented and being offered a “Sun Top” drink by my dad. As I looked it up, I fell down an interesting rabbit hole. Sun Top is Danish, and was developed just outside Copenhagen. Interestingly, those Sun Top drinks were where I first encountered the Tetra Pak and I always assumed Tetra Pak were Danish. They are Swedish, but for tax avoidance are conveniently located in the international tax haven of Switzerland. Danish Sun Top is a brand from Co-Ro foods. Lots of other things in Bahrain were Danish – several milk products, for some reason. There was a Danish powdered milk brand called Dano. Denmark was also the source of much confusion with the adjective for things and people of the Netherlands – Dutch. Danish and Dutch – how different could they be? Very, as I later discovered. For context, Denmark does quite a bit of business with the Arabian Gulf. In 2020, Denmark exported around one billion US dollars worth of goods and service to Saudi Arabia, a country right next door to Bahrain.
I liked Bahrain though I did not know why at the time. Most women in Bahrain would and still do disagree. The misogyny is on a different level there but it is not unlike most society in that part of the world – South Asia and the Middle East. I was not a woman so I was spared all of those problems. I enjoyed the change from India. The quiet, the peace, the clean streets, the absence of Bombay’s unending cacophony and smells.
After the initial days, I joined school. A pretty good school by Indian standards, at least. Most of my classmates were Indians and many were from Kerala or Goa. The Goans were very similar to me – we had similar accents, Portuguese surnames, ate the same food, went to the same church and supported the same football teams. I loved the Goans and still do. These friends were how I discovered Portugal, Brazil, Deportivo de La Coruña, Porto, Sporting, Benfica, Churchill Brothers, Dempo and Salgaocar. The latter three being football clubs in Goa.
Outside school, my life was spent avoiding the sun. It was mostly too hot for outdoor activities and the internet was barely a thing at the time. Mobile phones were certainly not common although they did exist. The highlights of the week were trips to the supermarket where I would wander down the aisles, imagining my life with ownership of the wares on display. I also wandered the streets and still have a good mental map of the area.
I remember the souk, the pearl roundabout, the Arad fort, the Bahrain gate and several restaurants.
More later.