The Real Housewives of Dubai Recap: Marco Polo

As a viewer who has walked the same path as many of the support staff portrayed on this show, I find myself deeply moved by the insightful and sensitive approach taken by one particular commentator. Their personal history with domestic work and their mother’s struggle in New York City resonates strongly with me, as I too have found myself in similar circumstances more times than I care to count.


As a movie enthusiast, I’ve found it challenging to delve deep into the show’s dynamics with the support staff, often making light-hearted comments about how the main characters treat their maids and nannies as if they were mere decorations. However, behind the scenes, I find myself more in tune with the support staff than the housewives. You see, my upbringing was not far removed from theirs; my mother worked tirelessly for years cleaning homes in downtown New York City to put food on our table. And truth be told, I’ve been in those background roles, serving the wealthy, more times than I care to remember.

As someone who has worked extensively with families, I find it deeply troubling that household staff members are only brought into focus when a criminal event occurs. The story of Sara, a fellow parent, is particularly harrowing – upon her return from a Bali trip, she discovered that her maid was tampering with cameras and inviting strangers into her home, with apparent intentions to traffic or kidnap her child. I wholeheartedly support Sara’s decision to take this matter to the authorities for investigation, as her first priority should be protecting her child.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but express my concerns about the discussion that ensued. It primarily revolved around the idea of uncertainty in one’s own home and the reliance on caregivers who have often been portrayed as nothing more than props on our screens for safety and security. However, the underlying issue is far from what was presented. The wealthy expats are not the ones to fear; it’s their domestic workers who face the brunt of exploitation, particularly those hailing from Asia (especially the Philippines) and Africa.

In this episode, it was clear that Lesa was the one who appeared hesitant about the conversation’s progression. She eventually agreed more with Sara’s perspective, though. This isn’t surprising, as in this episode, Lesa shares the reasons for her conflicts with Caroline Stanbury and how the show exacerbates real-life social stigmas affecting Black women, particularly in Emirati society. In a private conversation, Lesa explains that one of her main issues with Stanbury is her public labeling of Lesa as an escort, which can be highly damaging for a Black woman in a society where women of African descent are often stereotyped as such. Although I believe Lesa should acknowledge that she started the back-and-forth at the reunion by criticizing Sergio and Caroline’s businesses (including mentioning Epstein), she is expressing a truth about the connection between Black women and sex work. I have personally known Black women working on the Guggenheim project in Abu Dhabi who were approached in Dubai streets and asked directly, “How much?” Such experiences are humiliating, and I’m glad Lesa spoke openly about this unfortunate reality. Eventually, Caroline deeply apologized for her reunion remarks and meddling with Lesa and Ayan’s friendship, and the two agreed to a typical housewife reconciliation.

In relation to the topic of deceptive businesses, it’s clear that Ayan is putting in effort to demonstrate that her involvement in the beauty industry isn’t just a hobby for housewives – and who else could confirm this but Huda Kattan, a renowned figure in the Arab beauty scene? Admittedly, I was taken aback to find Huda appearing on Bravo, given that her sister Mona, famous for Kayali, is featured on Netflix’s Dubai Bling, and they never shared a scene together. The fact that Huda agreed to help Ayan in this capacity speaks volumes about their relationship – Huda used to do Ayan’s makeup during her modeling days and now stands ready to offer advice to help Ayan elevate her makeup aspirations even further. Making a call to Sephora on the spot? That’s the kind of entrepreneurial spirit I admire! The black YSL power suit that Ayan wore to the meeting is surprisingly modest compared to her usual on-screen appearances.

As someone who has only experienced polo through college’s VC Polo Classic, I must admit that my knowledge and interest in the sport are limited. However, attending this week’s all-cast event, coordinated by Caroline Brooks, gave me a glimpse into the glamorous world of polo events.

Regarding Caroline, I’ve finally figured out the similarity between her and Sergio that strikes me: It’s much like Gronk and Yzma from “The Emperor’s New Groove.” Despite finding Sergio somewhat irritating, I recognize he’s just a devoted simpleton who craves recognition for supporting his wife. His dedication to her birthdays is truly commendable! A shocking moment came when he admitted in his confessional that he yearned for a child because, over time, both his family and Caroline would disappear. Although he meant it innocently, he seems unaware of how this statement taps into Stanbury’s underlying fears – she dislikes birthdays since she doesn’t want to admit getting older and approaching 50. I worry that the doting husband might soon confront the truth: there’s a greater chance of me giving up cheese permanently than Sergio has of fathering a child with Stanbury.

Hi there! Next week, it seems Lesa and Taleen are going to have a disagreement, which might just be the key to understanding why Saba recently shared that amusing friendship breakup tweet of hers. I can’t wait to see how their argument unfolds and observe the repercussions on Saba and Sara’s relationship. Hopefully, this will provide some insight into Saba’s actions and bring us closer to piecing together the puzzle of her thought process. Looking forward to finding out more then!

Golden Nuggets

1. I couldn’t care less about the drama involving Akin, and I won’t miss his modeling gig. It seems ridiculous that we’ve been pretending Sara was ever going to marry him. We’ve all been infatuated with an Instagram model for far too long, and it’s led to regret. Let’s bring this story to a close.

The ongoing friendship dynamic involving Ayan, Stanbury, and Lesa still cracks me up. I understand Ayan’s blunder with the voice note incident, but it appears to me that in the end, Ayan may indeed be correct. Lesa seems overly protective and unwilling to let Ayan cultivate relationships with others. Her statement to Rich, “Now she knows she only has one friend, and that’s me,” certainly speaks volumes.

It’s unclear to me when Brooks suggests that she was more akin to Raffi rather than Taleen, as this seems implausible based on what we’ve seen in the series. However, I do think he should apologize for any misunderstanding or misrepresentation.

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2024-08-21 06:54