This week the Twitter conversation mixed the emotions of happiness, love and frustration. Emiratis expressed their happiness and gratitude about the new appointment of a Minister of State for Happiness. Love occupied the minds of Twitter users on Valentine’s Day, with people sharing their ideal experiences. Meanwhile, addressing a more serious issue, social-media users asked: what would you do if your maid absconded?
Happiness Minister
Happiness spread quickly after the announcement in Dubai of the world’s first Minister of State for Happiness, Ohood Al Roumi.
Bijay @bijaydigital: “Dubai at the forefront of innovation–even at a human level. Congratulations.”
Sara @Sarahhamdan was happy with the gender of the new minister: “Minister of Happiness in Dubai has been revealed and it’s a woman.”
Samira @samirasawlani “UAE’s new minister for happiness Ohood Al Rumi will oversee national plans/projects etc which lead to happiness.”
@itsMEbhuME thought the appointment was timley: “Congrats! We surely needed one.”
Andreas @ahab1972 shared a photo of the new minister making a presentation on the role of government, with the caption: “The role of government is to create happiness.”
Joie @JoieRideTV posted the headline: “Happiness, happiness: UAE commits to citizen well-being, assigns first Happiness Minister post: Ohood Al Roumi.”
Nadine @Nadine_AM sent a message to the new minister with a suggestion regarding her portfolio: “Congrats on your appointment! Please address the issue of the sewage stench in and around Dubai. Gets worse year by year.”
Suhail @SuhailAmshan liked the “Happy” necklace worn by the minister at her swearing-in, calling it very original.
Valentine’s Day
February 14 was Valentine’s Day and, for better or worse, it was much on the minds of people in this region.
@Chaingaz shared a link to a news story headlined Wife beats husband after he got her nothing for Valentine's Day.
Kareena @kaarinalizeth didn’t ask for much: “All I wanted to hear this Valentine’s Day was those four lovely words “I got you Reese’s [chocolates]”.
Ariel @arielalena was thinking about a movie: "Seeing Deadpool on Valentine's Day was probably the greatest thing ever."
@Princess_Dani27 shared some photographs of her celebrating at a musical performance, saying she’d stayed up late “but the concert was amazing and it was probably one of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve ever had”.
Abdullah @docshayji shared some statistics: “Americans will spend $20 million (Dh74m) on chocolate, gifts and flowers.”
Dalaa @dalaaalmoufti tried to describe the real image for love “Love is not like in the movies, love is like a water streaming in our lives from the love to our countries and the love for food.”
Emirati singer Diana @DianaHaddad “Insha’Allah all your days will be filled with love and joy.”
Maids
Absconding maids is one of the difficult issues for families across the region.
Many people tweeted about the high costs involved in replacing a maid and the interruptions to the families who found themselves suddenly without a maid.
One user wanted to know how others would react if their maid left.
Mona @monamnmn2012 helpless she tweeted “My Kenyan maid rana way over a year ago now and we reported her to the police. What else can we do? Should we cry?”
@wmosara88 offered a solution: “Let the husband enter the kitchen and help his wife.”
Dr Farham @standard1133 thought this was a serious matter. “This is one of the major problems in our community over the past five years. This issue made a lot of money go to waste.”
Waleed @alrajhiw said: “I advise you not to lock up your maids in the house. Maybe it is better to make her run away than to keep her in the house where she might commit a crime.”
@Alooraby_f noted that there were valid reasons why some maids ran away from home, including hard work, bad treatment and abuse by their sponsor family.
Sarah Khamis is The National’s social media editor
skhamis@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @SarahKhamisUAE
