Morag from Manama

Hand’s up. It’s my entire fault! I must be cursed. I had no idea that my inner thoughts were going to attract such a negative reaction (note to self: clear my mind of any positive feelings). I must apologise now to you all.

For, it was only the other day when I finally understood why expats love Bahrain so much so that they stay year after year, decade after decade. They also shorten their summer trips home, opt to spend Christmas with their expat family here on their beautiful island and are bereft (shattered, disappointed?) when the company asks them to relocate.

Let’s call it my light bulb moment. I finally got it as I announced to a friend: “I plan to stay in Bahrain as long as possible.”

They were taken aback, as was I. Maybe I hadn’t realised it, until that moment, just what a great expat posting Bahrain is.

The following morning, whilst sitting in my car at the Alosra roundabout, I noticed how particularly beautiful the landscaping on the roundabout was, the palm trees and flowers planted a smile on my face whilst stuck in traffic.

Instead of being drawn to the dusty roadsides, litter and rubble, I could see the positive effort being made in Bahrain to beautify some areas … only to discover shortly afterwards that the local municipality leaders believe that roadside flowers were considered a ‘waste of money’!

Ironically, this month is the launch of the Bahrain International Garden Show 2016 advertised as ‘Go green! Caring for our flora is a big part of the environmental conservation’.

Perhaps the authority’s members should pay a visit to the show, which is being held from February 25 to 28 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. You may spot me there protesting with my placard: ‘Save our greenery!’

Should those councillors be too busy to attend, let me share the social benefits of green spaces, such as screening out busy road noises, reducing glare from headlights and stress reduction.

With the loss of the fuel subsidy and the increase in water and electricity tariffs to all expatriates and now wanting to remove the little greenery we have, I thought I had heard it all!

But no, now there’s an increase in the tax on beverages.

What happened to my light bulb moment?