For many expats in the United Arab Emirates, Emiratis or "locals" are an enigma and a complete mystery. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you have lived in the UAE for a long time without making friendships with locals or actually having a conversation with one of them. This unintentional distance fueled the imagination of some non-locals and made them create stereotypes.

Emiratis are aware of that fact, and to get their insight on the subject, I asked my local friends this question: “What are the most annoying stereotypes or misconceptions some non-locals have about you?"

And as absurd, hurtful and silly as these stereotypes might sound, here are some of their responses: