Photographer Helps People Say 'Goodbye' to Dubai
2020-10-30
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1When the coronavirus health crisis hit Dubai this spring, photographer Paula Hainey immediately lost all of her jobs.
2She was not alone.
3Within weeks, the health crisis closed borders and grounded airplanes in the Persian Gulf city, one of the world's busiest international travel centers.
4Tens of thousands of foreign workers on temporary visas lost their jobs.
5To fill her newly free hours, Hainey had an idea.
6She offered free photo shoots to those who are forced to leave the lives they had built in the United Arab Emirates.
7Hainey said she remembered that, before COVID-19, families of foreign workers would pay her to take their pictures in front of well-known structures.
8Here is the Burj Al Arab hotel shaped like a sail.
9Over there is Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on the planet.
10"If you've been living here for 15 years," she said, "you want something to remember it by."
11Hainey said it was "crazy."
12Her phone exploded with texts from people on all forms of social media.
13When Dubai reopened after lockdown, she spent her mornings on the white-sand Palace Beach, photographing over a hundred families at sunrise.
14Most of her subjects are pilots and others who work at Dubai airport and in the travel industry.
15"They've been here for 15-20 years. Their kids were raised here, then they're sent back 'home,'" Hainey said.
16"But their home has been Dubai."
17Darrin Chapman is a 49-year-old pilot who came from Greenwich, Connecticut.
18He met his wife during a stop in Australia six years ago.
19Chapman threw his one-year-old daughter, Harper, into the air as Hainey's camera captured the moment.
20His wife looked on lovingly while the ocean waves washed against the sand.
21"A picture tells the biggest story, and we wanted some memories," Chapman said, for when his daughter grows up.
22"It was our dream to raise her here," he added.
23"We're not too excited to raise her in the States, but it is what it is."
24The health crisis has been especially damaging to those like Chapman.
25He piloted one of the Emirates' Airbus A380s, the biggest passenger airplanes in the world.
26The planes are no longer flying without the crowd of travelers.
27Chapman lost his job after surviving the first three rounds of layoffs at state-owned Emirates.
28He is moving his family to Laguna Hills, California, to find work near his mother and sister.
29"We're quite sad, it is home for us," he said after 11 years in Dubai.
30Paula Hainey, a Brazilian, has lived in the city for seven years.
31Even with her own difficulties and uncertain future, she finds solace in helping others say goodbye to Dubai.
32"Everybody is trying to help during COVID. Restaurants are giving food or people are supporting medical staff," she said.
33"This is my way of helping."
34I'm Anna Matteo.
1When the coronavirus health crisis hit Dubai this spring, photographer Paula Hainey immediately lost all of her jobs. 2She was not alone. 3Within weeks, the health crisis closed borders and grounded airplanes in the Persian Gulf city, one of the world's busiest international travel centers. Tens of thousands of foreign workers on temporary visas lost their jobs. 4To fill her newly free hours, Hainey had an idea. She offered free photo shoots to those who are forced to leave the lives they had built in the United Arab Emirates. 5Hainey said she remembered that, before COVID-19, families of foreign workers would pay her to take their pictures in front of well-known structures. Here is the Burj Al Arab hotel shaped like a sail. Over there is Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on the planet. 6"If you've been living here for 15 years," she said, "you want something to remember it by." 7Hainey said it was "crazy." Her phone exploded with texts from people on all forms of social media. When Dubai reopened after lockdown, she spent her mornings on the white-sand Palace Beach, photographing over a hundred families at sunrise. 8Most of her subjects are pilots and others who work at Dubai airport and in the travel industry. "They've been here for 15-20 years. Their kids were raised here, then they're sent back 'home,'" Hainey said. "But their home has been Dubai." 9Darrin Chapman is a 49-year-old pilot who came from Greenwich, Connecticut. He met his wife during a stop in Australia six years ago. 10Chapman threw his one-year-old daughter, Harper, into the air as Hainey's camera captured the moment. His wife looked on lovingly while the ocean waves washed against the sand. 11"A picture tells the biggest story, and we wanted some memories," Chapman said, for when his daughter grows up. 12"It was our dream to raise her here," he added. "We're not too excited to raise her in the States, but it is what it is." 13The health crisis has been especially damaging to those like Chapman. He piloted one of the Emirates' Airbus A380s, the biggest passenger airplanes in the world. The planes are no longer flying without the crowd of travelers. 14Chapman lost his job after surviving the first three rounds of layoffs at state-owned Emirates. He is moving his family to Laguna Hills, California, to find work near his mother and sister. 15"We're quite sad, it is home for us," he said after 11 years in Dubai. 16Paula Hainey, a Brazilian, has lived in the city for seven years. Even with her own difficulties and uncertain future, she finds solace in helping others say goodbye to Dubai. 17"Everybody is trying to help during COVID. Restaurants are giving food or people are supporting medical staff," she said. "This is my way of helping." 18I'm Anna Matteo. 19The Associated Press reported this story from Dubai. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 20___________________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22lockdown - n. the confinement of prisoners to their cells for a temporary period as a security measure 23crazy - adj. wild or uncontrolled 24kid - n. a young person 25excited - adj. very enthusiastic and eager about something 26it is what it is - idiomatic phrase : an expression used to describe a frustrating or challenging situation that a person believes cannot be changed and must just be accepted 27layoff - n. the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers 28solace - n. to give comfort to in grief or misfortune 29staff - n. a group of people who work for an organization or business