Eid means a family vaCation for them
The Malate family went to Tbilisi last week in anticipation of the long Eid holiday. “Every year we grab the opportunity to have a vacation during Ramadan or Eid. Although it’s always brief, at least we spend time together meaningfully,” Mike Malate, head of the family, told Khaleej Times.
“Family bonding is a must, especially for us parents, who sometimes have no time for our kids. Our job demands us to work even on weekends and kids are also busy with school,” said Mike, who is the owner and managing director of Soura Photography Services.
Both Mike and his wife, May, are working for their company which provides photo and video services to corporate and government clients. They have two grown up children: Jann Michelle, 19, and John Michael, 13.
“We’re very happy to see our children grow and moments like this (out-of-town vacations) keep our family ties strong,” May explained. “Although we are a Christian family, we also observe Eid as a religious holiday and the opportunity it provides to bring our family together.
“We teach our children to understand, respect and observe important religious holidays of the land. We also owe it to the UAE, a Muslim country, for allowing us to freely practise our Christian faith. The UAE protects the family and it means a lot to us, expats, who are away from our families,” said Mike.
angel@khaleejtimes.com