Thursday, November 23, 2017

Why Do We Dress Like This?



Likeable. Upbeat. Adorable. Genuine. These are words I would use to describe the refreshing Emerati couple in this video, Khalid Al Ameri and his lovely wife Salama Mohamed.  The parents of three young children, the Al Ameris live in Abu Dhabi - and they are living the dream and having lots of fun while they are doing it. 

But Khalid never forgets the struggles and hardships he went through to get to where he is today.  Today the 33 year old has to pinch himself for his success and good fortune, after taking a blind leap of faith when he quit his good paying government job in 2016 to carve out a whole new career and image for himself by utilizing various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Khalid's educational background really did not prepare him for what he does today. The oldest son of an Emerati accountant and a Scottish mother, Khalid wasn't a great student, but he did earn a (rather useless for him) degree in Marine Operations at a nautical college before going back to school a few years later to obtain his MBA from Stanford. From a career in finance, he eventually landed a gig as CNN's MidEast Correspondent, despite the fact that he had no formal training or education in journalism.

Salama is a strong modern independent Emerati woman who holds her own in their partnership. She started her own jewelry business called Pearl by S. Salama also has vitiligo, a skin condition in which the pigmentation loses its color. Consequently she has white patches all over her body. Khalid's love and admiration for her is evident by his enthusiasm and inclusion of her in the videos. I loved the video they made together explaining vitiligo and the way he obviously adores her just the way she is.

Realizing the power of social media, Khalid has transformed himself and his life into a modern day dream where he is his own boss and calls his own shots.  Using his natural instincts and charm, he has rebuffed traditional older media platforms to stay ahead of the game. He is now partnering with Facebook, along with his other various endeavors which include TV presenter, motivational speaker, writer, and popular social media celebrity who makes upbeat videos with his wife and kids about "life, love, and family." His positive messages are inspirational to his large following who clamor for more.

Khalid and Salama together have emerged as a delightfully charming power couple who are putting a fresh face and a positive stamp on the images of the United Arab Emirates, Muslims, and the Arab World.

Email:  khalid.s.alameri@gmail.com
Twitter:  @KhalidAlAmeri
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/KhalidSAlAmeri
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/khalidalameri