{mis}Adventure #14 – Life in Dubai: (Not So) Universal Appliance Symbols

So, a few weeks ago I wanted to defrost some meat that I’d put into the freezer.  No big deal, I’d been using microwave regularly at that point.  A simple twist of the dial to the desired time and all was good in my kitchen.

I must admit I’d never paid much attention to the presets on my microwave during my daily microwave dialings.  So when I approached the microwave ready to hit the defrost button I was stopped dead in my tracks.  Truly bewildered by the image symbols that some international developer thought were clearly "universal".  I present to you my interpretation of the microwave settings on my friendly neighborhood microwave:

• Chef Button: Push this button to instantly become a gourmet chef
• Pot of Auto Fluff : Push this button to auto fluff – no wait, that would be a dryer…maybe this is a baking button?
• Crying Asterisk (Auto variant): Hmmm...this may be the defrost button. 
• Crying Asterisk (lightning bolt variant):  Wait, is this the thunderstorm button?! 
• Pot of Auto Steam:  I knew conventional ovens had a self-clean, now I have a microwave that does it, too...sweet!
• Clock: Timer?
• Notebook paper: Clearly, this is a poorly drawn bacon button – but I know my bacon, and this HAS to be the 'baconator' setting (you know?  push button receive bacon?  see the similarities?!)

• Smiley Face w/ Baseball Cap:  *sigh* shake head and walk away and give up, you can't pay me to push that button…Dubai Strikes again

Don't understand what I mean just from the word descriptions?  
Can't believe that these are real "universal" microwave buttons?  
Then I present to you my Dubai microwave:

{CLOUD}: It can be frustrating living somewhere new and different...

SILVER LINING:...but the hilarity that emerges from the situation will make the memories of your time there that much more enjoyable.  And hey, at least you have a microwave.  (And bacon, don't forget the bacon)