‘Nice’ isn’t typically a word you use in the Dubai context. Its – how do I put it mildly – a ‘don’t care a great deal’ type city. Not quite the knock you over and keep walking/steal your bag/watch as someone dies kind. No, definitely not that menacing. But an edge, it definitely has. (Ooo how Yoda is that sentence!?)
So, for the most part, people don’t expect a lot by the way of heart-warming moments. Firstly, its an expat-heavy city. Relationships formed here, as we Dubaians (yes that’s the official term) know, tend to be with people from other parts of the world or your own part (depending on degree of homesickness and appetite for change) rather than with people here. With no real attachments therefore, and the relatively short stays, there is often an insane amount of Dubai-bashing. Sometimes justified; but frequently just something to roll your eyes at, lets be honest.
Some days I absolutely hate my life here. Whine constantly about it. Rude. Racist. Expensive. Bureaucratic. Blah. Blah. Blah. As an expat, I, like many, have romanticized home from afar and conveniently forgotten the niggling little things (and big fat things that there’s no getting around really) that bothered the heck out of me when I was there. And the longer we stay here, the rosier the other side looks right ;)?
Well there’s some things that have happened to me recently that have managed to get even my half-closed-in-cynicism eyes open, and a bit teary.
The world attacks forums every so often. With accusations of blurring the line between fact and opinion. Be that as it may, the power of the many can truly bring a problem down to its knees. And here we have our very own - Expatwoman. They’ve come to my rescue, and how! More than once. And I’m not talking information at short notice and opinions that may help consolidate a decision alone (which BTW appeals hugely to my Marketing and Communication ‘lets do some research and decide’ side ;)).
Let me explain. A few months ago, when I discovered my baby had reflux, I was devastated. I’d found a lovely doctor yes, but it would take time to heal. In the meanwhile there was only one med that would help. He gave me a few samples of it and I saw its power instantly. My grunting, squirming in pain baby got the odd hour of mildly disturbed rest. The problem? That particular ‘magic pill’ wasn’t stocked in Dubai. Of course I bought it online but the order would be a couple of weeks!! So I went on the forum and appealed. To anyone with info on where to get some for the interim. I got a flood of responses! People offering to not only share what they had with me, FOR FREE, but also bringing it to me since they understood new mums and their lives. That was my first experience of random acts of kindness in a lonnnnng time! And it continues… yesterday, I got a travel cot from lovely lady who’d done with hers and just GAVE it to me.
Here’s a shout out to the fab expatwomen!! You've inspired me to ‘pay it forward’. I’ve given people things that while perfectly usable would normally have just sat in storage somewhere. The feeling of giving is almost as good as the feeling of receiving :). A channel that helps you when you need it, AND makes you a better person? I’m sold! Its win:win isn’t it?? Thank you.
So… Dubai you ask? Hmmm lets see – Have a support system, both visible and invisible, that can’t be beat. Fell in love with my husband here. Made what I believe will be some of the best friends of my life. And when I look out my bedroom window, I can see the tallest building in the world! What’s not to like?
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