My time in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is finally shuddering to an end. To coin a local phrase I am finally, “doing the needful”. It sure seems harder to get out than in, though!
I am conscious of a literal rewinding of all that I have set up, an unpacking, dismantling – dare I say demolishing? A plethora of red tape to cut and untie.
And what have I taken from Dubai? What has it taken from me?
So many good, positive memories remain and will forever lie ensconced in my heart and soul. The people I met, the wonderful sights I will never unsee.
‘What have I taken from Dubai? What has it taken from me?’
‘In the US I found myself apologising for my humour, as in Ireland we are inclined to be sarcastic’
Irish abroad: The seven stages of moving to a new country
As an Irish person in Australia, I can try to think of myself as suave and worldly, but I’m nothing of the sort
My first gasps at the mirage-like silhouette of the Dubai skyline rising up from the desert like some crazy, random deposit of towering glass. The sojourns into the desert, the wadis – the valleys that are dry except in the rainy season. The mountains here in the UAE, each leaving a haunting, indelible mark on my soul. Balmy camping nights under the Arabic skies, studded with the magic of stars and painted in hues of red and gold.
Overflowing street markets on dusty desert roads. At night, it is particularly special to stop off and haggle for a completely unnecessary but authentic purchase. Far from the glitter of Dubai city, yet in the city centre, visits to the enticing Gold Souk or wandering amid the noisy, ever pungent Spice Souk are all equally invigorating.
Crazy nights out, delicious all-day brunches that spin into after parties that dilute into late-night beach gatherings.
Opulent hotels with gold trappings, marble floors, huge diamond chandeliers, whole rooms with a single huge, stand-alone, bath tub perched on the 98th floor with views across the city.
Delicious cuisine from all over the world is offered from the melting pot of cultures that make up this expat world.
Making the most unlikely friends, like-minded souls who do not find your endless wanderlust strange.
Karak tea to sweeten your day, shawarmas to grab on the run, sundowners (at sunset obviously) with tantalising views across the Gulf.
Endless weekends sailing at the local marina club, kayaking in the mangroves or near the Omani mountain ranges. Hiking in the Hagar mountains and watching amazing sunsets. The Gulf region does them the best.
Taking a spin over the border to Oman – beautiful, serene, majestic Oman.
Watching dolphins chase your traditional dhow across the silent Gulf sea.
Stunning mosques.
I am always thankful for the amazing teaching resources and wonderful schools here. Learning mere smatterings of beautiful Arabic and wishing I took time to learn more.
And yet, of course, there is the darker side to Dubai.
Without experiencing at least some of that, you cannot truly say you have lived and worked here. It’s easy to follow the glitz and bling believing it is all that glitters, and ignore the other side, but for many expats that are not “westerners” it is their harsh reality.
The segregation of the nationalities here is evident from the first day you arrive. Why?
There are grades for each nationality that tie in directly with pay rates – imagine my amusement, but slight surprise to realise I was a “grade two m’am” a few months in because I am Irish.
I made many Filipino friends here from the outset, but most are fighting a battle to obtain and retain higher-paid, more salubrious job positions.
[ ‘You see a lot of unfairness’: Irish in Dubai describe parallel livesOpens in new window ]
Filipinos have a zest for life and a refusal to be pushed down, which I strongly admire and enjoy to behold. It resounds of Irishness. Yet, the reality is that of very poor pay, the living conditions – a shared room partitioned by a screen for many, no privacy, a ramshackle bed, a pot to wash in if lucky.
So many non-westerners are sold a black market dream from their own country then find themselves trapped, passports retained, in a misery of endless work and drudgery.
On the other career side, working as a western expat in the federal arena, there is a staunch hierarchy. Emirati down to expat westerners down to the lesser-paid Asian contingency.
The UAE vision must be reached for at all times – complete deference to the Sheik and his mission to make Dubai and the UAE the best in the world.
Yet, it is so safe here. Leave your belongings wherever and your door ajar. Walk alone late at night. I will miss that.
The way the UAE dealt with Covid was amazing, with stringently enforced, weekly testing and red app alerts installed on our phones by law. The streets were cleaned and sprayed each night after curfew and meticulously maintained.
Being tracked by digital ID here may seem to some like zero identity freedom, but is efficient for travel, banking, and securing finance and rental properties.
I have personally felt honoured to be a full resident and am rather sad to relinquish my ID card and residency visa for good. Paying a year ahead on rentals in Dubai can sting and yet it is so much cheaper in the long run to live here.
All in all, my experiences have been amazing here and I do not regret a minute.
To most of the world, Dubai is a place of unattainable glamour. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of course, there is a large element of that – fancy cars and expensive homes and lifestyles for the mega rich. The truth is, most people come to further their careers like I did, to earn good tax-free salaries and improve their lives, but they work hard, play hard, or save religiously to set up a decent future when they return home.
[ Behind the luxury image, Dubai’s laws and customs create issues for expatriatesOpens in new window ]
They arrive with a game plan, a life trajectory and many make it happen.
For me, the riches lie mostly in the experiences I have lived in a whole new culture and the immersion in a life and certain settings that I could never have imagined.
I have met wonderfully authentic travellers who share my language of nomadism.
The UAE speaks to me deeply.
- Yvie Neale is from Co Cork. She is a training and development specialist in Dubai, training expat teachers to go into government schools. She is aiming to be back in Ireland by December.
- Sign up to The Irish Times Abroad newsletter for Irish-connected people around the world. Here you’ll find readers’ stories of their lives overseas, plus news, business, sports, opinion, culture and lifestyle journalism relevant to Irish people around the world
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
