Flamingo’s year in Dubai

by The Flamingo

Dubai is one amazing and overwhelming city. It’s a source of endless inspiration for The Flamingo. This article is about the life of a western expat and what he/she needs to get used to, if living here.

Due to my husband’s work, I had the opportunity to experience life in this place…and I had to do it like a “normal”, middle class woman and mother of a two year old. So if you expect to find me in this article sipping champagne on a lounge chair, near the swimming pool of a 7 star hotel, with a chihuahua in my lap and a fake tan…then you’ll be disappointed. But I tried living some of the perks that Dubai has to offer, so I have some idea of the luxury and opportunities there. I did the touristy thing, which is very easy to do in Dubai, but the residence thing takes some getting used to.

So here are some guidelines to “normal” Dubai life and the things, good or not so much, that you have to acclimate yourself to:

• English. You think you know the English language? Well, think again, Jon Snow! With more than 70% of the population being Indian or Pakistani, most of them working in services, the language spoken here resembles a lot the Bollywood English. I personally understood 5% of what they were saying and on the phone even less. At first I was angry and confused, but I got used to it pretty quickly and soon began nodding in agreement to everything they said with a dumb smile on my face and hoped for the better.
• Enormous spaces. If you think New York or Tokyo is big, Dubai feels even larger. The apartments are almost twice the area of the average European flat. You think you are close to the water just because you can see it from your window? Well, no. The roads are very large, the bridges over the streets and canals are far from each other, so you walk long distances. It’s a good thing actually, because you end up doing lots of exercise this way. 
• The heat and humidity. It’s not that bad, once you get used to it. From the beginning of October to the end of April it’s a walk in the park, the winter months having a perfect temperature. The summer months are more difficult, but you can get out of the house after 5 p.m. Everything is air conditioned and they have big tunnels between the metro stations and all the buildings. 
• Not holding your husband’s/boyfriend’s hand. This is a hard thing to get used to, not showing any sign of affection in public. 
• No seasons. It’s very weird coming from a country where you can enjoy the beauty of all of the four seasons. Being summer all the time, a summer without rain, it feels like nothing changes and time stands still. 
• Going to the beach whenever you want. This is one of the perks of living here, that I enjoyed the most. The water is very warm all year round, with the exception of January and February. 
• Feeling tall. That’s not a normal feeling to have when you are 1.64 m (5 feet 4) tall, not in Europe anyway, least of all in the States. But here most of the population is are on the shorter side. 
• Being a supermodel. Men look at western women like they’re bottles of cold water in the hot desert and they take pictures, although it’s illegal. They do it at the beach, in the metro, some of them carefully, under the radar, some in your face. It’s really annoying and awkward, but after a while it isn’t that bothersome anymore.
• Lack of Christmas. That joyful time of year isn’t that joyful in Dubai. It’s hot and there are no Christmas decorations, with the exception of the malls. Also you can’t buy a real Christmas tree, just fake ones, unless you pay an arm and a leg for it and then expect it to die from heat the next day.
• Ramadan. During this Muslim celebration, when they are fasting all day long with no food or water until the sun sets, for one month, there are a few rules that are imposed on all the Dubai inhabitants and tourists. Nobody is allowed to drink or eat anywhere in public places until after sundown. You are required to cover yourself more than the usual.
• Colonial times. Dubai has a colonial feel to it, here the westerners are respected more than the rest of the expats. You are always addressed as “sir” and “ma’am” by the people working in services. At first you find it amusing, then even thrilling (coming from a country which is known for its rudeness). After a while you don’t notice it anymore, before it becomes annoying. Somebody telling you “ma’am” twice or thrice in the same sentence feels wrong.
• Bathrooms. The bathrooms here are an amazing experience. They are so clean and they smell beautifully. In the big malls, the bathrooms are decorated with sophisticated orchids arrangements. It’s impressive how clean the whole city is. 
• No personal space. This occurs mostly in the public transportation and elevators. You would think that 5 people are sitting on 5 seats in the metro. Well no. There are 7 people sitting on the bench designed for 5. You sit there minding your own business, when you wake up with someone literally on your lap. In the elevators as well, people tended to climb onto my toddler’s stroller. 
• Sand storms and fog. Although they occur mostly in winter, they are not to be toyed with. The wind is very strong, and the sand in the air is so dense that you can feel it in your eyes and nostrils. The fog is so thick that you can’t see what is in front of you. It is very dangerous to drive during these two phenomena. 
• Bureaucracy. It’s really hard to get used to all the paperwork required all the time for every little thing…even for a nail in the wall of your apartment. 

Living in Dubai is pretty easy if you are a Westerner. It was never my dream moving to this place, it’s not necessarily my kind of city, but oddly enough I could find happiness here. It’s definitely an experience one never forgets.

Photo from Flamingo‘s archive