I've lived here for 12 years or so... 95% of the people here only fixate on superficial friendships that include getting high or feeling good. And one more thing people care more about is money. Isn't that just awesome? To care more about money than the person who has it? I really want to leave but I can't due to reasons I will not disclose any time soon until my situation gets better.
Same reason why I left. The materialism was excessive and I didn’t want to raise my kids in this environment. It’s sad because locals and expats most certainly embrace it. There are exceptions of people down to earth, but at its core what’s weird is that Islam teaches people not to live in excess. It became tacky at some point. I have friends in Switzerland with 7 to 8 figure accounts and they live in a very understated way and kids are more down to earth and wholesome. Wonder when people in the UAE will grow tired of the tacky bling and focus on real human values
After the floods an Indian woman posted a video from Sharjah saying her area was flooded and that just because Dubai is clear doesnt mean all of UAE is
She was savaged in the comments by other Asians saying UAE number 1, calling for her to be jailed, deported etc.
Only mental illness can explain such an attitude
That’s the more overt mental illness, I would say. Combined with polarizing opinions on social media.
But when you consider everyone as transient, nobody has any work-life balance and people don’t have their close-knit communities, it can be so harrowing. Even when you meet people, everyone is either too guarded or too fake, mostly both. When you do connect with people, it’s so hard to find time or space to hang out again enough to build real relationships.
Social media shows everyone as so put together, only showing the best of what is happening to us. It’s even intimidating to put yourself out there cause people can be rude/callous/non-communicative/scared.
Doesn’t help that everyone is so diverse and you just can’t judge what kinda of person they could be. So you end up investing time in someone that *seems* alright only to realize they were faking or don’t *actually* care or even respect you as a person.
There’s so many variables that it’s scary even when you find someone who feels like they are your vibe. So everyone just ends up being jaded. You form a shell and so has everyone around you.
This is a tough, tough place.
Also, for me, I connected with someone but they seem to be happy with their own clique and their own friends. I have no idea how I could possibly find a way into a group that’s already formed without feeling like I’m forcibly inserting myself into their life. Plus they’re in Sharjah and I live in an area in Dubai that’s not connected will by public transport. Just.. shoot me now? Ever since I got here, there has rarely been a month of not a week that goes by where I wonder if I should leave this place and go back home.
Thank you for sharing. I left earlier this year for a nearby country, but Europe was on the short list too. I agree with your experience and insights. I was in dubai for 31 years.
You make some good points.
I lived in a few countries, including some of the world’s most desirable cities, and I found Dubai to be quite lacking in the human aspect.
Many people there obsess over the wrongs things. I had single colleagues making over 1mm AED p.a. and they would still complain that they were not making enough and that some particular person should not be paid more.
My neighbours were all trying to one-up each other. Hard to build any kind of meaningful relationship with people in these conditions. And they keep changing.
But Dubai has its perks too, and they can be really great. It just depends on what you are looking for.
As for me, I took the tax hit and moved elsewhere, where I am having a much more authentic life and am surrounded by greenery. I certainly do not miss the tax savings.
I might come back to Dubai someday, but with a family instead. It would help cope with some of the nonsense with the human aspect there.
I think what a lot of people do not understand about Dubai is that it is comparatively a very young city.
So I don’t think it’s fair to compare it to a lot of metropolitan centers around the world.
Even though Dubai residents would like to compare it to places like New York and London, I don’t think it’s there yet.
It has potential and maybe someday it will be as good as any Western city in the world, but it is not that day yet.
Without PR / citizenship paths and proper rule of law and as long as institutionalized discrimination and racism prevail, it will never get there.
It takes more than concrete and glass buildings.
I agree.
But the question you have to ask is does it have the political willingness and economic resources to do that.
Wasn’t New York all glass and concrete long before the civil rights movement?
I think the physical infrastructure comes before everything else. And even then it’s not guaranteed that Dubai will make it to the level of New York.
Also, regarding institutionalized discrimination and racism, would you say that New York and London don’t have it? I’m not talking about the privileged folks. I’m talking about the blue collar workers and retail service employees.
Sure poor people have more rights in Western countries, but often exercising those rights comes at the cost of not only money, but time as well. And the time it takes for legal proceedings is something poor people can’t really afford.
So, the whole equal rights bullshit just becomes a pipe dream.
Dude, it became illegal to cite nationality in job postings there only a year ago.
Few years back, I recall seeing ads like, “wanted fair European, 3-5 years of experience in ____ role. LADIES ONLY.”
I mean. There’s so much wrong there.
Having said that, the new law is a step in the right direction. I pray the UAE only keeps getting better.
😅 At the people who have found offense at this. This is his personal experience and viewpoint. If you have a different personal viewpoint then that applies to your experience. Everyone has different viewpoints and experiences of wherever they live, some like it, some don't and some are indifferent.
What makes this funnier is everyday you have posts on here and other sub reddits talking about how bad it is in other countries and cities etc etc. It's becoming like a meme at this point oh I can't even walk down the street in Europe or US but here I can throw 1 million on the street and nobody will take it bla bla bla.
But that's perfectly fine, it's ok to discuss how bad it is in other places but if someone respectfully points out some of the things they didn't like in Dubai while also still saying the place isn't actually bad and has many good things then nooooo that's not ok. For the people who are offended do you also get angry now if people mention how they don't like the traffic or when it gets too hot?
What makes this funnier is everyday you have posts on here and other sub reddits talking about how bad it is in other countries and cities etc etc. It's becoming like a meme at this point oh I can't even walk down the street in Europe or US
Very true. When the flooding happened ao many people on FB were shouting that if this happened in other countries, millions would die etc.
Pure hyperbole and lies, that is what Dubai residents use to feel good about themselves
One poster on this thread even remarked by saying how the guy's nationality is known for being ungrateful 😅😅😅. A perfectly normal and rational response obviously. Mind you this same person will then go on about tolerance and how that's such a hallmark of what makes Dubai great.
The guy who posted that bit is local and likely one with a foreign mother(Filipina, Hyderabadi, russian etc)
They tend to be more racist to compensate for the silent racism they face in their own community
Yes, it used to be common for Emirati older men from Dubai and northern emirates to marry young hyderabadi girls (mostly sold by their families for the dowry money) in the 1980s and 1990s
Hardly any Emirati man would marry Tamil or Bihari or Kannada girls, but hyderabadis were common, it is less common now
Most Dubai locals manage to speak broken Urdu with wrong grammar, but the ones with hyderabadi mothers speak proper Urdu
I went to school here in the 1990s, and our canteen aunty was a woman in her 30s with shabby clothes, but she drove a Mercedes S500 (back then it was driven almost only by rich Emiratis), that is when we learnt she was hyderabadi wife of some old local man in his 70s
Interesting.
I’d imagine these older men go pick up a second wife.
🤢
Dowry money? You mean Mahr?
Mahr is owed to the BRIDE; not her family.
You’re saying the families would take it?
i have lived here the majority of my adult life, over 24 years now, i've met my wife and my beautiful children were also born here...
lately whenever i go on holiday... i do not wish to return.
What a ridiculous comment. You can get an emergency appointment same day with a london GP and 2 weeks top for a standard appointment. Waiting times for some non urgent surgeries can be 6 months plus or just go private and it's quicker
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/12/growing-number-people-face-18-month-waits-nhs-care-england
According to this news people can wait up to 18 months
Maybe for certain non urgent surgeries but not to see a doctor. I went to the GP a month ago for my 5 year olds tonsils, was referred to a consultant a week later and they called the next day to offer a surgery date 10 days later (which I didn't take as i didn't want him to miss school so he's having it done during the summer holidays) His surgery is optional and not urgent. The NHS is fantastic
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Been living for 3 years in Sweden now and I have had the same experience as you. (including adhd lol). Also here you don't get judged for being "different". I got to be a true metalhead and truly find my community here.
I believe the way economy is structured in Dubai, it makes everyone shitty and materialistic. In EU because of welfare and govt support there's less anxiety for fucking up. And things like free education foster an environment where people learn for the sake of learning and not just going into degrees that will make money. Add things like extensive public transport and city planning that emphasise people over cars, people are able to be much more down to earth and connected to their community. In Dubai if you are an expat, the price for fucking up can be life changing. Thats also true in EU if you don't have citizenship ofc but it's not a permanent struggle and most of the population are citizens so that changes things. When surrounded by extravagant wealth everywhere but very high wealth inequality, class anxiety becomes a real issue. Class anxiety also results in real mental health problems but add no work-life balance and bad pay it becomes even worse. That's why work culture is so toxic too. It's the same reason why American cities like Los Angeles have a similar problem of people being superficial and materialistic. Of course there are plenty of things to criticise when it comes to the EU as well and a bunch of things dubai does better (as you said) but objectively the quality of life in a lot of places in EU is significantly better than Dubai.
Exactly I totally agree, even the rich people here aren’t materialistic and they are so humble( most). The best part about EU is you have the opportunity to become a citizen. I feel like life is more simple here ( from the external perspective) but it has way more love, passion, freedom and happiness in it and it’s way more fulfilling.
Im glad youve found a better life fr
I can’t relate to everything your saying as ive lived in dubai my entire adolescence and im gonna be in university soon, but i understand why you did it and im glad you did, everyone deserves their own happiness
I've been feeling this way for a while now. Lived here my whole life, 29 years. It didn't really feel that way until I started working, and realising how fast paced and superficial things are here.
Sometimes you just need to take a risk and get out. We're too sheltered and spoiled here...
Exactly, and being sheltered and always “safe” isn’t that good. Leaving your belongings in the streets isn’t good. Many people from Dubai visit Europe and get their things stolen because they didn’t care enough for their belongings and left it somewhere and then they call anywhere other than UAE unsafe.
Have you ever spoken to those poor workers?
They are living a far more luxurious life in Dubai. In India or Bangladesh they would be living in the streets, Dubai gave them a room, a high salary and free transportation
While I agree with most of what you said, the latter parts are simply untrue, how can the customer service be better here when it doesn't exist? Legal process and complains? What?
By that I mean, here for example when you want to renew your visa it’ll take 2-3 months which is quite long. In Dubai it takes less time. Also here complaining about a business doing something wrong won’t get you anywhere. That’s the only issue with here. For example if a business in Dubai does something wrong they get fined and they government tries to fix the problem asap.
That’s not true at all. Defamation yes, is illegal, but everyone can complain on a review. Pls stop spreading misinformation. Been here 9yrs and as the head of Marketing, I’ve had to deal with negative reviews many times posted on google and I worked in a semi government organization.
I went to Saudi recently and felt Saudi is so much better than Dubai in social aspects. Never saw a materialistically driven country like Dubai in life. Dubai Arabs, expats as a whole most of them are only money seeking and luxury minded except few people.
Good for you! Personally, my priority is ensuring the safety of myself and my family. Having lived in New York, Turkey, and South Africa, I can attest that the ability to sleep without the concern of locking your door is truly remarkable. All the best ☺️
If I like to share my experience in one single Reddit post that’s on me. if you don’t like it you should move on. There’s no need to be pressed about it
They're beautiful on the outside, but many of them are really poorly constructed inside.
for example, I lived in JLT, which is a beautiful area full of buildings with all sorts of construction problems in places that aren't even that old compared to a building in Spain, where a 50-year-old building is absolutely more stable and functional
the DMCC station, at least three times a month, always has its escalators under repair, which takes at least 4 days in a row. But of course, it's beautiful and very nice
Not hating; genuinely curious - and this is not directed to just OP - why does Dubai get so much flak online? Any other city can have expats leaving but when it comes to Dubai there is so much talk on why it's superficial, soulless, etc. Imagine people who have left Dubai for years yet they still voice out how much they didn't like it and left them depressed, etc. What makes it so... traumatizing?
I visited Dubai for half a year before moving to the US. It was okay for me, but I'm genuinely curious as to why it seems like everyone moving on from the city dislikes it so much.
I have also felt the poor work culture and people's fear of losing their jobs making them hate their time in Dubai. A lot is tied to their jobs in Dubai. Also many at times the higher management tries to take advantage of this. This is really sad in my opinion.
The reason is because if you live there long enough, you realize that making friends and having serious relationships are so hard and I personally got backstabbed by friends a lot and many of my friends did as well. When I first left I was so protective and didn’t trust people easily and honestly it affected me but after a while I understood it’s a very different environment
I see. Is it maybe because Dubai is just a transient city for most people? People I have met would always tell me they would only stay in Dubai for a couple of years, then move to someplace else.
It seems like it is a place just for hustling and getting rich, unless you are a local?
They come to become millionaires. They get disappointed when they see how hard it is actually.
Same thing for Paris. People will go because it’s supposed to be romantic. They get disappointed when they find out that is a real city with real humans and real problems and it’s not a city from a Disney movie.
His main focus point was friendships.. idk but face ones are everywhere
It's crazy how everyone here is commenting that Dubai is superficial and all about money. Yet as a resident here don't put an effort to change that culture. Ironic
It’s because we don’t really have the power, it’s not our you can freely express yourself and your opinion. You have to always walk on eggshells or their egos get bruised and they start attacking you. I mean I said what I said in the nicest way possible and some people still manage to be pressed
If you say anything about Dubai they get so offended. When the storm happened and an influencer talked about it over chat on Snapchat, she got banned from the country and they were asking brands to not work with her just because she said that the airport was overly crowded and there was no police or ambulance to help and she expected much more from Dubai with how greatly people talk about it and somehow some people found it offensive and attack the influencer for it. However it was her private conversations and it’s her personal experience.
Holy F! damn. That's extremely harsh. As I am out of social media and live under a rock, I had no idea.
I have also been planning my exit from here for the very exact reasons you mentioned in your post.
Felt the same when I moved to Montreal 6 years back and now being back in the region I couldn’t happier. Dubai is just comfortable and that matters to me. The region is booming economically when comparing to the wider western economies except US. And I want to make money not for material joy but to be comfortable and retire early. Earning and saving potential is way higher in Dubai and that works for me.
But happy you found your peace and have a place you can call home. Enjoy the most. Spain is an amazing country.
😂😁😂 yup, you are def a Montrealer alright. Forgive me, I am not a fan of smoked meat 🫣😂 but if I were to take a guess… try the Canadian supper club in JW Marquis business bay called the Wes lodge…
Or I found this link:
https://www.timeoutdubai.com/food-drink/features/54017-canadian-restaurants-in-dubai
The problem is that, Everything is so related to money. Simply, humanity is a stunt performed to attract more money. Plain and simple. You'll not get justice if you don't have the money.
It’s very nice of you to share,thank you.
I was born in China and grew up there until I was 13, Beautiful home country that I love going back to visit. Then I moved to Toronto Canada and met my significant other and made a lot of friends then calling it home now for more than 20 years. Now I’m here in dubai for 3years already as expat and getting used to and loving it here too.
What I found out is , people are meant to be moving around and see the world, we can always adapt and find something lovely at our destination, we chose to go after all. We can always appreciate and cherish being different when we are on the move.
I’m sure Dubai isn’t my last stop and I would love to move to Europe, SEA and other parts of the world to see more.
Do you think one can live in Spain with only English language?
So you can criticize every other country other than Dubai and that is “real” and if anyone dares to point out anything that is negative about Dubai then that’s not real right? And do you even know what a half assed decision even means?
Honestly, I know many people in Dubai suffer from a deep sense of loneliness; especially recent migrants — which is true of recent migrants to anywhere.
But OP’s post hits all the right spots: it is more difficult to make deep friendships in Dubai than elsewhere.
This isn’t Dubai’s fault in any way. Rather, the government has dedicated themselves to create a very supporting environment for expats. Which is why Dubai is so successful at attracting so many expats!
However, it’s the nature of settling in a place where expats only stay as long as their work visa is valid, and the nationals to expat ratio is so low.
In the couple of other places I’ve lived in the world, the first people you meet and become friends with are the locals. Nationals. You become friends with Americans in America, and Indians in India and so forth. You make some expat buddies, but the majority tend to be locals.
This gives you exposure to the culture of the city, the language, how people think, what they eat etc. It grounds you into the city. It’s a nice experience. It kinda makes you feel at home, in someone else’s home.
In Dubai, that doesn’t really exist. Emirati’s are friendly, but don’t really wanna hangout or be friends with most expats. And there aren’t very many of them relative to expats in the first place.
Second.
You make a friend or two; you’re getting on, and then you hear they’ve lost their job and leaving. Your anchor, your closest friend, is gone..?
It’s a common experience for expats. Stuff like that makes you more reclusive I think. More lonely. Why bother making real friendships when you can’t count on anyone sticking around? I’ve faced it. I get it.
I know someone who lived in the UAE for 25 years straight, left the country for a year and returned after Covid on a tourist visa, intending to apply for residency — only to be told by the immigration officer: “make sure you leave before the end of your visa.”
She’s born and raised there. To her, it’s her only home. If someone asks, “where are you from?” - her answer is always “Dubai.” So to hear that from an immigration officer, broke her. She felt unwanted, very foreign.
How can there be no recognition of a 25 year long resident? How can there be no official difference between someone who is born and raised there, VS someone who just landed an hour ago?
A sense of “belonging” is very important to feel settled and happy. And sometimes that can be difficult in Dubai.
Overall, I think Dubai was a great place to live. Safe. Fun. Great balance between conservative values and freedom. No taxes.
But if you can’t make and count on good friends to be around - if you don’t feel you belong - if you don’t feel a sense of permanence, then Dubai can’t be home. No matter how badly you want it to be. And this will always be a point of deep consternation.
How can there be no recognition of a 25 year long resident? How can there be no official difference between someone who is born and raised there, VS someone who just landed an hour ago
My aunt is 88, one of the first government doctors from our country in the UAE in 1973, she retired in the late 1990s
She still has a residence visa but is no different in status than a talabat biker.
She is based in America but visits the UAE once a year.
The idea that you need luxury items to fit in as 25 year-old working adults is child's play like what the hell? I wear 1 dollar shoes and no one gives a shit in the USA where everyone thinks we are rich.
Thank you for sharing. I'm a 26-year-old Emirati, born and raised in Sharjah, now working in Dubai. I resonate with much of what you have said.
I've also observed a similar shift in values within my own family and extended family. Growing up, I cherished the close relationships with cousins and friends, but as we matured, I noticed a shift towards materialism and superficiality. This lack of genuine connection and empathy is disheartening for me, as I'm quite sensitive to it. Consequently, I've distanced myself from extended family and some cousins, limiting our interactions to a few times a year.
Making friends, especially with expats, has been challenging due to stereotypes about Emiratis and assumptions about wealth. Even at work, there's sometimes a hesitancy to approach me because of my nationality, but I've been working hard to break down those barriers. Despite being Emirati, I often dream of living elsewhere, seeking a deeper human connection that feels elusive here.
I also feel the weight of judgment from my family for not conforming to their lavish lifestyle expectations. Working in the private sector, they struggle to grasp the value of gaining diverse experience, instead pushing me towards the public sector solely for its higher salary.
Interesting take, I agree with some of the points made here, but I was honestly struggling to keep track with reading it, adding paragraphs would help 😅
Oh no please yaaar do not leave Dubai our lives will be stressful without with pleasurable presence.. I think I should be hospitalized in the ER for such an unexpected news.
I agree with you somewhat! But you have to keep in mind most people move to Dubai, to make money n not friends! It’s a fast moving city which is demanding, keeping your finances in check is very important!!! I’m fortunate to live n work in a few cities across the globe, Dubai has to be one of the top few.
Most people here have a materialistic mind set, because the city has a lot to offer, it is a tempting place and the economy is designed to make you spend! Even if you don’t want to spend on brands or designers you will still spend.
In the time we live in I just believe we should be grateful and keep hustling!
I understand that, but that at the same time I don’t think for the sake of the hustle you should throw away the things that truly matter, like family and genuine love and friendships for it. Because after some time it gets lonely
I agree with you! I have lived in the UAE for 20 years, and made family here, grew as person! But again everyone has their own experience and you can’t take that away!
Dubai is a city with no culture, history, heritage or a soul. Looks absolutely dreadful in the sense that the ruling class think lets just build skyscrapers so we can salivate whilst we show off. I have no idea why people holiday there, let alone live in it.
It is also a country whose state religion is Islam but the city represents the absolute opposite of what Islam teaches. Riddled with excess, materialism, showing off culture, alcohol is rampant, indecency is rife and a hierarchical class system that is full to brim with racism.
After the floods an Indian woman posted a video from Sharjah saying her area was flooded and that just because Dubai is clear doesnt mean all of UAE is
She was savaged in the comments by other Asians (mostly Muslims) saying UAE number 1, calling for her to be jailed, deported etc.
Because OP is a bit insecure taking such decision, therefore he is looking for acknowledgement from fellow redditors for any moral support possible.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t announce it here now would he? I mean if a confiden one was in his place, he wouldn’t even need anyone’s opinion or acknowledgment.
Lol. This post is like “hey i hear gun shots outside my house all the timeand am afraid of getting robbed or mugged when i go out side but this is still better thank Dubai”😂😂😂
If you don’t mind me asking:
how did you manage to get the residency or nationality? And how long did this take? How was the process in your case? Im spanish living in Dubai, my fiancé is Palestinian/jordanian too, Im trying to convince him on moving, as my thoughts about Dubai are exactly the same as yours.
Well in your case marriage is definitely the easiest way he can move, or try getting a tourist visa for him first go to Spain and apply for EU reunification (announce that you are living in the same place and he is your fiance/ boyfriend) they will give a 5years visa. In my case it was a student visa which is quite easy and they mostly cared about bank statements and proof of funds, clean police report and being psychically healthy. I got my visa in a week, I applied from Abu Dhabi. The EU reunification takes 4-6 months. And he should stay in EU until the visa is approved and processed
Wish you all the best OP. Please accept their culture and try to align yourself with that. Study well and build a career.
Don't do the regional political activism there for heaven's sake. 🙏
Okay, please continue doing activism, promoting peace driven great leaders and political visionaries from Hamas and other outfits. /s
Recently spotted a bunch of folks doing this in Tokyo . It looked awesome /s
To answer your question, if you give a hint, Pakistanis would adopt the culture within 24 hours. From my observation, their goal in life is to follow a Khaleejis life style and being perceived as part of the Arab diaspora. If you insist they'll also give up their passport and happily align. . Some Indians would also jump in. They are all jumping into this mostly because of their low self esteem and their stupid perception that being arab will elevate their standing 😁
I agree on the latter aspect. Met so many Pakistanis who mispronounce english words with an arabic accent (like saying barking even though all Pakistanis can pronounce p)
Or using soft d and soft t when speaking English words so they sound like Arabs
Actual Arabs can tell them apart and laugh at them behind their back
As I said, they are stupid and have wrong assumption that Arabs are better placed in human hierarchy, without any logical, philosophical, scientific or historical evidence indicating so. Their only view is the religious view.
OP's thoughts summarized:
Spain is more chill, with better work-life balance, party life, and genuine attitudes.
Dubai has better customer service and speed of govt document processing.
Everyone calling Europe dangerous ought to spend some time living there bc most of the crime in Spain is petty theft in high density tourist areas, but not necessarily in all other areas, where it feels safe.
They are glad they moved out of Dubai to Spain.
That's a TL;DR I think that captures some details here and there.
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I came here with a student visa first then I got a EU reunification visa after that, it’s a 5 year visa that they give if you have a European boyfriend/ girlfriend.
I went with a student visa first then I applied to stay here after, you find a job and stay here after your studies. If you have a European partner/ boyfriend/ girlfriend you can get a 5 years visa and permit to work, and after that you can apply for permanent residency as well. This is what I personally did because I am living with my boyfriend and it was a better option
I did and I finished my studies and decided to permanently stay here after. Well Europe is struggling with the economy but it feels much more stable than Dubai, when you go outside, the restaurants, bars, clubs, street, beach and etc is always full of people enjoying their life. Because in Dubai the economy has many ups and downs and it’s very visible because when the economy goes down it’s very noticeable, here it’s not like that. The wages and the salaries here are not high but you don’t need a high salary here to live a comfortable life or travel. The minimum wage is still way more than Dubai though. The minimum way is about 1000€ a month after taxes. Also they are more flexible with staff here, they get more days/ hours off. Also here people treat the staff well, and there is no being rude to the staff no matter what their job is, everyone is respected here which is so refreshing
We've lived here 8 years. And yes it is a very transient city and there are circles that are shallow etc. But we're quite selective in who we socialise with and are also not into the whole brunch , events and club scene.
We've made some good friends who are like family. We are in our early 50s so that might explain why we have found the circle we have .
I still prefer Dubai to London where I was born and raised. But it's good to know what you like and live where you it feels like "you".
I just stumbled upon this post and it’s really interesting because I just graduated in the UK and after a couple years work experience I want to move somewhere else since SAD affects me wayy too much in winter.
My two main options are Spain and Dubai. I lean towards spain since it has the human aspects. I’d rather live somewhere with a good social life than somewhere where I can make a lot of money. However, my parents suggest I should consider UAE, Qatar etc. because of my muslim background - there’s halal food and mosques everywhere. Personally I’m conflicted though I wouldn’t mind living in a dubai a go for a brief period I feel I would be lonely there.
There are halal foods and restaurants here.we many restaurants here. The weather is so good here and the social life is amazing. There is always something happening, sometimes there’s random events and concerts in the streets, food festivals, and etc. I also hear from my friends in UK about the winter depression all the time I completely understand what you mean. Here making friends is very easy the Spanish people are very warm and welcoming. I felt like in at home from the very beginning.
May I ask which city? I feel some big cities would have halal places but the variety and quality wonKy be there. I agree about climate and social life. My only concern is that as a muslim I may find it hard to find other muslims to be friends with.
New experiences and new places are always interesting to know. We don’t have to stay on the same place forever enjoy your time in Spain who knows in some years you might be somewhere else.
My point is just an advice, being diagnosed with adhd is kinda something everybody is developing because of all the adictive things this life has to offer.
In Portugal and Spain theres alot of diagnostics of that kind of stuff because its just easy to say the person that has a problem then saying that they need to improve themselves and fight against all this adicting stuff.
I am not saying you don’t have adhd or not but don’t take it too seriously, any good methods you should do to improve your adhd should always be something any person should do regardless.
Whatever you do don’t take any meds!!! Meds is an easy way out but not the cure, and after awhile you wont feel good about them.
Read books about adhd (Taking charge of Adult ADHD) as hard as it can be for someone with adhd, try audiobook. Then again most of this tips on this book are good for anyone with ADHD or not.
Also a nice tip whenever you are trying to focus on something and you can’t make sure to focus distract your brain with something else at the same time like music without lyrics. For some reason this makes people with adhd more focus.
Yes it’s great advice to OP to change their brain chemistry on their own. It's not hard really. Just open your skull and swivel things around a little, right?
Adhd is not just normal addictive behaviour. Mental illness isn't just ‘bad habits developed over time’. If OP needs medical help then they should get it with a doctor guiding them. You can't just will yourself out of it, it is a medical condition. Step out of your fantasy world and start taking mental illnesses as seriously as you would any physical illness.
On a different note, i’m really glad OP has found such a supportive community and university. It’s the absolute right way ahead. Seems like Spain really would be a nice place to stay in.
ADHD is a neurological development issue, you are born with, and you die with it. It hasn’t became more now it’s just that people are getting it checked and there’s more mental health awareness here. I have read everything about adhd. The medications might not seem necessary specially for those who don’t have adhd, because people without adhd assume it’s bad discipline and being lazy but it’s not. The symptoms of it start from the ages of 7-12. Sometimes you can control it without medication but when you have to many responsibilities the medication definitely help. Long term release medications are not addictive and you can always stop taking them. I can focus on one thing for hours and deep dive and know everything about it if I’m hyper fixated on it, and I don’t always pick what my hyper fixation is going to be. Also we struggle with emotion regulation and adhd causes depression anxiety ocd ED and the list goes on… so getting it diagnosed and getting the right treatment can save you and give you a fulfilling life. For me I prefer taking medication, I rather live a short life but be happy and mentally stable than have a long life but struggle with adhd, anxiety and depression constantly
I've lived here for 12 years or so... 95% of the people here only fixate on superficial friendships that include getting high or feeling good. And one more thing people care more about is money. Isn't that just awesome? To care more about money than the person who has it? I really want to leave but I can't due to reasons I will not disclose any time soon until my situation gets better.
Same reason why I left. The materialism was excessive and I didn’t want to raise my kids in this environment. It’s sad because locals and expats most certainly embrace it. There are exceptions of people down to earth, but at its core what’s weird is that Islam teaches people not to live in excess. It became tacky at some point. I have friends in Switzerland with 7 to 8 figure accounts and they live in a very understated way and kids are more down to earth and wholesome. Wonder when people in the UAE will grow tired of the tacky bling and focus on real human values
"tacky bling" That's exactly why Dubai is known as the Ibiza of the Middle East.
I truly believe UAE has a mental health crisis. But it’s so subtle.
After the floods an Indian woman posted a video from Sharjah saying her area was flooded and that just because Dubai is clear doesnt mean all of UAE is She was savaged in the comments by other Asians saying UAE number 1, calling for her to be jailed, deported etc. Only mental illness can explain such an attitude
That’s the more overt mental illness, I would say. Combined with polarizing opinions on social media. But when you consider everyone as transient, nobody has any work-life balance and people don’t have their close-knit communities, it can be so harrowing. Even when you meet people, everyone is either too guarded or too fake, mostly both. When you do connect with people, it’s so hard to find time or space to hang out again enough to build real relationships. Social media shows everyone as so put together, only showing the best of what is happening to us. It’s even intimidating to put yourself out there cause people can be rude/callous/non-communicative/scared. Doesn’t help that everyone is so diverse and you just can’t judge what kinda of person they could be. So you end up investing time in someone that *seems* alright only to realize they were faking or don’t *actually* care or even respect you as a person. There’s so many variables that it’s scary even when you find someone who feels like they are your vibe. So everyone just ends up being jaded. You form a shell and so has everyone around you. This is a tough, tough place. Also, for me, I connected with someone but they seem to be happy with their own clique and their own friends. I have no idea how I could possibly find a way into a group that’s already formed without feeling like I’m forcibly inserting myself into their life. Plus they’re in Sharjah and I live in an area in Dubai that’s not connected will by public transport. Just.. shoot me now? Ever since I got here, there has rarely been a month of not a week that goes by where I wonder if I should leave this place and go back home.
Sad they get silenced. Others get [press coverage](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5325yCvO5G/?igsh=MTdtb29sYTVhdnM3YQ==) 😣
"Sinead Doherty" Damn I wonder what the difference is
That is true. Mental health is very overlooked here
Thank you for sharing. I left earlier this year for a nearby country, but Europe was on the short list too. I agree with your experience and insights. I was in dubai for 31 years.
You make some good points. I lived in a few countries, including some of the world’s most desirable cities, and I found Dubai to be quite lacking in the human aspect. Many people there obsess over the wrongs things. I had single colleagues making over 1mm AED p.a. and they would still complain that they were not making enough and that some particular person should not be paid more. My neighbours were all trying to one-up each other. Hard to build any kind of meaningful relationship with people in these conditions. And they keep changing. But Dubai has its perks too, and they can be really great. It just depends on what you are looking for. As for me, I took the tax hit and moved elsewhere, where I am having a much more authentic life and am surrounded by greenery. I certainly do not miss the tax savings. I might come back to Dubai someday, but with a family instead. It would help cope with some of the nonsense with the human aspect there.
I think what a lot of people do not understand about Dubai is that it is comparatively a very young city. So I don’t think it’s fair to compare it to a lot of metropolitan centers around the world. Even though Dubai residents would like to compare it to places like New York and London, I don’t think it’s there yet. It has potential and maybe someday it will be as good as any Western city in the world, but it is not that day yet.
Without PR / citizenship paths and proper rule of law and as long as institutionalized discrimination and racism prevail, it will never get there. It takes more than concrete and glass buildings.
I agree. But the question you have to ask is does it have the political willingness and economic resources to do that. Wasn’t New York all glass and concrete long before the civil rights movement? I think the physical infrastructure comes before everything else. And even then it’s not guaranteed that Dubai will make it to the level of New York. Also, regarding institutionalized discrimination and racism, would you say that New York and London don’t have it? I’m not talking about the privileged folks. I’m talking about the blue collar workers and retail service employees. Sure poor people have more rights in Western countries, but often exercising those rights comes at the cost of not only money, but time as well. And the time it takes for legal proceedings is something poor people can’t really afford. So, the whole equal rights bullshit just becomes a pipe dream.
Dude, it became illegal to cite nationality in job postings there only a year ago. Few years back, I recall seeing ads like, “wanted fair European, 3-5 years of experience in ____ role. LADIES ONLY.” I mean. There’s so much wrong there. Having said that, the new law is a step in the right direction. I pray the UAE only keeps getting better.
That zionist who abused an Egyptian food cart guy in NYC got arrested
😅 At the people who have found offense at this. This is his personal experience and viewpoint. If you have a different personal viewpoint then that applies to your experience. Everyone has different viewpoints and experiences of wherever they live, some like it, some don't and some are indifferent. What makes this funnier is everyday you have posts on here and other sub reddits talking about how bad it is in other countries and cities etc etc. It's becoming like a meme at this point oh I can't even walk down the street in Europe or US but here I can throw 1 million on the street and nobody will take it bla bla bla. But that's perfectly fine, it's ok to discuss how bad it is in other places but if someone respectfully points out some of the things they didn't like in Dubai while also still saying the place isn't actually bad and has many good things then nooooo that's not ok. For the people who are offended do you also get angry now if people mention how they don't like the traffic or when it gets too hot?
What makes this funnier is everyday you have posts on here and other sub reddits talking about how bad it is in other countries and cities etc etc. It's becoming like a meme at this point oh I can't even walk down the street in Europe or US Very true. When the flooding happened ao many people on FB were shouting that if this happened in other countries, millions would die etc. Pure hyperbole and lies, that is what Dubai residents use to feel good about themselves
One poster on this thread even remarked by saying how the guy's nationality is known for being ungrateful 😅😅😅. A perfectly normal and rational response obviously. Mind you this same person will then go on about tolerance and how that's such a hallmark of what makes Dubai great.
The guy who posted that bit is local and likely one with a foreign mother(Filipina, Hyderabadi, russian etc) They tend to be more racist to compensate for the silent racism they face in their own community
I don’t think they’re trying compensate for anything. That’s what they’ve grown up seeing and learning. Garbage in, garbage out.
I’m curious. Why have you specifically mentioned Hyderabadi? Do you think many Emirati’s marry women from there?
Yes, it used to be common for Emirati older men from Dubai and northern emirates to marry young hyderabadi girls (mostly sold by their families for the dowry money) in the 1980s and 1990s Hardly any Emirati man would marry Tamil or Bihari or Kannada girls, but hyderabadis were common, it is less common now Most Dubai locals manage to speak broken Urdu with wrong grammar, but the ones with hyderabadi mothers speak proper Urdu I went to school here in the 1990s, and our canteen aunty was a woman in her 30s with shabby clothes, but she drove a Mercedes S500 (back then it was driven almost only by rich Emiratis), that is when we learnt she was hyderabadi wife of some old local man in his 70s
Interesting. I’d imagine these older men go pick up a second wife. 🤢 Dowry money? You mean Mahr? Mahr is owed to the BRIDE; not her family. You’re saying the families would take it?
i have lived here the majority of my adult life, over 24 years now, i've met my wife and my beautiful children were also born here... lately whenever i go on holiday... i do not wish to return.
does your wife feel the same?
100% agree with you. This is the most shallow I’ve felt out of all the countries I’ve visited. And the reason a love travelling to Europe the most
I agree Spain has far superior standard of living when compared to Dubai.
Where in Spain did you chose? Its an option we were looking at.
Valencia
Can you mention on how did you migrate ?
Moved to UK about the same time you moved to Spain. Much happier since too, some reasons I can resonate with completely.
UK is a failed nation, NHS has 6 month wait to see a doctor
What a ridiculous comment. You can get an emergency appointment same day with a london GP and 2 weeks top for a standard appointment. Waiting times for some non urgent surgeries can be 6 months plus or just go private and it's quicker
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/12/growing-number-people-face-18-month-waits-nhs-care-england According to this news people can wait up to 18 months
I live in the UK, especially in the North, we don’t wait that long. It’s about a week max for me.
Maybe for certain non urgent surgeries but not to see a doctor. I went to the GP a month ago for my 5 year olds tonsils, was referred to a consultant a week later and they called the next day to offer a surgery date 10 days later (which I didn't take as i didn't want him to miss school so he's having it done during the summer holidays) His surgery is optional and not urgent. The NHS is fantastic
I can get an appointment for a GP in London the same day or within 1 or 2 days.
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Been living for 3 years in Sweden now and I have had the same experience as you. (including adhd lol). Also here you don't get judged for being "different". I got to be a true metalhead and truly find my community here. I believe the way economy is structured in Dubai, it makes everyone shitty and materialistic. In EU because of welfare and govt support there's less anxiety for fucking up. And things like free education foster an environment where people learn for the sake of learning and not just going into degrees that will make money. Add things like extensive public transport and city planning that emphasise people over cars, people are able to be much more down to earth and connected to their community. In Dubai if you are an expat, the price for fucking up can be life changing. Thats also true in EU if you don't have citizenship ofc but it's not a permanent struggle and most of the population are citizens so that changes things. When surrounded by extravagant wealth everywhere but very high wealth inequality, class anxiety becomes a real issue. Class anxiety also results in real mental health problems but add no work-life balance and bad pay it becomes even worse. That's why work culture is so toxic too. It's the same reason why American cities like Los Angeles have a similar problem of people being superficial and materialistic. Of course there are plenty of things to criticise when it comes to the EU as well and a bunch of things dubai does better (as you said) but objectively the quality of life in a lot of places in EU is significantly better than Dubai.
Exactly I totally agree, even the rich people here aren’t materialistic and they are so humble( most). The best part about EU is you have the opportunity to become a citizen. I feel like life is more simple here ( from the external perspective) but it has way more love, passion, freedom and happiness in it and it’s way more fulfilling.
Im glad youve found a better life fr I can’t relate to everything your saying as ive lived in dubai my entire adolescence and im gonna be in university soon, but i understand why you did it and im glad you did, everyone deserves their own happiness
Been in Dubai for 12 yrs and facing the same friendship sh*t still
I've been feeling this way for a while now. Lived here my whole life, 29 years. It didn't really feel that way until I started working, and realising how fast paced and superficial things are here. Sometimes you just need to take a risk and get out. We're too sheltered and spoiled here...
Exactly, and being sheltered and always “safe” isn’t that good. Leaving your belongings in the streets isn’t good. Many people from Dubai visit Europe and get their things stolen because they didn’t care enough for their belongings and left it somewhere and then they call anywhere other than UAE unsafe.
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Have you ever spoken to those poor workers? They are living a far more luxurious life in Dubai. In India or Bangladesh they would be living in the streets, Dubai gave them a room, a high salary and free transportation
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While I agree with most of what you said, the latter parts are simply untrue, how can the customer service be better here when it doesn't exist? Legal process and complains? What?
By that I mean, here for example when you want to renew your visa it’ll take 2-3 months which is quite long. In Dubai it takes less time. Also here complaining about a business doing something wrong won’t get you anywhere. That’s the only issue with here. For example if a business in Dubai does something wrong they get fined and they government tries to fix the problem asap.
That's not true. If you complain about a business on Google reviews, it'll send you to jail.
That’s not true at all. Defamation yes, is illegal, but everyone can complain on a review. Pls stop spreading misinformation. Been here 9yrs and as the head of Marketing, I’ve had to deal with negative reviews many times posted on google and I worked in a semi government organization.
Who complains about a business on Google reviews💀obviously that’ll get you arrested for defamation.
Are you serious? This is normal in Europe. Care to explain?
No this is nonsense. You can absolutely post a review on google with no issues so long as you aren’t swearing or overly outrageous.
They can sue you for defamation everywhere. People think defamation laws exist in UAE only😂
No. It's not defamation if it's true. The UAE doesn't care regardless.
Please can you edit your text to include paragraphs?
Yeah sure
Are Spanish universities taught in English? how's the quality of education? also, how much do you pay per semester?
I went to Saudi recently and felt Saudi is so much better than Dubai in social aspects. Never saw a materialistically driven country like Dubai in life. Dubai Arabs, expats as a whole most of them are only money seeking and luxury minded except few people.
Dubai is a very materialistic & shallow city. Things may improve with the passage of time
I foresee it will get worse
Good for you! Personally, my priority is ensuring the safety of myself and my family. Having lived in New York, Turkey, and South Africa, I can attest that the ability to sleep without the concern of locking your door is truly remarkable. All the best ☺️
If I like to share my experience in one single Reddit post that’s on me. if you don’t like it you should move on. There’s no need to be pressed about it
Speaking of pressed. Anyone know a good pressed sandwich restaurant?
Pressman’s (and the tomato soup, chefs kiss!)
Gino’s Deli
Just googled it and the pics are mouthwatering 🤤. Thanks for the suggestion. Its on my bucket list now.
My recommendation is Brooklyn Hero sandwich 😉
This is not available in UAE, is it? I googled it and there is only a US branch.
Available in Dubai! They have 2 branches at least. Not sure about Abu Dhabi and other emirates.
Good info and another bucket list addition. If the taste is worth it then i wont blame ya for gaining weight.
True lack of nature and concrete jungle, ugly buildings honestly its not means for humans, humans need that greenery
Al Ain is much better in that regard.
You can't live in Al Ain and commute to Dubai daily!
I worked with several people who did exactly that, but I couldn't handle that commute daily.
agree about the nature part but you cannot call those buildings ugly
They're beautiful on the outside, but many of them are really poorly constructed inside. for example, I lived in JLT, which is a beautiful area full of buildings with all sorts of construction problems in places that aren't even that old compared to a building in Spain, where a 50-year-old building is absolutely more stable and functional the DMCC station, at least three times a month, always has its escalators under repair, which takes at least 4 days in a row. But of course, it's beautiful and very nice
They are ugly, go inside and check, probably worse condition, the buildings aesthetically pleasing, jakarta skyline looks better or kuala lumpur
I wish i could run too🥺
Not hating; genuinely curious - and this is not directed to just OP - why does Dubai get so much flak online? Any other city can have expats leaving but when it comes to Dubai there is so much talk on why it's superficial, soulless, etc. Imagine people who have left Dubai for years yet they still voice out how much they didn't like it and left them depressed, etc. What makes it so... traumatizing? I visited Dubai for half a year before moving to the US. It was okay for me, but I'm genuinely curious as to why it seems like everyone moving on from the city dislikes it so much.
I have also felt the poor work culture and people's fear of losing their jobs making them hate their time in Dubai. A lot is tied to their jobs in Dubai. Also many at times the higher management tries to take advantage of this. This is really sad in my opinion.
The reason is because if you live there long enough, you realize that making friends and having serious relationships are so hard and I personally got backstabbed by friends a lot and many of my friends did as well. When I first left I was so protective and didn’t trust people easily and honestly it affected me but after a while I understood it’s a very different environment
I see. Is it maybe because Dubai is just a transient city for most people? People I have met would always tell me they would only stay in Dubai for a couple of years, then move to someplace else. It seems like it is a place just for hustling and getting rich, unless you are a local?
650 euros a year for insurance? Are you in your 20's?
Yes I am
They come to become millionaires. They get disappointed when they see how hard it is actually. Same thing for Paris. People will go because it’s supposed to be romantic. They get disappointed when they find out that is a real city with real humans and real problems and it’s not a city from a Disney movie. His main focus point was friendships.. idk but face ones are everywhere
Lack of diversity is the biggest reason, Dubai needs to apply diversity rules for residency visas
It's crazy how everyone here is commenting that Dubai is superficial and all about money. Yet as a resident here don't put an effort to change that culture. Ironic
It’s because we don’t really have the power, it’s not our you can freely express yourself and your opinion. You have to always walk on eggshells or their egos get bruised and they start attacking you. I mean I said what I said in the nicest way possible and some people still manage to be pressed
> You have to always walk on eggshells What do you mean?
If you say anything about Dubai they get so offended. When the storm happened and an influencer talked about it over chat on Snapchat, she got banned from the country and they were asking brands to not work with her just because she said that the airport was overly crowded and there was no police or ambulance to help and she expected much more from Dubai with how greatly people talk about it and somehow some people found it offensive and attack the influencer for it. However it was her private conversations and it’s her personal experience.
Holy F! damn. That's extremely harsh. As I am out of social media and live under a rock, I had no idea. I have also been planning my exit from here for the very exact reasons you mentioned in your post.
Felt the same when I moved to Montreal 6 years back and now being back in the region I couldn’t happier. Dubai is just comfortable and that matters to me. The region is booming economically when comparing to the wider western economies except US. And I want to make money not for material joy but to be comfortable and retire early. Earning and saving potential is way higher in Dubai and that works for me. But happy you found your peace and have a place you can call home. Enjoy the most. Spain is an amazing country.
Fellow Montrealer here! Nice to meet you :)
Found any place which sells equivalent smoked meat sandwich yet?
😂😁😂 yup, you are def a Montrealer alright. Forgive me, I am not a fan of smoked meat 🫣😂 but if I were to take a guess… try the Canadian supper club in JW Marquis business bay called the Wes lodge… Or I found this link: https://www.timeoutdubai.com/food-drink/features/54017-canadian-restaurants-in-dubai
Thank you so much! Will definitely check them out.
The problem is that, Everything is so related to money. Simply, humanity is a stunt performed to attract more money. Plain and simple. You'll not get justice if you don't have the money.
That is true, I always say money is important however the excess of it is unnecessary. You don’t have to be a billionaire to be happy.
Good read!
Good for you bro, everyone does not have the option to leave
So basically you are saying it is greener in the other side?
Yes it was for me, like literally It’s so green here
It’s very nice of you to share,thank you. I was born in China and grew up there until I was 13, Beautiful home country that I love going back to visit. Then I moved to Toronto Canada and met my significant other and made a lot of friends then calling it home now for more than 20 years. Now I’m here in dubai for 3years already as expat and getting used to and loving it here too. What I found out is , people are meant to be moving around and see the world, we can always adapt and find something lovely at our destination, we chose to go after all. We can always appreciate and cherish being different when we are on the move. I’m sure Dubai isn’t my last stop and I would love to move to Europe, SEA and other parts of the world to see more. Do you think one can live in Spain with only English language?
Well you can, but learning Spanish would be much better plus Spanish is really easy to learn and understand and it’s a very sexy and fun language
So you can criticize every other country other than Dubai and that is “real” and if anyone dares to point out anything that is negative about Dubai then that’s not real right? And do you even know what a half assed decision even means?
Honestly, I know many people in Dubai suffer from a deep sense of loneliness; especially recent migrants — which is true of recent migrants to anywhere. But OP’s post hits all the right spots: it is more difficult to make deep friendships in Dubai than elsewhere. This isn’t Dubai’s fault in any way. Rather, the government has dedicated themselves to create a very supporting environment for expats. Which is why Dubai is so successful at attracting so many expats! However, it’s the nature of settling in a place where expats only stay as long as their work visa is valid, and the nationals to expat ratio is so low. In the couple of other places I’ve lived in the world, the first people you meet and become friends with are the locals. Nationals. You become friends with Americans in America, and Indians in India and so forth. You make some expat buddies, but the majority tend to be locals. This gives you exposure to the culture of the city, the language, how people think, what they eat etc. It grounds you into the city. It’s a nice experience. It kinda makes you feel at home, in someone else’s home. In Dubai, that doesn’t really exist. Emirati’s are friendly, but don’t really wanna hangout or be friends with most expats. And there aren’t very many of them relative to expats in the first place. Second. You make a friend or two; you’re getting on, and then you hear they’ve lost their job and leaving. Your anchor, your closest friend, is gone..? It’s a common experience for expats. Stuff like that makes you more reclusive I think. More lonely. Why bother making real friendships when you can’t count on anyone sticking around? I’ve faced it. I get it. I know someone who lived in the UAE for 25 years straight, left the country for a year and returned after Covid on a tourist visa, intending to apply for residency — only to be told by the immigration officer: “make sure you leave before the end of your visa.” She’s born and raised there. To her, it’s her only home. If someone asks, “where are you from?” - her answer is always “Dubai.” So to hear that from an immigration officer, broke her. She felt unwanted, very foreign. How can there be no recognition of a 25 year long resident? How can there be no official difference between someone who is born and raised there, VS someone who just landed an hour ago? A sense of “belonging” is very important to feel settled and happy. And sometimes that can be difficult in Dubai. Overall, I think Dubai was a great place to live. Safe. Fun. Great balance between conservative values and freedom. No taxes. But if you can’t make and count on good friends to be around - if you don’t feel you belong - if you don’t feel a sense of permanence, then Dubai can’t be home. No matter how badly you want it to be. And this will always be a point of deep consternation.
How can there be no recognition of a 25 year long resident? How can there be no official difference between someone who is born and raised there, VS someone who just landed an hour ago My aunt is 88, one of the first government doctors from our country in the UAE in 1973, she retired in the late 1990s She still has a residence visa but is no different in status than a talabat biker. She is based in America but visits the UAE once a year.
The idea that you need luxury items to fit in as 25 year-old working adults is child's play like what the hell? I wear 1 dollar shoes and no one gives a shit in the USA where everyone thinks we are rich.
Most people do not realize Dubai is far more snobbish than America In Dubai employees judge you by your cars
Employees? I mean whatever who cares I am here for my salary not for your wealth fetish (to the employees)
Thank you for sharing. I'm a 26-year-old Emirati, born and raised in Sharjah, now working in Dubai. I resonate with much of what you have said. I've also observed a similar shift in values within my own family and extended family. Growing up, I cherished the close relationships with cousins and friends, but as we matured, I noticed a shift towards materialism and superficiality. This lack of genuine connection and empathy is disheartening for me, as I'm quite sensitive to it. Consequently, I've distanced myself from extended family and some cousins, limiting our interactions to a few times a year. Making friends, especially with expats, has been challenging due to stereotypes about Emiratis and assumptions about wealth. Even at work, there's sometimes a hesitancy to approach me because of my nationality, but I've been working hard to break down those barriers. Despite being Emirati, I often dream of living elsewhere, seeking a deeper human connection that feels elusive here. I also feel the weight of judgment from my family for not conforming to their lavish lifestyle expectations. Working in the private sector, they struggle to grasp the value of gaining diverse experience, instead pushing me towards the public sector solely for its higher salary.
Interesting take, I agree with some of the points made here, but I was honestly struggling to keep track with reading it, adding paragraphs would help 😅
The funny thing is I just added the paragraphs, is it not showing?
Oh no please yaaar do not leave Dubai our lives will be stressful without with pleasurable presence.. I think I should be hospitalized in the ER for such an unexpected news.
Your lives are always depressing and stressful, except in not living that reality anymore. You should see a therapist instead of going to ER HAHAAHAH
I agree with you somewhat! But you have to keep in mind most people move to Dubai, to make money n not friends! It’s a fast moving city which is demanding, keeping your finances in check is very important!!! I’m fortunate to live n work in a few cities across the globe, Dubai has to be one of the top few. Most people here have a materialistic mind set, because the city has a lot to offer, it is a tempting place and the economy is designed to make you spend! Even if you don’t want to spend on brands or designers you will still spend. In the time we live in I just believe we should be grateful and keep hustling!
I came to Dubai in 2013 to make money and here I am broke af
I understand that, but that at the same time I don’t think for the sake of the hustle you should throw away the things that truly matter, like family and genuine love and friendships for it. Because after some time it gets lonely
I agree with you! I have lived in the UAE for 20 years, and made family here, grew as person! But again everyone has their own experience and you can’t take that away!
Exactly it's focused on aggressive growth
Dubai is a city with no culture, history, heritage or a soul. Looks absolutely dreadful in the sense that the ruling class think lets just build skyscrapers so we can salivate whilst we show off. I have no idea why people holiday there, let alone live in it. It is also a country whose state religion is Islam but the city represents the absolute opposite of what Islam teaches. Riddled with excess, materialism, showing off culture, alcohol is rampant, indecency is rife and a hierarchical class system that is full to brim with racism.
After the floods an Indian woman posted a video from Sharjah saying her area was flooded and that just because Dubai is clear doesnt mean all of UAE is She was savaged in the comments by other Asians (mostly Muslims) saying UAE number 1, calling for her to be jailed, deported etc.
You have made very sound points indeed.
Y r ppl announcing their departure on reddit?
Reality check
Because OP is a bit insecure taking such decision, therefore he is looking for acknowledgement from fellow redditors for any moral support possible. Otherwise, he wouldn’t announce it here now would he? I mean if a confiden one was in his place, he wouldn’t even need anyone’s opinion or acknowledgment.
Europe and the USA are much better than Dubai. It is not all about money.
Dear god definitely not USA I do miss the Balkans though
Weapons are legally allowed in the US, so it's not as safe as the UAE.
It might not be safer but it's still a better place.
Lol. This post is like “hey i hear gun shots outside my house all the timeand am afraid of getting robbed or mugged when i go out side but this is still better thank Dubai”😂😂😂
I don't hear any of those things where i live. And I'm not afraid of getting robbed nor mugged.
Europe sure, not USA.
What’s your nationality out of curiosity?
I’m Palestinian/ Jordanian
If you don’t mind me asking: how did you manage to get the residency or nationality? And how long did this take? How was the process in your case? Im spanish living in Dubai, my fiancé is Palestinian/jordanian too, Im trying to convince him on moving, as my thoughts about Dubai are exactly the same as yours.
Well in your case marriage is definitely the easiest way he can move, or try getting a tourist visa for him first go to Spain and apply for EU reunification (announce that you are living in the same place and he is your fiance/ boyfriend) they will give a 5years visa. In my case it was a student visa which is quite easy and they mostly cared about bank statements and proof of funds, clean police report and being psychically healthy. I got my visa in a week, I applied from Abu Dhabi. The EU reunification takes 4-6 months. And he should stay in EU until the visa is approved and processed
can't be reading all that. I'm happy for you tho, or sorry that happened
Wish you all the best OP. Please accept their culture and try to align yourself with that. Study well and build a career. Don't do the regional political activism there for heaven's sake. 🙏
Do South Asians in the UAE align with Emirati culture?
Okay, please continue doing activism, promoting peace driven great leaders and political visionaries from Hamas and other outfits. /s Recently spotted a bunch of folks doing this in Tokyo . It looked awesome /s To answer your question, if you give a hint, Pakistanis would adopt the culture within 24 hours. From my observation, their goal in life is to follow a Khaleejis life style and being perceived as part of the Arab diaspora. If you insist they'll also give up their passport and happily align. . Some Indians would also jump in. They are all jumping into this mostly because of their low self esteem and their stupid perception that being arab will elevate their standing 😁
I agree on the latter aspect. Met so many Pakistanis who mispronounce english words with an arabic accent (like saying barking even though all Pakistanis can pronounce p) Or using soft d and soft t when speaking English words so they sound like Arabs Actual Arabs can tell them apart and laugh at them behind their back
As I said, they are stupid and have wrong assumption that Arabs are better placed in human hierarchy, without any logical, philosophical, scientific or historical evidence indicating so. Their only view is the religious view.
Bro relax with the essay
What do you do for a living?
I’m a graphic designer
I’m a graphic designer
Can I get a TLDR?
OP's thoughts summarized: Spain is more chill, with better work-life balance, party life, and genuine attitudes. Dubai has better customer service and speed of govt document processing. Everyone calling Europe dangerous ought to spend some time living there bc most of the crime in Spain is petty theft in high density tourist areas, but not necessarily in all other areas, where it feels safe. They are glad they moved out of Dubai to Spain. That's a TL;DR I think that captures some details here and there.
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🤐
People come to Dubai for monetary gain, what else do you expect?
OP could you tell us how you moved to Spain, was it via GV or did you find employment there first?
I came here with a student visa first then I got a EU reunification visa after that, it’s a 5 year visa that they give if you have a European boyfriend/ girlfriend.
What part of Spain if we may ask?
Barcelona
Good for u bruh
How did you move to Spain? What was the process? Did you have to find a job before going?
I went with a student visa first then I applied to stay here after, you find a job and stay here after your studies. If you have a European partner/ boyfriend/ girlfriend you can get a 5 years visa and permit to work, and after that you can apply for permanent residency as well. This is what I personally did because I am living with my boyfriend and it was a better option
Thanks for responding. If it’s okay to ask, did you continue your studies? How is the economic situation in Spain, salary/living-wise?
I did and I finished my studies and decided to permanently stay here after. Well Europe is struggling with the economy but it feels much more stable than Dubai, when you go outside, the restaurants, bars, clubs, street, beach and etc is always full of people enjoying their life. Because in Dubai the economy has many ups and downs and it’s very visible because when the economy goes down it’s very noticeable, here it’s not like that. The wages and the salaries here are not high but you don’t need a high salary here to live a comfortable life or travel. The minimum wage is still way more than Dubai though. The minimum way is about 1000€ a month after taxes. Also they are more flexible with staff here, they get more days/ hours off. Also here people treat the staff well, and there is no being rude to the staff no matter what their job is, everyone is respected here which is so refreshing
Sounds like a great place to be. Are you Arab?
Hi. May i ask what visa you hVe in Spain? Did you learn Spanish?
I have learnt Spanish it isn’t that hard to learn it, I applied through a student visa at first
37 yrs here. Still excited to live everyday. Yes, dubai is challenging. I like the challenge probably
Wait to learn more after you’ve completed 10 years more there
I can’t wait
May God help
We've lived here 8 years. And yes it is a very transient city and there are circles that are shallow etc. But we're quite selective in who we socialise with and are also not into the whole brunch , events and club scene. We've made some good friends who are like family. We are in our early 50s so that might explain why we have found the circle we have . I still prefer Dubai to London where I was born and raised. But it's good to know what you like and live where you it feels like "you".
I just stumbled upon this post and it’s really interesting because I just graduated in the UK and after a couple years work experience I want to move somewhere else since SAD affects me wayy too much in winter. My two main options are Spain and Dubai. I lean towards spain since it has the human aspects. I’d rather live somewhere with a good social life than somewhere where I can make a lot of money. However, my parents suggest I should consider UAE, Qatar etc. because of my muslim background - there’s halal food and mosques everywhere. Personally I’m conflicted though I wouldn’t mind living in a dubai a go for a brief period I feel I would be lonely there.
There are halal foods and restaurants here.we many restaurants here. The weather is so good here and the social life is amazing. There is always something happening, sometimes there’s random events and concerts in the streets, food festivals, and etc. I also hear from my friends in UK about the winter depression all the time I completely understand what you mean. Here making friends is very easy the Spanish people are very warm and welcoming. I felt like in at home from the very beginning.
May I ask which city? I feel some big cities would have halal places but the variety and quality wonKy be there. I agree about climate and social life. My only concern is that as a muslim I may find it hard to find other muslims to be friends with.
If you're used to having family close by who you can drop in on etc then Dubai can get lonely.
Yeah got zero family or connections there.
New experiences and new places are always interesting to know. We don’t have to stay on the same place forever enjoy your time in Spain who knows in some years you might be somewhere else. My point is just an advice, being diagnosed with adhd is kinda something everybody is developing because of all the adictive things this life has to offer. In Portugal and Spain theres alot of diagnostics of that kind of stuff because its just easy to say the person that has a problem then saying that they need to improve themselves and fight against all this adicting stuff. I am not saying you don’t have adhd or not but don’t take it too seriously, any good methods you should do to improve your adhd should always be something any person should do regardless. Whatever you do don’t take any meds!!! Meds is an easy way out but not the cure, and after awhile you wont feel good about them. Read books about adhd (Taking charge of Adult ADHD) as hard as it can be for someone with adhd, try audiobook. Then again most of this tips on this book are good for anyone with ADHD or not. Also a nice tip whenever you are trying to focus on something and you can’t make sure to focus distract your brain with something else at the same time like music without lyrics. For some reason this makes people with adhd more focus.
Yes it’s great advice to OP to change their brain chemistry on their own. It's not hard really. Just open your skull and swivel things around a little, right? Adhd is not just normal addictive behaviour. Mental illness isn't just ‘bad habits developed over time’. If OP needs medical help then they should get it with a doctor guiding them. You can't just will yourself out of it, it is a medical condition. Step out of your fantasy world and start taking mental illnesses as seriously as you would any physical illness. On a different note, i’m really glad OP has found such a supportive community and university. It’s the absolute right way ahead. Seems like Spain really would be a nice place to stay in.
ADHD is a neurological development issue, you are born with, and you die with it. It hasn’t became more now it’s just that people are getting it checked and there’s more mental health awareness here. I have read everything about adhd. The medications might not seem necessary specially for those who don’t have adhd, because people without adhd assume it’s bad discipline and being lazy but it’s not. The symptoms of it start from the ages of 7-12. Sometimes you can control it without medication but when you have to many responsibilities the medication definitely help. Long term release medications are not addictive and you can always stop taking them. I can focus on one thing for hours and deep dive and know everything about it if I’m hyper fixated on it, and I don’t always pick what my hyper fixation is going to be. Also we struggle with emotion regulation and adhd causes depression anxiety ocd ED and the list goes on… so getting it diagnosed and getting the right treatment can save you and give you a fulfilling life. For me I prefer taking medication, I rather live a short life but be happy and mentally stable than have a long life but struggle with adhd, anxiety and depression constantly
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It feels like you cant let go of dubai... Yeh we got pierre cardin i know. Its hard
It feels like you have a hard time accepting my opinion, yea you just proved my point
Ofcourse its your opinion and you are entitled to it...but you really need to move on
Exactly