on
April 15, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
When Comic Con came to Dubai last year, nobody—not even the organizers, thought it would be as big a success as it was. If you thought a city like Dubai wouldn’t have much of an audience where comic books and characters are concerned, the Middle East Film and Comic Convention proved you wrong. Over 15000
on
March 21, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
Every year, Earth Hour is observed for an hour around the world. Folks who participate in it turn off their lights, unplug their appliances and…probably have candlelight dinners. Humour aside, Earth Hour is a big deal in Dubai. Considering how much electricity and other resources Dubai consumes, it’s natural that environment conscious Dubai expats and
on
February 19, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
It’s no secret that Dubai expats rarely venture into Sharjah. Most say it’s because of the traffic and the pesky round-abouts Sharjah has in abundance. To be honest, there are very few events that warrant the hassle of coming down to Sharjah from Dubai in rush hour. The Sharjah International Book Fair and the Sharjah
on
February 7, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
Dubai is known as a shopper’s paradise. Long time Dubai expats will tell you that that’s not quite true. For them Dubai is a shopper’s paradise during the annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). Originally started in 1996, this one month long festival aimed to promote trade and commerce in Dubai. It has now become one
on
February 7, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
One of the first things I was asked by veteran Dubai expats when I moved here was whether I’d gone for Desert Safari or not. When I told them I hadn’t gone on one yet, the reactions varied from “You’re kidding, right?” to “You have to try it!” Turns out, I really did need to
on
January 17, 2013 in
Middle East Expat
Because of all the modernisation of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai expats get to see very little of the traditions and cultures of UAE. The first time I saw a group of people performing a traditional dance was on a road trip to Ras Al Khaimah. The National Day was drawing to a close and
on
December 11, 2012 in
Middle East Expat
The UAE recently celebrated its 41st National Day on December 2nd 2012. While that date has passed, the celebrations have not. As an expat in Dubai, I’ve always found the history of UAE fascinating. The idea of seven states—all monarchies at that—coming together to form a country is mind boggling. But that’s exactly what Dubai,
on
October 29, 2012 in
Middle East Expat
With the weather cooling down, and the Eid long weekend coming up, road trips are on the minds of many Dubai expats. UAE has an excellent network of roads and taking a road trip is as simple as getting in a car and driving. Well, that’s oversimplifying it but you get what I mean. Expats
on
September 5, 2012 in
Middle East Expat
Life for expats in Dubai is many things, but it’s certainly never dull. No matter how much one researches a place before moving to live there, some things only get discovered after living there for a while. Following are a few things expats learn only after living in Dubai for a few months. Language: Arabic
on
July 10, 2012 in
Middle East Expat
Dubai is littered with local shawarma joints, home grown restaurants and well-known chains that are all famous for the fabulous food they serve. In short, expats in Dubai are spoilt for dining choices. As hard as it is to decide what to eat and where to dine in Dubai, one thing is for certain: you 