Dubai

Come back Post

Why is Dubai an amazing place for Indians to relocate? 

It has been really long since I have written anything for my blog, the reasons are many. Although it won’t be wrong to say that the excuses are many. I wanted to think of some fantastic topic that I could pen down lyrically or just write about traveling, but oops I haven’t travelled anywhere in recent times, thanks to covid. It is not like I have not made plans to travel but some remained in my head and some could not be materialized because of my own fear of covid. In the end, I had too many thoughts and too many interests in too many different areas that uniting them was too broad, or focussing on one was too narrow.

But anyway as the saying goes its better late than never. And even though I haven’t travelled in ages I have changed my residency country and I can write about it. Yes, It has been one full year today since I shifted to Dubai and haven’t written anything about it. So this is the best topic to do a come back blog. Why I shifted to Dubai is a long story, but one thing is sure that if I was given an option I would have definitely opted for Dubai or any place like it. Not because I know a lot about the place or I am fond of skyscrapers or anything like that. It's just that it fascinates me. Now since I have been staying here for more than one and a half year I can list down the reasons of why one can plan to shift top Dubai. 

Dubai is not the capital of UAE but definitely the most popular city of UAE. Living in Dubai is a lot of fun, and it is definitely worth the move. There are number of reasons that can fascinate one to shift here. In my opinion here are some of the reasons-

1. Feels like home- First and most important thing in Dubai or rather say UAE is that there are lots of Indian expats which makes it feel like home to those who relocate there. So, people like me who has changed many houses since childhood, adjusting here was not an issue at all. There are so many Indians here that I hardly realize that I am staying outside the country.  So, there are seldom chances of being homesick here. 

2. Safety- There is no doubt that UAE is one of safest places in the world. Till the time I have not shifted here I could not understand this phrase. But now since I am here I realize what it feels to be safe. Back home whenever my brothers and male friends planned for anything in night either it be a simple eating out or traveling late, we girls/ ladies could not be a part of it. And I felt quite offended and irritated by this fact. But here I can actually go out in night and enjoy the night outs. And that too not just with friends but with kids and family too. UAE specifically Dubai is beautiful during night, it seems that the city is decorated with vibrant and varied lights. Anyways coming back to safety, this is definitely a safe city. My daughter once forget her bag in the park and we went back there after two hours to find it exactly at the same place where she left it. So here one can safely forget their belongings. Even the cab driver returns the belongings pretty much as soon it’s noticed by him or her. Here, in our experience a very safe city.

3. Transport System- Dubai has a very well established public transport system. The metro line is one of the most convenient ways to get around the city, it travels in a straight line, so it's easy for people like me also who has bad direction sense. Naturally, buses are the cheapest option, followed by the metro and then taxis. And once you get the driving license here you can rent or buy a car to get around very easily. There are many options of second hand cars which is really convenient for pocket as well as for new drivers. Dubai boasts of the best road infrastructure in the MENA region. Only catch is to understand the ways and once you get that right it feels like you are in the world of video games. The roads are smooth, extremely planned and amazingly lit. 

4. No Tax- Dubai is mostly tax free, all the salary you earn is your take home salary. So, there is no direct tax, only VAT is being levied on products. 

5. Food- Frankly we never felt away from home, food wise. All food cravings are fulfilled via home delivery or via a short drive away. Bur Dubai, Deira, are not just rich in varied Indian food and flavours but whole area literally looks and feels like India. From gol gappas, vara pav to biryanis and shawarma, the area has all the options. And not just this, there are many grocery stores which houses Indian spices and products. 

 

6. Hose in washroom- Unlike many countries the washrooms here are clean and has hose. All those who are from India can understand the importance of hose. 

There are many more reasons to feel like home in Dubai and I am sure Indians who have been staying here since ages will come up with more points to love Dubai. I am just one year old in this city and I am still exploring and loving it.

New Life

Moving to a new city can be stressful as well as confusing. And obviously moving to a whole new  country is like moving worlds. I felt like leaving my cocoon-that comprised of  familiar faces and comfortable routine. From this to a completely unknown landscape, new culture and different climate was quite a big challenge for. But since I also wanted to explore, I mentally prepared myself to move ahead.

After the sorting out our basic paperwork, I started reading about Qatar and its culture. I had to search for several, for example-
Which schools will be good for my daughters?
Which areas are best to live with a family?
Where are the main supermarkets?
Are there good parks for families?
Will I still be able to work?
Will I find new friends?
I trawled the internet looking for all the possible information I could. Every crumb of insight was essential to show me what real life would be while living in Doha.

Initial Days
So we shifted here 6 months ago! I had a lot on my plate. And first three months were quite hectic as I had a lot on my plate. Though we took a fully furnished flat setting up the kitchen, settling the kids in and other random stuff engulfed a lot of time and effort. We applied for our kids admission in the   Indian schools. The presence of such schools and Indian neighbors kind of made me comfortable and I started feeling home like. but nonetheless, there are days when I miss my family and friends back in Delhi.

Culture in Qatar
Living in Qatar is quite an ethnic experience. I got to explore the ways of a new country that is in many ways  different from India. But there are common denominators, like life in Qatar is a mix of peaks-lows and ups and downs. Thankfully I am staying in heart of of Doha, I have no concerns of accessibility and convinience.

Here are some points that you must be mentally prepared for in order to shift here-

Expense

For a long time I kept calculating everything in terms of Indian currency and thought "how expensive this place is". But gradually I realized that I have to buy things here calculating the currency of this country only. I am still in process of learning this and still find this country quite expensive.  I think, the cost of living in Qatar in general is quite high. As Qatar imports most of its food, the basic items are expensive. Staples like rice, bread, certain meats and fish are moderately priced, but altogether food is expensive in Qatar.  Household goods are also comparatively expensive here.

Accommodation

House-hunting can be frustrating because most popular locations have high rent while others, despite having similar facilities, often lack good neighborhood and surroundings. There are no regulations in terms of rent and facilities but the most difficult thing here is finding a good accommodation that suits your preference type. Either you find the state of accommodation in Qatar wonderful or not, the rent is quite high, choices can be limited and many places look the same.

Less People

I see a stark difference in the population of Qatar and India. Here one can witness families and little crowd of people only on weekends. We Indians are usually surrounded by people everywhere, so we hardly feel isolated, but here its not the same. Here, I am still looking for friends and  relatives so that we can have a social network as in India we had many friends and relatives to mingle with. Although 25% of population living in Qatar are Indians, I am still lagging behind in befriending some.

Hangouts

The best part of this country is the sea and its beaches. Most people praise the mall or mention the deserts as integral part of Qatar but my personal favorite places are- Corniche and Katara. I have spent my life as a North Indian, without any sea view, hence I am quite fond of it. The beauty and calmness of sea is something I really love. Because of the extreme hot climate these days I am unable to visit these places frequently. I will write a separate blog on both Katara and Corniche, later on.

Events andActivities

Numerous events keep happening around the year. I am just 6 months old here but I have been fortunate enough to attend some really amazing musical concerts, Kite Festival and Spring Festival. Most of these events and festivals are lively and worth the visit. I am lucky that I have shifted here in Qatar-India Year of Culture, and hence able to enjoy many events and programs.

Malls and Supermarkets

Available in abundance and build in almost every corner of the city. They are lively and attarct good crowd, specially during weekends. 

Safety and Cleanliness

The best part of Qatar is that it is safe. I am not saying this just for the sake of it but I have actually experienced it. I have traveled alone many times late in night and never felt insecure or concerned. Taxis are available all around and are easily accessible. Being a mother I feel really safe going anywhere with my kids. Most of the parks here have families chilling till late in the night hence I can easily take my kids out during late evenings. And I find this extremely appreciable that citizens maintain cleanliness everywhere. 

Hence, like any other country this place also has its cons and pros. In fact, it has more pros than cons making it a wonderful place to stay with family. I just completed my 6 months in this country hence I thought of sharing my experience through this blog. To sum up I can definitely say that so far my journey in this country has been quite wonderful and I am hoping for everything positive and good in the future as well.