Missing home?

Swedes who have made the UAE their second home speak about their country and what it means to be Swedish in the UAE.

The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities, including Swedes. Gulf News spoke to some of them who have made the UAE their home. They tell us why they moved here, what they love about the UAE, and things they miss about Sweden.

Thomas Lundgren

At one time, being Swedish in Dubai meant being part of a very small minority. Today, I bump into Swedes everywhere — on flights, in restaurants and shopping malls. There seems to be a large number of young Swedes who have come here to start their own companies. Dubai does that to you.

While I do miss Sweden, I am pretty comfortable in Dubai too. Two years ago I would have said I missed 'the snow' back home, but I can now go skiing whenever I want right here in Dubai! I really have the best of both worlds... I spend most of the year here and then escape part of the UAE summer by going to Sweden when the weather there is at its best.

I love Dubai because it's not only the fastest growing, most cosmopolitan and 'happening' city in the world at the moment, but it also has a positively bright future.

I'm a culinary adventurer, so I can really appreciate the wide choice of cuisine on offer in Dubai. When I travel, I especially miss the authentic Lebanese, Indian and Iranian food I have come to love. As far as festive occasions go, I'm a big fan of Iftar — the whole concept of food bringing people together in a celebration of life.

Swedes tend to integrate well wherever they go, as they travel a lot, have an international mindset and generally speak good English (as opposed to my Swenglish!). I think the profile of Swedish business grew considerably when the Swedish Business Council was established in the UAE in 1994, and even more so when the Swedish Embassy opened in Abu Dhabi in 2002.

Lars Safverstrom

I have been in Dubai for almost 15 years. I moved here in 1987 and have been here since then, with the exception of the period between 1998 and 2002, when I was based in Athens. I am group president of GAC and am based at the group's corporate head office in Dubai, which oversees and co-ordinates with 280 offices across the world.

I am married to Torild and have twins — Maria and Tomas, who live in Sweden. I grew up in the Swedish port town of Gothenburg and have had a long relationship with the sea. I went to sea at 15, and became a master mariner at 23 years of age. In fact, I was a sea captain for 12 years before coming to Dubai.

I love Dubai, and am fascinated by the pace at which the city is developing. This growth is the realisation of the vision of the country's leadership. I love the mix of people, both in terms of culture and religion. I think this equation works well. However, Dubai can do without dangerous traffic and greedy landlords.

I do miss Sweden, especially the long walks I used to take along the west coast. I also miss sailing there. I also think about the snow and summers in the country. I do go back for Christmas and also spend my summer break there.

I don't get the opportunity to socialise too much in Dubai as I spend more than 200 days a year travelling. I do try and catch some golf and meet friends — some of whom are Swedish — whenever I get the time.

Vendela Fredriksson

I came to Dubai in 2004 and I joined the Swedish Business Council in October last year. I am engaged, and my fiancé lives in Dubai as well.

I left Sweden because I wanted adventure in my life. When I came to the UAE, it wasn't really well known in Sweden. I thought the UAE would be more Arabic and less international. In the beginning, I was disappointed and was thinking about going home, but the fact that Dubai is vibrant and an international city helped me adapt to the place more easily. The freedom that Dubai gives you to live the lifestyle you want is immense, and that is one of the major reasons that has motivated me to continue living here.

Like everyone else, I rant about the traffic, the cost of living and the scorching summers. However, the advantages of living here still overtake the disadvantages. The different nationalities in Dubai make it a fun city to live in, as does the easy lifestyle. I think that people who choose to leave their home countries are more adventurous.

We miss friends and families from home, but on the other hand, it creates a vacuum that must be filled. This makes us more open, friendly and approachable to other people in the same situation.

However, I do miss my family who live in Sweden. I long to experience the seasons in Sweden — it makes everyone appreciate the sun and warmth more.

I love Sweden and will definitely go back home one day, but not yet. I didn't socialise often or that much with other Swedes before I started at the Swedish Business Council in October, but I do now.

Though socialising with other nationalities lends a certain spice to life, it is nice to have a couple of Swedes around you. Sometimes you need to relax with people who have the same cultural background or a similar view of the world as you do. For instance it is nice to be able to discuss Televinken and Carola. It is also easier to joke in your native language.

Swedes are often misunderstood. I have heard some people say that we come across as dull, but I think that is due to the language barrier. We are kind, caring and easy-going, even though I must admit that we sometimes are too kind.

We tend to be hard working, honest and loyal. We are adventurous and love our sports and spending time outdoors. We are proud to have and offer equal opportunities, regardless of gender. As a woman, you're not treated differently from a man. For instance, both my parents work, my mother drives the car just as often as my father, and they cook for each other every second day.

Bengt Ekstrand

I moved to Dubai in 2002 for work reasons. I am the regional director for GAC Middle East, and am responsible for its businesses in shipping, logistics and marine services throughout the region.

Prior to arriving in Dubai I spent 10 years outside Sweden living in places such as Bahrain and Oman.

Though I had a good job back in Sweden at the time, I wanted to do something more exciting, and this was and still is something that GAC can offer today. Moving with my wife Agneta to a tiny country in the Gulf was quite a challenge at the time though.

However, I love my job and I think I am privileged to be spending a few years in Dubai and be part of the amazing development that this region is witnessing. I don't really hate anything about living and working here.

I haven't really thought about going back. I am happy with what I am doing and living here, and so is my family. Though I do miss a few things about Sweden such as its natural beauty, the different seasons and my family and friends.

But the good thing is that there's a big community of Swedes in the UAE. I think that there are more than 2,000 people from Sweden living here. I also have many Swedish friends here.

The good part about Swedes is that they are kind and honest people, and they value family. Swedes do not like to argue and seek consensus whenever different opinions arise.

Erica Axelsson

I arrived in the UAE in June 2005. I got a job offer from Ericsson and I decided to take it and move to Dubai. I lived in Dubai for 18 months before moving to Abu Dhabi in January this year.

There are numerous things that I love about the UAE. I like the weather (despite the heat) and the vibrant cultural mix.
It's also got a blend of great shopping, restaurants, ci
nemas and nightclubs.

There's a lot to do here — both for families and single people.

Personally, I love going to the cinema or meeting friends — both Swedish and others — for a great meal.

However, the slow pace of things, bureaucracy and the traffic both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be difficult to handle. But other than that the UAE is a fun place to live and work in.

I also miss my family and friends back home. I crave Swedish food, especially my mom's home-cooked meals and Falukorv, which is a traditional Swedish sausage.

I also miss playing soccer, which I played regularly in Sweden. I can't play soccer here because there are no female soccer teams.

However, as of now I have no plans to go back, I am happy here. But if an interesting opportunity were to come up, I could consider moving.

Daniel Mokari

I arrived in Dubai at the end of the summer last year. I got a job with the Swedish Trade Council and was assigned to work as a consultant in the new office that we started here. I was studying in the US, when I got a job with a Swedish tobacco company called Swedish Match in Johannesburg, South Africa. So I made up my mind to move to Johannesburg, but a few weeks before my move things changed and I ended up in Dubai. When I look back I don't regret my decision.

I love Dubai's closeness to the Arabian Gulf, its beaches and the dynamic place that it has evolved into. It's also a city with numerous career opportunities.

I do miss Sweden a lot, especially now, since I have been away for more than two years. I miss my friends and family and my hometown Stockholm. However, since I work with the Swedish Trade Council, a number of people I socialise with are Swedes. We are generally outdoorsy and like being involved with sports. We love being out at sea on our sailboats. We are also very down-to-earth.

While I miss Sweden I have no plans to move back anytime soon. I want to see how my career develops here in the UAE. I do feel like I want to explore a few more continents before I move back to Sweden. I guess it will be a few years before that happens. However, life is unpredictable. I never planned to come to the UAE, so I guess I won't be able to predict when I will move out of here.