Dubai: He holds out doors for hotel guests, greeting them in his perfect Arabic or Urdu; the big smile on his face making up for his halting English.
It's been seven years since Mohammed Ramzan, 26, first arrived in the UAE. After overcoming his biggest hurdle, he's excited for the days ahead.
"It was challenging for me to find a job before because nobody wanted to hire me because of my condition," said Ramzan, who suffers a form of dwarfism.
The four-feet tall Ramzan works as a doorman for the Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman, a job he has held in the past three years after working at an abaya shop in the Ajman museum.
In the hotel, he started in the engineering department before being assigned in the guest relations division.
"I am happy and proud of what I do here," he said, adding that many of the hotel's repeat guests treat him like a friend.
"I get to chat and meet with new people every day. Some guests take a photo with me and give me gifts. It makes me feel special," he said.
But it wasn't always this easy, Ramzan recalled. Growing up in South Punjab in Pakistan, he faced ridicule and discrimination over his height. He got by with his family's love and support.
Ramzan's five sisters and three brothers all have normal height. "I am the only who is special. My grandmother from my father's side has the same condition as mine," he said.
Growing up, he couldn't race on a standard bicycle with the rest of his brothers due to his condition. "I love riding bicycles, so my brother tried to make one for me," he said. He still loves the sport, and says he is currently saving up for a customised bicycle.
But there is one thing he is most excited about: caring for his growing family. Ramzan's wife in Pakistan is pregnant with the couple's first child.
"I am very excited to be a father, and to start a family. My wife is five feet tall but for us, it is not an issue. I also hope that my child will be normal," he said.
"I don’t care what other people say. I have no regrets in life and I consider myself blessed – I have a family, a wife and we're expecting a child; I love my job, and I have many friends," he said.
Ramzan is saving up to start a business in Pakistan. "I am thinking of having a small grocery store or shops for children and sell popcorn, ice cream and more," he said.
His path in life holds a lesson, he said. "I learned that disability is not a hindrance in achieving your goals, and being happy in life," he said.
