Moments after I opened my eyes early one morning, I went out and stood on the balcony. A smile crept up on my face as I looked at the beautiful sky. Breathing in the fresh morning air and sipping from my cup of coffee, I felt blessed to be living in Dubai. It has been a year and a half since I came to Dubai and the city never ceases to amaze me.
It has something in store for everyone – be it readers, shoppers, the adventure-loving lot or the foodies. We can visit the top of the tallest building in the world, we can find a range of cuisines from all around the globe or be part of the many interesting events that take place here, from time to time. And of course, there are the humongous malls that have everything — from clothes, footwear and groceries, to gaming centres, movie theatres, banks and anything you can think of. The beaches, adventure sports, ice skating... there’s always room for more exploration. Needless to say, the cleanliness and law and order of the city work like icing on the cake.
I have everything here, but still, there’s something that makes this near-perfect life incomplete. And that is the one thing most expatriates have in common – a feeling of longing. We miss being away from our family and not being able to visit them often. Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, our thoughts recurrently go out to them. So, I look forward to the holiday period when I can go meet them, relive old memories and make new ones. This time never seems to be long enough. When we get back to Dubai, even before we realise it, our hearts turn to longing once more. Like all others sailing in the same boat, I get dressed, wear my smile and get back to work. Such is life!
- The reader is a teacher based in Dubai.
