How this Egyptian expat found his place in the UAE by helping others find theirs

Dubai: Moving to a new country often begins with excitement to new opportunities, new surroundings, and the promise of a different future. But behind many expatriate stories is a challenge of building a life from the beginning.

For Egyptian expat Ahmed Youssef, that challenge came at a time when the world itself has become distant. When he arrived in Dubai in 2021, the city was full of possibility, but the Covid-19 pandemic has changed how people connected. Meeting new friends, building relationships, and finding a community have not been as simple as they once were.

“I realized that many people around us were experiencing the same feelings of loneliness and disconnection,” Youssef told Gulf News. 

What has started as a personal struggle to find his own place in a new city became a journey to help others find theirs.

Youssef’s move to the UAE has begun with a life-changing decision. During the pandemic, he has been engaged to Sarah Kamal, who later became his wife and business partner. Around the same time, Kamal has received a job opportunity that required her to relocate to Dubai in 2020.

The opportunity has changed their plans and Youssef decided to move to the UAE to build their future together. 

Similar to many who leave behind familiar places, he has arrived carrying hopes for a new beginning but also faced the reality of starting over. One of his biggest challenges has been loneliness.

“Meeting new people and building friendships was incredibly difficult due to restrictions and social distancing,” recalled Youssef.

The move has also brought financial pressure. His previous employer has been unable to transfer him to the UAE office and because his home country’s currency had significantly lost value, Youssef spent his first six months in Dubai living on a salary paid in his local currency.

“It was a difficult period that required careful planning, resilience, and a lot of patience.”

During that period, the couple has tried to build a new circle from scratch. They have made an effort to meet people whenever possible while respecting the safety measures in place. Through those conversations, they have discovered that many others were carrying the same invisible challenge.

People have been looking for more than places to go. They have been searching for others to share experiences with. That understanding has eventually led to the creation of ChillMe, a community built on the idea around bringing strangers together through shared experiences, activities, and conversations.

For Youssef, the concept has been formed from a simple observation that sometimes the hardest part of moving somewhere new is not finding a place to live or work but finding people who make it feel like home.

According to Youssef, the UAE has provided an environment where he could turn that idea into something meaningful.

Before moving to Dubai, he has already built a community in his home country but expanding it was more challenging due to differences in regulations and the business environment. In the UAE, he has found clearer processes and a structure that helped him move forward.

“The UAE's strong infrastructure, well-defined regulations, and consistently high-quality services played a significant role in my journey,” described Youssef.

Moreover, living among people from different nationalities, cultures, religions, and backgrounds has changed his perspective on what a community could look like.

“The country's values are reflected in everyday life. They find a system that enables them to live together, integrate, and complement one another.”

Since then, Youssef’s efforts have brought together people across the UAE through more than 190 events, welcoming over 1,190 attendees. The initiative has also supported over 110 small and medium-sized businesses by helping them reach new customers and create opportunities.

Additionally, more than 12 talents in areas such as event facilitation, arts, and creative experiences have been given opportunities to share their skills and generate income. But for Youssef, the most meaningful outcomes are not only measured in numbers.

“Success is not measured only by the number of events we organise but by the positive impact we create for people, local businesses, and talented individuals within the community,” shared Youssef.

Youssef’s story has begun with a feeling many expats know well, standing in a new place and wondering where you fit in. He has moved to Dubai hoping to build a future, but along the way he discovered that helping others feel less alone could help him find his own sense of belonging.

The UAE is home to millions of people who have left behind familiar faces, routines, and places to begin again. Each person arrives with a different story, but many share the same hope to find connection.

“The UAE is a land of dreams and opportunities. All you need is to open your heart, embrace change, and apply five essential values in everything you do: patience, respect, humility, passion, and integrity,” said Youssef.

Building a life in the UAE was not just about creating a career or adapting to a new country. It was about discovering that home is not always a place you arrive at but also something you build together with the people you meet along the way.