‘Leaving has never crossed our minds’: Why this German-Palestinian family chose Abu Dhabi

Dubai: Ask Katrin Berndt’s three sons where they come from, and their answer is simple, Abu Dhabi. For their German mother, that answer says more about home than any address ever could.

Berndt has arrived in the UAE in 2004, following a career in hospitality that had taken her through Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Australia. She has been eager to discover new cultures, meet different people, and begin another chapter. She had no idea that the move would lead to marriage, motherhood, a business in the desert, and a life deeply rooted in the capital.

She later met her husband, Murad Saket Mansoor, a Palestinian who has made the UAE his home in 1997. After they married, the couple settled in Abu Dhabi, the city Berndt has always turned to for its greenery, calm atmosphere, and family-friendly lifestyle. She has also converted to Islam, deepening her connection to the country and her faith.

Together, they have raised three sons born in the Emirates and built a future that brings together their German and Palestinian backgrounds with an appreciation of Emirati culture and hospitality.

For some expatriates, the UAE is a temporary stop on the way to somewhere else. For Berndt and her husband, it became the destination.

“After more than 20 years for me and nearly 30 for my husband, leaving has never crossed our minds. This is home,” Berndt told Gulf News.

Berndt's journey to the UAE has begun with a desire to see the world. Hospitality and hotel management have offered a way to combine her interest in people, languages, food, and cultures.

Some may have wondered why a young German woman would move to the desert, but she has trusted her instincts.

“My instincts told me this was the right next step, and from day one I felt welcomed,” recalled Berndt.

Meeting Mansoor has given her a deeper personal connection to the country. The couple's decision to settle in the capital has been about finding a community where they could build a future together, despite their different backgrounds.

“As a German-Palestinian family, we never felt looked at or judged. Here, we are raising our three boys, born in the UAE, with Islamic values, kindness, and Arabic hospitality and culture. My heart is here and I hope to grow old here.”

Berndt has noted that the openness she experienced in Abu Dhabi helped the family feel accepted. 

“Some doubted that a German-Palestinian marriage, far from both our home countries, would last. Today, we are proud of the family and values we have created, taking the best from both of our cultures. Abu Dhabi made this possible.”

For Berndt and her husband, putting down roots in the capital has meant more than establishing a family home. It has also meant investing in a business that reflected their connection to the country.

In 2007, Mansoor has founded a travel management company. Around the same time, he has started building a desert resort in Al Khatim, Abu Dhabi.

The village has opened in 2012, offering visitors a desert experience inspired by Emirati and Bedouin heritage. The couple wanted to give guests an opportunity to step away from city life and experience the traditions and natural surroundings that form part of the UAE's story.

The project has become an important part of the family’s long-term commitment to the country. Rather than treating Abu Dhabi as a place to work for a few years, they have chosen to invest in a future here.

“Many expats come to the UAE for a few years, earn, and return home. Our story is different, we stayed, invested, and built. Germany is a country many people dream of living in, yet I settled in Abu Dhabi so easily and feel fortunate to have such a choice,” explained Berndt.

Berndt has highlighted that one of the greatest privileges of living in Abu Dhabi is raising her three sons in a multicultural environment.

The boys have been born in the UAE and have grown up surrounded by friends from different countries and cultures. They have access to education, beaches, parks, and the desert, while being raised with their family's faith and values.

“When people ask our children where they’re from they always say Abu Dhabi,” shared Berndt.

That answer has meant a great deal to her. It reflected a sense of belonging that has developed naturally through the children's everyday lives. Berndt believes growing up among people of different nationalities can teach children to look beyond differences and value kindness, understanding, and cooperation.

“Here children are well-prepared for this new world where kindness and acceptance matters more than ever.”

For the family, Abu Dhabi has offered the reassurance parents seek when deciding where to raise their children. Berndt has bared that the combination of safety, comfort, sunshine, education, and an international community is a source of peace of mind.

“People from many countries live side by side, working towards the same goal. This new generation can demonstrate that despite our differences, we can be strong together as one nation.”

Berndt has mentioned that, although she was far from her family in Germany, she did not experience major challenges when she first arrived.

Technology has helped maintain relationships with loved ones back home, while Abu Dhabi’s diverse expat community made it easier to establish new connections.

Many residents have arrived with similar hopes to work, live, build businesses, or create opportunities for their families. This shared experience has encouraged people to connect, help one anotherm and exchange advice. Her message to newcomers is to have the courage to take a chance on a new beginning.

“Every new beginning takes some courage and will. But I'm happy to say it is truly worth risking the unknown for something better, sometimes even unexpected,” exclaimed Berndt.

Family and business have helped anchor Berndt in Abu Dhabi, but the city’s natural surroundings have been another reason she feels at home. Her favourite places are the sea and the desert.

She loves driving along the Abu Dhabi Corniche, particularly during Ramadan, Eid, and National Day, when the city is decorated and people come together to celebrate. The fireworks on National Day and New Year's Eve have become traditions she enjoys with family and friends.

“Living by the sea is a dream and a true lifestyle for me. It recharges me and gives me energy every day. I love watching the water come and go, the beautiful colors changing, and the sun glittering on the surface,” described Berndt.

The desert has offered a different kind of connection. 

“Its dunes and authentic Bedouin heritage remind me what Abu Dhabi was built on. Living between the sea and the dunes is the lifestyle we are happiest and most grateful to share with our family.”

Berndt believes contributing to a community does not always require grand gestures. Sharing experiences, helping others, and showing appreciation can also make a difference.

Friends and family in Germany often tell her she has become an ambassador for the UAE because of how enthusiastically she talks about Abu Dhabi, its people, and the values she has experienced.

Her sons also participate in activities through their school and community, including football, swimming, Ramadan meal box projects, beach clean-ups, and sustainability initiatives.

The family has emphasised that small contributions matter, whether through volunteering, environmental projects, cultural education, or helping someone who is new to the city.

Berndt has underscored that the family remained in the UAE during the Covid-19 lockdown and during the recent regional situation, trusting the country's leadership and guidance. 

“We always felt safe, protected, and looked after. Standing close to the Emiratis and this country in challenging times is part of giving back. Whatever you can do, small or big, is appreciated, and we do it with a grateful heart. For them, supporting the community also means standing by the country during difficult times,” stated Berndt.

For those considering a move to the capital, Berndt has recommended arriving with an open mind and respect for different cultures and backgrounds.

She has advised newcomers to prepare for the heat and humidity, recognise that the UAE does not have the traditional four seasons, and remain flexible in a country that has developed rapidly.

She has also encouraged people not to judge too quickly, but to take time to understand the people and communities around them.

“Be prepared that you might stay longer than expected and perhaps never return home,” said Berndt.

Today, the family’s life moves between the Corniche and the desert, between German and Palestinian roots, and between the traditions they bring with them and the culture they have embraced in the city.

For Berndt, belonging has been seen in the everyday moments, raising her sons in Abu Dhabi, sharing the country’s heritage with visitors, and helping friends and family abroad understand the place she now calls home.

“We arrived as expats and stayed for decades, building alongside this city and country and calling it home.” 

Berndt hopes to grow old in Abu Dhabi, the city where her family has found the stability, opportunities, and sense of belonging they value.

“Abu Dhabi gave us a home and we hope to give back every day. Alhamdulillah and shukran Abu Dhabi.”