Our home away from home

Kamal Hamza, Customer Service Officer
I was born in Karachi in Pakistan but am originally from Momanpura, Lahore, which is close to the Wagha border. My family moved to Dubai 17 years ago.

We do visit Pakistan every two or three years to see
my grandparents and other family members. I currently work with Fitness First as a customer service officer.

My pet peeves, however, include the visa rules for Asians, traffic, bad public transportation and the heat.

Usman Khalid, Accountant
I am 27 years old. I was born in Lahore, Pakistan. I graduated from high school in Lahore and completed by bachelor's degree from Purdue University in Indiana. I moved to Dubai in November 2006 to work with Al Mal Capital here. I love Dubai. However, there are a few things that do bother me. The rents in this city are unbelievably high. It is becoming extremely difficult for a single person to rent even a studio apartment.

Also, the procedure for getting a driving licence in Dubai needs improvement. I have an American licence but I can't get it changed to a UAE licence because I don't have a US passport. I love the fact that Pakistan is my country. I know that the country has its problems but I hope that things improve soon.

Zubair Haider, PR Manager
I am 29 years old and was born in Sharjah. My interests include cars, football, gaming and mall hopping. I have lived here all my life. I do visit my second home, which is Pakistan, on numerous occasions but UAE is home for me.

I have seen Dubai raise itself year after year to the point where all you see is concrete. I preferred it when things were less superficial and not so fast paced.

Rizwan Saleem, Banking Professional
I was born in the UAE in 1978, and have since lived in Singapore, Pakistan and England. However, my stay in the UAE has been the longest. I enjoy living in Dubai because it's a safe place and multi-cultural.

While the growing expenses and dual standards practised in the country are a challenge, I do see myself living here for a long time. I do miss Pakistan, in particular the sights and sounds that are typical of the country.