Life in Dubai has morphed into something alot like our life in Houston! I’m the stay at home mom, the kids go to school and sports, Kent goes to work!
HOW IS DUBAI?!
One thing missing, (besides our container with all of our furnishings in it) is our dog…STILL. It’s also been over 105 days without the 5th member of our family. Insert two very sad kid faces here. This pic below was snapped by Zuri’s Aunty Stephanie, about 2 weeks before the house got packed up.
YOUR LIFE LOOKS SO AMAZING!!!
So here’s the thing….it absolutely is amazing; but let’s keep it real. I feel a bit bad for not having alot of exciting experiences to show off for you all. NOR am I being consistent with my style posts on the blog! Full disclosure, moving to a super cool city is very different than visiting a super cool city. Life has to take shape, normalcy has to be found, routine is crucial and work isn’t slowing down anytime soon for Kent. NONE of these are factors on vacation. I’m more focused on finding our groove and settling in, than going the “worlds biggest” anything right now. Plus anything touristy that people see and what draws them here, are a bit pricey for someone living here! We need to pace ourselves, ha!
MY DUBAI OBSERVATIONS
Yet…in those 105 days, here are some things I’ve noticed along the way:
- Architecture – man, this side of the world REALLY knows how to create a beautiful skyline, incredible skyscrapers and the details are everywhere! It’s literally the coolest.
- Traffic – it’s busy. You WILL get honked at, you WILL get cut off, and you WILL see a very large passenger bus squeeze in front of you when there was only 3 inches of space. It’s kind of crazy; but guess what? At some point, you will honk at someone, cut someone off, and also need to squeeze into the tiniest of spaces to get into the proper lane to exit. You just can’t get stressed about it. While this sounds like crazy driving and maniac’s behind the wheel, I’ve yet to see road rage!
- People are super connected – digitally that is. It’s amazing….about 80% of people I see have ear buds or air pods in their ears. MANY walk to their destination with their head totally down. This city has so much character, as a new expat, I can’t help but wonder how much they are missing while being so connected to their phones.
- Safety – I’ve never felt safer. Truly. The presence of protection is everywhere. And guess what? No firearms. SOOOO not in Texas anymore! Security guards are literally every 150 metres in the malls, just watching over everyone. Along the Marina. Along the beach. Hotels. Places of business. Anywhere people are. I appreciate it
- Distance – this city is spread out. You quickly get used to driving for at least 20 minutes to get somewhere. Oh, and you can’t turn left on many roads at all (think about that for a second…you RARELY turn left!), so sometimes you have to pass your destination and loop around, to come at it from a direction to access it’s entrance. It takes some getting used to that’s for sure! U-turns are common and a normal part of traffic.
- You don’t come to Dubai to score deals – I wasn’t sure if it was true; but after living here, I would agree that goods and services here cost more (sometimes ALOT more) than they did in Houston. For this budget oriented girl, it’s a shock, and I’m still not sure how to lay out my budget since we aren’t in our villa yet. More when we get into that situation.
- Consignment Stores – while I can go to the mall and walk through ANY high end designer boutique, I can’t buy any of it. But the consignment stores….now that’s getting a little more doable! Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a splurge; but I’d love to include some gently worn, amazing pieces of my dream brands to my closet before we leave here, that is for SURE! I will keep you posted on that!
- Dubai is the land of the “Worlds Largest” everything. I know I’ve said that before; but it’s so true. Things I really want to check out are: The Miracle Garden, Global Village, Burj Khalifa (but you don’t want to make the trip up unless it’s clear….I want to see as FAR as my eye can see up there!) and of course, take a drive to Abu Dhabi to Ferrari World, for starters.
- If you are a foodie, you are in luck. Amazing, world renowned chefs have restaurants here and visit frequently. Gordon Ramsey was just over at his restaurant Bread Street Kitchen and Bar. I’m super bummed I missed him being there in person; but it’s on my list of places to eat for sure.
- Expat communities are amazing. Allow yourself to step out of your fear/apprehension/anxiety/comfort zone for a few minutes and you will find there are tons of people waiting to make your acquaintance! Now, there will be all walks of life here. Dubai is home to over 200 different cultures, and many are in different chapters of their expat lives, so be very cautious not to compare. It happens very easily since Dubai is a place of opulence and indulgence. Just because you can’t live life like that, doesn’t make you any less valuable as someone’s friend!
WOW, ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT DUBAI?
Yep, tons. But most importantly, I love it. I love the city.
I love that my family is experiencing a country like this, where we have no language barrier; but access to so much culture. Dubai is a relatively new city, 47 years old this year, (it can be anything you want it to be!); but there is a strong sense of history and tradition here. It’s a pretty cool mix.
Sophia’s blonde hair and blue eyes are always of interest to people walking by, which isn’t her favorite; but she tries to just smile and keep walking.
The view from the Little League Fields is the Burj Khalifa….I mean, guys, that’s pretty freakin’ rad.
OH! And…something in the air has me sneezing non stop. I’ve never suffered from allergies. I’ve never had an issue with scents or perfumes (although those are VERY strong here). Pretty much since arriving, I’ve realized I should buy stock at Kleenex since I’m going through the product like crazy!
HOW ARE THE KIDS DOING IN DUBAI?
On Thanksgiving, we were at a new friends house (we had THREE Full on American Thanksgiving Dinner’s here in Dubai, how amazing is that?!). I was chatting with a lady I just met. Sophia walked up. They introduced themselves, and my new friend asked what Sophia was thankful for this year. Her answer? “My parents for bringing us to Dubai and making me feel safe.” Yeah….so….. I cried a little.
What do parents worry about the most? How their kids will adjust! Will they make friends? Will they be ok with the new school? Do they want to run and hide or go out and try new things? Will they hide their feelings or be honest about how this change feels to their tender souls?
Will they stand up for themselves when someone makes them feel inadequate? Have we raised them in an environment where they are respectful and kind to others; but confident in themselves, to BE themselves? Will they be able to maintain their gratitude in this land of excess, or will it make them greedy, and want what others have? I pray for their growing hearts and minds all the time, to remain true to who THEY are.
DUBAI AT 105
So there you have it. A massive roller coaster that when I realize we are well over the 3 month mark, it feels like it flew. And we haven’t even gotten into our place yet! I can’t wait til I can stop saying THAT!
What I will say, is that I’m really glad our family is here. I’m so grateful we’ve got a shot at experiencing a life across the globe. There’s a reason we are here, God has been present this entire time. The Meyer family is in the right place, at the right time….we are sure of that, and can’t wait to see what else our time in Dubai has in store for us!
xoxo Taryn
So exciting! I remember when you moved here and didn’t know anyone. You’ll find your tribe once you are settled in. So happy for you! Keep the blog going. Totally genuine insights. You should submit your blog to Cosmo, Vogue Et all. You are a very good writer!