Keep left at the fork..

I never thought I would have the courage to leave Kuwait

I have been living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the past year now. If I learned one thing living here is that people drive A LOT. There are people that work in an emirate and raise their family in another. People spend so much of their time in a car, on the bus, metro etc. And Google Maps here is a MUST.

Dubai is probably the most internationally known emirate – you can say it is the main hub in the Middle East – but I had the privilege to become familiar with and live in 2 other emirates.

I first visited Fujairah in early 2018. My first impression of this city was that it was too quiet and even “boring”. I took a few trips to Dubai (about an hour drive from Fujairah) to keep my stay in the UAE interesting.

Ironically, late 2018 I received a job offer in Fujairah and I took it.

I never thought I would have the courage to leave Kuwait, my home since birth and start fresh in a new (neighboring but nonetheless different) country. The sense of familiarity in Kuwait’s places and faces was far too comforting.

First few weeks in Fujairah I was busy settling in my new workplace and apartment hunting (which you can read more about here.) I then started to really live. This city may seem boring and quiet but it was now my city, my home. I became familiar with the good restaurants, shops, healthcare etc. I discovered more of Fujairah’s landscape – the mountains and beaches. I really enjoyed staying in a resort in Dibba, Fujairah with a friend and her mother. I was grateful for living in a small town where everyone knows everyone and there’s always a helping hand when you need it. I established connections with wonderful people and became good friends with a few.

This summer my time in Fujairah had come to an end. Losing my security and stability wasn’t nearly as painful as leaving my students and colleagues, all the familiar places and faces.

Luckily, my parents have an apartment in Abu Dhabi, UAE’s capital. I did make a few visits to Abu Dhabi before to spend time with the family. Compared to the other Emirates it is a big city and the farthest, in relevance to my place in Fujairah. I remember I hated it. “There’s nothing to do” I claimed. I despised taking a taxi to go to dinner for instance because the commute would cost more than the dinner itself. I used to say “it’s my least favorite Emirate to live in”. This summer I had no choice, I packed all my things and headed to the big city.

..and I was – just like any other human on this Earth – living.

The past month I was living in this apartment alone. For transport I did the smart thing and rented a car. I subscribed to a local health club that offered classes like functional training, spinning and yoga. I made a habit of using the gym and pool that was in my building. Each day leaving the building I would smile to the security guard and he would greet me and wish me a great day. I made a habit of visiting the same grocery store (Carrefour) that was nearby. I had a couple of haircuts and hair treatments at the same hair salon. In just a month I established a connection and a feeling of commitment to every one of these places.

I even fetched for the dance community there and I also stayed in touch with a couple of friends that live nearby. One woman I knew briefly from my time in Fujairah also moved recently to Abu Dhabi. We met quite a few times and grew a lot closer the past month.

You can say I quickly adapted to being in Abu Dhabi and I was – just like any other human on this Earth – living. In just a month living in AD and driving around from place to place, I felt this city isn’t so big after all. Eventually I became familiar with the roads and their directions that I even used Google Maps a lot less.

..my emotional attachment to Abu Dhabi made me realize that I could probably adapt and create an attachment to living anywhere.

Unfortunately, I’ve grown attached to the place. This was meant to be temporary! I am currently traveling and I am still unsure as to whether I am moving back to Kuwait or moving to Abu Dhabi or anywhere else..A job opportunity is yet to present itself to me.

This uncertainty aside, my emotional attachment to Abu Dhabi made me realize that I could probably adapt and create an attachment to living anywhere. And if I can then anyone could, if they had no other choice. Connection is found everywhere. There are wonderful people everywhere. It is illogical to think you cannot survive leaving a place you are used to. The place you are in is not magical, you are just comfortable. You’ve become attached to the place and the people in it. Your mind thrives on consistency and what is familiar. But being happy in a place – ANY place – depends mostly on what YOU make of it..